The first time I ever spoke on a public platform was when I stood for Parliament in the General Election of ’97. It was held in Fortis Green ward, in Fortismere Secondary School and was the ‘Education Hustings’. In the following years, I have been back many times to Fortismere – a very good school that parents go to enormous lengths to get their children into.
Fortis Green is super leafy and lovely, with mainly quiet roads and lovely houses and it sits between Muswell Hill and East Finchley, with the ward including large chunks of what is normally called ‘Muswell Hill’.
Fortis Green’s housing stock is mainly late Victorian and early 20th century semi-detached housing – with some very, very grand mansions too. Local people are very well educated – with more than half of 16 – 74 years olds qualified to degree level. Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Residents Association is the largest in the constituency and fights continually on behalf of local residents. The star in Haringey’s educational firmament is Fortismere School.
The introduction of controlled parking in East Finchley has inevitably caused havoc as everyone came and parked in Fortis Green. Fortis Green also houses Muswell Hill police station where the local Safer Neighbourhood teams are housed – and where there is a front counter for local people to go to after a huge long-running campaign that I ran with others.
My Liberal Democrat ward councillor colleagues here are: Sophie Erskine, Matt Davies and Martin Newton.
More news
- Local students from Fortismere school on Friday got the chance to question Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone and the other parliamentary candidates on policy, in a special Q&A session led by the school’s head teacher, Aydin Onac. The students quizzed the candidates on a number of issues, ranging from local school funding to the Middle [...] read on
- Here’s my latest column for the Muswell Hill Flyer and the Highgate Handbook: I sent out an email to my special email list to ask for people’s personal stories of when the Whittington Accident & Emergency had been important in their lives – and got a phenomenal response. (If you want to be on this [...] read on
- Full credit to Rachel Tyndall (Chair of the North London Central Review Panel) for sending me the NCL Strategy Plan for our local health services. I had heard that these had been submitted to NHS London and asked for a copy – and it was given to me virtually immediately. I have circulated the document [...] read on
- Young students from Fortismere School came to Muswell Hill Synagogue for Holocaust Memorial Day. Rabbi Mason welcomed them. I spoke to them about the current relevance of the Holocaust – about how hatred and discrimination goes on day in day out – even in our playgrounds. And how, when you hear anyone say something derogatory [...] read on
- Jeremy Corbyn – MP for Islington North – managed to get an adjournment debate last night on the future of the Whittington – and he very kindly let me speak. For him and I, the most affected constituencies, we are joining forces to ensure that NHS health bosses get the message loud and clear BEFORE [...] read on
- Rumours are emerging that the planned merger of the Whittington and Royal Free Hospitals will not be enough to satisfy NHS bosses and that there may instead be a forced marriage between the Whittington, Royal Free and UCLH Hospitals. This raises interesting questions, because UCLH is a Foundation Trust. I believe this may mean that the proposed [...] read on
- Families in Fortis Green have been short-changed by Haringey Council, local Liberal Democrats have said, after it has emerged that Haringey Council will only provide £5,000 to fund a new Children’s Centre in the ward. Whilst the announcement of further funding for children’s centres in Haringey was welcomed, local councillors have criticised Haringey Council for [...] read on
Liberal Democrats demand action on inaccessible crossings for blind and partially sighted residents
Local Liberal Democrats have today demanded that London’s Mayor takes urgent action to improve Haringey’s 15 pedestrian crossings which are not accessible to blind or partially sighted residents. The demand comes after Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon unearthed information that shows 347 pedestrian crossings in London have no facilities to help blind and partially sighted people to [...] read on
Muswell Hill Area Forum Councillors give thumbs down to Pinkham Way
Muswell Hill residents packed the British Legion Hall last Thursday to hear about the controversial Pinkham Way Waste Plant from Haringey Council officers at the first meeting of the new Muswell Hill Area Forum. The Pinkham Way proposal was on the agenda at the insistence of Liberal Democrat councillors who demanded residents be given the [...] read on
Lynne Featherstone MP and Fortis Green residents congratulate much-loved postman for over 30 years of dedicated service
To thank a much loved postman for more than 30 years of dedicated service to people in Fortis Green, Lynne Featherstone MP and residents on Southern Road last Friday threw a small street party for Postman Bob. The Hornsey and Wood Green MP heard of Robert Konig’s impressive service to people in Fortis Green [...] read on
Links
- Cllr Matt Davies
Lib Dem councillor in Fortis Green - Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association
Residents’ association formed in 1948
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