The heavens opened and it poured – and thundered – and lightning lit the skies. And where was I?

Forging my way to a long-awaited meeting that I had arranged between warring factions over the new buildings at Fortismere School and the devastation and disturbance which the building work had left in its wake.

Jarvis (the contractors) turned up mob-handed, with the heads of Fortismere and Blanche Neville schools and officers of Haringey council in attendance.

The meeting went like a dream. All of the residents’ grievances and wishes were met (new road surface and paving at completion of works, Blanche Neville to change its stationery so that Burlington Road not billed as an entrance and planting, fencing and landscaping to be agreed with residents). Had to pinch myself to believe it.

Given the rows there have been over the permissions, breaking of planning conditions and general unhappiness – I am convinced that dragging Haringey’s Chief Exec there to see the mess paid off. Plus, of course, my threat to nag for eternity if it wasn’t resolved satisfactorily!

Meeting with residents of Burlington Road in Fortis Green, Haringey who have had their peaceful cul-de-sac turned into a school entrance to Fortismere and Blanche Neville.

Yes – when Jarvis built a new sports hall at the end of their road, Haringey Planning put conditions on the development so that this would not become an entrance or at least only for a small number of peripatetic teachers.

But being Haringey they failed to build the fence to stop children using it. They don’t care that the school has put Burlington Road on its letterheads as an entrance and they show absolutely no intention of enforcing the planning conditions. No wonder the residents are feeling powerless against these broken promises.

I have already had one meeting with Haringey Council’s Chief Exec about this and taken him to the site to show him the appalling state of the road – ruined by contractors’ lorries. I have extracted a promise to really consult with residents over the replanting of the area and to review the state of the street.

Now it seems, I will have to go back into action to ensure the fence is built and the address changed. The Chief Exec’s argument so far about the school using Burlington Road as an address is that they won’t be able to get post if they don’t. Nonsense – how does he think they got mail before this entrance was created?