It’s always a rush to get in my Christmas shopping in time:
This time of year sees extra community Christmas events, local groups’ celebrations and visits to fit in. So when the last few frantic days before Christmas arrive, I have never finished (sometimes barely scratched the surface of) my present buying. That is when I thank my lucky stars for living in Highgate!
You can read the rest of the article on my website.
Liberal Democrats and residents are celebrating a campaigning victory, after news that Labour have backed down over the plans for a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in Hornsey. Following the second phase of consultation confirming that there was almost no support for a CPZ in the area, Labour-run Haringey Council confirmed last night that they were being forced to abandon their plans.
Criticism of the way the Labour council has gone about consultation on the controversial plans continues to grow, with Liberal Democrat councillors renewing their calls for more detailed and tailored plans in other areas in which CPZs are planned.
Lib Dems say that, from the start, Labour have just not understood how to conduct a real consultation and they have missed a real opportunity to look at individual issues on a street-by-street basis. They favour a scheme designed to devise tailored solutions through working with the local community, saying that if early talks had taken place with local councillors and the local community, before any plans had been drawn-up, a lot of time and money could have been saved.
Martin Newton, Lib Dem Spokesperson for Traffic and Highways comments:
“We have been calling for Haringey Labour to properly consult with the community and to abandon the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to controlled parking schemes. It is a great shame that so much tax-payers’ money has been wasted by Labour on this when so few people wanted a CPZ in the first place.
“I hope that the Labour now comes to its senses and abandons these schemes where the local community respond that they do not want either a CPZ or pay-and-display parking scheme.
“The irony is that there are indeed some parking issues faced by residents – but Labour simply have no idea what they are. A real consultation is not one where plans are drawn up in a backroom and then presented for comment – it is where plans are drawn up in a process that involves residents in the first place.
“We are all affected by the environmental impact from all forms of transport, but the Labour Council’s approach, or any Labour aspirations for a borough-wide CPZ does not provide the solution.”
Highgate Village is getting ready for Christmas. The lights are up and the Christmas shop windows are looking absolutely gorgeous!
But Christmas shopping is a nightmare for me! I know. I know. Everyone is in the same boat at this time of year – but as well as my usual busy schedule – this time of year sees extra community Christmas events, local groups’ celebrations and visits to fit in. So with no evenings and weekends to fall back on – I diarise a few half days in December for my shopping. Inevitably these get eaten away – in fact the first one which was scheduled for December 7th has already fallen prey to a debate in Parliament on terrorism – and of course, work comes first.
So when the last few frantic days before Christmas arrive, I have never finished (sometimes barely scratched the surface of) my present buying. That is when I thank my lucky stars for living in Highgate! The shops are just wonderful – and there have been years when I have done most of my shopping there.
I get my turkey from Phyllis at the Highgate Butchers – so long as I remember to order it in time (not always the case). My personal cards and Christmas wrapping paper are from Le Chocolatier – as are the chocolates that I take around to various places. I buy most of the books that I give from Highgate Bookshop. I get some of my Christmas drink from Oddbins. Nawar and Walter Castellazzo are my last chance hotels for gifts. Raj in the corner shop has always been there – even on Christmas Day – when I discover the things I have forgotten to buy; last year it was lemons! Of course Bailey & Saunders can be relied on for really last minute smellies. The Highgate Society and the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institute Christmas Craft fairs always deliver a couple of creative pieces. And of course – no Christmas would be complete without my Christmas tags from the Oxfam Shop.
And not forgetting the shops on the Archway Road. My dog expects! So I go down to what used to be Pet – but now has added a vet. Papa Del’s and Indian Chef are the take-aways that keep us going until the day itself. The art shop has gone – but I did pop into the new flower shop that has taken its place. It is just beautifully done.
All the shops (including the ones I haven’t had space to mention) on Archway Road and in Highgate Village put on a good Christmas spread. We are lucky to have such a fine selection to choose from – not to mention Christmas Carols in Pond Square and the almost unrivalled and multitudinous selection of public houses and restaurants that grace this area.
So have a Happy Highgate Christmas!
Woodside High School are having an anti knife-crime week – and all Tuesday is taken up with me and police and young people talking, with theatre and panels on how to resolve the terrible problems that carrying knives have become.
I give a ten minute introduction and then a senior police officer tells the hall (full of year 11s etc) what the police are doing. Then the Comedy Store takes over. They have a production which addresses the issue through humour, but which addresses the issues of the law, the dangers, situations, peer pressure, life choices – so much better than just talking heads.
People seemed to really enjoy it and so the panel afterwards were flooded with questions – some cheeky – but many seemed very concerned as to what they could or couldn’t do within the law. I really hope it beds in. Knives can mess it all up for a child who otherwise has a great life and great contribution ahead of them.
Full marks to Woodside for taking it so seriously and devoting proper time and effort to it. They have a fabulous police officer in the school – Velda Ewen: an absolute gift for the school – committed, enthusiastic and with just the best personality for the job! Congrats to all who took part – and to the kids – ‘cos its their lives and in the end – it’s they who have to take responsibility for their actions.
A quick catch-up on some happy news: Councillor Carolyn Baker, councillor for Harringay ward, has given birth to a beautiful baby girl. Jenna Smith arrived weighing in at a healthy 8.5 pounds. Congratulations to Carolyn and family!
Main event of the day was a public meeting organised by Save Hornsey Hospital Campaign titled ‘Save Local Health Services under Threat’ – which they most certainly are.
I was chairing the meeting and there were a number of speakers, including a really impressive doctor Jacky Davis who told it how it is. She laid out quite clearly the scenarios which are leading to the privatisation of the NHS and demonstrated the harmful effect that so called ‘patient choice’ has had in letting the private sector cherry pick – whilst the NHS (our NHS) is left with less funds and all the difficult cases.
We also had Maria Duggan – a local health expert and local resident – who spoke passionately about the death of services for older people in the west of Haringey. We have very high numbers of older people in the wards in the west of the borough – more than in the east – and yet no council facilities grace the west.
The long-promised all singing all dancing replacement facility for older people that was meant to be delivered in exchange for stopping the campaign to save Hornsey Central Hospital has never materialised.
In fact, the only bit of the proposals to supply beds for older people on the site has collapsed – a mix between Haringey Council withdrawing their sponsorship of that bit and the Primary Care Trust (PCT) taking so long and changing tack so many times that the Council gave up trying to work with them.
The Lib Dems have been campaigning for ‘Action Now’ on Hornsey Central Hospital after the six years of broken promises. Our fight is to make sure that health services are finally delivered – and that the development is about what is needed and wanted locally.
Shirley Murgraff – a long-standing community campaigner – tried to get across the urgency and extent of what was happening in the NHS and to get people signed up to the National Campaign to Keep the NHS. Richard Stein laid out the legal possibilities of challenging what is happening.
Sue Secher, Sue Hessel and Janet Shapiro all gave rousing speeches and more people are needed to sign up to the campaign. There are a number of fronts to be fought on – from pressurising Haringey Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee to making sure everyone local to Fortis Green clinic is aware that they can now put in their two pennies worth on its proposed closure.
There was a representative from the PCT there who tried to say that they were consulting. But as the ‘discussion’ (she was careful to make this distinction) will only be advertised through the newspaper or on lampposts – so there will be another job to do to make sure that people really know what is going on.
The bid to the Government for £7million towards the cost of the new proposed health facility on the Hornsey Central Hospital site will soon be decided. Together with £3.5 million from a LIFT project and the sale of two clinics and some land – this delivers the £14 million funding for the new facility. Of course – the problems are around how much will be private and what will be additional rather than shuffling deckchairs.
The Liberal Democrats have a 5-point plan for Hornsey Central if the bid comes in – which is why I have supported the bid. My pragmatic stance is: let’s get the £7 million and then fight to get what local people want out of it. To get the money we have to jump through some of the Government’s hoops – however much we might disagree with them.
The five points are:
1. More GPs and clinic sessions provided – not just the existing GPs and clinics we already have reshuffled and centralised. There needs to be a real dialogue between the PCT and local GPs to ensure what is provided is wanted by the practices. It is essential that coverage of GPs and GP practices across the area remains and that there is a net gain.
2. Real engagement and consultation with patients, residents, voluntary organisations and health workers over the development and relocation of services. As the promise was originally to replace the services for older people – their needs must be addressed and therefore full engagement with older residents is a priority.
3. Improved public transport to Hornsey Hospital, to ensure it is accessible – particularly for older people and parents with young children. The PCT needs to work with Transport for London to get existing bus routes extended to reach the site and the W2 route reinstated as a minimum.
4. Protect our community pharmacies by working with existing pharmacists and carrying out an impact assessment before opening a new pharmacy at the Hospital.
5. Ensure that the proceeds of any land or property sale go back into site.
This is not an exhaustive list and there are lots of pitfalls and dangers – but at least if we can fight for net gain and proper, and I mean proper, engagement – then just perhaps we can squeeze something out of the current disaster.
Anyway – top marks to the Save Hornsey Central Hospital campaigners who had worked so hard to get this meeting together. It can be very hard work to get people informed and out of their houses – but the hall was packed and the passions ran really high.
Well, my nephew Jake is in a band called Mad Staring Eyes and the band is up for a vote on http://www.xfmmanchester.co.uk/Article.asp?id=194019
It makes a change to lobby for something non-political. And they’re really good – no bias. Honest! You can listen to a track if you go to the site.
Lib Dem colleagues are congratulating Councillor Carolyn Baker, councillor for Harringay ward, after giving birth to a beautiful baby girl.
Jenna Smith arrived on the 27th November weighing in at a healthy 8.5 pounds.
Baby, sister, mother and father are all doing very well and the family are delighted to welcome the new addition. The Lib Dems would like to wish Jenna and her family their very best wishes.
Liberal Democrats say that Haringey Council budget plans show vulnerable older and disabled people will bear the brunt of the Labour Council’s financial difficulties, with multi-million pound cuts planned to Social Services over the next four years.
Labour’s plans to slash back services and increase charges have just been scrutinised by councillors for the first time. Lib Dem councillors helped ensure the committee scrutinising the plans recommended that vital day centres did not close. Although Labour have already had to abandon the controversial plans to close drop-in centres for older people across the borough, a huge array of cuts remain in the budget plans, including:
·A £370,000 hike in charges for services such as home care and meals on wheels
·A cut in 79 residential care beds for older people
·The closure of the Haven day centre for older people
·Closure of the Keston day centre for people with learning disabilities
·Grants to voluntary sector service providers to be slashed by £1million a year
Cllr Richard Wilson, Lib Dem Spokesperson for Health and Social Services, said:
“Labour’s NHS cuts have left a massive £500,000 shortfall in Haringey’s social services budget and worsened the problem caused by huge overspending on projects such as Tech-Refresh. It is appalling that the most vulnerable elderly and disabled people will have their services cut because of Labour’s financial mismanagement.
“An incredible £370,000 hike in charges for home care and meals on wheels will squeeze many hard-pressed Haringey pensioners. It is incredibly cynical of Labour to freeze charges in the years before the local elections and then announce massive increases just a few months afterwards.”
Cllr Matt Davies said:
“Lib Dem councillors on the Scrutiny Committee argued these cuts were unacceptable. Thankfully Labour’s plans to close and merge day centres were rejected by the Committee, who recommended the Executive rethink these damaging proposals. Clearly Council overspending and NHS cuts have left a huge hole in the social services budget, but very vulnerable people rely on these services.”
The winner of Lynne Featherstone MP’s second Annual Christmas card design competition has been announced this week.
It was the design from Jemima Hammett, aged 10 and from St. Mary’s Junior School, Hornsey, that topped the bill of the hundreds of entries from schools around the constituency.The theme for the competition was ‘Ally Pally at Christmas.’
Lynne Featherstone comments:
“Congratulations to Jemima as her design really stood out. I was particularly taken by the shepherd and sheep in front of the Palace, it would be quite a sight to see if you were out and about for a walk in the park!
“I hope the local children had as much fun drawing the pictures as I did judging them.Well done to everyone that took part.”
Lynne Featherstone 