Lynne Featherstone

Liberal Democrat councillors will be demanding a special Full Council meeting if a motion calling for an inquiry into the Queen’s Lodge fiasco is not debated at Haringey Council’s Monday night meeting.

Last month shocked residents watched Labour “talk out” a Liberal Democrat motion that called for an independent enquiry into the controversial collapse of the building. Following the Labour filibuster, Lib Dem councillors re-submitted the motion for the Full Council meeting this coming Monday. But yesterday it was revealed that it has been placed last on the agenda, and so it is unlikely to be reached again.

Lib Dems says that the ruling Labour group have broken an agreement that existed between the two parties since before Christmas to ‘rotate’ motions (ensuring that each party had the chance of getting one of its proposals debated at least every other meeting).

Commenting, Liberal Democrat ward Councillor Stephen Gilbert said:

“Haringey Labour has now tried to stop calls for an inquiry into the collapse of the former Queen’s Lodge for the second month in a row. In doing so they are showing their contempt for local people’s concern and for keeping their agreement to ensure fair play in the Council.

“Residents are already beginning to believe that the Council has something to hide, and the extraordinary efforts that Labour are making to avoid debating this issue is only adding fuel to that speculation.

“Only an independent inquiry into what happened at Queen’s Lodge will address local people’s concerns Should Labour prevent a debate again on Monday, my colleagues and I will be calling a Special Full Council to raise the issue.”