Category Archives: Blog

Disability and development in Uganda

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Today is the first day of my visit to meet disabled people in Uganda.

Disability is the great neglected issue in development. I am here to learn how we can make a greater difference on the ground.

I am extremely grateful to UK paralympic star Ade Adepitan for taking the time to join us on this trip. I wanted his unique perspective and understanding about the daily challenges faced by disabled people at home and abroad.

Our first stop was a state school at the side of a dusty, rural road. 901 children attend classes there everyday. With only 14 extremely dedicated teachers, class sizes are large and teachers’ time is very stretched.

There are five million disabled people in Uganda, so it came as no surprise that there are many children at this school who also live with a disability.

We heard some truly inspiring stories – like Dorothy, a blind girl whose father carries her two and a half kilometres to school and back everyday to make sure she has an education.

Half way through the visit, the skies began to pour. A handful of children quickly huddled in one of the school’s small, dark classrooms. The rain on tin roof made it almost impossible to hear what anyone was saying. This would be a challenging place to teach one child even without a disability. Here they were teaching scores of children in each classroom.

Water Aid, a charity supported by Britain’s own development budget, is helping to improve school facilities. We saw a ‘inclusive toilet’ which is especially designed to ensure disabled children have the facilities they need to go to school in the first place.

We then moved to Bobole village – a tiny settlement at the end of a rutted and muddy track. We met Margaret, a disabled women living in an improvised wheelchair. She makes a living from a specially adapted sewing machine which she turns with her hands.

With WaterAid’s support, she has her own accessible toilet and washing facilities. Despite its simple construction from local wood and leaves, it is giving Margaret the dignity and opportunity to thrive. They have also constructed a water butt to catch rain water to help water her crops. The only other option is a bore hole far from her village – a virtual impossibility in her wheelchair.

Despite these inspiring stories of determination and spirit, the challenge in my mind is clear.

Simple changes and alterations can make a tremendous difference and ensure every one has the chance to succeed. we need to do much more to identify these and ensure all our aid programmes prioritise them.

Tomorrow I will update you on the next trip.

Giving young people a fair start in life!

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Here’s my latest Muswell Flyer column, also available here: http://beckybeach.net/?p=8145

My early years were spent at Highgate Primary – one of the many great schools in Haringey borough. And the schools here are getting better and better, with particularly impressive exam results achieved this year by our bright students.

It’s so important that young people are given an excellent education, and have an equal opportunity to succeed regardless of their background or situation at home. But I’m also aware that some students, through no fault of their own, are still finding it harder than others to achieve the results.

That’s why the Lib Dems in Government are working hard to ensure every child gets a fair start in life.

Last month at the Lib Dem party conference, Nick Clegg announced that, from next year, all infant school pupils will be eligible for free school meals.

Free meals do already exist for children from poorer backgrounds – but research showed that many were not claimed because parents were not aware of the option, or unwilling to admit they qualified.

Making all infant school children eligible will remove this stigma – for parents and children. In addition, it will save parents an average of £437 a year per child; and ensure that all children are receiving a nutritious, healthy and filling lunch – something which is proven to have a positive impact on performance at school.

The Liberal Democrat Pupil Premium has also been giving schools extra funding since 2010 – with the money specifically targeted to schools with higher numbers of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

This academic year, schools in Haringey will benefit from an extra £13 million on top of their usual budgets.

Schools themselves can decide how they use the extra money. I have met with Head Teachers to discuss how the money is being spent. Employing extra support staff, employing staff with particular language skills, funding after school clubs and subsidising school trips for poorer students are among the best examples I’ve heard.

The Liberal Democrats in Government are also focusing on jobs and apprenticeships – particularly to tackle youth unemployment.

Just before the Lib Dems entered Government in 2010, people who didn’t go to university were being left behind. Youth unemployment in my constituency was 7.1%, which was far too high.

Since entering Government the Lib Dems have helped create over 1 million jobs and 1.2 million apprenticeships. Apprenticeships in particular are helping young people learn trades, earn money, and build a career.

They’re popular too. I organised an event in Wood Green to match up our young people with companies looking for apprentices – and over 130 youngsters turned up to try and secure an apprenticeship.

And I’m pleased to say that youth unemployment in Hornsey and Wood Green is down by a third (to just 4.8%).

There is still a way to go before children and young people have equal opportunities to succeed and get on in life. But I believe these Lib Dem measures – free school meals, Pupil Premium and focus on apprenticeships – are a good start towards building a fairer society.

400 responses on rubbish!

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Uncollected rubbish on Hornsey High Street - Summer 2013Last week I sent an email to my constituents, asking for their opinions on rubbish collection in Haringey.

Over the last two years, I’ve received hundreds of complaints from residents about missed collections, piles of stinking rubbish and bins being misplaced after emptying.

Some disabled residents have been unable to get out of their driveways because the bins were left blocking it, and other residents have had to deal with rat infestations. One person took to twitter to complain about the maggots which appeared as a result of missed collections.

The complaints started when Labour-run Haringey Council introduced fortnightly collections to the borough, in tandem with their waste contractor, Veolia. Some teething problems were perhaps inevitable – but two years on, enough is enough!

I asked Haringey Council whether they could fine Veolia for poor performance. The answer was: Yes we can, but we never have!

So despite all the problems, the Labour Council have never bothered to fine Veolia!

I’ve had 400 replies from local residents already, letting me know how they feel about rubbish collection in Haringey. We’re in the process of analysing them – and can report that so far – two thirds of residents are unsatisfied with their collections.

If you want to add your opinion – please do so via www.lynnefeatherstone.org/contact

Once we’ve collated all the responses, I’ll present them to Haringey Council and Veolia and demand action to improve collections. We pay one of the highest rates of Council Tax in London – and we deserve a better service!

Tackling the housing crisis

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Many years ago I got a mortgage for my first flat (off the Archway Road) – which enabled me to get a first foot on the property ladder.

Owning a house is still an aspiration for many young people, who want properties as big, or bigger, than their parents. But times are tough – particularly for many young people in the private rental sector who cannot afford to save for a sizeable deposit.

The bottom line is that, up until 2010, not enough houses were built. Prices of existing properties have spiralled out of control and the younger generation have been frozen out of the market.

That’s why the Coalition Government introduced a number of measures to ease the housing crisis, build new homes and give young people assistance in getting on the property ladder. 

And we are starting to see some changes. Housing supply is now at its highest since the end of the unsustainable housing boom in 2008, with 334,000 new homes built over the last three years. The number of first-time buyers is also at a five-year high.

Please do take a look at this document – which gives details of the schemes introduced by the Coalition Government to help first time buyers and ease the housing crisis. If you’re looking to buy your first property, or know someone who is, this is a must-read! 

Any questions – just ask! 

Hornsey Depot – Have your say

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Lynne Featherstone MP outside Hornsey DepotThe depot site on Hornsey High Street (N8 7QB) has been unoccupied and derelict since 1998 – as the Labour Council continually failed to strike a deal with a developer.

A planning application has now finally been submitted for the site – and there’s still time to make your views heard.

In the application, the developers say they will demolish the existing structures to make way for a supermarket, car park, over 400 flats and a gym.

Before the application was submitted, the local Lib Dems made representations to the developers and secured amendments to their proposals. Most notably, they reduced the height of a 10-storey block of flats in response to Lib Dem and local resident & trader concerns.

However, local councillors have also expressed concerns regarding the impact upon local traffic and the quality of the plans themselves.

The local Lib Dems are keen to find out your views and concerns on the development on Hornsey Depot, so please do fill in our survey. We will present the survey results as part of our official response to the planning application.

If you’d rather respond directly – you can do so on the Council’s website, using application number is HGY/2013/2019.

Liberal Democrats and people power in Haringey strikes again!

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Our local trains serve thousands of residents every day – including me! It’s great when they run smoothly, but all too often our current trains into Moorgate are overcrowded, delayed or even cancelled.

Last year, the Haringey Lib Dems and I welcomed the coalition government’s announcement of a massive £6billion investment in rail services in and around London – which will mean new, longer trains and more services at peak times.

It’s part of the largest investment since Victorian times – which is great news.

But, at stations like Hornsey and Harringay, platforms are too short for longer trains to stop. We became worried that these stations could end up receiving fewer services, while the new, longer trains whizzed by.

So, we launched a campaign opposing any service reduction at Hornsey and Harringay. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 98 per cent of residents agreed with us!

We sent all of your responses to the Department for Transport (DfT), and on the day of the announcement, I went down to the department to make one final plea to save our services.

Lynne Featherstone MP outside the Department for Transport, holding the document which confirms there will be no losses of services at Hornsey and HarringayAnd I’m pleased to say that our hard fought campaign has been successful! The DfT have now announced that there will be no service reductions at any local stations, including Hornsey and Harringay.

In addition, the DfT also confirmed that, under the new franchise, evening and weekend services would now run into Moorgate as well as King’s Cross, and that Hornsey and Harringay stations will now be permanently staffed.

This is a great victory for local commuters, rail users and the Lib Dems – our train services will be improved and no services will be lost!

Last week, there was also very good news about Pinkham Way. The local Lib Dems and I have campaigned for years against the North London Waste Authority’s plans to build a huge waste plant on the site, which is situated just off the North Circular.

For years, residents lived in the shadows of this thoroughly unsuitable plan – worried about the effects on the local environment and property prices. The Labour council also turned their backs on us – waving through the plans without question.

Lynne Featherstone and Haringey Liberal Democrats protesting at the proposed site of a waste processing plant on Pinkham WayBut after years of Liberal Democrat and Pinkham Way Alliance campaigning, countless petitions, legal challenges and more, the waste authority has finally seen sense and cancelled plans for the Pinkham Way site!

We still remain vigilant on both issues. We will keep an eye on plans for the rail services and on the Pinkham Way site, to ensure that local residents’ voices are heard.

But for now, the battles have been won. I’d like to thank every single resident who took part in these campaigns. The local Lib Dems and I have worked tirelessly on them – but couldn’t have achieved success without the significant support from local residents.

The combination of Liberal Democrats and people power in Haringey strikes again!

You’ve got the power!

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Have you ever thought that you could run local services better? Wanted to save a local shop that was facing closure? Or wanted to see a idea to improve your community put into action?

With new community rights, you can do all of this and more.

As a Lib Dem, I believe that local people know what’s best for the area they live in. Previous Governments have centralised too much power, with people in Westminster offices making decisions about places they’ve never been to.

In the Coalition agreement, the Tories agreed with Liberal Democrat plans to give people the power make (or oppose!) changes to their community. This led to the Localism Act 2012.

These community rights granted in the Localism Act have now been in place for the past year, and have been used thousands of times by hundreds of local groups.

For instance, the Localism Act gives local groups the chance to purchase community assets before they’re sold to external developers.

A great example is the Ivy House pub in South London. Local residents found out it was going to be sold for redevelopment, so they got together to raise the funds to buy it. Almost 400 people bought shares in the pub! It has just reopened as a co-operative pub, with music and comedy nights, real ale and food.

If you and a number of your fellow residents want to make changes, you can. To do this you will need to organise, plan, and have a local vote to ensure your ideas are supported by the rest of the community. For the most part this will go through the Local Authority, but once approved by the public you will be in charge.

This means that you can take over local services through the Right to Challenge, build new houses with the Right to Build, or if a park is being sold you can protect it using the Right to Bid.

Additionally, the Neighbourhood Planning scheme allows residents to decide what facilities should be built, and the Right to Reclaim Land means that unused Council property can be put to better use.

You also have the right to create Community Shares for their community project, and if there is not already one in place you can set up a Town or Parish Council.

A full leaflet and guide can be found here.

This is a great opportunity to make positive changes to your local community, so go get involved! If you want to let me know what you’re doing or would like some advice – contact me! 

Child T – another Haringey protection failure

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I am deeply saddened and shocked at news of another failure to protect a child in Haringey. A serious case review published this morning has identified multiple failings by local authorities – including social services – to protect a child, known only as ‘Child T.’

The report ‘evidences serious failures of management and professional practice at that time within and between the three key child protection agencies – police, health and social care services.’

Child T is alive, having been removed from the care of their parents more than a year after the first incident of abuse came to the attention of doctors and social services. However, the report states that, in the course of the year, Child T was taken to hospital twice with suspicious injuries, only to be returned to their parents. This is just one of the multiple failings listed.

Most people will be aware that it was also Haringey Council who failed to protect Baby P and Victoria Climbe. After these two horrendous failures – serious changes should have been made. But now, Child T has been failed too. Indeed, the review identifies features that are common between the Baby P and the Child T cases.

It is just appalling that Haringey Council have become embroiled in another child abuse scandal. The local Lib Dems, local residents and I have long been calling on the Labour leadership to address the manifest failings of Children’s Services – but our calls have simply been ignored.

What makes me even more upset and angry, is that Haringey’s Labour leadership have repeatedly told us that lessons had been learnt, and that Children’s Services had turned a corner. But this was evidently not true – and now another child has paid the price.

I fully support the Haringey Liberal Democrat calls for an urgent, independent investigation. It cannot come quickly enough.

Continuing the fight against FGM

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I was delighted to visit Bristol yesterday, to see for myself the excellent initiatives taking place in this city to tackle Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and violence against girls and women.

My first stop was St Werburgh’s Primary School. Under the inspiring leadership of the school’s headteacher and her team, plus the outreach work of Bristol’s nurse for safeguarding children, the school has developed an excellent relationship with the local community. This enables them to have honest conversations with pupils and parents about a range of sensitive issues, including FGM. I am convinced that this kind of school leadership and approach to safeguarding children is vital in the fight against FGM and I look forward to meeting representatives from teaching unions and safeguarding boards soon to discuss this.

At the school and later in one of their homes, I met mothers from the local Somali community to hear their thoughts on how to stop FGM. These women are determined that their daughters will not be cut and say attitudes are changing. But they explained how the subject remains taboo within communities and is generally not discussed, even amongst women. And when these women have presented at clinics or hospitals in the UK, the medical staff often have little or no experience of FGM. I am very pleased to see Jane Ellison – a long-time, dedicated campaigner on FGM – appointed to the Department of Health this week and am sure this will be an issue she tackles as Minister.

Lynne Featherstone MP, and DFID minister) with staff and parents from St Werburgh’s Primary School

In the afternoon I visited City Academy, home of the charity Integrate Bristol. I met staff and young people from Integrate who have been driving forward a campaign over the last few years against FGM. Later, the Integrate team delivered a fantastic event at Bristol’s City Hall, supported by Mayor George Ferguson, to celebrate the young people’s work and thank those who have supported them. It was a moving, funny and dynamic event, showcasing the work of the charity over the last few years – from a Newsnight appearance, to advising the BBC on their Casualty FGM episode, to writing and performing a successful play. The boldness and creativity of these teenagers is amazing and gives me faith that, as girls are educated and empowered, we will see an end to FGM.

I am very grateful to all involved for an instructive and inspiring day. A particular thanks to Nimco Ali from the campaign group Daughters of Eve, who has worked with communities, schools and local groups over many years to raise awareness about FGM and campaign for its end.

Bristol is pioneering an approach to tackling FGM which combines strong leadership, empowering girls and women, and working across government sectors. There is a long way to go, but great strides have been made. I have come back to London with hope and with ideas!