STROUD GREEN – LIB DEM LAURA WELCOMES MURAL FUNDING

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Laura Edge, Lib Dem councillor for Stroud Green, has welcomed an assurance from Haringey Council that it will repair dangerous pavements in the Quernmore Road approach to Harringay Station, N4.

This is the latest success for Cllr Edge and local residents who have worked hard with Haringey’s Neighbourhood Management Team for 18 months to clean up the area that has been neglected and had become a hotspot for crime and petty vandalism. Improvements so far have included the installation of new street lighting, hanging baskets, new litterbins and new tree plantings, as well as the removal of a vandalised bench, paint on the pavement outside the library and the arrangement for better waste disposal for local businesses.

The repairs to the station approach complement improvements to the cleanliness and safety of the station itself which have been achieved thanks to lobbying by Lynne Featherstone MP.

Cllr Edge (Stroud Green) comments:

“This area has long been a blight on the neighbourhood – it has been an uphill struggle but we are finally starting to see improvements. This is in no small part down to the vision and dedication of local resident and I hope to continue to work with them and with Lib Dem activists and Lynne Featherstone MP to continue to transform the character of the area”.

Round of constituency engagements in Hornsey and Wood Green

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I love it when December starts. For me – that’s when my kids let me watch Miracle on 34th Street (which I do every year) and it starts to feel Christmassy. Then I panic – because Christmas when you don’t really have any free evenings or weekends – you cannot get your shopping done. I have put some half days or couple of hours in my diary between now and the 25th to get some shopping done but it is a real gamble as to whether it will all get done by what is an unmoveable deadline.

Anyway – today is pretty much a constituency day. First on the agenda is a visit to see a music concert at Stroud Green Primary School. Here the children are part of a project where all the kids in the class are learning an instrument. About 20 guitars first – followed by about 20 violins. I am amazed that the kids have learned so much and so well in just 8 weeks. A local secondary school has paid for this primary to hire the instruments – and it was soooooooooo lovely! And they were really good – amazing for 8 weeks only of the project.

The idea is to give the children some pride in something outside the academic; for them all to learn together; and to give them aspirations and confidence. I think it is a brilliant scheme – but sadly it is not funded by the Government and although they have had some help from a music charity the funding will run out in February – and they are desperate to find sponsors to raise more money so it can continue.

In fact part of the idea in me being there was so that the school might be able to get some publicity and attract funding or donations from local people who might read about it. The Head phoned the (Haringey) Council press office to ask them to publicise it – but was told that they wouldn’t because it was too ‘political’. This is an absolute disgrace. I don’t go as a Lib Dem MP. I go as the MP for Hornsey & Wood Green – non-political. I will find out from the Chief Exec what the policy is on this.

Second stop of the day is to bury a Time Capsule at Coldfall School. I imagined that we (the Mayor of the London Borough Haringey and myself) would dig a symbolic first shovelful of dirt in a corner of the playground. Banish such thoughts. In actuality we are taken with lots of children and other adults to a building site – unlocked for our entry – where the foundations for the new sports hall are being dug. And building site it was. And my shoes quickly become caked with sod – into which I sink with each step. Hitching up my trousers – I gamely march forth. The children (school captains) read out a letter to the future. The Mayor and I say a few words and then – a huge mechanical digger (lethal looking) roars into action VERY CLOSE (within a couple of metres) of where we are standing – and digs for posterity. The Mayor and I hold the metal case in which the artefacts of the children’s and school’s existence will carry forward the message to the future. We ceremonially lower it into the hole and the digger roars back into action to cover it over. It was all quite dramatic and thrilling – and pouring with rain!

A quick half hour with the staff, pupils and contractors – and then off to the next engagement.

And the next engagement is to speak at the local event for World AIDS Day at the Winkfield Resource Centre. Very happy to be involved in this. I think we have been burying our heads as to the rise of AIDS. When it first raised its ugly head in the 80s the public information campaign (whilst terrifying and probably responsible for the stigma surrounding this disease) certainly changed the sexual culture of the time. But despite the continuing rise in AIDS and HIV – we seem to not bother so much with safe sex. It’s as if the drugs which are indeed increasing longevity are making people believe it is under control – and continual pictures of the African continent with so many people over there suffering – also seems to contribute to us seemingly believing it is now an African problem just as we initially believed it belonged to the homosexual world. Wrong on both counts.

The users of the resource centre have made a beautiful wall collage expressing their experiences. A candle is lit and a beautiful woman sings a song – the words of which are a real cry of experience of what it is like to be stigmatised and the need to be loved and held. Very, very moving.

I gave my speech (short) and then spent an hour or so talking to the users and posing for pictures. Yes – ironically at this event the Council Press Office had sent a photographer. I wonder if that was because the Labour Executive member was there? Seems a stark contrast to their attitude to the school earlier today. Must find out.

LIB DEM RESPONSE TO HARINGEY SOCIAL SERVICES' 2-STAR RATING

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Speaking in response to news that Haringey Council’s Social Services have been awarded a two-star rating from the Commission for Social Care Inspection, Lib Dem social services spokesperson Cllr Wayne Hoban comments:

“Haringey social services certainly need to see improvements in its ratings, and these improvements are from a very low base.

“There is still clear evidence that Haringey Council is failing to adequately improve the service in key areas, such as failure to achieve targets set for timely assessments, without which vulnerable people cannot obtain the services they may be entitled to, failures in child protection procedures, with particular reference to SEN children within education, and poor co-ordination and continuity of cover due to high levels of temporary staff.”

Policing in Haringey

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My sister and her husband came to Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) today. Given that I only get four allocated tickets for guests for PMQs per year – and these were my first personal guests – and the allocated days were given back in May – we got lucky! This was Michael Howard’s swan song – and it was pure theatre. Personally, whilst huge fun on occasion – PMQs is the most unedifying of political boys stuff you can get with all the shouting, barracking and point-scoring that goes on.

Put excellently by my colleague Jo Swinson, the youngest MP in the House at 25, who had Question 3 on the order paper. (‘Order paper’ – another piece of Parliamentary jargon; think of it like a detailed agenda for the day, listening all the business to be done). Jo’s question was:

“As the Prime Minister was saying goodbye to the fourth Tory Leader, is it not also time to say goodbye to the yah-boo style of Prime Minister’s Questions?”

Tony Blair had clearly been briefed on anything local to Jo’s constituency that she might ask as a supplementary question. (Your first question gets printed in advance, but normal MPs then get one supplementary –Michael Howard gets more – the contents of which Tony Blair doesn’t get advanced notice of) . He had clearly been briefed on all the national issues that might arise. But he clearly was left briefless – if you know what I mean – by Jo’s very clever and very direct questions.

“Yes” said the Prime Minister!

In the afternoon, as a member of the Environmental Audit Committee, I was questioning the Government about instituting good practise in terms of commissioning by the Government – green commissioning. What a wet duo came. If our green credentials rest on this lot – we are doomed. The planet has had it. Lack of enthusiasm for their chosen subject would be an understatement. I was truly gob-smacked by their lacklustre performance and seeming disinterest in the whole subject.

Thankfully, the Minister for such matters, followed on as the next ‘witness’. Whilst making virtually no progress (or snail-like progress if you prefer) at least he was enthusiastic and knew his stuff.

After close of play at Westminster I rush back to Hornsey & Wood Green for the Police Consultative Committee at the Civic Centre. The new local Commander, Simon O’Brian is there and gives his first vision for his time in charge of policing in our borough of Haringey. He knows the borough – which in my view is a great advantage. The thing I could never understand when I was on the Met Police Authority was the chess game the higher-ups played with borough commanders. The Met in its wisdom seems to rate Borough Commander as virtually a short-term job – moving commanders on every couple of years. Whereas to me, knowledge is not only power – but the only way to get the intelligence on who and how things happen, I think it should be five years minimum in post for borough commanders and rate the pay of the more senior officers. This post is the one that makes the real difference to all of us mortals scuttling around trying not to get mugged.

I asked him how he proposed to take the ‘debate’ that Ian Blair (Met Commissioner) says he wants to have with the public over policing forward. I am not sure the methodology is in place – and quite frankly – what local people still want is someone local to answer the phone when they call in about a non-urgent issue. Not an answer-phone when no one ever phones back – but a real human being who knows the area. And they want the police to come when they call. And we all want to see police on the beat (getting better!). It’s not rocket science.

ASTONISHMENT AT PALACE'S FAILURE TO REOPEN NEW CLIMBING FRAME

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Lib Dem councillor for Alexandra ward, Wayne Hoban, has expressed astonishment that a new climbing frame installed in the recently upgraded Children’s Playground in Alexandra Park has been taken out of service pending repair.

The new high tech climbing frame was cordoned off just weeks after the Heritage Lottery funded upgrade had been completed in early summer and has remained closed for several weeks.

Responding to an enquiry from Cllr Hoban as to why the climbing frame had not been reopened, the Palace Manager confirmed that part of the frame’s mechanism had been stolen soon after it was installed and that it was proving difficult to replace the part.

Cllr Hoban is amazed that the Palace management has been unable to source the part needed to make the climbing frame safe and has asked them to address the problem immediately.

Cllr Hoban comments:

“It seems incredible that after waiting so long for the playground to be upgraded to a decent standard, local residents and children should be denied use of the climbing frame so soon after the playground was reopened.

“It would seem that something has gone wrong at the planning stage if it is discovered that the equipment can be disabled so easily and parts are so difficult to procure.This is yet another example of poor planning and execution of ‘improvements’ in the park. Local residents and children deserve better.”

LIB DEM CONCERN OVER WOOD GREEN TRIANGLE FLOWER BEDS

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Liberal Democrat councillors in Alexandra ward have expressed concern after they failed to receive an explanation from Haringey Council as to why the raised flowerbed sited at the junction of Palace Gates Road and Crescent Road, Wood Green has not been planted for the last few years.

The Council’s Executive Member for Environment, in response to a written question from Lib Dem councillor Wayne Hoban, confirmed that although the site had been considered for inclusion in the borough’s site sponsorship scheme, Marketing Force, who have been contracted to seek sponsorship for such sites, had indicated from the outset in 2002 that they did not believe that there would be any commercial interest in the site.Since then, the flowerbed has been left unplanted and unattractive, collecting empty bottles and rubbish.

At a Triangle residents meeting held last week, a council officer informed Cllr Hoban that a decision had been taken to plant the flower bed, to coincide with the first phase of the Triangle Improvement scheme, funded through the Muswell Hill Assembly budget, which is due to start at the end of the year.

Although Cllr Hoban is pleased that action will now be taken to improve the flowerbeds, he is angry that Haringey Council seems to be doing little to assist in the improvement of this area despite the hard work of local residents and local Lib Dem councillors.

Cllr Hoban (Alexandra ward) comments:

“Despite persistent lobbying by myself, local residents and businesses since 2002, the council have allowed the site to be left unplanted and uncared for, which is clearly unacceptable.

“Although I am pleased that action will now be taken to address the problem, it is yet another example of a Labour council out of touch with the needs and aspirations of its residents.”

FINSBURY PARK – LIB DEMS WELCOME STATION BUS SHELTER

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Lib Dem Councillor Laura Edge has welcomed the move by Transport for London (TfL) to extend the bus shelters in Wells Terrace bus station, next to Finsbury Park station.

TfL removed the roof of the bus station early this year as a part of “improvement” works. However, the improvements left much to be desired. The shelter was initially replaced by three small and wholly inadequate shelters, leaving the bulk of passengers using the W3, 210 and W7 queuing for bus services out in the rain.

After complaints from Lib Dem councillors and bus users, TfL has begun extending the bus shelters so that they provide more adequate cover.

Cllr Laura Edge (Stroud Green) comments:

“It is good to see that TfL have finally taken the views of bus users on board. However, it is a shame that the original plans failed to anticipate the problems.

“Many bus users could not see the justification for removing the roof in the first place and are unimpressed by the time taken to find an adequate replacement. Questions remain as to the amount of public money wasted along the way.”

FORTIS GREEN – LIB DEMS CALL FOR ACTION OVER HAZARDOUS PAVEMENT

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Haringey Liberal Democrats are calling for urgent repairs to the pavement in Woodside Avenue, N10 after contractors failed to replace damaged paving slabs following maintenance work.

The road, which is a busy route to both St James’s School and the Tree House School, was dug up in September by EDF Energy who were carrying out some work.

Their contractors, Morrison Utility Services, failed to carryout adequate repairs and by their own admission overlooked the pavement following initial work on the site on the 22nd September.

Lib Dems contacted Morrison directly and were assured that the site would be ‘prioritised’. However almost two weeks have passed and still the hazard has not been repaired.

Fortis Green ward councillor Martin Newton says that this failure by Morrison Utility Services is unacceptable and he will be contacting both EDF and Morrison to demand immediate action.

Cllr Newton comments:

“The pavement is used by so many children, the repair should not have been overlooked in the first place. It is completely unacceptable that not only has the hole been left unattended for over two months, but that their promise to undertake the repair as a matter of urgency has not been delivered.”

Good planning website

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Planning – especially attempts by developers to cram in far too many (and badly designed) properties into small spaces – is a big issue in Hornsey and Wood Green – as with many other places.

There’s a little gem of an official website at www.planningportal.gov.uk.

You can find out lots of useful information on how the planning system works (useful for campaigners against over-development!) plus look up planning applications near where you live and other useful stuff.

New Scouts group in Noel Park

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Morning surgery in freezing cold room at Hornsey Library! Then rest of day paperwork followed by speech to Haringey Phoenix Group – who help the blind and partially sighted with the provision of talking newspapers, arts and crafts and IT classes and home visits. I have been trying to support the call for more rehabilitation officers as there are virtually none available. Here in Haringey there were two posts – but neither are now filled and we have just one locum. The really serious part of this is that when someone becomes blind, it is the first crucial months when you particularly need someone to come and help you in person and with equipment to get you out the house and get your confidence up. If too much time passes – the fears build and people can become reluctant to go out. I am shocked that this is something that is now provided almost totally by volunteers.

I meet lots of the attendees including one chap from Walthamstow who came on the bus with his guide dog. He is clutching a bronze statue of a mermaid that he has sculpted. It is quite lovely and accurate. He says it is from memory. I thought it was exceptional really. I cannot imagine how you can do that by feel and memory alone. And I tell you – it doesn’t half make you think about what you take for granted when you are sighted.

I tell them about how, quite early on as a Muswell Hill councillor, I had an elderly resident (partially sighted) asked me to go for a walk with him around Muswell Hill Broadway. He wanted me to understand the hazards that beset someone like him – and the lack of enforcement by Haringey Council of some of our street laws. He wanted me to gain the awareness of all the things that could trip him up.

And walking with him that afternoon, I learned a whole new attitude to blindness. If the law says that a shop may put out products and wares on the street then the measurement to which they are allowed should be observed. I cannot tell you how many breaches of the law we encountered on our expedition. And hanging goods. And pavement sandwich boards. And uneven paving stones. And old unnecessary street furniture. And so on and so on. It is so easy when you can see – but a completely different world when you cannot.

I leave to run to the inauguration of a new scouts group in Noel Park. I have had to miss the actual ceremony – but get there at least in time to say hello. It has been a real success – and already the scout numbers have increased from 5 to 13. The scouting movement is just still an excellent thing and I arrange to visit the Scout Park next week.