Haringey Liberal Democrats

Post Offices in Haringey have been saved from any threats of closure, after Liberal Democrat Business Minister Ed Davey this week announced a deal between Royal Mail and the Post Office.

This welcome news, which will help to create a sustainable future for Post Offices across the borough, means that the area will avoid future mass closures, like the one seen in 2008, when Post Offices in Alexandra Park Road, Weston Park, Ferme Park Road, Salisbury Road and Highgate Village were shut.

After ending the shameful Post Office closure programme, which nationally saw more than 7,100 Post Offices disappear in Labour’s 13 years in office, Ed Davey has announce that a ten-year deal has now been reached between Royal Mail and the Post Office. The deal gives additional certainty to subpostmasters in Haringey and covers the full range of Royal Mail products available at Post Offices, such as first and second class post, parcels, air mail, recorded and special deliveries.

The deal adds to other recent progress for the Post Office, with extra Government cash kicking in, new national and local government contracts won, successful piloting of new models to transform many local Post Offices and improvements in financial services offered.

Commenting, Hornsey and Wood Green MP Lynne Featherstone said:

“After years of Post Office closures under the Labour Government, it is excellent news that Liberal Democrats are doing the right thing by ensuring that the Post Office has a sustainable future ahead of it through investment and by brokering this deal with Royal Mail.

“Labour left Royal Mail in a terrible mess and it is Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government who have stopped closures and put Royal Mail and the Post Office on a secure footing. Our plans mean that we will not see the kind of planned closures that devastated local communities under the previous Government, when treasured Post Offices in Alexandra, Highgate, Wood Green and Stroud Green were closed.”

Local Liberal Democrat Communities spokesperson Cllr Nigel Scott adds:

“Post Offices are a vital part of our communities, and residents were rightly outraged at Labour’s massacre of post offices in Haringey back in 2008.

“Our post offices locally are well used and much loved, and I’m delighted that Liberal Democrats in Government are supporting and investing in the Post Office, to transform its future.

“This is great news for Haringey and for local residents who treasure their local post offices.”

Haringey Council looks likely to be amongst only a handful of Council’s across the country and the only local authority in London to reject government funding for a Council Tax freeze next year. The Labour Council has yet to announce whether it has applied to the government to freeze the tax which, if increased, could reach over £1500 for the average family.

Neighbouring Islington Council announced a Council Tax freeze last week and local authorities throughout London, including Kingston and Sutton, have said that the local tax will not rise.

Haringey Liberal Democrat Leader, Cllr Richard Wilson, has written to the Chief Executive and the Chief Financial Officer to ask whether the Council has applied to voluntary scheme to freeze Council Tax for residents in Haringey.

Cllr Richard Wilson comments:

“Labour in Haringey look like they are out in the cold and seem set to be the only Council in London not to freeze Council Tax.

“This shows how out of touch they are with local residents who are struggling to make ends meet. What better way to show that you are on the side of families who are feeling the effects of rising bills by freezing Council Tax.

Cllr Paul Strang, Liberal Democrat Finance Spokesperson, adds:

“Haringey’s residents already have to pay the 4th highest Council Tax in London. If Labour continues to increase its taxes faster than other Councils residents will soon face the highest charges.

“If Labour fails to freeze Council Tax it shows they are not on the side of local families and households.”

Last week it was revealed that Haringey Council had received the fourth highest number of complaints to the local government watchdog last year.

One hundred and thirty-five local residents complained to the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) about Haringey Council’s services. Liberal Democrats have said that the high number of complaints to the LGO shows the level of discontent from residents about the quality of services run by the Labour Council.

Birmingham Council had the highest number of complaints (257). The LGO takes on complaints if the Council’s own process is unsuccessful.

Cllr Jonathan Bloch (Muswell Hill) comments:

“The high number of complaints to the local government ombudsman about Haringey Council shows the level of discontent from local residents.

“It is an indication that local people are not happy about the services the Council provides and the way in which they handle their complaints.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“It’s sad to see Haringey Council at the top of yet another negative league table. People turn to the ombudsman as a last resort, but I am only too well aware that many are unhappy with the Council’s services, as is evident by the size of my weekly casework postbag!”

Last week local Liberal Democrats spoke to commuters at Wood Green tube station about their five-point plan to make Fares Fairer in London. The London Liberal Democrat plan, launched last Tuesday at bus and train stations throughout London, calls for:

• A one hour bus ticket to stop penalising travellers who need to change buses.

• Special early bird rates to encourage commuters to avoid the main morning rush hour

• Part-time travelcards for travellers who don’t commute into London every day

• The reintroduction of the Zones 2-6 day travelcard for Outer London residents who don’t journey into Zone 1

• A review of the current zones to ensure no area is being unfairly penalised

Cllr Jim Jenks, Haringey Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson, comments:

“Many local residents in Wood Green told us that they were fed up with Ken & Boris’s phoney war over fares and wanted to see costed plans to make travel affordable in London.

“Our plans for a one-hour bus ticket, early bird fares, part time travelcards and the reintroduction of Outer London travelcards would really benefit residents in Haringey.”

Liberal Democrat London Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick commented:

“I am confident that introducing a one hour bus ticket and travel cards that suit people’s circumstances would make a real difference to Londoners, particularly those on low incomes.

“My Liberal Democrat colleagues on the London Assembly, led by Caroline Pidgeon, have been tirelessly campaigning for sensible solutions like the One Hour Bus Ticket, which is similar to schemes running in countless other cities across the world.”

Haringey Council did not consult local people on a fundamental change to the way in which rubbish will be collected in the borough, it has emerged. Last week senior officers addressing the Muswell Hill Area Forum admitted that residents were not asked during a borough-wide consultation on the Council’s waste contract whether they wanted the Council to move to fortnightly non-recyclable waste collections.

Liberal Democrats who, at the Committee section of meeting, voiced their current opposition to the change to fortnightly collections, say that the lack of consultation shows that Labour have failed to get the buy-in of local residents on a change to a basic Council service.

In another development, that Liberal Democrats believe shows the Labour-run Council’s lack of consideration for residents, local people will not have a say on the size of the new wheelie bin for recyclable waste. Instead the Council will provide the largest 240 litre bin to all designated households in the new scheme.

Cllr Jim Jenks, Haringey Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson, comments:

“The Council have finally admitted that residents in Haringey were not given the opportunity to have a say on this fundamental change to rubbish collection.

“Liberal Democrats are 100% committed to increasing recycling but a change on this scale without consultation is unacceptable.”

Lynne Featherstone MP, adds:

“Not only are the Labour Council ignoring the views of local residents on the service but they are also failing to give local people any say on what size of bin they can have. Some households do not need a large 240 litre bin yet Labour are giving them no choice.”

Local Liberal Democrats have branded the re-run of a consultation on a Council strategy a sham after a report published last week showed that the Council has disregarded the responses of many local residents. Despite voicing their strong opposition to the changes which pave the way for the waste plant at Pinkham Way sixty responses from local residents were rejected.

The Council was made to repeat the consultation on the re-designation of land in its Core Strategy, which included the site that is proposed to be a new waste facility at Pinkham Way, due to concerns raised by the Planning Inspector that the Council failed to consult widely enough first time.

Liberal Democrats say that the council’s rejection of 60 responses shows Labour’s contempt for public opinion and reveals that the consultation was a ‘tick-box’ exercise rather than a chance for the Council to listen to the community. Liberal Democrats have written to the Chief Executive of Haringey Council and the Planning Inspector to voice their concern of the way in which residents’ views have been disregarded.

Despite the large number of consultation responses from residents raising concerns the Council has decided to make almost no changes to its plans in advance of the Examination in Public in February.

Residents will have a further say on the proposals for Pinkham Way after the North London Waste Authority said recently that it will consider further representations in the summer when its North London Waste Plan is consulted upon.

Cllr Juliet Solomon (Alexandra Ward) comments:

“It is clear from how the Council has replied to local residents who have taken the time and effort to submit responses to the consultation that the Council had already made up their mind. This consultation was a mere tick box exercise for the ruling group who seem adamant to push through proposals and steamroller public opinion to ensure the Pinkham Way plans get through to the next stage.

“Let’s hope the delay in further consultation gives the Council an opportunity to start to really listen to local people. Residents do not want the waste plant and it is time the Council started to sit up and take note.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“It’s really worrying that local residents’ views have been utterly ignored by the Labour Council in this way. They had to re-run this consultation because it was so poorly handled last time, and now they are more or less doing the same thing again.

“This shows utter contempt for local residents’ views’ and local democracy. My Liberal Democrat colleagues and I will continue to fight the waste plant at Pinkham Way every step of the way, and do our best to make sure local people’s concerns are heard and heeded. The fight is not over.”

Last Thursday, the Muswell Hill Area Committee formally opposed the Labour Council’s plan to introduce fortnightly rubbish collections in the area – joining hundreds of local people who have voiced their opposition to the plan in a recent survey.

The committee unanimously supported a resolution saying that fortnightly rubbish collections should not be introduced until the Council provides evidence to suggest that residents support the change and that it will achieve the increase in recycling rates required to make financial savings. The Committee also seeks from the Council measures to deal with smelly waste; it seeks also, from the outset, clear options for residents about the size of bins available to them.

The latest results of a survey conducted by local Liberal Democrats shows that over 1100 local residents have taken part – with 86% against Labour’s plans to introduce residual waste collection once a fortnight.

Cllr Gail Engert, who has written following the meeting as Chair of the Committee to the Cabinet member for the Environment to set out the Committee’s opposition, comments:

“The Committee, informed by local opinion through our survey and after discussion at the area forum, has said loud and clear that we currently oppose fortnightly collections.

“Eighty-six per cent of local people responding to our survey are against the introduction of fortnightly collections and over ninety per cent think they should have been given a say on this fundamental shift in service. Labour should take note of the public, not ignore them.”

Cllr Jim Jenks, Haringey Liberal Democrat Environment spokespeople, adds:

“Liberal Democrats 100% back efforts to increase recycling but I do not feel that Labour has investigated fully other options than removing a basic service of weekly rubbish collections.”

Services helping Haringey’s older residents to leave hospital earlier and receive better care at home were given a boost last week after the government announced that the borough will receive £630,000 of a £150million funding package aimed at shortening hospital stays this winter.

Liberal Democrat pressure in government has ensured that the funding can be used to access various preventative services such as Home care support, crisis response teams and services providing specialist equipment for older people in Haringey.

Local Liberal Democrats have sought assurances that this funding will not be diverted to fill Council budget shortfalls elsewhere but will be used to support older residents leaving hospital.

Cllr David Winskill, Haringey Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, comments:

“This is substantial sum of money and will go a long way making the transition for older people from hospital to home that much easier, safer and more comfortable. It will also free beds up in our acute hospitals and hence release resources for other patients.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“By reinvesting these savings in social care we can offer more support for older people leaving hospital.

“It is absolutely crucial that Haringey NHS and the Council work together to help people leave hospital when they are ready. The benefits are on all sides – patients get to go home with the support they and their families need, and hospital beds are freed up.

“This money will help cut the delays in getting the equipment and adaptations that people may need to enable them to live independently at home – saving them from an unnecessary stay in hospital or going into residential care.”

Local residents face a new year with the staggering prospect of Council Tax bills in Haringey topping £1,500 after Labour councillors refused to support a Council Tax freeze despite funding being available from government to halt any tax rises.

Liberal Democrats have renewed their call on Labour-run Haringey Council to freeze Council Tax in 2012/13 after the Council’s latest financial reports show Labour is considering a tax rise of 2.5% meaning the average Band D bills would top £1500 a year.

Liberal Democrats have said that, at a time when many families across the borough are struggling to make ends meet, an increase in Council Tax will hit the worst-off hardest. Haringey’s Council Tax is already one of the highest in London with only four other boroughs charging more.

Haringey Liberal Democrats understand that it is a tough time for many and have vowed to continue to put pressure on Labour to do the right thing to freeze Council Tax.

Councillor Paul Strang, Haringey Liberal Democrats Finance Spokesperson comments:

“It is shocking that the Council is even considering a Council Tax increase when the government has said that it will provide the funds to freeze it.

“Council Tax is the only direct tax that the Council has control over and Labour wants to increase it despite it hitting poorer residents, struggling to make ends meet, hardest.

“Liberal Democrats understand that, with family budgets under pressure, small measures like a freeze in Council Tax can make a big difference and we will fight Labour’s Council Tax increase.”

Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, adds:

“The Council should be helping residents and not as Labour seem to want to do, increase an unfair tax which will hit the poorest more.”

Information uncovered by local Liberal Democrats shows that last year Haringey Council had to cancel 277 parking tickets, at an estimated cost of £36,000, after it failed to respond to residents’ parking appeals in time.

Liberal Democrats have said that the information is evidence that the Council has handed out so many parking fines that it can not cope with the amount of appeals that are subsequently lodged. The Council has a duty to respond to an appeal contesting a parking fine within 56 days or the fine is written off.

Cllr Richard Wilson (Stroud Green) who unearthed the information, comments:

“It’s quite worrying that the Council is so keen to ticket residents that they can’t keep up with the appeals workload and enforce parking restrictions properly.

“Not only does this waste local residents’ time, energy and provide undue worry, local taxpayers may have lost out too due to the Council’s failure to respond in time.

“Some of the tickets that were automatically cancelled after 56 days may well have been legitimate, losing the council much-needed funds.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“This is another example of the fact that this Labour-run council is not on top of its finances, adding to an already long list with botched Ally Pally deals, and expensive new computers equipment, costing Haringey tax payers millions of pounds.

“In these tough times, when the Council is closing valued services like older people’s drop-in clubs and children centres, they need to take extra care with every penny, not waste it on mistakes like this.”