RADAR people of the year awards

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This evening I was the guest of honour on a table hosted by a taxi manufacturing company, LTI, at the RADAR People of the Year Awards at the old Billingsgate fish market. (Smell is gone!). RADAR is a charity working for diabled people; in their own words their job is “to promote change by empowering disabled people to achieve their rights and expectations; and by influencing the way that disabled people are viewed as members of society.”

Black tie is always a bit of a struggle when you are at Parliament in meetings or debates and then rushing off. I have developed a really clever outfit. No long dresses for me – but I have a black suit slightly dressier than my normal business uniform, which I wear with a white T-shirt all day – then into the Ladies to change the T-shirt for a gorgeous chiffony evening top which looks really dressy under the suit jacket – and out.

For the Chancellor’s pre-budget statement I am still sporting the white t-shirt. He gave a particularly grumpy performance I thought. Outside of the content – I wonder if Gordon is really going to make it to Prime Minister – or if he does, it won’t be for long and he won’t be popular. Middle-England will desert Labour in droves once he inherits – if he does. Osborne gives a limp response for the Tories and our Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable, does a really good job. Even Gordon acknowledges publicly the respect he has for Vince.

So between the pre-budget and my next meeting, because of the timing I have to change into my evening gear before my last meeting of the day so arrive seriously over-dressed for a meeting with the Commission for Racial Equality. Trevor Phillips has come to talk through issues with some of us at the House.

At 6pm I run to get a taxi to the ‘do’. The evening is lovely – and my hosts at the table very charming. Unfortunately I get a pager message that there are two votes, possibly three expected at 10pm and so arrange for a cab at 9.30pm to take me back to the Commons. It is a shame as I have to leave after the first two of eight awards. Earlier on there is a deaf comedian who is funny – but actually swears a lot. Now I am no prude (I don’t think) – but I wasn’t too keen on the obscenity side. I myself have been known to let rip on the odd occasion but this was the wrong occasion – wrong place. He was still very good – despite battling with a series of microphones that didn’t work. As he said – ‘how long were you f****ing going to let me go on without telling me’?

These awards are well deserved. The battle in this country for rights for the disabled have been long and hard fought for – and still there is a long way to go. But tonight – from the size and import of the evening itself – you can feel that at long last change is happening.

At 9.30pm precisely Cinderella flees and jumps into her carriage – and sods law – as I arrive at Parliament about 10 minutes before the expected vote – another pager message arrives saying that there are now no votes expected tonight after all! Exasperated, I go into the chamber to listen to the end of the debate very, very cross.

LIB DEMS FEAR STRUGGLING SCHOOLS ARE BEING LET DOWN

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Lib Dem Education spokesperson Cllr Gail Engert has expressed deep concern at Government figures that show a number of primary schools in the borough continue to struggle despite slight improvements to Haringey’s overall score.

The figures that were released by the Department for Education and Skills on Friday (2nd December) shows that Haringey has improved its average Key Stage 2 test results from 214 last year, to 218 points this year.

However the breakdown of scores school-by-school shows that 22 of the 53 schools assessed have actually seen a drop in scores this year with a number dropping below the borough’s average for the first time.

Cllr Engert is concerned that although there have been improvements in some of the traditionally poorer performing schools, many still appear to not be receiving the necessary support from the Government or Haringey Council with poor showings in Labour’s league tables simply compounding the pressure on heads teachers and teaching staff.

Cllr Engert says that with the amount of support and money that the Labour-run council and Government claim to be investing there appears to be little excuse for the failings that the league table shows.

She, along with Hornsey and Wood Green MP Lynne Featherstone, believe that in order to address the performance of schools, the Government and Council must listen to schools concerns and needs rather than obsessing over league tables.

Cllr Engert comments:

“Some of these figures are of concern, but certainly what is more worrying is the obsession Labour has with league tables. I have visited a number of schools in the borough and the dedication and hard-work of these teachers is simply being undermined by a Labour Government obsessed with these tables and a Labour Council happy to toe the line.”

Cllr Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Teaching is about much more than simply jumping through Labour Government hoops. If the Government actually listened to the schools and addressed their concerns, rather than pressurising them with statistics, I am sure we would see a huge improvement in education performance, with or without league tables.”

CLLR WINSKILL – THE RIGHT MAN IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME

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A Lib Dem councillor has saved the Haringey taxpayer £8,500 by intervening in a planning committee hearing, stopping residents from being short-changed over a controversial development.

Lib Dem councillor for Crouch End David Winskill was at the last planning committee meeting giving support to the Gladwell Road campaign against a back land development when a Hornsey ward application came up.

Developers wanted to demolish a garage workshop in Harvey Mews and replace it with five two or three-bedroomed houses. The officers had recommended approval and, in the absence of any of Hornsey’s Labour councillors to comment on the plan, Councillor Winskill spoke.

He voiced concern that this would be the loss of the sixth garage workshop in the Hornsey/Crouch End area in the past two years and that it would mean a loss of amenity for residents, jobs and loss off training opportunities for young people.

Cllr Winskill also protested at the modest amount of Section 106 money that the developer had been asked to give Haringey to pay for educational resources: “I did my sums and realised that £16,500 on offer was a tiny amount when the asking price for these properties is going to be in the region of £2million!”

He pointed this out to the Chair of Planning who agreed and suggested that the decision be deferred until a new agreement with the developer could be reached. However, fearing a long delay, the developer agreed on the spot to up the amount to £25 000.

David Winskill comments:

“This was a fantastic result but a lucky one. Getting planning permission on land increases its value enormously. If elected next May the Lib Dems will be looking to see how we can get more cash to spend on our communities.”

HARINGEY COUNCIL BOWS TO POPULAR PRESSURE ON RED GABLES

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Cllr Wayne Hoban, Lib Dem spokesperson for Social Services, is delighted by the news that Haringey Council is not after all to close the Red Gables family centre in Crouch End. The news follows a year-long campaign by local residents, local Lib Dem councillors, and Lynne Featherstone MP, which has resulted in a Labour Council u-turn on their ill-thought out plans to close the Centre.

Last week, Haringey Council held a press conference to say that the council had ‘found the necessary funds’ to keep Red Gables open and running as a family centre.However, they would not confirm that the decision to keep the centre open would be permanent, saying that nothing could be guaranteed indefinitely.

Lynne Featherstone MP said:

“The decision to close Red Gables was a poor one. Red Gables provides a fantastic service to children and parents from all over Haringey. This has been a victory for people power and common-sense.”

Cllr Wayne Hoban comments:

“The decision to close the centre and deliver the service through 18 Children’s Centres, most of which are due to be located in the east of the borough, was obviously ill-conceived and poorly planned.Red Gables provides a unique and invaluable service to children and parents from all parts of the borough. To replace it with untried and untested Children’s Centres was nothing more than a politically driven decision, putting political dogma at the heart of decision making, rather than the needs of service users.

“You cannot close down such a service until or unless it can be proved that it will be replaced by a better service elsewhere, equally accessible to service users. The Labour-led Council clearly failed this key test. It is a victory for democracy and common-sense.”

More space needed in office

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Lib Dem day really. Early morning campaign meeting followed by looking at my HQ with an architect friend who I have persuaded to do some space planning for me as we need to get another desk in an already full room! Followed by some paperwork – followed by a Lib Dem social of mulled wine and mince pies! Home by 6pm and just veg out with fast food takeaway and movies!

Craft fairs bonanza

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First craft fair opening of the day is at the Highgate Society. Next door is the Highgate Scientific and Literary Institute one too. I say a few words and wander around all the stalls. We are so lucky in Highgate to have these two organisations. I bump into Mike Hammerson who has defended the area with his committee against the vagaries of the planning decisions of Camden and Haringey.

On to St Mary’s School for their craft fair. Very very busy – with lots going on for the children and parents. I call the raffle and then wait for an hour outside with the children and their lanterns to join the parade along Hornsey High Street to turn on the Xmas lights. The parade is very late in arriving – and I walk a little way with it before having to peel off to get to another engagement – a fund-raising dinner for the London Islamic Cultural Centre who have done amazingly well to raise all the money to build the mosque and the centre.

A lovely evening with very spicy food, music and speeches. The trustees of the local mosque have made me very welcome as the new MP and I am learning so much more about the community from this engagement. And that’s the point really. Our human similarities and needs far outweigh any differences in religion or culture. I get home about 10.30pm and watch the X Factor results. Glad Chico has gone!

Tony Martin and shooting burglars

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Spent a long, lonely five hours on the front bench in Parliament leading for the Lib Dems during a Private Member’s Bill (that’s a bill brought in by an individual MP rather than by the Government) debate brought in by a Tory member. In brief, this is about the Tony Martin case and politicking. Tony Martin is the chap who got a life sentence for shooting at the two boys who robbed his farmhouse. One was killed – but the shot was in the back and Martin was done because it was deemed that he had not used ‘reasonable force’ as the boy was fleeing at the time. The Tory member’s bill wants the wording changed to ‘grossly disproportionate force’. This is as indefinable and open to interpretation as the ‘reasonable force’ and really the only sensible thing is to put our trust in the judge and jury who will be in charge of all of the facts and all of the circumstances. However, it takes five hours of debate to facilitate the Tory desire to be seen to be pro-rural farm owners and the party of law and order.

Apart from a couple of interventions I didn’t get to speak despite having prepared and being fourth in line to be called (I think). The Speaker called Andrew Dismore (Labour MP for Hendon) and he talked out the Bill. I had not witnessed this practise before – but I got a three and a half hour master-class in how its done. But it shouldn’t be done. It’s an appalling political game – and whilst the boys all clearly enjoy this sort of shenanigans – I am under-whelmed…

Later back in Haringey I meet Penny Nicholls who has come to brief me about the needs of homeless children. I had not realised that homeless youngsters under 16 do not have to be housed – but are basically returned to their parents regardless of context. They are campaigning for funding for refuges for such children on a national basis. I have already signed the EDM and will certainly support the cause. (I’ve covered what EDMs are all about in an earlier blog posting).

On the radio I hear that the Tube unions are threatening a Christmas strike. Ho! Ho! Ho! Why am I not surprised? The Tube unions have a great deal with TfL. Their conditions are fab compared to poor old bus drivers who contend with traffic and get paid far less. And yet – every Christmas they find new moans and groans and then apply the screws. I have lost all respect for Bob Crow over his leadership of the Tube unions. It’s blackmail. It’s an abuse of the right to strike which I have always defended. And whilst I don’t agree with the outsourcing of contracts (which is what the threatened strike is about) blackmailing Londoners is not the way to win my support!

MATT DAVIES SECURE DOG MESS BIN FOR BUSY WALKERS' ROUTE

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Lib Dem councillor for Fortis Green ward, Matt Davies has secured the installation of a new dog mess bin in a lane linking Highgate Woods to Lanchester Road, N6.

Cllr Davies requested a replacement last month after local residents contacted him complaining that Haringey Council had removed the existing dog mess bin and failed to replace it with a new one.

The lane is frequented by dog walkers who use it to access Highgate Woods, and as a result Cllr Davies was eager to ensure Haringey Council replaced the bin as quickly as possible. Last week, the Council confirmed that they had installed a new bin.

When Cllr Davies investigated, the Council explained that the old bin had been removed as they had no record of who installed it and so it was not being emptied. But Haringey Council agreed to install a new bin at the same site and include it in their emptying schedule.

Cllr Davies (Fortis Green) comments:

“Dog mess is an annoyance, but more importantly, it is also a serious health hazard. Many residents use this path on their way to exercising their dogs in Highgate Woods and want to be responsible dog owners.

“By providing this bin, the Council is helping dog owners to be responsible and also helping to ensure that both our local residents and their pets can enjoy Highgate Woods, and the paths around it, to the full.”

LIB DEMS SHOCK AS TENANTS LEFT WITHOUT HEATING AND HOT WATER

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Lib Dem councillor for Fortis Green Martin Newton has expressed shock after two residents contacted him after Haringey Council and a housing association left them for weeks without hot water or heating, whilst boilers are repaired, or new ones installed. He is concerned that there may be more tenants who are being left for long periods, or if these really are isolated cases.

Cllr Newton was first alerted to the problem in late October by an elderly council tenant who reported that their water heater had been removed as it no longer complied with regulations. However he was not offered a replacement.

They were left for over two weeks without hot water, washing and washing-up in cold water, despite contacting Haringey Council on several occasions. Within days of Cllr Newton contacting Haringey Council, they found a replacement heater and installed it.

The second report came from a disabled mother and children who had been left by a housing association for six weeks without a boiler. The Haringey Council tenant had been given some electric fires but was very worried about the cost of running them for this length of time.

Following several calls and emails from Cllr Newton to the housing association, a new boiler was installed within days. He has also secured written agreement that compensation will be paid.

Cllr Newton is pleased that he has been able to get both of these cases resolved quickly. However, he is deeply concerned that it has taken his intervention to have this resolved. With the coldest winter in a decade predicted, Cllr Newton is calling on Haringey Council to take steps to ensure that this kind of situation does not arise again.

Cllr Newton (Fortis Green) comments:

“I am pleased that both these cases have been resolved, but the length of time that these two tenants were left without a boiler is totally unacceptable.

“I have contacted the Council and the housing association concerned expressing my shock at these cases and have demanded that they take steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Furthermore I would welcome any other tenants who have had a similar experience to contact me and I will happily take their case up with the Council.”