Good news! After months of campaigning by local campaigners, Liberal Democrat councillors and the Ham & High – I get the news that Labour have done a u-turn and are not going to close Red Gables! Hurrah.
Monthly Archives: Dec 2005
More space needed in office
Lib Dem day really. Early morning campaign meeting followed by looking at my HQ with an architect friend who I have persuaded to do some space planning for me as we need to get another desk in an already full room! Followed by some paperwork – followed by a Lib Dem social of mulled wine and mince pies! Home by 6pm and just veg out with fast food takeaway and movies!
Craft fairs bonanza
First craft fair opening of the day is at the Highgate Society. Next door is the Highgate Scientific and Literary Institute one too. I say a few words and wander around all the stalls. We are so lucky in Highgate to have these two organisations. I bump into Mike Hammerson who has defended the area with his committee against the vagaries of the planning decisions of Camden and Haringey.
On to St Mary’s School for their craft fair. Very very busy – with lots going on for the children and parents. I call the raffle and then wait for an hour outside with the children and their lanterns to join the parade along Hornsey High Street to turn on the Xmas lights. The parade is very late in arriving – and I walk a little way with it before having to peel off to get to another engagement – a fund-raising dinner for the London Islamic Cultural Centre who have done amazingly well to raise all the money to build the mosque and the centre.
A lovely evening with very spicy food, music and speeches. The trustees of the local mosque have made me very welcome as the new MP and I am learning so much more about the community from this engagement. And that’s the point really. Our human similarities and needs far outweigh any differences in religion or culture. I get home about 10.30pm and watch the X Factor results. Glad Chico has gone!
Tony Martin and shooting burglars
Spent a long, lonely five hours on the front bench in Parliament leading for the Lib Dems during a Private Member’s Bill (that’s a bill brought in by an individual MP rather than by the Government) debate brought in by a Tory member. In brief, this is about the Tony Martin case and politicking. Tony Martin is the chap who got a life sentence for shooting at the two boys who robbed his farmhouse. One was killed – but the shot was in the back and Martin was done because it was deemed that he had not used ‘reasonable force’ as the boy was fleeing at the time. The Tory member’s bill wants the wording changed to ‘grossly disproportionate force’. This is as indefinable and open to interpretation as the ‘reasonable force’ and really the only sensible thing is to put our trust in the judge and jury who will be in charge of all of the facts and all of the circumstances. However, it takes five hours of debate to facilitate the Tory desire to be seen to be pro-rural farm owners and the party of law and order.
Apart from a couple of interventions I didn’t get to speak despite having prepared and being fourth in line to be called (I think). The Speaker called Andrew Dismore (Labour MP for Hendon) and he talked out the Bill. I had not witnessed this practise before – but I got a three and a half hour master-class in how its done. But it shouldn’t be done. It’s an appalling political game – and whilst the boys all clearly enjoy this sort of shenanigans – I am under-whelmed…
Later back in Haringey I meet Penny Nicholls who has come to brief me about the needs of homeless children. I had not realised that homeless youngsters under 16 do not have to be housed – but are basically returned to their parents regardless of context. They are campaigning for funding for refuges for such children on a national basis. I have already signed the EDM and will certainly support the cause. (I’ve covered what EDMs are all about in an earlier blog posting).
On the radio I hear that the Tube unions are threatening a Christmas strike. Ho! Ho! Ho! Why am I not surprised? The Tube unions have a great deal with TfL. Their conditions are fab compared to poor old bus drivers who contend with traffic and get paid far less. And yet – every Christmas they find new moans and groans and then apply the screws. I have lost all respect for Bob Crow over his leadership of the Tube unions. It’s blackmail. It’s an abuse of the right to strike which I have always defended. And whilst I don’t agree with the outsourcing of contracts (which is what the threatened strike is about) blackmailing Londoners is not the way to win my support!
MATT DAVIES SECURE DOG MESS BIN FOR BUSY WALKERS' ROUTE
Lib Dem councillor for Fortis Green ward, Matt Davies has secured the installation of a new dog mess bin in a lane linking Highgate Woods to Lanchester Road, N6.
Cllr Davies requested a replacement last month after local residents contacted him complaining that Haringey Council had removed the existing dog mess bin and failed to replace it with a new one.
The lane is frequented by dog walkers who use it to access Highgate Woods, and as a result Cllr Davies was eager to ensure Haringey Council replaced the bin as quickly as possible. Last week, the Council confirmed that they had installed a new bin.
When Cllr Davies investigated, the Council explained that the old bin had been removed as they had no record of who installed it and so it was not being emptied. But Haringey Council agreed to install a new bin at the same site and include it in their emptying schedule.
Cllr Davies (Fortis Green) comments:
“Dog mess is an annoyance, but more importantly, it is also a serious health hazard. Many residents use this path on their way to exercising their dogs in Highgate Woods and want to be responsible dog owners.
“By providing this bin, the Council is helping dog owners to be responsible and also helping to ensure that both our local residents and their pets can enjoy Highgate Woods, and the paths around it, to the full.”
LIB DEMS SHOCK AS TENANTS LEFT WITHOUT HEATING AND HOT WATER
Lib Dem councillor for Fortis Green Martin Newton has expressed shock after two residents contacted him after Haringey Council and a housing association left them for weeks without hot water or heating, whilst boilers are repaired, or new ones installed. He is concerned that there may be more tenants who are being left for long periods, or if these really are isolated cases.
Cllr Newton was first alerted to the problem in late October by an elderly council tenant who reported that their water heater had been removed as it no longer complied with regulations. However he was not offered a replacement.
They were left for over two weeks without hot water, washing and washing-up in cold water, despite contacting Haringey Council on several occasions. Within days of Cllr Newton contacting Haringey Council, they found a replacement heater and installed it.
The second report came from a disabled mother and children who had been left by a housing association for six weeks without a boiler. The Haringey Council tenant had been given some electric fires but was very worried about the cost of running them for this length of time.
Following several calls and emails from Cllr Newton to the housing association, a new boiler was installed within days. He has also secured written agreement that compensation will be paid.
Cllr Newton is pleased that he has been able to get both of these cases resolved quickly. However, he is deeply concerned that it has taken his intervention to have this resolved. With the coldest winter in a decade predicted, Cllr Newton is calling on Haringey Council to take steps to ensure that this kind of situation does not arise again.
Cllr Newton (Fortis Green) comments:
“I am pleased that both these cases have been resolved, but the length of time that these two tenants were left without a boiler is totally unacceptable.
“I have contacted the Council and the housing association concerned expressing my shock at these cases and have demanded that they take steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Furthermore I would welcome any other tenants who have had a similar experience to contact me and I will happily take their case up with the Council.”
STROUD GREEN – LIB DEM LAURA WELCOMES MURAL FUNDING
Laura Edge, Lib Dem councillor for Stroud Green, has welcomed an assurance from Haringey Council that it will repair dangerous pavements in the Quernmore Road approach to Harringay Station, N4.
This is the latest success for Cllr Edge and local residents who have worked hard with Haringey’s Neighbourhood Management Team for 18 months to clean up the area that has been neglected and had become a hotspot for crime and petty vandalism. Improvements so far have included the installation of new street lighting, hanging baskets, new litterbins and new tree plantings, as well as the removal of a vandalised bench, paint on the pavement outside the library and the arrangement for better waste disposal for local businesses.
The repairs to the station approach complement improvements to the cleanliness and safety of the station itself which have been achieved thanks to lobbying by Lynne Featherstone MP.
Cllr Edge (Stroud Green) comments:
“This area has long been a blight on the neighbourhood – it has been an uphill struggle but we are finally starting to see improvements. This is in no small part down to the vision and dedication of local resident and I hope to continue to work with them and with Lib Dem activists and Lynne Featherstone MP to continue to transform the character of the area”.
Round of constituency engagements in Hornsey and Wood Green
I love it when December starts. For me – that’s when my kids let me watch Miracle on 34th Street (which I do every year) and it starts to feel Christmassy. Then I panic – because Christmas when you don’t really have any free evenings or weekends – you cannot get your shopping done. I have put some half days or couple of hours in my diary between now and the 25th to get some shopping done but it is a real gamble as to whether it will all get done by what is an unmoveable deadline.
Anyway – today is pretty much a constituency day. First on the agenda is a visit to see a music concert at Stroud Green Primary School. Here the children are part of a project where all the kids in the class are learning an instrument. About 20 guitars first – followed by about 20 violins. I am amazed that the kids have learned so much and so well in just 8 weeks. A local secondary school has paid for this primary to hire the instruments – and it was soooooooooo lovely! And they were really good – amazing for 8 weeks only of the project.
The idea is to give the children some pride in something outside the academic; for them all to learn together; and to give them aspirations and confidence. I think it is a brilliant scheme – but sadly it is not funded by the Government and although they have had some help from a music charity the funding will run out in February – and they are desperate to find sponsors to raise more money so it can continue.
In fact part of the idea in me being there was so that the school might be able to get some publicity and attract funding or donations from local people who might read about it. The Head phoned the (Haringey) Council press office to ask them to publicise it – but was told that they wouldn’t because it was too ‘political’. This is an absolute disgrace. I don’t go as a Lib Dem MP. I go as the MP for Hornsey & Wood Green – non-political. I will find out from the Chief Exec what the policy is on this.
Second stop of the day is to bury a Time Capsule at Coldfall School. I imagined that we (the Mayor of the London Borough Haringey and myself) would dig a symbolic first shovelful of dirt in a corner of the playground. Banish such thoughts. In actuality we are taken with lots of children and other adults to a building site – unlocked for our entry – where the foundations for the new sports hall are being dug. And building site it was. And my shoes quickly become caked with sod – into which I sink with each step. Hitching up my trousers – I gamely march forth. The children (school captains) read out a letter to the future. The Mayor and I say a few words and then – a huge mechanical digger (lethal looking) roars into action VERY CLOSE (within a couple of metres) of where we are standing – and digs for posterity. The Mayor and I hold the metal case in which the artefacts of the children’s and school’s existence will carry forward the message to the future. We ceremonially lower it into the hole and the digger roars back into action to cover it over. It was all quite dramatic and thrilling – and pouring with rain!
A quick half hour with the staff, pupils and contractors – and then off to the next engagement.
And the next engagement is to speak at the local event for World AIDS Day at the Winkfield Resource Centre. Very happy to be involved in this. I think we have been burying our heads as to the rise of AIDS. When it first raised its ugly head in the 80s the public information campaign (whilst terrifying and probably responsible for the stigma surrounding this disease) certainly changed the sexual culture of the time. But despite the continuing rise in AIDS and HIV – we seem to not bother so much with safe sex. It’s as if the drugs which are indeed increasing longevity are making people believe it is under control – and continual pictures of the African continent with so many people over there suffering – also seems to contribute to us seemingly believing it is now an African problem just as we initially believed it belonged to the homosexual world. Wrong on both counts.
The users of the resource centre have made a beautiful wall collage expressing their experiences. A candle is lit and a beautiful woman sings a song – the words of which are a real cry of experience of what it is like to be stigmatised and the need to be loved and held. Very, very moving.
I gave my speech (short) and then spent an hour or so talking to the users and posing for pictures. Yes – ironically at this event the Council Press Office had sent a photographer. I wonder if that was because the Labour Executive member was there? Seems a stark contrast to their attitude to the school earlier today. Must find out.
LIB DEM RESPONSE TO HARINGEY SOCIAL SERVICES' 2-STAR RATING
Speaking in response to news that Haringey Council’s Social Services have been awarded a two-star rating from the Commission for Social Care Inspection, Lib Dem social services spokesperson Cllr Wayne Hoban comments:
“Haringey social services certainly need to see improvements in its ratings, and these improvements are from a very low base.
“There is still clear evidence that Haringey Council is failing to adequately improve the service in key areas, such as failure to achieve targets set for timely assessments, without which vulnerable people cannot obtain the services they may be entitled to, failures in child protection procedures, with particular reference to SEN children within education, and poor co-ordination and continuity of cover due to high levels of temporary staff.”
Lynne Featherstone 