Labour councillor Lorna Reith (Executive member for Community Involvement) dropped a bombshell at Monday’s (12 March) meting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC). She announced that Haringey is about to adopt a new logo, corporate colours and typeface.

The whole project has been conducted in secret with no consultation.

Chair of OSC, Labour councillor Gideon Bull, on hearing the news, described himself as “Speechless, absolutely speechless.”Not something people would normally associate with the usually ebullient chair, say the Lib Dems.

All seven members of OSC, in common with all Labour backbenchers and all Lib Dem councillors had no idea that such an announcement was to be made or even that consultants had been engaged.The new logo was described by Lib Dem councillor David Winskill as looking like “…a squashed spider under a bookcase.”

On a practical point, Cllr Gail Engert, herself a professional designer, questioned the wisdom of using a rust-red typeface on a black background. “I am sure that this will be difficult to read by people with sight impairment.”

Labour Councillor John Bevan was astonished that the project was even being undertaken, “at a time when we have just has a terrible financial settlement from the Government.”

Cllr Winskill suggested that the project could have taken the form of a competition. He comments:

“Haringey is bursting with graphic design talent. Why it never occurred to Haringey to organise a competition and pay the winner is typical – Labour councillors are so out of touch. A competition could have been a great boost for youngsters trying to start their careers.”