LABOUR FAIL TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OVER £10m OVERSPEND

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Lib Dems are outraged as Labour leader of Haringey Council, Charles Adje, made a mockery of democracy in the borough by giving a 25 minute speech in response to an oral question, talking out the time available for other questions to be asked.

His lengthy speech was in response to an oral question tabled at a meeting of Haringey Council by Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition Cllr Neil Williams, concerning the Audit Commission’s report into the massive £10m budget overspend on the controversial Tech Refresh IT project.

Refusing to answer the question directly, Cllr Adje spoke for a full 25minutes. As a result, of ten tabled questions only two were reached.

The third question was to the Labour Executive Member for Organisational Development & Performance, Cllr Takki Sulaiman, asking if he would apologise for this massive overspend and accept responsibility. Another Liberal Democrat opposition councillor later asked this during a debate and Cllr Sulaiman would not respond.

Cllr Neil Williams, Leader of the Opposition, comments:

“The Labour Leader started his 25 minute non-answer to my question by saying he did not believe in ‘Yah Boo’ politics. But by treating the Council to his party political speech instead of properly answering the question on this massive IT over-spend shows what he really believes in. His contempt for democracy was clear for everyone to see.”

Cllr Matt Davies, Fortis Green Councillor, who was due to ask the third oral question, comments:

“The Labour Leader decided to protect Cllr Sulaiman from having to apologise for this fiasco. By talking for so long that there was no time for the question to be put. When speaking in the debate later, I invited Cllr Sulaiman to make an apology to the taxpayers of Haringey over his role in this mess, but he chose not to. Haringey Labour seem to be hoping that if they refuse to accept responsibility or apologise that no one will notice and they will be given another four years to repeat all their tired mistakes.”

A local community success

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Visited the Burghley Road Under-5s Community Drop in Centre to celebrate turning on their new central heating system and their new floor. I arrive amongst herds of toddlers and parents to this absolutely wonderful community centre.

The Council had long ago let local parents have the building as a drop in for mothers with their under-5s. An absolute life-saver to have somewhere to go and meet other parents when you are stuck at home with young children. I haven’t forgotten the sort of despair when the door first closed on me as my then husband went to work and I was left alone with my new baby. There wasn’t anything like this where I was.

Here the mothers (and some fathers) all work and run it as volunteers. Someone opens up, others cook lunch, others tidy up and close up. It has a sweet little outdoors area with climbing frame. But it was run down – and had absolutely no central heating. One mother was telling me that she had had to stop coming in the worst winter months because it was too cold for the baby. Anyway – thanks to their perseverance and some new funding through a couple of sources they had now been able to install both central heating and a new floor! The management committee and all the volunteers deserve a big cheer for really giving to the community.

Police funding

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Leading on the Police Funding Report today in the House. This is the funding for Police Authorities for their forces. It doesn’t include special payments for things like counter-terrorism or the security forces or other special payments – but is the main chunk of money that gives us police on our streets – or not!

The Association of Police Authorities (APA) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) are extremely concerned that the funding is inadequate – leaving a gap of £250 million which will either result in cuts or in increased council tax. Since 2001 the portion of police funding paid by us through our Council Tax precept has gone from 12% to 21%. So when you hear Labour Government boasting about the increase of police on our streets and the Safer Neighbourhood Scheme – which we all want – remember it is us who have paid to have them there through local taxes.

Latter, after I had made my speech, the Minister Paul Goggins, in his wind up of the debate, said that he disagreed with the Honourable Lady for Hornsey & Wood Green (me!). And that this funding allocation would benefit the poor and everyone would have local policing. However, what I had actually said, was that any rise in Council Tax would hit the poorest and most financially vulnerable because it is an unfair tax and older people have no means to increase their income to meet increases in Council Tax – and with the scandal of womens’ pensions……….etc. So naughty Mr Goggins.

Naughty Mr Goggins too – I see in the local paper that he visited my constituency without letting me know (which is the convention) to visit the TreeHouse School for autistic children. This is a fantastic outfit which came recently to my constituency and does the most incredible work – so I forgive him!

Co-terminus with the debate – I was meant to be hosting an event on the terrace for the Met Police Authority (ironically), but they just had to manage without me. I did get in there for about 10 minutes – just as Sir Ian Blair was finishing his speech – so I don’t know what he said. I just thanked everyone for coming and suggested they continued to enjoy themselves – and then rushed back to the chamber.

RESIDENTS' ANGER AT ANOTHER BOTCHED COUNCIL CONSULTATION ON SKATE PARK

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Residents have expressed their fury at Haringey Council’s apparent contempt for the consultation process after completely changing a design of a skate park planned for Finsbury Park which had been agreed at a consultation meeting earlier this month.

Now Stroud Green councillor, Laura Edge is calling on Haringey Council to explain itself over the changes. She is also seeking an explanation into complaints that the public meeting had no chair, that no introductions were made and that no minutes were taken.

The original plans had been agreed for a bowl style skate facility which would provide older and more experienced skate boarders with something different than what is currently offered at Ally Pally and what is planned for Priory Park which is a ‘street obstacle design’.

However between the public consultation and now, the agreed design has been completely transformed from a bowl into another ‘street obstacle design’.

This is not the first time that residents have expressed anger over the Council’s consultation process. Last year, residents groups around Priory Park along with local councillors expressed deep unhappiness at the Council’s failure to consult with and keep informed all interested parties throughout the consultation process.

Cllr Edge comments:

“The Council’s failure to consult over these alterations is shameful and I am seeking an immediate explanation.

“The original plans offered something different to skaters. Sadly, the Council seem to be more interested in building these facilities as quickly and cheaply as possible rather than providing facilities to suit all ages and abilities.”

HARINGEY TOPS LONDON'S UNQUALIFIED SCHOOL LEAVERS LEAGUE TABLE

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More young people are leaving secondary school without a single GCSE in Haringey than any other borough in London. Official figures (published in response to a Parliamentary Question by Lib Dem MP Sarah Teather) showed that over 1 in 20 fifteen year-olds left secondary school in Haringey last year with no GCSEs.

Despite Haringey Council following the London-wide trend of reducing the numbers leaving with no qualifications, the Lib Dem opposition is concerned that other boroughs with similar demographics have seen more dramatic reductions.

In 1997, Haringey’s figure was 11.4% and neighbouring Islington was 13.5%. However seven years on and Lib Dem-run Islington now has 4.4% leaving with no GCSEs, while Haringey’s is at 5.5%.

Cllr Gail Engert, Lib Dem Education spokesperson, is keen to get to the bottom of the issue.

Cllr Gail Engert (Muswell Hill) comments:

“Over 5% of secondary school leavers have no qualifications and this is unacceptable.

“There are certainly factors that need to be taken into consideration when viewing these figures, but the Government and Haringey Council needs to be doing more to target resources at this lost 5%.”

ANSWERS DEMANDED OVER POTENTIAL IMPACT OF ID CARDS ON ACCESS TO COUNCIL SERVICES

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Fears over how ID cards might be used by Haringey Council in order for residents to access services is the concern that is driving a question tabled by Cllr Laura Edge for tonight’s Full Council Meeting (6th February 2005).

Cllr Edge, who has been working closely with the ‘No ID Cards’ Campaign for the past 18 months, hopes to get the card issue back on the public agenda four months after the Labour-run Council failed to support her motion calling on the Council to oppose the Government’s plans.

She hopes that assurances will be given tonight that ID cards will not be required to access Council service, should they be introduced.

Cllr Edge (Stroud Green) comments:

“The potential impact of ID cards in enabling Government officials to access comprehensive information about an individual is terrifying and it must be fought all the way.

“The electorate has a right to know what plans their Council has to use ID card information, should the current Bill be passed.”

Offensive cartoons

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Bumped off London Radio by the offensive cartoons! So many callers apparently that they want to take me later in the morning. However, I am otherwise engaged on a campaign team meeting. It’s all go in Haringey for the local elections. Labour know we are in a position to take the council off of them – and for months have been plastering Haringey with posters saying how wonderful the council is! I think they might be able to fool some of the people some of the time, but…

Some of the activists there who had been supporting Ming Campbell originally – said how impressed they were with Chris Huhne on Question Time. Way to go. Ming and Chris had sent leaflets to the HQ for activists to pick up – but none from Simon. Haven’t heard much about his campaign at all.

Spend a good part of the day reading the police grant report – I know – just lucky I guess. It is coming to the Commons tomorrow and I am leading for the Liberal Democrats, so want to be well-informed for the debate. Make some speech notes, do my emails (only about 8 left in inbox – it’s a miracle) and pay bills.

The cartoon issue has gripped every paper and news outlet today – not surprisingly. There is clearly something stirring in the world beyond our shores. My sense is that there is a desire from some quarters for Jihad – and this is just grist to their mill. I sometimes think it is a bit like the days of communism. With communism – ordinary working people were exploited in the name of a wider cause that was supposedly in their interest, but in fact wasn’t – and sacrificed huge numbers of them in the name of the cause.

Same with Muslim extremists – trying to claim that their own extreme beliefs are really on behalf of – and in the interests of – the much wider and larger Muslim community, when in fact – its nothing of the sort, and the extremists are instead trying to exploit the (very different) bulk of Muslim faithful. With communism it was a case of perverse ideology, in this case it’s a case of perverse theology.

Liberal Democrat leadership contest

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Reading The Times this morning I would say that Chris Huhne must be doing really well in the Lib Dem leadership contest – given the number of attacks on him.

There seems to be briefings against him. The briefings say that he had agreed not to run. I believed passionately that we needed him to run for the party to have a real choice, and I wasn’t the only one. Chris did the right thing – he went to Ming and said he had changed his mind and asked if Ming would release him from his earlier commitment. Ming is a gentleman – and basically let democracy flourish. And Chris has handled this really well I think – being open and honest and saying, yes – he changed his mind.

Whether Chris or Ming wins – they will at least know that they have a genuine mandate from the party for their leadership.

Evening – I go to a small stakeholder meeting on Hornsey Hospital – a long-running saga. Having met previously with Richard Sumray to demand a public meeting to update the situation – the public meeting is finally to be on 22 February. The plans are to deliver first rate local health services to the area – but there is a price to pay. Watch this space.

In the evening Chris (leadership) Huhne is on Question Time where he gives a storming performance – aided by an astoundingly bad one by the First Minister for Wales, Rhodri Morgan. The man is a liability. Chris was really good and seems to be growing stronger and better every performance.

LIBDEMS LAUNCH £20M PLAN FOR POLICE ON STATIONS AND TRAINS

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Liberal Democrats at the London Assembly have launched a £20 million plan to put more than 270 police officers on London’s rail stations and trains. The plan is a keynote feature of their proposals for the Mayor’s Budget for 2006/07.

Commenting on the plan, Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey & Wood Green and Lib Dem spokesperson on Police, Crime and Disorder said:

“Local people do not feel safe on rail stations or on trains at certain times, especially dark evenings.My Liberal Democrat colleagues on the London Assembly will press the Mayor to fund more police and police community support officers to patrol our stations and our trains. The Lib Dems have detailed costed plans for 10 new officers to be deployed the WAGN rail franchise’s 19 stations. Passengers need the reassurance of a visible uniformed presence.

“Ken Livingstone is actually planning to cut spending on policing our railways next year. Labour likes to talk tough on crime but when it comes to paying the bills, they won’t sign the cheques.”

Lib Dem Assembly Member, Graham Tope, who chairs the Metropolitan Police Authority’s Finance Committee, said he was confident that the plan offered excellent value for money.

The LibDem plan will cover all London’s commuter rail stations and trains and the funding includes costings for vehicles, equipment and logistical support. The Mayor would “buy” policing from the British Transport Police. The Mayor already funds policing for Tube and bus by the Met paid for out of Transport for London’s budget.

Notes:

1.The Liberal Democrat plan for Policing Rail is costed at £20 million to cover not only 272 police officers and PCSOs at a cost of £12.1 million, but all the support costs for this London-wide operation.

2.The proposals are included in the London Assembly LibDems’ budget proposals for 2006/07. LibDems also propose to slash some of the Mayor’s flagship plans – e.g. the controversial £650 million West London Tram scheme which could be replaced by an electric trolleybus scheme for a quarter of the cost.

3.The Mayor’s own budget proposals plan a reduction in spending on policing for rail stations and trains. Expenditure by TfL on policing and security on overground rail stations and line in London in 2005/06 is currently forecast to be £9.9m.In 2006/07 expenditure of £8.9m is budgeted.

4.Transport for London currently pay for policing on just one of London’s rail franchises – the Silverlink Metro franchise in North London – with 35 police officers and 10 PCSOs at a cost of £2 million (an average cost of around £44,000 per officer including on-costs). LibDem plans for the other nine rail franchises have been worked out on this cost basis, which we are assured is an appropriate costing assumption.

Channel Four political awards

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Thirty plus children from Alexandra Park School came to Parliament today. They had the tour, sat in the chamber for Prime Minister’s Questions – PMQs – and then came to question me for half an hour in a room I booked in Portcullis House.

Straight in – no hesitation – what should the public think of politicians who lie? So I gave them a very long and very direct answer – on the whole sad story of why politicians fall from grace. They were very condemnatory of George Galloway – and much, much more. I like it when children are lively and engaged as these young people were.

The Parliamentary Education Unit has produced a new brochure for young visitors to the House – and I even star on one page!

The afternoon is taken up with the police mergers debate. Nothing new to add since it was debated before Christmas. Labour’s plans are still wrong – combining illogical areas to fit in with the government’s regionalisation, hugely expensive and will not fix the real issues. Expensive nightmare! And ordinary you and me will have a double whammy. We will pay extra in taxes for the extra costs but also have less a less local and less accountable police force (except in London which remains unchanged).

I rush away at the end to go to Channel 4 Political Awards. Have been nominated for the Rising Star award – which is quite an accolade and only awarded once in every term of parliament. I am up against two Labour and one Tory. Given that it is one member of parliament one vote – I suspect I won’t win. It is a star-studded (ish) affair and I am seated next to Tony Benn (great person to sit next to) and Michael Howard on the other side of him.

They have put together packages of each category’s nominees with people, journalists or other MPs talking about them. I won’t spoil it all by giving it away here – but it will be on Channel 4 on Monday at 8pm. There were copious jokes at George Galloway’s expense – and the LibDems didn’t get away scot-free from what passed for jokes.