Lib Dem councillors are pressing Haringey Council to guarantee funds for maintaining and repairing two libraries in Haringey. The move follows written answers from the council last week that failed to give a clear commitment for much needed library repairs in Alexandra and Highgate branches.

Cllr. Barbara Fabian, Shadow Education Spokesperson and Wayne Hoban, Lib Dem Deputy Leader, are planning a lobby of council following revelations that there is no funding outlined in this year’s budget for maintaining and repairing the libraries. Alexandra and Highgate Libraries are in need of £20,000 – £50,000 of work to their exterior, much of it having been recognised almost three years ago.

Cllr. Hoban comments:

“I recently asked the council if they were planning to carry out any of the repairs that were recommended in June 2000 following a condition survey to Alexandra Library or from the access audit in April 2002. I have been told that repairs will be implemented ‘as soon as feasible.'”

“This is isn’t good enough we want a clear date as to when our residents will be able to access a library that is clean, welcoming and safe.”

Cllr. Fabian adds:

“It is essential we have modern and well equipped libraries in the borough. Only if they are looked after will libraries become such a central part of a community. I am working closely with Cllr. Hoban to ensure that the council make this a priority.”

Lib Dems in Highgate have expressed alarm that two post offices on the Archway Road have been earmarked for closure as a result of post office restructuring plans for the area. One of the post offices, at 180 Archway Road, is in the Lib Dem held ward of Highgate, and local councillor Neil Williams says he is concerned over the future of postal services in the Highgate and Archway area.

The Lib Dems have been warning of possible post office closures, and say that the development does not bode well for the future of local post office services.

Neil Williams comments:

“This is a not a welcome development.While there are other post offices in the Highgate area, the sub post office at 180 Archway Road will be sorely missed.

“Royal Mail mustn’t forget that there are a lot of elderly residents in the Highgate and Archway areas who rely on the local post office. They should also remember that Highgate is a hilly part of London and the walk up to the village can be a major trek for some residents.”

Lynne Featherstone, who recently presented a petition from Haringey residents against post office closures to Vincent Cable MP, adds:

“These plans show how important it is for us to keep up the pressure on both the Post Office and the Government on this issue. It would be a disaster if they continue with their present policies which would see the closure of a third of urban post offices.”

Residents wishing to express their concern at the closure can do so by sending an email to: PostOffices@haringeylibdems.org

Note – the Post Office release reads as follows:

TwoPostOffice branches in London could close this year as part of local changes designed to safeguard the future of urban Post Office branches in the area.

PostOfficeLtdannounced last year that it intended to undertake a programme to restructureandmoderniseitsnationalnetworkofmore than 9,000 urban Post Officesbranches.Inmanycitiesandtownsthere are simply too many outlets competingfor too little business. Along with increased running costs and concerns aboutfutureincomeincludingchangesto the way benefits are paid, many subpostmasters will no longer have viable businesses unless changes are made.

Now, following a preference exercise during which subpostmasters across the country were asked to indicate their wishes for the future, the business has agreed with the subpostmasters of 21 Archway Road branch and 180 Archway Road branch, that his branch should close permanently in May 2003.

George Hooper, Head of Area, said this week: “Proposals to close Post Office branches are not made without considerable research and discussion so we are anxiousthat customers and all relevant organisations understand our rationale and have the opportunity to give us their views.

“We have a responsibility to ensuring that customers in London will continue to have reasonable access to local Post Office products and services. Even after any changes are made, well over 95% of customers will still live within a mile of a Post Office branch.

“Having met with the subpostmasters from 21 Archway Road, 180 Archway Road Post Office branches and also with other local subpostmasters, we have concluded that if these branches were to close, it would improve the long-term prospects of the other branches in the area. In particular, we have made sure that Highgate High Street branch, 7 Highgate Street, Highgate Near Station branch, Archway Road and Upper Holloway branch would be fully geared up to cope with extra customers should the closures go ahead.

“Therefore we are proposing to close these branches permanently. But before we make a final decision we want to hear of any concerns customers and others might have about the closure and about the services provided by our nearest, alternative branches no final decisions will be taken until we have considered all views.

Haringey’s Liberal Democrats have urged the Council to take heed of the moving speeches made by Mr and Mrs Climbie in the Haringey Council chamber.

The parents of Victoria said repeatedly that during their time in the UK, they had met all the agencies involve in their daughter’s case, with the exception of Haringey.

Speaking through an interpreter, Mr Climbie told the council meeting that the only way to learn from the mistakes was to acknowledge fault, and that they had failed to hear this acknowledged by Haringey. Without this acknowledgement, said Mr Climbie, he could not have any hope that the Council would improve its dealings with children.

Mr Climbie said the couple had met many agencies, even the Secretary of State, who had apologised directly to them. It had meant a lot, he said, that so many had taken the time to meet them, and Haringey should have done the same. This was sad, he said.

Ron Aitken, Lib Dem Social Services Spokesman, who invited the Climbies to address the Council, comments:

“As on all occasions during their time in the UK, Mr and Mrs Climbie showed great dignity and courage in addressing the council last night. Let us hope that the Council will heed their words and try to put right their failures to address the family directly over Victoria’s death. Not enough has been done, and it is time to put that right.”

Haringey’s Liberal Democrats expressed regret last night that four Labour councillors, including two directly criticised in the Climbie report, refused to resign their positions.

The Council ruled out of order Lib Dem request for the resignation of Cllrs Adamou, Council Leader Meehan, Deputy Leader Irwin, and Social Services lead member Sulaiman.

Despite the conclusions of Lord Laming, and the moving comments of Victoria Climbie’s parents at the start of the meeting that the council had failed to acknowledge their responsibility, all Labour councillors present voted their confidence in the four councillors.

During the meeting, members of the public walked out when Labour councillor Dennis Dillon said that the council should not “distract ourselves from picking away at the past.” Amidst shout of “go away” by another Labour councillor, the local residents left the council gallery.

Lib Dem Social services spokesman Ron Aitken comments:

“Despite the words of Mr and Mrs Climbie, it is very disappointing that these four councillors have not acknowledged the need for them to step down. Managers have gone, but not a single elected politician has resigned. While we will try to work constructively with Labour to improve children’s services, it makes a fresh start more difficult.”

Liberal Democrat Councillors and residents are celebrating after the council set a deadline of 10th March for Clear Channel International Ltd to remove the illegally constructed hoardings from the Hornsey waterworks site.

The council served notice under Section 11 of the London Local Authorities Act 1995. This means that if Clear Channel fail to remove the hoardings by the set date then the council will enter the premises and remove them themselves.

This action has pleased Lib Dem councillors who have worked with residents and council officers for months to have the hoardings removed.

Cllr. Bob Hare comments:

“I am delighted that we have managed to achieve this result for residents. I am grateful that council officers have taken a firm stance on this issue and not let Clear Channel get away with constructing these eyesores.”

Liberal Democrats are calling for action from Haringey Council over traffic problems in Alexandra ward after a key meeting with Derek Turner, Managing Director of Transport for London (TfL), held in an attempt to break the deadlock.

Liberal Democrats secured an agreement from TfL to provide up to £100,000 towards traffic calming in Alexandra, provided that Haringey Council produced sensible and detailed plans. However, despite the offer first being made in November 2001, the money is still unspent as Haringey Council has repeatedly failed to produce the necessary plans and information to free up the money.

Muswell Hill ward councillor and London Assembly Transport Policy Committee member Lynne Featherstone met with Derek Turner last week to try to break the deadlock. Mr Turner confirmed that the money was still available if Haringey Council presented appropriate plans and supplied the technical details required by Transport for London, but he warned that if appropriate plans and detailed information were not presented the money might even be lost to Haringey: “it was an unlikely but potential risk.”

Following the meeting, she has written to Peter Norton at Haringey Council urging the council to get a move on. Alexandra ward councillor, and Muswell Hill Area Assembly chair, Susan Oatway has also been pressing for action, and has now secured agreement for the much-delayed “focus group” consultation process to restart.

Councillor Oatway comments,

“The local residents have worked tirelessly on this issue for months and I find it frustrating that the council has yet to come up with any viable plans. The council keeps on changing the goalposts for the consultation process and all the time the months tick away without the £100,000 being used.”

Councillor Featherstone comments,

“The council has in the past claimed that the money can’t be spent until issues related to the North Circular are resolved – but TfL has made it clear that this isn’t the case. If the council carries on delaying and trying to tie this money in to other projects, people will inevitably suspect that the real motive is the Labour-run council attempting to take the money away from Alexandra and spend it in other wards.”

Wayne Hoban, Lib Dem councillor for Alexandra ward, has succeeding in securing a site meeting with council officers to examine options for upgrading the site known as the ‘Triangle’ situated at the junction of Palace Gates Road and Crescent Road.

Following a local survey he conducted last year which showed that many residents consider the site to be an eyesore, graffiti stained, and generally uncared-for, Cllr Hoban has been urging the council to take action to improve the site.

Cllr Hoban commented:

“I am pleased that the council have at last responded to my call for action. This site has been neglected for far too long. Local residents continue to send a clear message that they both want and expect action.”

Highgate’s Liberal Democrat councillors have described as very constructive the first consultation meeting over the proposed controlled parking zone (CPZ) for the area.

Councillors Melanie Simpson, Bob Hare and Neil Williams, who all attended the first consultation meeting last week with local resident groups, received strong support for their proposal that a steering group of representatives from local residents’ associations should be set up to oversee the process.

The Lib Dems say this is vital, as they want Highgate residents and businesses to know that they are the ones in charge of deciding on any parking scheme that is put forward, and to ensure that the maximum number of Highgate residents participate in the process.

Lib Dem councillor Bob Hare comments:

“This was a very good meeting. We are delighted that our suggestion of a steering group received strong support from local residents groups.Residents should rightly be in charge of the process.

“Having covered the area around the tube station, in the coming weeks there will now be similar meetings with residents groups from Highgate village, and with local businesses who have a vital role to play.

“We will continue to work together in a sensible way and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.Resident’s must themselves make the key decisions on parking controls in Highgate.”

Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson, Lynne Featherstone joined party leader Charles Kennedy and other prominent Lib Dems on the peace march in central London on Saturday. The march was also joined by local celebrity Andy Kershaw of Crouch End

Ms Featherstone says that people in Haringey support the Lib Dem approach of giving peace a chance, and that the case for war against war has not been made. She says that the present climate is damaging to community cohesion in a diverse borough such as Haringey, and wants the Government to pursue every avenue at the United Nations, and to give the UN weapons inspectors more time to do their job.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“The huge number of people demonstrating on Saturday, including large numbers from Haringey, should send an unequivocal message to the Government that we must to give peace a chance.

“People from all parties and all walks of life were present. We know in Haringey from our own experience that the threat of international terror is real. That will not be solved by an attack on Iraq without UN approval. We must show the government and Tony Blair that we do not accept the inevitability of this war.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Lynne Featherstone has attacked the council for failing to deal with a graffiti problem in the borough for over ten years after having discovered anti-poll tax graffiti on the bridge of Stapleton Hall Road, Hornsey which is dated ‘1990’.

Cllr. Featherstone, who has campaigned hard on the issue for the past few years, was disappointed to find that no-one had taken responsibility for it.

“After initial calls to Environmental Services they seemed to have no idea who was responsible for the up keep of the bridge and as a consequence no one took any responsibility for it. However, persistence has now paid off: the council has apologised and promised a site visit will take place very soon to inspect the problem.

“As low priority as it may be, it is still an eyesore. For this piece of graffiti to remain for over ten years is a disgrace. I will be keeping a close eye to ensure that action is taken quickly to remove this graffiti that has long over stayed its welcome.”

The Liberal Democrats say this case highlights the problems with Haringey’s chronic underspending on graffiti with the Labour-run council having spent only £15,000 a year compared with a London average of over £200,00 per year. Following their campaigns on the issue last year, Haringey Council is now budgeting to increase its spending on graffiti fighting.