At this week’s Haringey Council meeting Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Cllr Wayne Hoban proposed a motion calling on Haringey Council and Haringey’s MPs to lobby the Labour Government to address the serious NHS funding crisis which is jeopardising the delivery of community health projects in Haringey.

The motion, seconded by Lib Dem Cllr Martin Newton, was amended by Labour to downplay the problem.

Cllr Hoban’s speech highlighted that the serious NHS funding crisis, with trusts throughout England heading for a combined deficit of £1 billion, had put at risk many community health projects in Haringey as local trusts struggled to bring their huge overspends under control.

Cllr Hoban stated:

“There is a £1.76 billion funding gap between what local authorities have to spend in the financial year and what it will cost them to deliver community health services. The Labour-appointed Haringey Primary Care Trust’s recent decision to go back to the drawing board yet again regarding their plan to redevelop the Hornsey Central Hospital site in Hornsey & Wood Green is nothing short of a scandal.

“The hospital was shut down in 2000 against the wishes of local residents with a promise that it would be retained and redeveloped for community health use.

“It is nothing short of a scandal that this Labour Government, despite huge increased NHS investment through back-door tax increases, is overseeing the collapse of many essential community health developments such as the Hornsey Central Hospital project. The NHS financial crisis combined with a lack of government investment in social care has produced huge problems in Haringey. The number of people in need of care is increasing by the day and a fair, sustainable system of funding must be introduced at the earliest opportunity.”

Liberal Democrat councillor for Stroud Green Laura Edge has expressed her delight at the completion of the colourful mural that now brightens Quernmore Road, replacing an unattractive metal fence.

The mural, designed by a local artist and erected with the help of local young residents from Chettle Court, was put in place to bring colour and life to a previously derelict area next to the railway line in Quernmore Road, N4. It is hoped that it will discourage graffiti in the area and promote a feeling of safety, particularly at night.

Councillor Edge comments:

“I am very pleased indeed to see the completed mural, which looks even better and brighter than expected. It brings a great community feel to the road. We have been looking at ways to instil an atmosphere of safety and security into Quernmore Road. With this great project and our campaign for CCTV on the road, I really think that residents will begin to notice the difference. The kids at Chettle Court should be very proud of their work – it looks fantastic.”

Lib Dems have expressed alarm as large areas of dense undergrowth and trees have been razed to the ground in Alexandra Park in the middle of the nesting season. A wide belt of trees in the middle of the park was bulldozed on Monday 20th March, and screens of trees separating residents and the fairground site have also been bulldozed in recent weeks.

The screens of trees and undergrowth, originally planted many years ago to combat light and noise pollution from coaches, fairs and occasionally circus tents, are also home to scores of nesting birds, small mammals and other wildlife, and the move to clear them has been strongly criticised for what the Lib Dems say is a breach of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Cllr Bob Hare, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Alexandra Palace, comments:

“The original park was in rural farmland. The park is now surrounded by city and housing and needs its screening trees both to maintain the attractiveness of the park, and to help prevent disturbances to neighbouring residents by park activities. ”

Lib Dem Leader Cllr Neil Williams adds:

“It is very concerning that the land has been cleared, and I am appalled that the vegetation clearance is taking place during the nesting season. The Wildlife Act clearly states that it is an offence to damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while in use or being built.”

Haringey Council has failed to take timely and corrective action to reduce the gap between policy and practice in its Children’s Service. Five years after the tragic death of Victoria Climbie, Councillor Wayne Hoban at last night’s Council meeting challenged the Labour lead member for the Children’s Service to comment on Haringey Council’s continuing failure to address quickly complaints made under the Children’s Act.

The Council’s latest performance figures show that of 25 ‘Stage 1’ complaints made under the Children’s Act, just 16 had been completed within the target of 2 weeks. Much more worryingly, not one of the seven more serious ‘Stage 2’ complaints since April 2005 had been dealt with within the target 28 days, and just five had been completed within 90 days.

Councillor Wayne Hoban, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Social Services, comments:

“This appalling standard of service beggars belief. In Lord Laming’s inquiry report into the Victoria Climbie tragedy, he stated that ‘[Haringey] council members and the senior management of Haringey must be held to account for the yawning gap between safe policies and procedures, and poor practice in their children and families’ service.’

“The same administration and officers continue to run our Children and Families’ Service. As if the total lack of accountability that Haringey displayed following the death of Victoria Climbie was not enough, these latest figures are worrying signs that not enough has been done to address the gross systemic failings that failed to protect her. Action must be taken to ensure that serious and far-reaching reform of the Children’s Service is undertaken.”

Labour-run Haringey Council refused at its Full Council meeting last night to allow three deputations from groups of Haringey residents to be heard. The deputations were instead referred to various executive bodies, leaving the Labour group wide open to criticism that they were refusing people the right to be heard by their Council.

One of the three deputations was the Alexandra Palace Television Group, concerned over the Council’s rushed lease of the palace to the Firoka group after a very short period of consultation. The Group were hoping to make representations to Council to explain that despite their being the custodians of the birthplace of television, Firoka have included just a tiny space in their plans in which to house the museum.

Rather than allowing the group’s deputation to be heard at the public Council meeting, Labour referred the matter to the Alexandra Park and Palace board. Yet the meeting is scheduled for two weeks after the board will have decided on the final terms of the lease.

Councillor Bob Hare, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Alexandra Palace, comments:

“I was extremely disappointed that the Labour Council decided not to permit the Television Group to speak at this meeting. The group have the backing of all of Britain’s TV heritage experts and the BBC. This is an extremely significant piece of Haringey’s history, and it has enormous potential both in terms of its prestige and as a visitor draw for the borough. Labour have pushed this important group off to a meeting which will take place as far as possible out of the glare of publicity and long after the terms of the lease will have been decided.”

Labour councillor Charles Adje, Leader of Haringey Council, has been forced to offer a full, if begrudging, apology to the Council and the residents of Haringey for using Haringey Council resources to organise Labour Party campaign meetings.

At the meeting of Haringey’s Full Council, Councillor Adje was grilled by Liberal Democrat Leader Neil Williams, who had in the past weeks uncovered evidence showing that the Labour Leader had been personally aware of the Labour Party using Council HQ River Park House for their campaign meetings.

Councillor Adje looked flustered and embarrassed as he explained that the Labour Party had now reimbursed Haringey Council for the use of the room.

Councillor Neil Williams, Leader of the Opposition on Haringey Council said:

“I find it astonishing that Labour needs to be reminded that Council resources are not to be used in this way for political advantage. The Council is not a tuck shop to be dipped into by the Labour party when it is in trouble.”

Haringey Council is being heavily criticised over its poor record on response times to requests for housing repairs. Residents are all too used to a poor quality of service, with much repair work being completed to an unacceptable level, but these long delays are the final straw, and are causing many to ask whether Haringey Council is capable of managing the borough.

According to its own performance figures, the Council took an average of 21 days to respond to a request for repair work in 2004-2005, and set a target of 10 days for 2005-2006. As the year draws to a close, it is clear that they are nowhere near meeting this target, with the year-to-date average still languishing at more than 17.

Councillor Neil Williams, Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition, comments:

“This is just one more reminder that Haringey Council does not deliver value for money. Given the low standard of service that Haringey provides as a base level, one would expect that the Council would be making real efforts to improve in this area, especially with the local elections looming large.”