Liberal Democrat councillors joined with local residents to secure a promise from Jarvis to “start over” with controversial proposals for floodlights for a new ‘all weather’ football pitch at Fortismere School. In a rowdy public meeting on Tuesday night, organised by Haringey Council to explain the proposals for six 15-metre high floodlights, representatives of Jarvis plc (who are the contractors for the Private Finance Initiative scheme) conceded that public consultation had been inadequate and promised to do better.

Around 60 residents attended the meeting to voice their objection to the scheme and many condemned Jarvis for their failure to consult. As angry residents stormed out of the meeting, local Liberal Democrat Councillor Stephen Gilbert challenged the representative of Jarvis, David Evans, to act in an honourable way:

“I explained that residents feel let down by Jarvis and no longer have faith in what they are being told. I asked the Chairman of Jarvis to freeze the application for these massive floodlights until another public meeting has been arranged with proper notice for local people.

“I’m pleased that he agreed, but Jarvis need to take away the message that they can not push around local people.”

Councillor Lynne Featherstone, who was also at the meeting, added:

“Throughout the redevelopment of this site Jarvis have acted in an arrogant way and have shown little consideration for the views of local people.

“Jarvis should know that they face an uphill task to convince people, and they need to start rebuilding trust and showing respect to residents.”

Liberal Democrat councillors accused the Labour-run Council of squeezing the life out of local democracy following the passing of parts of the new constitution that will effectively reduce the oppositions ability to hold the Council to account.

Lib Dem whip, Cllr Stephen Gilbert was incensed by what he called a “devilish” set of reforms that were forced through the committee without allowing opposition councillors a proper period of time to consult. The reforms included reducing the amount of written questions to one per councillor and banning written and oral questions from Extraordinary meetings.

He argued that by reducing the amount of questions that councillor asked the Council was further detaching itself from those it represents, reducing its accountability and legitimacy. The Victoria Climbie case was highlighted by Cllr Gilbert as a prime example of how effective questions are in bringing to account the Executive on serious matters reserved for Extraordinary meetings.

Cllr Gilbert (Fortis Green) commented:

“When the administration is failing to deliver proper services and some departments are haemorrhaging money, it is surely more important than ever that the policies and actions of those that are making decisions within the Council are properly open to scrutiny and can be held to account.

“At a time when the public are properly sceptical of its politicians, these measures will do nothing to address the lack of confidence the public has in councillors.”

Lib Dem transport spokesperson Lynne Featherstone has called on the Labour Leader of the Council to take action over council employees who are taking up residents’ parking spaces in his own Woodside ward in Wood Green.

George Meehan faced heavy criticism last week as guest speaker of the Avenue Gardens Residents’ Association, an area situated between Wood Green tube and Haringey’s Civic Centre. Residents say they have repeatedly complained that council employees routinely take up the parking spaces of local residents in the Controlled Parking Zone. They have routinely complained to Mr Meehan, their local councillor as well as Council Leader, but the problem has continued.

Ms Featherstone is writing to George Meehan to demand that action is now taken.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“This is unacceptable – if Haringey employees can’t obey the parking rules, it doesn’t set a great example for the rest of us. George Meehan has had plenty of opportunities to sort this problem out, and it is time to take action.”

Residents of a Stroud Green council block have had their entryphones repaired thanks to the intervention of Lib Dem councillor Lynne Featherstone – but only after an attempted break-in to one of the Marquis Court flats after Haringey Council had failed to act to sort out the security problems

Residents of Marquis Court had told Haringey that their entryphones were not working, but Haringey had failed to repair the system. After one resident, Mr Socratous, had his internal door panel smashed as a result of the lack of security, he contacted Lynne Featherstone, who pushed the council to take action. Haringey initially said they were not liable for Mr Socratous’ internal window repairs, but were soon persuaded to accept that their failure to act over the entryphone system had been the root cause of the distressing vandalism at his flat.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“I am pleased Haringey have accepted that it was their job to sort out the security problems. The council must learn to act quicker when informed of these breakdowns at flats in the borough. Residents are entitled to feel fully secure in their homes.”

Blocked Crouch End drains have been cleared by Haringey Council after the intervention of local Lib Dem councillor David Winskill. Following a winter when Crescent Road has regularly turned into a small pond, Haringey Council at last had the storm drains cleared of the offending leaves and debris last Friday (16th May).

Cllr David Winskill was pleased that Council officers had at last found the resources to have the drains cleared, but says he is worried that the problem of blocked drains has increased in recent years since the street sweeping contract went to Haringey Accord.

Cllr Winskill (Crouch End) comments:

“The road has a particularly large number of trees and unless leaf fall is regularly cleared the drains will become blocked again.”

“It seems that Haringey Accord allow the leaves to build up before sending a crew to clear them. We have taken this up with Executive member for the Environment, Ray Dodds and will be doing so again.”

Haringey Liberal Democrats have expressed their concern at a meeting of the Alexandra Park and Palace Advisory Committee about proposed redesigning of the park following the Palace Board’s successful Heritage Lottery Fund bid.

According to the Lib Dems, the proposals would see welcome improvements to the Park’s main entrances, but would not result in improvements to lesser entrances from Dukes Avenue and Muswell Hill and would see the removal of the distinctive gantries from the main road entrances. Lib Dem Councillors are also deeply concerned that the wildlife area at the garden centre in the park is not being maintained and under new leasing arrangements may be allowed to fall into further disrepair. Lib Dem Councillors will be writing to the Council and the Palace Board to express their concerns.

Commenting on the proposals, Lib Dem Alexandra Palace spokesperson, Cllr Bob Hare, said:

“There are many good ideas and much needed work in the proposed changes to the park, but we have real concerns about the loss of the distinctive, and we believe popular, gantries at the entrances to the Palace. It is also important that the Board retains its commitment to the maintenance of the wildlife garden at the garden centre. It is important that this site is maintained for public benefit and would be a great loss to the people of Haringey if it were to be removed or fall into disuse.”

Cllr Ross Laird, Leader of the Opposition, added:

“I will be writing to the Council and the Palace Board to ensure that money is earmarked in the future for clearing up and signposting the pedestrian access points to the park. Many of the entrances are a real eyesore and need cleaning up.”

Local residents in Teatherdown, Muswell Hill are celebrating after Liberal Democrat councillor Matt Davies successfully secured two new litter bins outside Fortismere school.

Cllr Davies got in touch with Council officers after a number of residents drew his attention to the litter problem in the area. The Council have confirmed that they have ordered the bins and will place them on site when they arrive.

Cllr Davies comments:

“I am pleased that the Council will be installing new bins. I They will certainly reduce the litter problem but I am keen to see the council improve the frequency of street cleaning in the area and will continue to press them on this issue.”

Liberal Democrat councillors have criticised the Government’s plans to reform and monitor failing schools in Haringey as severely flawed. Lib Dems say that rather than solving a problem, the new policy will put more pressure on teaching staff in failing schools.

The comments come after Tony Blair uncovered his plans to radically shake up five failing boroughs including Haringey on Monday (12th May) by promising new schools, cheap mortgages for senior teaching staff and ‘zero tolerance’ of bad behaviour from pupils.

However, Lib Dem education spokesperson, Cllr Barbara Fabian (Fortis Green) expressed concerns that the Government’s plans to ‘rebrand’ education in Haringey were far less effective than simply investing more in current services. Last week the Education Support Service (ESS) announced it was facing the axe and many schools have been barely able to cover their costs following the Government’s failure to meet schools rising bills.

Cllr Fabian comments:

“Haringey is failing because money is tight, schools are overcrowded and staff are overstretched. What the Government proposes is another radical shake-up which will put greater pressure on teachers and pupils alike.

“Targeting senior staff for extra financial support has the potential to create an ‘us and them’ culture amongst teaching staff. Listening to teachers is the key and the Labour Government has failed to do that once again.”

Moves must be made to minimise the impact of the “horror story” retail development set to appear at the north end of Archway Road, according to Highgate Lib Dem councillor Bob Hare. Cllr Hare made the remarks at the Annual General Meeting of the Highgate Society last night after local residents time and again expressed their concerns over the controversial plans, which would see three brightly coloured retail warehouses constructed on the large and highly sensitive site adjacent to Highgate Wood.

Cllr Hare said he feared the plans could not be stopped, as permission for the controversial development was given by Haringey council back in September 2000. However, Cllr Hare told Highgate residents that the developers needed to be challenged over lighting, the colour scheme, and the screening of the site with additional trees – not all of which had been laid down in the original planning application.

Bob Hare comments:

“It’s terribly sad that this development was ever given permission, and it is totally unsatisfactory that the strong objections of the Highgate Society, which were made back in 1999, were not noted. It is a major planning blunder by Haringey dating back over two years. We now face the consequences, and we are left with the trying to mount a damage limitation exercise in this very sensitive site.”

Lib Dem councillors in Alexandra ward are calling for greater consultation over plans to build a new sixth form block at Alexandra Park School.

The planned expansion, which the Lib Dems fully support, will provide two extra forms on entry, a sixth form and increase the size of the popular new school. However, local Lib Dem councillors want to ensure that disruption to the widely used Albert Road recreation ground, which may be caused by a temporary access road created for construction vehicles to access the site, is kept to an absolute minimum.

Many residents have expressed alarm that a temporary access road may be made permanent after the completion of building works. Lib Dem councillors are seeking written confirmation that this will not be the case. The councillors are also looking at a number of other issues regarding adequate on-site catering facilities to cope with school expansion, road safety around the premises and alternatives to the access road running through the recreation ground.

Cllr Wayne Hoban, Alexandra councillor and deputy leader of Haringey Lib Dems, comments: “It is essential that Alexandra Park School expands. However it is equally important that the concerns of local residents are fully addressed.

“The recreation ground is a valued facility to the local residents and we will be seeking written assurances from the Council and the school that there will be no attempts to transfer or develop this land as a result of these works.”

Fellow Alexandra councillor, Susan Oatway added: “We want to ensure that all options have been thoroughly looked at regarding the road. We must ensure that the recreation ground remains an accessible and safe environment for those who use it throughout the construction of this essential building.”

Note:The councillors’ detailed concerns are as follows: “As Alexandra ward councillors, we are aware that many residents have expressed considerable concern regarding aspects of the school development plan.

“Firstly, we wish to place on record that we fully support expansion of the school to provide two extra forms of entry and a sixth form. Alexandra Park School is an excellent school, which was confirmed through a glowing Ofsted report.

“We do have significant concerns however regarding certain aspects of the development plan, which need to be addressed before we can give this planning application our full support, which are as follows:

1. The Alexandra Park School – New Sixth Form Centre Planning

The Application Design Statement – 28 March 2003, stated that the existing site, if addressed in isolation, would be below current DfES guidelines on site area and that the design has been developed on a strategy based on the proximity of adjacent open land and the established relationship between the school and Recreation Ground. It is also stated that ‘in recognition of the increased pupil numbers on the existing site, the school is developing a strategy to allow responsible pupils and sixth form students to go off-site at break times…which will allow for the use of …other off-site facilities, such as the local shops.’

2. Alexandra Park School Development Transport Assessment – March 2003

Alternative site access options were examined in this. It is stated that of the 5 options examined, Option A was preferred. This option provided an improved access road adjacent to the existing footpath along the Western boundary of the Recreation Ground. It was proposed that the new access road would enter the site via a new main entrance.

3. Technical Note – produced by Faber Maunsell – Temporary Construction Access via Bidwell Gardens – 23 April 2003

This identified that use of Bidwell Gardens as the main access for construction traffic would be an advantage in that it was relatively low cost and would utilise an existing road. Among disadvantages outlined was an effective road width of approximately 3.5 metres, which would be insufficient to allow two heavy goods vehicles to pass safely, the nominal width of a standard HGV being 2.5 metres. It would therefore not be possible to maintain two-way working along the road for construction traffic.

In the light of the above information, this is what we’re working to achieve to get the best for our community:

1. We would require a clear statement from both the school and Haringey council that no part of the existing Recreation Ground will be transferred to the school as a consequence of this development. Any land used for temporary access during the development phase will be fully returned to public use on completion. Planning consent should be subject to a written confirmation of this.

2. We are particularly concerned that pupils will be encouraged to go off-site for their breaks, particularly during winter months where they would be required to cross a very busy road to gain access to shops. Is it suggested that on-site catering facilities will be inadequate to meet the demand from increased pupil numbers? What arrangements will be put in place to ensure that pupils are not put at risk on a daily basis through crossing the busy junction at Alexandra Park Road and the Avenue/Grosvenor Road?

3. Although Option A as outlined in the Transport Assessment document has been subsequently dropped due to lack of support from Haringey Planning, there is still a real concern that the original objective of securing a new access road to the school across the Recreation Ground will be achieved by other means, i.e., conversion of the proposed temporary road across the Recreation Ground into a permanent access road on completion of the development. We would require written assurances that permission to install a permanent road would not be sought or approved within this planning application.

4. We are particularly concerned that the feasibility study produced by Faber Maunsell regarding temporary construction access via Bidwell Gardens is flawed, for the following reasons:

(a) There is insufficient space to allow two ordinary vehicles to pass at present, so the fact that it is claimed that two vehicles would not be able to pass during the development phase is irrelevant.

(b) The proposed access road through the park will not be wide enough to allow two HGV vehicles to pass, so the argument that Bidwell Gardens does not allow that option is irrelevant.

(c) It is suggested that the two proposed pedestrian crossing points along the temporary road would be supervised to facilitate traffic movements and reduce risk to pedestrians. There appears to be no reason why this arrangement could not be transferred to Bidwell Gardens – the required manpower would be the same.

(d) There is likely to be considerable more pedestrian movements across the Recreation Ground than is usual in Bidwell Gardens, therefore the risk to pedestrians would be considerably reduced if Bidwell Gardens was used for site access rather than an increasingly popular and well used Recreation Ground.

These are some, but by no means all, of our concerns regarding the proposed development. We will continue to meet with all interested parties to address these concerns and hopefully find a way to allow successful expansion school to the ultimate benefit of the whole community.”