Lib Dem councillor Bob Hare has expressed deep concern after Haringey Councilblocked an agreed visit to Alexandra Palace to view full accounts for thisyear.

Haringey Council’s reason was that the deadline for viewing the accounts passedat 5pm on Friday. However Cllr Hare, assisted by local party member andaccountant, Martin Hay, had agreed to view the accounts at 10am thismorning (Tuesday) because the Palace management had been too busy with thefireworks display last week to be able to arrange a viewing.

The block comes a month after the Council’s Labour-run Executive used’urgent business’ powers to secure an extra £1m for the contractorsresponsible for the Palace’s sell-off.

Bob Hare, who is Lib Dem Ally Pally spokesperson, comments:

“I am appalled that the commitment given to allow us to see the accounts hasbeen overturned by Haringey’s Labour Council.

“There is concern that the current year’s accounts may have someirregularities and as the opposition we need to be able to scrutinise themon behalf of the public.”

Mr Hay adds:

“Refusal to allow us to view information held by the Alexandra PalaceCharity undermines the democratic process at a fundamental level and makesme wonder what the Council has to hide.”

Lib Dem councillor Gail Engert has secured new bins for outside KenwoodHouse, Hampstead Lane, N6 after residents contacted her complaining thatrubbish was being blown all over the street.

The problem arose some time ago when the inner bin of a large concrete binwent missing. However residents started complaining following a recent spellof windy weather when the litter was blown all over the street and intoneighbouring gardens.

Cllr Engert immediately contacted Haringey Council who took steps to remove theconcrete bin last week. The Council has notified Cllr Engert that they willreplace the large concrete bin with a new set of bins along the wholestretch of the lane before Christmas.

Cllr Engert comments:

“I am pleased that the bins are going to be replaced.It is not pleasant for anyone to have their street littered and I am glad Ihave managed to secure a swift solution.”

Lib Dem Councillors have called on Tubelines bosses to start consultingproperly over their plans to construct a new London underground controlcentre at Highgate Woods, N6. The calls come following an unproductive firstpublic meeting where Tubelines failed to address many of the concerns raisedby local residents and politicians.

Tublines Chief Executive, Terry Morgan had visited the site with Highgatecouncillors and local GLA member, Lynne Featherstone and assured them thatmuch of the concerns raised would be addressed and investigated. Two weekslater the same questions were being asked and very few answers were beinggiven.

The concerns of Ms Featherstone, local Councillors and residents are wideranging.

They include:

• The height of the 6m tall construction. Cllr Hare had requested at the site visit that Tubelines look into digging down and thus lowering the height of the building as well as covering it with greenery. However at the meeting Tubelines appeared to have not investigated the option thoroughly.
• Concerns over lighting of premises. Cllr Hare suggested that infra-red and not flood lighting should be used for security.
• Increase in traffic flow – particularly noise and lights associated with a proposed gatehouse behind residents’ houses. Also, concerns over traffic in and around the border of the woods in the early mornings and late at night.
• Vague answers over extra plantings to reduce noise and light disturbances

Cllr Featherstone and Lib Dem environment spokesperson, Bob Hare areconcerned at Tubelines’ failure to address the problems seriously andrespond with evidence-based arguments. They are concerned that some work hasalready started on preparing the site prior to end of the consultation withresidents over design. Because Tubelines is a ‘statutory body’, no planningpermission is required.

Cllr Featherstone comments:

“Tubelines are engaging with local people – butthe proof of the engagement will be in how far they amend their plans. Warmwords and good intentions will not be enough – now they have to deliversolutions.”

Cllr Hare (Highgate) adds:

“Tubelines must find the best solution toresidential and environmental concerns raised and we will pressing them forevidence-based responses to our concerns.”

Lib Dem Councillor Ron Aitken has condemned an attack on a gay man on anight bus outside Highgate tube station in the early hours of Thursdaymorning.

He has also welcomed the Metropolitan Police’s response. His comments come following a meeting he attended of the Gold Group – a panelmade up of senior police officers and leading members of the lesbian and gaycommunity – on Friday morning.

Assurances have been given to Cllr Aitken and others that the two victims ofthe attack and their welfare will be foremost in the investigation and thatpolice will be deployed to protect members of the gay and lesbian communityas they go about their business.

Cllr Aitken comments:

“I am pleased that the Metropolitan Police have set upa specialist enquiry team to apprehend the attacker and I am impressed bythe commitment to providing protection and reassurance to the lesbian andgay community.

“People should not allow fear of an intolerant minority to stop them fromgoing out with their friends.”

Stroud Green Lib Dem Cllr Laura Edge has expressed renewed concern overplans to build a concrete factory in Cranford Way, N8 following a visit to asimilar plant in Wembley.

Last Saturday, Cllr Edge accompanied members ofthe Planning Applications Sub-Committee and a representative of Green N8,the community group established to oppose the plans, on a tour of a concretebatching plant in Wembley run by the N8 applicant, London Concrete.

Following the visit, Cllr Edge expressed concern about the size of theproposed plant in Cranford Way stating:

“Seeing a “real life” plant helped put the Cranford Way proposals inperspective. I was taken aback by the sheer size of the proposed plant,which will stand 17 metres at its highest point. Our site is also onslightly raised land, and would tower above the existing warehouse buildingson the industrial estate.

“The applicants have argued that these buildings will provide protection forUplands Road residents from the noise and visual impacts of the plant butthis clearly won’t be the case. That is not even to mention the impact onChettle Court, which looks straight down onto the proposed site.”

Cllr Edge is urging the Planning Applications Sub-Committee to make afurther visit to Cranford Way to talk to local residents about the impact ofthe proposed development. She is particularly concerned that councillorsshould be made fully aware of the traffic impacts of the proposed scheme:

“Under the current proposals we would see an additional 56 lorry movements aday, including three to four cement tankers, which are essentially the samesize as petrol tankers. Each one of these lorries will be forced to take aleft turn onto Tottenham Lane owing to the one-way system and from thereeither continue down Tottenham Lane or turn sharp right into Church Lane.

“Whilst I fully support moving freight from road to rail, the question is’at what price?’ I do not believe that these narrow, predominantlyresidential streets, which are used daily by children attending the manylocal schools and youth facilities, should be forced to bear the brunt ofthe drive to remove freight from the wider London road network. There mustbe more suitable sites where railheads are situated closer to the main roadnetwork.

“The impact of increased lorry movements is of particular concern in thelight of the admission obtained by Lib Dem Crouch End Cllr Dave Winskillfrom the Director of London Concrete, Derek Casey, at the Development Forumin September. He admitted that the plant would have the capacity to servetwice the number of lorries proposed in the current application.”

Cllrs Edge and Winskill have therefore welcomed a commitment received fromHaringey Council that the Transportation Team looking into the transportimplications of the proposals will take this point into consideration.

Muswell Hill Councillor Lynne Featherstone last week finally securedassurances from Haringey Council that they would be addressing the state ofAvenue Mews, an issue that she has been continually pressing them over formany years.

The issues that have been raised by local residents with LibDem councillors include fly-tipping, obstructive parking and blocked drainsin the Mews, which runs parallel to the Broadway and has become a litter andparking blackspot.

In response the Council has confirmed to Cllr Featherstone that thefollowing action will be taken.

They have requested that waste contractors Haringey Accord contacttraders and residents, to remind them to adhere to the correct proceduresfor leaving waste to be collected i.e. putting it outside on day ofcollection.

Accord have been given instructions regarding spilled rubbish,leaving smelly materials in the road and failures to clean up dumped rubbishin the area.

They will repaint parking and rubbish bays, a job which they failedto complete two years ago, so that there is no conflict of space.

Parking penalties will now be enforced by wardens in the area.

Cllr Featherstone is pleased that some action has been taken. However shesays that she will be keeping a close eye on the area to ensure that theCouncil’s promises are fulfilled. She also says that some issues are yet tobe addressed in the road.

Cllr Featherstone comments:

“Finally residents in and around Avenue Mews are having some of the issuesthat the Lib Dems have been campaigning about for many years acted upon.However, promises are not the same as action – and the proof of the puddingwill be in seeing real action on the ground.

“The Council have much work to do as they are yet to address other problems,such as blocked drains in the Mews. I will be making sure that this andother work assured is carried out promptly.”