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!”

As my colleague Gail Engert (Muswell Hill ward) put it:

“Muswell Hill Library is in a lamentable state with wallpaper hanging off the walls, toilets in an unacceptable condition and the top floor not accessible to disabled residents. Residents and local Liberal Democrat councillors have been campaigning for years to have this listed building returned to a fit state and accessible to all.

“Yet again the Labour Council have reneged on their promises and let residents down.”

In other words – sell off land to pay for work that they can’t be done because, er… the land has been sold off. So very Labour Haringey!

As my colleague, Cllr Gail Engert (Muswell Hill) put it, “It is ludicrous to think that the very development that was meant to pay for the extension is now the very barrier stopping this happening. Original plans showed the library and the development sharing the land equally – now the development takes nearly all the land, leaving the library with very little.”

We are being invited to comment on the schemes being proposed by the architect. At least, thanks the my Liberal Democrat councillor colleague Gail Engert (Muswell Hill ward), the ridiculous consultation period offered by Haringey Council of just two weeks has now, after her persistence, been extended to a month. Still not long enough – but at least better than was the case.

Residents will be able to respond to the consultation by completing a form on the Haringey Council website – or through forms at the library. To see details of the proposed schemes, take a look at www.sprunt.net/muswellhill

The indicative timetable supplied by Haringey Council is:

End of June /early July 2008: submission of planning application
September 2008: Planning decision due
October –December 2008: marketing and disposal of site
January 2009: receipt of capital proceeds for expenditure on the library

There were worrying signs back in July last year, when at a public meeting the Director of Libraries didn’t really seem to know what was going on with the library plans – and it has now been years and years since Labour first started talking about restoring and rennovating the building (e.g. see here).

Which brings us to this week – and Labour have gone back on plans to put in extra money for Muswell Hill Library. As my colleague Gail (Muswell Hill ward councillor) said:

Muswell Hill Library has seen years of neglect by Haringey Labour and again the only commitment is another patch-up job. I am deeply disappointed that the library will not be extended after much consultation of residents and library users.

On the rest of the plans for the library (which is much in need of care) – there was still no timetable at all – and the Director of Libraries who was there didn’t know the timetable and didn’t have information about some of the basics of the plans. Not impressive. And the tragedy is that some of the ideas that have been talked about have been excellent – but it’s all being lost in a mess of vagueness and foot dragging.

And then the poor woman presenting the Hornsey Hospital update got it in the neck for the shameful consultation process taking place at present on the local Primary Care Strategy. Sue Hessel said that only seven people attended the first meeting and the second which is tomorrow night may attract just as few. They said they were happy to go to other meetings if invited but as I pointed out – having a meeting isn’t consultation – nothing like. So I’ve written my Highgate Handbook and Muswell Hill Flyer column on this issue (will post after it is published) as local people need to know what is going on.

Update: my article about polyclinics is now here.

But this morning one constituent reminded me (inadvertently) how pressing it is for buildings to be accessible. He had no legs – so had to walk up the stairs (almost impossible on the prosthetics) – but also carrying his seven-year old severely autistic and non-walking son. Of course, had he let us know in advance, I would have made special arrangements such as a home visit. He was more worried about going downstairs carrying his son after the appointment so I got a very kind guy from the library to help and carry the boy down the stairs.

I mention this incident because it is years now since Haringey Council first made promises and talked about restoring and renovating the building and making it properly accessible – but all words and no seeming action (other than the bizarre incident a few years ago where they put in a new ramp – but, as you can see from the photo, it had steps!).

So, I will again – as they say – make enquiries. Last time I went to a meeting about the library’s future the plans were big (bigger than needed) for a restaurant and an extension – and all-singing, all-dancing – but I haven’t heard anything since.

It is much in need of really expensive love and attention. Patching up won’t do any longer – and it is right to develop the library into a modern, vibrant social centre. So that’s the good news.

Of course, funding it requires the building of a few probably luxury dwellings and the leasing of a space within the new library development for a restaurant. There was some concern over a restaurant – smells, noise, suitability and some calls for something more like a coffee shop with evening readings, etc etc. For those living in Avenue Mews, the fly in the ointment and for them a serious fly, is the loss of the only available parking in the street bar about eight on street spaces if the extra development happens.

The issues I raised were really about concerns over the rather vague presentation of the business plan and costs. As it was – with no idea of what bit raised what finance – it was impossible to make any judgement as to whether there was a choice at all as to what the space within the library could be let for – is any alternative to a restaurant feasible? Commercial confidentiality was given as the reason – but I didn’t feel that the figures had been really tested to any degree. So I asked Lorna Reith if she would go back to Property Services and rigorously test the figures. At this point it seemed that Property had simply said we need to sell land for development and lease a space – and that that had been taken at face value.

I also asked that whether she could take back the issue of the problems of Avenue Mews residents re parking to see if there were any other little bits of land belonging to the Council that might be rented to them. Both of these things Lorna agreed to do.

There still was a lack of detail about the plans – and Cllr Gail Engert (Lib Dem, Muswell Hill) made a very good point in terms of having asked after the last meeting for that detail yet here we all were at a second meeting and the detail was still not available.

However, all in all, it was a pretty positive meeting. And as I said at the beginning – if it all works out it could be great. If…

Sunday afternoon was more fruits (literally) and vegetables at the Annual Show of the golf course allotments. So many contributions of fantastic veggies. I now know what makes a good green bean. The first time I looked at the various entries, they all looked much of a muchness to me – green and long. But having enquired what makes a green bean a winning green bean, I now know what details to look for. Having given out the prizes – many, many certificates and many cups and medals – I was given the most beautiful basked of produce from Gina’s allotment – absolutely gorgeous and will eat some tonight. She had even put fresh figs in!

The allotment association had applied for funding from the lottery just recently to get a pretty small amount to put up a new meeting room/shed. However, their bid failed because they were told that they needed to have planning permission (a formality in this case – as it is a replacement not a new building) in advance of their bid application. But Haringey Council hadn’t told them this. Apparently, one of the organisers told me, Haringey hasn’t given the allotments any money whatsoever in the last 15 years – and yet Haringey Council is raising the annual rental by 50% over two years. I have no doubt that the planning permission will be granted and I will certainly help them with their new application that will then follow.

Allotments are just the most wonderful breathing space for those without gardens. True oases of peace and quiet. There are something like 16 allotment sites in Haringey and 1,600 plots. There is a very long waiting list – and happily I think even Haringey Council understands that these oases are sacrosanct.

This morning, reading the endless column inches of Blair-Brown bitching, I am actually horrified by the Labour party’s seeming desire to self-destruct. Blair has been the single reason they won three elections. He has said he will go. Cameron is not very special other than he is clearly a good PR practitioner – but the Labour party’s disarray allows him more leeway than he deserves. They are still the Nasty Party and it will take a lot more than hot air (or conversion to recognition of the threat of climate change) to convince me that the leopard has changed its spots.

Blair was wrong to go to war in Iraq illegally, and he is dangerously cavalier with civil liberties and human rights – but Labour MPs who think that getting rid of him and installing Gordon will help them in the next election are wrong.

On a more local tack – there are two important local meetings coming up on issues I’ve been working on with my councillor LibDem colleagues.

Firstly, there are plans on the table to update Muswell Hill Library. The library is a well-used and well-loved local library, at the centre of our community. Upstairs the busy Children’s Library jostles for space with the IT suite, connecting people who don’t own a home computer to all the opportunities of the internet. The Toy Library supports local families with toys, games, advice and support. And twice a month the library even hosts Lib Dem councillors’ surgeries!

Of course the building needs updating. A key priority is access for people with limited mobility. And, sadly, the wonderful Grade II listed features have been allowed to fall into disrepair.

But many people were shocked and surprised to learn that Haringey’s Labour Council want to replace the ground floor with a restaurant, and move the library facilities out into an extension. In order to fund this, the Council plans to sell off land at the rear of the library, which currently provides parking to hard-pressed residents of Avenue Mews. Some of the land will be used to create a Community Garden – but there is no indication of how big this might be.

The local Lib Dem councillors and I have been pressing the Council to release a full breakdown of the costs of this proposal, and to provide more detailed plans with better information about the size of key areas such as the adult library, the Toy Library and the IT facilities. This information has yet to be provided.

The next public meeting to discuss these plans will be held in the Library this coming Wednesday, 6 September at 7pm. I hope lots of people attend.

The following Wednesday (13th September) there is to be a public meeting on the “development of local health services at the Hornsey Central Hospital site” between 6pm and 8pm at the Middle Lane Methodist Church, Middle Lane, Crouch End. (See here for a map).

I have been campaigning along with local residents and the Friends of Hornsey Central Hospital since the hospital was closed in 2001 to ensure that local health services are re-provided on this site.

It is six years since we were promised that if we (local residents, the Friends of Hornsey Hospital and Lib Dem campaigners) stopped our campaign to save the hospital – then the Trust would work together on consultation with us to a create new health facility for the community. So we worked with the Trust. There were public meetings and plans and public meetings and working meetings and lots of commitment – even complete planning permission at one stage. But after six years – we are nowhere.

And that’s just for starters … so I really am back in the swing of things again!