Lynne Featherstone

Local Liberal Democrats have demanded that Haringey Council comes clean on extra costs, after it emerged that the most recent edition of ‘Haringey People’ may have been incorrectly delivered to thousands of homes. Reports suggest that many residents, living in Alexandra ward,received the St. Ann’s and Seven Sisters editions, rather than the normal Muswell Hill edition. Similar delivery errors were found throughout Haringey.

This new revelation puts into further doubt Haringey Council's use of resources for communication.  Last year, the council used £3million of local taxpayers’ money on communication with local residents.

Liberal Democrats have asked the council how many copies of 'Haringey People' have been delivered to incorrect areas and how much the error has cost Haringey Council.

Cllr Gail Engert (Muswell Hill) Area Assembly Chair, comments:

“Local residents contacted me, to say that they had not received the correct editions – it is just another example of Haringey Labour failing to get even simple things right.”

Cllr Ed Butcher, Liberal Democrat Finance Spokesperson, adds:

“This is another nail in the coffin of 'Haringey People'.  For years, local Liberal Democrats have said that this publication is not worth the paper it is written on and that Haringey Council should think of more innovative and up-to-date ways of contacting local residents.

“Now, after this latest mess, Haringey Council has to come clean on how much this will cost local taxpayers.”

Lynne Featherstone,  Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey & Wood Green, adds:

“Haringey residents will be appalled that their money continues to be wasted in this way."

Local Liberal Democrats have voiced their concern at new figures, revealing that Haringey, despite Labour promises, is one of only nine areas in the country where there are more pupils per class than 30 years ago.

The Times Educational Supplement figures show that average Pupil Teacher Ratios (PTRs) across England improved from 23.1 pupils per teacher in 1979 to 21.4 in 2009. However, Barking and Dagenham, Brent, Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Haringey had the same or worse PTRs now compared to 1979.

Liberal Democrats have said that larger class sizes are another indication of Haringey’s unfair school funding system, that sees local children receiving over £1,000 less than children from neighbouring boroughs.

Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, has spearheaded a campaign for fair funding for Haringey children, which has received widespread support.

Gail Engert, Liberal Democrat Children and Young People spokesperson, comments:

“Every child deserves a fair start in life. Having fewer children in a class is vital, so that each child can have more attention from the teacher, but also so the teacher can pick up any problems, early on.

“I am very concerned that, whilst most other areas have improved their pupil to teacher ratio, Haringey has failed to do this.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Cutting class sizes is a fundamental change that would make Haringey’s schools better, but because of Labour's failure to address the school funding crisis, we now have some of the country's biggest class sizes and see the knock-on effect that this has on our children's education.

“Liberal Democrats, through our Pupil Premium, are committed to cutting primary class sizes to 20, to give every child the opportunity they deserve.”

Businesses have been forced to remove advertising banners from the streets of Muswell Hill, after decisive action by local Liberal Democrats. Concerned that permission had not been granted to place banners on railings in Muswell Hill Broadway and Fortis Green Road, both in a conservation area, Cllr Gail Engert demanded that Haringey Council urges businesses to remove them.

This is the most recent success in the ongoing Liberal Democrat campaign against the unpopular banners in local town centres. In the last four years, local Liberal Democrats have successfully removed banners, including controversial banners advertising Kentucky Fried Chicken in Crouch End.

Cllr Gail Engert (Muswell Hill), comments:

“Many of these banners have been found to breach council planning rules, yet it is left to local residents to tell Haringey Council that this intrusive and often illegal advertising is not needed or wanted in our conservation areas.

“We must make our town centres as attractive to visitors as possible – banners on every lamp post and railing do not provide the welcoming atmosphere most residents want.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Local Liberal Democrats will continue to fight against these unpopular and unwanted banners.”

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

By the time you read this, I am assuming (hopefully rightly) that the snow has melted and gone and life has returned to normal. But all did not go that well during the two snowfalls – the ones before and after Christmas.

Haringey Council say that they have ‘agreed priorities’ with their contractors on what gritting should happen when it snows. However, those priorities don’t seem to have been met judging by the picture painted by local residents.

I’d been expecting that – as with previous years – Haringey Council would say they had done a good job and residents would say otherwise. So this time round I made sure lots of evidence was gathered in – by emailing out during the first snow fall asking for reports from the people on my email list. (Let me know if you want to sign up to similar emails in future by contacting me on lynne).

I received over 200 emails back with details of each person’s personal experience in their road and they painted a very bleak picture.

Many priority roads (those roads designated to be treated first) were untouched; even where the road surface was done, the pavements of many priority roads were untouched; the side roads were frequently impassable and the majority of the grit bins checked by local councillors Gail Engert and Martin Newton were empty.

It’s a good thing I asked - and people kindly provided so much evidence - because from Haringey Council’s initial response to me it sounded as if Haringey thought all was fine, the contractors had done their job and there was no need to worry. Certainly not – as I was able to point with lists of specific road names where their contractors had not done the work.

It seems to me that if the ‘agreed priorities’ are not actually delivered as agreed then that is a breach of contract. And it would be reassuring to know that Haringey is checking on this rather than me.

Also, although no one expects a local council to be able to grit all the side roads in its area, it should make sure grit supplies are available near residents to grit their own frontages and roads. After all, however clear the main roads are, if you can’t reach them - you’re stuck.

We look enviously at other countries such as the USA and Canada, where each household takes responsibility for clearing their own bit of curb and road. But how can we do that here if there is no supply of grit or salt (even in a pile) in your road? How can you get to the very sparse grit/salt bins that are provided if they are not near where you live and what is the point if they are empty if you do manage to get to them?

And what about the pavements? So many people have accidents during this period. I was in email correspondence with a consultant at the Whittington who said they had 100 snow injured people in just one day.

Surely it must be cost efficient, as well as somewhat more human and considerate, to enable people to help themselves when the weather dumps on us?

So let’s hope that the information provided to Haringey Council enables them to ensure that next time we get a much better service - one where they know what their contractors are really up to and one where residents are given help.

Liberal Democrats have called for the opening hours at the Muswell Hill Youth Centre to be increased, to let young people in the area have the same access to youth facilities as in other parts of the borough.

Information on staffing and costs at youth clubs was revealed, in a written response from the Labour Cabinet Member for Children and Young People to Cllr Gail Engert, at the last Full Council meeting on 30th November 2009. It showed that Muswell Hill Youth Club only opens for three hours on weekdays, in contrast to 5.5 hours at the Bruce Grove and Wood Green centres and opens for a total of 720 hours per year, compared to 1320 hours at others.

Cllr Engert has written to Haringey Council to urge that Muswell Hill Youth Centre is opened for longer hours, in line with other centres in the borough.

Cllr Gail Engert, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Children and Young People, comments:

“Giving local young people their own dedicated facility provides a much needed focal point, where they can meet and experiment with arts, sports and creative projects.

“It seems entirely unfair that young people in Muswell Hill have fewer opportunities than those in Wood Green or Bruce Grove, to attend their youth club.

“I will be writing to Haringey Council, to urge them to change this unfair situation.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Haringey Council should give an equal opportunity to all young people to go to youth clubs, especially during the winter months, when outside activities are limited.”

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

It must be horrible to have drunks vomit over your garden wall, throw estate agents signs into your front porch and to feel threatened if coming home in the dark alone. But that’s the experience of those who live near the clubs at the top of Muswell Hill – and many other places where the alcohol fuelled version of the night-time economy blossoms.

But what can actually be done about it? That really is the big question. It’s one posed by a group of residents who raised with me the constant noise and nuisance caused by drunken souls exiting from establishments near their homes.

There is a right for any of the responsible authorities (police, health and safety, environmental health, fire authority, safeguarding authority) to call for a review of an establishment’s license if there are serious problems of crime and disorder, public nuisance, public safety or protection of children from harm.

If the police are called on a regular basis to stop fights and violence, or serving underage drinkers and so on – then they can call in the license for review and it can be revoked. However, for the drip, drip, drip of local nuisance, vomit, noise, and general disturbance it is very, very difficult to demonstrate that matters are serious enough to justify a review. That’s all the more so when it often isn’t clear which club someone came out of and, in the absence of a police presence, it can be hard to prove the existence and severity of incidents.

The Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Residents’ Association had a public meeting recently at which the Safer Neighbourhood Teams, Haringey’s chief licensing officer, some of the local club owners – and residents – discussed these matters.

My Lib Dem colleague, Cllr Gail Engert speculated that the clubs should put a stamp on customers as they enter their club – so at least it could be established where they had come out of. It was also agreed at the meeting that residents should join the monthly ClubWatch group – which currently is just police and club operators. Working together must be one of the best ways forward.

But the over-arching problem is that since the ending of the requirement for licenses to be renewed each year, residents have lost their annual opportunity to voice their objections and recount their experiences.

I am hopeful that ClubWatch will be the practical and best way forward. But I will be dropping the appropriate Secretary of State a line to point out the very weak position that local people find themselves in and asking what the Government proposes to do to strengthen their hand.

A busy local car park in Muswell Hill looks set to receive long overdue safety improvements, after a sustained eight year campaign by local Liberal Democrats and residents.

Haringey Council has agreed that plans will be drawn up soon for the car park in Summerland Gardens, behind Marks and Spencer in Muswell Hill Broadway.

The car park is often used by parents and young children as a route to local schools and the Community Centre. The proposed scheme should include an entire pedestrian safety audit of the car park and two-way vehicle access.

In February this year fears for the safety of local families and children using the car park were heightened after Haringey Council agreed that the local Community Centre would provide additional services, meaning that more people would be using the route through the car park. Residents were concerned that, due to the lack of pedestrian access and pavements, the increased number of residents using the area was an accident waiting to happen.

The news that plans are due to be published at the end of November has been welcomed by local Liberal Democrats.

Cllr Gail Engert (Muswell Hill) comments:

“This is great news and testament to persistence by local residents. The increasing concern for the safety of young families using this car park, meant that Haringey Council needed to do something soon. I am glad that they have, after eight years campaigning, finally taken note and I hope plans are forthcoming and are fully funded sooner, rather than later.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Finally, after a long fight, it seems that local residents will be safer when using this car park.”

Cllr Martin Newton, Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson, added:

“Fundamental to improving safety for pedestrians in the car park, was to provide a two-way vehicle access. This will help to alleviate daily road rage incidents and will mean that local residents will not have cars exiting the car park, into their streets.”

Over two million pounds have been stripped away from money for Haringey’s schools after the Labour cabinet, last week, decided to spend it on street lights, highways and parks. Local Liberal Democrats have expressed their concern at the decision, saying that Haringey’s Schools Budget, which is already under severe pressure, should not have been raided to fund a financial gap created by Labour’s recession.

On Tuesday (8th September 2009) Haringey Council agreed to divert £2.238 million of money originally allocated by the Government to Haringey’s schools, as part of an attempt to cover up a £5 million black hole in their Capital Budget.

Haringey’s children already receive over £1,000 each less in funding from the Government than neighbouring boroughs.

Cllr Gail Engert, Liberal Democrat Children, Schools and Families Spokesperson, comments:

“Haringey have stripped the council’s coffers clean of cash and are now spending on streetlights, highways and parks money that was allocated to Children’s Services and needed by our children for items such as urgent repairs to our primary schools.

“Labour’s recession hens are coming home to roost and, in Haringey, Labour’s financial incompetence means that, like old Mother Hubbard, the cupboards are bare.”

Lynne Featherstone MP, adds:

“Haringey Council has tried to dress this issue up as Labour bringing forward spending, but it is little more than covering up a massive hole in Haringey Council’s budget created by the effect of Labour’s recession on council finances.

“Our Fair Funding Campaign highlighted the fact that that every child in Haringey already receives over £1,000 less funding than children in neighbouring boroughs. We do not want to now see Haringey Council taking money away from investment in our schools.”

Well - what a treat! Went to visit the Summer Uni at Muswell Hill Youth Centre. This youth club was for so long neglected by Haringey Council and closed most nights - but now thanks to work of local councillor LibDem Gail Engert and others it is not only open six nights a week but thriving. As you can see from the picture I had a good go at the 'decks' but am not giving up my day job in a rush. The boxing, the gym, the hairdressing and the cooking - all terrific fun and a great way to add real skills for future employment.

In the other picture you can see Akim - who manages the whole thing, and Seema Chandwani Deputy Head of Youth Service at Haringey Council who enthusiastically supports the scheme from the Council - together with Adam Jogee (UK Youth Parliament), and LibDem Councillors John Oakes and Gail Engert - and me!

Yesterday first meeting of the day was with Transport for London (and Cllrs Martin Newton and Gail Engert) with regard to the bus stop (W7 and 144) sited about 100–150 metres down Muswell Hill from the roundabout.

The problem is that older people, mothers with buggies and those with mobility problems have real difficulty getting to this crucial bus stop because of the gradient of the hill. It is a very busy bus stop – and it becomes even more crucial with the imminent opening of Hornsey Central Health Centre, as it is only this bus that goes directly from Muswell Hill to the centre.

A little child coming down the hill towards the bus stop fell over whilst we were standing there – as if to illustrate the point. TfL understood the issue. They have now gone away to see which option might be possible: resiting the bus stop (unlikely), adding in a stop at the roundabout (most possible of the alternatives), extending the route to enable a bus stop along Broadway or Fortis Green (less likely). Anyway – as I said – TfL have now gone away to look at the options. Let’s hope that they take the proper action – because it really is a huge issue for older people who have to get to their doctor or to the centre for other health checks and cannot negotiate the hill safely.

At lunchtime I went to a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV/AIDS. One of my constituents was there – and we are going to meet up locally to see how we can take forward both the normalising of HIV / AIDS so that the stigma is further reduced and more people learn that there is really no difference between someone with HIV/AIDS and someone without the chronic disease – except the illness, which isn't catching and no longer means dying. We have let this slip off the agenda a bit – but I think it needs another awareness campaign. And perhaps even more importantly – a campaign to get people to come forward for testing. There is still a reluctance – but if tested early – the treatments now are fantastic (although tough at times). There is no longer a death sentence to having the disease – but you have to get tested to get the medicine!

Then it was off to New Scotland Yard to meet with the Trafficking Unit. I wanted to meet with them because locally I have been concerned about the girls working in a massage parlour and the extent of the adverts in the back of some of our local newspapers which blatantly advertise things like ‘new girls arriving all the time’.

In fact, in terms of the newspaper ads (which I thought would be an easy thing for the squad to tackle) they say it’s a difficult line between trafficking and prostitution, and chasing down ads doesn’t really address the organised crime and the challenges of bringing and persuading trafficked girls and women to safety. The unit is really targeting enforcement and has had some success. Sadly – the Government seems keen to stop their funding – which is clearly insane given they are the only unit tackling this and it is highly, highly specialised.

We looked also at the issues around trafficked children - and Haringey is an area where there are some concerns around this issue. I remember there was always discussion as to whether Victoria Climbie had been trafficked. Having met her parents I find it hard to believe. But there definitely is a trade in trafficked children and I will be setting up some meetings (hopefully) with someone who can get into that community and help the police. Anyway – a very interesting briefing – and hopefully very useful.