As the crucial decision on the future of Jacksons Lane becomes imminent local Lib Dems have called on Haringey Council to show a clear financial commitment to the beleaguered arts centre.

In a meeting with Arts Council England Highgate councillor Neil Williams and Lynne Featherstone MP made clear the overwhelming local resident support for Jacksons Lane when they handed in a 400 strong petition. They were assured that these views would be heard loud and clear by Arts Council bosses.

Cllr Neil Williams (Highgate) comments:

“Now is the time for Haringey Council to show its support and commitment. While Haringey Council has taken action on urgent repairs this is a sticking plaster approach. It needs to put money where their mouth is and show that they truly do want to save this great community asset.”

Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, adds:

“I left the Chief Executive in no uncertainty of the strength of local feeling on the issue. If Jacksons Lane goes, there really will be little public art provision left locally and I will not let Highgate be turned into a cultural desert.”

Responding to comments this morning from Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, that the Equal Pay Act is contributing to a huge backlog of equal pay cases at employment tribunals and is past its ‘sell-by date’, Liberal Democrat Women and Equalities Spokesperson, Lynne Featherstone said:

“The current law simply isn’t working as it should to protect people from discrimination.

“The Equal Pay Act is based on the outdated view that discrimination is a rare occurrence perpetrated by individual ‘bad’ employers but fails to recognise the wide-scale structural discrimination that exists.

“Class actions should be seriously considered by the Government as a way of reducing the burden on victims and the tribunals.

“Ministers should also consider our proposal for compulsory equal pay audits across the board to bring discrimination to light. These could be followed with a ‘protected period’ for employers to put their house in order before a lengthy tribunal process becomes necessary.”

Note: more information on Trevor Phillips’s comments is on the Commission’s website.

As the Arts Council continues to consult on its controversial threat to axe a vital grant to Jacksons Lane Arts and Community Centre in Highgate, local Liberal Democrats are urging as many people as possible to sign a petition demanding that they reconsider the decision.

Lib Dem Leader and local councillor Neil Williams says that responses from Highgate and Archway residents have been flooding in at an astonishing rate to the party’s headquarters. The party has also been out collecting signatures and has set up an on-line petition.

Lib Dem MP Lynne Featherstone is to meet official from the Arts Council and Lib Dem councillors are to discuss the issue with Haringey Council tomorrow, where they will show the strength of feeling on the issue.

Lib Dem Leader and Highgate councillor Neil Williams comments:

“The more people I speak to about the issue, the clearer it is to me how strongly local residents feel – and it’s also clear how wide an area the Centre serves, going well beyond Highgate and Archway. There are very few such community based arts facilities in this part of Haringey and beyond. ”

Local Lib Dem MP Lynne Featherstone adds:

“Cutting the grant is absolutely indefensible. We need to show them that Haringey is fully behind the Centre, and we need as many local people to respond as possible.”

Local residents can sign the Lib Dems’ petition at www.ourcampaign.org.uk/jacksons. People can also write to express their views to Haringey Lib Dems, FREEPOST LON11153, 100 Uplands Road, London N8 9BR, and these will be passed on the Art’s Council.

Residents in Haringey are being asked their views on tube services locally and across London. Local Lib Dems have carried out surveys at tube stations in Highgate and Seven Sisters to gauge public opinion on tube transport in Haringey. Residents’ views and ideas will then be used to urge the Government and the Mayor of London to address Londoner’s concerns.

Haringey Lib Dem survey is part of a wider investigation by Lib Dems throughout London headed by Lib Dem mayoral candidate Brian Paddick.

Cllr Monica Whyte (Hornsey) and Lib Dem candidate for the London Assembly comments:

“Many people in Haringey use the tube everyday and they must have a say in deciding future developments. Lib Dems are visiting local tube-goers throughout Haringey to make sure their concerns are raised.

“Anyone stuck on a Northern misery-line train at eight o’clock in the morning will tell you that the tube network needs investment and change. We hope that by listening to users that we will be able to press the government and the Mayor to provide a service that the people of London and Haringey want and deserve.”

Brian Paddick, Lib Dem mayoral candidate, adds:

“I have launched this survey to hear what local residents have their say on what the tube needs to be improved.

“Since Ken Livingstone took over as Mayor, tube fares have risen by 25% in places like Haringey and Enfield.Londoners are paying some of the most expensive tube fares in Europe.”

Parking signs throughout Haringey will be reviewed after a successful campaign by residents and Lib Dems forced the Labour-run Council to rethink its policy on confusing signs. Cllr Martin Newton cast doubt over the clarity and legality of parking signs last year after incidents resulting in residents being unwittingly ticketed or towed away. Haringey Council has now confirmed that it will carry out a review to ensure parking signs are consistent and compliant with new government legislation.

Confusion arose after parking signs in Muswell Hill and Crouch End failed to show clearly when motorists were allowed to park. In October 2007, Cllr Newton notified the Department of Transport who deemed Haringey’s signs as ‘unsatisfactory’.

Cllr Martin Newton, Lib Dem Traffic and Highways Spokesperson comments:

“Finally Haringey Council has woken up to this problem and has started to take this seriously. They knew from the start that their parking signs were not up to scratch and literally tried to patch it up with a few stickers.

“I am glad that Haringey Council has decided to review parking signs but again it has only been after many residents have had to endure tickets that should have never been issued.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“I hope this will finally put an end to the parking roulette residents often have to play on streets of Haringey. Parking restrictions should be about sensibly managing limited spaces rather than frankly confusing signs that can lead to people being unfairly caught out. This is a significant victory for local residents.”

Residents in Haringey will soon benefit from extra capacity on a popular local bus service. Haringey Liberal Democrats have welcomed news that the number 210 bus service, which carries passengers and shoppers from Finsbury Park to Brent Cross shopping centre will be extended next month. Double deck buses will be introduced by Transport for London (TfL) from 16th February 2008 serving Stroud Green, Archway and Highgate.

Cllr Neil Williams (Highgate) comments:

“This is very good news for bus users in Highgate and beyond. The 210 is an important interconnecting route for local residents and for far too long their journey has been a misery due to overcrowding.”

Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, adds:

“It is shame it has taken so long for TfL to respond to what is such a obvious local transport need – so this is an welcome upgrade. Hopefully they will now turn their attention to the long running campaign for extending the 603 finally giving Highgate the full bus service is needs.”

Note: the route will also run with slightly revised frequencies; buses will run every 7-8 minutes instead of every 6-7 minutes Monday to Saturdays.

One in ten children in Haringey schools is not getting enough physical exercise figures uncovered this week by Lynne Featherstone MP have shown.

Official statistics show 11% of pupils are not receiving the minimum two hours of high quality physical education or sport a week.

Lynne Featherstone MP has called on Haringey Council to do more to achieve this basic target.

Commenting Ms. Featherstone says:

“Child obesity is quite literally a growing problem. Two hours a week is a bare minimum and it is extremely worrying that such a high proportion of local children are not even getting this.

“It is clear that Haringey Council needs to be upping its game on PE in school and I have requested an urgent report on what it is doing to ensure all our pupils are getting this basic requirement.”

James Windsor, Prince Edward’s first son, overtaking of his sister, Lady Louise, as eighth in line to the throne has today been referred to the Equality and Human Rights Commission by newly appointed Lib Dem Youth & Equalities Spokesperson Lynne Featherstone MP.

Following the common law practice of male-preference primogeniture that sees male heirs take preference over their female siblings in the line of succession, James Windsor (Viscount Severn) who was born in December now comes before his 4 year old sister in succession to the throne.

Ms. Featherstone has written to the chair of the Commission requesting an urgent investigation into the legality of displacement in the light of recent equality legislation.

Lady Louise’s displacement in favour of a male is the first amongst Queen Elizabeth II’s direct successors since the advent of laws on sexual discrimination.

Commenting, Lynne Featherstone MP:

“This is an arcane practice that might have suited the grey bearded king makers of old, but it is completely at odds with how a head of state should be selected in modern Britain.

“Of course who is eighth in line to the throne is slightly academic, but there is a 50/50 chance Prince William’s heir will be a woman and what then?

“More importantly, there is little hope of bringing full equality to the workplace if we can’t bring equality to the highest office in the land. Any practice that is based on the idea of making do with a woman until a man comes along must be consigned to the history books.”