A successful meeting on the local problem of graffiti was organised by Highgate’s Lib Dem councillors on Tuesday.

Local resident and graffiti-buster Mike Read told the audience at St Michael’s Primary School, North Road, how he and residents had raised funds for a dramatic clean up of the problem in Southwood Lane, and used the meeting to make contact with other local groups and residents interested in tackling the problem.

The meeting also heard councillor Lynne Featherstone speak about the issue and Haringey Council’s record in dealing with graffiti. As a result of local campaigns, Haringey is now under pressure, she said, to reverse its policy of only cleaning up graffiti that is racist or obscene.

Local community police inspector Simon Heffer also updated locals on the efforts of the police, who have been working with Southwood Graffiti Action and local councillor Neil Williams following the Southwood Lane clean up.

Residents were pleased to hear that, as of this week, the police will have six more officers available to deal with these kinds of crimes in Highgate and the west of the borough. There was disappointment, however, that the council did not accept an invitation to attend the meeting.

Local councillor Neil Williams, who organised and chaired the meeting, comments:

“I am very pleased with the way things have gone. Mike Read of Southwood Graffiti Action has made some more useful contacts and the meeting showed the strength of feeling there is on this issue.

“I am disappointed that representatives from the Haringey Council failed to accept an invitation to come to the meeting. We must keep up the pressure to ensure that the Labour-run council takes this issue seriously, as graffiti just breeds more serious crime.”

You can get Lynne Featherstone’s graffiti fighting fact-sheet here (pdf format).

Highgate’s Lib Dem councillors are demanding swift action from the Labour-run council to clear up the autumn leaves and rubbish in North Hill and North Road, the busy residential thoroughfare that connects Highgate village to the A1.

Lib Dem councillor Neil Williams says that leaves and debris have been heaped into piles and just left on the two roads, and have either blown away or turned into a slippery slime that poses a threat to elderly residents trying to walk about the area.

Cllr Williams also says that the roads are not getting a proper weekly sweep, and is asking Haringey Council to take action.

Neil Williams comments:

“I have been looking at the state of the these roads in Highgate this weekend, and frankly it is a disgrace.There are piles of leaves and rubbish everywhere. North Hill and North Road are getting nowhere near an adequate clean from the council, and I am asking them to take immediate action.”

Muswell Hill Lib Dem councillor Ross Laird has welcomed news that Housing Association Housing 21 has secured £3,000 to trim the trees at Connaught House.

The trees have been causing damage to the flats, just off Connaught Gardens. The problem is one of a number of issues that Councillor Laird has been pursuing to improve the area. He recently held a public meeting with residents, covering issues such as dumped rubbish, potholes, abandoned cars and crime in the area.

Ross Laird comments:

“I am pleased that Housing 21 is now able to address the problem of trees. I will be pressing to ensure that all the issues raised by residents are fully dealt with.”

Highgate’s Lib Dem councillors have welcomed a commitment this week from the local police chief that he will provide a police ‘kiosk’ in Highgate. The move follows a long campaign by Lynne Featherstone and the area’s Lib Dem councillors to restore a police presence in the area.

Chief Superintendent Stephen James made the commitment at a meeting yesterday with Ms Featherstone. The arrival of a permanent police kiosk in Highgate will depend on the force receiving its planned increase in police numbers, as promised, by the end of March 2003.In a constructive dialogue with the Lib Dem leader, Chief Superintendent James also agreed that it was vital for local residents to be able to contact the police easily by telephone and receive an answer from local officers who know the Highgate area very well.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“This is good news for Highgate, and we welcome the police’s commitment to restore a more visible police presence in the area.While it is disappointing that the reopening of the front counter is not seen as an option given the current state of police resources, this is still a very welcome move.

Highgate local councillor Neil Williams adds:

“We now need to make sure that this welcome commitment is delivered, and that things move forward. One thing we must address is where a police kiosk in Highgate would be best placed. I would welcome the views of local residents at this stage, so we can keep the pressure up.”

A Highgate Lib Dem councillor is calling on Haringey’s Labour-run council to take action to repair the lighting on the Archway Bridge. The move follows months of lame excuses to Councillor Neil Williams (Highgate) and attempts by Haringey Council to dodge questions on the issue.

Two of the famous and elegant globe lights on the famous bridge have not been working for as long as Archway locals can remember. Since his election in May, Councillor Williams has repeatedly asked the council to take action and has been offered a range of weak excuses.

Neil Williams comments:

“I am simply not accepting Haringey’s excuses on the bridge lighting. If Islington can work so hard on the traffic calming plans on Hornsey Lane, the historic route of the bridge, Haringey ought to be able to get two lightbulbs working on the bridge. It is such a shame, as this is one of our most historic landmarks.

“I will now be asking the council to provide solid evidence that the cost of getting the lights to work is as high as the council says. I am rather sceptical.”

Note:

Under an agreement between Islington and Haringey, the former looks after Hornsey Lane while the latter has the lead on the bridge. The whole route forms the Haringey’s southern boundary with Islington.

Haringey Council is facing a substantial increase in public complaints, according to figures leaked to the Liberal Democrats. The notes to Haringey’s ruling ‘Executive’ on 22 October show that the number of monthly complaints for this year is a massive 45% higher than last year’s monthly figures.

On average, the secret papers reveal that 109 complaints per month of all types have been logged by the council this year, compared to 75 last year.

Lib Dem Deputy Leader, Ross Laird, comments:

“This is a worrying trend and one which will perhaps not surprise the borough’s residents. All too often, one feels that complaining in Haringey is like shouting into an abyss. However, I would urge residents to keep pointing out problems with council services, as it is the only way to force Haringey to listen.”

Note:

The “Notes for Executive on 22/10/02” contain figures showing in 2001/2 898 complaints recorded by council at all stages of its complaint procedure – i.e. 75 per month on average. However, for 1 February – 28 October, 874 complaints logged – i.e. 109 per month on average, an increase of 45%.

Local Lib Dem councillors are calling for a proper dialogue between Haringey Council and Transport for London (TfL) over the controversial problem of traffic calming in the Muswell Hill area. The move follows months of stalemate between the two authorities, during which time Haringey has failed to take up TfL’s offer to fund up to £100,000 of traffic improvements.

The offer was made to help fund traffic calming measures in the area affected by the controversial Grosvenor Road barrier and Colney Hatch traffic lights, but TfL says Haringey has not taken it up.In a letter last week to Cllr Lynne Featherstone (Muswell Hill), TfL says:

“Derek Turner [TfL’s surface transport supremo] had previously indicated TfL’s wish to support Haringey Council (up to £100,000) in its funding of traffic calming measures associated with Grosvenor Road / Colney Hatch Lane subject to the Council making a case. We have received no such ‘case’ from Haringey and I have asked my Chief Engineer for our North and East Section, Godwin Fernandes, to contact council officers to establish the current position and seek to help.”

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“Here we have Haringey looking a gift horse in the mouth, and no firm action has been taken. Residents want some solutions and the money is available. I am happy to help witharranging a meeting to ensure that the right heads are knocked together so that things can move forward.”

Cllr Susan Oatway (Alexandra Ward) adds:

“Local residents have put in a huge amount of time and effort into helping the council get the plans right. We need TfL and Haringey to get together and sort this issue out.”

As Haringey remembered its war heroes and veterans this November, Crouch End Liberal Democrat councillor Ron Aitken travelled to France to join local people and former French servicemen in the village of Pontchartrain, near Versailles, France, to honour his uncle, Robertson Aitken, who was killed in a bombing raid over Paris in 1944 aged 22.

Robertson Aitken’s Lancaster bomber of XV squadron RAF crashed in the grounds of the local chateau just two days after the D-Day landings began.

Councillor Aitken, the Mayor of the French town, and local citizens laid wreaths from the Royal British Legion and the RAF on the war memorial and Sergeant Aitken’s grave. Former French Resistance fighters were also honoured.

Ron Aitken comments:”It was a privilege to be able to honour my uncle, and also to remember so many French people who fought to defend our freedoms in both world wars.”

Muswell Hill’s Lib Dem councillors are taking action to improve lighting and remove rubbish on one of the area’s busy walkways. The underpass and walkway to Muswell Hill Primary School, at the end of the Parkland Walk, is dark and has been in desperate need of clearing of both leaves and rubbish.

Lib Dem councillor Lynne Featherstone has written to both the council and the Alexandra Palace Charitable Trust to ask them what they intend to do about the lighting problem, which makes the area very unpleasant at night.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“Kids, parents and staff at the school find this walkway very intimidating in the winter. The police are advising people not to enter parks after dark, so this must be remedied. Good lighting is needed to make people as safe as possible when they walk about the area.”

Fellow Muswell Hill Lib Dem councillor Jonathan Bloch has been tacking the council about the rubbish problem on the route. Cllr Bloch has called for a massive clean up of the Parkland Walk route from Cranley Gardens through to Muswell Hill primary school, and says that litter and leaves lying on the path represent a danger to kids and parents taking their children to school. The council has agreed to a clean up, and a commitment from the Neighbourhood Officer to ensure that the route gets a once a week clean.

Jonathan Bloch comments:

“This is some good news, as the area has been a disgrace in recent weeks. Kids need a better environment, and it’s a pity if a pedestrian walkway suffers these sorts of unnecessary problems. It should be a bright and pleasant route.”