Haringey Council’s planning committee last week approved the construction of a new water treatment plant, including four 15m-tall buildings, next to Alexandra Park and the New River. Serious objections to the proposals had been registered by local residents, who have expressed their frustration that such a large industrial facility is to be built so close to the park.

Residents supported by Hornsey Lib Dem councillor Robert Gorrie feel that little has been done to offset the impact that the buildings will have on the local environment. Vehicle access through New River Village is likely to impact badly on the area, and Councillor Gorrie argued that the Council had not demanded sufficiently detailed costing work on alternative designs and access routes to ensure this was the best design.

Applications for planning permission often depend upon the developer agreeing to pay a certain amount of money to the Council to offset the impact on the local environment – termed a Section 106 agreement. In this case, residents and Cllr. Gorrie have serious reservations about the amount of money that has been agreed upon – just £52,000, compared with the £45 million cost of the buildings themselves.

Councillor Gorrie comments: “The Council has not done enough to protect its residents from the impact of this new plant. Delivery and construction vehicles will have a big impact, yet no concrete commitment on the maximum number of deliveries was included in the final agreement of consent. A screen of trees has been agreed to limit the visual impact of the site, yet just £2000 provision has been made for this – enough for only around ten trees.

“We would have liked to see commitments on the maximum number of vehicles travelling to and from the plant, commitments to offset the loss of green space, commitments to work with residents to limit the inevitable negative impact of construction work. None were forthcoming.

“No one is arguing with the need for the treatment works and the logic for locating them on the Hornsey site is strong. What residents and I are concerned about is that Haringey Council has not done enough to ensure that the needs of residents and our environment come before, rather than after, the cost criteria of Thames Water.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds: “Alexandra Park is a treasure in the centre of our borough. I have deep concerns that not enough has been done to reduce the impact on it and the local residents. It has to be made sure that as much is done as possible to make the development as unobtrusive as possible.”

Lib Dem councillors have conducted independent surveys that indicate that Labour’s controversial CPZ consultations are fatally flawed.

The Lib Dems have conducted their own surveys across the borough, in an effort to help residents to have their voice heard. It has emerged that in response to the Hornsey Station CPZ plans, a staggering 87% of residents are against the proposals.

Hornsey Councillor Robert Gorrie comments:

“Our survey shows that five streets in the Labour Council’s second stage consultation show a clear majority of residents being against the CPZ. The reverse is true too: there were only eight streets that did not show a majority of residents to be against the plans, and just three of these streets are included in the plans. We have said all along that parking issues are very localised and specific to individual streets. Labour have taken no notice – they are just not listening to our residents.”

The Lib Dems forced Labour to agree to allow them to examine the responses to the Council’s consultation, in order to check the facts. They will scrutinise closely the responses received by the Council, with particular focus on those streets included in the Phase 2 consultation where the Liberal Democrats own survey does not indicate a clear majority in favour of a CPZ.

In addition councillors are working with residents of the streets who have reported parking issues but are being ignored by Labour, in order to see what local solutions can be proposed.

The Lib Dems have released a policy document laying out their vision for this and future consultations, in an effort to provide an alternative policy to Labour councillors that they claim are either unwilling to listen to its residents, or simply too incompetent to find a way to do so.

Councillor John Oakes, Spokesperson for Community Involvement, comments:

“It is becoming clearer and clearer that Labour are just not willing to listen. We have heard anecdotal evidence that the maps of this second phase of consultation are dated March 2006. Our own research indicates a seriously flawed consultation, where residents’ wishes have not been taken into account. A promise to address this at a special meeting of the Crouch End, Hornsey and Stroud Green Area Assembly has been reneged upon; the meeting cancelled that very night. Residents are very rightly furious.

“Our vision is that Haringey should go back to the drawing board, and conduct a meaningful consultation. The Council should establish a ‘parking forum’ with local residents groups, businesses and councillors. This could be done through, or report to, the neighbourhood assembles, where CPZs have been strangely omitted from the agenda. In my own ward, 33% of all households are simply not on the Council’s list. Their missing results would be enough to overturn any ‘results’ they have so far obtained. “We want the full involvement of the local community and their representatives, in order to implement a localised, street by street plan that genuinely reflects residents’ wishes.”

Note: you can download the Liberal Democrats’ proposals for CPZ and Stop and Shop consultations (pdf format).

Haringey Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT) has revealed the Government has imposed a further £600,000 cut in its budget for the current financial year. Despite angry protests after an £11m cut earlier this year, the PCT is having its budget docked again, to help plug financial problems in other parts of the NHS. Lib Dem councillors are outraged that poor financial planning will hit local health services again.

The Lib Dems are pointing out that not only does the loss of the money jeopardise the PCT’s ability to deliver care in the short-term, it also hampers the Trust’s ability to plan for the future. Lib Dem councillors are asking the Council to write to Patricia Hewitt, the Secretary of State for Health, to ask her to review the decision.

Lib Dem Health and Social Services spokesperson Councillor Richard Wilson comments:

“I am very angry – this year we have already seen sexual health services cut and a reduction in the number of beds for older patients. Now our local health service is being asked to fork out even more money, which is bound to have an impact on the services it can deliver in the future. This further budget cut may well result in the Trust ending the year over-budget, when it would otherwise have been financially stable.

“Haringey councillors need to work together to protect health services for local people. We have drafted a letter to the Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt asking her to reconsider this latest cut, and we intend to ask Labour councillors to sign it too.”

Lynne Featherstone, Lib Dem MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, took RNID’s telephone hearing check at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Brighton. Lynne Featherstone has joined over a quarter of a million people who have already made the call and pledged her support for the leading charity’s ‘Breaking the Sound Barrier’ Campaign, which aims to change attitudes towards hearing loss and hearing aids.

RNID, the national charity representing the 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK, joined forces with UnumProvident, the UK’s leading disability insurer, to raise awareness of the importance for people to check their hearing, particularly older people who may be struggling in the work environment. More than 40% of people aged over 50 experience some level of hearing loss, which happens naturally as we get older. RNID and UnumProvident’s stand at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference showcased the various solutions available to deaf and hard of hearing employees, to help make life easier at work.

Lynne Featherstone MP said: “Hearing loss can lead to stress and difficulties in communicating, both at work and at home. With an increasingly aging workforce, it is absolutely vital that people in their 50s and 60s get the support they need to remain in work. Calling RNID’s telephone hearing check on 0845 600 5555 is a good first step to take to gain a realistic assessment of your hearing. People can then begin to make the necessary adjustments to their lives, so they can continue leading a full professional and social life.”

Dr John Low, RNID Chief Executive, says: “Hearing loss can have a profound impact on our lives leaving many of us feeling isolated and struggling to cope, yet digital hearing technology can transform lives for the better and reconnect people back into society. I urge those of you that think you might have some level of hearing loss to take RNID’s five minute telephone hearing check on 0845 600 5555. If you do find you have a hearing loss many practical changes can be made to your working environment, including using an amplified telephone, or installing loop systems to help hearing aid users. These simple solutions will allow you to continue performing at your best and help you cope with your hearing loss.”

RNID’s ‘Breaking the Sound Barrier’ campaign aims to reach out to the 4 million people in the UK who are losing their hearing but doing nothing about it. A recent Ipsos MORI survey shows that 46% of adults in Britain believe that embarrassment about not being able to hear prevents people with hearing difficulties discussing their problem with others, or having a hearing test.

Labour-run Haringey Council is facing ongoing investigations into allegations of financial mismanagement, it was confirmed this week. At Haringey Council committee meeting, councillors heard how the investigations have resulted in the refusal of the Audit Commission, an independent body which scrutinises local government, to sign off the Council’s financial accounts this year.

The General Purposes committee heard how the Commission had concerns over the financial dealings involved in both the Mortuary Service and The Bridge New Deal for Communities (NDC) project, a £50 million regeneration project in Tottenham.

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Councillor Wayne Hoban has been looking into serious allegations made by many local residents over the fact that the multi-million pound project has never had independently audited accounts. Cllr Hoban wrote to Haringey Council in December 2005 asking for an urgent independent forensic investigation of the NDC accounts, but is still waiting for a decision.

Cllr. Hoban comments:

“Although I was astonished to find that this £50 million project had not been properly audited in the past, I am even more concerned that my request for more information has not been met. I believe that an independent forensic investigation is needed into these matters.”

Councillor Jonathan Bloch, who has been helping Cllr. Hoban with his investigations, adds:

“This comes hot on the heels of Labour’s disastrous management of the Tech Refresh project which resulted in an incredible £13 million overspend. It is all too clear that Labour are incapable of managing the finances of this borough.”

Haringey Labour have penalised Haringey Accord for the three weeks that residents spent without rubbish collections – to the tune of just 27p per resident. Lib Dem councillors are asking for an explanation as to why stricter penalties have not been applied.

Lib Dem councillors have discovered that the refuse collection company has been ordered to pay just £60,000 in penalties for the three weeks residents went without rubbish collections. This works out at 27p per resident living in the borough. Haringey’s budget shows that its net spending on rubbish collection this year is estimated to be some £13 million.

Councillor Martin Newton comments:

“This really is a slap in the face to the residents of the borough. We can’t expect to be receiving value for money when contracts are so poorly managed. It was a disgrace that residents had to endure three weeks of smelly, unsightly rubbish building up in the middle of the hottest summer for years.

“This just adds insult to injury – Haringey spend £750,000 every three weeks on rubbish collection, and to claim back just £60,000 is not good enough. If provision was not made for tougher penalties in the first place, then Labour have only themselves to blame. Taxpayers will rightly be asking why they are receiving such poor value for money from Labour.”

Lynne Featherstone, Lib Dem MP for Hornsey & Wood Green, has taken her Hornsey Hospital ‘Action Now’ Campaign online with Haringey’s first online political video.

Ms. Featherstone has previously won awards for her honest talking online blog and is at the forefront of the political digital revolution.

Launching her first innovative online campaign video, Lynne Featherstone comments:

“Health issues affect everyone so I think it’s important to try and reach as many people as possible.

“I am not happy to just rest on my laurels and moan about voter apathy as others might.This online video is my way of re-engaging people in the political process, particularly those who feel left out and think politics has nothing to do with them.

“This is an empty hospital in the heart of our community and I want everyone to know how long we’ve waited for action.I hope this video will help people realise that enough is enough.”

Please wishing to watch the video should visit http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2006/09/hornsey-hospital-watch-my-film.htm

As the next step in her campaign Ms. Featherstone has requested an urgent meeting with Ruth Carnall the Chief Executive of the London Wide Strategic Health Authority to make the case for Hornsey Hospital.

Lib Dem councillors have been shocked to discover that plans for increased traffic calming in Muswell Hill have been postponed in order that CPZ consultation plans could continue.

Woodside Avenue in Muswell Hill is a 20mph zone and some traffic calming measures have already been introduced. Lib Dems say that the 20mph zone is currently treated with little respect, with some vehicles vastly exceeding speed limits at an estimated 40-50mph.

The road urgently needs the second stage of traffic calming that was due to be consulted on over the next few weeks, but this has now been stopped by the Labour Council till November at the earliest so that staff can concentrate on the controversial CPZs instead.

Cllr Martin Newton, Lib Dem Traffic Spokesperson comments:

“It is outrageous that residents have to put up with endless delays and continue to live on a dangerous racetrack. Haringey Council has had months to get this second phase of traffic calming consulted on so that appropriate measures can be installed, and residents are rightly fed up. Funding has been promised for this and Haringey Council needs to urgently get on and finish the scheme before an accident happens.”