Lib Dem GLA candidate Wayne Hoban has called for NHS bosses to reassure concerned residents about the future of St Ann’s Hospital.His comments came following a public meeting last week on the future of the site.

Concerns have risen over the fact that Haringey council’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP) describes St Ann’s as a ‘former’ hospital, which has fuelled suspicion that the it may be earmarked for closure. Although a staff notice from hospital management to St. Ann’s staff was produced at the meeting in which it is stated that there are plans to update and modernise services on the site rather than to close it, suspicion remains that there is a hidden agenda to sell off a large part of the site.

Lib Dem Deputy Leader Wayne Hoban is pointing out that Haringey is required by the London Mayor to provide almost 20,000 new homes, which will inevitably place an increasing burden on Haringey’s already stretched schools, GP’s and transport systems. It therefore makes sense to not only retain the St. Ann’s Hospital site, but to expand the range of on-site facilities to meet this demand, such as a walk-in NHS diagnostic centre, minor injuries unit, voluntary sector organisations, etc. This would reduce the need for local people to travel long distances to the North Middlesex Hospital or even further for their NHS investigations and treatment.

Wayne Hoban comments:

“Retention of the St Ann’s site is vital. I will therefore be seeking assurances from the Primary Care Trust and Haringey Council that the site will be retained for the purpose of providing high quality and locally accessible health and social care related services.”

Liberal Democrats on Haringey Council are questioning the reasons for a shock restructuring of the Social Services Department and the abrupt departure of the Assistant Director for Children’s Services.

The troubled department, which was criticised over its failings in the Victoria Climbie case, has been under fire from Lib Dem Social Services Spokesperson, Cllr Ron Aitken, over a number of issues.

Cllr Ron Aitken comments:

“I have been told by reliable sources that Haringey’s Social Services Department is now £7 million overspent on its children’s services budget. We have also questioned Haringey Council over its policy on a number of other issues such as CRB (Criminal Reference Bureau) checks on employees, SSRI antidepressants prescribed to children in care, and the closure of an inquiry into an alleged paedophile ring in the 1980s. This surprise restructuring will only add to present concerns.

“The Department was awarded One Star by Government inspectors last year. It appears that the price of getting from Zero Stars to One Star is a massive an unplanned financial hangover for Haringey.”

Crouch End’s Liberal Democrat councillors have expressed dismay that Labour-run Haringey Council has moved to exclude them from plans to establish a skate park or skateboard project for kids in the Crouch End area. The Council has told local Lib Dem councillor David Winskill, who has championed the idea, that he is not welcome on the working group set up to move the project forward.

Cllr Winskill has been pushing Haringey Council to find a safe place for kids to skateboard in the area following discussions with local skateboarders, residents and conservation groups. He was alerted to the issue by local residents who were concerned that Crouch End skateboarders were using public places, such as the Hornsey Town Hall forecourt. This has resulted in fears that the fabric of the building could be damaged.

Cllr David Winskill comments:

“It is very disappointing that the Council seems to be trying to develop plans in secret, as I have been working hard to push this issue forward and would like to keep local people in the loop. It is not the end of the matter, and I will continue to work with local residents to see that a suitable place is found for skateboarding, and that the forecourt of Hornsey Town Hall is properly protected.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Lynne Featherstone has succeeded in getting the green box recycling scheme extended to Campsfield Road, Hornsey, following a number of requests from local residents who are keen to recycle.

The Lib Dems, who campaigned successfully during the 2002 local elections for the expansion of door-to-door recycling across the borough, are continuing to press Haringey Council to ensure that scheme is universally available across the borough.

Cllr Featherstone wants Haringey Council to meet the recycling demands of residents who keen to do their bit for the environment. The Lib Dems have received numerous requests from residents who do not currently have the door-to-door service following their recent residents’ survey. They promise to continue highlighting the areas that don’t have green boxes and would like to have them.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“It is good news that thanks to the demands of local residents another area in Haringey is getting green boxes. However I find it hard to believe that the Labour Council is so slow to respond to residents who are enthusiastic about recycling. Haringey’s poor recycling rates need all the help they can get.”

Highgate and Archway’s Lib Dem councillors are calling on Haringey’s Labour-run Council to think again over new parking controls that have unexpectedly appeared in one of the area’s most densely parked areas. To the surprise and anger of local residents, Haringey Council has this week introduced double yellow lines into a wide residential area near the Archway Road. Local councillor and Lib Dem leader Neil Williams says the situation is adding to the already huge parking problems in streets where major gas works and works on the nearby Archway bridge are already taking up valuable parking spaces.

After pressure from Lib Dems and local residents in the area known locally as ‘The Miltons’, the Council had recently agreed to make some parking spaces available in a nearby, and largely unused, council car park at Tudor Close.However, despite the present chaos due to the street works, the Council has now painted double yellow lines near the junctions and in other parts of the street that appear entirely unnecessary.Cllr Williams, who is asking for an urgent review of the restrictions and for more parking at Tudor Close to be made available, says that some of the double yellow lines are clearly unnecessary and that the timing of the new works beggars belief.

Lib Dem Leader and Highgate Councillor Neil Williams, comments:

“I have asked Haringey to look again at what they have now done, and they have agreed to visit the site. We have been battling for months now with parking problems in the Miltons as the Council timed its own Archway Bridge repair works to coincide with the disruptive, but necessary, works to the gas mains.

Lib Dem Great London Authority candidate Lynne Featherstone adds:

“The yellow lines, as well as being over the top, could not have been more ill timed. The whole area is under siege from street works, and resident have had more than enough.”

There was outrage following the full Haringey Council meeting where the Labour group on Haringey Council moved to abolish the borough’s respected watchdog committee on local crime issues.The Lib Dems say they will be seeking advice from the borough’s legal watchdog on the controversial move, which will be a blow to policing issues in the borough.

The party says that the move shows yet again that the Labour Council holds the scrutiny process in contempt. Cllr Lynne Featherstone, along with Highgate councillor Melanie Simpson, had been nominated as the Lib Dem representatives on the committee – but neither was informed of the plans to sweep the body away. Lib Dems say the move will anger local residents, as Ms Featherstone has been highly prominent on policing issues in the borough, with her high profile campaign to reopen the police station front counter at Muswell Hill – despite a total lack of support from Haringey Labour.

Lib Dem Leader Neil Williams, who spoke out against the plans at full council yesterday, comments:

“This is a totally cynical move from Labour, who have removed a committee where Lynne Featherstone was playing an extremely valuable role. Even the former Labour chair of the body has paid tribute to her work.

“This is not the end of the matter, as we believe that Haringey Labour have clearly acted outside the rules. It is yet another appalling example of Labour bringing the whole scrutiny service into disrepute.”

Muswell Hill councillors Gail Engert and Lynne Featherstone have expressed their anger and dismay at the felling of trees in the council-run car park behind Marks & Spencer’s in Muswell Hill.There was outrage on Monday 24th May when it transpired that three trees in the car park had been felled, and that Haringey Council’s tree officer had not been consulted in advance of the action – an undertaking that had been given to Ms Engert by Haringey Council.

CllrEngert had in fact asked for the Council to increase the number of trees in the car park and to replace previous tree losses. While Haringey argued that the trees were difficult to protect in their present location in the car park, Ms Engert says that the Council had agreed as recently as five days ago that it would look at providing the existing trees with proper protection. As a last resort, Haringey had said itwould re-site them if necessary – but the trees were felled a few days later.

Cllr Gail Engert comments:

“I have asked for all works to be stopped immediately and that officers agree to a site visit to look at the impact of the loss of trees on the car park site. Trees should not be removed in this way. I have now asked that all further work on the site is suspended until the situation is properly assessed.”

Cllr Lynne Featherstone comments:

“I want Haringey Council to undertake to protect the remaining trees and plant extra specimens to replace the losses.”

Safety measures for Muswell Hill moved a step forward this week with the installation of bollards at the foot of the hill.

The news follows months of pressure from Lib Dem ward councillor Lynne Featherstone.

Calls were made for safety improvements earlier this year following a number of accidents and near misses on the junction at the foot of Muswell Hill. Cllr Featherstone requested a number of improvements, including the installation of a speed camera on the busy route, which are currently under consideration by the London Safety Camera Partnership.

Cllr Featherstone comments:

“I am pleased with the news that bollards have been installed, although I am surprised at how long it has taken for the work to take place.

“I am hopeful that further improvements will be implemented soon and this accident blackspot will become less hazardous to both drivers and pedestrians.”

Cllr Lynne Featherstone has welcomed the decision to relocate a set of recycling units from outside a Bounds Green block of flats after months of pressure.

The issue was originally taken up by Cllr Featherstone back in October 2003, after she had been contacted by residents living in Embassy Court, Bounds Green Road, who said the units had created a lot of noise and attracted dumping in the area.

Ms Featherstone raised these concerns with Haringey Council on a number of occasions, but it was only early this month that she got a response to her request. The Council has confirmed that they are currently looking to relocate the units to a new site by a pub on Bounds Green Road and Warwick Road. They added that although they are not aware of a dumping problem around the units, their contractor, Haringey Accord, would ensure that the area is regularly checked for dumping.

Cllr Featherstone has welcomed the belated response to the problem by the Council. However she is concerned with the length of time the action took, and wants to see the Council responding quickly to these issues.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“I am glad that the Council has finally acted on my request to have the recycling units moved away from Embassy Court.

“I am concerned that it has taken six months to gain a response from the Council on an issue that has been causing misery to local residents. The Council must investigate complaints quickly and effectively and I will be maintaining the pressure until I see an improvement.”

Pressure is growing on Haringey Council to scrap its controversial charges for the collection of bulky rubbish, such as old fridges and other large items. Local residents are still responding to a Lib Dem petition on the issue, and a new set of signatures was being handed to Haringey Council today from those demanding an end to the charge.

Lib Dems say that partly because of the charges, large items such as old fridges and other large waste litter the borough’s streets. Lynne Featherstone has labelled the policy a false economy, as it results in the unscrupulous dumping of these large items – with Haringey having to foot the bill anyway as they have to clear up the mess. The Labour-run council has recently admitted to Lib Dem councillors that demand for collections of bulky rubbish have declined by almost 75% since the introduction of the charges.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“Haringey needs to recognise its policy is not working, and is leading to more dumping in the area. Any revenue the Council gains is cancelled out by the extra fly-tipping.”

Cllr Wayne Hoban adds:

“This is also a financial issue for local people. Some residents can not afford bulk collections and others resent having to fork out extra when they believe this should be covered by the Council Tax.”