Haringey Liberal Democrats have just launched a campaign to make sure residents living near the Borough boundary can access GPs in neighbouring boroughs.
The action comes after residents in Stroud Green have complained of not being allowed to register with GPs surgeries just over the border in Islington.
Last Friday, Lynne Featherstone MP, Stroud Green Cllr Katherine Reece and Health Spokesperson Cllr David Winskill launched a GP survey to hear from residents in Stroud Green about their access to GPs. The health campaign is also looking at access to NHS dentists and gathering residents’ opinions on the standard of local health services.
Local councillors Katherine Reece and Richard Wilson have already met with NHS Haringey who acknowledge that registering with a GP can be a serious problem for residents in Stroud Green.
Nationally the Liberal Democrats in government are pushing to give patients the right to choose to register with the GP they want, without being restricted by where they live.
Lynne Featherstone MP comments:
“It’s ridiculous that residents on the north side of Stroud Green Road cannot always use GPs on the south side of the road due to bureaucratic wrangling.
“We are surveying residents in Stroud Green to find out just how bad the situation is, and will be bringing the results to health bosses.”
Stroud Green Councillor Katherine Reece adds:
“It’s great that Liberal Democrats in Government are working on changing the rules about where you can register for your GP. We want to do our bit here in Stroud Green.
“However Islington PCT is refusing to recognise there is a problem with cross-border GP access. We hope this survey of local residents will change their minds and force them to work with GPs to widen access.”
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Outrage after residents are sidelined on consultation
Liberal Democrats have demanded an extension to a consultation after local residents were left out by Haringey Council on plans for a controversial development in Stroud Green.
The Council failed to send thirteen residents in Quernmore, Elyne and Stapleton Hall Road key consultation documents on plans to turn a garden into a five-bedroom house that borders their properties.
Local councillor, Richard Wilson, has made a formal complaint to the Council and asked that the consultation, which is due to end on 4 August, is extended for local residents to have their say on the proposals.
Cllr Richard Wilson (Stroud Green) comments:
“It is vital that all residents have a say on developments affecting their neighbourhood. It is unacceptable that the Council have failed to consult adequately and the consultation should be extended immediately.
“And I can understand why people are so keen to object to this proposal. I don’t think the site is really suitable for development – and certainly not for a house of this size.”
Lynne Featherstone MP adds:
“The Council needs to own up to this mistake and do all in their power to make sure residents get the chance to respond. This is frankly quite a large development and neighbours should get the chance to have their say.”
Local Liberal Democrats demand action on dangerous crossing
Campaigners have vowed to put an end to local schoolchildren’s “terrifying” route to school, by starting a campaign to make a dangerous crossing in Stroud Green safer.
Local Liberal Democrats have launched a petition to get Haringey Council and Transport for London (TfL) to take action, to make the zebra crossing safer on Upper Tollington Park by installing a pedestrian crossing and, in the short-term, having crossing patrols for local schoolchildren.
Despite many requests from local Stroud Green councillors, Haringey Council has failed to keep to promises to make the crossing clearer to drivers and to slow down the traffic.
Local residents can sign the petition by visiting http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/page1633
Cllr Richard Wilson (Stroud Green) comments:
“It is clear that local residents want action to make this crossing safer for local pedestrians, especially schoolchildren, who use it every day.
“I am very disappointed that, despite promises, Haringey Council has failed to take any action.”
Lynne Featherstone MP, adds;
“We think that the council should employ a crossing patrol now. We cannot wait until a serious accident happens.
“A longer term aim, will be to ask the council and TfL to work to install a permanent crossing or other measures, to make this crossing safer.”
Watch the video interview with our Stroud Green team
My LibDem colleagues standing for Stroud Green ward – Cllr Ed Butcher, Cllr Richard Wilson and Katherine Reece who is the candidate replacing Cllr Laura Edge – were interviewed by stroudgreen.org. The discussion in the video ranges over their reasons for standings, their priorities for Haringey, their favourite things about Stroud Green, final thoughts and how to get in touch. Congratulations to stroudgreen.org for this – bringing politics to the people!
Labour leaflet lies about Hornsey Hospital
Local Liberal Democrats have demanded that Labour withdraw false claims that the party campaigned against the new health facility on the site of the Hornsey Hospital. Lynne Featherstone MP and local Liberal Democrats helped lead a high-profile, decade-long, campaign to get the hospital site back into use. In recognition of her work, Lynne Featherstone was invited to take part in the ‘topping out’ ceremony to mark the completion of the new health centre building in 2009.
Lynne Featherstone MP comments:
“Local Liberal Democrats have campaigned for a decade for the Hornsey Hospital site to be reopened. This ludicrous claim shows just how out of touch Labour are.
“Unlike Labour, the Liberal Democrats campaign on local issues all year round – not just in election year. This is a desperate attempt by Labour to mislead the public.
“Labour should retract this false statement, and show more respect for residents by committing to a clean election fight.”
Cllr Richard Wilson, added:
“Over the last few years I have accompanied Lynne on dozens of protests and public meetings, as well as low-key private meetings with the Haringey Primary Care Trust. She has lobbied tirelessly for a new health facility on the Hornsey Hospital site, and it is absolutely outrageous for Labour to claim otherwise.
“This desperate tactic is insulting to the huge numbers of residents who campaigned with Lynne to get the Hospital site reopened. It also shows how scared Labour are of losing control of Haringey Council to the Liberal Democrats at this year’s elections, and how they will say anything to cling to power.”
Squatters move in after Haringey Council fails to act on empty home
A family-sized home, left empty by Haringey Council for nearly a year, has now been taken over by squatters, despite promises by Housing bosses that it would be brought back into use this month. The property, at 15 Nelson Road, Stroud Green (N8), was occupied last week, three months after local Liberal Democrats raised the issue with Haringey Council.
In December last year Haringey Council promised that the property, which is a much sought-after three-bed family home, would be brought back into use by 26 March 2010. Yet no action has been taken on site by Haringey Council.
Liberal Democrat councillor for Stroud Green, Richard Wilson, has written urgently to the Cabinet Member for Housing to demand answers why Haringey Council has failed to act and what will be done to remove squatters.
Cllr Richard Wilson (Stroud Green) comments:
“Local residents were promised by the council that action would be taken to bring this family-sized house back into use. Haringey Council has failed to do this and now squatters have seized on the opportunity to move in.
“One of the neighbours is an elderly lady in her eighties who, I’m told, is quite distressed about the situation.
“We now need a clear plan of action by the council to see what can be done about the squatters and bring this home back into use.
“Given the huge shortage of family council houses in the borough, Haringey Council’s failure to act is an absolute scandal.”
Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, adds:
“This home could be used by one of the many families in Haringey who are stuck on a waiting list, in overcrowded temporary accommodation.”
Stroud Green house left empty for three years by Haringey Council
A large three-storey terrace house, which has been empty for nearly a year in Stroud Green ward, is a stark reminder of the failure by Haringey Council to tackle the housing crisis in the borough, local Liberal Democrats said this week.
Latest figures show that 370 council-owned homes are currently empty, whilst over 16,000 families are on the housing waiting lists and 566 families are waiting for properties with more than three bedrooms.
Last week, Liberal Democrats announced a national policy to bring 250,000 empty homes back into use, as part of their economic stimulus and job creation plans.
Cllr Richard Wilson (Stroud Green) comments:
“Large families wait for years on waiting lists and in overcrowded temporary accommodation, until homes of this size become available. It’s scandalous that Haringey Council is happy to let this house, which could be a wonderful family home, lie empty for nearly a year.
“No wonder we have such long housing waiting lists in Haringey, when our Labour-run council is so wasteful with its own housing stock.”
Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, adds:
“Week after week I have local families come to me in desperate need of family-sized homes. It makes me so mad to see these properties lie empty, whilst thousands of local residents need homes.
“This is another example of Labour’s failure, locally and nationally, to tackle our housing problem.”
Concern raised over empty grit bins as snow set to return
Local Liberal Democrats have raised concerns for the safety of local residents during the ongoing cold snap after it was found that local grit bins are empty – just as more snow and icy conditions are set to return. Local councillor, Richard Wilson, has demanded action from Haringey Council after a spot inspection in Stroud Green ward yesterday (Monday) found that all grit bins were empty.
MP Lynne Featherstone and Cllr Robert Gorrie have today also urgently demanded that Haringey Council takes extra measures to grit priority roads, and ensure there is salt or grit available for non-priority roads.
Cllr Richard Wilson, Stroud Green, comments:
“Given the chaos caused by the snow before Christmas, I’m surprised that the grit bins in Stroud Green are empty. This denies local residents the opportunity to grit treacherous sections of pavement. I’ve demanded that Haringey Council fill these bins as soon as possible.”
Lynne Featherstone MP, adds:
“From the many emails and phone calls from local residents following the last snowfall, where many told me of priority roads not being gritted or salted, I’m really concerned that we might see a repeat this week.
“But with more advance warning this time, I certainly hope Haringey Council ensures that Haringey’s roads and pavements are safer.”
Haringey Council ignores 90% of residents in Stroud Green parking consultation
Haringey Council has ignored the views of almost 90% residents who responded to a consultation about the removal of parking space on Woodstock Road, Stroud Green.
The controversial proposals means that a dozen parking spaces previously reserved for local residents will be turned over for the sole use of businesses.
In the initial consultation 8 of 9 local residents responding objected to the proposal. Nevertheless, Haringey Council has ignore their views and proceeded with the original proposal to statutory consultation, the final stage before implementation of any parking changes.
Commenting Councillor Ed Butcher says:
“It is outrageous that Haringey Council is completely ignoring the wishes of the local residents. This Labour-led council should stop using the word consultation because they clearly don’t know what it means. They simply don’t know how to listen”
Councillor Richard Wilson, Stroud Green councillor and Deputy Leader of Haringey Liberal Democrats, adds:
“What makes me angry about this latest parking scandal is that it has nothing to do with the real parking problems of our area.
“Hundreds of residents are crying out for action because there are severe parking problems in streets outside the CPZ parking, yet Haringey Council is steamrollering through changes elsewhere when a clear majority does not want them. There is simply no rhyme or reason.”
Stroud Green Liberal Democrats carried out a recent parking survey in the area outside that Control Parking Area that confirmed two thirds of people thought action was needed from the Haringey Council.
Two thousand families hit by benefit change
Over two thousand families on low incomes in Haringey will be £780 poorer per year from next April when the Labour government’s benefit changes take effect, it has been revealed. In a response to an enquiry by Cllr Richard Wilson, Haringey Council confirmed that 2,016 residents will be affected when changes are made to the Local Housing Allowance rule which takes away £15 per week extra for families to spend on better housing.
Changes to the Local Housing Allowance were announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, in the April 2009 Budget report. In total, £1.5million will be taken away from the poorest families in the borough.
Liberal Democrats have criticised the Government and have likened the changes to the abolition of the 10p tax rate last year that similarly hit the poorest and resulted in an embarrassing u-turn by the Labour government.
Cllr Richard Wilson, Deputy Leader of Haringey Liberal Democrats, comments:
“I am appalled that, at a time of recession, the Labour Government are raiding the pockets of some of the poorest families in Haringey. There are over 2,000 families across Haringey relying on this money. £15 might not seem much to Labour Ministers but is a huge amount to someone on the poverty line.”
Lynne Featherstone MP adds:
“This is as bad as the abolition of the 10p tax rate and yet another example of how out of touch Labour are with the least well off.
“I will be contacting the Minister at the Department for Work and Pensions to ask why local residents are being hit by the government at this hard time.”
Lynne Featherstone 