Following reports of outrageously long Christmas queues at the remaining Hornsey and Wood Green Post Offices, and after chatting with Crouch End residents in a queue stretching far along the pavement outside the Crouch End Broadway Post Office on Friday, Lynne Featherstone MP is now organising an urgent meeting with the Post Office Network Manager.

Despite assurances from Post Office Ltd. that the remaining branches in the constituency would have the capacity to deal with the Christmas queues, Lynne Featherstone has received evidence from constituents showing very long waiting times.

The Liberal Democrat MP is now encouraging local residents to tell her how long they have had to queue at their local Post Office this Christmas either by emailing lynne@lynnefeatherstone.org with details, or by requesting Lynne’s Post Office survey on 020 8340 5459.Lynne Featherstone will then collate all data from this autumn and winter and present her findings to the Post Office representatives.

Lynne Featherstone commented:

“It’s plain to see that the remaining post offices locally are finding it difficult to cope with the increased customer pressure this Christmas. It’s not exactly rocket science that closing every second post office locally would result in larger queues at the remaining shops.

“But the more evidence I can present at a meeting with the Network Manager, the better. So please contact my office and let me know how long you’ve had to queue to send off your Christmas post this December.”

Local Liberal Democrats have expressed their outrage at the reaction shown by Labour’s regeneration boss disregarding the effect of the economic downturn on Haringey’s small businesses.

Cllr Amin, Cabinet member for Regeneration and Enterprise, has been criticised for her comments that Haringey Council will closely monitor the financial situation rather than take decisive action. Liberal Democrats say that Haringey Council should take action now before the grip of recession takes hold.

Cllr Amin was quoted in the press last week saying, “To date there is no discernable increase in the closure of shops or businesses in our main shopping centres”.

Cllr Amin’s comments come three months after a meeting with Crouch End traders and Liberal Democrat Cllr David Winskill. They are still awaiting a response from Cllr Amin on actions agreed at the meeting.

Cllr David Winskill, Crouch End, comments:

“There is precious little evidence that Haringey Council is doing anything to help our threatened shopping centres. In September, I brokered a meeting between traders in Crouch End and Haringey Council to discuss the growing crisis yet no action has been taken. I have written to Cllr Amin asking what has been done. We have already lost Meyers and the sad closure of Woolworths is imminent. I really wonder where she is getting her information from.

“I would encourage any residents that are worried about their local shops to write to her as well asking what help she can offer. This is something Haringey Council cannot sit back and wait to happen. Before this Labour Council gets its act together the borough could really be in trouble.”

Cllr Rachel Allison, Liberal Democrat Regeneration and Enterprise Spokesperson adds:

“Local and family run shops face a bleak New Year. They are the lifeblood of all our main shopping centres and must be supported.

“I would urge all small businesses who are not currently claiming small business rate relief to take a look at the council’s website and see if they are eligible. It’s extremely easy to apply and the form should only take a couple of minutes to complete. You can claim up to 50%, which could be backdated.”

Cllr Gail Engert, Liberal Democrat Children, Schools and Families spokesperson comments:

“This is another damning indictment of Haringey’s Children’s Social Services. It is official identification that Haringey is failing to provide adequate services for our young people and most worryingly describes the capacity to improve matters as inadequate.

“The fundamental change needed to turn our Children’s Services around seems unlikely when Labour continue to shuffle their pack rather than embrace any real change. They have restricted scrutiny, stifled debate and discussion – an exemplar children’s service will not be borne from such bad governance. ”

Cllr Robert Gorrie, Liberal Democrat Group Leader, adds:

“This report assesses Haringey as one of the four worst performing boroughs in the country and states that ‘weaknesses have been identified at all levels of the Council’.

“Forty years of Labour mismanagement has produced an enormous problem for Haringey and its residents. We have called on central government to re-inspect all our services and provide substantial additional resources so residents do not have to pay the penalty for Labours failings.”

Haringey Council are set to increase tenants rent by an inflation-busting 6.1% next year it has emerged. This comes after this year’s increase of 6.5%. Local Liberal Democrats criticised the move at last week’s meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny committee saying it is hitting the poorest in the London Borough of Haringey the most.

Members on the committee also discovered that this will be in addition to increased tenancy charges and massive hikes in heating and lighting bills for some tenants. They have asked for full disclosure of the figures.

The increases are a result of a Labour government policy to increase council rents into line with Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) by removing central grant funding. The impact of this policy is likely to fall on the most vulnerable in Haringey.

Cllr Laura Edge, Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson, comments:

“Tenants will despair at this further inflation-busting rent hike. In an economic environment of increasing joblessness, rising fuel and food bills, the last thing tenants need is news before Christmas that another fat bill is coming their way.”

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

“Labour claim to be the party of the people but then they hit those struggling most.”