Lib Dem councillor for Highgate, Bob Hare has expressed his dismay at Haringey Council’s failure to properly fund and implement the Archway Road Neighbourhood Plan.

The comments come a week before the issue is due to be discussed at the Muswell Hill Area Assembly (which covers the area) on Thursday 13 November and follows news from the Labour-run council that funding to update the plans, which would act as a blueprint for the area’s regeneration, will not be considered until 2006.

The issue was brought back into the public again last month at the Muswell Hill Area Assembly. Angry residents asked why the Archway Road Neighbourhood Plan had received absolutely no support from the Council since its adoption nearly five years ago.

Since 2002, when Cllr Hare was elected, he has lobbied Haringey Council to invest in Archway Road and resource the Neighbourhood Plan.

However three years on and Cllr Hare says the Labour-run council remains uninterested in efforts of the residents to improve the area.

Cllr Bob Hare(Highgate) comments:

“Haringey’s Labour council has done nothing to implement the Archway Road Neighbourhood Plan in the five years since it was agreed. The Executive Member for Environment answered my question to him on this by saying they are thinking about doing more talking about it. What we need is a serious effort to put some of the plan’s actions into place. This is what I have been asking for and will continue to press for.”

Labour-run Haringey Council has the second most fly-tipped highways in London according to official figures released last week in response to a question from Liberal Democrat MP Paul Burstow.

The figures show that Haringey has recorded 10,120 incidents of fly-tipping on highways between April 2005 and August 2005. Only Conservative-run Kensington and Chelsea had a higher figure, with over 16,000 reported. In total Haringey has recorded over 20,000 incidents of fly-tipping in just six months.

The Lib Dems are seeking an explanation from Haringey Council and want details of what is being done to address the problem in the borough.

Over the last few years local Lib Dem councillors have campaigned for a reduction in fly-tipping in the Haringey by successfully campaigning for the Council to reverse its bulky rubbish charges that was believed to be creating much of the fly-tipped waste around Haringey.

More recently they have confronted the Council over its failure to remove fly-tipped rubbish efficiently or to follow up eye-witness reports of fly-tipping quickly or effectively.

Lib Dem Environment spokesperson Cllr Bob Hare says the figures tell a sad story of Haringey Council’s environmental enforcement.

Cllr Hare (Highgate) comments:

“Haringey Council is currently failing to tackle the problem of fly-tipping effectively and this issue must be addressed as a matter of urgency.

“Dumped rubbish left uncleared simply attracts more fly-tippers, and unless leads and reports of fly-tipping are swiftly followed up then the problem will escalate.”

Lib Dem Environment spokesperson and Highgate ward councillor Bob Hare has welcomed the decision by the planning inspector to rule that the conversion of garages into a house in Highgate was illegal and must be torn down.

The decision made last week following an appeal hearing on 11th and 12th October in which Cllr Hare gave evidence came about four years after the construction of the house began on garages to the rear of 221 Archway Road, N6. Since Cllr Hare became a councillor in 2002 he has been working with conservation groups, residents and Haringey Council to address this issue.

Cllr Hare welcomed the news and said that close working between local residents, ward councillors and council officers had produced a strong case.

Cllr Bob Hare (Highgate) said:

“I attended the appeal hearing and spoke against this illegal garage conversion and additional development, for its damaging effects on the Conservation Area, for the poor quality housing that it had produced, and for the damaging precedent that such a development would set if it was permitted. I am delighted that the inspector has ruled so comprehensively against this development.”

Lib Dem councillors are fuming after Haringey Council claimed that the consultation for the controversial skate park in Priory Park had produced results that were ‘accurately reflected in the conclusions’.

The comments come in response to a letter by Muswell Hill ward councillors raising their concerns over the consultation after they received numerous letters from residents living around the park who are dismayed at the lack of consultation.

The skate park has been met with a great deal of opposition from local residents since the plans were proposed. Lib Dems supported a new skate park in the west of the borough as long as there was full consultation with residents. However this did not happen.

Muswell Hill and Lib Dem councillor Gail Engert says Haringey Council must accept they have made fundamental mistakes over this consultation and address them before they can move to the next stage.

Cllr Engert comments:

“The handling of this issue has been completely unsatisfactory by Haringey Council. Once again they have shown neither the ability or the desire to listen to concerns from local residents and park users.

“We will maintain the pressure and scrutinise Haringey Council at every stage of this development to ensure that all local people have their views heard.”

Lib Dem councillors have tabled a motion calling on Haringey Council to take action to reduce the growing number of mobile phone masts around schools, hospitals and residential properties in the borough.

The motion, tabled for discussion at next Monday’s (14th November) Full Council meeting follows years of campaigning by Lib Dems locally to protect areas frequented by children such as parks and schools as well as residential areas from being used as mobile phone mast sites.

In recent months, there has been renewed concern by local residents and Lib Dem councillors that the current regulations give little powers to Haringey Council to prevent applications for mobile phone masts in the same way that they can for any other construction in the borough.

The motion, tabled by Lib Dem Deputy Leader Cllr Wayne Hoban, requests that the Council calls on local MPs to lobby for more powers for local councils to control the sitting of phone masts and powers to reject mast applications on local public health grounds.

Additionally Cllr Hoban wants Haringey to lead the way, by writing to all other London boroughs and asking them to adopt the ‘precautionary principle’ towards phone mast applications.

Cllr Hoban and Lib Dem leader Cllr Neil Williams who is seconding the motion, say that it is essential that both sides of the Council get behind this motion so that an issue that is of huge concern to local residents can be addressed.

Cllr Hoban (Alexandra) comments:

“Currently the Council has little power to control mobile phone masts and the intention of this motion is to get the Council to do more to address this problem.

Cllr Williams (Highgate) adds:

“Lynne Featherstone MP has done much good work on this issue since becoming an MP including a tabling a Parliamentary Motion, and I hope that this Council motion gains the cross-party support that so many residents of Haringey desire.”

Liberal Democrats in Islington and Haringey have welcomed news that there will be additional pay and display customer parking spaces for shops on the busy Stroud Green Road, N4. The news comes after Lib Dems secured funding earlier this year for the spaces.

Since winning the Stroud Green by-election last year, Lib Dem councillor Laura Edge has been working closely with local residents, along with Lynne Featherstone MP and Islington Lib Dem Cllr Laura Willoughby to ensure that improvements to the busy road include features that will benefit local traders.

After months of careful consultation, plans have been drawn up by council officers from both boroughs which address the issues raised by local traders including short-term parking for customers, better loading provisions for businesses, and parking for businesses.

Two options have been produced that provide short-term pay and display parking on the road and allow loading during off-peak times of the day.

The first option provides parking on both sides of the road while the second option provides more parking spaces but only on Islington’s side of the boundary.

It is hoped that whichever option is preferred will be implemented before the end of the year.

Cllr Edge and Lynne Featherstone MP are pleased with that progress is being made to improvements to the road that on completion should result in better traffic flow and more customers to the local shops.

Cllr Edge (Stroud Green) comments: “During my successful election campaigning a year ago, I met many of the traders in Stroud Green and assured them that I would work closely with Cllr Willoughby in Islington Council to improve this road and customer access and we are finally getting there.”

Lynne Featherstone MP added: “It is good news for all of the community that local residents will be able to access their local shops more easily on this road with these improvements.”

Lib Dems councillors in Muswell Hill have called for Haringey Council to put on hold its plans to build a skate park in Priory Park, N8 after they received complaints from residents that they had not been properly consulted on the issue.

Muswell Hill councillors Lynne Featherstone MP, Gail Engert and Jonathan Bloch have written to Haringey Council highlighting the reasons why the consultation has been inadequate:

Many said they never received the consultation document, and reports from those who did say it was a generalised questionnaire with the skate park hidden amongst other questions. The forms were sent out in August with only about two weeks to respond – despite it being a time when many residents were away.

The councillors are also angry that despite numerous requests, the Council has failed to keep them informed on the progress of this issue. Furthermore they are pressing for an explanation as to why, despite over 70% of respondents being against the proposals, the Executive approved the scheme.

Lib Dem Councillor Gail Engert who has been leading on this issue says that despite Lib Dem support for a skate park in the area they are angry at the Council’s failure to consult residents and ward councillors.

She says that residents must have their concerns addressed before any plans can be approved.

Cllr Engert (Muswell Hill) comments:

“It is clear from the letters we have received that Haringey Council has failed to carry out a meaningful consultation with local residents and failed to keep Friends of Priory Park and ward councillors informed.

“It is another bodged consultation from Haringey. This is completely unacceptable and we are demanding urgent action to resolve the situation.”

Cllr Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“It is vital that young people have somewhere safe to skateboard. All proposed sites should be properly assessed and then properly consulted on with local residents. The results of that consultation must then be taken seriously by Haringey Council.”

Lib Dem councillor for Alexandra ward, Susan Oatway has demanded Haringey Council takes immediate action to clear drains blocked in the area.

The request comes after Cllr Oatway was inundated with emails and phone calls from residents complaining of flooded roads and pavements covered in wet leaves following heavy rain fall last week.

The worst of the 14 roads reported to Cllr Oatway was Coniston Road, where residents reported that their basement flat had been flooded partly due to a blocked drain outside the property.

In response Haringey Council has assured Cllr Oatway that they will address the problem in this road but confirmed that it is yet to finalise its leaf clearing rota, which is due to begin in November.

The Liberal Democrats are concerned that despite complaints from residents and councillors regarding this and other blocked drains, Haringey Council has been very slow to respond to a very serious problem.

Cllr Oatway (Alexandra) comments:

“Once again the Council has failed to heed warnings and requests from Lib Dems and local residents and we are facing another winter of blocked drains and flooded pavements.

“The Council and its contractors must address this problem urgently and I will be working closely with my Lib Dem colleagues to press them to do so.”

Lib Dem Environment Spokesperson and Highgate councillor Bob Hare has welcomed alterations to the planned Northern Line Control Centre in Highgate Woods. However he says more needs to be done.

Cllr Hare’s comments come following a site visit to inspect design alterations earlier this month along with representatives from the Highgate Society and the Corporation of London, which manages the wood.

Following pressure the wood’s consultative committee, local residents, Lynne Featherstone MP and local Lib Dem councillors secured an agreement to replace the planned lightweight pitched roof with a heavy concrete flat roof that will be able to support a shallow layer of soil and create what is called a ‘brown roof’ which will be able to allow plants and flowers to grow on it.

However despite this success there is concern that the designs for the boundary fencing that will surround the Control Centre will be both visually and physically intrusive to the wood.

Due to the need for high security, a tall, double wall of fencing will make an outer barrier, with an inner single wall closer to the new building and a ‘sterile zone’ between the outer and inner barriers.

The consultation group has expressed its desire to see any outer fence camouflaged with climbing plants, and have asked for action from Tubelines.However, Cllr Hare believes there is little doubt that if a fence of this high density is installed, it will be very visible from a large area of Highgate Woods.

Something of this density will also significantly reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the ground at the fringes of the wood, affecting ground plants and undergrowth which until now have benefited from the less shaded conditions at the wood fringes and have been useful habitat for a range of insect species that need a lighter environment.

Tubelines has agreed to return to the wall issue next year when the construction stage is reached.

Highgate Woods is classed as an ancient woodland, and has a unique ecology of trees, plants, insects, birds and bats and other small mammals. Cllr Hare says that it is essential they be protected.

Cllr Hare (Highgate) comments:

“We welcome the numerous steps which have been taken by Tubelines in response to everyone’s concerns to protect the sensitive ecological site of Highgate Woods.

“Nevertheless, on the walls of the building, and particularly on the boundary security fencing, we have many concerns about visual impact, and some ecological effects. We will be pressing Tubelines to work with us to find solutions that meet their aims of security without creating a problem for the woods.”

Lynne Featherstone MP for Hornsey and Wood Green has thrown her weight behind the campaign to keep Red Gables open.

It is almost a year since the opposition group of 16 Lib Dem councillors voted against the closure of Red Gables at a scrutiny meeting in November 2004, blowing the whistle on Labour plans and forcing them into a review over the decision.

Red Gables is a vital and well used local service, providing quality support for families from all areas of Haringey.

Its future is under threat following a new Government agenda that will see Haringey Council establish 18 new smaller ‘Children’s Centres’ across the borough.

Lynne Featherstone MP said:

“I visited Red Gables last month and was so impressed by the commitment shown by staff and parents.

“This is a fantastic family centre in Crouch End – which the Labour Government and our local Labour councillors want to close.

“The Government is funding 18 new child centres in the borough – but because Red Gables is in the ‘wrong’ area and doesn’t fit the criteria precisely, rather than make Red Gables one of the eighteen and celebrate this exemplar facility, they plan to close it down.”