Lynne Featherstone MP joins the fight against breast cancer

Posted on 19th Sep 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, has again joined the fight against breast cancer by taking part in Breast Cancer Campaign’s biggest fundraiser, ‘wear it pink’ day.

Over the last 10 years, ‘wear it pink’ has raised £23 million, and on Friday 25 October 2013 people will come together in schools, colleges and businesses throughout the country to raise funds for Breast Cancer Campaign’s lifesaving research.

The Breast Cancer Campaign will use the money raised from ‘wear it pink’ for its researchers, so they have the best possible chance to find the cure.

Fundraising packs, information and registration for ‘wear it pink’ are available here.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“Every year in the UK around 50,000 women and around 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer.

“In the past, I have fought hard to ensure all women in Haringey and North London have access to breast cancer screening.

“Sadly though, 12,000 women and 80 men die from this disease. This is why we need to support the Breast Cancer Campaign’s fundraising efforts – so they can continue to fund research which will one day lead to a cure. So join me, wear something pink and donate £2, it’s really as simple as that.

Local independents on national TV!

Posted on 16th Sep 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Last night, at 7.55 pm, Channel 4 aired a short video of me visiting some of Hornsey and Wood Green’s finest independent shops, and talking about the local Lib Dem campaign for 30 minutes free parking.

The shops are Big Green Bookshop of Wood Green, Crocodile Antiques of Muswell Hill, and Dunn’s of Crouch End.

You can watch the video here:

New River Village's shocking secret….

Posted on 11th Sep 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

A few days ago I issued a press release exposing the awful living conditions of some residents in the Colorado Apartments at New River Village. In response, the local Lib Dems and I have started a petition, calling on Circle 33 (the company who manage the block) to step up and take action.

I have now also released this video, taken from my visit, so you can really see the problems for yourself.

As you can see, in contrast to the pristine private apartment blocks, these social housing blocks are in disrepair and suffering from damp walls.

Since we started this campaign, we have also received reports of graffiti, overflowing bins and general litter dumping. People have told us about mice and cockroaches – and even human excrement in the corridors. No-one should have to live like this.

I demanded a meeting with the Managing Director of Circle 33 – and he is coming to my constituency office next Friday. We will be presenting him with the petition and accompanying him on the site visit.

I won’t rest until these problems are sorted!

Lynne Featherstone MP exposes New River Village shame

Posted on 9th Sep 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Lynne Featherstone MP and local Liberal Democrat campaigners have launched a petition demanding better living conditions for residents in the social housing apartments at New River Village.

In contrast to the pristine private apartment blocks, the social housing blocks –to the rear of the development – are suffering from damp walls, graffiti, overflowing bins and general litter and mess in the corridors.

The Hornsey and Wood Green MP recently visited an apartment in the block. Resident Kristine Gravelsina showed the local MP the effect of the problems on her apartment – including severe damp in the kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms.

Following the visit, the Liberal Democrat MP wrote to the Housing Association Circle 33 (who are responsible for managing the social housing) and demanded a meeting.

At the meeting, a petition with residents’ signatures – calling on Circle 33 to sort out the problems – will be presented.

Local resident Kristine Gravelsina said:

“Residents in Colorado apartments have to put up with leaks, damp walls and sometimes floods. The shared areas like the corridors and bin stores are in a terrible state.

“We have been trying to get Circle 33 to help us, but they are slow and no proper repairs have been made. I am glad Lynne and the Lib Dems have stepped in and I hope that it finally makes Circle 33 take action.”

Dawn Barnes, Hornsey Liberal Democrat campaigner, said:

“I was shocked and upset when I visited the New River Village and saw how poorly maintained the communal areas were.

“I spoke to residents on the ground floor and they showed me that their homes were badly affected with damp and mould. These homes aren’t good enough for families to live in and, with winter approaching, the problems need to be fixed quickly.”

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“As Kristine’s MP, I will fight hard on her behalf for better living conditions. What I saw on my visit to her apartment block was simply unacceptable.

“I have demanded a meeting with Circle 33. With the backing of residents, I will be asking that they make the necessary repairs as soon as possible, and for a commitment to provide a better service in the future.”

No fines for waste contractors by ‘out of touch’ Haringey Council

Posted on 9th Sep 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Lynne Featherstone MP expressed her shock today, as she revealed that Haringey Council has never fined waste contractor Veolia for poor performance.

Complaints about the rubbish collection service in the borough – which range from unpredictable and patchy collections, difficulties with bin sizes, mess being left behind after collections and a poor follow up service when complaints are made – have been common since the Labour-run Council introduced fortnightly collections two years ago.

The Liberal Democrat MP received a spike of complaints from residents over summer, expressing further dissatisfaction with local rubbish collections. Lack of collections meant rotting piles of stinking rubbish were building up across the borough.

The complaints, documented in local press and on twitter, led the Hornsey and Wood Green MP to contact the Council and ask whether there was any plan to hold waste contractors Veolia to account for poor performance.

Haringey Council confirmed that the contract ‘provides for financial deductions to be made if targets are not met’ – but also admitted that ‘there have been no deductions to date.’

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“Many residents have serious complaints. Disabled residents have been unable to get out of their driveways due to misplaced bins and built up rubbish. Some residents have had to deal with maggots and rat infestations. This has been going on for two years, and enough is enough.

“To discover that the Labour-run Council hasn’t even bothered fining their waste contractors Veolia for poor performance really shows how out of touch they are with what’s happening on our streets.

“It is simply unacceptable. We pay one of the highest rates of Council tax in London – and we deserve better.”

Haringey schools receive £13m Pupil Premium boost

Posted on 5th Sep 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

This academic year, schools in Haringey will benefit from an extra £13 million on top of their usual budgets, thanks to the Liberal Democrat Pupil Premium.

Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone has welcomed the boost – which will see some schools in her constituency of Hornsey and Wood Green receive over half a million pounds in extra funding.

The Pupil Premium targets extra money to schools depending on the number of children from disadvantaged backgrounds they have. Each primary or secondary school receives an extra £900 per pupil that has been registered for free school meals in the past six years.

This year, the Premium will be worth £1.65bn in total.

Schools can use this money to fund extra members of staff, after school clubs, and school trips, for instance.

Commenting, Lynne Featherstone MP said:

“Here in Haringey we have some truly fantastic schools, teachers and students. Recording breaking A-level and GCSE results this year proves it!

“This extra money is even more good news for local schools. My old primary school – Highgate Primary – will get an extra £99,900 this year! I can’t wait to see what they spend it on.

“The Liberal Democrats aim to build a fairer society where everyone can get on in life. That’s why targeted extra funding for schools is one of our key policies being implemented in Government.”

See how much your child’s school received here.

All local schools are listed in a table here.

More apprenticeships created in Haringey!

Posted on 4th Sep 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

New apprenticeships have been created in Haringey, following an apprenticeship event hosted by Lynne Featherstone MP.

The MP for Hornsey and Wood Green hosted the event on the 14^th August at Haringey Civic Centre, so that Haringey youngsters could meet companies with apprenticeship vacancies and find out more about how to apply.

The event was attended by around 20 employers (with over 500 opportunities between them) and 130 young people looking for apprenticeships.

Since the event, the companies have confirmed that they have taken on some of Haringey’s young people as apprentices. The North London Garages group, who offer apprenticeships in the motor industry, enrolled one of the people who attended the event onto their programme the day after.

Youth unemployment in the Liberal Democrat MP’s constituency has fallen from 7.1% in May 2010 to 4.9% as of July 2013.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone said:

“This is fantastic news. These new apprentices have kick-started their career, and are getting paid to learn a trade. They will also get qualifications too – an advanced level apprenticeship is equivalent to two A-level passes, and others can lead to the attainment of a Foundation Degree.

“Many local residents have been emailing me since the event asking for more information. I am happy to provide more info on apprenticeships – and the companies offering them. I will also certainly be holding similar events in the future and will keep everyone informed.”

Community Haringey!

Posted on 2nd Sep 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Here’s my latest Ham and High column, about some of the organisations I have caught up with over summer recess. You can also read it here.

Haringey is full of wonderful, vibrant and successful voluntary and charitable organisations. They benefit our local area and add such value to our community. I’ve been lucky, as the local MP, to have visited the vast majority of them!

During parliamentary summer recess, I have even more time to revisit these organisations, catch up with them and hear about their plans – and to offer any advice or support.

It started with a visit to Action for Kids – a local charity which helps disabled children and young people towards independence. It was fantastic to join in with some of the activities and see a group of youngsters ready to go on a trip together – all facilitated by this great organisation. It was inspirational to sit with the new chief executive and hear his plans for the future.

A visit to Hornsey Vale community centre was also a great example of how volunteers are contributing much to their local community – by running fashion shows, fitness classes and providing a wheelchair accessible gym. I was so impressed by their outreach programme and the positive impact they are having.

I also popped in to the Tagore Centre – which is based above Alexandra Park Library. Here, a group of volunteers are dedicated to promoting the work of India’s Nobel laureate poet, writer and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore. They manage a vast collection of materials, including hundreds of books, songs and paintings, and hold regular social events to celebrate Tagore’s life and work.

The dedication and passion of the volunteers was evident from the moment I stepped in. They are working hard to promote Tagore and keep his work relevant in the modern day – and I highly commend them for it.

There have been many others – including some more private meetings with organisations like Victim Support, the North London Samaritans and other counselling services. It’s fantastic to see the amount of time given by volunteers to support vulnerable members of the community.

There is, unfortunately, not space to mention all of the organisations – but suffice to say that the voluntary and community sector is alive and kicking in Haringey – I see it first hand all the time! And this really is a great achievement, given the financial difficulties many are experiencing.

I wish all these invaluable local organisations the very best for the future and hope they will continue to come to me for support and advice when they need it.

As an end note – I’d also like to thank everyone who attended the apprenticeship event I organised two weeks ago. It was a fantastic day and already the companies there have been in touch to say they have taken on some of the young people who attended.

Syria

Posted on 30th Aug 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Below is a copy of the email I am sending to my constituents this morning, following last night’s vote in Parliament:

Good Morning,

Thank you for responding to my request for views on Syria. The responses from constituents were considered and measured. The vast majority were against any direct action on Syria – many of which were against direct action without a UN resolution – a view with which I totally agree.

The Government motion was defeated last night and so was the opposition amendment. I supported the Government motion because it proposed waiting for the UN weapons inspectors to finish their work and for the United Nations Security Council to consider their findings.

The motion also proposed ‘that every effort should be made to secure a Security Council Resolution backing military action before any such action is taken’.

Most crucially the motion gave an absolute commitment that ‘Before any direct British involvement in such action a further vote of the House of Commons will take place.’ That vote would have happened next week, after the weapons inspectors had reported back.

Because people have asked my position, let me make it clear that, in that second vote, I would have voted against military action unless it was supported by the UN – and indeed resigned from the front bench if necessary. After the government defeat last night, I don’t believe there will be a second vote – but my position remains the same.

I am an internationalist and the use of chemical weapons is a war crime. We must use the international bodies that uphold international law – or else we have nothing.

Furthermore, I am not persuaded that the sort of military intervention proposed – that of surgical strikes – would have made things better rather than worse.

I very much hope now that the international community will strive to find a diplomatic route with urgent and redoubled efforts. Assad and other such people should not take the vote last night as a green light on atrocities.

My focus now will be on ensuring vital humanitarian aid reaches those in Syria, and those fleeing the country.

Thank you again,

Lynne