Meeting with Haringey Housing Chiefs to demand vital repairs

Posted on 15th Jan 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

Lynne Featherstone MP and Cllr Richard Wilson last week met with Haringey Council and Homes for Haringey to request that vital repairs are made to the Noel Park estate in Wood Green.

Last year, Labour-run Haringey Council announced that no ‘Decent Homes’ repair work would be made to the entire Noel Park Estate – despite previous promises to complete the work, and despite receiving an extra £25million grant from the Coalition Government.

This prompted outrage from residents, local MP Lynne Featherstone and the Haringey Liberal Democrats – who have since been robustly campaigning for the Decent Homes work (which includes fitting new kitchens, bathrooms and other repairs) to take place as scheduled.

At the meeting, the Council representatives committed to make urgent repairs to properties if necessary, and to consult with residents of the estate about the more extensive Decent Homes work.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“Many homes on the Noel Park estate are in urgent need of repair and modernisation, and residents have been promised just that for years. Noel Park should be a priority, but instead the Labour-run Council is turning their backs on residents.

“It’s Haringey Council’s job to provide tenants with a decent standard of living – and the Government has given the Council extra money to do so.

“It’s no wonder residents are so outraged by the cancellation of the work – particularly following revelations that the Labour-run Council allowed £3.7million to be dished out on bonuses for repairs staff!

“The Council have committed to make urgent repairs and consult residents – which is a step in the right direction but not good enough. The local Noel Park Lib Dem team and I will keep campaigning for full repairs for residents on the Noel Park estate.”

Sign the petition for money to be spend on homes, rather than on bonuses for failure, here.

Taking part in local school project on homelessness

Posted on 15th Jan 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

Lynne Featherstone MP last week visited Greig City Academy in Hornsey, to take part in a student’s citizenship project on homelessness.

Along with a volunteer from the Haringey Winter Shelter, the MP for Hornsey and Wood Green participated in a discussion with a group of year 11 students about how to raise awareness of homelessness.

The group also discussed the help available to young people affected by homelessness.

The Coalition Government has invested over £470 million to tackle homelessness, with the bulk of this being spent on homeless prevention funding.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“I was very glad to see young students tackling the subject of homelessness. The issue should be on the agenda – not pushed to one side and forgotten.

“There are so many wonderful charities and soup kitchens helping homeless people on a daily basis. And the Government is helping, too, with £470 million of funding being used to try and prevent homelessness.

“£3.5 million has been used to extend the ‘No Second Night Out’ programme beyond the London pilot to eight new areas – and only two out of 683 people being helped by the scheme in Merseyside have returned to the streets since February 2012.”

Lynne Featherstone MP welcomes Haringey health funding boost

Posted on 6th Jan 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

This year, Haringey will receive a £7.6 million funding increase for local health services such as hospitals and walk-in centres.

The above inflation increase for Haringey was announced by NHS England in December, after the funding formula used to allocate money was reviewed. The new formula ‘will more accurately reflect population changes and include a specific deprivation measure.’

The announcement follows a campaign for fairer health funding by Lynne Featherstone MP, the Haringey Liberal Democrats and local residents.

During the campaign, the Liberal Democrat MP contacted both the Department of Health and NHS England, demanding a fairer deal for Haringey health services – which have been historically underfunded.

Alongside welcoming the increase, the MP for Hornsey and Wood Green has vowed to continue the campaign to secure further funding for local services.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“Haringey health services have been underfunded for decades, unfairly receiving less money per person than neighbouring boroughs.

“I am so pleased that the Government has changed the funding formula, giving Haringey health services a much needed funding boost. Thank you to all the local residents who got involved in the campaign for more funding, and helped add pressure for change.

“We don’t yet have truly fair funding, though, and I will continue to push for even more money for our local services.”

A year of local delivery!

Posted on 3rd Jan 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

Here’s my latest Ham and High column, following a great year of working with local residents to protect our services

2013 was a year of people power in Haringey – with thousands of local residents and Liberal Democrats joining forces to protect local services.

At the beginning of the year, the proposed sell off of land at the Whittington Hospital was successfully halted, following a campaign by over 4,500 local residents and the Haringey Liberal Democrats.

Later in the year thousands of Lib Dem petition signers also prevented Royal Mail’s planned closure of Hornsey Sorting Office, and also stopped the threatened loss of local rail services at Hornsey and Harringay stations.

Local High Street traders also made their voices heard, calling for lower High Street parking charges. The Haringey Lib Dems and I backed them, by running a campaign for thirty minutes free parking and holding the Independent Shops Competition to give our best local stores some much deserved publicity.

The North London Waste Authority also finally backtracked on their idea to build a waste plant on the Pinkham Way site, thanks to a great campaign effort by the Pinkham Way Alliance, local residents and the Lib Dems. The NLWA still own the land, though – so we remain vigilant.

Last year was also great for jobs and apprenticeships – with more and more Haringey residents finding work. Since 2010, unemployment is at its lowest level in my constituency (over 1000 less JSA claimants), and youth unemployment has fallen by a third.

The apprenticeship event I ran this year was very popular and successful. I was so impressed with the ambition and drive of the young people who attended – and so were the employers. One Haringey young person was snapped up by an employer just a day after the event!

Looking forward to next year, I hope for more hard work and successes for the Lib Dems and people power. And one date in particular springs to mind – May 22^nd, the next round of local elections.

Last year, Haringey Council (which is currently run by Labour) failed to deliver on many key local services. Our roads are in a state, two thirds of residents are dissatisfied with their rubbish collections, and Childrens Services has been tarnished with more child protection scandals.

And at the same time, the Labour-run Council continues to waste money. £3.7 million in shockingly large bonuses were dished out to repairs staff – while essential repair work to local homes was cancelled. It’s no wonder Haringey Council is the fourth most complained about in the country.

That’s why I want to see a change in how our local services are run and how our Council Tax money is spent.

And after this great year of local delivery and working with residents, I hope it’s the Haringey Liberal Democrats that take control of Haringey Council, so they can work with residents to fix Haringey for good.

Now, that really would be a happy new year!

Lib Dem efforts secure extra money for Haringey schools

Posted on 11th Dec 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Lynne Featherstone MP and the Haringey Lib Dems have welcomed a revised funding formula for local schools.

The Hornsey and Wood Green MP reacted angrily and demanded a rethink last year, when Labour-run Haringey Council produced a funding formula which left a number of schools with less money, despite the council receiving £millions more funding from Government.

The local MP publicly criticised the Labour administration and asked the Department for Education to intervene. Under the new formula, all schools in the borough will receive a rise in funding next year.

Haringey Borough received an extra £13million to give to schools this year, thanks to the Pupil Premium policy introduced by the Liberal Democrats in Government. An additional £7.3 million will also be received following the Liberal Democrat MP’s successful campaign for fairer education funding.

The new funding formula is due to be approved at the Haringey Council cabinet meeting next week.

Haringey Lib Dem spokesperson for children, Cllr Katherine Reece, said:

“I am pleased to see that Liberal Democrat campaigns are having a real effect on the ground, and that Haringey’s children are to benefit from the success of these campaigns.

“After so many years of losing out, Haringey schools are close to having truly fair funding.”

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“The Lib Dems, both locally and nationally, have worked hard to secure over £20 million in extra funding for our schools – so it is quite right for every school in the borough to get a boost.

“I was absolutely livid last year when Labour-run Haringey Council put together a botched formula which projected a loss of money for some local schools.

“Thankfully, the revised formula, which is more in line with national standards, has produced a much better result.”

Liberal Democrats – helping businesses employ young people in Haringey

Posted on 5th Dec 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

The drive to help young people get jobs in Haringey will be boosted by plans to abolish employers’ National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for under 21 year olds.

Local Lib Dem MP Lynne Featherstone has welcomed the announcement, which means businesses will no longer have to pay tax on their employees aged under 21 year old. For example, companies will save £1,000 each year for every young employee earning £16,000.

In Haringey, the plan to abolish NICs for young people from April 2015 means companies will not have to pay the contributions for 4,220 young people.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“The Liberal Democrats are focused on getting young people into work and this is exactly the kind of initiative needed to give businesses a break and encourage them to start recruiting.

“Since 2010 we have already helped create more than 1.5m new apprenticeships. Meanwhile, Nick Clegg’s £1bn Youth Contract is supporting work experience, wage incentives and apprenticeships.

“Our economy is growing because of the hard work of people and businesses, they deserve this help. The coalition’s economic plan is the rock on which our recovery is being built – and it is happening because of the Liberal Democrats.”

Lib Dems in Government secure pay day loan cap

Posted on 3rd Dec 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

The Coalition Government has announced plans for a cap on pay day loans. This comes after over a year of Liberal Democrat calls for tougher action on pay day lenders.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will now have the power to cap the cost of payday loans. The Banking Reform Bill will also create a duty on the FCA to cap the fees and charges imposed by payday loan companies.

The Liberal Democrats are also keen to promote credit unions as an affordable alternative to payday lenders and as an ethical investment to people who are looking to save. Credit unions offer:

Low-cost loans to those in need of short-term financial support.
Ethical community investments

The Coalition Government has recently invested £38m to support and expand credit unions.

Haringey Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Richard Wilson and local Lib Dem MP Lynne Featherstone, who are both members of the local credit union, have urged local residents to add their support.

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

“I welcome this announcement. The Liberal Democrats in Government have worked hard to secure tougher action on pay day lenders. Now we have given the new financial regulator, the FCA, power to cap the cost of payday loans. Through the Banking Reform Bill, we are also creating a duty on the FCA to cap the fees and charges imposed by payday loan companies.

“We are also continuing our support for credit unions, which offer lower interest loans and ethical investment opportunities. It is fantastic to have a credit union operating in Haringey, and I am happy to help promote them.”

Cllr Richard Wilson, Lib Dem Leader of the opposition and Credit Union member, comments:

“I am delighted by this announcement. Capping the cost of pay day loans will help lots of people who would otherwise be hit with massive bills for pay day loans.

“I would still encourage people to join the credit union though as they provide much lower cost loans and an ethical investment.”

Tackling the housing crisis

Posted on 16th Oct 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Many years ago I got a mortgage for my first flat (off the Archway Road) – which enabled me to get a first foot on the property ladder.

Owning a house is still an aspiration for many young people, who want properties as big, or bigger, than their parents. But times are tough – particularly for many young people in the private rental sector who cannot afford to save for a sizeable deposit.

The bottom line is that, up until 2010, not enough houses were built. Prices of existing properties have spiralled out of control and the younger generation have been frozen out of the market.

That’s why the Coalition Government introduced a number of measures to ease the housing crisis, build new homes and give young people assistance in getting on the property ladder.

And we are starting to see some changes. Housing supply is now at its highest since the end of the unsustainable housing boom in 2008, with 334,000 new homes built over the last three years. The number of first-time buyers is also at a five-year high.

Please do take a look at this document – which gives details of the schemes introduced by the Coalition Government to help first time buyers and ease the housing crisis. If you’re looking to buy your first property, or know someone who is, this is a must-read!

Any questions – just ask!

Liberal Democrats and people power in Haringey strikes again!

Posted on 14th Oct 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Our local trains serve thousands of residents every day – including me! It’s great when they run smoothly, but all too often our current trains into Moorgate are overcrowded, delayed or even cancelled.

Last year, the Haringey Lib Dems and I welcomed the coalition government’s announcement of a massive £6billion investment in rail services in and around London – which will mean new, longer trains and more services at peak times.

It’s part of the largest investment since Victorian times – which is great news.

But, at stations like Hornsey and Harringay, platforms are too short for longer trains to stop. We became worried that these stations could end up receiving fewer services, while the new, longer trains whizzed by.

So, we launched a campaign opposing any service reduction at Hornsey and Harringay. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 98 per cent of residents agreed with us!

We sent all of your responses to the Department for Transport (DfT), and on the day of the announcement, I went down to the department to make one final plea to save our services.

And I’m pleased to say that our hard fought campaign has been successful! The DfT have now announced that there will be no service reductions at any local stations, including Hornsey and Harringay.

In addition, the DfT also confirmed that, under the new franchise, evening and weekend services would now run into Moorgate as well as King’s Cross, and that Hornsey and Harringay stations will now be permanently staffed.

This is a great victory for local commuters, rail users and the Lib Dems – our train services will be improved and no services will be lost!

Last week, there was also very good news about Pinkham Way. The local Lib Dems and I have campaigned for years against the North London Waste Authority’s plans to build a huge waste plant on the site, which is situated just off the North Circular.

For years, residents lived in the shadows of this thoroughly unsuitable plan – worried about the effects on the local environment and property prices. The Labour council also turned their backs on us – waving through the plans without question.

But after years of Liberal Democrat and Pinkham Way Alliance campaigning, countless petitions, legal challenges and more, the waste authority has finally seen sense and cancelled plans for the Pinkham Way site!

We still remain vigilant on both issues. We will keep an eye on plans for the rail services and on the Pinkham Way site, to ensure that local residents’ voices are heard.

But for now, the battles have been won. I’d like to thank every single resident who took part in these campaigns. The local Lib Dems and I have worked tirelessly on them – but couldn’t have achieved success without the significant support from local residents.

The combination of Liberal Democrats and people power in Haringey strikes again!

You’ve got the power!

Posted on 11th Oct 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Have you ever thought that you could run local services better? Wanted to save a local shop that was facing closure? Or wanted to see a idea to improve your community put into action?

With new community rights, you can do all of this and more.

As a Lib Dem, I believe that local people know what’s best for the area they live in. Previous Governments have centralised too much power, with people in Westminster offices making decisions about places they’ve never been to.

In the Coalition agreement, the Tories agreed with Liberal Democrat plans to give people the power make (or oppose!) changes to their community. This led to the Localism Act 2012.

These community rights granted in the Localism Act have now been in place for the past year, and have been used thousands of times by hundreds of local groups.

For instance, the Localism Act gives local groups the chance to purchase community assets before they’re sold to external developers.

A great example is the Ivy House pub in South London. Local residents found out it was going to be sold for redevelopment, so they got together to raise the funds to buy it. Almost 400 people bought shares in the pub! It has just reopened as a co-operative pub, with music and comedy nights, real ale and food.

If you and a number of your fellow residents want to make changes, you can. To do this you will need to organise, plan, and have a local vote to ensure your ideas are supported by the rest of the community. For the most part this will go through the Local Authority, but once approved by the public you will be in charge.

This means that you can take over local services through the Right to Challenge, build new houses with the Right to Build, or if a park is being sold you can protect it using the Right to Bid.

Additionally, the Neighbourhood Planning scheme allows residents to decide what facilities should be built, and the Right to Reclaim Land means that unused Council property can be put to better use.

You also have the right to create Community Shares for their community project, and if there is not already one in place you can set up a Town or Parish Council.

A full leaflet and guide can be found here.

This is a great opportunity to make positive changes to your local community, so go get involved! If you want to let me know what you’re doing or would like some advice – contact me!