Haringey’s Liberal Democrat councillors have exposed the extent of the eyesore caused by 416 square metres of self-promoting banners erected on lampposts by Labour-run Haringey Council.

Lib Dem councillor Gail Engert (Muswell Hill ward), who has been investigating the matter, has extracted from the Council information that 130 lamppost banners measuring 2m x 0.8m have been installed across the borough. These banners are over four times the size of the previous notice boards that the Council say they are replacing. Not only that but of the previous 140 boards only 90 are being decommissioned, whilst the remaining 50 are staying for further advertising.

Councillor Engert was further told by Haringey Council that these 130 banners which cumulatively represent 416 square metres (taking both sides of the banner) do not require planning advertising consent as long as they promote Council events or information. However, they would require Advertising Planning Consent for any commercial advertising, as intended by the Council.

Councillor Engert comments:

“Given that one side of these banners is devoted to selling commercial advertising I am writing back to the Council to ask exactly how they plan to consult in each case when advertising consent is required by the commercial contractors. This is especially important as there does not seem to have been any meaningful consultation before the banners went up.

“I am also pursuing how many of these banners have been put up in or near conservation areas.”