Highgate Hill embankment works now urgent

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Liberal Democrats are demanding swift repairs to control the slippage of land on an embankment at a prestigious stretch of Highgate Hill, and have criticised Haringey Council for failing to secure action. Local councillor Bob Hare says that the vital safety work is needed now, so that it is completed by the end of the school holidays.

Liberal Democrat councillors in Highgate first raised the issue over a month ago. Cllr Bob Hare says he is worried about the potential collapse of The Bank, which runs parallel to Highgate Hill. He says the rate of movement, with large cracks opening, indicates the high section has become unstable, and fears pedestrians could be at risk on the well-used pavement on Highgate Hill underneath.

On this stretch, there is a bus stop, used in term time by large numbers of children from nearby Channing School.This means that people, including many children are not just passing by, but kept in the danger zone under the wall and road, which are some seven feet above.

Cllr Bob Hare comments:

“We need a rapid solution to this problem – and now is the perfect time to act, while local schools are closed. The problem is only likely to get worse and anything less than swift action just isn’t good enough.”

Labour cuts pension benefits

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The Sunday Telegraph has my story today:

Britain’s poorest pensioners will lose out on £100m next year because of Government plans to reduce the amount of backdated pension credit they can claim.

An answer to a Parliamentary question last week revealed that the proposal to allow pensioners’ to reclaim just three month’s worth of credit rather than 12 months will save the Government £100m in 2009, and nearly the same amount again the following year.

Additional figures also show that similar proposals to change the backdating of housing and council tax benefit will save the Government £35m next year and £70m in 2010…

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, said that the plans were “the worst kind of Labour penny-pinching”.

Her question in Parliament revealed that the Government will make substantial savings by 2010 by removing the ability for pensioners to backdate their pension credit claims. These savings include £55m this year, £100m next year, and a further £96m in 2010.

Featherstone said: “These figures show the Treasury is in for a real windfall at the expense of some of the poorest people in the country. Pensioners on fixed incomes are bearing the brunt of bumper rises in fuel and shopping bills. It is therefore outrageous that the Government has targeted them to claw back millions of pounds.”

She added that the practice of backdating pension credit claims for a year made a “fair and proper” allowance for the fact that pensioners often found it difficult to make timely claims for their entitlements.

“Scrapping this sound principle completely undermines the aim of pension credits in tackling poverty for the oldest in our society,” she said.

Pensioners now have until October 6 to put in a claim for backdated pension credit. After this time, they will only receive three months worth of backdated payments for their credit and the associated council tax benefit and housing benefit

You can read the full story here, but regardless – note that October 6 deadline – that’s an important date to remember if you are eligible for these benefits – or to remind other people about if you are not.

Update: The Mail on Sunday has the story too.

The role of fathers

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That’s the topic of my latest piece for the Highgate Flier and Muswell Hill Handbook:

It’s all sorts of dads we should be thinking about – not just black ones!

I refer to both Barack Obama and David Cameron’s recently zooming in on the world of fatherless black children. Now yes – there is a disproportionately high number of black families being brought up essentially by the mother – but it’s also an issue in white communities.

I’ve been a single mother myself since my children were 7 and 12. And two things that used to annoy the whatsit out of me when they were at school were firstly that each year parents got a class list (with contact details of all the class parents) and despite informing the school many, many times that we were separated – it was always (only) my address and number on the list – the school itself was acting as if to exclude separated fathers. Secondly – the school tended to send notes home with the child about parents evenings, plays etc. And again – that means they all came to me – and more generally, as it is usually the mother that children live with, to the mothers. So again – the school was acting in a way that excluded separated fathers rather than bringing them in and encouraging their involvement

Being obviously extremely civilised – I would tell my ex the details from the notes and we would often go together to the parents evenings and so on. But if you’re not so lucky in how things work out, the school should be there encouraging the involvement of both parents.

The school should have an obligation to contact both parents about all school activities. Clearly if the situation is hostile – there may be issues – but at least both parents would be informed (so long as the parent and their whereabouts are known).

This has improved a bit in recent years – with email and some good practise where it is the norm to list and contact both parents regardless of status or hostilities – but not nearly enough.

I continue to believe that given it has been shown that a kid’s reading ability, particularly boys, improves beyond measure in correlation to how much reading they do with their dad – it’s time for pro-actively engaging fathers more.

I’m sure lots of you reading this (fathers) are engaged and equally involved with your kids – but this is about improving a situation where there is need.

In America, they have been implementing a scheme (or various schemes) called any variation on ‘Dads and Doughnuts’. Now whilst here we might prefer something other than doughnuts – the idea is a good one that can travel: the school invites Dads in to do things with their kids without the mums. Sometimes this is reading with a breakfast (great for Dads who go to work early) or evening events or parents’ nights for Dads only.

Dads have been left out in the cold for too long. We are seeing the consequences of their absence – but it’s not something we need simply complain about. We can, and should, act.

Preserving Bounds Green station

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Bounds Green tube station was opened on 19th September 1932 and was designed by architect C. H. James in the “Box-style” of his colleague Charles Holden. The station is a well-preserved example of the modernist house style used by London Transport in the 1930s (and credit to London Transport in its various incarnations over the years to have kept these features well-preserved).

In other words – it’s a great piece of our architectural heritage which deserve protecting.

John Oakes is one of the Bounds Green councillors and puts it well:

“Bounds Green station is a beautiful example of the art-deco design style of the 1930s adopted by London Transport. It has cheerfully decorated the Bounds Green landscape for well for over seventy years and I believe it deserves listed status due to its iconic character. I hope English Heritage agrees with me and that we can take the listing process forward.”

John has therefore written to English Heritage asking them to give the station listed building status. Fingers crossed!

Muswell Hill Library: Labour delay improvements yet again

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Not good news about Muswell Hill Library – promised plans to refurbish Muswell Hill Library and provide vital disabled access that were due to take place this year have been postponed yet again by Haringey Council.

As my colleague Gail Engert (Muswell Hill ward) put it:

“Muswell Hill Library is in a lamentable state with wallpaper hanging off the walls, toilets in an unacceptable condition and the top floor not accessible to disabled residents. Residents and local Liberal Democrat councillors have been campaigning for years to have this listed building returned to a fit state and accessible to all.

“Yet again the Labour Council have reneged on their promises and let residents down.”

Dads and doughnuts

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It’s all sorts of dads we should be thinking about – not just black ones!

I refer to both Barack Obama and David Cameron’s recently zooming in on the world of fatherless black children. Now yes – there is a disproportionately high number of black families being brought up essentially by the mother – but it’s also an issue in white communities.

I’ve been a single mother myself since my children were 7 and 12. And two things that used to annoy the whatsit out of me when they were at school were firstly that each year parents got a class list (with contact details of all the class parents) and despite informing the school many, many times that we were separated – it was always (only) my address and number on the list – the school itself was acting as if to exclude separated fathers. Secondly – the school tended to send notes home with the child about parents evenings, plays etc. And again – that means they all came to me – and more generally, as it is usually the mother that children live with, to the mothers. So again – the school was acting in a way that excluded separated fathers rather than bringing them in and encouraging their involvement

Being obviously extremely civilised – I would tell my ex the details from the notes and we would often go together to the parents evenings and so on. But if you’re not so lucky in how things work out, the school should be there encouraging the involvement of both parents.

The school should have an obligation to contact both parents about all school activities. Clearly if the situation is hostile – there may be issues – but at least both parents would be informed (so long as the parent and their whereabouts are known).

This has improved a bit in recent years – with email and some good practise where it is the norm to list and contact both parents regardless of status or hostilities – but not nearly enough.

I continue to believe that given it has been shown that a kid’s reading ability, particularly boys, improves beyond measure in correlation to how much reading they do with their dad – it’s time for pro-actively engaging fathers more.

I’m sure lots of you reading this (fathers) are engaged and equally involved with your kids – but this is about improving a situation where there is need.

In America, they have been implementing a scheme (or various schemes) called any variation on ‘Dads and Doughnuts‘. Now whilst here we might prefer something other than doughnuts – the idea is a good one that can travel: the school invites Dads in to do things with their kids without the mums. Sometimes this is reading with a breakfast (great for Dads who go to work early) or evening events or parents’ nights for Dads only.

Dads have been left out in the cold for too long. We are seeing the consequences of their absence – but it’s not something we need simply complain about. We can, and should, act.

(c) Lynne Featherstone, 2008

Hornsey & Wood Green MP publishes detailed expenses

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Local MP Lynne Featherstone today has published a full breakdown of her Parliamentary expenses to demonstrate openness in they way she uses the public money to support her duties as a Member of Parliament.

The declaration covers the first quarter of the financial year from April 2008 to July 2008.

All Liberal Democrat MPs are making similar disclosures as proof of the party’s commitment to integrity and transparency in the use of MPs’ allowances.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“I want to show people how I spend their money and that I have nothing to hide. It is vital if politicians want to restore trust they must be open and accountable.

“It is completely improper that MPs vote on their own salary and I will continue to press for them to be set by an independent body.”

You can download the figures (as an Excel spreadsheet) here.

Note: as a London MP, Lynne Featherstone choses to claim London supplement of £2,812 pa instead of Additional Costs Allowance which is worth £23,083 pa.

Liberal Democrat concern for second biggest shopping centre in Haringey

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Local Liberal Democrats have challenged Haringey Council to help struggling retailers in Crouch End. High rents, Council parking schemes and, more recently, the effects of the economic downturn, have all contributed to very difficult trading conditions for Haringey’s second largest shopping centre.

Concerned by the threat to Crouch End’s unique independent shopping environment, Cllr David Winskill has written an open letter to Haringey Labour’s Lead Councillor for Regeneration calling for an urgent meeting to discuss possible action by Haringey Council to help local businesses.

Currently there are sixteen empty shop units and many businesses are reporting trading problems.

Cllr David Winskill, Crouch End, commented:

“I have lived here all my life and seen the effects that several recessions have had on the area. I have written to Cllr Amin to ask for help to see Crouch End through what is fast becoming a crisis. There are a lot of ideas we can discuss and I hope she agrees to treat this as a priority.”

Chris Freeman, of Crouch End Baker Dunns, added:

“The fundamental problem facing shopkeepers is the record levels of rents in the area. If they keep on rising, we are in danger of losing the very businesses that attract people to Crouch End in the first place.”

Andrew Thornton of Budgens, added:

“The Crouch End Project is trying hard to encourage local people to shop local – it’s good for the local economy as well as the environment. I hope Haringey recognise that we want to work in partnership with them and together we can come up with some creative solutions to the challenges all traders face.”

Text of open letter to the Lead Member for Regeneration:

I am sure that you will have picked up from press reports over the last few months that Crouch End (the second biggest shopping centre in the borough) is increasingly coming under severe pressure from the effects of enormous rent rises. The latest casualty, a retail glass and framing business established for over thirty years, has been forced to reduce its floor space by half as it could not afford to trade following a rent review.

When I became a councillor in 2002 it was common for individual shops to be paying £25k – £30k a year in rent. It has been reported that a shop near the Clock Tower is paying £70,000.

Sixteen businesses have already been lost including a travel agent, general store, delicatessen, restaurant, carpet shop, chemist, clothes shop, record store and various others. There are now more empty shop units that at any time in a generation.

The shops that have (eventually) been coming in are not replacing like with like. We are becoming over-provided with hairdressers, expensive fashion shops, financial services and coffee shops. There is also the phenomenon that small, independent, family owned businesses are being pushed out by large high street chains who are able to pay above market local rents to secure premises, thus putting more pressure on rentals as they are reviewed. As we lose independent and family shops, Crouch End loses some of its character and attractiveness.

I am concerned that the ability of Crouch End to offer a wide and diverse range of goods and services is becoming compromised. This will be exacerbated when the large Sainsbury’s on Hornsey High Street opens: I fear for the ability of our small family run grocers and green grocers to compete and survive.

Other negative factors affecting Crouch End include –

·The recently introduced Pay and Display which deters impulse buying and disadvantages small shops in relation to large supermarkets with free car parking.
·Wider economic factors which are increasingly starting to bite in peoples’ purses and reduce their spending power.

You will be aware of a self-help initiative run and paid for by our shopkeepers called the Crouch End Project. It sets out to encourage local people to value and use their local shops – completely in accord with the environmental aspirations of Haringey Council and supported by residents.

I would like to invite you to visit Crouch End and meet some traders so they can have the chance to tell you their stories and share their worries for the future.

Then we can perhaps discuss ways that the borough can offer help to this important shopping centre.

Please let me know what dates would be convenient.

Reaction to Wards Corner decision delay: Haringey should now talk to traders say Liberal Democrats

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Commenting on the decision by Grainger PLC to defer its planning application for the redevelopment of Wards Corner in Seven Sisters, Cllr John Oakes, Liberal Democrat Community Involvement Spokesperson, commented:

“Right from the beginning, Liberal Democrats backed the Wards Corner Community Coalition (WCCC) of residents and traders, by forcing Haringey and the NDC to debate Wards Corner in public, and face the logic of their approach. WCCC’s sustained campaigning has forced this delay. Now we want the Council to cost WCCC’s alternative plans, which have already cost the Coalition £8,000, and to be open with traders about their legal rights.”

Cllr Rachel Allison, Liberal Democrat Regeneration Spokesperson, adds:

“The battle has been won but the war to protect the heritage of the Wards Corner site is not over. The Ward Corner Community Coalition represents the very heart of Seven Sisters – both traders and residents. No one understands more what the site needs than the people who actually live and work there. All they have asked for is that their ideas should be heard and I hope this deferral by Grainger means that finally this will happen. Anything less would be a betrayal.”

David Schmitz, Liberal Democrat Tottenham spokesman, added:

“We are proud that, in backing the Wards Corner Coalition, the other parties have finally decided to follow where we have led.

“We are even prouder that for the past year, we have been following where the coalition has been leading. This is because as Liberal Democrats, we believe that the purpose of government is to celebrate community enterprise and civic pride not to stifle it.”