Children using a pedestrian crossing on a busy road to school will be safer after a successful campaign by local residents, supported by Liberal Democrats, resulted in the appointment of a new crossing attendant.Local Liberal Democrats have welcomed Sharon Beale, the new crossing attendant for St. Mary’s School.

In October 2007, following repeated requests by the school, Haringey Council finally agreed that St. Mary’s schoolchildren needed an attendant to help them safely cross Hornsey High Street. However, there then followed an 18-minth delay which included a six-month wait for government checks to be completed.

Cllr Robert Gorrie, Hornsey ward, comments:

“I welcome Sharon with open arms and wish her all the best in her role. It is a vital job to help protect our children who have to cross busy roads to get to school.

“It is not good that children of St. Mary’s have had to wait eighteen months to get a safe walk to school. It is totally unacceptable that it took the Council and the government six-months to do basic checks that have held up this vital service further.”

Lynne Featherstone MP, adds:

“It’s fantastic, perseverance has paid off and now children will be safer crossing Hornsey’s busy high street.”

Following her visit earlier today to St Mary’s CE Junior School’s ‘The London Experience’, Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“This is the most wonderful exhibition I’ve ever seen by a primary school.

“I was gobsmacked and awestruck by the scope of the project, by the brilliance of the artwork, the depth of the collection and all the information presented.

“This exhibition is completely brilliant and I bet all the children have learnt a massive amount, and that this experience will be embedded in their minds forever.

“Well done to all the children and teachers at St Mary’s”

You can see photos here and here.

Haringey Council’s aspiration to become the greenest borough in London has been cast into further doubt this week after it emerged that it has paved over a front garden in Crouch End. Local Liberal Democrats have criticised Haringey Council for concreting over the crucial green space at a Homes for Haringey (HfH) property and have demanded answers from the Chief Executive of HfH and council officials.

Cllr Weber was contacted by local residents shocked at Haringey Council’s actions.

Cllr Lyn Weber, Crouch End, comments:

“I am flabbergasted that this garden, which is in a conservation area, has been paved over by Haringey Council. Labour environment bosses talk about their aspiration to become the greenest borough in London – where does concreting over gardens fit into this plan?

“Haringey Council and Homes for Haringey should lead the community to promote green spaces and protect gardens from development. Yet, once again, Haringey Council doesn’t seem to follow its own rules.”

Lynne Featherstone MP, adds:

“Our local green spaces and even our own gardens are crucial to the environment and must be protected. Haringey Council have once again shown that they have no true green credentials.”

Virginia Jackson, local Crouch End resident, adds:

“I was sorry that the builders removed all the shrubs from the front garden but I was even sorrier when they covered the entire area with concrete before departing. The concrete looks so rough I imagined it was going to be tiled but this hasn’t happened and the new occupants have nowhere to plant even just a few shrubs so sadly all they have to admire in their so-called front garden is a wheelie bin.”

As the recession deepens Haringey Council has rejected an opportunity for millions of pounds of funding for local residents it emerged this week.

Local campaigners and Liberal Democrats expressed astonishment when they learned that Haringey’s Labour-run Council failed to organise applications for extra government money under the Sustainable Communities Act – instead opting for a “wait and see” approach.

Following enquiries from Councillor Nigel Scott, Alexandra ward, who proposed a unanimously supported motion to Council on the subject in January 2009, calling for an opt-in, Cllr Matt Cooke (Labour Cabinet Member for Community Cohesion and Involvement) sent an email indicating that Haringey Council will do nothing this year.

Councillor Nigel Scott comments:

“This new act gives real power to local communities yet Haringey Council admits they do not want to do anything to give this power and money to people in Haringey.

“Ninety five other councils are already doing this now, but Haringey has said, ‘no thanks, we’ll wait for next year’. This is unbelievable.

“The Labour councillors supported our motion in January but their warm words have failed to be followed up by any real action. Local residents will be very disappointed.”

Daniel Flanagan, a spokesman for Unlock Democracy, the organisation that campaigned for the Act said in a response to an e-mail from Cllr Scott,

“This is totally unacceptable and was not what was agreed at Council. There is no excuse for not opting in this year. There is no guarantee that there will be another round. The only way to be sure of getting something is to act now. The Council are letting down the residents of Haringey. If you do not opt-in, you are guaranteed to get nothing.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“As the effects of the credit crunch start to hit our community, local initiatives certainly could do with this extra cash boost now – not in a few years time. The Sustainable Communities Act says, in effect, ‘Give us some good community based ideas and we will pay for them’, yet Haringey can’t be bothered even to ask”.

Haringey Council promises to fast track extensions to Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) are in disarray after parking bosses told local residents they may have to wait up to two years for consultations to start.

Last year, in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the parking nightmare they created in Crouch End in 2007, the Council announced that streets near, but not initially included, in CPZs could petition Haringey Council to be included.

The fast track process was planned to take three to four months. However, in an answer to a question tabled at the Full Council meeting this week, Haringey Council admitted that it is taking much longer to implement extensions to CPZs – it took seven months to extend the Green Lanes CPZ and eight months to introduce an increase in the Wood Green Outer CPZ.

Local Liberal Democrats have criticised Haringey Council for misleading local residents by suggesting that it could expand CPZs in four months under the fast track scheme.

Cllr Lyn Weber, Crouch End, comments:

“It is clear that Labour-run Haringey Council has failed to deliver an effective fast track scheme. The fact that it has taken nearly twice as long as planned to implement the two extensions in Wood Green and Harringay proves that Haringey Council is not succeeding.

“Local residents have been led down the garden path. Promises of a fast track scheme that would solve the parking problems in Crouch End have not materialised. Council parking bosses need to be honest with residents and come up with an approach that works.”

Lynne Featherstone MP, adds:

“It is not fair to local residents to be told that if they want their roads included in CPZs that can be done within a few months but when they actually ask for it to happen they are told it will take up to two years.”

Haringey Council has been accused of “callous disregard” after a disabled Scout troop, based in Bounds Green, was threatened with extinction by a funding cut.

Having caused parents and carers weeks of worry, Haringey Council announced an 11th-hour reprieve this Monday (30th). A senior official apologised for “any anxiety caused.”

On March 19th, Haringey Council informed the 24th Tottenham Scout troop, which caters for 15 girls and boys with disabilities or special needs, that it was going to stop funding its weekly coach. Haringey Council has paid for the coach, which provides a vital link to weekly meetings since 1954. For many boys and girls it is their one social outing of the week.

The cut, operative from March 31st 2009, would have had a severe effect both on the Scouts themselves, their Scouters and their carers and families.

Labour Haringey Council leader Cllr Claire Kober wrote to Paul Mari, Group Scout Leader of the disabled group:

“I am advised that transport had been provided for this group by the Council until October 2008. The cost of this transport was set against the special educational needs home to school transport budget. However, out of school activity is not considered a legitimate expenditure for this source of funding as sessions take place out of school time, on Saturdays and also include some weekend camping trips.”

One council officer wrote to Jacky Linsey, the Troop’s organiser:

“I am sorry to have to inform you that due to funding not being available transport for cubs / scouts has been cancelled as from 31st March 09, therefore making the 31st March the last day. I am sorry for any inconvenience that this may cause your group.

“I hope that the cub/scouts continue as during my time of being involved I have seen many youngsters pass through the transport system, enjoying the time that they attended their sessions.”

Liberal Democrat Councillor John Oakes, Community Involvement spokesperson, comments:

“Without the actions of local residents, with help from myself and others, this callous and unnecessary cut would have gone ahead.

“It must have been suggested by someone with a complete disregard for the heartache it would cause to these families, who have to organise their days and weeks around the most vulnerable member of their family. It’s typical of so much that Haringey does – decide first, think afterwards.”

Lynne Featherstone MP, adds:

“I am shocked that Haringey Council would even consider treating people like this. The local Scout group helps the lives of children, their parents and carers enormously.”

Commenting on the decision by the Labour members of Haringey Council to increase their own allowances, Cllr Robert Gorrie, Leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, said:

“This is an astonishing insult to local residents especially in this time of economic hardship and uncertainty.

“In the past few months we’ve seen our borough’s leadership resign in disgrace over the tragedy of Baby P. We’ve lost £37 million in Icelandic banks and been served with a £6 million claim over the collapse of negotiations at Alexandra Palace. The Audit Commission have just scored Haringey as one of the four worst councils in the country.

“Despite Haringey becoming a by word for local government calamity, its Labour leaders have shut themselves off from the real world and last night voted to award themselves a pay increase. If that is not a case of using public money to reward failure, I don’t know what it is.”