Lynne Featherstone

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.”

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of sheltered housing scheme Passmore Edwards House, Lynne Featherstone MP on Friday joined the residents in special birthday festivities.
 
The Liberal Democrat MP, who has visited the scheme on many occasions, most recently to see an allotment project co-run with Bounds Green school, had the honour of cutting the birthday cake. The MP also got to meet four very special residents, Kiymet Huseyin, Maureen Greene, Audrey Hagger and Rene Contzen, who have all lived at the scheme from the very first day it opened.
 
Lynne Featherstone MP comments:
 
“Passmore Edwards House is such a warm and welcoming place, and I always have such fun when I come here, be it to check out the allotment, or sing with the residents.
 
“So it feels very special to be celebrating with such a lovely crowd here today, especially with Kiymet, Maureen, Audrey and Rene who have been here from day one! So happy birthday Passmore Edwards!”

To celebrate Rhodes Avenue student Ione Goodwin winning a national writing competition run by the Citizenship Foundation, Lynne Featherstone MP last week congratulated the ten year old at a special event in Parliament.

The Alexandra student won the ‘Dear Prime Minister’ writing competition, where primary school children from across the country got to write letters to the Prime Minister to-be as part of lessons about democracy in the run up to the general election.

Ione’s contribution, which focused on issues around education and locally sourced food, was selected for its ‘ingenuity in tackling big issues’.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“I’m so delighted that Ione has won with this brilliant letter to the Prime Minister. She writes with impressive insight and ingenuity for someone so young, and shows a real awareness of current affairs and the important issues of the day!

“And hats off to the Citizenship Foundation for a great competition. What a creative and clever way to make kids up and down the country learn more about politics and democracy.”

To mark proud of pubs week and highlight the valuable role pubs play in the local community, Lynne Featherstone MP was chatting with landlord Nigel Oxford and pulling a few pints at the Three Compasses Pub in Hornsey.

The Hornsey based pub has been widely recognised for the role it plays in the community and in 2008 won an award for best community pub.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“I’m really proud to be backing pubs in Hornsey and Wood Green this week.

“Places like the Three Compasses become even more important in times of hardship, as places to meet and keep the local community together. So here’s to all the great community pubs in Haringey – cheers!”

To celebrate the summer and a day full of fun for the students at Woodside High, Haringey’s special sustainability school, Lynne Featherstone MP on Friday opened their summer fete.
 
The Liberal Democrat MP also got to do a special stint on the school’s very own TV channel, Woodside TV. The Hornsey and Wood Green MP got quizzed on issues around sustainability, business and enterprise by some of the school’s very own sustainability and business experts.
 
Lynne Featherstone MP comments:
 
“What a fete! This is surely the way to celebrate summer and a year’s hard work, by strolling around the stalls, getting a head massage, learning some new dance moves or enjoying some tasty food.
 
“And judging from the gruelling questions for my interview on Woodside TV – the students have been working really hard this year, winning dragons den competitions, aiming to become an eco school, and learning a lot about sustainability and enterprise in the process. So a great celebration is certainly in order!”

Today, local Liberal Democrats have launched a campaign to make Haringey’s roads safer with the introduction of a borough-wide 20mph limit. The campaign aims to gain support from local people and successfully urge Haringey Council to take action to implement a 20mph limit on all residential roads. Local Liberal Democrats believe that such a limit would halt a worrying recent increase in accidents.

Liberal Democrats presented their plan to Full Council last night but the Labour group blocked a motion that sought to urge the Council to commit to take action on accidents.

Since 2007, the annual number of accidents on Haringey’s roads have increased by 17 per cent, incidents involving cyclists have doubled and those involving children have increased by 50 per cent.

Local people who are in support of a 20mph limit on all residential roads can sign the Liberal Democrat petition at http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/20mph

Cllr Lyn Weber, Liberal Democrat Environmental Services spokesperson, comments:

“Over the last year there has been a worrying increase in accidents in Haringey involving children and cyclists. Our proposals aim to make our roads safer by introducing, in consultation with local people, a 20mph limit on all residential roads without speed humps and other physical measures.

“It was very disappointing that the Labour group sought to stifle debate and duck any decision that would commit the Council to improving the safety of Haringey’s roads. But we will not stop there, we will continue to campaign on this vital issue and I hope residents will sign the petition.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds;

“This is a really great and positive proposal by my Liberal Democrat colleagues on the Council. With such a big increase in accidents recently, something needs to be done. It’s very disappointing that the Labour administration seem reluctant to take road safety seriously and consider the proposal.”

Local Liberal Democrats were on Friday celebrating the transformation of Muswell Hill Children’s Library after a successful four year battle to get it refurbished.

Lynne Featherstone MP and Councillors Gail Engert, Jim Jenks, and Martin Newton were chatting with excited children and parents at Friday’s special opening of the new space, which now has a medieval theme to go with a beautifully restored mural.

The children’s section, which until recently was in a sad state, with peeling wallpaper and cracked walls, finally got it’s much needed refurbishment after a successful campaign by local Liberal Democrats.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“This place is just magical! And what a transformation from the rather sorry state it was in before, with peeling wallpaper and cracked walls.

“They have really done a fantastic job, and the kids who are here today clearly love it – and surely that’s what it’s all about!”

Muswell Hill Councillor Gail Engert adds:

“It’s been a long, hard battle, but I’m so proud to say it’s been successfully fought.

“This space, where I am sure hundreds and hundreds of local children will discover magical worlds and the joy of reading, will be treasured for years to come. What a success!”

To help celebrate the amazing dance skills on offer in multicultural Haringey, Lynne Featherstone MP, on Friday, opened Haringey’s Big Dance Showcase at the Asian Centre in Wood Green.

The Liberal Democrat MP kicked off the fast moving, colourful display of talent, that saw dancers from all walks of life and corners of Haringey show off their best moves, including Irish dancing, Indian chair dancing and African-Caribbean street dancing.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“Wow, I’ve been blown away by the talented dancers here today, from young to old, from slow, gentle dance to explosions of energy!

“I’m really proud to be representing such diversity and energy. What a fantastic way to celebrate multicultural Haringey, in this colourful collaboration between our Asian, African-Caribbean and Irish cultural centres.”

Stepping up her fight to improve access for blind and partially sighted people to information from local health services, Lynne Featherstone MP has this week written to all local GPs urging them to provide details of their services in Braille and audio formats.

This latest initiative follows a successful drive in February by the Hornsey and Wood Green MP to get the local Whittington Hospital to agree to produce information about their services in formats accessible to blind and partially sighted people. But to ensure the whole local healthcare system offers accessible formats, as required under law, and for the information to be included in referrals to the hospital, GPs need to follow suit too.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“It’s great that the Whittington is continuing to extend the service of providing health information in accessible formats, but for the local health system to be fully accessible, GPs need to do the same.

“That’s why I am calling on them to act now to provide details of their services in Braille and audio formats. We all have the right to keep health information private, and I will continue fighting to make sure that is the reality for blind and partially sighted people locally too.”

To mark National Carers Week, Lynne Featherstone MP, on Friday, attended a special visit, to see the vital support and respite care provided by a Muswell Hill-based playgroup for local children with special needs, and their parents.

The ‘Challenge Group’, based at St James’ Church, was started by Muswell Hill resident Celia Webster and supports local parents of children with special needs, by helping with childcare and providing the chance to meet fellow parents, have a quiet break and a massage.

Parents who are interested in coming along on Fridays, should contact Celia Webster on cebwebster or phone on 020 8883 6277.

Lynne Featherstone MP, comments:

“Being the parent of a child with special needs, Celia turned the frustration of not getting enough support into something so practical and inspirational – she started a playgroup for the children.

“The Challenge Group gives mums and dads the chance to have a break, get pampered and meet other parents in a similar situation. It has clearly been invaluable to the parents who come here.

“It is such an inspirational group to visit for National Carer’s Week. Full credit to Celia, for her hard work and dedication.”