Monthly Archives: Jan 2006

PROTEST EXPECTED AGAINST HOME DEVELOPMENT

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Local residents are expected to gather at 79 Creighton Avenue (N10) at 10.30am on Monday 16th January to protest against controversial building plans.

One application to demolish the existing building, Strathlene House, and replace it with a five-storey care home, has already been dismissed. However, a new application, on a smaller scale, has been recommended for approval by the Council’s planning officers. The final decision is set to be made by the Planning Applications Sub-Committee on January 23rd.

Local residents, councillors and MP Lynne Featherstone have all objected to the current application on a number of grounds: overdevelopment; being out of character with the surrounding area; impact on Fortismere School; public transport links; parking; overlooking and loss of amenity for residents on Creighton Avenue and Ringwood Avenue; impact on Coldfall Wood.

Local ward councillor Matt Davies (Lib Dem, Fortis Green), who will be joining residents on Monday 16th for the protest, comments:

“The impact of this proposed building on neighbouring properties and Coldfall Wood would be very great. We would be much happier if the existing building was preserved and renovated – or if this is not possible for the developers’ purposes, then any replacement should be no bigger than the building which already exists.”

Local ward councillor Stephen Gilbert (Lib Dem, Fortis Green), who will be speaking at the meeting on Monday 23rd, comments:

“The scale of this development is simply not acceptable in this area. A care home could be a useful community facility, but this should not mean local residents’ wishes are disregarded. I am hopeful that the Planning Committee will listen to the residents’ objections and send this application back to the drawing board.”

First Lib Dem leadership hustings

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The Liberal Democrats have a conference titled ‘Meeting the Challenge’ which was always scheduled for today. It was to find the party’s ‘narrative’ following a general election where we did really well – but perhaps didn’t reach the hoped for heights. One of the reasons seemed to be that while our individual policies, such as free care for the elderly, our stance on Iraq, scrapping Council Tax in favour of local income tax and ending top up fees were very popular, overall people didn’t automatically know what Lib Dem meant.

Of course, events of the last few weeks meant that the environment in which this conference found itself was somewhat changed and the ‘challenge’ has become all the more pointed.

So – four candidates in the ring so far. The man who many people initially thought would almost certainly take over and who started as favourite – Sir Menzies Campbell; Simon Hughes (Party President), who has replaced Ming as the bookies’ favourite; Mark Oaten, Lib Dem Shadow Home Secretary (and my boss in the Home Affairs Team); and my boy – Chris Huhne, who started as a rank outsider at 300-1 with odds now closing at 7-1.

I am supporting Chris because it’s not the office of leader he is interested in for its own sake. He wants to get the Lib Dems into power. And he knows what he wants to do with that power and where he wants to take the party. For me – I am looking at who can take the fight to Gordon Brown and beat him on his own territory. Chris can do it. I want to know that the man (and sadly there are no women standing) who wins this contest could handle running the country and the fight to get to that position.

And, he answered the big questions for me. One of them is the question the media keep on putting to us (and so we have to have an answer to) about whether the party should go left or right. The stock answer we give in our party to this – is ‘neither left nor right but straight on’ – or equivalent such phrases. Chris answered the question as how a party of conscience and reform progresses into the next era. It’s really about using taxation to discourage behaviour which damages our environment, whilst using the money raised that way to take those who are poorest out of taxation all together. So – overall, no increase in taxation, but a fairer society and a better environment for all. Redistribution and responsible consumption in one – that’s the combination that is both liberal and effective. That’s the unique combination that Liberal Democrats need now.

So the hustings began. Ming had the misfortune of a ropey microphone for the first few minutes – but overcame the technical difficulties and delivered a really excellent speech – particularly the second half and the parts on our internationalist commitment. Simon Hughes gave a really good speech too. He rings the buzzers for the party faithful with his challenge to inequalities in society. At the same time, Simon ditched the party’s commitment to a 50p rate on earnings over £100,000. Mark Oaten gave a really vigorous and energetic speech about moving us into the 21st century.

And of course Chris. I thought the boy did brilliant. He was confident, competent and credible. What I really liked (as did others judging from the vox pops afterwards where activists who hadn’t really known much about him were so impressed – plus the verdict on Radio 4’s PM program that it was Chris who made converts) was that he started with the real challenges we face in the world – globalisation and global warming – and quite frankly, unless we ‘meet the challenge’ of the world as it is – we won’t be addressing the real issues facing us. And he delivered ideas. The others all said that we need new ideas – Chris actually gave some. The most radical and challenging is the beginning of the switch away from personal taxation to eco-taxes – a tax system that really is based on responsible consumption and the use of this tax to redistribute to those at the bottom of the income scale to take them out of tax.

You can see his speech in full on the Chris Huhne campaign website (or watch it on the BBC’s website – RealPlayer or Windows Media Player required) but two other key issues he raised for me were firstly – a head-on personal commitment from him as leader to use his personal influence to ensure that we ethnic minority MPs elected at the next General Election. And whilst he is pleased that we have such a talented influx of new women MPs (I blush) we need more. No one else put this at the top of their agenda.

The other key issue he raised was the organisation of the party machine. Chris showed understanding that we need to have a fearsome campaigning machine – which means tools and money for the Campaigns Department – to compete in this ferocious world of political contest.

So – needless to say – he ticked my boxes!

Taser guns

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Things move on at a staggering pace when politics is in full flow – and it is. Chris Huhne – who I am backing for the Lib Dem leadership – came in this morning and – having ‘slept on it’ – decided it is now all systems go. To me – this shows he has the balls for leadership – because that’s what it takes

Of course, there is risk, but nothing ventured nothing gained – and this party needs a leader that will take it forward with radical thinking and exceptional skill.

All the candidates (including Chris) answered my seven questions that I posted up here for all the candidates. I will not publicise their answers, but on the one that the media so fastened on – the issue around what part was played by each in Kennedy’s downfall and what had they done in the preceding five years to address the problem – what I will say is that I was satisfied that they all acted in what they thought was the best interest of a wounded colleague and the party.

Retrospectively, we can all say how could this have been allowed to drag on for so long – but good intentions were at the heart of the matter. And for me – the inquest is ended. As to who briefed the press before Christmas – I don’t think we will ever know. The journalists involved know – but they will never reveal who done it. So – we will move on. Pick ourselves up – dust ourselves off – and concentrate on electing our new leader and making real gains at the local elections in May.

I’m backing Chris because he’s the real deal and I think he has the big idea. He may have started out as the dark horse of this race – but hey – life’s for living, and the bookies have already been slashing the odds on him. Some will say that he’s cheeky (or worse) to run when he’s only been an MP for 8 months. Personally I think that’s a positive advantage – as he hasn’t yet been seduced by the Westminster bubble and his memory still retains the imprint of the real world which is where it all matters. Chris will bring the outside world into parliament – and that’s what it needs!

There is a lot of enthusiasm out there as word leaks out that Chris will run. Messages of support and financial pledges – and so much work to be done.

Meanwhile, life goes on and I meet with the makers of the taser gun. Tasers shoot darts on a wire into the victim – where they then deliver an electric charge less than those slimming toning things that are used as a beauty treatment (!). Given these guys seem to be cleaning up and already supply something like 9,000 police forces – and their shares have gone up 4,000% – they are clearly commercially successful. Ditto – they seem to be going down a storm with police forces. I voiced a concern that as it can be shot from 25 foot – meaning the police can avoid close contact – it might encourage police to be ‘trigger-happy’ if using it is seen as (for them) the easier option. The counter argument from the makers was that they are totally accountable as they record through camera, etc, all the data and evidence of each usage. Very impressive.

COUNCIL HAS NO IDEA HOW THEY WILL SPEND PROPOSED £400K ENVIRONMENT 'SPIN' BUDGET

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Haringey’s Labour-run Council have said that they do not know how they will spend the increased £400,000 publicity budget for the Better Haringey campaign services next year should it be approved.

The answer came in response to a written question from Lib Dem councillor for Stroud Green, Laura Edge who asked for the Council to breakdown how the money would be spent and a timetable of spending.

She was surprised to see a response stating that it was ‘not appropriate or possible to provide details of what the money will be spent on and when’.

The Lib Dems who oppose this proposal to double the current budget are concerned that money is being thrown into a pot without any serious planning as to how it will be spent.

Cllr Edge, along with Lib Dem environment spokesperson Cllr Bob Hare, is concerned that money that could be making a real difference to the local environment is being wasted on self-promotion.

Cllr Edge (Stroud Green) comments:

“It concerns me that while many parts of the borough are in need of a serious clean-up, Haringey Council is choosing to pour yet more money into spin.”

Cllr Hare (Highgate) adds:

“Doubling a budget for publicity with no clear idea of how it will be spent does raise questions about the financial planning involved in this decision. We will continue to press the Council to reconsider this proposal.”

PEMBROKE WORKS: LIB DEMS CAUTIOUSLY WELCOME COUNCIL RESPONSE

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Lib Dem planning spokesperson Cllr Jonathan Bloch has cautiously welcomed Haringey Council’s assurance that it has not terminated its Pembroke Works lease or entered into any other contractual arrangement yet regarding the site in Hornsey.

The assurance came in response to a written question tabled by Cllr Bloch at Monday’s Full Council. He,along with Lynne Featherstone MP, had voiced concerns over the development proposals sinceHaringey Council revealed that they were in discussions over plans to redevelop the Pembroke Works, Cross Lane, Hornsey into housing with the loss of 25 jobs at a Housing Forum Meeting in November last year.

However, Cllr Bloch is concerned that, despite the assurance, Haringey Council is still investigating their options over the site and stated that they’d have to ‘determine whether it would be appropriate, and financially more advantageous for the Council’.

He says that the Council must look into and consult with residents and businesses on the long-term affect of building homes at the cost of a modern light-industry site in the area and not just the financial benefits the Council would reap from the sale of the site.

Cllr Bloch comments:

“I am pleased that the Council has not committed itself to anything yet and I will be pressing them along with Cllr Lynne Featherstone MP and others to carry out a full and open consultation before making a decision on the future of Pembroke Works.”

MUSWELL HILL: LIB DEM PRESSURE SECURES ACTION OVER BROADWAY WEEKEND RUBBISH

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Haringey Council have promised to resolve the litter problem being caused by business waste left out on Saturday nights on Muswell Hill Broadway following persistent pressure from Muswell Hill Lib Dem councillor Gail Engert.

Cllr Engert was alerted to the problem by a local resident who had noted that on consecutive Sunday mornings the contents of a number of refuse sacks left out for collection by the shops when they closed on Saturday were found strewn around the Broadway the following morning.

This concerned Cllr Engert given that the Lib Dems secured 24 hour cleaning of the Broadway by Accord, Haringey Council’s waste contractor, some years ago.

She contacted the Council and demanded they take action to resolve the problem immediately. She received an assurance that the issue would be looked into.

However Cllr Engert demanded a more detailed response from the Council with proposals of how they were to address this problem.

The Council have responded confirming that they will start regular inspections of the site this weekend (14th-15th January) and have proposed a couple of solutions to the problem that include directing local businesses to keep their refuse on premises after the Saturday morning collection until just before subsequent collections take place on Sunday in the late morning.

Cllr Engert is pleased that the pressure appears to have paid off; however she says that she will monitor the situation and the Council’s activity until an improvement is seen:

“Waste bags being left overnight at the weekends are causing extra litter problems on the Broadway and the Council needs to find a solution quickly.

“I am glad that after some persistence we have secured a firm assurance from the Council that this issue will be addressed. I, along with my Lib Dem colleagues, will continue to work hard to clean up Haringey.”

More leadership and drugs on the street

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It was back to Parliament on Monday! Of course – the whole place is a tinderbox of gossip. My own colleagues taking comfort from being back together again – and Labour and Tory colleagues privately very sympathetic on the whole about the hideous situation that everyone has been dealing with. The House of Commons is surprisingly kind in many ways when there is real tragedy. Not replicated on the floor of the chamber, however, whenever a LibDem spoke at Work and Pensions questions. Cat calls and jeers – so much for the ‘new’ politics.

I do one radio interview, for the World at One. It doesn’t air Monday for reasons I don’t understand, though goes out Tuesday instead. Needless to say – out of the questions up on my blog to potential candidates – the one the World at One focuses in on – is the one about what part each candidate played in the Kennedy downfall and what they had done during the previous five years to tackle the problem? I thought I was pretty balanced – as there are two key angles: was it bungled plotting, or was Charles impossible to deal with?

I have various phone calls and meetings with would-be candidates or potential but non-declared candidates and so on and then rush back to Hornsey & Wood Green for a meeting with the Chief Exec of Jacksons Lane Community Centre. The building needs major repairs and renovations due to nothing much being done on maintenance over the years (as I understand it Haringey Council are the landlord). So – in essence – it’s about how to get the work done and funded.

Following that I rush to Haringey Civic Center for a full council meeting and then I rush back to Parliament for a vote at 10pm. Following close of play – talk to more MPs and then get home after midnight.

Which is unfortunate – as I have to be up around 5am to study my brief as the Prime Minister is launching his Respect Action Plan in the morning and I have to cover all the media bids because Mark Oaten is going to announce his candidacy.

So, this morning (Tuesday) it was up at crack of dawn. Media bids from BBC, News 24 and Sky – and various radio. So head straight for Millbank. Tony Blair always seems so enthusiastic when he launches new projects or initiatives – which is a real art when so much of what gets announced is just recycled and repackaged!

It is definitely right to tackle the falling standard of behaviour, but – as ever – Labour’s good intentions boil down to more summary justice – a sort of ‘move ’em out’ attitude. The problem with ASBOs and Banning Orders and Dispersal Zones etc is they don’t do enough to actually change behaviour.

Just in the middle of all the interviews I get a call from Ed at my constituency office. He says I have to come home immediately because my next-door neighbour but one’s builders have found two black binbags in the road outside my house filled with cannabis!

We’ve had a number of strange things left outside my little drive – but never anything this extraordinary. Funnily enough I had noticed the bags last night when I came home but assumed they were just dumped rubbish and this morning reversing out of my drive I had run over one of them.

Anyway – first, I ask my daughter (who is at home) and Ed to check this out as far as they can – and then ring the police. Ed rings me later to say that he went up to my house, rang the police who came (three cars apparently!) and who confirmed it was indeed cannabis leaves. Apparently the male part of the plant. (I confess to not knowing there were gender bits). And they took the bags away. End of episode!

Back to anti-social behaviour. I recently had to submit a piece to the HeadsUp ASBO Forum as I had not been able to attend in person which touches, albeit very briefly, on the issues around anti-social behaviour.

The only really new bit is the idea of a parenting academy. It’s not a college for parents to attend – it’s a college where social workers etc can get special training to work with parents who need support and skills. I am all for real support as societal breakdown is seemingly having a knock-on effect and creating an ‘anything goes’ and ‘no one cares’ society.

I remain convinced that the answer is sustained interest and attention on the child with lots of alternative occupations to keep them busy and aspirations and pathways to enable real behaviour change. Labour’s problem is all headlines – but little follow through. For example, if a kid breaches an ASBO s/he can go to jail – where they will undoubtedly learn more handy criminal tricks to perpetrate on release. Hardly the sort of change of behaviour that is going to bring about respect!

So – I do my stuff and then hurry back to meet a few colleagues about the leadership. Then as I drift through Portcullis House – I am tackled by Mark Oaten’s camp and then Ming goes by and says he will see me at 5pm to answer my questions. So at 5pm I go to his office. What passed between us is confidential – but what I will say is that Ming was very good and very forthright.

Read the day’s letters and sign them, make some more phone calls and then the Whip comes through as unlikely to be any vote tonight. So can head off. Message from Simon Hughes that he will see me to answer my questions tomorrow.

LIB DEMS WANT FULL SCALE REVIEW OF CCTV

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Lib Dem councillors have called for a full scale scrutiny review of the operation of CCTV in the borough following serious concerns raised by both Labour and Lib Dem councillors at this week’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The Labour councillor responsible for crime, Cllr Nilgun Canver, faced tough questioning, even from her Labour colleagues, over the management and performance of the CCTV camera network in the borough.

In a series of questions on the issue, Cllr David Winskill (Lib Dem, Crouch End) who has long campaigned against the poor use of CCTV in the battle against crime in the borough, raised concerns over the failure of the CCTV system in Muswell Hill and the lack of direct links to the CCTV control room.

Cllr David Winskill comments:

“There is clearly a complete lack of joined-up thinking within the Council over getting the best use from CCTV. There is widespread confusion, and inadequate performance on a range of technical and operational issues.

“For this reason, I have now asked the Chair of the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee for a full scale review of the operation of CCTV in Haringey as soon as possible in the next municipal year. We must have a clear plan to get things working properly.”

Lib Dem Crime and Community Safety spokesperson, Cllr Ron Aitken adds: “Until the CCTVmess has been sorted out Haringey should look at other measures that are simple and cost effective and offer shop owners peace of mind.

“I will be writing to Cllr Canver to suggest she offers officers’ time to work with local councillors to encourage shop keepers to adopt the Rapid Radio network.”

LIB DEMS WELCOME ACTION ON SPEEDING TRAFFIC IN PRIORY ROAD

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Muswell Hill Lib Dem councillors, Gail Engert and Lynne Featherstone MP, have welcomedsuccess of WERA (Warner Estates Residents Association) in securing four new vehicle activated speed signs to slow down speeding traffic in Priory Road, N8.

This is the culmination of a long running campaign to persuade the Council to provide traffic calming measures for Priory Road which has been backed throughout by the Lib Dem councillors.

Cllr Engert comments:

“This successful result secured by residents after years of campaigning just shows how persistent lobbying by residents supported by local councillors is a powerful force to achieve successful local results.”

Cllr Featherstone adds:

“Priory Road has been a virtual race track since bus lanes and pavement parking were introduced. Now thanks to the hard work of local people the interactive signs will hopefully mitigate the increased danger caused by speeding vehicles.”

LABOUR COUNCIL HEED LIB DEM WARNINGS OVER STREET CLEANING STUNT

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Last night Haringey’s Labour-run council accepted calls from the Liberal Democrat opposition not to play politics with the Council’s street cleaning and drop the idea of a ‘no cleaning day’ in part of Wood Green’s busy centre.

The suggestion was made last month by the Labour Executive Member for Environment. Lib Dem environment spokesperson Cllr Bob Hare, who tabled a question on the issue last night, was concerned that allowing rubbish to accumulate in the street would cause real damage to local businesses as well as upsetting local residents who work and shop in the road.

Cllr Hare is pleased that sense has prevailed over the plan, but says the Council now needs to review its priorities to ensure that the quality of street cleaning in the borough is improved rather than ploughing more money into spin.

Cllr Hare comments:

“I am delighted that Haringey Council has agreed to quash this silly idea. No one doubts that street cleaning takes place However, residents are unhappy with the poor quality of it in many areas of Haringey. What would visitors to Wood Green have made of the plan?

“Street cleaning improvements should be an environment priority to the Council and it concerns me that this Labour Council seems more interested in increasing its budget for spin.”