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6.12.05
Cllr Wayne Hoban, Deputy Leader of the Lib Dem Opposition on Haringey Council, has denounced as 'unacceptable' the fact that Labour led Haringey Council pays out the second highest compensation payments in London in terms of cash compensation per claim.
This information was highlighted in a recent report by the Evening Standard (November 24th), which confirmed that a total of 2,040,968 has been paid out by Haringey Council over the last five years to 553 claimants - an average of 3,690 per claim, 50% more than the average of other councils.
The compensation payments arise through claims made for injuries incurred through poorly maintained streets, footpaths and pavements.
The Lib Dems have lobbied Haringey Council for many years to improve its cleaning and repairs on streets and receive hundreds of pieces of casework each year regarding pot-holes, damaged pavements and blocked drains via their annual resident's survey.
Cllr Hoban comments:
"These claims would not be so high if Labour led Haringey Council took its responsibility for maintaining local streets, footpaths and pavements to an acceptable standard seriously. Too often, we see repairs deferred until the last possible minute, rather than attended to under a regular maintenance and repair programme. This is not only expensive for the council, but it also places residents, particularly the more frail and vulnerable, at higher risk to injury.
"The two million paid out in cash compensation claims would be better spent on maintaining our footpaths and roads to a satisfactory standard."
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