Lynne Featherstone and Highgate’s Lib Dem councillors have expressed satisfaction as their pressure for better road surfaces in Highgate has achieved another success. Haringey’s Council has agreed to resurface all the roads in Highgate identified as in need of urgent action by the Lib Dems. They include Highgate High Street, Hillside Gardens and Jackson’s Lane.

Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson and Highgate resident Lynne Featherstone comments:

“This is good news at last. Many Highgate roads have been waiting far too long for resurfacing. In the case of Southwood Lane, the surface is very potholed and falling away at the sides and no amount of patching seems to solve the problem.

Local councillor Melanie Simpson adds:

“We’ll be keeping an eye on the works, as there is a definite feeling that Highgate roads do not always get the attention they need from Haringey Council. Southwood Lane and Jackson’s Lane both carry a lot of traffic and have clearly needed resurfacing from some time. I am pleased the Council has finally agreed to action in the coming financial year.”

Muswell Hill councillor Lynne Featherstone has welcomed plans for a much needed safety improvement for a busy Muswell Hill junction. Double yellow lines are to be placed at the bottom of Cranley Gardens at the junction with Park Road, where parking close to the busy junction was creating a hazard as drivers attempted to make the turn.

The works are to be rolled out as part of a programme of measures over the coming months.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“Improved lines of sight at the junction are sorely needed, and I am pleased that the yellow lines will cover the short stretch to St George’s Church. Vehicles are regularly parked right up to the junction, making it difficult for emerging traffic, and also causing tailbacks during busy periods. It is a welcome move.

“It must not be forgotten, though, that Labour promised action on more substantial traffic calming measures for Cranley Gardens in the re cent by-election. We will continue to press them for solutions to the problem of dangerously fast traffic passing along the road.”

Lib Dem GLA candidate Wayne Hoban has expressed concerns that Haringey’s care homes may be facing overload, following new figures collected by Lib Dem Mayoral candidate Simon Hughes.

Occupancy rates of care home beds, while a problem right across the capital, are running at 98% in Haringey – well above the 90% recommended rate, reducing the range of options and flexibility Haringey Council has when placing elderly residents in care.

Wayne Hoban comments:

“The current care home occupancy figures for Haringey are certainly a serious concern. Care home experts recommend that only 90% of beds should be taken, because this allows local councils to provide care for older people who need a bed at short notice in the right location, such as for people who have been admitted to hospital but are unable to return home.

“With high levels of occupancy, there is significantly less choice on where to place older people, which can result in older people being moved to inconvenient locations, further from home and away from their local support networks.”

Haringey Council has been criticised by Lib Dem councillors in the borough for not knowing how many of the borough’s 28,000 pensioners entitled to Council Tax benefit do not receive it. Lib Dems says that pensioners failing to claim the benefit can experience considerable hardship as a result. Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson Lynne Featherstone says Haringey must do more to ensure that pensioners struggling to pay Haringey Council’s extremely high Council Tax receive the benefits to which they are entitled.

The move follows a written question by the Lib Dems at last week’s full council meeting which asked Harigeny to indicate how many pensioners were not claiming Council Tax benefit. The figure is believed to run into hundreds or more, but the Council replied that it did not have precise details available.

Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson Lynne Featherstone comments:

“Hundreds of pensioners are suffering needless worry and hardship from Haringey’s high Council Tax bills – and many are entitled to help they are not receiving.

“Haringey has undertaken to do more to encourage pensioners to claim benefits to which they are fully entitled, and we will continue to keep up the pressure to ensure that they do so.”

There was a strong turnout last week at the meeting organised by local Lib Dem councillors in Alexandra ward over the controversial and unpopular plans by Vodafone to install a phone mast and base station on the pocket park at the junction of Albert Road and Durnsford Road.

At the meeting, organised by Lib Dem councillor Wayne Hoban and chaired by Lib Dem councillor Susan Oatway, there was disappointment and anger among residents over the failure of Vodafone to agree to attend a meeting on the issue. Company bosses have said they would only consider a round table meeting with local ward councillors and officers, and a small number of local residents. The meeting rejected this option completely, arguing that Vodafone should meet with all the residents – or none at all. Residents agreed to write to the company to oppose Vodafone’s plans, expressing their strong objections on health and safety grounds.

Cllr Wayne Hoban, who has received many letters from his constituents on the proposals, comments:

“This meeting once again showed the strength of feeling on this issue. Local residents do not want this mast on an open public space, and we will continue to press the company to withdraw the plans. There is also genuine dismay that Vodafone would not come and met all the residents, which does not bode well for a constructive dialogue with the company.”

Highgate councillor and Lib Dem Leader Neil Williams has called on Haringey Council to open up for temporary use one of its own car parks following continuing parking misery near the Archway Road as a result of major road works in the area. Cllr Williams says it is the least the Council can do to relieve the problems in Hornsey Lane Gardens N6, as major gas repair works are clashing with the Council’s own works on the Archway Bridge refurbishment.

Councillor Neil Williams says Haringey Council should have used some common sense in ensuring that the two major works did not clash. Despite their own works, Haringey Council gave permission for the Transco gas mains works to take place, causing parking misery for residents in one of Highgate’s most densely developed areas.

Cllr Williams says that the car park in nearby Tudor Close lies largely empty, as the Council refuses to issue permits for use of the oversized car park to local residents not living on the estate.

Cllr Neil Williams comments:

“Under the circumstances, the Council should show some goodwill to the residents and at least provide some temporary parking in Tudor Close. After the lack of co-ordination over these works, this is the least they could do. Having refused to take action, I have asked them not to enforce restrictions in Tudor Close while the gas mains works are still ongoing.”