Highgate’s Lib Dem councillors have expressed disappointment after Haringey Council refused to put pressure on Camden to reverse its unpopular decision to close the public toilets in Pond Square, N6. However, they have welcomed the positive approach taken by Transport for London (TfL), which has said it will look at part-funding the loos.

The response comes following correspondence from Cllr Bob Hare to the new Lead Kember for the Environment in Camden, urging him to make the reopening of the toilets a top priority.

The toilets were closed by Camden Council without public consultation and, Cllr Hare says, without properly considering the needs of the local community. Camden have cited the lavatory’s annual running cost of GBP37,000 as the reason for the closure.

However Cllr Hare believes that little money will be saved by the closure as Camden Council have an obligation to maintain the building as it has listed status.

He is disappointed that both councils have failed to recognise the importance of the toilets, particularly at this time of year when the village, Hampstead Heath and Highgate cemetery receives many shoppers and visitors. Local bus drivers also often use the loos.

Cllr Hare comments:

“I am very disappointed that Haringey Council has not offered any help to resolve this issue. However, TfL has taken a positive approach and we will continue to lobby Haringey to work with Camden and transport bosses to look at ways of sharing the running costs of this important facility.”

Crouch End Lib Dem councillor Ron Aitken has welcomed an assurance from Haringey Council that filming in Hurst Avenue, N6 will no longer be allowed.

Long-suffering residents have been complaining for over two years that their street is too popular with the increasing number of crews working on productions for film and television in Haringey.

Residents contacted Cllr Aitken over the last two weekends concerned at the lack of parking and increase in noise and litter caused by the film crews. Cllr Aitken says that this problem has been going on for some time. Figures previously obtained by him showed that from April 2002-March 2003 nine film shoots took place in Hurst Avenue, and a further eight up to July 2003.

Since contacting Haringey Council, Cllr Aitken received an assurance last week that permits to park in Hurst Avenue would not be issued to film crews in the future.

Cllr Aitken comments:

“Whilst not wishing to discourage film and the arts from using Crouch End, the residents of Hurst Avenue really have had to put up with too much nuisance and a break is long overdue.

“The Council needs to direct film crews to other streets and not just those in Crouch End.”

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, is calling on the Government to face up to the concerns over planning guidelines for mobile telephone masts and to support research into the real risks of mobile telephone masts in a Parliamentary motion.

The local MP is also urging the Government to implement in full the recommendations previously made by Sir William Stewart. His report recommended that improvements should be made in the availibility of information about mobile phones and masts to the public and that the planning process for the erection of base stations, which has caused widespread concern, should be subject to independent review.

Commenting, Lynne Featherstone MP said,

“It is time the Government stopped burying its head in the sand and faced up to the potential risks posed by these telephone masts. Local authorities should be given more power to deal with an issue which is of great safety, local and environmental concern.

“At the current time, many mobile telephone masts do not require planning permission at all and where they do companies often steamroll over consultation and objections.

“Proper, solid research needs to be done to establish exactly what threat mobile telephone masts pose to people.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Wayne Hoban has today called on Haringey Council to explain why the African Caribbean Leadership Council (ACLC) has been served with a Default Notice, threatening withdrawal of their council grant from the 31st July.

Cllr Hoban has obtained a copy of a letter from the Interim Head of Corporate Voluntary Sector Team to the ACLC, which states that this action was taken following receipt of a report from Internal Audit which highlighted serious concerns regarding the running of the ACLC Centre in Clarendon Road, Wood Green.

The letter states that the Organisation has breached one or more of the conditions of the grant and that action will be taken to withdraw their grant if action is not taken to address concerns which include the employment status of – and payments to – ACLC employees and breaches of the terms of the lease.

Cllr Hoban has asked Haringey Council to provide him with a full copy of the Internal Audit report at the earliest opportunity.

Cllr Hoban comments:

“This Labour council has an extremely poor record of financial management, particularly regarding financial support to external organisations. We have seen only recently the Council suddenly pull the plug on CREATE Tottenham and the Broadwater Farm Community Centre.

“If the Council had taken a more active interest in how the grant money was being spent and taken appropriate supportive action at an early stage, it would not be necessary to suddenly withdraw such grants.”

Lib Dem councillor Gail Engert welcomed the part played by Muswell Hill Safer Neighbourhoods police team in crime-crackdown ‘Operation Resolve’ on Tuesday 21st June. The one-day operation, aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour and violent crime, was held last week across Haringey and other north London Boroughs.

Cllr Engert joined Police Sgt Paul Saunders and other local officers for a briefing on Muswell Hill roundabout and then accompanied them on local bus routes in the area as they began their latest campaign to cut crime in the area.

She is delighted to have joined the officers and has welcomed the operation that covered crime and anti-social behaviour on public transport routes – something that many residents have raised with local Lib Dem councillors.

Cllr Engert is hopeful that this operation will give the many residents concerned about crime, particularly on public transport, more confidence with a visible police presence.

Cllr Gail Engert comments:

“I welcome any police initiative that focuses on bus routes and helps to deter the sort of anti-social behaviour and potential crime that can happen on the top decks of buses.

“I hope that this operation might be repeated at regular intervals.”

Lib Dem councillors in Fortis Green have welcomed the arrival of PC Russell Mellis as the new beat officer for the ward.

PC Mellis, who started earlier this month, has met Fortis Green councillor Martin Newton for an introductory chat and to discuss some of the key policing issues being raised by residents in Fortis Green ward, which includes parts of Muswell Hill and Highgate as well as Fortis Green itself.

Cllr Newton (Fortis Green) comments:

“I am delighted that we have a new beat officer dedicated to Fortis Green ward.

“It is great for residents to have a local officer they will see on a day-to-day basis. We are looking forward to working closely with him to address some of the issues in the ward. We also hope to receive our own Safer Neighbourhoods team as soon as possible in order to up the police presence in the area and guarantee the area has its full complement of officers.”

Highgate councillor and Lib Dem environment spokesperson Bob Hare has called on Haringey Council to meet with resident groups from Archway Road to discuss the implementation of the Archway Road Neighbourhood Plan.

The plan, which was finalised and adopted by the Council several years ago, outlines objectives to improve the environment of the area. Cllr Hare is concerned that since the adoption of the Neighbourhood Plan few real improvements have occurred. He has written to the Council’s environment spokesperson seeking an immediate meeting between the Council and key groups in the Archway Road.

Cllr Hare says that action needs to be taken to improve the environment for the communities living along the Archway Road. He says that for too long Archway Road has been neglected and overlooked for regeneration projects because of its position – situated in largely affluent Highgate.

Cllr Hare says that there are many good, successful businesses on the road and with support from agencies and the Council in particular, problems with graffiti, rubbish and shop front design could be properly addressed to help it reach its potential and become a real asset to the borough.

Cllr Hare (Highgate) comments:

“Feedback from our residents surveys over the past couple of years shows that residents have many issues regarding Archway Road that they feel Haringey Council is not addressing – graffiti, pedestrian safety and litter to name just a few.

“The Council must meet with residents to really appreciate that more work needs to be done.”

Newly-elected MP Lynne Featherstone is urging vulnerable households in Hornsey and Wood Green to apply for government heating and insulation grants to keep their homes warm and healthy and save money on fuel bills.

“I am encouraging local residents to take advantage of the Warm Front grant. Far too many local people are struggling to heat their homes, often at serious risk to their health,” said Lynne Featherstone MP.

“The Warm Front scheme is here precisely to help vulnerable people make their homes warm. It’s a fantastic programme that we should be taking advantage of. Many of my constituents have no idea that they could qualify for up to GBP2500 of Government money. It’s a great shame that so many people in the area are missing out.

“I know during the current weather it may seem strange to be talking about the Winter, but if people get the work done now, they can benefit later this year.”

According to the latest figures compiled by Warm Front managers, Eaga Partnership Ltd, at least 1,021 households in Hornsey and Wood Green have already benefited from a warmer home since the scheme started in June 2000. Thousands of households in the area could still benefit from a grant to help improve the energy efficiency of their homes and reduce fuel bills.

Warm Front is part of a 10-year strategy to end fuel poverty in England by 2010. Fuel poverty is defined as spending more than ten percent of household income on fuel bills and affects around 3 million households in the UK. This is double the percentage of income that the average household spends and means that many vulnerable people have to face the choice between heating and eating. The elderly, young children, and people with a long-term illness or a disability are particularly at risk.

Warm Front provides heating and insulation measures to households on income or disability benefits. You may qualify by calling Eaga Partnership free on 0800 316 6014.