Lib Dem councillor David Winskill has criticised Haringey Council for their continued failure to repair unsafe footpaths that pose a potential risk to residents’ safety. Cllr Winskill has repeatedly tried to help residents in Crouch End by reporting hazardous paving stones to Haringey Council but his efforts have been ignored.

On 7th June he reported two missing paving slabs and an uneven walking surface by the fountain at Hornsey Central Library in Haringey Park – these have yet to be repaired.

Cllr David Winskill (Crouch End) comments:

“Uneven and damaged footpaths can be a real danger to residents – especially the elderly. Haringey Council needs to ensure that it has a proactive approach. Two weeks after these hazards were reported the slabs are still missing.

“There are lots of other examples of problems of rats, pot holes, defective signage, dumped rubbish that have had to be pursued time and time again to get anything done.

“Haringey Council just can’t seem to get a culture of get it right and get it right first time.”

Local MP, Lynne Featherstone, has this week strongly back green group Transport 2000’s campaign urging the Government to tackle rail overcrowding in Hornsey & Wood Green and expand passenger services in its forthcoming 30 year strategy paper.

To mark her support Ms. Featherstone joined forces with ‘The Railway Children’ star and Transport 2000’s patron, Jenny Agutter, and the ‘Sardine Man’ to highlight the common rail experience of her constituents.

Commenting, Lynne Featherstone says:

“Anyone who regularly has to wrestle their way on to a train at Alexandra Palace at nine o’clock in the morning will not need convincing that the Government should take urgent action to address the chronic overcrowding on Hornsey & Wood Green’s rail commuter services.

“At this time of year commuters also have to contend with soaring temperatures, making the situation particular unbearable at peak times.

“If the Government is serious about climate change then it must make environmental friendly travel options, such as rail, the natural first choice for every commuter – not the sweaty, overcrowded and often unpleasant option it is now.”

Haringey Liberal Democrats’ campaign against a future move by Haringey Council towards fortnightly rubbish collections received a warm reception from carnival goers at its launch at the Tottenham Carnival on 23 rd June 2007.

The Lib Dems have expressed their concerns that collecting rubbish only fortnightly would be inappropriate for an urban area like Haringey and would be likely to cause an increase in smell and vermin as well as escalating problems of rubbish volumes for residents living in flats.

They are arguing that there are much better ways of increasing recycling rates, such as by providing more flexible access for residents to recycling facilities, increasing the types of items that can be recycled, and encouraging much more business recycling.

At 27th March 2007 meeting of the Council’s ‘watchdog’ committee Cllr Brian Haley, Labour member for Environment and Conservation was less than forthcoming when he said that scrapping weekly collections was “not on the horizon for the near future” but “there was nothing ruled in and there is nothing ruled out”. Lib Dems have issued a challenge to the Labour Council to make their policy on fortnightly collections clear to residents.

Cllr Bob Hare, Lib Dem spokesperson on sustainability comments:

“Our campaign highlights the complete incompatibility of fortnightly rubbish collections with an urban area like Haringey. Our borough is too densely populated to scrap weekly collections without increasing the amounts of smell and vermin. Whereas rural areas may be able to cope with collections every other week, imagine a high-rise flat coping with the amounts of waste all residents must produce in two weeks.

“To increase recycling rates what is needed is a clearly thought out doorstep recycling scheme that maximises the amount that can be recycled. What we have seen from Labour is a co-mingled service that does not deliver the quantity or quality recycling that is needed.”

Cllr Richard Wilson, Lib Dem Deputy Leader said:

“We all remember the piles of rubbish and the stench caused by last summer’s bin strikes in Haringey.Fortnightly bin collections would cause these problems all year round.

“Labour need to make their position clear. They should listen to residents and the Lib Dems and say they won’t scrap weekly refuse collections.”

Haringey Liberal Democrats have yet again criticised and expressed their concern at Haringey Council’s poorly controlled and ineffective project management.

Information revealed at the Haringey Council Cabinet meeting of top Labour councillors on 19th June 2007 included a report which included no summary budget information for almost one in five of the projects.

More significantly, the report shows over half the projects are running late or forecast to complete after their “original end date” and a further one in five show no summary date information on which to see whether they are late or not.

Haringey Liberal Democrat councillors believe this shows Labour’s lack of attention to detail and poor track record of running large projects that have resulted in huge waste of Haringey taxpayers’ money through disasters such as the Tech Refresh fiasco.

Projects currently running behind schedule include the procurement project tasked to make savings of £2 million. The original completion date was April 2007 but now forecast to finish in April 2009 – 2 years late.

Another example is project to deliver The Single Status Pay Review settlement. This was cited as “one of the key risk issues” in this year’s Haringey Council Budget process and an issue which may produce “significant costs”. The project to reach a settlement now shows a forecast completion of Jan 2009 from an original completion date of March 2007 – 22 months late.

Cllr Robert Gorrie, Lib Dem Finance Spokesperson comments:

“Successful project management is about two key things – delivering on time and on budget. Haringey Council’s own reporting shows a consistent and continued failure against both these criteria. The Labour Cabinet seems happy managing a process that produces a big thick report which they either don’t read or don’t understand. The result of Labour’s failure is wasted money, wasted time and a poor outcome for Haringey residents.”

Councillor Wayne Hoban, Liberal Democrat member for Alexandra ward, has criticised local agencies for allowing a burst water main at a local school to remain broken. The water main burst at Alexandra Park School on 12th June 2007 but was allowed to continue flowing for several days whilst Thames Water, the Fire Service and Jarvis, the PFI maintenance contractor to the school, argued over whose responsibility it was to undertake the repair. It has been revealed that the leak originated when a water main was broken when the Fire Brigade drove over the kerb when they went down the side road to tackle the fire at Muswell Hill Golf Club.

Cllr Wayne Hoban (Alexandra Ward) comments:

“Surely the primary responsibility was to repair the leak immediately to ensure that disruption to the school was kept to a minimum and also to prevent thousands of gallons of precious water from being wasted.I am extremely concerned that essential public agencies could not see the logic of undertaking this repair immediately and sorting out ultimate responsibility later.”

Cllr Gail Engert, Lib Dem Spokesperson for Children and Young People adds:

“This situation illustrates the complications that arise when a school is locked into a maintenance contract with a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) provider and is unable to deal with the problem directly. This is very unsatisfactory, given the huge inconvenience caused.”

Haringey Liberal Democrats have secured cross-party support for their petition calling for a memorial to local Tottenham hero Walter Tull. As the first black outfield professional footballer, Walter Tull played for Tottenham Hotspur between 1909 and 1911. He was also the first black commissioned officer in the British Army and died on the Western Front on 25th March 1918 in World War One.

David Lammy, the Member of Parliament for Tottenham, has agreed to be the first signatory to the petition.

Cllr Carolyn Baker (Harringay Ward) comments:

“It is clear that Walter Tull is a local hero. His achievements in football and his military career, against the prejudice of the time, should not go unrecognised. We should all be proud to support this petition to request that Walter Tull is remembered for what he did for Spurs, Haringey and the country.”

For more information about Walter Tull visit www.waltertull.originationinsite.com

Liberal Democrats have set up an on-line survey to monitor views about the Stop-and-Shop parking schemes that have been introduced today in Muswell Hill and Crouch End. The party wants to find out fully what impact these schemes have on the local community.

The Labour Council has been criticised by Lib Dems for imposing these schemes despite overwhelming rejection from the local communities. Questions have also been raised about the cost of ‘unnecessary’ parking surveys in Muswell Hill and Crouch End completed only after the new parking schemes were given the green light by the Council. Figures uncovered by the Lib Dems have shown that the surveys cost a staggering £38,325. The Labour Council has admitted that kerbside space in adjoining residential roads is already at saturation point in both Muswell Hill and Crouch End so just counting the comings and going of cars in this expensive survey just before their scheme is even implemented is meaningless, say Lib Dems.

Cllr Martin Newton, Lib Dem spokesperson on traffic issues comments:

“We have set up an on-line survey to really find out what impact these schemes have on the local community as Labour seem incapable of carrying out any meaningful consultation. What is important is to ask traders, visitors and residents about the impact of the scheme when this is operational. Has there been a change in perception over parking from visitors and residents?What impact has there been on local businesses?”

Cllr Lyn Weber (Crouch End) adds:

“I was astonished when I found out the cost of the most recent Council survey. But more worrying is that the Council told us from the outset that surveys had been done to study the traffic in the area. If these were done why do they need to be done again? This money could have been used more fruitfully by mending the countless number of holes in Haringey’s roads or planting new trees.”

Haringey Liberal Democrat councillors have taken to their bikes in celebration of National Bike Week (16 th -24th June 2007) to highlight the benefits of cycling.

Lib Dems are urging more people to get out of their cars and to cycle to work and for pleasure, reminding local residents that cycling is good for the environment, good for health, and often makes journeys quicker in urban areas like Haringey.

Lib Dems will continue to urge Haringey Council and Transport for London to request that cycling in Haringey is encouraged more widely by providing more cycle lanes on busy routes, traffic calming to help encourage new users and to make a harmonious environment that benefits cyclists and pedestrians alike.

Cllr Bob Hare, Lib Dem Green Issues spokesperson and keen cyclist comments:

“Bike Week provides a great opportunity to try some local rides, and to meet other cyclists at the many events within easy range of Haringey designed for absolute beginners as well as regular cyclists.

“I have contacted Haringey Council and Transport for London to ask that cycling is one of their top priorities for the coming year. This will help the environment and get more people out of their cars and cycling.”

Cllr Lyn Weber, Deputy Lib Dem Green Spokesperson adds:

“We need more cycle lanes – but this doesn’t mean paving over our much loved green spaces like Parkland Walk, but working with the groups involved to ensure a rounded approach.”

Plans to resurface Parkland Walk have come under fire once again, after local MP Lynne Featherstone (Lib Dem) published statistics showing that over 83% of users were opposed to the scheme.

Lynne Featherstone MP ran an online survey (www.libertyresearch.org.uk/take/103) to enable local residents and users of the walk to have their say. At the close of Haringey Council’s consultation on the future of the walk all responses so far received were included as part of her submission to the consultation.

A Freedom of Information Act request had revealed that Transport for London were hoping that money earmarked for improvements to the nature reserve would be used to increase cycle speeds but responses so far submitted to the online survey have shown that:

• Over 74% of respondents were against any improvements for cyclists
• Over 83% of respondents were against any resurfacing of the walk
• Just 3.8% of Parkland Walk users use it for commuter cycling

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“The money for improvements in Parkland Walk is obviously very welcome but it would be clearly ridiculous to spend it on improvements which benefit less than 4% of users, and to which there is obviously so much opposition.

“We need improvements to commuter cycle routes across London, cycling needs to be made easier, but this should happen along and next to roads – not in nature reserves.”

Haringey Liberal Democrats have expressed their dismay over the decision to charge leaseholders £30,000 in legal fees for a decision that blocks their say in future investment under the Government Decent Homes programme.

Haringey Leaseholders’ Association sought a reversal of the decision by Homes for Haringey’s (HfH) not to consult them over Decent Homes funding. However, the verdict made by the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal on 30th March 2007 upheld the HfH position. Now, it has been revealed that as a result of this legal action, all leaseholders will have to foot the £30,000 legal bill – and will still not be consulted.

Cllr Catherine Harris, Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson comments:

“I am disgusted that ordinary leaseholders are going to have to pay for this.£25,000 was spent alone on a QC against the leaseholders association, who represented themselves.

“I support the leaseholders who need to be properly consulted, because almost each and every leaseholder will be getting a bill through their door for the works carried out during the Decent Homes Improvement. And like anyone having works done on their home, they had the right to be consulted through their representatives.”

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

“The fact that the leaseholders are not being consulted is bad enough, but to now be told that they will have to pay for objecting to their treatment is appalling.

“This was always going to be a David versus Goliath challenge. But this time Goliath won – and then nicked David’s wallet.”