Local Liberal Democrats have demanded that Haringey Council urgently investigates the way it uses controversial surveillance laws to spy on local residents.

Freedom of information requests by the Liberal Democrats revealed that the Regulatory of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), designed to combat terrorism and catch serious criminals, has been used 85 times since 2001.

Local Liberal Democrats have now called on Haringey Council’s ‘watchdog’ committee to urgently investigate Haringey Council’s use of RIPA legislation.

Cllr Jonathan Bloch (Muswell Hill), who has written to the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, commented:

“For too long our civil liberties have been pushed to the bottom of the priority list. Residents must be made aware of why Haringey Council has used anti-terror legislation to tackle low level criminality. We need to challenge Haringey’s and the Government’s Big Brother attitude to ensure that this surveillance society does not degrade our civil liberties further.”

Local Liberal Democrats have expressed delight at Friday’s news that the FAITH plant centre has secured funding for the next six months, but are warning Haringey Council that a long-term solution needs to be found quickly.

MP Lynne Featherstone recently joined local campaigners and Liberal Democrat councillors in an 11th hour struggle to save the centre. The passionate campaign has now resulted in Haringey Council stepping in with a £125,000 short-term package to stop the centre from closing at the end of August.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“I’m so thrilled that this amazing place which means so much to vulnerable residents is not going to close this summer.Losing this facility would have been disastrous, and Haringey Council now needs to use the next few months wisely to make sure that this fantastic centre can continue running for years to come.”

Cllr Richard Wilson, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Health and Adult Social Services, adds:

“It was very telling that the Council only took action when residents and the Liberal Democrats brought this issue to the local press. Now that this first battle has been won, Lynne and I will be pressing the Council and Livability to ensure that the centre has a long-term future. I’m glad that Haringey Council has recognised that it has an obligation to the vulnerable residents using the plant centre.”

A body set up to give residents a say on problems caused by the unlicensed conversion of houses into flats on the Harringay Ladder has been sensationally sidelined by Labour-run Haringey Council. The working group on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) was established earlier this year but met only twice before Labour-run Haringey Council decided to indefinitely postpone future meetings.

Liberal Democrat councillors have criticised Labour for “dithering” over plans to deal with problems arising from some HMO developments that many residents feel have led to anti-social behaviour and nuisance problems. Two of the area’s councillors have written to the Leader of the Council and Haringey Council’s Chief Executive to express their concern.

Harringay ward councillor Karen Alexander comments:

“The HMO working group was set up with a fanfare to resolve some of local people’s concerns about the number unlicensed HMOs and illegal conversions that Labour have allowed to proliferate in the Harringay area. Residents called for action, but once again Haringey Labour have dithered and failed to respond.

“Haringey Council have informed us that they are now drafting a new strategy and have postponed the meetings of the working group. Yet the very point of the working group was to involve local residents in deciding a way forward. Again it looks as though decisions will be reached without consultation, sweeping aside the interests of local residents.”

Cllr Carolyn Baker (Harringay) adds:

“This is a huge disappointment. Obviously it remains to be seen what kind of strategy the Council will come up with, but there is no doubt that it would have inspired more confidence had it been made with the knowledge and experience of those affected.”

A scheme aimed to identify potholes has been criticised by local Liberal Democrats as a stunt that will have little effect on the condition of Haringey’s roads.Liberal Democrat councillors branded Haringey Council’s £200,000 ‘pothole blitz’ “utterly impotent” in contrast to the work needed to bring Haringey’s roads up to standard.

In the first month of the ‘pothole blitz’ (12 May -13 June 2008) Haringey Council repaired 347 potholes. Liberal Democrats in Crouch End and Fortis Green last week identified over 100 potholes in their wards alone.

Cllr Martin Newton, Liberal Democrat Transport and Highways Spokesperson commented:

“Residents are unlikely to see any change from this utterly impotent scheme. We have for years been able to notify Haringey Council of potholes only for the Labour-run council to ignore them, fail to repair or do a botch job.

“These figures fail to show how many more potholes have been repaired due to the ‘blitz’ and how many of these are repairs to old potholes that Haringey Council have failed to repair properly in the past.”

Cllr David Winskill, who chaired a scrutiny review into potholes in 2006, added:

“Two-and-a-half years ago the scrutiny committee handed Haringey Council a report showing the sorry state of Haringey’s roads. Since then we have seen little action to improve this situation. As we predicted the ‘pothole blitz’ has turned out to be another one of Labour’s publicity stunts paid for by residents.”

Delays in Haringey Council making important decisions effecting residents’ schools, houses and key services currently total 4,937 days – or more than 13 years – it has been revealed by the Liberal Democrats.

Haringey Council’s monthly forward plan, which lists important decisions to be made by the Labour-run council in the next four months shows that only three out of sixty-three decisions will be made on time. Local Liberal Democrats have criticised Haringey Council for failing to decide on key projects and have said that residents will bear the brunt of the failure to deliver on time.

Cllr Robert Gorrie, Haringey Liberal Democrat Leader, commented:

“Haringey Labour have for forty years failed to deliver the services needed by residents in Haringey. Their history of delivering major projects late and over budget is legendary. Now we see that they can’t even manage the process of deciding what to do. Their performance is an embarrassment to the Borough.

“Decisions that would hopefully tackle major issues in Haringey have been delayed by the Council and residents will be the ones that will lose out as a result.”

Lynne Featherstone MP added:

“Haringey Council runs a lot essential services such schools, elderly care and services for people with disabilities; so no-one wants important decisions rushed.But when time and time again Labour procrastinate and dither about making choices that will have a real impact on people’s lives, it is the quality of these services that suffers.

“No organisation can function properly with such indecision at its top and sadly local residents bare the brunt.”

Top nine delays by Haringey Council (based on difference between original date and current date the decision will be made):

1. Tree Policy and Planting programme (302 days late)
2. Disposal of properties in NDC area (186 days late)
3. Bull Lane/Pasteur Gardens (186 days late)
4. Parks Asset Management Plan (150 days late)
5. Markfield Park listed buildings refurbishment contract (136 days late)
6. Electrical re-wiring to Winkfield Road N22 (136 days late)
7. Accomodation Strategy (118 days late)
8. Sports Club charges (114 Days late)
9. Building Schools for the future (BSF) contract for John Loughborough School (100 days late)

To mark the 80th anniversary this week of women getting the vote, local MP Lynne Featherstone evoked suffragette spirit in a call for greater representation of women in Parliament.

Lynne Featherstone joined a protest outside Parliament organised by the Electoral Reform Society featuring protesters dressed in 1920s outfits.

Commenting, Lynne Featherstone MP said:

“When I see the row after row of white male faces on the benches in Parliament it really makes me want to chain myself to something. I resist the urge, but do all that I can to encourage women and people from different backgrounds to come forward and play their part in making decisions.

“All parties need to do more on this. It simply cannot be another 80 years before we see real parity in the numbers of women in Parliament. It’s not about feminism, just plain old equality.”

Note: On July 2nd 1928 the Representation of the People Act 1928 was passed. This Act expanded on the legislation of the same name of a decade earlier, widening suffrage by giving women electoral equality with men.Women and men were now able to vote from the age of 21. Prior to this only women over 30 who met minimum property qualifications could vote in general elections.

Following a night-time visit a year ago to see Bounds Green Tube getting a serious facelift, Lynne Featherstone recently went back to check out the transformed station. This time she was joined by local Liberal Democrat councillor John Oakes as the pair were shown around the station by Mike Challis, the General Manager of the Piccadilly Line.

In April 2007 Lynne Featherstone got a unique chance to see the full range of refurbishment work as she was taken on a midnight tour of the station. The Bounds Green hub has since seen a range of improvements both to its look and its safety, with new CCTV and Help Points. Special effort has also been made to restore the station’s unique 1930s Art Deco features.

Turnpike Lane station has already been refurbished to the same standard and in the summer works will be completed at Highgate Station. Wood Green is also due to be upgraded, with works starting in 2009.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“I was so impressed last time I visited. Such a huge amount of different jobs all happening at the same time, and in the middle of the night! It really was an amazing effort, and looking at the finished result, it was well worth the wait.

“But we’re not just seeing a new look. I think there’ll be a real improvement in safety with new CCTV and help points. Can’t wait to see the other stations getting the same treatment.”

Cllr John Oakes adds:

“The refurbishment has really shown off a unique piece of architecture, and I’m going to push for it to be listed on the grounds of architectural merit. It really is an excellent example of art deco style, with characteristic tile work and two bronze torches. Marvellous.”

Some of the London Borough of Haringey’s oldest and best loved trees are under threat from building work at a Crouch End school say local Liberal Democrats.

Established trees on the site of the Coleridge school expansion have been mistreated by contractors to the extent that one ash tree will be lost and several others have been damaged by heavy machinery. Liberal Democrats are concerned that no tree protection plan was carried out by contractors before work started and have blamed Haringey Council for failing to act sooner to save trees that provide vital character to the area.

Liberal Democrat councillor Bob Hare, after meeting Haringey Council tree specialists, planning officers and developers last week, has been given assurances that work will be carried out to save the rest of the trees on the site.

Liberal Democrat councillor Bob Hare comments:

“The contractor has completely ignored good practice.The only objective has been to get the work done without any regard for the trees or the environment. The borough has some excellent, expert officers, but their advice on conservation and planning and particularly trees, was, for a long while, completely ignored. I’m pleased that the contractor is now responding, but some of the trees on the site may well have been damaged, and we shall be entirely losing a magnificent ash tree.”

Liberal Democrat councillor David Winskill (Crouch End) adds:

“This is a part of Crouch End where the trees are a crucial part of the landscape. Criticism has also got to be directed at the political leadership of Haringey Council, who do not make it clear that in Haringey, good tree and conservation practice must go hand in hand with good building work.”

Three young women from Christian, Jewish and Muslim backgrounds have graduated this month in the ‘ParliaMentors’ Programme under the tutelage of local MP, Lynne Featherstone.

The participants have met regularly over the academic year with Lynne Featherstone locally and in Parliament as part of a mentoring programme organised by the Three Faiths Forum. The aim of the scheme is to bring people of different faiths together and to inspire them to get involved in politics and social engagement.

Ms Featherstone looks forward to participating in next year’s scheme.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“It was a real pleasure to mentor these three ferociously talented young women from such diverse backgrounds.I have no doubt they will be going on to greater things, so watch this space.

“I am certain that their shared experience with people from different faiths will help them appreciate how much we have in common and what can be achieved together.

“I would encourage any undergraduates locally who are interested in this or any of the other mentoring programmes to contact the Three Faiths Forum.It really is a fantastic opportunity.”