A Busy Start to Summer!

Posted on 12th Aug 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Here is my latest Muswell Flyer article – about the start of summer in late June / July….

What a whirlwind the last few weeks have been. It has been so busy, but full of great events and finally some good weather too!

Thankfully, the weather picked up just in time for the grand finale of the independent shops competition. What a great day that was – celebrating our best local independent stores outside Hornsey Town Hall with a live band, hot food and free local beer! Congratulations again to the worthy winners: Brand New Start, Big Green Bookshop and Owen’s Food Store.

The week after, I had the great honour of being reselected as the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Hornsey and Wood Green. There was a huge turnout, and it was so heart-warming when the great Lib Dem members of this constituency put their faith in me again. And what a bonus to have my political heroine Shirley Williams at the event, supporting me and giving a fantastic speech.

But there was no time for extended celebrations – the day after the reselection, the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg come to visit Highgate Wood, a school in the constituency.

Nick was here to see how the school is using its Pupil Premium money. The Pupil Premium is a Liberal Democrat flagship policy that is being delivered by the Coalition Government. It targets extra money to schools depending on the number of children from disadvantaged backgrounds they have.

Schools will receive £900 per eligible pupil. For Highgate Wood, this means a whopping £413,100 in extra funding for 2013/14.

Nick and me talking to Food Tech students!

Shortly after Nick’s visit – there was also good news about the Whittington Hospital. The Board released their revised strategy for the future of the hospital. They have u-turned on their plan to sell off buildings without consultation.

This is very welcome news. Whilst we recognise that some changes will have to be made to secure the future of the hospital – consulting with the public and protecting services is paramount. That’s why we launched a petition calling on the Whittington Board to consult local residents and guarantee that there will be no loss of services until equal or better were in place.

I’d like to thank all 3000 residents who signed the Lib Dem petition. Because of you, the Whittington Board agreed to the listening exercise and has consequently changed their plans.

This is why I’m so delighted to be reselected as the Lib Dem candidate for this area. I want to carry on campaigning with residents on the issues that matter – like Pinkham Way, the Whittington, and securing fairer funding for Haringey’s health and education services. I also want to run more competitions like the independent shops one – promoting and supporting our cherished local amenities.

And, I want to be in a position to keep implementing policies like the Pupil Premium – which is directly benefitting children in this area – and across the UK.

The road to the 2015 election starts here – and I will be keeping myself, and fellow Lib Dem activists and supporters, very busy!

Lynne Featherstone MP vows to continue the fight against delayed Pinkham Way development

Posted on 7th Aug 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Just weeks after campaigners launched a new petition against a 30 year waste contract that could open the way for a new development plan Pinkham Way, the North London Waste Authority (NLWA) has announced the new timetable for the North London Waste Plan (NLWP)

The revised waste plan sets out how 7 north London boroughs plan to deal with waste in the future.

The original plan – which had been delayed significantly as a result of strong campaigning efforts from local residents, the Pinkham Way Alliance and the Haringey Lib Dems – was thrown out as it failed to comply with the law and the consultation was flawed.

The timetable for the new plan mean further delays, as the document will not be signed off by Haringey Council and the other north London boroughs until after the local elections in May 2014, rather than before the elections as originally planned.

Haringey Liberal Democrats and Lynne Featherstone responded to the initial consultation on the new waste plan raising their objections and concerns about Pinkham Way and the need to reduce the amount of waste boroughs generate.

In contrast, Haringey Labour and Labour councillors in Bounds Green failed to respond to the waste plan consultation despite the fact that a waste development or lorry depot on Pinkham Way would badly affect residents.

Lynne Featherstone MP and the Haringey Liberal Democrats have vowed to continue to fight against the waste plan as it stands and any proposals for a waste plant or lorry depot at Pinkham Way.

Cllr Jim Jenks, Lib Dem Environment Spokesperson, comments:

“It doesn’t matter how long the NLWA delays the new waste plan Haringey Liberal Democrats will continue to object to the flawed plan and will fight any proposals for a waste plant at Pinkham Way.

“The waste plan has many problems and does not focus on reducing waste; instead it leaves the door open for a waste plant at Pinkham Way, despite the concerns of local residents.”

“It really worries me the NLWA intends to award a 30 year contract when we have no idea what changes in waste use and technology are going to take place in this enormous timescale.”

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, comments:

“Last year, we celebrated as plans to build a massive waste plant on the Pinkham Way site were thrown out. This was down to a huge campaigning effort by local residents, the Pinkham Way Alliance, and the local Lib Dems.

“But the battle goes on, and we need a similar effort to protect Pinkham Way from a new waste contract and development plan. The Haringey Lib Dems and I will keep on fighting this every step of the way – representing residents and opposing the plans.

“It’s a shame the same can’t be said for the Haringey Labour – who waved the original, flawed plans through and couldn’t even be bothered to respond to the consultation this time around.”

Lynne Featherstone MP visits Action for Kids

Posted on 6th Aug 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Lynne Featherstone MP today visited ‘Action For Kids’, a local charity based in Hornsey. The organisation aims to help disabled children and young people towards independence, through the provision of mobility equipment, learning, training and support.

The Liberal Democrat MP was given a tour of the charity’s building before meeting some of the children and taking part in their activities, such as painting. The local MP also got to see a group of children heading off on a trip – facilitated by the charity.

In a meeting with the new Chief Executive, the MP for Hornsey and Wood Green was told more about the services offered by the charity, and how they are now focussing on getting some of the young adults into jobs.

Following the visit, Lynne Featherstone MP said:

“It was fantastic to join in with some of the activities and see a group of youngsters ready to go on a trip together – all facilitated by this great organisation.

“The new Chief Executive is doing great things – particularly trying to help these young people into paid jobs. I will certainly keep in touch and up to date with the work they’re doing, and I wish them all the best for the future.”