Haringey Liberal Democrats have taken the fight against the 125 year privatisation of Alexandra Palace to Parliament, securing a debate in Committee. The move follows the initiation of a Statutory Instrument in Parliament which would amend the Alexandra Park and Palace Act. The date for the debate on the legislative changes is yet to be scheduled, but it is likely to be in January 2004. A debate on the measure, which would otherwise have gone through ‘on the nod’, was called by Lib Dem MPs, including party leader Charles Kennedy.

The Council and Alexandra Park and Palace Board, backed by the Charity Commission, initiated a Statutory Instrument in Parliament that if successful will allow them to lease the Palace and much of its land, unfettered, to commercial developers for up to 125 years. The Lib Dems are deeply concerned that the heritage of the Palace will be lost amongst a developer’s proposals – which in the past have included plans for a food hall, discotheque and multi screen cinema.

Although there would be restrictions imposed by English Heritage and the Charity Commission, priority would be given to the commercial aspects. Particular concerns have been expressed by local residents and charities which use the Palace. Many, including the Palace’s statutory advisory committee, have argued against the 125 lease arrangements or feel they have been inadequately consulted.

Lib Dem spokesperson, Cllr Bob Hare is also concerned about the implications of the Statutory Instrument (SI) on public use of the park and Palace.

“There are too many unanswered questions about what effect the changes on the Act would have to how the Palace is governed,” says Bob Hare.

“What safeguards will there be for local residents that developer’s proposals are appropriate for the Palace and its surrounds?”

Cllr Hare continues:

“Alexandra Palace is a historic building to local residents and Londoners. It is vital that any development meets the needs and aspirations of London and the area. By securing a debate in Parliament on the issue, we will have an opportunity to explore whether the legislative changes are necessary and in the interests of the public.”

Local Lib Dem councillors have raised concerns about the fate of a footpath used by children to get to school in Muswell Hill. The path is under threat again from a developer’s new proposals to build on open land at the rear of Lauradale Road in Muswell Hill – a move opposed by local residents and councillors.

Lib Dem councillor for Fortis Green, Matt Davies, says that one planning application for this site was rejected earlier in the year, but the developer has submitted new plans that are currently being consulted on.

Building on the site would result in a loss of local open land and wildlife, with increased congestion and traffic problems. The safety of children using the footpath from Woodside Avenue to St. James Church of England Primary School would be endangered.

“This planning application is almost identical to the previous plans, which were rightly rejected by the Council following a concerted campaign by Lib Dem councillors and local residents,” explains Cllr Matt Davies.

“Residents are objecting in huge numbers again, and I hope that the Council will insist that developers keep their hands off this piece of land.”

Cllr Davies recently attended a meeting of residents along with his Lib Dem colleague Cllr Lynne Featherstone, where they helped agree an action plan to defeat the application. Last time, the developers’ plans were rejected due to loss of “Significant Local Open Land”, overlooking and loss of privacy, with the plans deemed out of keeping with the surrounding area. Concerns were also raised about loss of employment and the planned use of the footpath as an access road. Residents’ objections are again focussing around these points.

Cllr Davies says that residents can view the proposals at Muswell Hill library, following previous requests by Cllr Davies for plans to be made more accessible locally, rather than only at the Planning Department in Tottenham.

“Our local open land is constantly under threat from developers,” says Cllr Davies. “We all appreciate the need for more housing – and especially affordable housing – but this must be provided in a sensible way at suitable locations. This particular patch of land is one part of Muswell Hill where a large residential development is completely unacceptable.”

Cllr Lynne Featherstone adds:

“The loss of the footpath, which many children use to walk to the nearby schools would be a major blow and create a serious safety hazard. The developers must understand that this site simply isn’t suitable for a development of this kind.”

The Liberal Democrats have criticised Haringey Council for refusing to reveal what drugs are being given to children in care. Councillor Ron Aitken, the party’s Social Services Spokesperson, wrote to the Department on 24 October 2003 asking how many children who are looked after by social services had been given Ritalin, SSRI antidepressants or tranquillisers, and for the names of the drugs which have been administered to local children.

The national press last week carried the news that up to 50,000 children and adolescents have been given SSRI antidepressants even though they are not licensed for use with children – GPs can prescribe them if they think it is appropriate. The mental health charity MIND has called for a review of medicine regulation following revelations that more children given these drugs were likely to attempt suicide.

Four antidepressants of the SSRI type have now been banned by the Medicines and Healthcare Control Agency for use on children and adolescents. They are Lustral, Cipramil, Cipralex and Faverin, two others were banned earlier this year- Seroxat and Efexor.

Cllr Ron Aitken comments:

“Haringey’s silence on this issue is all too typical. I am concerned that local children in care have been prescribed these drugs, especially if they have not also been given access to ‘talking treatments’ which are far more effective in the long term than medication. I would also want to be satisfied that antidepressants and tranquillisers are not being used simply to control challenging behaviour rather than addressing long-term issues.”

As the crisis facing local post offices goes from bad to worse, Liberal Democrats have condemned a second ‘stealth’ closure plan announced in the past week of a much valued Haringey branch.Along with the announcement last week of the planned closure of the Post Office branch in Crescent Road, the Triangle, N22, the Post Office have also announced plans to close the branch on Westbury Avenue, Wood Green. The plan involves the same timescale, with residents having until 13 January to oppose the move.

The announcement from the Post Office follows closures in Haringey in Archway Road N6, and Park Road N8, with the branch on Crouch Hill N8, just on the Islington border, also shutting its doors.

Lib Dems have condemned the latest announcements, and say the company has failed to keep local councillors informed of their closure plans for Haringey, despite repeated requests. Lib Dems also say that the latest two closures will hurt pensioners and post office users in the Wood Green area, and will be a severe blow to the small but vital local shopping parades where they are located.

Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson Cllr Lynne Featherstone comments: “This is yet another severe blow. Post Office closures are going from bad to worse in Haringey, with new closure plans revealed on a regular basis, with no overall pan, and seemingly no end in sight. The Post Office is closing branch after branch by stealth, giving local people little time to object to the plans. If these plans go ahead, by the end the service will be in tatters.”

Cllr Lynne Featherstone went to Downing Street to deliver a petition signed by Haringey pensioners opposed to the Labour Government’s controversial plans to replace the pension book. Her action followsLabour-run Haringey Council’s backing for plans to impose new and complicated payment systems on the 8,500 pensioners in the borough who rely on receiving their pension payments at local post offices.

The Government plans to replace the pension book with three alternative methods of payment: into a normal bank or building society account, into a new basic bank account, or through a new Post Office Card Account.

Lib Dems are unhappy that the pension book has not been allowed to remain alongside the new systems, which will be complicated and difficult for many pensioners. The system will also result in a loss of trade for local post offices, many of which are under threat from Labour. Despite Labour’s claims in the Council chamber that pensioners are happy with the plans, the move is opposed by the Greater London Pensioners’ Association, which wants pensioners to have the option of keeping their pension books.

Cllr Featherstone comments:

“Abolishing the pension book is a heavy-handed tactic by the Government which will cause distress to many pensioners and accelerate post office closures across the country. Its removal is totally unjustified.”

Lib Dem pensioners spokesperson, Cllr Peter Floyd (Crouch End ward) adds:

“It is disappointing that the Labour Council did not support our motion on this issue in the Council last month. However, the Lib Dems will continue to pursue issues that matter to local pensioners, despite Labour’s opposition.”

Residents living in Westbury Avenue, N22 will be able to cross the road safely thanks to pressure from Lib Dem councillor Lynne Featherstone. The section of the busy Wood Green road at the parade of shops already has a speed hump and a crossing, but due to overgrown trees and poor signage, many drivers were failing to stop for pedestrians.

Cllr Featherstone contacted the Council after she was alerted to the problem by a local resident who was concerned about the possibility of a serious accident on the crossing. The large trees on the road have now been pruned to prevent them obscuring the current signs. In addition, the Council will be installing new signs this week for both approaches.

Cllr Featherstone comments:

“I am delighted that we have been able to secure some safety improvements to this busy road. Road safety is an absolute priority and we will continue to work with local residents to bring their concerns to the attention of the Council.”

The Stroud Green by election will take place on 29th January after the Liberal Democrats this week intervened to call for a vote in the Labour-held ward.

The move follows the resignation of Labour councillor Josie Irwin, who has attacked the “arrogance displayed by council officers” and the Labour-run council’s frequent failure to respond to even simple questions. She went on to say that she was “sick and tired after 13 years of having to nag and cajole council officers to get even the most basic of responses.”

The Lib Dems, who will be selecting and announcing their candidate in the next two weeks, say that local residents are fed up with the Labour council. They are increasingly turning to the Liberal Democrats as the only real challengers in the area following the party’s massive council gains last year, when they gained 12 seats. The Conservatives have no seats on Haringey Council.

In a tour of the ward last weekend, the Lib Dems say that despite its promises, the Council has not got to grips with the acute rubbish problems in the area. This week, for example, the Council has left many green waste bags littering the streets, waiting for collection.

Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson Cllr Lynne Featherstone comments:

“Joie Irwin’s complaints about the Council are all too common among residents. Litter and dumping is a problem and we have been working hard in recent months to secure clean ups at the train stations that serve the ward.

“Local people have also been raising their concerns about Iraq, which is playing a strong part in disillusionment with Labour, both locally and nationally. Labour will be under severe pressure in this election.”

Transport for London and the London Mayor have decided that the trial of a new bus route linking Muswell Hill, Highgate, Hampstead and Swiss Cottage will now only use roads already served by buses, and will avoid Southwood Lane.

The news comes after pressure from local residents and meetings on the issue between local councillor and London Assembly Lib Dem transport spokesperson, Lynne Featherstone, with both the Mayor and senior Transport for London officials.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“I am delighted that the trial will go ahead and Transport for London is willing to proceed with a trial using a route that avoids Southwood Lane.

“The challenge now will be to keep up the pressure to ensure that this trial expands into a full service. There are many people in addition to schoolchildren who really need this bus route. Huge numbers of local people have worked very hard for a long time to make it a reality, and our campaign for a full service will continue.”

Liberal Democrat councillors have welcomed many of the improvements in the primary school league tables but have expressed concerns that Haringey’s overall placing nationally is still poor. Party Leader Ross Laird has called for more support from the local education authority (LEA) and the Government to pull struggling primary schools up to the national average.

Haringey came 144th out of 149 LEAs in the country’s league table for primary school performance, with four of the borough’s schools in the nation’s bottom 5% for performance scores. Lib Dem leader Ross Laird is concerned by Haringey’s overall placing nationally. While neighbouring Islington has moved up the table Haringey has remained near the bottom.

The Lib Dems are particularly concerned that well over half the borough’s primary schools fall below the national key stage two score average (which is 234/300) with some scoring as little as 119/300.

Mr Laird warned that things were unlikely to change until the Government starts treating teaching staff with the respect that they deserve and supporting them rather than penalising them for failing to meet Government imposed targets.

However Cllr Laird (Muswell Hill ward) has welcomed improvements in some of the schools, most notably West Green Primary School, N15 and Rhodes Avenue Primary School, N22 which made it into the top 5% nationally under the “value added system”.

Cllr Laird comments:

“I am deeply concerned that Haringey remains near the foot of the national league table. I would suggest that this poor standing is despite the efforts of committed teaching staff.

“The Government must learn that in order to induce improvement they must show support and belief in schools and let them teach, rather than waste their time jumping through hoops for New Labour bureaucrats.”

Liberal Democrats have condemned attempts by Haringey Council to boost its PR and spin budget yet again – despite the huge financial pressures on the Council this year. Lib Dems says that while residents face swingeing Council Tax increases, the Labour council’s already bloated PR budget should not be increased.

In the borough’s ‘Pre Business Plan Review,’ which sets out spending proposals for council departments for the next financial year, Haringey’s PR team has been provisionally allocated an additional £45,000 of funding. The bid includes a whopping £15,000 for “new software for managing press inquiries” which “would also allow us to fax directly from PCs.”

Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson Lynne Featherstone is calling the increases totally unjustified, following recent revelations that the Council has the second largest PR budget in the country, at well over £1 million.

Lynne Featherstone comments: “It beggars belief that with current financial pressures, Haringey would ask for even more cash for a bloated PR service. Local residents will be forced to pay more and more for media spin from the Council.”

Lib Dem Finance Spokesperson, Cllr Jonathan Bloch adds: “With other budgets such as social services facing cuts, this is hardly appropriate. I want these increases stopped and proposals from the Council on how it can control its public relations bingeing.”