Category Archives: News releases

Stroud Green house left empty for three years by Haringey Council

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A large three-storey terrace house, which has been empty for nearly a year in Stroud Green ward, is a stark reminder of the failure by Haringey Council to tackle the housing crisis in the borough, local Liberal Democrats said this week.

Latest figures show that 370 council-owned homes are currently empty, whilst over 16,000 families are on the housing waiting lists and 566 families are waiting for properties with more than three bedrooms.

Last week, Liberal Democrats announced a national policy to bring 250,000 empty homes back into use, as part of their economic stimulus and job creation plans.

Cllr Richard Wilson (Stroud Green) comments:

“Large families wait for years on waiting lists and in overcrowded temporary accommodation, until homes of this size become available. It’s scandalous that Haringey Council is happy to let this house, which could be a wonderful family home, lie empty for nearly a year.

“No wonder we have such long housing waiting lists in Haringey, when our Labour-run council is so wasteful with its own housing stock.”

Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, adds:

“Week after week I have local families come to me in desperate need of family-sized homes. It makes me so mad to see these properties lie empty, whilst thousands of local residents need homes.

“This is another example of Labour’s failure, locally and nationally, to tackle our housing problem.”

Local MP joins visually impaired residents in successful fight for accessible hospital information

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Following a successful meeting with hospital bosses last week, where Lynne Featherstone MP and members of a local group for visually impaired residents demanded the right to get hospital information in accessible formats, the Whittington Hospital has now agreed to produce information in large print, Braille and audio.

The Liberal Democrat MP and the members of the Haringey Phoenix Group that represents blind and partially sighted people locally, were taking part in the RNIB’s ‘Losing Patients’ campaign, to turn the right to get, by law, hospital information in accessible formats, into reality, on the ground.

The Hornsey and Wood Green MP has now also written to the local hospital service, to ask for local GPs follow suit.

Lynne Featherstone MP, comments:

“Getting the chance to find out about personal and sensitive hospital information, without first having to share it with a family member or neighbour, is something most of us take for granted. But for many blind and partially sighted people here in Haringey, that’s just not the case.

“I’m really delighted that, after our meeting, the Whittington has agreed to make this a reality for all its visually impaired patients. And hopefully, this is just the first hurdle; I look forward to the day when all GPs and hospitals, locally, will do the same!”

Mr Frank Bonus, a Haringey Phoenix Group member and Muswell Hill resident, aged 97, adds:

“I live alone and am registered as partially sighted.  When I receive a hospital appointment letter, I have to wait until someone comes to visit me and ask them to read it to me.

“If I could receive the information on cassette or CD, I could listen to it for myself, without having to rely on anyone else.”

MP joins local school in the world’s biggest birdwatch

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To help keep track of Haringey’s bird population, Lynne Featherstone MP on Friday went bird counting with Greig City Academy students, in the school’s grounds in Hornsey.

The Hornsey and Wood Green MP joined the students for the RSPB’s ‘Big Schools’ Birdwatch’, an annual event to check up on the UK bird population and part of the world’s biggest birdwatch. Armed with check sheets and pictures of the most common birds, the team spotted species such as woodland pigeon and blue tit, in the schools’ special wildlife garden.

Any local resident who wants handy tips on how to make their garden more inviting to birds should go to http://www.rspb.org.uk/hfw/

Lynne Featherstone, MP, comments:

“I’ve just had the most amazing time, bird counting with the Greig City students, and, thanks to this handy sheet, we were able to identify quite a few different ones, like woodland pigeons and blue tits.

“I look forward to seeing the results, but I fear that, judging from previous years’ counts, we need to do all we can, to make Haringey’s birds feel more at home.

“The RSPB has got a really useful website, with handy tips on how to make a garden more inviting, and I’m certainly going to have a look to see what I can do with mine!”

Liberal Democrats launch campaign for local Wood Green park

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Liberal Democrats in Woodside ward have this week launched a campaign to bring a local park back to life. Local residents are being asked what improvements the Council should make to White Hart Lane Recreation Ground, also known as ‘Pond Park’.

Local Liberal Democrats are concerned that the park, which has declined in recent years, has little to attract visitors and needs a face-lift to become a better place for local young people and families to enjoy.

The boating pond which the park is named after has been out of use for over five years.

Local residents can take part by signing an online petition to Haringey Council to receive funding to give a face-lift to the park. The petition is at http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/pondpark

John Thompson, Woodside Focus Editor, comments:

“I remember playing in the park as a child in the 70’s it was a place where local kids met after school and played football. At the weekend model boating clubs would meet to use the pond. It’s sad to see it derelict.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“I hope that local residents will take part in the online petition. For too long the Labour Council has neglected this vital green space. We now need to see some investment to bring it back to life for local people to enjoy.”

Local MP makes case for fair schools funding to Minister on eve of consultation

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Ahead of the imminent launch of a new consultation about schools funding in Haringey, Lynne Featherstone MP last week put the case of our local schools getting £1,000+ less per pupil than neighbouring boroughs directly to Schools’ Minister, Vernon Coaker.

The Hornsey and Wood Green MP, accompanied by Chair of the local Schools Forum, Tony Brockman, got confirmation from Vernon Coaker MP that the funding arrangement, where Haringey schools pay Inner London wages but get Outer London funding, has resulted in one of the country’s most unfair and largest discrepancies between neighbouring boroughs.

The Minister said that it would probably come down to two options, which would be consulted on in the very near future. One of the options, based on straight labour cost, would mean virtually no change – the other option, called the ‘hybrid option’, would see the current 20% gap between Haringey and its neighbouring boroughs reduced to 6%.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“On the eve of the launch of the consultation, it was important to bend the Minister’s ear and make the case for Haringey.

“Once the plans are firmly on the table, I will encourage all local residents to respond, so we can let the Government know just how strongly local people feel about this unfairness; so watch this space!”

Tony Brockman, Chair of Haringey’s Schools Forum, adds:

“Lynne set out Haringey’s case very clearly in Parliament and to the Minister. There is now likely to be an option in the Government’s consultation which would fund Haringey schools fairly. “

Up to 2,500 pensioners in Hornsey and Wood Green miss out on cold weather payments after cold snap

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Almost 2,500 pensioners in Hornsey and Wood Green will miss out on extra payments to help them pay their energy bills after the recent cold snap, according to figures unveiled by the Liberal Democrats.

Cold Weather Payments of £25 a week are paid to people on low incomes who receive a qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit, when the weather gets very cold.  Liberal Democrats have now found that, in Hornsey and Wood Green, almost 2,500 pensioners who are eligible to claim pension credit, and hence the cold weather payment, don’t do so. Local MP Lynne Featherstone has written to the Government to find out what they are doing to help local pensioners get the benefits they are entitled to.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“It’s shocking that so many old people, here in Hornsey and Wood Green, are not getting the help they need to pay high energy bills after the recent snowfall.

“The system for getting these much needed payments is so complicated, that people who really need and are entitled to extra help are not getting it – clearly something’s very wrong!

“The Government should be making every effort to identify pensioners who are missing out and make sure they get the help they are entitled to.”

More car club bays for Highgate after Liberal Democrat success

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Residents in Highgate will have more access to car club vehicles, after Haringey Council agreed to adopt Liberal Democrat councillors’ proposals to provide more car club bays for local people.

Haringey Council has taken up Liberal Democrat Councillor Neil WiIliams’ calls for improvements to the initial scheme, set up last year, which failed to include the densely populated Miltons area of Highgate, east of Archway Road, and the north of Highgate, near the Kenwood Estate.

Haringey Council is now proposing that four more car club bays will be installed – two near the Kenwood Estate and two in the Miltons area. The new bays in Highgate are part of an expansion of the car club scheme, which will provide an additional 39 spaces.

Cllr Neil Williams (Highgate ward) comments:

“I am glad that Haringey Council has recognised our calls to make it easier for local Highgate residents to use the car club scheme.

“It hasn’t been long since my colleague Cllr Rachel Allison led the campaign, successfully, for the introduction of a car club scheme in Highgate. Now we have a scheme that is thriving and expanding.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Car clubs are vital in the continuing fight to reduce our carbon footprints. Well done to Highgate councillors, for helping to get better access for local residents.”

Locations of the new Car Club bays:

  1. Sheldon Avenue N6 4NJ: two car club parking bays near Kenwood Estate.
  2. Tudor Close N6 5PR: two car club parking bays in Homes for Haringey car park.

Local Liberal Democrats keep up fight against banners

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Businesses have been forced to remove advertising banners from the streets of Muswell Hill, after decisive action by local Liberal Democrats. Concerned that permission had not been granted to place banners on railings in Muswell Hill Broadway and Fortis Green Road, both in a conservation area, Cllr Gail Engert demanded that Haringey Council urges businesses to remove them.

This is the most recent success in the ongoing Liberal Democrat campaign against the unpopular banners in local town centres. In the last four years, local Liberal Democrats have successfully removed banners, including controversial banners advertising Kentucky Fried Chicken in Crouch End.

Cllr Gail Engert (Muswell Hill), comments:

“Many of these banners have been found to breach council planning rules, yet it is left to local residents to tell Haringey Council that this intrusive and often illegal advertising is not needed or wanted in our conservation areas.

“We must make our town centres as attractive to visitors as possible – banners on every lamp post and railing do not provide the welcoming atmosphere most residents want.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Local Liberal Democrats will continue to fight against these unpopular and unwanted banners.”

Liberal Democrats welcome news of 24 hour Wood Green police station

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Following a successful campaign by Liberal Democrats to improve police services in Wood Green, the local police have agreed to re-open Wood Green police station 24 hours a day. The news was revealed in a question to Liberal Democrat crime spokesperson, Councillor Ron Aitken, in this week’s Full Council, after Lib Dems expressed concern about the High Road police station front counter only being open until 9 pm.

Lynne Featherstone MP and the Liberal Democrat team have been campaigning for better police services for Wood Green residents and launched a survey in the Autumn to understand residents’ priorities on policing in the area.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“This is fantastic news for Wood Green residents. A lot of crime happens at night, but for some time now, local people have been poorly served by a barely operational police station.

“It’s so important just to know that the police will be there for you at any time, day or night, if something should happen. I think this will make a huge difference.”

Cllr Ron Aitken, Liberal Democrat crime spokesperson, adds:

“Being out on the streets, talking to local people, it’s clear having a 24 hour police station is high up on the wish list, so I really welcome this terrific news!”

Liberal Democrats welcome Ally Pally decision

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Last night’s landmark decision by the Board of Trustees, to abandon the search for a single developer for Alexandra Palace, has been welcomed by local Liberal Democrats. Yesterday the Ally Pally Board agreed to a more realistic and ‘organic’ approach towards development at the Palace, rather than through one developer.

The Liberal Democrats hope that the important decision now draws a line under repeated and failed attempts, driven by the Labour Council, to impose a ‘big bang’ development solution on the much-loved Palace.  This strategy led to the failed deal with Firoka, a mistake that has already cost local taxpayers millions of pounds. The Palace was only saved by a successful judicial review driven by local campaigners, and has since endured damning reports on woefully lax governance arrangements that were exposed in the fiasco.

Cllr Robert Gorrie, Leader of Haringey Liberal Democrats, comments:

“Finally, we are seeing some much-overdue sense prevailing at Alexandra Palace. Local taxpayers lost millions of pounds when the Labour decided to flog the Palace off, without regard for the consequences or the views of local residents. That expensive fiasco highlighted the virtual collapse of effective governance at Alexandra Palace and has prompted a number of long-overdue changes in personnel and approach.

“I am glad that there is recognition of the flaws in the previous approach.  However, a successful and sustainable future for Alexandra Palace will only come with independence from Haringey Council and the leadership of independent trustees.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“The botched Firoka deal was never going to be in the best interests of the residents of Haringey. Campaigners and Liberal Democrats told Haringey Council this at the time, yet they forged ahead on a path which was only doomed to failure.

“I welcome the news that a new path has been set and I look forward to a revived Alexandra Palace for the people of Haringey to enjoy.”