Local Liberal Democrats have expressed concern at the refusal by the Labour leadership of the Haringey Council to support a petition to improve a dangerous crossing in Green Lanes, Tottenham, near Ducketts Common.
A question put by Cllr Karen Alexander (Harringay Ward) to the leader of the Council last week asked whether the Council would support the petition. In answer, Cllr Claire Kober replied at the Full Council meeting, “I find the request the most perplexing question I’ve been asked all night, you know, no, this is not about petitions, this is grown-up.”
Cllr Alexander (Harringay ward) comments:
“There is nothing childish about local residents working to get Haringey Council to remove a death-trap to which hundreds of children are exposed every day when they go to school. It would have been helpful if Haringey Council had supported our campaign. We would stand a better chance of receiving funding, that Haringey Council says it has applied for, if we can show the level of local support for the necessary works.”
Tottenham Liberal Democrat chairman, David Schmitz, who lives near to the junction and who has spearheaded the campaign, adds:
“This petition has gained enormous support from people of all political parties. We now have about 250 signatures, and the number is constantly rising. It is disappointing that Cllr Kober is mocking a campaign that people in her own party have supported in the past.”
Cllr Carolyn Baker (Harringay Ward) adds:
“Petitions are the traditional way of showing just how strongly local people feel about an issue. For the Labour leadership to be so dismissive of the campaign shows just how hopelessly out of touch they are.”
Lynne Featherstone 
I’m guessing that the Labour leadership may not be aware of this:
“A Bill requiring councils in England and Wales to provide local residents with a facility to lodge electronic petitions, and to respond to such petitions, is set to be passed into law after moving to what is likely to become its final Parliamentary stage last week.
Under the Local democracy, economic development and construction Bill, councils will be obliged to provide an e-petition facility and publish schemes for both electronic and traditional petitions, to acknowledge any petition to its organiser, and to offer a response, all of which should be published online.
Local authorities must also consider holding a debate for any petition which requests it.”
http://www.harringayonline.com/forum/topics/local-electronic-petitions-set