Haringey residents who have been hit hard by the financial crisis sweeping the country should be helped by Haringey Council say local Liberal Democrats. The Liberal Democrat Council group and Lynne Featherstone MP have demanded that Labour-run Haringey Council should freeze the Council Tax, with a 0% increase for 2009/10.

Liberal Democrats have launched a campaign for a Council Tax freeze this April to help hard-pressed residents, but are demanding that it is funded by cutting waste rather than front-line services. They are calling on Council Leader George Meehan to urgently investigate how Haringey Council can deliver financial help to residents and Cllr Robert Gorrie will lead a discussion on the financial crisis at the next Haringey Council meeting.

Haringey has the fifth highest Council Tax in London and the average bill has more than doubled within the last ten years.

Cllr Robert Gorrie, Haringey Liberal Democrat leader and Finance spokesperson, comments:

“Residents are really feeling the pinch. With the credit crunch beginning to effect everyone, it’s up to Haringey Council to give local people a break by making sure Council Tax doesn’t rise any higher.

“To ensure a freeze on Council Tax does not affect frontline services planning must start now. We are willing to work with Labour on these plans.

“Families struggling to make ends meet should not fund the results of this Labour Council’s financial disasters – £37 million lost in Icelandic banks, the failed management of Alexandra Palace or indeed Haringey Council’s £2.2 million publicity budget.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Families are facing a prospect of a difficult winter. Rising mortgage bills, the fear of unemployment and high heating costs mean that the shockwaves of the financial crisis are being felt in households across Haringey.

“When the banks were in trouble, they got rescued. Millions of families who are finding themselves in trouble must be helped too.

“Haringey Council tax payers have to tighten their belts so it is only right that Haringey Council should do the same.”

Vince Cable MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Treasury Spokesperson, will be visiting Haringey on 26 November to give a talk on the current economic crisis.

The event will be open to non-party members and will be held at Christ Church Hall, Waldeck Road, Tottenham, N15 3EP

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“Vince has been calm and prophetic voice through these rough times. As many local people start to feel the pinch, I am sure they will be as interested as I have been to hear his views on how we got into crisis – and more importantly how we get out.

“I have often sought Vince’s expect advice, particularly with the recent Icelandic banks collapse and Haringey Council’s lost millions. I have no doubt it will be in interesting evening.”

Local Liberal Democrats have demanded a change in policy after it emerged that Haringey Council fails to proactively re-paint dangerously worn zebra crossings. Currently, residents have to tell Haringey Council of problems in their area rather than Haringey Council checking the state of crossings.

Liberal Democrats say that Haringey Council should use Road Safety Week (10-14 November) to pledge to repaint zebra crossings every year.

Cllr Martin Newton, who is spearheading the campaign, comments:

“Pedestrians rely on zebra crossings to cross our busy roads safely. This is not a situation where Haringey Council should sit back and wait for something to happen. They should be taking the initiative and proactively repaint every crossing, every year.

“Road Safety Week is a perfect time for Haringey Council to realise its error and change its policy.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Putting the pedestrian first is key to encouraging people out of their cars and on to the streets. Haringey Council’s ‘sit back and wait for someone to complain’ attitude is completely unacceptable. Local residents deserve better-loved streets that we can be proud of.”

A couple who had their home demolished in the Muswell Hill coach crash can this week finally hand in their daughter’s application for a local primary school, after Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone stepped in to highlight Haringey Council’s incorrect interpretation of its own policy.

Andrew, Caroline and their three-year-old daughter Delilah Macaulay-Smith earlier this year had to temporarily move to Finchley as repairs to their demolished house were carried out. Haringey Council informed them that as their temporary place of residence was now in Finchley, they would be unlikely to get Delilah into a local school. In desperation the coupled turned to their MP, Lynne Featherstone, for help.

After months of correspondence Haringey Council finally agreed to change its mind, admitting that their rules could allow the family’s Muswell Hill address to be used when applying for local schools.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“Andrew, Caroline and Delilah have been through such trauma this year already, not least by having half their house demolished in the crash. Hearing that Delilah might not be able to get into a local school was almost the straw that broke the camel’s back.

“I’m delighted that Haringey saw the injustice in this case and changed their minds. It’s wonderful to see the family so happy and with a new positive outlook on the future.”

Caroline Macaulay adds:

“When Haringey Council told me that I couldn’t apply for primary schools in the borough, I burst into tears and felt sick with worry for weeks.

“We were all still suffering from the trauma of the accident. But now, on top of all that, it looked like Haringey were going to unfairly penalise a young child – through no fault of her own – and refuse her a place in one of the local schools.

“At a time of immense trauma, all we got from Haringey Council was a doggedly unsympathetic response. It felt like we weren’t dealing with humans, just robots. My heartfelt thanks goes out to Lynne. Thanks to her humanity, compassion and endless support we got through this dreadful experience.”

Yesterday Lynne Featherstone visited a painting class at her old school, Highgate Primary, to see how the children were getting on with their entries for her Christmas card competition.

This year the theme is ‘I’m dreaming of a green Christmas’, with pupilsgiving their interpretation of recycling at Christmas. The winner will be selected on the basis of how imaginatively the students interpret the theme and on how eye-catching the design is.

All primary schools in Hornsey and Wood Green have been invited to send in their entries. The deadline for the competition is Friday the 7th November, but any late entries will be accepted until the end of next week.

The winning design will feature on Lynne Featherstone’s Christmas card that is sent to several thousand homes.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“It was great to pop back to my old school to see how the kids were getting along with their Christmas designs. There were some fantastic ideas and I can see some real contenders for first place.

“I’ve already received some fantastic entries but I am sure there will be a last minute flurry. I’m really looking forward to sitting down with my office and going through the entries. Thanks to everyone who have already sent me their contributions.”

As recent figures show that the Met’s dedicated knife crime team has removed 139 weapons from the streets of Haringey since May, local Liberal Democrats recently joined an afternoon patrol to congratulate them on the encouraging record.

Lynne Featherstone MP and crime spokesperson Councillor Ron Aitken joined the officers from Operation Blunt 2 – dedicated to fighting knife crime by enforcement, prevention and education. The team has arrested 151 people and taken 82 knives and 57 other weapons off the streets of Haringey since its creation in May.

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

“It’s great to hear that 139 weapons have been removed from the streets of Haringey, but even greater to see that it’s coupled with a real effort to come to terms with the cause of violence by talking to and really engaging with the young people.”

Cllr Ron Aitken adds:

“It’s clear that there’s been a real effort by the Police to engage with young people and related with them to explain the dangers associated with knife violence which has claimed 27 victims in London this year. The officers we have met here today really show immense commitment. It’s so great to see an approach that really does work.”

In a bid to encourage local residents to get their jab before the flu season starts, Lynne Featherstone MP last week had hers at the Whittington Hospital.

The local MP, who is asthmatic, belongs to one of the high risk groups, which also includes the over 65s, young children and people with chronic respiratory and cardiac disease.The flu, which affects 10-15% of the UK population annually, usually passes within a week for the majority of people, but if you are in one of the risk groups it can cause serious complications. Anyone in poor health or in a high risk group should contact their GP immediately.

Lynne Featherstone commented:

“As protection only lasts a year, I have the jab each autumn. There’s still time as the flu season has not yet arrived but I really would urge anyone who think they might be at risk to contact their GP as soon as possible.

“For most people the flu means a week in bed, but for more vulnerable people, it can lead to bronchitis, pneumonia or even death. So don’t risk it, call your GP.”

In the build up to Remembrance Sunday, Haringey Liberal Democrats are supporting calls from local residents for a memorial to be built in Tottenham to honour war hero Walter Tull.

Tull lived an extraordinary life, becoming only the second black man to play professional football in Britain, when Tottenham Hotspur signed him in the summer of 1909. Tull went on to become the first black officer in the British Army in 1917 and spent much of World War I on the frontline, including taking part in the major Somme offensive of July 1916. He was killed in battle on the Western Front in 1918, at the tragically early age of 30.

Cllr David Winskill, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Culture, Leisure and Lifelong Learning, commented:

“Walter Tull is clearly a figure of great historical note, being only the second black man to play professional football in Britain and the first black officer in the British Army. Bearing in mind Walter Tull’s strong connection to Tottenham Hotspur FC and the large Afro-Caribbean population in the borough, I believe it’s a great shame there is currently no memorial to a man who gave his life for his country and is clearly a great role model.

“I have written to the Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Lifelong Learning, to ask if any discussions have been held between Haringey Council and Tottenham Hotspur FC with regard to erecting such a memorial. I urge Cllr Basu to support a memorial to Walter Tull and do all he can to ensure such a memorial is erected.”

David Schmitz, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Tottenham said:

“As we approach Remembrance Sunday and are in the middle of Black History Month, this is the perfect time to call for a memorial to Walter Tull. Whether it be in the grounds of the White Hart Lane stadium or elsewhere in Tottenham, this would be a fitting tribute to a man who served his country with honour and paid the ultimate price.”