Category Archives: Blog

Hornsey Central Hospital site

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Visit the Mental Health Trust on the St Ann’s Hospital site. Haringey has the longest inpatient stays in London but it does a very low re-admission rate compared to other authorities. So – what I take from that is that the Government needs to be very careful about its push to shove people out of in-patient facilities towards care in the community. While I am sure that being at home and not institutionalised is a laudable t aim, if the patient isn’t ready and the support networks are not adequate then we will see more and more problems on street or left for the police to deal with.

The other issue that struck me was the number (and cost) of secure beds that we pay for and that extraordinary numbers of people with mental health problems who end up in prison (also expensive) as opposed to getting preventative care prior to getting hospitalised or imprisoned. This resonates with my experience of warning after warning to the council or police that a local person is threatening neighbours etc. The authorities are always saying they cannot do anything until something happens. Eventually, the person assaults someone. Then they are put in prison and/or evicted. When they come out – they are found accommodation (if they are lucky) and the whole cycle starts all over again with new neighbours.

So – more early intervention and prevention needed. Otherwise we are just going to be creating more arrests, more problems, more misery.

I also have an appointment with the Primary Care Trust (PCT). Main issue on the agenda for me is the news (known for some time but not released to us mere mortals) that the future plans for the redevelopment of the Hornsey Central site are in jeopardy. Haringey Council has pulled the plug on their part of the proposals for the site and has, in the most ad hoc of fashions, decided not to proceed with the care home facilities. This leaves the PCT up the creek as they need the funding from that to fund the other community health services to be offered.

They have come up with a possible way of funding it. I’m not supposed to say publicly what it is yet (though can’t quite see why) – it is quite controversial and supposedly ‘commercially sensitive’. I think they need to be bolder and work with the community on this funding problem.

Local campaigners, myself and others have been at this for years and years. We campaigned against closure originally. Continued through the wilderness years. But when the PCT was set up relations improved with campaigners. Now Haringey Council has jeopardised all of this by pulling the rug out.

The PCT was planning to present the options to their board in September. I suggested to them that rather than go to the board and then to a public meeting thereafter when their possibly controversial proposals were a ‘fait accompli’ it would be much better to share with the key stakeholders the challenges they faced and the options available and then go to a public meeting to genuinely consult. The acting Chief Exec, Geoff Sandford, said he would give that suggestion serious consideration. I hope he does!

Mental health issues locally

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I am on a mini-mission to explore the mental health arena in Hornsey & Wood Green. Quite a high percentage of people who come to my surgery are in difficulties – whether with housing issues, neighbour disputes, benefits or whatever – and it seems to me that they have wandered into these difficulties because of mental health issues and been caught in a downward spiral. A commonish one – for example – would be someone who has lost their home because of falling into arrears through being hospitalised for a mental health problem who cannot then be discharged from the hospital because there is nowhere to go.

So today I visited Mind. Seemed to be an excellent facility – but clearly lacking adequate funding for treatment which involved talking to people: long waits for therapists etc. In fact, that was a repeating theme across all mental health services – that the Government was clearly keener on funding drug therapies rather than talking therapies. The other issue that struck me was the lack of knowledge about how to access them amongst the general public.

New Chief Executive for London Borough of Haringey

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Event of the day was going to meet the new temporary Chief Executive hired by Haringey to replace the hastily removed (although the public version is “early retired”) now former Chief Exec, David Warwick. It’s Max Caller – the retired ex-Chief Exec of Hackney. He said he was focusing on two key priorities whilst in Haringey. One is to make sure officers understood that they were there to execute the will of the council. I took this to mean that he had been briefed by the Labour administration as to their reasons for Warwick’s “early retirement” which I have always believed was because he wouldn’t do what Labour told him to do and persevered with his duty to the council rather than to Labour.

Realistically, I don’t expect him to do much more than a holding job. Who would? And that’s part of the stupidity of this whole event – at great cost to the public purse we are now, inevitably, in a holding pattern until the new Chief Exec is appointed. Even more stupidly – it looks as if Labour are going to make that appointment a few months prior to the local elections next May – which means if Lib Dems take over the council as we plan – they will have a Chief Exec chosen by Labour to carry out their new administration. Of course – we are in the realm of ifs and buts – but it’s not great timing and could mean, I assume, a clause in any contract that states it needs to be ratified by the new administration (whomever that is) in due course. Oh – well – can’t deal with every eventuality!

Working 9 to 5

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Working an ordinary nine-hour day feels like absolute luxury. Now parliament is not sitting I am not starting at 6am and finishing after 10pm – but just working roughly 9 to 5; it’s a doddle. Today – apart from paperwork etc – I went into Parliament to have lunch with my staff. They are all new and I wanted to spend a bit of time with them before I depart for my break on the 16th August.

Robin Cook's death

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I prepared for media interviews on Blair’s blurtings – i.e. the proposed new terror laws. However, the shocking news of Robin Cook’s death bumps me off all the scheduled slots – appropriately.

The terror laws proposals will be around for quite a while but the untimely departure of Robin Cook needs proper respect. I am absolutely shocked by the news. Partly because I had suddenly joined his world – a world I had observed him in for years and he sat roughly opposite me in the Commons. Partly because he was not much older than me.

Partly because he looked slim and reasonably fit. Partly because I had been really looking forward to hearing his legendary oratory skills firsthand. But mostly because we needed his voice from the Labour benches – a voice which commanded respect and which rang out as Labour’s conscience – an echo from a bygone era when principles meant something.

Terrorism, CPZs and getting people back to work

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Not a whole lot to report as largely confined to sick bed, with much time spent watching the news. I observed Hazel Blears, whom I shadow in Parliament – she was starting a round of visits to hard to reach Muslims (as opposed to the usual spokespersons) in towns across the country. Good idea – but why have we waited so long? So much air time has been given to the extremist views of groups that most Muslims have scant regard for. This emphasis has contributed to the fevered atmosphere and probably encouraged them even more. I get into trouble with our press office as I couldn’t go to do interviews on the weekend and missed calls to do the Today program – separated from my phone which unhelpfully was set on silent downstairs in the kitchen – where I wasn’t.

Terrorism on the TV news is interwoven with man floating around the heavens with DIY tools trying to repair a spaceship. I so wouldn’t like to be one of those astronauts. I would be convinced I was going to die on re-entry and even more shaky about making makeshift repairs on the hoof. I wish them well on their return. I know it’s expensive – but I love space exploration. It’s a frontier – and we don’t have that many – and it’s so good to lift your eyes above the daily grind – and the horrors of how to deal with terror in our midst.

Al Qaeda’s No 2 appears in a video broadcast by Al Jazeera saying basically that we in London are targets because Tony went to war in Iraq. Well – there are many reasons I believe Tony should go – and indeed Iraq is one of them. However, it cannot come at the behest of an enemy. And – he has just been re-elected to government by the people of this country (a democracy, however flawed the voting system). Opportunism by Al Qaeda is no way to decide our country’s governance.

I am more concerned by the proposals Tony came forward with yesterday – the new terror laws are draconian but more importantly may be unworkable. We British (and that includes everyone!) pride ourselves on our tolerance and fair play and many feel that our tolerance has spawned monsters – or allowed them to spawn.

And so we face one of the greatest challenges of our time – how can we tolerate the intolerant? We clearly feel our good nature has been abused – so the conundrum: how do we retain our essence of free speech and fair play when others don’t abide by the rules of that particular game?

I am not automatically against any new laws on terror – but I do feel we generally have enough laws.

On incitement to terrorism – define terrorism. On deportation – Charles Clarke to be the deciding factor? Arbiter of who stays and who goes? And let us assume we currently (for the most part and giving them the benefit of the doubt) have a benign government – but… And what are the criteria? And why should we ban those who are banned in the US? We are a different country and what the US finds unacceptable we should examine very carefully – not automatically jump to their tune.

And as for our ‘arrangements’ with countries where human rights are an issue – and so raising problems with us deporting people to those countries – who will monitor those ‘agreements’? Countries with poor records on human rights are not going to change because of a piece of paper.

One break from this issue – on Thursday evening I leapt from my sick-bed to go to a CPZ (controlled parking zone) meeting. This one came off the back of a petition from residents asking for one in three or four roads in the very west of Haringey, affected significantly by the introduction of a CPZ on the Barnet side of the border in East Finchley.

The Labour Executive member is there and the senior council officer. Everyone has their say. There are the usual rants about Haringey Council using CPZs as a milch cow. Not often I stand up for the council – but Haringey’s charges at GBP25 per annum for a resident permit are the cheapest in London. But overall the meeting is very positive – and the outcome is an agreement to proceed next year to a two-zone consultation.

There was a huge area consulted on in 2003 – and as with all large CPZ consultations, those few with the existing problem wanted one but the vast tract of people in the rest of the consultation who did not have a problem did not. Anyway – a successful meeting and we will see how that one proceeds.

One bloke raised the issue of roads where lots of people have off-street parking and therefore not needing to park would vote ‘no’ to a proposal and therefore unbalance the result unfairly. I used a – what I believe (!) – is a really good example of how they might approach such an issue.

I have just had the consultation on the proposed extension to the Highgate Village CPZ. Most of our road (including me) has off-street parking – and there are only very limited on-street parking available for those residents without anyway. One resident of the street called meeting to discuss the consultation. I couldn’t go – but he posted the minutes. Firstly – they agreed to get the council officer down to see if the on-street parking spaces could be increased by slightly altering the design etc – and that could happen. Secondly – those residents in the street who were desperate for the extension (because everyone parks in our road) made their case to us, their neighbours, to all vote for the CPZ as their lives would be impossible without a CPZ as they were not luck (as the rest of us were) to have off-street parking. As good neighbours – we all supported those in need. Good community spirit and lack of selfishness!

On Friday I did my surgery at Wood Green library until lunchtime as usual – and then went off to meet Haringey Alzheimer’s Society who wanted to introduce themselves to me. Strangely – Haringey Council and Haringey Primary Care Trust don’t fund them – whereas that is how most local branches are funded and needless to say they need funding after next year.

Then I meet Bob Cottingham of the Highgate and Muswell Hill pensioners group. I think Bob is fantastic and whilst he himself says that age is slowing him down (I was too polite to ask his!), his mind is still as sharp as a razor. Apart from discussing the new Pensioners’ Charter (which he will send to me) we have an intense discussion about the Middle East, Jenny Tonge and terrorism.

As ever with the Middle East – my view has always been right down the middle – a homeland for Palestine and security and safety for Israel. My views generally make me no friends with either lobby as both have strangely enough a kind of Bush approach – that you’re with ’em or against ’em. I will continue to listen to all arguments – but to date remain convinced that the rights and wrongs of history deliver us nowhere – and any solution will have to deliver enough of what each side wants to have a flying chance of success.

I then dash off to ‘Working Links’, an organisation involved in helping the long-term unemployed back into work. I have to say – fabulous organisation. This one is a private/public partnership – I know, wash my mouth out with soap given my past comments about other private/public partnerships. But if it works – use it. I am not ideologically committed to absolutes – except in the case of particular public services – but this seems a good place to bring in private expertise.

As you walk through the door – the environment sings optimism and enthusiasm – upbeat, modern, clean and bright. But as in all things (at least that’s my view) the success of such projects rests entirely with the staff. It’s people – it’s always people. And the young consultants’ who ran each section were all absolute stars. Their two directors were equally enthusiastic and had clearly been responsible for creating this beneficial atmosphere.

They basically take people from a number of sources and spend 26 weeks supporting a tailor made individual package to help them back to work. Hurrah! Ten out of ten to them. I cannot bear seeing people who hav
e
just become so dependent on the state to sort their life that they no longer even think of doing things for themselves or getting out of the forlorn situations that have become their lives.

Nearly blogging off

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Surgery all morning. Variety of cases – but the Dukes Avenue humps are still giving cause for concern. Until such time as Lib Dems take over the council, the sort of cock-ups created by Labour are impossible to properly correct.

There was an agreed plan for the area which took three years to get the agreement for. But then when some residents objected to part of the works, the council introduced significant changes to the plans – without proper consultation – and – just to add to the fun – designed badly the some of the changes. So one road after another spoke up and said it wanted the plans for its bit changed and many of those who liked the original plans are now unhappy too! And now it seems everyone is writing or coming to see me. So – the current situation is that there has been another consultation. The results are being analysed at the moment.

Meanwhile, I will continue to fight for holistic planning. I will suggest to my councillor colleagues if/when we take control after next May’s elections, that we plan better than Labour and that when there is an agreed solution we stick to it. We also need to get Transport for London to look again at the journey times for buses on Colney Hatch Lane as so many people email me with how delightful it is when the lights don’t work.

In the afternoon, just one meeting – with TNG, a skill and training group who operate nationwide but seem to do really good work in Haringey. I am particularly interested in the mentoring work they do with youngsters who have had ASBOs served on them. ASBOs are a last resolution – and don’t do anything to bring their subjects back into society – which would be my aim. They agree to send more material on this to me.

And that’s nearly it. My holiday plans have changed – I was going away in August but now I am going mid-August to mid-September – so instead of blogging off for August as usual, I’ll be taking a break in a couple of weeks time instead.

Landrock Road development

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First meeting today is with Cllr Judy Bax who is chairing the Community Partnership Board, the group developing the plan for the Hornsey Town Hall’s future. I am still convinced that the only way this site is ever going to be a community facility is for this group to succeed and Crouch End for People, Hornsey Trust and all of us to work together to deliver that.

Having now met with both Hornsey Trust and the Community Partnership Board, there still is resistance to working together – so the Community Board must push on and succeed. If they can build a cinema to start with and retain at least a good chunk of the car park, they will at least be demonstrating to all the people who signed Town Hall petition that their intentions are honourable. My concern is that the first part of the site to be developed will be housing or whatever – and then a three year gap before we see what is really wanted – the arts, leisure and community facility part of the site.

Of course, the argument will be that you can’t do the good community bits without the funding by the development bits.

Anyway – my part in this is to support the journey from council control to trust and harangue and lobby for the community bits – and to lobby at high level for transport links at an early stage.

This is followed by a long, long interview by MORI. Too long and boring to go into – but basically a number of big companies – including Transport for London (TfL) and British Nuclear Fuels to name but two – want to know what I know and think of them. TfL’s ears would be burning!

In the afternoon I go to Landrock Road to join local campaigners campaigning against another backland development site application by developers. It is unbearable what they are trying to do – cram four very expensive houses on a long, narrow, strip of land: totally inappropriate.

One hundred odd houses whose gardens back onto this strip of land will be blighted by this development. Currently there is a row of garages which the developer is letting dilapidate and won’t rent out. Sometimes I just wish I had real dictatorial power to tell the developers to get lost! However, what I do is write to the Planning Department to let them know what I think.

Myddleton Road

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First appointment of the day fails to show up – so left twiddling thumbs until Hansard Society Interview. Extensive interview on how I find various aspects of being an MP after the grand total of around 9 weeks. Hansard are doing an in depth study of a number of MPs and will follow us through our first term. As I say – ask me in a year what I think – as right now I don’t even know what I don’t know or what I need to know. However, always a useful exercise talking to a stranger – helps consolidate own thoughts – even ones I didn’t know I had.

In the afternoon I visit Arbours Crisis Centre in Crouch End. This is an establishment working in the mental health sphere that doesn’t fit – doesn’t fit into categories that would encourage the Government or
Haringey Council or any specific body to fund it. And yet it does invaluable work and has a world-wide reputation.

It’s a small site – one house – where the clients and therapists live together. A novel approach to mental health issues. Of course – being outside the box – funding is a struggle. And perhaps of even more concern is the Government being unable to treat them as a one-off. No says the Government – they must be an institution that comes within the care homes standards. I can see the point, but surely there must be a way which allows different sorts of therapeutic environments to survive – and perhaps have standards that would apply more to a normal house than an institution.

In the evening went to a meeting with the Bowes Park Residents’ Association and officers. It’s about Myddleton Road. This is a road that’s as a microcosm of every problem in the borough. It has numerous small shops, many of which fail and are only open for a short time. Amongst the shops is a trading timber yard that started small, has grown (hurray) as a business, but now through loading and unloading, huge lorries and huge loads on a narrow residential street, no longer really fits being in that location. Add to this – lots of property owners converting every spare inch of space into properties for rental as temporary accommodation and tales of illegal immigrants, twenty to a dwelling creeping in and out. And even more – no apparent enforcement of planning laws, parking laws, health and safety laws and trading laws – and you have – voila – Myddleton Road.

Now the good news is that the residents’ association seems good and strong. They have got together an action plan of which some of the easy stuff has been done – e.g. a couple of raised levels on the road corners. But the tough stuff is untouched. To be fair to the council, some of this stuff – particularly the housing for immigrants – is a hard nut to crack. However, if the council would put someone in charge of pushing forward the Myddleton Road scheme, it could happen – or at least most of it could happen.

All the council officers in attendance at the meeting seemed really committed and full of good intentions – but you could see that without a driving force it would just drift along not happening. We agreed to meet every three months with a list of things to be sorted in the meantime and a report back on the action plan.

Twin Towers development in Wood Green

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Hurrah! A day of paperwork to catch up and tidy up loose ends before I go on my hols at the weekend. One of the issues to catch up on is the “Twin Towers” site – where an awful development is proposed.

I write a stinker to Livingstone for condoning the original tower plan. He is so keen on his (huge) housing targets that all his fine words and ideas about sustainable development and good design are forgotten and steamrollered out of existence. I will send the letter either at the weekend – or save it for beginning of September, as August is not a great month for getting action. I tell him to get Richard Rogers and the Urban Design Unit’s backsides down here to Wood Green to understand just how much crap local residents are having to put up with in his name. We will see if he acts.

The area needs the best of design to raise aspirations and hope – not to have dumped on it dreadful designs with poor materials.