The departure of Sharon Shoesmith

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As I sat on the benches in the Commons yesterday for the result of the vote on Menzies Campbell’s amendment to set up a committee into the Damian Green affair as per the Speaker’s statement – i.e. to sit now and to be non-partisan – when my phone started ringing (silently or Mr Speaker would have my guts for garters!). We lost the vote by three votes – and the Government if it had had any sense would have agreed to the amendment – but no they got their partisan way, discrediting themselves as usual. So the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives will not sit on this rigged and delayed committee – ‘delayed’ because it would not do any real work until after police investigation and court proceedings are at an end.

Anyway – the reason for phone assault was the news breaking that Sharon Shoesmith had been dismissed without compensation. My reaction – huge relief really. For the first time in a long time what should have happened has happened. No pay off. No excellent references. That has been the way of ‘getting rid’ of people in both the public and private sector for too long and has created a rotten culture and rotten performance – at the very top.

Sharon Shoesmith failed in her duties and was accountable and has now suffered the appropriate consequence.

Someone said to me last night ‘she was unlucky’. No – she failed in her duty and that is why she has gone.

It’s just that we have got used as a society to accepting failure and rewarding it. But the Children’s Act of 2004 made it clear that the buck stopped with her position and the lead politician for Children’s Services.

However, if this is the long awaited fightback of doing what is right not what is expedient – then with a real stretch you might be able to say that she was ‘unlucky’ the pendulum started its swing back on her misdoings as opposed to all those who have got away with it before.

And the only other thing I think she was ‘unlucky’ with was that she was holding the parcel when, following Laming’s inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie, the Government joined Social Services and Education Services and she, already Director of Education, found herself in charge of children’s protection as well without any experience.

I suspect that is why Ed Ball’s report criticises her oversight of the deputy – who was more hands on. However, she chaired and controlled the Safeguarding Children’s Board – and was responsible ultimately for a litany of failures the like of which I hope we never see again. One missed appointment when a child is on the at risk register should be enough!

First Labour, then Tories betray Wards Corner, says Lib Dem campaigner David Schmitz

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Betrayal – that is the verdict of Liberal Democrat Tottenham Spokesman David Schmitz, after the office of London’s Conservative Mayor, Boris Johnson, moved to back Haringey Council’s plans for Wards Corner.

Mr Schmitz says the move, which came in a letter to Haringey Council from Ian Clement, Deputy Mayor for Government Relations, will dismay local residents and campaigners. During the election campaign Johnson had told them that he would back local traders.

But the battle does not end here according to the Liberal Democrat campaigner.

“The Mayor cannot wash his hands of the problem simply by refusing to intervene in the planning process,” says David Schmitz.

“The Mayor, through London Underground Ltd., has the power, as the owner of a large part of the site, to control what happens there. He can stop the scheme no matter what the planning position may be – and that is exactly what he must do.

“Also, there are serious concerns about the way in which the planning committee reached its decision, and a legal challenge could very well succeed.

“Local residents have been working incredibly hard to save a fine building and a vibrant market in a conservation area, but Haringey Council has just ignored them. It cannot see the value which the building would have if it were to be restored, and it cares so little about the market that it has unquestioningly accepted assurances from the developers.”

Shock as Labour councillor says there are no parking problems in Crouch End

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Local Liberal Democrats have reacted with amazement at comments made by a senior Labour councillor saying that there are no parking troubles in Crouch End, when public demand has forced Haringey Council to introduce a controlled parking zone (CPZ) in the area.

At last night’s planning meeting, Cllr Ray Dodds argued against in-depth surveys commissioned by Haringey Council that show Crouch End is experiencing severe parking stress and refused to oppose an unpopular development that council officers believed would worsen parking problems.

Liberal Democrats are saying this shows how out of touch Labour councillors are with issues of major public concern.

Cllr Martin Newton, Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson, comments:

“Crouch End has been besieged by parking problems since summer last year. Petitions, deputations to Haringey Council, local press coverage have all come from concerned local residents yet Cllr Dodds seems to be unaware of the most talked about issues in Haringey.”

Cllr Lyn Weber, local Crouch End councillor, adds:

“Cllr Dodds is clearly out of touch with his Environment cabinet colleague Cllr Brian Haley. He appears to be oblivious to the fact that a statutory CPZ consultation has just been undertaken in Crouch End. This just demonstrates that the Labour group is out of touch, not only with real people, but even their own Cabinet Members.”

The planning application to demolish garages and build houses on the Cecile Park site had been fiercely opposed by residents with the support of Crouch End Liberal Democrat David Winskill. Planning Officers recommended to refuse permission. The committee accepted this and Cllr Dodds, who abstained, was isolated in a minority of one.

Councillor David Winskill adds:

“It’s time that developers got the message that these sites are totally unsuitable for housing developments. They should give up and let residents get their lives back.”

Liberal Democrats pick David Schmitz, a strong and experienced campaigner, for Seven Sisters

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Liberal Democrats in Tottenham have selected local campaigner David Schmitz to be their candidate in the Seven Sisters by-election, caused by the sad death of long-serving councillor Fred Knight.

David Schmitz is also the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson for Tottenham, so is a seasoned campaigner for Tottenham. On the Labour council’s controversial plans for the development of Wards Corner, David Schmitz, a barrister, has been giving free legal advice to members of the Wards Corner Community Coalition to help save the Latin American market and the historic Wards Corner building.

Mr Schmitz says he will be campaigning to hold Haringey Council to account over the appalling mismanagement that led to the tragic death of Baby P and to prevent large payoffs being made to anyone found to have been guilty of gross misconduct. He also wants to tackle Haringey Council neglect in the Seven Sisters area, including dumped rubbish and other local grot spots.

David Schmitz comments:

“More than ever, Tottenham and Seven Sisters need the Liberal Democrats. Only the Liberal Democrats offer an alternative, and with the last local elections so close, a win in January will send a message to Labour that after nearly forty years of mismanagement, local residents have had enough.”

Hornsey and Wood Green Lib Dem MP Lynne Featherstone, who was until 2006 a Haringey councillor, adds:

“I’m delighted David has been chosen. He will be a strong voice for the people of Seven Sisters and South Tottenham.The tragedy of Baby P is the latest and the worst result of Labour’s failure to run the Council properly. Local people are more than ever disgusted with Haringey Labour, who are clearly not up to the job of running the Council. The days when Tottenham residents would just put up with Labour neglect are over. That is why the Liberal Democrats will be fighting hard to win on 15th January.

“David Schmitz is already a formidable Tottenham campaigner for the Liberal Democrats. He almost unseated a former Labour Mayor in a huge swing in the 2006 local elections. His role was key to securing the election of Lib Dem councillors in Tottenham for the first time in many years.”

The whole area is now turning to the Lib Dems, with the Conservatives knocked into third place in the last general election. They have no seats at all on Haringey Council.

David Schmitz’s commitment to the Tottenham community is deep and of long standing:

“A few years ago, the house next door to us became a drugs den,” says David Schmitz. “Haringey Council’s inability to deal with the problem turned me into a local campaigner.

“When the drug den was destroyed by fire, my partner and I bought the wreck and spent a year doing it up as our home. I was so impressed by what Lynne Featherstone and the Liberal Democrats were achieving in Haringey that when our building work was done, I decided that the time had come for me to join in their campaigns.”

Have you asked your MP to back calls for a public inquiry into the death of Baby P?

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Early Day Motions (EDMs) are a form of Parliamentary petition which MPs can sign. They ‘lapse’ at the end of each Parliamentary session, so with the start of a new one I’ve tabled an EDM again calling for a public inquiry:

That this House deeply regrets the death of Baby P; welcomes the action of the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to date; believes that many questions remain unanswered; and demands a full independent public inquiry to restore confidence in child protection in Haringey.

You can check to see which MPs have signed it here – and if your MP isn’t one of them, you can quickly and easily lobby them by using WriteToThem.com

Was it because she is a girlie?

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Sitting having dinner before Any Questions? on Friday night, we (guests and presenter) were chatting about the Damian Green arrest and the Home Secretary not knowing that he was going to be arrested.

I said – only half-joking – given the acting Commissioner of the Met had phoned Boris Johnson and David Cameron – maybe it was an equalities issue – no need to tell the girlie? Interestingly, John Reid on his feet in the Commons had made it clear that when he was Home Secretary it would be unthinkable for there to be a pending arrest of a member of the house and he not be told. He said he thought Ms Home Secretary was remarkably ‘placid’ about this.

And all this rubbish from Jacqui Smith about operational independence of the police – yes that is vital but informing the Home Secretary doesn’t mean she would have to intervene or even comment. Simply saying ‘thank you for informing me and make sure all protocols are followed’ would have been adequate.

Anyway – as it was a private conversation as all such are – all I will say is that I now wish to float this idea publicly – that Ms Smith is telling the truth and she didn’t know and I would propose that the boys obviously all thought they should handle it without telling the girlie! Shame on you boys!

In the newspapers today

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The Sun and The Times have stories today which quote me. First, the Sun:

SHAMED Haringey Council squandered £19,000 trying to make Baby P scandal boss Sharon Shoesmith look better.

MPs were furious last night after learning spin doctors were hired following the tot tragedy.

Their role was to give media advice to the head of children’s services and her colleagues.

Ms Shoesmith, 55 — now suspended — was given role-play exercises by up to three firms on how to answer probing questions from journalists.

She twice refused to apologise at a press conference over her department’s shocking failure to save the 17-month-old “at-risk” tot after his evil mother and stepdad and a lodger were convicted of torturing him to death.

Lib Dem MP Lynne Featherstone said: “It is absolutely outrageous that this money has been wasted on spin doctors. Every penny would have been better spent on improving our children’s services.”

Full story here, and in The Times:

Police are investigating allegations of serious abuse of a five-year-old victim of child trafficking while he was in the care of Haringey, the London council that failed to prevent the death of Baby P.

The Metropolitan police child abuse team launched the investigation last month after claims that the child was being beaten while in the care of his adoptive family…

The police investigation will come as a fresh blow to Haringey, which was severely censured last week for its “inadequate” child protection measures following the death of Baby P, who died despite 50 visits from social workers and other public agencies. The children’s minister, Ed Balls, described an Ofsted report into the department’s child protection measures as “devastating”…

Police are investigating allegations that a five-year-old boy was abused while in the care of Haringey, the London council that was severely criticised over the death of Baby P.

An investigation was launched by Scotland Yard last month after claims that the boy, who had been a victim of child trafficking, was beaten while in the care of his foster family.

The boy, known as Child C, had been taken from his home in Africa and, once in Britain, was adopted as a “miracle baby” by a follower of Gilbert Deya, the evangelist who claimed to be able to cure infertility through prayer…

Last night Haringey was also condemned by MPs after it was revealed that the council had spent £19,000 on external media advisers after Baby P’s death to help Ms Shoesmith cope with the expected public interest. This included role-plays on how to handle hostile journalists.

Lynne Featherstone, the Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, which is part of the Haringey borough, said: “It is absolutely outrageous that this money has been wasted on spin doctors. Every penny of this cash would have been better spent on improving our children’s services.”

Full story here.

Ofsted: Haringey didn't tell us the truth

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I read front page in the Guardian yesterday that Christine Gilbert, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, has come out publicly to say that Ofsted were lied to by officers in Haringey in terms of the information they provided when they inspected Haringey. Result – Ofsted gave Haringey three stars just weeks after Baby P’s death.

Well – I’m glad she said it. I’ve no doubt Haringey did present inaccurate information and was trying to pull the wool over Ofsted’s eyes – given they wanted three stars because the government hoops they have to jump through mean resources, money and political advantage all come from three stars.

However, as neatly as Ofsted wishes to put all the blame on Haringey, I would just like to point out the feebleness of that as an excuse for an inspection regime. Ed Balls has now moved to say basically these interim inspections are useless and Ofsted must do face-to-face inspections annually. But what on earth confidence can we have in any inspection regime given this failure? Surely the questions and examinations have to go deeper.

And last but not least in this dishonourable performance management system is the Government itself who set it up. Ed Balls is only too willing to look at the narrow focus of the social work and systems end – but not really so far said anything about the Government’s part in this devastating failure. It is the Labour Government who set up a performance management system with targets, tick boxes and gold stars on inspection. What bigger perverse incentive can you have in a rotten borough then to be allowed to present false information to achieve a false status? Come on Ed – look at your own part in all of this.

And today, news has broken that Ed Balls and Alan Johnson are launching a task force to change the practice, spread best practise and look at training of social workers. Yes – some of things are suggested may well be good so no problem with that or the task force – but the focus is still narrow. We need a proper public inquiry to look at all the issues that are much wider than just what happens in the departments themselves. As before – even the Government system of performance management is called into question.

Get help on cutting your fuel bills this Friday

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I’m taking part in an energy efficiency event on Friday, 12th December from 11.30am-2.30pm, Salvation Army Hall, 24 Lymington Avenue, Wood Green, N22 6JA (map here).

I’ve paired up with government-backed energy efficiency provider Eaga (which administers the Warm Front programme) for this event, and The Energy Saving Trust along with pension, public health and housing advisers will also be present – in other words, the full range of people to give advice on how to save energy and the help available. Between 11:30am-1:30pm I’ll be holding an extra surgery for constituents, so people can directly raise any specific issue.

I know many local people are struggling with rising energy bills on top of the financial crisis, so I hope many will pop along to get an MOT on their energy use and get advice on the grants available. Hopefully many will find out how to save themselves a small fortune.

They will be able to get expert impartial advice on grants available and the simple steps which will save the planet and their purse.

Wallace and Gromit's Great British Tea Party

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Lynne Featherstone and team having teaYesterday we had a tea party in the office – taking part with people all over the UK in Wallace and Gromit’s Great British Tea Party.

It was to help raise funds for sick children in hospitals and hospices.

We had a range of yummy treats on offer, from Welsh teacakes, to Swedish Christmas cakes and of course Wensleydale cheese.

It’s a shame though that Wallace and Gromit couldn’t make it. Maybe better luck next year.