Survey shows residents concerned about school place shortage

Posted on 27th Jun 2012 by Lynne Featherstone

The results of a survey by local MP Lynne Featherstone released this week reveals the level of concern amongst local residents about school places in Haringey.

Survey returns from over four-hundred homes in Muswell Hill, Crouch End and Fortis Green wards show that nearly half of those who responded felt that more school places are needed in their area. Places at primary schools were considered as the top priority.

Liberal Democrats have called on Haringey Council to take concerted efforts to do all they can to increase the supply of school places, including backing the campaign against Islington Council’s plans to turn the former Ashmount school site into a housing development.

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Hornsey and Wood Green, comments:

“Haringey Council needs to listen to local residents and look to see where there is the highest pressure for places.

“The Government has given Haringey an additional £1.7million this year to relieve the pressure on school places on top of their share of £800million nationally.”

Councillor Sophie Erskine (Fortis Green) adds:

“In the first round of applications this year 130 children in Haringey did not receive a place at any primary school. The Council must do all it can to ensure our families have access to good local schools.

“It is about time that the Council backed the campaign to keep the Ashmount school site for educational use.”

Comment on the resignation of Haringey Council Chief Executive Kevin Crompton

Posted on 20th Jun 2012 by Lynne Featherstone

Commenting on the news that Chief Executive, Kevin Crompton, will leave his position next month Cllr Richard Wilson, Leader of Haringey Liberal Democrats said:

“This Council cannot afford a leadership crisis. Coming weeks after the resignation of the deputy leader it is yet another signal that Haringey Council continues to lurch from crisis to crisis.

“The borough faces severe challenges such having control of some primary schools taken away, continuing problems in Children’s Services, repairing the worst roads in England and rebuilding after the riots last summer. We need strong leadership but at this crucial time all we have is muddle and confusion, which is likely to continue for months.

“It isn’t surprising that our fourth-rate Labour council loses senior staff so frequently – they are always the scapegoats for Labour’s failure.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Under Labour, Haringey has become the local government equivalent of a ‘failed state’. If we were a country, we’d be on our tenth bail-out by now. After 40 years of political failure, residents are a very low priority for a council that seems intent on re-arranging the deck-chairs, rather than dealing with a sinking ship. Local people deserve change.”

What a waste: Pinkham Way hearing suspended after just two hours

Posted on 13th Jun 2012 by Lynne Featherstone

Liberal Democrats have welcomed the suspension of the public inquiry on the North London Waste Plan as a further step in the campaign to stop the development of a huge waste processing plant at Pinkham Way.

The examination in public of the North London Waste Plan (NLWP) was suspended just two hours into a hearing that was due to take two weeks. Liberal Democrats strongly oppose the plans for the Pinkham Way plant, which is part of the 10 year plan.

Liberal Democrat councillor Juliet Solomon (Alexandra ward) comments:

“Today’s suspension is a result of colossal carelessness in the waste plan, especially when one thinks of the time and money that has been spent to get here. The North London Waste planners have been told to think again. My Liberal Democrat colleagues and I will continue to fight, along with the Pinkham Way Alliance, to knock the plans out for good.”

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green comments:

“Haringey Labour’s representatives on the NLWA have been determined to force the waste plant upon local people, despite massive opposition. It’s yet another sign of Haringey Labour’s arrogance and failure to listen.”

The Pinkham Way plant is designed to process non-recyclable refuse from the seven boroughs of the North London waste authority, but has met with fierce opposition from local people following concerns about harmful toxins, increased traffic levels and the impact on the local environment.

The inquiry was due to take place at Camden Town Hall for two weeks, but was swiftly halted by the independent Inspector following objections to the Plan raised by other local authorities, who are concerned about the impact the Plan will have on them.

The news will slow down any progress on the existing Pinkham Way plans, which have been backed by seven boroughs, including the Labour-run council in Haringey.

Street parties show vitality of local community – Lynne Featherstone MP

Posted on 7th Jun 2012 by Lynne Featherstone

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, has praised the organisers and local residents who put on street parties for the Diamond Jubilee.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“There were more than twenty street parties locally across the Bank Holiday weekend. It is a real tribute to the vitality of our local communities that people worked together to make the street parties so successful.

“I managed to visit some of the street parties. A large number of people put an enormous amount of work into putting the events on and a great time was had despite the weather. Everyone involved deserves great praise.”

Twelve hundred two-year olds to get free early years education in Haringey – Lynne Featherstone MP

Posted on 7th Jun 2012 by Lynne Featherstone

Twelve hundred two-year-old Haringey children will receive free early years’ education from next year.

This is in addition to three and four-year-old children in Haringey who are already eligible to receive 15 hours of free early years’ education per week.

Phase one will take effect from September 2013 with the second phase starting in September 2014.

The new support for children from the least well off families comes as part of a shake-up of early years’ education announced by Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg.

The changes will provide greater flexibility for parents – the hours in which parents can bring in their children for their free place will be extended by two hours. Currently, parents are restricted by having to drop their children off no earlier than 8am and picking them up no later than 6pm. This will be extended to 7am – 7pm. It will also give parents the option to spread their free nursery place over two days rather than three, making the system work better for working parents.

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Hornsey and Wood Green, commented:

“This is great news for a large number of local families. Early years’ education gives a real boost to young children and really prepares them for school.

“Giving a fair chance to all children is a top priority for Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government. Every child deserves an equal chance to fulfil their own potential.”

Lynne Featherstone MP addresses AGM of Crouch End Open Spaces (CREOS)

Posted on 28th May 2012 by Lynne Featherstone

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament, will speak to members of the Crouch End Open Spaces campaign group tonight (24^th May).

The MP for Hornsey & Wood Green will tell members of the group that London’s green spaces are vitally important and that Liberal Democrats in the coalition government have won new powers for local people to shape their local community.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“CREOS has done a fantastic job over more than twenty five years, helping to protect and improve open spaces in Crouch End and Muswell Hill. They have shown what can be achieved when people come together to work for their own local community.

“Our green spaces are hugely valued and vitally important parts of our communities. In London, over 50 hectares of protected open space – equivalent to more than twice the size of St James’s Park – has been lost in planning approvals since 2008 when Boris Johnson became mayor.

“The new Localism Act will give people the power to nominate community assets that can then be given extra protection from the threat of development. Crouch End playing field is one of the places that people have told the local Liberal Democrat team should be included as a community asset. Councillors will be pressing Haringey Borough Council to include it in the list for extra protection.”

Adoption delays must be investigated

Posted on 21st May 2012 by Lynne Featherstone

An investigation must be held to uncover why vulnerable children in Haringey face over double the average wait to be adopted, Liberal Democrats have said today. Recent figures show the average wait for an adoptive family to be found by Haringey Council, following a court order, is twice as long (107 days more) as the time taken in similar local authorities in London.

Information released by the government shows the time taken to adopt a child in Haringey (739 days) is similar to that in boroughs deemed to be statistical neighbours (717days) but over 100 days more than the English average (625 days). Liberal Democrats have said that, while the disparity with the national average is concerning, the average time taken (239 days) by Haringey Council from court order to adoption is “disappointing” and is twice as long as other boroughs. The average for comparative local authorities is 132 days.

Liberal Democrats have asked Labour’s cabinet member for children why there are such delays in completing adoptions and why vulnerable children and parents anxious to adopt have to wait twice as long as those in similar local authorities.

Cllr Katherine Reece, Liberal Democrat Children’s Spokesperson, comments:

“It is very sad and disappointing that children in Haringey, on average, have to wait twice as long as children in similar councils to get a place in a secure family after the courts have granted an order.

“Vulnerable and often young children should not have to endure long waits. Considering similar councils in London have much shorter waits an investigation is needed into Haringey Council’s performance.

“This is exactly the type of issue that the proposed new scrutiny panels should investigate and we are asking the new cabinet member for Children’s Services to explain what is happening with adoption in the borough.”

Lynne Featherstone MP, adds:

“An investigation is needed. I understand that cases can often be complex but vulnerable children having to wait over a hundred days more than others in London boroughs should not go unchallenged.”

Special Educational Needs overhaul to help children in Haringey says Lynne Featherstone MP

Posted on 21st May 2012 by Lynne Featherstone

Parents of children who need extra help to do well in school are to get a new legal right to buy-in specialist Special Educational Needs (SEN) and disabled care under coalition government proposals.

Parents will be given the power to control personal budgets for their children for the first time. This will allow them to make the decisions needed to get the expert support that is right for their child.

This is the biggest reform of SEN for 30 years and will force education, health and social care services to plan services together, making the system easier and less time-consuming for parents.

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Hornsey and Wood Green, commented:

“Liberal Democrats in the coalition government are doing the right thing to end the agonising battle many parents have had to fight to get the support for their children.

“Under the current system, a child’s welfare is often buried under the bureaucracy of getting the help needed as parents are passed from pillar to post between different authorities and agencies.

“These reforms will put parents in charge. They will provide better information for families, bring services together with families to provide a package of support that meets their needs, removing the cliff-edge at 16 and helping young people into work and living as independently as they can.”

MP Lynne talks to Greek school students in Wood Green

Posted on 21st May 2012 by Lynne Featherstone

Hornsey and Wood Green MP Lynne Featherstone visited a local Greek Secondary School in Wood Green on Friday, to talk to students about politics and life as a minister.

The Member of Parliament took questions from students between 12 and 18, and teachers.

She discussed important issues relevant to young people, including the body confidence campaign, staying safe online, and the Home Office campaign, “This is Abuse,” which aims to raise awareness of the dangers of abuse and rape amongst teenagers and young people.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented,

“I always enjoy visiting local schools, and I was delighted to visit such a unique school. The students recently went to visit Parliament, and it’s clear that many of them are really engaged with politics.”

Wood Green ‘open for business’ hears local MP

Posted on 17th May 2012 by Lynne Featherstone

Lynne Featherstone visited the Noel Park, Wood Green branch of Barclays Bank on Friday 11^th May and heard from staff how they are supporting local businesses. She urged the bank to engage with the community to ensure that local people who want to set up a business have every chance to succeed.

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, commented:

“It is encouraging to hear about businesses in Wood Green that are succeeding and growing despite the difficult economic climate. Banks need to give the right support to local businesses and that is why talking to them is so important. Cash flow is clearly a problem for many businesses and that is where high-street banks can make a real difference if they offer the right support.

“The coalition government has delivered lower taxes and less red tape. They will help get business moving again.

“Vince Cable’s government department also announced last week that the government-backed Angel Co-fund has made its first investment in new businesses. The £50million fund aims to support new small businesses in partnership with private investors.”

Rehanaz Noor, Barclays Bank manager of the Noel Park branch commented:

“Our commitment to the area is demonstrated by the fact that we have made a major investment in refurbishing the Noel Park branch. Our small business customers have remained resilient throughout the downturn with many adapting and diversifying to ensure they remain successful and most have survived and are starting to look at growth opportunities now. The start up market has been vibrant with many people taking the opportunity to start their own businesses using the skills they have.”