Lib Dem Councillor Lynne Featherstone has welcomed the installation of the new pedestrian crossing at the top of Muswell Hill, N10.

The zebra crossing was installed last month following a long campaign by Cllr Featherstone and local residents who were concerned for the safety of pedestrians crossing the busy road.

Cllr Featherstone (Muswell Hill) comments:

“I am absolutely delighted that local residents have got what they worked so hard for – a safe place to cross on Muswell Hill.”

Haringey’s opposition Lib Dem group has reacted with sadness to the sudden news of the closure of the Tottenham – based recycling business “Create Tottenham”.

Leader Neil Williams said that he was concerned about the future of the 13 full time and 23 trainees who have had notice served on them and consequently have a very uncertain future:

“I hope that Haringey will make every effort to find work for these people. Tottenham has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country and the closure of Create Tottenham is a real blow for the community.”

Cllr Williams also expressed concern over the many people who have bought refurbished goods from the company but now find that the guarantees are worthless:

“For some low-income families the breakdown of a fridge or freezer can cause serious problems; I hope that if this happens then support will be forthcoming.”

Cllr David Winskill, LibDem regeneration spokesperson was critical how the news was broken:

“Haringey’s briefing note seems to pose more questions than it tries to answer. Just when did the Council become aware of the company’s trading difficulties and how did it respond? We have also only had an oral assurance that Haringey won’t be hit with a large bill as a result of its own financial involvement.”

Commenting on the extraordinary success of the Lib Dems in the two Parliamentary by-elections at Leicester South and Birmingham Hodge Hill, Lynne Featherstone, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson for Hornsey and Wood Green, said:

“These sensational results are a real boost for the Lib Dems in Hornsey and Wood Green, from where many members went to help in both these by-elections.

“Like Haringey, Both Birmingham and Leicester are urban seats with diverse populations. They have shown, as we have already shown here, that in seats like these the Lib Dems are the only challengers to Labour.

“The voters have shown again that they are fed up with Labour’s failures over public services, and the war in Iraq. Both results augur extremely well for us in the Hornsey and Wood Green seat.”

Note:

To win the Hornsey and Wood Green Parliamentary seat, the Liberal Democrats need a swing from Labour of 12%. The Lib Dems secured swings of 22% and 27% in the two Parliamentary by-elections.

Highgate Lib Dem councillors are asking Tubelines to think again over plans for a six-foot fence adjacent to Highgate Tube station. Cllr Bob Hare, who is also the Lib Dem Environment spokesperson, says that despite Tubelines’ own acoustic report throwing out the case for a solid six foot high acoustic fence along the top of the Highgate station cutting, the company says they’re going ahead with it.

The fence, which is designed to reflect sound, will stretch from the top of the escalator (beside the Woodman pub on the corner of Muswell Hill Road) all the way to Shepherds Hill.

It will be six feet high for much of its length, although lower at the Shepherds Hill end (where there is no ‘drop’ behind it). Cllr Hare says that such a fence will block views of the greenery alongside Highgate Station.

It will look rather like a fence around a building site, but would be permanent.

Acoustic fences are often used alongside motorways where sound protection is needed for residents. It is designed to reflect traffic noise, in this case back towards the shops and the pavements.

The acoustic report was only sent to Cllr Bob Hare and distributed by him to others after the meeting. This report says:

“There has been no significant effect on traffic noise levels at residential properties around Highgate Station as a result of the removal of vegetation for the embankment stabilisation works.”

The local representatives of the Highgate Society, the Highgate Conservation Area Committee, the Shepherds Hill Association and of Jacksons Lane also oppose the Tubelines plan.

Cllr Bob Hare points out there was no-one at the meeting to represent either the shops and businesses or the many residents who live above the shops – the people directly affected. Before the meeting was held, the Highgate Society wrote to Tubelines asking them to make sure representatives from Archway Road were present.

Cllr Bob Hare has called on Tubelines to hold a further meeting at which the businesses and residents of Archway Road are present. This has been refused by Tubelines, who say they are going ahead with the existing proposal.

Cllr Bob Hare said:

“We have an inequitable result – the people most affected by a decision have not been consulted or even notified. These businesses and residents are alongside Archway Road and must be allowed to participate in a decision that will profoundly affect them.”

“If a six foot acoustic fence is put up, there will be more noise for Archway Road, and even more important, not only will everyone lose much of the pleasant view of greenery, but it will inevitably be ‘open house’ for endless graffiti and posters. The quality of the environment for residents will be greatly damaged and businesses will suffer as a consequence.”

A four-page petition from businesses and customers has been sent to Tubelines, but this has also been ignored.

Cllr Neil Williams adds: “The acoustic report has removed the justification for such a damaging fence. The businesses and people who will be affected must be given the chance to put their views forward.

“Consultation has been severely flawed. At the beginning of these works, Tubelines started without liaising with Transport for London – who, had they been asked, would have allowed the reinforcement works to be done from Archway Road itself instead of from the bottom of the cutting. This would have avoided nearly all of the noise problem because the vegetation and lower tree branches and even several trees would not have needed to be completely removed. Now, there is still time to re-think. We strongly urge them to do so: they are going to be judged by the end result.”

Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson Lynne Featherstone has secured agreement for further action from Network Rail in the ongoing battle to improve the state of local train stations.

She identified further problems in a third tour, with Mick Murphy of Network Rail, of Harringay, Hornsey, Alexandra Park and Bowes Park stations on Friday 9 July.

For the last two years Ms Featherstone has been continually pressing Network Rail to deal with the dumping, broken fencing, litter and general poor state of the four local Haringey Stations.

This latest tour of inspection showed that many of the improvements requested by Ms Featherstone have now been implemented by Network Rail – although there is still some outstanding work to be carried out.

Commenting Lynne Featherstone says:

“Things have really improved since I first took Mr Murphy around the four stations – but there is still a long way to go. Network Rail must finish its clearance of the sites and introduce regular litter picks. Haringey Council must empty the litter bins regularly and sweep adjoining areas.

“It is really important to keep our stations and their surroundings nice. If our stations look well kept – people will not only feel better, but behave better when using them.”

Note:Lynne’s requested programme of works and report from her visit is as follows:

Harringay station

The area between the station and the road at the top of the station (Quernmore road end) has been cleared of dumped rubbish with new grey fencing. The rubbish was finally cleared from the site behind the new railings but a litter pick is needed again and a regular litter pick maintenance program is required. Network Rail are going to be asked to create a permanent litter pick team.

There are four new Finsbury Park Trust bins that have now been installed at the corners of the short roads leading to the station both sides. The other rubbish bins by the railway land are overflowing and the overspill is making its way behind the fencing. I am pursuing this with Haringey Council as now having got new fencing and cleared the dumping, the overflowing bins are letting down the improvements. I will be asking for a daily or twice daily if necessary collection from these bins.

The next stage will then be to persuade Haringey Council to resurface the road and repave the short stretches of road leading to the station top and bottom and co-terminus with that, persuade the shops working with the Council to be tackled for the graffiti problem.

The fence at the bottom end of the railway bridge next to the big bins needs to be repaired as it appears to have been reversed into. Network Rail is issuing an order for this and for a cleanse behind the fencing. Haringey Council need to clean the edge of the fencing street side.

Hornsey station

Brown wooden fencing needs to be repaired and another clean up around the embankment – both of which are promised by Network Rail.

Area next to taxi office (with generators in) is full of railway spares which should be stored elsewhere. It has been added to recently with more parts. Network Rail are actioning this.

Rubble under the stairs to the station should be cleared. Sleepers and other waste next to line need to be cleared.

Alexandra Palace station

New green pallisade fencing in place and area behind it is much cleaner, having been cleaned recently with vegetation cut back. Handrail has now been replaced on slope.

The fencing has stopped larger items being dumped but continued litter picking is necessary.

Bins either side of the bridge are needed to stop litter encroaching on cleared Network Rail land. I will again request these from Haringey Council

Needs regular litter picks behind the new fencing to maintain appearance.

Bowes Park Station

Green expamet fencing has been installed on Bounds Green side of the station. Network Rail has requested it be extended the length of the path as more dumping is visible when the new fencing stops. Less evidence of rubbish behind fencing, but some large items have been dumped which Network Rail will order clearance.

Local Lib Dems Cllr Lynne Featherstone and Cllr Matt Davies are demandingurgent action over the unfair charges faced by residents in some blocks offlats. They will be putting questions to Labour at the next Full Councilmeeting (Monday 19th July).

While all residents have their waste collected as part of their Council Taxcharge, the provision of waste containers varies from household to household- despite all residents paying council tax at the same rate. The situationwas first highlighted more than a year ago and Cllrs Featherstone and Davieshave been lobbying Haringey Council to rectify this discrepancy.

The anomaly has been made worse since all residents not living in blocks offlats had wheelie bins provided to them at no extra charge. Residents inblocks of flats continue to pay, usually through a management company, anextra charge for the hire of waste containers. The local Lib Dem team isarguing that this is clearly unfair.

“These residents are paying for a waste collection service through theircouncil tax like everyone else,” said Cllr Featherstone (Lib Dem, MuswellHill). “It is unacceptable that one section of Haringey’s taxpayers is thenbeing charged an additional fee – for the same standard of service asothers.”

“Since the introduction of wheelie bins the unfairness of this situation hasonly been increased,” said Cllr Davies (Lib Dem, Fortis Green). “Allresidents are paying the same high rates of Council Tax but some of them areonly receiving half a waste collection service.

“It is right that waste containers are included as an essential part of thecollection process and I am happy that wheelie bins have been provided. Butother residents continue to be charged extra for hire of the wastecontainers at their flats which is an outrageous sleight of hand by Haringey Council. They must now finally face up to this issue and start dealing withall residents even-handedly,” Cllr Davies said.

“The Council has also been putting obstacles in our way, by refusing to giveus a list of those households being ‘double charged’ so that we can write tothem and make sure they are all aware this is happening,” added CllrFeatherstone.

“Perhaps they hope that we will let this issue drop – but Ican assure local residents that we are determined to right this wrong.”

Thames Water are about to undertake one of the most ambitious mainsrenewable programmes the area has seen for over a century, say Lib Demcouncillors, who have welcomed the move. The utility briefed localcouncillors on the issue at a meting last night.

Thames Water officials revealed the scale of the problems in Hornsey’s leakywater system with a massive 25% of water lost through bursts and leakages.The new equipment is designed to have a long life and reduce theinconvenience caused by pipe fractures and valve failures.

Welcoming the programme, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson and localcouncillor Lynne Featherstone said: “With such enormous leakage rates in thearea, it has been clear for a long time that system is close to the end ofits operational life. We welcome this programme of renewal and will workclosely with Thanes Water to ensure that disruption to businesses andresidents is kept to a minimum.”

Crouch End Lib Dem Councillor David Winskill also welcomed the plans, butsounded a note of caution:

“Thames water has had an appalling record up tonow in responding mains failures. Local incidents that require quite simpleattention have been known to drag on for weeks, causing traffic disruptionand major inconvenience to residents. I have made these points this week toThanks Water representatives and will be keeping a close eye on theproject.”

Lib Dems have welcomed plans by Haringey Council to take action to relieve theschools places crisis in Haringey.

The move came at last week’s meeting ofthe Education Scrutiny Panel, when proposals for the expansion of ColdfallSchool Primary School, Muswell Hill, were revealed in response to questionsfrom Lib Dem councillor, Gail Engert (Muswell Hill).

Asked by Cllr Engert what action the Council were taking to resolve thecrisis, Labour Lead member George Meehan announced that there were proposalsfor Coldfall School, a popular and over-subscribed primary, to move towardsthree form entry as early as next year.Mobile classrooms will be providedon site prior to a new building. The plans will be put before the Executiveon 20 July.

Councillor Engert comments:

“This expansion will help to address the problem in Muswell Hill, and iswelcome. However, the consultation must be robust, and it still looks as ifit is too late for parents who have been unable to secure a place for theirchildren at a local school this year.

“Haringey Council also needs to pay close attention to the situation in CrouchEnd, and ensure that they plan ahead properly in order to reduce the problemthere as far as is possible.”

Lib Dem Leader Neil Williams has questioned an odd claim by the LabourCouncil that they have “saved” £5.8 million from the borough’s homelessnessbudget.

The comment was made this week, when the Labour Lead Member for Housing told all councillors in an email thatthere had been an “amazing £5.8m saving” in the homelessness budget.

However, he went on to admit the borough still has a homelessness crisis andsaid: “we’ve got even more households in temporary accomodation (sic),c5,000, than we had started the year with.”

Lib Dems say it seems a strange boast to suggest that this massive sum ofmoney has been ‘saved’ from the budget while homelessness remains in a stateof crisis in Haringey.

Neil Williams comments:

“Looking at the homelessness crisis in Haringey it is clear that this is nota saving – but a budget underspend. To admit that we are still in crisis buthave not even managed to spend the money allocated to the problem suggestsnot efficient, successful work but rather a failure to adequately deal withthe problem even when funds are available.

“If this ‘saved’ money had been invested in housing by Labour, thehomelessness situation in Haringey would not be quite so bad.”

Lib Dems say they will be tabling a question at the next full councilmeeting to ask for a full explanation of why the homelessness budget was notfully utilised.

Lib Dem Councillor Bob Hare has expressed concern at Alexandra Palace’slack of financial transparency and is demanding an explanation fromAlexandra Palace Board of Trustees after they approved the Palace’s accountswhile ignoring many questions on the accounts submitted by the Liberal Democrats.

The questions were originally submitted back in November 2003 andresubmitted in March this year. They were sent to the Chair of the Trustees,the Council’s Chief Executive, Director of Finance and to the Ally Pallyauditors, Deloitte & Touche LLP. Only the latter responded to the questions, simply saying it was a matter for the Trustees.

The Palace’s Board is comprised of six Labour councillors, and isresponsible for decisions regarding the running of Alexandra Palace including howand where money is spent.

Cllr Hare is extremely concerned at the lack of transparency andthe unwillingness of the Labour-run council to respond to questions on such a major financial issue. He has now called on the Charity Commission to help obtain the answers.

Cllr Hare (Highgate ward) comments:

“I am appalled at the lack of any answers tomy questions which were submitted in November last year and repeated inMarch this year. I shall be asking the Charity Commission to intervene toobtain the answers.”

You can read the questions on the accounts in full by downloadingthis file (rtf format).