In advance of next week’s completion of major building works at Hornsey Hospital, Haringey Liberal Democrats are today launching the results of their local heath survey to prompt debate on the contents of the Hospital.

When asked what services they wanted to see in the facility, local residents supported a wide range of health services, including, x-ray services (59%) emergency care (54%) and homeopathic and alternative therapies (26%).

Survey responses was received from 1,281 Haringey residents.

Commenting, Lynne Featherstone MP said:

“We have the building, now we need to know what is going to go in it.We are absolutely clear that local residents do not want to see a reduction in number of GPs or mass forced relocations of local practices.But this is only one part of the story.

“I have been campaigning with local residents for over a decade to get Hornsey Hospital re-opened. To be called a hospital it must have more than basic GP services. Our survey has show there is significant demand for wider services.

“This is real opportunity; the Heath Trust must act now to engage with local people.”

Councillor Richard Wilson, Haringey Liberal Democrats Health Spokesperson added:

“Sifting through the responses one thing is clear; local people don’t want Hornsey Central to be just an enormous GP clinic. They want new hospital services brought onto the site.”

Local Liberal Democrats have launched a campaign to get the historic Bounds Green tube station protected for future generations. Bounds Green Liberal Democrat councillor, John Oakes, has written to the conservation group English Heritage, requesting that Bounds Green tube station receives listed status.

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.

Any member of the public can apply for an historic building to receive listed status, which if granted gives statutory protection to that building, allowing its special interest to be taken into account before any changes are made that would affect its character.

Cllr John Oakes commented:

“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.”

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green added:

“I fully support Cllr Oakes’ quest to have Bounds Green tube station listed. I visited the station recently to view some upgrade work and was very impressed with how beautifully its 1930s design has been preserved.”

Local Liberal Democrats have been successful in their bid to force a review of Haringey Council’s controversial decision to change the way leaseholders are charged for work to their properties.

Haringey Council’s Cabinet agreed on 15th July 2008 that leaseholders should pay up-front for major works but opposition from Liberal Democrats has forced the decision to be considered by the Council’s ‘watchdog’ committee.

Prior to the new scheme leaseholders would pay for major work after completion. However, under the new scheme Homes for Haringey will be allowed to pressure leaseholders to pay before work has started.Liberal Democrats have criticised this change, saying leaseholders who refuse to pay the full amount upfront rather than waiting to see if the work has been done properly will be charged on average £325 more.

Liberal Democrats have demanded that proposals are changed to provide a full consultation of leaseholders and, following discussion, Haringey Council should re-examine payment options to reflect leaseholders’ views and to provide leaseholders with clear financial benefits.

Cllr Richard Wilson, Haringey Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, commented:

“This proposal would give a green light to shoddy workmanship and botched repairs by forcing leaseholders to pay up before work has been done. Nobody in their right mind would pay a builder the full amount upfront before they even start work. This is a leaseholder rip-off.

“At best this change is a cynical cash grab by Haringey Council. At a time when they know that the decent homes project will generate higher bills for leaseholders all they want to do is get their hands on it.

“Not only do leaseholders lose out financially on many of the proposals but Haringey Council failed to consult properly to ask leaseholders what they thought of the scheme.”

Haringey Council fails to keep track of over 500 young people aged 16-18 leaving school it has been revealed. Local Liberal Democrats are concerned that the increase in the number of young people whose whereabouts are ‘not known’ is a sign of a hidden group of young people falling through the education system.

According to recent figures released by Haringey Council last Tuesday (15th July 2008) the percentage of young people in Haringey aged 16-18 whose current status is not known has risen to 11.7%.

Cllr Gail Engert, Liberal Democrat Children, Schools and Families Spokesperson, raised her concerns over the high level of ‘not knowns’ with the Cabinet member for Children and Young People, Cllr Liz Santry, at the Haringey Council Cabinet meeting on the 15th July.

Cllr Engert commented:

“It is shocking that Haringey Council has managed to lose track of 500 young people. This is a really worrying sign. If Haringey Council does not know the whereabouts of these young people, how can they ensure they are helped to gain access to employment or further education?

“Worryingly we were the fourth worst in the country in figures compiled by the government – now Haringey’s figures show that we are pushing to be the worst. The Council really need to get its act together.”

Lynne Featherstone MP added:

“If we are to break the cycle of poverty in Haringey every single young person needs as much help as possible to get jobs. These young people are being let down by Labour, particularly in the current economic climate. It is therefore completely unacceptable that such little effort is made to stay in contact with a group of people who need our help most.”