Haringey Liberal Democrats launched their wheelie bin fact sheet this week following numerous queries, concerns and comments from local residents who claimed that the council had not supplied adequate information on the new bins.

The two page fact sheet, put together by Cllr. Lynne Featherstone and Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson Cllr. Bob Hare, is being sent to all residents who wrote to the Liberal Democrats regarding this issue. It is also available on request by ringing (020) 8340 5459 as well as online. It contains information regarding bin size and how to change your bin, how to get an ‘assisted collection’ as well as how to appeal against having a wheelie bin.

Cllr. Hare commented:

“I think that we have put together a very useful piece of public information. I hope that the residents of Haringey who felt badly informed over the new bins now feel that they have the relevant information to raise any issues with Haringey Council and Haringey Accord.”

Cllr. Featherstone added:

“It is sad that the opposition has to provide information because the council has failed to supply adequate information to the residents. However I am pleased that this fact sheet will end a lot of worry and misery for local residents concerned by the new bins.”

Lib Dem Councillor Lynne Featherstone is lobbying Haringey Council to invest in restoring a green verge that runs along Bounds Green Road from the North Circular to the end of Tewkesbury Terrace. The verge is particularly used by residents who walk to school and work.

Cllr. Featherstone has been in correspondence with senior managers in Environmental Services, expressing residents’ concerns over the state of the area. She has highlighted a shortage of litter and dog litter bins as well as problems with the state of the pathways.

“The green lies on the border of Enfield and as a result the council seems to have forgotten about it. I have highlighted many possible improvements that residents have raised with me – from extra litter bins to the installation of benches so that people can sit down there.

“As yet I have had no firm promises. However, the council has told me that they will look into the need for extra bins and consider placing dog litter bins on the verge too.

“I am not expecting overnight change to the verge, but I am asking the council to install the basics now, such as bins and to ensure that other more costly improvements are budgeted for in the next financial year.”

Lib Dem councillors representing Muswell Hill pledged to residents to do all they can to lobby Haringey Council for much needed resources to clean up and improve the environment around the parade of shops at Priory Road and Park Road.

Cllr Ross Laird addressed a packed meeting at St George’s church, Cranley Gardens, organised by local trader Mario Petru on 10th February. He said that he would take forward a range of issues and that he had already had meetings with council officers to try and clean up and improve the car park at the entrance to Alexandra Park.

Cllr Laird commented:

“This parade of shops is vital to the local community. Local traders are to be congratulated on their efforts to raise awareness of the problems in the area. I am working with officers to try and improve the car park opposite the shops, which over the past few months has become a favourite dumping ground. In addition, we will be taking forward a range of issues, from blocked drains to speeding traffic in the area and seeking additional Council resources to deal with these issues.

“I look forward to continuing to work with local residents and traders to safeguard this site and the vital services it provides to the local community.”

Lib Dem Councillor Ross Laird, who has been campaigning over the past six months to improve conditions at Connaught House, Muswell Hill, has welcomed news that Haringey Council is now in dialogue with the Metropolitan Police and Housing 21, which manages the property.

He has also received assurances from the Metropolitan Police that they are seeking to extend the current contract for some months.

Cllr Laird commented:

“I welcome the Council’s response to my urgent demands and those of local residents. Until we know the likely outcome of the termination of the contract with the housing association, Housing 21, we need to be in a position whereby the Council can react swiftly to either rehouse residents or assist in finding a suitable housing association to run the building.

“The delayed termination of the contract which is currently being discussed by the Metropolitan Police would certainly help buy us all time, but still does not solve the issue. I look forward to further meetings on this issue.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Lynne Featherstone has challenged a memo sent out by Haringey Council that claims that gritters completed their job of gritting all first and second priority routes on the night of the 30th January during the recent cold snap.

The memo written by Cllr. Ray Dodds, Executive Member for the Environment, was challenged following complaints from residents of Hillfield Park, N10. Residents say that gritting did not occur in Hillfield Park according to the schedule claimed in the memo and as a result there were several accidents.

Cllr. Featherstone has expressed her astonishment at how poorly the operation was carried out:

“This weather had been predicted days in advance, this was not something that should have taken the council or Haringey Accord by surprise.

“I have written to the council challenging their claims and I will keep the pressure on them until I have a satisfactory response and an apology to residents.”

Investigations by local councillor and GLA member Lynne Featherstone have raised concerns that key personnel in charge of emergency planning in Haringey were not informed as quickly as they should have been about the ricin terrorist threat in Wood Green. Ms Featherstone believes that the failure was the result of intervention from Downing Street.

Ms Featherstone has uncovered the fact that there was a time-lag between the incident happening and the information of a potential terrorist threat being passed to the key people in charge of emergency planning in Haringey.

Ms Featherstone says that Richard Sumray, who is Chair of Haringey Primary Health Care trust and in charge of emergency planning for health, was not informed until over 24 hours later that there had been an ‘incident’ in Haringey. Ms Featherstone has also learned that the Chief Executive of Haringey Council – who is in charge of overall local emergency planning – was not called to a briefing on the issue until 3.00pm on Tuesday 7 January. The incident was uncovered two days earlier, on Sunday 5 January. Ms Featherstone has also raised the issue on the London Fire Authority, on which she sits. The reply from the Acting Fire Chief was that the service was not informed until the public statement.

Ms Featherstone’s understanding of the intervention by Downing Street was that information was held back on the grounds of not wanting to panic local people. Whilst Ms Featherstone understands that there is a need not to panic people, she has expressed grave concern that the key people charged with the safety of the residents of Haringey were not promptly informed.

Commenting Lynne Featherstone said:

“It is quite clear that had this been an emergency which required the evacuation of Haringey residents, which it might well have been, Downing Street’s intervention would have meant that the people in Haringey charged with our safety during a terrorist attack would not have been informed. I am now seeking assurances that never again will Haringey residents be put in danger in this way.”

Note:

The issue was raised by Ms Featherstone at the Metropolitan Police Authority meeting on 30th January and at the Fire Authority on 29th January. The Chief Executive of Haringey was asked by Ms Featherstone last Thursday as to when he received the information.

The allegation of Downing Street’s intervention was leaked to Ms Featherstone, who has raised at a full meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority (30th January), where the Acting Commissioner declined the opportunity to contradict the statement.

Lib Dem councillors and activists have been working closely with council officers to remove billboards erected illegally on the site of the Hornsey Waterworks development.

Councillors Bob Hare and Dave Winskill, supported by local activist David Burridge, have been working closely with council officers since they received complaints from residents of the St. James’ area eight months ago.

Local Lib Dem activist David Burridge commented:

“The billboards are grotesque, they should not have been erected and the residents want them down. We are working closely with council officers to ensure that this happens as soon as possible.”

Cllr. Bob Hare, Lib Dem environment spokesperson was keen to praise the hard work of council officers, while expressing his anger at Thames Water:

“The council are trying to find a fast solution to the problem whilst Thames Water continue to take advantage of the site and local residents for a ride. Notice was served in November for the removal of the signs but they are still there. We will continue to press the council to take firmer action on this issue and rid Hornsey of these eyesores.”

Haringey Liberal Democrats have voiced there concerns about the council’s failure to protect vulnerable children following the publication of statistics showing that many children on the child protection register are not receiving sufficient visits from social services.

Children placed on the register should expect six weekly visits from a social worker. However the latest figures released this month show that in November 2002, 8.7% had not been taking place. More disturbingly is the fact that this figure had been steadily increasing during the second half of 2002.

Cllr. Ron Aitken, Lib Dem Spokesperson for Social Services, commented:

“This is unacceptable. These visits are meant to ensure that children are not being mistreated. Missing a visit is a serious matter.

“Since the publication of the Laming Report the council has argued that it has changed and services have improved. These latest figures demonstrate that no amount of spin can hide the reality of this council’s failures and it is time they faced up to them.”

Source: November 2002 performance data for children’s services, paragraph 6.3.4, presented to Executive 04/02/03

Pupils and teachers at Rhodes Avenue School in Alexandra ward are celebrating following council agreement to proposals to turn a small copse into a nature reserve for the use of Rhodes Avenue school and local residents.

A meeting on the issue took place last week to decide the future of the ‘Spinney’ – a small copse adjacent to Rhodes Avenue School and Albert Road Recreation Ground. The meeting was organised by Cllr Wayne Hoban (local councillor and Deputy Leader of the Lib Dems) and Haringey’s Conservation Officer.

The proposals made will mean that the nature reserve will be used by Rhodes Avenue school with controlled access for local residents and other schools.

Cllr. Hoban who chaired the meeting commented,

“I was delighted that we have such a lively and enthusiastic debate with valuable contributions from all parties involved. It was a great opportunity for local residents to put forward their suggestions and also to raise issues with council officers over rubbish collection and fly-tipping on the site.”

“There is a little way to go before this nature reserve becomes a reality but this meeting has shown how positive residents and council officers are about the proposals. I am sure it is only a matter of time before this becomes a reality.”

Highgate’s Lib Dem councillors have condemned the way wheelie bins are being rolled out in the area, as wheelie bins this week arrived earlier than planned, giving local residents virtually no time to object and to point out that their home may be largely unsuitable for the new containers.

Several residents in Cromwell Avenue and the surrounding roads have objected this week, but received little comfort from the Council or Haringey Accord. They are now collecting a petition objecting to the whole mess, and want many of the bins removed.

After the intervention of Lib Dem councillors, the council and bin providers Haringey Accord have agreed to come to Cromwell Avenue to try to sort out the mess.

In a further twist, Haringey Accord has told the Lib Dems that their database shows which houses should have wheelies – but when those distributing the bins go round doing so, they do not have this information to hand, causing completely unnecessary distress to residents who have found the bins foisted upon them this week, and must now battle at their own time and expense to have them removed.

Lib Dem councillor Neil Williams comments:

“The whole roll out has begun very badly in Highgate. The council and Accord are entirely responsible and must sort out this mess. It is a ridiculous approach, just dumping the bins on residents without observing the timetable and without checking their own lists to see if the property is suitable. Residents do not have to accept this fait accompli, and should call Accord on (020) 8885 7700 to object.”