Working for Hornsey

Work to improve council homes across the borough may be seriously delayed due to legal errors at Haringey Council, which means the entire process of selecting a contractor for the work must start all over again. Over a thousand households living in council properties in Haringey were due to have their homes fixed this year and could see the repair delayed as a result of the legal error.

The legal mistake has forced the council and Homes for Haringey to repeat the lengthy procurement process for the repairs. Opposition councillors believe this will inevitable cause delays to some if not all of the upgrade works due to happen to council homes this year. The error has already delayed the work that was due to done on the Hillcrest Estate in Highgate.

Opposition councillors are calling for a full explanation and apology for the many local residents who were promised that their homes would be brought up to a decent standard this year.  Lib Dems on the council’s Scrutiny Committee are also demanding a full investigation into the cause of the legal error.

Homes for Haringey confessed there had been a problem with the procurement of the contract for the decent home work across the borough. This means at least some if not all of the repair work will not happen until the 2014/15 financial year instead of this year.

The list of homes due to be repaired includes council properties in:

• Stroud Green
• Crouch End
• Highgate
• Bounds Green
• Wood Green
• Tottenham

The delays could affect nearly 700 tenants and over 300 leaseholders in Haringey.

Home for Haringey’s admission follows on from an issue recently highlighted by the Lib Dems. The council had been due to spend millions on capital projects including on works to homes, much of this money had not been spent this year as planned. This has led to fierce criticism from the opposition who have slammed the Labour council and Homes for Haringey for their poor performance.

The last council home constructed in Haringey was in 1989, nearly 25 years ago. A Lib Dem amendment to the council budget to build 100 council homes in the next year was voted down by the Labour councillors at the budget meeting.

 Cllr Richard Wilson Lib Dem Housing spokesperson adds:

“This error, which follows hard on the heels of the problems with the accounts and the mistakes at the council mortuary, calls into question the council’s ability to get even basic processes right.

“It is shocking that the Labour council can’t manage to procure a contract in time to do works to council homes that have been scheduled for a long time. Hundreds of residents have been let down and are owed a full explanation and apology by the council.

“The Labour council’s incompetence is appalling. It’s bad enough that the council has let its homes fall into such a state of disrepair that they need such extensive remedial work, but to promise improvements and then not deliver is unforgivable.”

Haringey Council have u-turned and will be consulting on implementing a borough wide 20mph zone having twice previously rejected the idea. Neighbouring Camden and Islington have already agreed to implement borough wide 20mph zones in their areas.

The consultation on the proposals is due to be approved on 18th June when the idea will be discussed at the council’s Cabinet.

The Liberal Democrats have campaigned locally for the change arguing that the costs involved are justified by the reduction in accidents and injuries, which have been experienced in other parts of the country where the zones have been introduced.

Money is available for the scheme; Haringey Council’s own figures show a surplus of £5,544,000 made from parking, an increase over last year of £2,211,000. Camden Council claims that statistics from Transport for London show a more than 20% fall in accidents in Belsize Park, which has had a 20mph zone since 2006.

However, in October last year, the Labour Cabinet Member for the Environment, Nilgun Canver, said:

“Introducing a borough-wide 20mph limit would cost approximately £3.2m and studies have been inconclusive in proving how useful they are. As such, I consider it imprudent to introduce a borough-wide limit when the evidence does not yet prove its effectiveness.”

The council’s Cabinet also decided not to consult on the introduction of a 20mph limit on residential roads in the borough in July 2011.

The Liberal Democrats have campaigned for the introduction of a borough wide 20mph limit since 2010. Hundreds of local residents have signed a Lib Dem petition calling for the introduction of a 20mph zone.

Cllr Richard Wilson, Lib Dem Leader of the Opposition, comments:

“I am delighted that Labour have seen sense, u-turned and agreed to consult on a borough wide 20mph zone following  years of Lib Dem campaigning. It is shame they have decided to wait so long as they have rejected this idea twice in recent years.

“I wonder how many accidents would have been prevented if Labour had listened to local residents when our Lib Dem campaign was launched back in 2010 and adopted the lower speed limit back then?  It is frustrating that Haringey is always playing catch-up rather than leading the way like other London boroughs.”

Local MP Lynne Featherstone, along with Liberal Democrat Councillor David Winskill, has met with Whittington Board members to discuss their public engagement programme, and to ask for updates on their Foundation Trust application.

The MP for Hornsey and Wood Green has been pushing the Board to engage fully with the public ever since they announced controversial plans to make changes to the Hospital. Over 2,700 residents have signed a petition, supporting the MP’s call for engagement.

At the meeting, the Board informed the MP about their engagement process, which has involved open weekends, seminars, public meetings and liaison with local community and interest groups.

The Board confirmed that the engagement period would end on the 31st of May, and that their Foundation Trust application would then be reviewed in the following months. They will then release the revised plans.

The Liberal Democrat MP’s petition also calls for assurance that there will be no loss of service and proper consultation throughout this period of change. She has met frequently with the Board since the announcement in order to find out the facts and work constructively to secure the future of the hospital.

Following the meeting, Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“There is a growing consensus that some changes must be made to secure Foundation Trust status, and therefore the future of the Whittington Hospital.

“Initially, for instance, Labour called for no changes– yet now one of their own councillors has spoken out and admitted that campaigning against any changes at all will do more harm than good to the hospital.

“All along, the local Lib Dems and I have recognised the need for some changes. However we have campaigned hard to ensure no services are lost and that the Whittington engage with the public and review their plans accordingly.

“I’m very glad that the Whittington Board has undertaken a programme of engagement – though I still feel more could be done to bring the details of the situation to the wider community. I will continue to ask them to do more.

“In the meantime, anyone who has strong views on the plans, and on the future of the Whittington should contact the hospital as soon as possible – as this engagement period will end on May 31st. I will also be emailing my constituents to let them know.”

Lib Dem transport spokesperson Cllr Jim Jenks comments on the Crossrail 2 proposals:

“We fully support the Crossrail 2 regional option which would see Alexandra Palace and Tottenham getting far better transport links. This is the best option for the borough as it would relieve pressure on the Victoria and Piccadilly lines, making the daily commute for local residents much easier.

“The new train links would also make Alexandra Palace more accessible to people across London and improve transport links between Tottenham and the centre of London.

“This is a great opportunity to improve transport in the borough and assist in the regeneration of Tottenham. It is vital that we get have better routes between Tottenham and the rest of London to boost the local economy, help residents access jobs across London and get more people visiting Haringey.”

Local people have long complained to local councillors about the state of the road surface, pavements and lighting in Inderwick Road.  Lib Dems councillors in the area jointly organised a petition with local resident Ben Myring to force the Labour council to take long-overdue action to fix up the road following years of neglect.

Inderwick Road is just one of many streets in need of repair; the council recently admitted that more than half of the footways in the borough need maintenance work.

Nearly 100 residents of Inderwick Road signed the Lib Dem petition to get the road fixed. Cllr Richard Wilson also recently brought the new Chief Executive of Haringey Council to Inderwick Road so he could see for himself how bad the road is, with potholes, uneven pavements and dilapidated lampposts.

As a result of the petition and pressure on the Labour council, the council has agreed to fix the pavements, resurface the road and improve the lighting on Inderwick Road.  The improvements will be made as part of the scheduled maintenance work due to take place over the next year.

Cllr Katherine Reece, Lib Dem councillor for Stroud Green, comments:

“Thank you to everyone who signed the petition and helped to make this happen. We will continue to work with residents and the local Lib Dem MP Lynne Featherstone to make sure that the Labour run council makes the improvements needed in Stroud Green and across the borough.

“It is a shame it was necessary to do this petition in the first place. The Labour council should be making sure that local roads and pavements are well maintained and not allow them to get into the state that Inderwick Road has gotten into.

“When residents are paying one of the highest council taxes in London they expect that basic things like fixing the streets and roads will happen.”

In a further delay to Haringey Council’s bodged regeneration of Hornsey, the developer of Hornsey Depot has pulled out of the development deal with the council.

Haringey Lib Dems have slammed the Labour council after more than a decade of bad choices, bad management and the wrong priorities has kept Hornsey High Street blighted by a massive derelict site since it was first appropriated by the council in 1998.

The withdrawal of the latest preferred developer and their replacement is due to be discussed behind closed doors, without the public present, at the Cabinet meeting this evening (12th February). Plans for the land in Hornsey, jointly owned by the council and Sainsbury’s had included the building of more than 300 new housing units and a supermarket. This latest collapse will mean further delay in the development of this strategic site.

In the past, the Lib Dems have criticised the Labour Council for rating the amount the developer said they would pay for the site as much more important than quality of the scheme for residents and stakeholders.

Now the Lib Dems have raised concerns about the decision on the site’s future being made behind closed doors as the council have let the site lie empty and unused for 15 years.

Lib Dem Hornsey Councillor Robert Gorrie, commented:

“Fiasco is too kind a word to describe the council’s mismanagement of the redevelopment of this strategic site. Twice they have picked the wrong developer, chasing unrealistic short term financial returns for Labour to waste on other badly managed vanity projects. Instead they should have been listening to residents and stakeholders and delivering the homes and jobs which a successful redevelopment would bring.

“This project is at least seven years behind schedule. That is seven years of business rates and council tax income for the council. Seven years of jobs and housing for those who need them. Instead Labour has given Hornsey residents seven years of blight, uncertainty, derelict buildings and lost opportunities. Have the Labour council said sorry, of course not.”

Cllr Richard Wilson, Lib Dem opposition Leader, added:

“An important decision like this should not be taken behind closed doors. The public and the people of Hornsey in particular, deserve an explanation for the latest in a long line of delays to this long awaited project.

“The Labour-run council must explain how on earth it has taken 15 years to get to this point. 15 years of promises that have not been delivered, 15 years of no real progress, 15 years of a derelict site blighting Hornsey High Street.”

Lynne Featherstone MP, Cllr Richard Wilson and Cllr David Schmitz outside Hornsey Sorting Office with petition slips.

Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone today welcomed Royal Mail’s decision to continue to allow Highgate residents to pick up their parcels for free at the Archway Road Post Office, in response to months of campaigning by the local Liberal Democrats.

The Royal Mail representatives, who met with the MP this morning, also confirmed that the Hornsey sorting office has been reprieved. Whilst Royal Mail still plans to relocate the sorting office, residents will be able to pick up their undelivered parcels for at least 6 months, and in the meantime an alternative location in N8 for a collection point will be sought.

Royal Mail had planned to close Hornsey sorting office, stop the free collection service at Archway Road, and move the undelivered parcel collection points to Holloway and Tufnell Park. The move would have forced local residents to travel miles to collect their undelivered parcels, if they didn’t wish to leave parcels with a neighbour, or pay to have them redelivered.

Over 3000 people signed the Liberal Democrat petitions to save services in Hornsey, Highgate and Harringay Green Lanes.

The news has been very well received by the Hornsey and Wood Green MP and the Haringey Liberal Democrats, who have been fiercely campaigning to keep free, local collection points since Royal Mail announced their reorganisation in September last year.

Highgate Liberal Democrat Councillor Rachel Allison said:

“I am so pleased that Royal Mail has seen sense, and is retaining the free collection point at Archway Road Post Office.

“Over 500 Highgate residents signed the petition and I’m glad that their views have been listened to by Royal Mail.”

Haringey Liberal Democrat Leader, Cllr Richard Wilson said:

“I am delighted that the threat to close Hornsey Sorting Office next month has been withdrawn, and that Royal Mail will now look for a new local collection point in Hornsey.

“We will carry on campaigning to secure a collection point around the Finsbury Park and Green Lanes area after the office there closed on the 28^th January.”

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“From day one, we were adamant that no service should be lost without an equal or better local replacement.

“The news today is very encouraging. We have taken a huge step towards saving vital local services – and it’s all thanks to the residents who took part in our campaign and signed the Lib Dem petition.

“The combination of Lib Dems and people power has once again had a positive effect in Haringey, and we will continue to fight on!”

Lynne Featherstone MP sent this message to her email list regarding the proposed sale of parts of Whittington Hospital. You can sign the petition to ensure no services are lost here.

Last week, the Board of the Whittington Hospital announced without warning that they plan to sell off six hospital buildings, including units for women’s health and NHS staff accommodation. Maternity services will also be affected, with the hospital planning to cap births at 4,000 a year.

The Haringey Liberal Democrats and I have now launched a petition calling on the Board to ensure that no services are lost, and no property sold, without equal or better replacements. We are also calling for a proper public consultation.

As soon as I found out about the plans, I arranged an urgent phone call with the Whittington Chief Executive. I have since met with other local MPs and board members to discuss the announcement.

The Hospital’s strategy is based on a five-year plan, which will see the services relocate to existing space in the south of the hospital.

But the Haringey Lib Dems and I remain deeply concerned. At Chase Farm Hospital, residents were promised alternative services when closures were made – yet they still haven’t materialised. This cannot be allowed to happen at the Whittington.

Equal or better local services must be in place before any closures or land sell-offs – and we need a public consultation. If you agree, please do sign our petition - and encourage your friends, family and neighbours to do the same.

Kind Regards,

Lynne Featherstone MP
Liberal Democrat for Hornsey and Wood Green

Local resident Asha Kaur, Cllr David Schmitz, Cllr Katherine Reece and Cllr Richard Wilson campaigning to keep local parcel services

MP Lynne Featherstone and Haringey Liberal Democrats are calling on even more residents to support a petition to keep parcel collection services local.

Currently, residents can collect undelivered parcels at local office and collection points in Hornsey, Highgate and at the Arena on Green Lanes. As part of their reorganisation, however, Royal Mail plans to close these offices and move the collection points to Holloway and Tufnell Park.

The move will force local residents to travel miles to collect their undelivered parcels if they don’t wish to leave parcels with a neighbour, or pay to have them redelivered.

Following a massive campaign effort by the local Liberal Democrats, the petitions to save the under threat services in Hornsey, Highgate and at the Arena in Tottenham have already been signed by nearly three thousand people.

In total, 25,293 addresses will be affected by the changes Royal Mail wants to make.

• Petition to save services at the office in Hornsey serving people with an N8 postcode
• Petition to save services at the office at Highgate serving people with an N6 postcode
• Petition to save services at the office on Green Lanes serving people with an N4 and N15 postcode

Cllr Richard Wilson, Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader, comments:

“Nobody should have to travel so far just to pick up an undelivered parcel. Going all the way to Tufnell Park or Holloway will be inconvenient for most people and will be particularly difficult for the elderly and people with mobility problems.

“The Royal Mail must listen to demands from residents for a local collection service for undelivered parcels. If you haven’t already signed the petition please show your support for our campaign and sign the petition.”

Lib Dem MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, Lynne Featherstone comments:

“I am delighted that so many local people have given their support to our campaign to keep local parcel services. I have arranged a further meeting with Royal Mail to present the petition to them. The more signatures we have, the more chance there is of changing their minds.

“Please sign the petition – and encourage your friends and family to do the same – so we can show Royal Mail the strength of feeling on this issue.”

Well, the snow is here, and looks set to stay for a few days. You can help keep your neighbours safe by gritting your paths and driveways. Here’s a list of the gritting bins in Haringey – your Liberal Democrat councillors wanted to make sure you had this information, as many people do not know where their nearest bin is. If you can, please check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours and help keep their paths clear.

Just in case, the emergency numbers for Homes for Haringey are 0800 195 3404 and 020 8489 5611. The emergency number for British Gas is 0800 111 999.

As ever, do get in touch with us if you have any concerns about how the Council is handling the wintry weather.