Lynne Featherstone

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament, will speak to members of the Crouch End Open Spaces campaign group tonight (24^th May).

The MP for Hornsey & Wood Green will tell members of the group that London’s green spaces are vitally important and that Liberal Democrats in the coalition government have won new powers for local people to shape their local community.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“CREOS has done a fantastic job over more than twenty five years, helping to protect and improve open spaces in Crouch End and Muswell Hill. They have shown what can be achieved when people come together to work for their own local community.

“Our green spaces are hugely valued and vitally important parts of our communities. In London, over 50 hectares of protected open space – equivalent to more than twice the size of St James’s Park – has been lost in planning approvals since 2008 when Boris Johnson became mayor.

“The new Localism Act will give people the power to nominate community assets that can then be given extra protection from the threat of development. Crouch End playing field is one of the places that people have told the local Liberal Democrat team should be included as a community asset. Councillors will be pressing Haringey Borough Council to include it in the list for extra protection.”

Here’s my latest column for the Muswell Hill Flyer and the Highgate Handbook:

I try to be good with recycling – but when it comes to batteries it is sometimes quite difficult because there isn’t an easy and convenient place to put them locally.

We have battery recycling bins at Parliament – so that makes it easy for me. But how many of us do bother to take batteries to the recycling centres? I don’t know – but I suspect the odd one or two just gets put in the normal rubbish.

So – I just wanted to tell you about a success my Liberal Democrat colleagues on Haringey Council had in the budget debate. Haringey Council agreed to implement Liberal Democrats plans that will provide new green incentives and better recycling in the borough.

My LibDem colleagues proposed that Haringey Council provide new battery recycling services in libraries, community buildings and schools, and new green incentives for local traders and residents to move to ‘greener’ vehicles by reducing parking fees for the least polluting cars.

Even better – the new measures will be paid for by freezing allowances for councillors to the tune of £14,000!

This follows fast on the heals of the new rules passed by the European Union which mean that as of February 2010 shops must have battery recycling bins for residents to use if they sell the equivalent of 1 pack a day. It makes it so much easier to be good – if there is a facility for us to recycle things like batteries easily available. I went to a Tesco local next to my office in Hornsey High Street to celebrate their new battery recycling facilities installed to meet the EU rules.

Until now, people who wanted to do the right thing had to make their way to one of Haringey’s two recycling centres – and that’s not the best way to encourage recycling of some of our most hazardous waste. Batteries are so bad for the environment, and most people do want to do their bit for our planet – it’s only right to make it as easy as possible for people to do just that.

As an added bonus: in terms of encouraging greener vehicles – Haringey Council agreed to the LibDem proposals that there would be free parking for the greenest business vehicles and free parking for the greenest residents’ vehicles.

Hurrah!

Local Liberal Democrats Lynne Featherstone MP and Environment spokesperson Cllr Bob Hare have recently visited a local shop to test out new battery recycling facilities. From February 2010 new rules passed by the European Union mean that shops must have battery recycling bins for residents to use if they sell the equivalent of 1 pack a day.

Haringey Liberal Democrats are also proposing to install 100 new battery recycling sites throughout the borough as an amendment to the Council’s budget to be discussed on Monday. The sites will be in libraries, schools and other community space and will make it easier for local residents to find a convenient battery recycling site near to them.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“It’s great news that from this month, residents will be able to pop down to their local shop to recycle their batteries.

“Until now, people who wanted to do the right thing had to make their way to one of Haringey’s two recycling centres – and that’s not the best way to encourage recycling of some of our most hazardous waste.”

Councillor Bob Hare, Environment spokesperson for Haringey Liberal Democrats, adds:

“I very much welcome the fact that this will make it easier for people to recycle their batteries, but it can be made even easier. That’s why we are proposing to install 100 new battery recycling sites throughout the borough.

“Batteries are so bad for the environment, and most people do want to do their bit for our planet – it’s only right to make it as easy as possible for people to do just that!”

Haringey Council agreed last night to implement Liberal Democrats plans that will provide new green incentives and better recycling in the borough.

Liberal Democrats proposed that Haringey Council provides new battery recycling services in libraries, community buildings and schools, and new green incentives for local traders and residents to move to ‘greener’ vehicles by reducing parking fees for the least polluting cars.

The new measures will be paid for by freezing allowances for councillors.

Cllr Ed Butcher (Stroud Green), Liberal Democrat Finance Spokesperson, comments:

“I am glad that Labour have, once again, taken the lead from Liberal Democrats. They followed our lead on the Council Tax freeze and now on new green incentives and recycling.

“It shows that even in opposition Liberal Democrats lead on the green agenda and recognise, in these tough economic times, that councillors should not take more of taxpayers’ money.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“My colleagues on Haringey Council continue to hold Labour to account and provide new ideas that move Haringey forward. If they can do this in opposition imagine what could be done in a Liberal Democrat-run Haringey Council.”

Stunned Labour councillors seemed unaware on Monday night of the information revealed by the Liberal Democrats about Haringey Council’s use of domestic flights. Gasps from the public gallery greeted Liberal Democrat Cllr Ed Butcher’s revelations that, despite a promise to not use domestic flights for council business, 17,038 miles were travelled on flights within the UK in the past two years.

At last night’s Full Council meeting councillors debated a motion to agree to support the Friends of the Earth campaign to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2020. Liberal Democrats highlighted Labour’s failure on the environment and tackling climate change – the broken promise on domestic flights was given as an example of this failure.

Liberal Democrats have now demanded details of when the flights were taken, who travelled, the destination and the cost to the taxpayer.

Cllr Ed Butcher (Stroud Green) comments:

“It was red faces all round in the Labour Group. Embarrassed Labour councillors seemed unaware that their own policy had been broken and this is an example of their lack of grip on this council’s administration.

”The serious issue is that, once again, Labour has said that they will stop the use of domestic flights for council business yet they have broken their promise.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Local residents will not be able to believe a word Haringey Labour says about the environment. Their green credentials are now dead in the water.”

Information revealed by local Liberal Democrats shows that Labour have broken a key pledge to stop Haringey Council using domestic flights for council business. A document sent to the Government tallying Haringey’s C02 emissions shows that 17,038 miles were travelled on domestic flights in the past two years.

The news comes as  Haringey Council announced its support of the Friends of the Earth campaign to reduce C02 emissions by 40% by 2020. Liberal Democrats have accused Labour of hypocrisy and failing to keep to a key pledge on reducing C02 emissions.

The document sent to the Department for the Environment and Climate Change shows that 17,038 miles were travelled to UK destinations, 18,992 on short haul flights and 71,028 miles for long haul air travel.

Cllr Bob Hare, Liberal Democrat Green Spokesperson, comments:

“This news is very concerning for Haringey’s fight against climate change. Unless we are fully committed to doing all we can to reduce C02 emissions we will fail in our task.

“Local residents will feel let down by a Labour Council that promised to take action to reduce carbon emissions but has fallen at the first hurdle.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“This shocking admission by Haringey Council shows that Labour cannot be trusted on their green pledges – they simply say one thing but do another.”

It’s a real problem. You know when you change batteries that you need to recycle the old ones and that you mustn’t put them in with the ordinary rubbish because they are hazardous – but there’s nowhere convenient in Haringey to do the right thing!

So my Liberal Democrat Haringey councillor colleague, Bob Hare (inveterate campaigner on all matters environmental) and I got together to illustrate our point.

In a bid to make it easier for local residents to recycle their household batteries, we local Liberal Democrats have called on Haringey Council to increase the number of battery recycling points in the borough.

Currently, residents can only recycle their batteries at Haringey Council’s two recycling centres – in Hornsey or Tottenham. In contrast, several local authorities across the country run successful schemes that give residents the opportunity to recycle their batteries in special battery recycling points on the streets or in local shops and libraries.

Why is Haringey Labour Council so bad at everything? The clue is in the phrase ‘Haringey Labour Council’!

In a bid to make it easier for local residents to recycle their household batteries, local Liberal Democrats have today called on Haringey Council to increase the number of battery recycling points in the borough.

Currently, residents can only recycle their batteries at Haringey Council’s two recycling centres – in Hornsey or Tottenham. In contrast, several local authorities across the country run successful schemes that give residents the opportunity to recycle their batteries in special battery recycling points on the streets or in local shops.

Lynne Featherstone MP and Liberal Democrat Green spokesperson Cllr Bob Hare, are today calling on Haringey Council to look at innovative options that will make it easier for residents to recycle their batteries instead of throwing them in the normal rubbish.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

‘Batteries, especially if old or broken, can be very dangerous to people and the planet. Throwing them away with the normal rubbish sadly means they end up on the landfill, with potentially very worrying long-term consequences.

‘Recycling needs to be easy and accessible – we all want to do our bit for the planet – but if that means driving half-way across Haringey to recycle our batteries, many may feel it is not worth the extra effort or the extra carbon foot-print.

‘That’s why we are calling on Haringey Council to look at options to help residents make the green choice when it comes to disposing of old batteries.’

Cllr Bob Hare adds:

‘I hope Haringey Council will take a good hard look at the many innovative and simple options out there that will make it easy for residents to recycle their batteries, either by dropping them off in battery points on their street, at their local library or shop.’

Lynne Featherstone MP for Hornsey and Wood Green joined Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud outside Parliament to build a compelling case for a nationwide green refurbishment programme.

The Grand Designs Great British Refurb Campaign, led by Kevin McCloud, has gained the support of thousands of homeowners across the country who are asking for Government support to make their homes more energy efficient.

Tackling our poorly insulated, inefficient housing stock, has the potential to reduce homeowners energy bills, create thousands of ‘green collar’ jobs, and help the UK meet its climate change targets.

Lynne Featherstone MP joined the campaign by helping Kevin McCloud insulate his ‘home’ outside the Houses of Parliament.

Lynne Featherstone MP said: “Tackling the energy efficiency of the UK’s 26 million existing homes must be a priority for the Government. Homeowners can do their bit to reduce their energy consumption, but they need more support and greater financial incentives to green their homes, and unlock the potential energy and cost savings within their four walls.”

It is estimated that by retrofitting our existing housing stock, nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide could be saved – the equivalent to the average CO2 output of over 1.5 million homes per year. The market for green refurbishment and improvement could be worth between £3.5 billion and £6.5 billion per year and thousands of new jobs could be created. Britons could save on average £300 a year on household bills by being more energy efficient and improving heating and insulation in the home

The Great British Refurb Campaign is supported by the Energy Saving Trust, Grand Designs magazine, UK Green Building Council and WWF-UK. Thousands of homeowners have already added their name to a petition calling upon the Prime Minister to make it easier, more affordable, and more attractive to go green at home. This petition will be delivered to No 10 Downing Street later this week and is well timed to coincide with the Government’s latest announcement on reducing the UK’s energy demands.

Kevin McCloud says: “We urgently need a plan of action to deliver on our climate change targets. A nationwide programme of green refurbishment is an ideal solution, creating a major reduction in carbon emissions and providing a boost to the economy through the creation of green collar jobs in our communities. But in order to achieve this, the Government must first remove the cost barrier and make it a tangible solution for the nation’s homeowners.”

The Great British Refurb Campaign is calling upon the Government to:

1. Offer households new ways to pay for green refurbishment, which would significantly reduce upfront costs and instead spread them over a longer period of time.

2. Provide better financial incentives for householders to refurbish their homes to make them greener and more energy efficient, through substantial government grants, subsidies or tax rebates.

3. Ensure installers are qualified and approved to undertake the work.

To find out more about the Great British Refurb Campaign visit www.greatbritishrefurb.co.uk.