Lynne Featherstone MP and local campaigners have called a public meeting to discuss Labour-run Haringey Council’s ongoing failure to repair and improve homes on the Noel Park estate.
The Liberal Democrat MP has long campaigned for repair work on the estate, and met recently with housing chiefs to put forward the case.
Local campaigners say the meeting will give residents a chance to have their voices heard, and discuss the problems they have with repairs to their homes.
The Labour councillor for Noel Park, who is also responsible for housing in the borough, has been invited to attend.
The meeting will take place on Monday the 17th February – 7:15pm, at Shropshire Hall (Gladstone Avenue, N22 6LD).
Local Noel Park campaigner Roberto Robles said:
“My colleague Colin Heinink and I think the Labour-run Council’s failure to do vital works to homes on the Noel Park Estate is outrageous. Many homes on the estate are in desperate need of repair.
“Shockingly, at the same time homes on the Noel Park Estate have been left to crumble, Labour-run Haringey allowed £3.7 million to be spent on bonuses for home repairs staff.
“Enough is enough. The Lib Dems have already started a petition and met with local housing chiefs. Now, we’re calling a public meeting so residents can have their say too.”
Lynne Featherstone MP commented:
“It’s about time residents were given a proper say on the repairs their homes need. For too long their own Labour Councillor, who is responsible for housing in the borough, has ignored them.
“It’s Haringey Council’s job to provide tenants with a decent standard of living – and the Government has given the Council extra money to do so.
“The Council have committed to make urgent repairs and consult residents – which is a step in the right direction but not good enough. This public meeting is the next step in our campaign to secure full repairs for residents on the Noel Park estate.”
Lynne Featherstone 
Back in 1984, that is now a long time ago, I was doing my professional course for the Institute of Housing and among my fellow students at Tottenham College then was one of the estate Managers for Noel Park. It was very well managed, and as it was a conservation area, a superb classic estate, what social housing should be.
But unfortunately staff of her calibre have gone on to be managers, she went on to manage one of the Westminster Estates the dreadful Dame Shirley Porter had deliberately run down; polite words fail me.
There are several problems here. The Councils job has been made that much more difficult as the Tories ostracised the concept of Council housing, starving it of cash. Labour under Blair, and Nick Raynsford who should have known better, did little to put right the situation. Hence the severe shortage of good affordable housing now but that is another (very serious) issue for a different blog. Haringey certainly has a serious problem on this front.
Noel Park’s other problem has been the break up of the estate through the intensely divisive ‘Right to Buy’ which was Maggie’s (that woman ….) flagship policy and a disaster, because the money was not reinvested in housing. But on a long term basis, the current crisis was inevitable.
I know as I managed an ex LCC inter-war estate similar to White Hart Lane to Lordship Lane estate in Burnt Oak. I was interviewed, and was runner-up to manage Chettle Court in Mountview Rd. But I went to Hillingdon where my job was dealing with post RTB hassles.
Money and the calibre of Management. Problems with both, and buying back sold properties could help. But to the Residents association you need to set an agenda and press the politicians of both parties to deliver. I wish I couls participate in such a meeting, I could give good counsel, but my health at the moment restricts me.
Make sure the Ham & High Broadway attends, or send them a report, and get yourselves a press and political officer who knows how to hassle, politely, like me!