Campaigning for you in 2015

Posted on 3rd Jan 2015 by Lynne Featherstone

Here’s an email I sent to my constituents yesterday. If you live in Hornsey and Wood Green – please do fill in the survey!

It’s almost twenty years since I first got involved in local politics here in Haringey. I joined a residents’ group and we protested against an unpopular parking scheme being imposed on us by the Council.

We were successful – and it showed how a small group of determined people could make changes, benefitting a huge number of residents. After this, I became a local councillor and then MP for our area.

I believe in a fairer society – it’s what I work for day in, day out – in Haringey and in Parliament.

That’s why, along with local residents, I launch campaigns to protect and improve our local services: like hospitals, libraries, stations, parcel collection points, bus stops, police front counters and more.

It’s also why my local team and I worked so hard to secure fairer education funding for Haringey – and now we’re pushing for fairer funding for our health services too.

Creating a strong economy is also important, to support our public services. That’s why my party took the difficult decision to enter into coalition in 2010 – to be part of a stable Government, capable of rebuilding the economy.

Now, both the deficit and unemployment are down. Youth unemployment here has halved – giving so many more young people a better opportunity to get on in life. But there is still work to be done.

I am standing again to be the MP for our local area at the General Election in May this year. Do I have your support? You can let me know who you’re supporting by replying to this email, or filling in this survey.

In the survey, you can also let me know of any issues or problems you’d like to raise with me. I’ll get back to you asap.

Thank you, and Happy New Year,
[Lynne Featherstone's signature]
Lynne Featherstone
Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green

Lynne Featherstone MP takes part in Shop Local events

Posted on 8th Dec 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

Lynne Featherstone MP attended two local markets this weekend, to support and promote local small and independent businesses in the run up to Christmas.

The Liberal Democrat MP attended Christmas markets in Crouch End and Bounds Green, where she visited the stalls and spoke to traders.

The MP for Hornsey and Wood Green then tweeted pictures of the traders, pictures of their products, and links to their websites to over 18,500 followers.

Saturday 6^th December – the day of the Crouch End market – was Small Business Saturday, a national event which encourages people to shop local and promote small businesses.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“It was great to see so many local people and businesses taking part in Small Business Saturday. The people who organised the markets, the traders who had stalls and the customers all came together to give our local businesses a huge boost.

“I was more than happy to send out tweets encouraging other local residents to come to the market. Our independent shops and retailers are such a huge asset to our area – and I’m more than happy to support and promote them.”

Campaign success as Network Rail land in Bounds Green finally cleared

Posted on 13th Oct 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

Network Rail land in Bounds Green has finally been cleared of rubbish and weeds, following a campaign by Lynne Featherstone MP and local residents.

The land runs alongside a much-used alleyway, which connects Bounds Green Road with Bowes Park station, and then extends into Enfield towards the North Circular.

Residents approached the Liberal Democrat MP earlier this year to complain about the state of the alleyway. Since then, the local MP has made numerous representations to the council and held a residents meeting on site with Network Rail.

The council responded and cut back overgrowing vegetation on the northern side of the alley. In the last few days, Network Rail also finally cleared their land of the rubbish that had built up, and trimmed back the vegetation.

The MP for Hornsey and Wood Green has now called a further meeting with both the council and Network Rail, to talk about maintaining the alleyway in the future, including any possible improvements.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“For the last few months, I have been working with local residents to get the council and Network Rail to clear up the alleyway and surrounding land.

“Firstly, the council responded and cut back overgrowing vegetation on the northern side of the alley. Now, following a meeting with residents and me, Network Rail have finally cleared their land of the rubbish.

“This is great news – but we must stay vigilant. I have called a meeting with both the council and Network Rail, to talk about the future of the alleyway – and to make sure it doesn’t fall back to its previous state.”

Lynne Featherstone MP meets with Network Rail over Bounds Green alleyway mess

Posted on 19th Sep 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

Local MP Lynne Featherstone and concerned local residents met with Network Rail yesterday, to demand that they better maintain the land they own in Bounds Green.

Residents have long complained about the build-up of rubbish and waste on the land, which borders a frequently used alleyway. A campaign by residents and Lynne Featherstone MP saw the land cleared in 2003 – but it has since deteriorated again.

At the meeting, residents expressed their continued dissatisfaction with the state of the land, and the MP for Hornsey and Wood Green demanded that the huge piles of rubbish be cleared as soon as possible, and the land maintained regularly.

Network Rail agreed to this, and further agreed to work with residents, the MP and the council to keep the land properly maintained in the future.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“It shouldn’t take intervention from an MP to get Network Rail to agree to clear up and maintain their land. It is in a terrible state, and it makes the alleyway look dirty and dangerous.

“I am glad that Network Rail agreed to clear the land and to maintain it regularly. I will be keeping a close eye on this to make sure it happens.

“In the long term, I want to push for improvements to the alleyway itself, to make it safer and cleaner. I will be consulting local residents on what they would like to see happen.”

Barclays and Tottenham Hotspur among companies confirmed for MP’s Apprenticeship Event

Posted on 21st Aug 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

Eighteen companies, with hundreds of vacancies between them, have signed up to attend Lynne Featherstone MP’s annual apprenticeship event.

The event – which takes place at 2pm, on Thursday 28^th August, at Haringey Civic Centre – gives young people the chance to meet with companies who are offering apprenticeships, and get advice about making applications.

Barclays and the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation are confirmed, alongside the National Apprenticeship Service and companies like Hawk training.

The event, which is backed by Wood Green Jobcentre Plus, is open to all young people – not just Haringey residents. Last year, one young person was taken on the day after the event.

The event follows news that youth unemployment in the Lib Dem MP’s constituency has halved since 2010.

Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, Lynne Featherstone MP said:

“I am very much looking forward to this year’s event. We have a diverse range of companies attending, and I know Haringey is full of bright, ambitious young people, who will come along to meet the companies and find out more.

“Apprenticeships are a great way to kick start a career. You get paid to learn a trade, and you get a qualification at the end. You also get to make contacts within an industry, which could help secure full time work.

“Youth unemployment here has halved since 2010 – I want to work with businesses and local young people to make even more progress.”

Lynne Featherstone MP holds summer street surgeries

Posted on 31st Jul 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

Hornsey doorstepping (2)

Lynne Featherstone MP has spent the past week giving street surgeries across Hornsey and Wood Green, where she met and discussed a wide range of issues with local residents.

During the surgeries, Lynne Featherstone spoke with residents in Muswell Hill, Hornsey and Fortis Green, offering advice and assistance on a range of concerns including housing and repairs. The local MP also discussed problems with the Labour-run Haringey Council, dumped rubbish and immigration cases with local people.

The Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green will continue to hold street surgeries throughout next week in residential areas in order to allow locals to raise any issues or concerns with her directly.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“It has been wonderful to bring my advice surgery out onto the street. These visits are a great way for local residents to meet with me at a location convenient to them. I hope it will make it easier for people to come along and raise any issues.

“With more street surgeries next week, it will be great if as many people as possible take the opportunity to come and talk about any worries or problems they may have.”

Lynne Featherstone MP demands answers on council housing changes

Posted on 30th Jun 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

Local MP Lynne Featherstone has contacted Haringey Council’s Chief Executive, to request information on the future of council housing in her constituency.

Residents in Noel Park and Bounds Green approached the Lib Dem MP, following news that the Labour-run council plans to sell off some of its council housing stock to private landlords, and demolish other homes

The affected areas in the MP’s constituency include homes on Park Grove, Durnsford Road, Tunnel Gardens and Blake Road in N11, homes on the Noel Park estate in N22, and land near Hillcrest in N6.

In her letter, the MP for Hornsey and Wood Green demanded clarification from the Chief Executive, and put forward her view that no council housing stock should be sold off, without suitable replacements being built to house vulnerable local people.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“The waiting list for council housing is incredibly long and oversubscribed in Haringey. There are many vulnerable people that need decent homes to live in. We need more council housing – not less.

“But Labour-run Haringey Council haven’t built a single new council home in over 25 years, and now plan to sell off and demolish some of their existing housing stock.

“It is vital that residents are kept updated, and that no social housing stock is sold off without adequate replacement. I will continue to push the council for answers and campaign for improved or replacement council housing, rather than demolition and sell off.”

£800 tax cut for 45,090 people in Hornsey and Wood Green

Posted on 19th Mar 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

An £800 income tax cut for people in Hornsey and Wood Green is the real budget boost, Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone said today.

The budget revealed plans to increase the personal allowance from April 2015 and put an extra £100 back in taxpayers’ pockets.

Lib Dems have already delivered on a £700 tax cut for low to middle earners, but today’s news goes even further for hardworking people.

The number of people who could benefit from a cut to the personal allowance in Hornsey and Wood Green is expected to be around 45,090

Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, Lynne Featherstone said:

“This tax cut is the real budget boost for working people and would not have happened without Lib Dems in Government creating a stronger economy and a fairer society. This was on the front page of our manifesto!

“The Tories are desperate to claim credit, but in reality their focus is on changes such as an inheritance tax cut for millionaires which we blocked, while Labour simply cannot be trusted with the economy.

“We are also helping people with a freeze on fuel duty and new tax-free childcare to help parents.”

Growing economy – Good news for Haringey!

Posted on 28th Jan 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

Great news – the economy is growing at the fastest rate we’ve seen since 2007 – according to the Office of National Statistics.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also increased its growth forecast for the UK economy from 1.9% to 2.4%.

The UK has also seen a sharp drop in unemployment, and there are now more people in work than ever before. All good signs that the economy is recovering.

And we’re really leading the way in Hornsey and Wood Green. There are now over 1100 fewer people claiming Job Seekers Allowance than there were in 2010.

Youth unemployment here is now 3.8% – almost halved since 2010.

And finally, the number of registered enterprises in Hornsey and Wood Green is on the up, from 4,855 in 2011 to 5,450 now.

The plan is working – and so are we!

What changes would you like to see in Haringey?

Posted on 27th Jan 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

Here’s my latest Muswell Flyer article – on the changes I want to see in our borough this year. Also available here.

The Christmas festivities are over and I hope everyone had a great time welcoming in the New Year. Alongside my usual resolutions, there is something specific I want to see in 2014.

This year, I want to see a change in how our local services are run and how our council tax money is spent. And with a local election taking place in May – change is a real possibility!

Our borough has so much potential – it is a truly vibrant and diverse area. But, like many Haringey residents who contact me, I am fed up of paying one of the highest rates of Council Tax in London and receiving a poor service in return.

Last year, Haringey Council (which is currently run by Labour) failed to deliver on many key local services.

On housing, the Council allowed £3.7 million to be spent on bonuses for housing staff while cancelling vital and long-overdue repair works for local homes. I receive so many complaints from local residents in social housing about the lack of repairs – and I just cannot believe that millions have been spent on bonuses for failure.

Our local streets are also not up to scratch. A survey I ran last year on rubbish collections turned up over 400 complaints about missed collections, bins in the wrong place, and piles of rotting rubbish.

Another survey revealed hundreds of complaints about potholes and lighting, too – despite the Council promising a ‘pothole blitz’ earlier in the year.

And also – the Labour-run Council is still refusing Lib Dem calls for an independent review into Children’s Services, despite further shocking failures to protect some of the borough’s most vulnerable children.

This is a small summary of the problems we have in Haringey. Labour has had 40 years in charge of Haringey Council, and I think it’s about time that changed.

In contrast to Labour, the local Lib Dems are constantly campaigning for improved local services. They’ve been instrumental in saving our parcel collection points and local train services, alongside pushing the Council into action on numerous issues – forcing them to consult on 20mph roads and to build new homes to ease the housing crisis, for instance.

The local Lib Dems are also committed to continuing the fight against development on Pinkham Way, and to improving the state of our streets. We’ve fought hard for independent shops by campaigning for thirty minutes free parking, and free parking over the entire Christmas period. And, the Lib Dems are committed to supporting our local Credit Union as an alternative to payday loan shops.

For me, the choice is easy. What we need is a Council that listens to residents and works for them. I will be campaigning hard to help the Lib Dems take control of the Council so that we can see real, positive changes to Haringey in 2014. Now, that really would be a happy new year!