There has been some very good news for Highgate and Muswell Hill bus users this week, with a promise from Transport for London that it will add a much-needed extension to a vital local bus route. Transport for London’s Director of Surface Transport, Peter Hendy, has told Lib Dem Leader Lynne Featherstone that the 234 bus, which connects East Finchley to Muswell Hill, Friern Barnet and Whetstone, will be extended to run the length of the Great North Road to Highgate.

The change will be introduced later in the summer, and follows a long campaign by the Sussex Gardens Residents’ Association, with support from Lib Dem Councillor Lynne Featherstone.

The campaign for the route was started because of a ‘barmy’ practice on the existing route. Buses on the 234 used to regularly travel from East Finchley Tube station to Highgate in order to make the turn for the return journey – but wouldn’t pick up passengers on this stretch, as it was not officially part of the bus route. The buses would regularly sail past frustrated residents who were not able to catch the bus.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“This is great news – it is really encouraging to see that sometimes plain common sense prevails. Congratulations are due to Sheila Elkin and the Sussex Gardens Residents’ Association, for having campaigned so tirelessly for this route extension.”

There was drama at Haringey’s key Overview and Scrutiny Committee last night, as the controversy over the ‘shelving’ of a scrutiny report on post-16 education in the borough reached a peak. Amidst strong objections from the Lib Dems, there was a tied vote on the report, and division within the Labour members of the committee.

After months of delay, and accusations from both Labour and Lib Dem councillors of political interference in the committee from within the council’s ruling Labour executive, the committee voted merely to ‘note’ the report, rather than recommended it to the council – but only after a dramatic tied vote, in which the committee’s Labour chair had to cast a decider.

Lib Dem councillor Neil Williams condemned the delays in publishing the report, and secured a commitment from the head of Haringey’s new scrutiny process that his “valid concerns” would result in a report on how the whole matter had been handled.

One Labour councillor, complained that the council had “let down thousands of young children in the borough for a number of years.” Labour Councillor Bob Harris, who presented the report, said that the committee was “not allowed to hold meetings with parents,” and that involvement from “high up” prevented things from happening. He accused the council of being “insular” over the state of post-16 education in the borough.After the controversial vote, he said the issue had been fudged, yet again.

Cllr Ross Laird, Lib Dem education spokesman, has also condemned the handling of the matter. Ross Laird comments:

“It is outrageous for Labour to claim that the report has now been superseded in some way – this has occurred because Haringey Labour succeeded for months in blocking it.I will await with interest a full report from the Scrutiny Chair on the handling of this matter. It is a real blow for the future of the scrutiny process in Haringey, and I will continue to pursue this matter.”

Liberal Democrat councillors in Crouch End have accused Labour of riding roughshod over the views of local residents and councillors at this week’s Neighbourhood Assembly.The Lib Dems are angry at the refusal of Labour, which still has a majority of councillors on the body, to allow time for a discussion of the Crouch End schools’ admissions crisis.

Councillor David Winskill, Crouch End, had asked the Labour Chair of the Committee to include the schools issue on the agenda of the meeting – but was refused, despite the distress and concern of local parents over the schools admissions problems.

Councillor Winskill comments:

“Labour must not attempt to set only their own agenda and then just brush off requests for important items like education be considered.The request to discuss the schools’ admissions crisis was fair and reasonable with plenty of notice given.

“I really want the Neighbourhood Assemblies to succeed: Labour should try and behave more constructively. I will arrange a meeting with Chair Kate Wynne to try and ensure that the local community sets the agenda”

A Liberal Democrat councillor has had his wallet stolen – while conducting a surgery for his constituents in his Alexandra Ward. Lib Dem Wayne Hoban, who was elected to the Haringey council in May, was meeting constituents at Alexandra Library on Wednesday when the incident occurred. His wallet was stolen from his jacket, which was hung over the back of a chair.

The incident is the second crime in as many months to afflict the unfortunate Lib Dem councillors from Alexandra Ward. Just before their election triumph in May, Susan Oatway, then a candidate for the ward, was the victim of a mugging while canvassing voters in Alexandra Park Road.

Ms Oatway has made a full recovery, and Councillor Wayne Hoban is shrugging off the latest misfortune:

“I’ll be more careful in future about leaving my jacket around,” said councillor Wayne Hoban. “I never really thought of our local library as a potential hot spot for pick-pockets, but it just goes to show you always have to pay attention.”

A Lib Dem Muswell Hill councillor has urged Haringey Council to make urgent repairs to the fencing along Muswell Hill by Muswell Hill Primary School and the W7/144 bus stop. Cllr Ross Laird says that the dilapidated fencing is a danger and an eyesore, as it is used as a seat, or as something to lean on, by people waiting for the buses.

Cllr Laird commented:

“The fence at the top end of Muswell Hill is now in complete disrepair. It is heavily used as a seating area by patient people waiting for the W7 and 144 buses, but now it is dangerous and urgently needs replacing. It is now an eyesore and an accident could happen any day now. I have written to Haringey Council’s Environment Department to insist on a new fence being erected in its place as soon as possible.”

Lib Dem Leader has welcomed the return of a popular drinking fountain to Priory Park. Local residents had contacted the Lib Dem leader to ask what had happened to the drinking fountain in the park, which had been removed, forcing local children to purchase expensive water from the park’s nearby kiosk.

Lynne Featherstone urged the council to replace the fountain, pointing out that free drinking water should be available to all.The council has now installed a new fountain by the paddling pool.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“Kids need to drink plenty of water when out playing – even if the weather is not that good. I’m delighted that a new fountain has been installed.”

Lib Dems say Haringey Council must press ahead with more library reforms, after worrying new figures show that the number of library visits actually fell again last year.

Figures published in the council’s newly published Best Value Performance Plan show that the provisional figures for the number of visits to the boroughs’ libraries fell, from 4.00 visits per thousand to 3.88 per thousand in the year to March 2002

Haringey Council says the fall is due to long-term under-investment and restrictive opening hours – and now says that both of these problems have been addressed. But Lib Dems are calling for more concerted action to build on recent extensions in opening hours – and for Sunday opening at the borough’s libraries.

Lib Dem Leader Lynne Featherstone comments:

“It is worrying to see the figures drop again in another year. The London average for library visits is still a massive 70% higher than these worrying new figures for Haringey. We must not lose momentum, and we must press on for longer opening hours and Sunday opening.”

Muswell Hill Lib Dem Councillor Lynne Featherstone has described as ‘constructive’ a meeting with Haringey Council on the state of one of Muswell Hill’s few parking areas – the car park behind Marks and Spencer on the hill.

Discussions on the council-operated car park have resulted in Haringey agreeing to a clean up, and to provide better maintenance in future. The council has also agreed to look at better planting, and to consider a four-hour maximum limit on parking, once a usage survey has been carried out. It is hoped this will maximise use and benefit to local shops and businesses.

Lynne Featherstone also discussed how to resolve the present problems with leaving the car park. There are regular traffic jams, causing congestion and nuisance for residents in Hillfield Park and St James’s Lane.

Lynne Featherstone comments: “This was a useful meeting, and we have made some headway. Hopefully, the car park will be cleaner, and we can get some progress to ease the entry and exit problems. Making the most of the parking we have in Muswell Hill, including all the spaces at the Odeon as well as here at Marks and Spencers, will help ease problems in residential roads in the area. These improvements will be part of that.”

Lynne Featherstone attended the passing out parade at the Hendon Police Training school last Friday, and witnessed the largest ever class to ‘pass out’ in the Metropolitan Police. A total of 274 new police recruits graduated, with 23 coming to Haringey in a week’s time.

After the March past, Ms Featherstone, who is a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, met the new recruits, and congratulated some of those coming to Haringey.

Commenting Lynne Featherstone said:

“I was very impressed by the dedication and enthusiasm of our young police recruits.I am delighted that 23 of these youngsters are coming to Haringey where they will spend two years learning their trade. Haringey is certainly an interesting and challenging borough for them to come learn their skills, and I hope they enjoy their time here.”

Commenting on major new plans to create new ‘police kiosks’ in Wood Green and Tottenham, Lynne Featherstone, Lib Dem Leader of the Opposition, said:

“I have always believed there was a role for police kiosks, but the lack of attention to the west of the borough is regrettable, given the closure of police front counters in Muswell Hill and Highgate.

“Although there has been some welcome progress on the Muswell Hill police station, sadly the same cannot be said for Highgate. I will be pressing the police to ensure they also consider taking action to improve policing in Highgate.”

Highgate Lib Dem councillor Neil Williams comments:”During the May local elections Labour attacked calls for the reopening of police front counters in the west of the borough and refused to give council backing for the restoration of Highgate’s police station. Yet they regularly support measures for the east of the borough. It is all too typical.”