Tag Archives: wood green

Growing economy – Good news for Haringey!

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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?

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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!

A year of local delivery!

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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 22nd, 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!

Housing Help for Haringey

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Here’s my latest Muswell Flyer article on housing in Haringey. You can read this article and previous articles online here.

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. Social housing for those in need was also relatively easy to come by.

The same certainly cannot be said in Haringey today. Unfortunately, housing here is a huge problem – particularly for those on the Council waiting list, those already in social housing, and young professionals and families struggling to save a deposit for a first home.

The waiting list for social housing has over 10,000 families on it. There are simply too many people in need and not enough houses available.

The reason for this is twofold. Firstly, Margaret Thatcher’s policy of selling off council homes without reinvestment in replacement housing; and secondly, Haringey Council not building any new homes in 25 years.

There are also problems with the quality of social housing. I think social housing should be attractive and built to last – not neglected and run-down. Yet, every week, I am contacted by residents who desperately need repair and maintenance work, and are just not getting it.

There are serious problems with Labour-run Haringey’s housing arm – Homes for Haringey. News recently broke that staff claimed over £3.7million in bonuses in less than two years. This was just shocking – this was public money which could have gone towards refurbishing 300 local homes.

It’s this type of behaviour that the local Lib Dems are fighting against in the local elections next year, as they attempt to take control of Haringey Council from Labour.

In the private rental sector – there are also young people and families unable to save for a deposit to buy their first home due to high rents. And with rents and property prices on the rise, it can be daunting and difficult for first time buyers.

So, with the lack of building, bonus scandals and wastefulness, and rising property prices, people in Haringey are up against it.

But it’s not all bad news.

The Coalition Government has introduced measures to ease the crisis. The new Help to Buy scheme is giving young people the chance to get on the property ladder – by offering them new homes if they have a 5% deposit. The rest of the deposit will be covered by a Government loan.

Council tenants are still able to buy their homes – but now, Councils must reinvest the money in social housing, to ensure we have a rolling stock.

The Lib Dems in Government have also delivered more affordable housing and succeeded in bringing empty homes back into use. We’ve also given Councils extra money towards decent homes work – to improve the quality of social housing.

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!

Lynne Featherstone MP visits local Cypriot Community Centre

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Lynne Featherstone MP talking with Cypriot Community Centre users.

Lynne Featherstone MP last week visited the Cypriot Community Centre on Earlham Grove, Wood Green.

The centre provides a large space for people of all backgrounds to socialise, eat food and take part in activities. During the day, the centre is predominantly used by elderly people, with younger members of the community meeting there later in the evening.

The centre has a number of rooms to hire and holds events such as dinners and dances to help raise funds.

The Liberal Democrat MP was given a tour of the centre by the Chair, Susie Constantinides, meeting local residents and users of the Centre along the way. The Hornsey and Wood Green MP then sat with the Centre Chair, Manager, Secretary and Treasurer to discuss the issues facing the Centre.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“It was great to visit this wonderful Centre, which is such an asset to the local community. Many of the users of the Centre may otherwise be at home alone – instead they are able to come and sit in the warm, socialise and eat a hot meal. The users are predominantly Cypriot, but the Centre is open to anyone – and this inclusiveness is fantastic to see.

“Susie and the team of volunteers have such a large space to manage, and they do it very well. If any local group are looking for venues for events, I would recommend getting in touch with the Centre.

“I want to wish Susie and the team all the best for the future, particularly with their aim to secure more funding, and set up a website!”

Still looking for an apprenticeship?

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My Lib Dem colleagues and I have always fought for better opportunities for everyone, and this extends to the world of work. Apprenticeships are an excellent route to employment, and are hugely beneficial to both the apprentice and the company they work for.

Earlier this year I held an apprenticeships fair, where a number of young people signed up to programmes run by organisations such as Barclays and the Tottenham Hotspur foundation.

The employers who attended the event have taken on some of Haringey’s talented youngsters, and in turn the apprentices are getting paid to learn, and gaining useful experience and contacts in an industry.

Since the Lib Dems entered Government is 2010, the number of people starting apprenticeships in London has increased by over 130%, and youth unemployment in Hornsey and Wood Green has fallen by a third.

Apprenticeships are giving people the experience they need to get on in life, and they are a key part to building the stronger society and fairer economy that the UK’s citizens deserve.

Apprentices are available in a range of fields, and local examples include vacancies for apprentice tilers, apprentice Care Assistant at the North Mid, and an internet marketing consultant job.

These are all great opportunities, and I wish anyone applying the very best of luck – I hope you enjoy learning whilst you earn!

Here are some other links to help people looking for apprenticeships:

Lib Dems submit 2000 residents’ view on a 20mph speed limit to Haringey Council

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Lynne Featherstone MP with a 20mph sign on a street in HornseyLynne Featherstone MP and the Haringey Liberal Democrats yesterday submitted responses to Haringey Council’s consultation on a borough wide 20mph speed limit.

During the consultation, the local Liberal Democrats and the MP for Hornsey and Wood Green surveyed over 2000 residents, to ascertain residents’ views on the proposals.

Based on the results of the survey, the local MP and Liberal Democrats backed a borough wide 20mph zone – but only on residential roads and, where appropriate, town centres. They also recommended that the scheme should be enforced by signs, rather than speed humps.

The Liberal Democrat MP and local Lib Dem group have campaigned for residents to have their say on the introduction of a borough wide 20mph limit since 2010.

The launch of the consultation represents a u-turn by the Labour-run Council, who previously refused to consult on a 20mph limit – rejecting the proposal outright in October 2012.

Cllr Jim Jenks, Haringey Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson, said:

“We have been campaigning for a borough wide 20mph zone since 2010. Our survey clearly shows the majority of local people back that policy.

“Having previously rejected the idea, I hope the Labour-run council will finally listen to us and to residents and implement a borough wide 20mph zone on residential roads.”

Lynne Featherstone MP said:

“The Haringey Lib Dems and I campaigned for so long to get a consultation – and it’s great that residents have now had the chance to have their say.

“Over 2000 people responded to our survey, and we have passed these on to the Council and stated our support for the majority view.

“Thank you to everyone who took part. I will be keeping residents informed, particularly when the Council makes the final decision on a 20mph speed limit in our borough.”

Lynne Featherstone MP re-launches local Wood Green business

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Lynne Featherstone MP with Sales and Marketing Manager Ayse Guner outside On Time Cars at the openingLynne Featherstone MP recently helped to open a business – On Time Cars – on Lymington Avenue in Wood Green.

Formerly Top Cars, the business has now re-launched, and prides itself on providing the best minicab service – by being reliable, available, and safe.  Services are available 365 days a year.

Dozens of local people and employees were present to celebrate the launch – some of whom were working hard to process bookings at the same time!

The Liberal Democrat MP was given a tour of the office and shown the software used to process bookings, before cutting the ribbon and congratulating On Time Cars on their official opening.

The business owners raised a glass of champagne to toast the opening, and invited everyone to stay and enjoy some drinks and Turkish food.

Commenting, Lynne Featherstone MP said:

“It was an honour to attend the official opening of On Time Cars, and to cut the ribbon! There was a great community feel about the event, with everyone joining in to celebrate the business’ achievements.

“In these tough economic times, it’s great to see a local business thriving, and I wish them all the best with this new endeavour.”

The proprietor, Mr. Sertap Balci, issued the following thank you note:

”Dear Lynne, Thank you for accepting and responding promptly to our invitation sent by our Sales and Marketing Manager Ayse Guner. It was a great pleasure meeting you on our opening evening of On Time Cars. We were honoured by your presence.

“On Time Cars is a developing company, we are actively seeking to recruit new members of staff to different parts of the Transport Sector as well as providing a one stop shop to meet our clienteles growing demands for all transport services.”

 

Protecting our parks!

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Haringey has a total of 19 Green Flag awards for its parks – Priory Park and Russell Park included.

Under the criteria, Green Flag parks are judged to be welcoming, safe and well managed, with active community involvement. It also means that they should be some of the best parks in the country.

But – I continue to hear reports of excess rubbish, broken glass, dog mess and damaged or missing equipment in the children’s play areas in these parks. This is not my idea of a welcoming or well managed environment!

I have been pressing Labour-run Haringey Council for repairs and maintenance to Russell Park for quite some time, and will continue to do so. Here’s a video taken from my recent visit there:

Over the summer, the children’s playground at Priory Park has also fallen into disrepair and many parents now consider it to be dangerous. The climbing frame, zip wire, sandpit and sandpit equipment are all broken, and it hasn’t been repaired or cordoned off to prevent children trying to play. Residents don’t think its good enough – and neither do I.

Haringey Council are clearly not doing a very good job of maintaining standards. Once again I have written to them, highlighting this and calling on them to take immediate action to repair the equipment and cordon it off in the meantime to protect children using the park.

They have replied tell me that work does need to be done, especially on the sandpit which ‘is past its expected life span’ – but they still suggest that all park equipment is ‘safe to use’. Local people disagree – and I will carry on campaigning for change!

Unemployment in Hornsey and Wood Green falls again!

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A million jobs infographicLynne Featherstone MP has today welcomed news that unemployment in her constituency has fallen again.

In Hornsey and Wood Green, unemployment is currently at a low of 4%, meaning there are now 869 less people claiming Job Seekers Allowance than when Labour left the Government in 2010.

Youth unemployment in the constituency has also plummeted – down from 7.8% in May 2010 to 4.7% now.

This comes alongside news that, nationally, the number of people in work reached a record high of 29.87 million in the quarter, up 155,000.

Creating jobs is a Liberal Democrat priority. Since 2010, the Liberal Democrats in Government have helped businesses create over 1 million private sector jobs, and have helped create 1.2 million apprenticeships. There are now more apprentices than ever before and 86% more than under Labour.

Locally, Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone has helped create new apprenticeships, by organising an event for local young people to meet companies offering apprenticeships.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“Work is so important to individuals and families. It pays the bills, gives us purpose and fulfilment, and provides security for our long term futures.

“This fall in the number of people claiming JSA is a welcome sign – particularly in Hornsey and Wood Green! This drop, combined with the rise in the total number of people in employment, shows that our economy is recovering and people are returning to work.

“In Government and locally the Lib Dems will keep working hard to reduce unemployment, which in turn will help build a stronger economy and create a fairer society – enabling everyone to get on in life.”