of the assumptions here. To give just one example, we will not be dealing with a percentage cut across the board. All three main parties promise to protect certain front-line services. I also hope that when faced with the reality of cuts, commonsense will prevail at national level and some very expensive Government projects – Trident for example – will be cancelled.
In the past I’ve managed budgets ranging from around £300k p.a (a small voluntary sector agency) to around £8m p.a. I’ve also had to deal with massive cuts - in one case in a service which had its base budget cut from £1.9m to under £1m p.a. We did it without reducing services. How? First, I went out and took a critical look for myself at our services. We then developed a plan to make services more efficient; by having charges which people could afford to pay; and going all out for external funding.
It’s all too easy to defend the status quo even if the provision is not up to par
If elected, I’d expect our officers to go and see for themselves the services they manage and ask what works and what can be changed..
Incidentally, decisions on the Council’s budget are not made by individual councillors just for their wards. They are made by the Cabinet – so effectively by whichever party is the majority group. I’d like to see councillors and the Council agree some guiding principles about what the Council wants to do. In other words, we need to be as clear as possible about we think is important for the borough and which services are our priorities.
The process for reaching budget decisions is crucial. The more serious the impact on our residents, the more all councillors need to be rigorous and far more challenging than in the past. Councillors need to ask tough questions, to find out how departments work and where the money now goes. We should challenge officers and also Cabinet Members about savings proposals. Are they actually deliverable with least impact on local residents and services? I want to see time made to explore fresh and lateral ideas for service delivery. And underlying this whole process, we need to really listen to residents’ views and knowledge when we make decisions about future provision.
Ideally we should stop privatising and outsourcing and develop our own in-house staff where we can. But if services are commissioned we need to be very ‘good clients’ to ensure we get the best deal and that services provided are what’s needed for our communities.
Q 2. How do you intend to stay engaged with all the Harringay issues you say are of such importance to you between now and May 2014?
I’m standing in St Ann’s ward which will be my priority. Engaging with residents is fundamental to being a councillor. And while I thought I knew a lot about the area, I’ve learned a massive amount about St Ann’s from knocking on doors and talking to so many people. There are issues which we’ve identified and questions I want to ask about service delivery and resources in the area.
Engagement includes keeping in touch through the local associations, residents’ meetings, HOL, estate walkabouts and other local ways of being accountable. It also means keeping abreast of planning applications; liaising with the Safer Neighbourhoods Team and knowing what local issues are coming up through the different routes in the Council – e.g licensing, parking/highways, environment, social care.
Individual concerns brought to surgeries can also reveal common issues which need addressing.
Knowing what’s happening with the PCT, the Police and other public bodies is equally important. It will help to stay engaged if there are good and open relationships with local people. They often know issues are brewing before councillors and Council officers hear about them. We all need to share ‘intelligence’ and knowledge is shared.
Q 3. Will your party continue with the current system of Area Assemblies as the principal way of engaging with residents? If no, what would you replace them with? If yes, what measures would you take to energise them, make them better attended and more accountable (including ensuring that minutes are posted in full and soon after the event and not currently in a piecemeal fashion)?
The Labour Party’s Manifesto takes pride in the work of the Assemblies. My personal view is that we need changes which build on this. For instance, I’d like to see them move away from being ‘set pieces’. A two hour meeting with a long agenda means items don’t have enough time.
Assemblies could develop as an ongoing process as opposed to a static event. They could become an ‘umbrella’ which hosts lots of different events and activities where the Council and residents communicate and work together to debate issues, problem-solve and where people are consulted.
I am in favour of local neighbourhood partnerships where residents and agencies come together to discuss problems, plan services and to set local priorities. I think current service planning is too top heavy, too top down and too removed from local experiences.
Q 4. Minutes for certain meetings in the wards such as the Green Lanes Strategy group and the police ward panel are currently unavailable to the general public. Would you be willing to see these minutes posted online in their full form (and not via the current system of newsletters) - see excellent model from British Transport Police.
As a matter of principle we should always aim to be as open as possible
So things should be public unless there are good legal or other reasons. Some matters do need confidentiality – personal details for example. And Police operational details.
Q5. Some officials have said that "Harringay" only refers to the ward. Other people feel that Harringay refers to the neighbourhood including Green Lanes (N8 & N4) and the residential streets to either side. There is also a view that getting agreement on the notion of the neighbourhood of Harringay and its rough boundaries is a critical issue to encouraging a sense of belonging and so supporting the development of our neighbourhood. Which view do you take and what area does Harringay describe for you?
I use “Harringay” when I mean Green Lanes and mainly the Ladder Roads – although there are some problems which residents on both sides share. For example, the impact of the betting shops on Green Lanes, and Homes in Multiple Occupation. I’d like to see agreement on tackling problems like the HMOs, slum landlords, Sainsbury’s parking.
Walking round St. Ann’s I can see it suffers from many of the same problems as Harringay but I’m not sure it has had quite as much attention!!
Q6. Will you introduce a 'no casino' clause into LBH's gambling policy, immediately?
Definitely and without reservation, hesitation or deviation! If I could ban the betting shops and casinos I would.
Q7. What are you going to do to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in Harringay? By this I mean a range of issues such as littering to more serious crimes like rape. Will there be a more visible police presence on our streets?
This is a complex question which often gets a glib answer. The Council has to work with many agencies to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour - not just the Police and the Anti-Social Behaviour Team. We need to continue working with HMRC for example, to deal with illegal businesses, fraudulent planning applications and housing conversions. We need to work with Adult Social Care and the Supporting People programme where vulnerable adults are involved.
“More Police on the beat” has become a mantra. I know it makes people feel safer. Though does it necessarily reduce crime? If the police want to catch criminals they often need to be less visible!
So, as well as Police on the street, I’m sure people want more in the Police Station too. Then we all want police available in cars to deal with our 999 calls. And Forensic Officers to follow-up. As a relatively new JP I want Police available in Court!
One of the best things when I worked for Haringey was joint working with our local Police. I have enormous respect for officers I met. And for the way Police worked with the local community. I want this respect for the skills of the Police to extend to trusting them to judge how they deploy their resources.
Dealing effectively with anti-social behaviour needs joint working across many agencies. Plus the staff, resources and the will to make it work. I would like to see how we can work to develop and improve the community justice, community payback and mediation schemes to tackle anti-social behaviour.
I am though, worried about the risk of criminalising young people who are not actually causing any problems – other than just hanging out with friend.
Other candidates have mentioned traditional park keepers. I also share doubts about losing these staff. Theiy had an important role in preventing and managing anti-social behaviour. It’s no good having beautiful well-maintained parks unless people feel comfortable and confident about using them. But I’m open minded about the best system.
Can I mention the very useful and important “designing out crime schemes” developed with the Police. They include improved street lighting, removing “lurking spots”, cutting back high hedges and shrubs, designing in good waste systems and giving people their own green spaces.
Q8. Will you support a 20mph speed limit for Haringey?
Yes. It’s now undeniable that lower speeds save lives and prevent injuries. But we also need public education to try to change people’s behaviour.
Q 9. Levels of traffic in the Ladder roads have been increased by decisions taken by the Council over the last ten years. A traffic survey has been discussed as a prerequisite to any changes. Will you commit to repairing the damage to quality of life caused by the increase in traffic. Will you commit to a two stage plan which in the first instance distributes traffic evenly across Ladder roads and as a second stage distributes it evenly across the whole neighbourhood of Harringay?
I don’t know enough about traffic on the Ladder Roads to make sweeping comments about causes and solutions. In areas of Haringey I know a lot better, a major factor in levels of traffic is the rise in car ownership. And neither Haringey nor Harringay are an island. Much of the traffic in the borough is passing through.
If elected as a St Ann’s councillor, I would support plans which distribute traffic more evenly across the Ladder roads provided – crucially – they have widespread support from residents.
Improving bus services from east to west might help and encourage people to use their cars less.
Q 10. What will you do to increase the poor levels of re-cycling in Harringay?
As a report last year by the London Assembly showed, this is a London-wide problem. The capital as a whole has “a generally poor recycling performance”. There are many practical ways of tackling this. But it needs London-wide and indeed national policies. Because we are trying to change peoples’ behaviour - a medium and long-term task.
Even so, there are things the Council can do in local neighbourhoods. For example, I’d like to see us insisting that landlords whose properties are used by the Council make recycling and proper waste disposal part of their contract.
Recycling should be an everyday activity in every school.
We could have more bins which encourage recycling. Visiting Berlin I was struck by the general availability of standard-coloured bins lids. This includes “Recycling on the Go” – when people are out on the street, or in parks, or at stations. People in Berlin knew what the colour codes meant and separated their rubbish. Our cafes and restaurants could sponsor these and set the example. Maybe bins could be part of the planning permission!
We should encourage and fund greening schemes on those housing estates which are bleak. I’ve seen some great examples of areas which have been transformed, and where local people have really benefited. One was in Salford where an alley was turned into a community garden; another is, of course, the community garden in Doncaster Gardens. One project on an estate in Islington created food growing spaces for people living in flats, and seems to be working well.
Q 11. A question for candidates with children or plan to have children, do you have confidence in your local schools and will you be endorsing that by using the local nurseries, play groups, primary schools and secondary schools? *
Our daughter went to Haringey schools - nursery through to 6th form. In a borough with such inequalities we need to make sure our early years provision is of the highest quality. All the research shows that having teachers in nurseries and high quality curriculum makes the greatest difference to children who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and of course, benefits everyone along the way! I chaired the governing body at my daughter’s primary school in Tottenham and am now a Governor at Rowland Hill Children’s Centre.
Q 12. How would you improve the ratios of life expectancy between the west & east of Haringey borough?
We need to invest in decent affordable social housing for families – and that requires government investment. We need to make sure private sector housing is up to standard – with energy saving insulation, good heating systems, hot water etc. There has to be a clamp down on HMOs and the exploitation of vulnerable and poor people living in overcrowded and cramped conditions.
Getting people into employment is vital. As is having improved primary health care services in Tottenham.
Tottenham’s parks and open spaces must be maintained properly and be safe to use. This means having staff in the parks, and varied activities so there are always people about. Many areas are experimenting with open air exercise classes for example.
The Wood Green Library currently runs health check sessions for older people and these are very popular. I would like to see these run in all our libraries to encourage greater use of libraries as welcoming community facilities.
But there are major national issues which impact on Haringey and which are outside the Council’s control. Plainly one enormous factor is inequality. The Annual health reports show that the rate of death was higher in the Eastern part of Haringey and especially in the north-eastern wards.
Q 13. Which option of the 7 Acute Reconfiguration Scenarios proposed by North Central London NHS do you support?
I don’t claim expertise about these issues and will need to do some fast learning. In general, I don’t support the closing of any A& E departments, though I think places like the new clinic in Park Road are very good indeed. Our area needs many more primary care facilities and GPs must work from modern well-equipped surgeries.
One big problem is that many people are not registered with GPs and they tend to use the hospitals for all services. This is a poor use of resources – particularly the expensive A & E Departments
Q 14. What are your views on the proposed re-development of St Ann's Hospital which, given that part of the site will probably be given over to housing, is likely to result in a reduction in local health services?
About St Ann’s, my head and my heart tell me different things. My heart wants to defend the current site, but my head tells me that we need decisions on services across our area and across London on the basis of need. Resource allocation in health should be a matter for clinical decisions by medical personnel - based on evidence
Managing services over the years, I’ve learned that policies need to start from the needs of service users – and not buildings
I am opposed to the privatisation of health services and I believe that it is vital to invest more in mental health services.
This is a huge and complex issue and needs councillors and Council staff involved with health to investigate and reflect on it.…
e to planned engineering works, as well as Archway station, so I think a bus is the best possible form of public transport - car drivers & cyclists will no doubt get as close as they can.
Speaking for myself, I shall be going by bus, taking either the 141, or 341 from Green Lanes to Newington Green or thereabouts, and walking to Highbury Corner approx. 1 mile for crows, or down Petherton Road off Green Lanes just the other side of Clissold Park, aiming to get there well in time to soak up some of the atmosphere, rather than any unwanted precipitation from the heavens. For those going from Finsbury Park, Nos 4, 19, & 236 are possibilities taking a route down Blackstock Road leading onto Highbury Grove.
As for getting to the Whittington assembly area in Magdela Avenue, I suggest either the 41 from Turnpike Lane, or the W5 'hopper' from Sainsbury's car park, and get as close as they permit.
It might not be a bad idea to carry a thermos and some sandwiches for sustenance along the way, especially if anyone else intends to bring children, as we do."Hi everyone,As the big day of the march is dawning thoughts are now turning to howto get to Highbury Corner, especially as the police are closing off half ofHolloway Road for us to walk down. So here's some info to help you plan your journey:Holloway Road is only closed going north ie from Highbury Corner to Archway. Traffic will still be allowed on the other side of the road, but there are arrangements to close the road at some of the junctions with other roads.
Archway Station is closed, as is the whole of the Victoria line, which is all planned engineering work. The Piccadilly line is however open as normal.There are a lot of planned closures or part closures on the tube network generally, for more information here is the link to the TfL website:Buses are still running but some are being diverted. For a complete picture of each bus route, and for more information about which roads are closing when please click on this link which will take you to our blog on the website:Fingers crossed for the weather, see you on the march."On behalf of:ZoziJoint Chair, Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition…
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mme that 'underpins our commitment to deliver positive change'.
Of the twelve pledges, the two classified as still being 'underway' are to upgrade Bruce Grove/improve Holcombe Market and to remove the Tottenham Hale gyratory.
The failure to improve Holcombe Market is despite the Freedom of Information response confessing that the designs for a new market agreed by a stakeholder group involving traders and representatives of local resident groups received planing permission in 2013.
In a lame attempt to show progress on the pledge to upgrade Bruce Grove it cites the painting of the bridge as evidence of pledge progress. Yet, this was work done and paid for by Network Rail following pressure from the stakeholder group. It is also debatable if painting the bridge is an upgrade.
The other pledge classified as 'underway' is the pledge to remove the Tottenham Hale gyratory. Which to be fair to the council is a Transport for London scheme always scheduled to be to finished by the end of 2014. But then why include it as a pledge? Oh, I remember. The pledges were for completion by Haringey Council and partner organisations.
I also believe there is a third 'underway' pledge. While claiming the pledge to refresh public space at Tottenham Green is completed, the FOI answer says 'the majority of the works are now complete'. Meaning that not all the works are now finished, and therefore the pledge is arguably still 'underway'.
When they were announced in March 2012 the Council's press release claimed these '12 key pledges will be delivered during 2012'. With Councillor Alan Strickland adding: "These 12 pledges certainly won’t be the only changes in Tottenham this year, but what they offer is a commitment to residents that they will be able to see real evidence of progress month-by-month."
Yet, there is no escaping the fact that over two years on from March 2012 Haringey Council has admitted that it has not delivered on all 12 pledges.
I welcome your comments.
Martin
PS Here are the '12 in 2012' pledges, and whether Haringey Council classifies them as completed or underway.
1. Launch a new Neighbourhood Action Team
Completed – A New Neighbourhood Action Team was launched and operational from March 2012.
2. Host pop-up activities at empty sites on the High Road
Completed - 639b was launched in July 2012, a Medley Market was held at Tottenham Green in September 2012, there were film screenings across Tottenham as part of Tottenham Film Festival in September 2012 and music events across Tottenham as part of the Tottenham Music Festival during December 2012.
There are also a number of activities planned for Summer 2014 including a food market at Tottenham Green (six Saturdays from 28th June to 2nd August, https://twitter.com/TottenhamMarket), as well as summer events incorporating music and entertainment. To keep up to date on events and activities planned go to http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/housing_and_planning/tottenham/tottenhamsummer.htm
3. Re-open Bruce Grove Youth Centre as part of a commitment to better youth services
Completed - Activities were relaunched at the centre in April 2012.
4. Launch a major jobs programme to generate 600 new jobs
Completed – A new Jobs for Haringey Programme was launched in May 2012.
5. Re-open the landmark 639 High Road as an enterprise and employment centre
Completed – the 639 enterprise centre was launched in May 2013.
6. Provide activities for young people with a multi-use games area at Ferry Lane
Completed – A ‘Cruyff Court’ multi use games area opened in August 2012.
7. Bring Olympics excitement to Tottenham through a summer festival
Completed – A programme of summer events was held between June – September 2012 (Tottenham Carnival Parade; Summer on the Green; Art on Tottenham Marshes; Park Art; Ooh Art; Torch Relay Celebration; PARAde).
8. Kick-off the multi-million pound Spurs-led Northumberland Development Project with a new supermarket
Completed - Construction work on phase 1 of the Northumberland Development Project scheme began on 24th September 2012 and the Sainsbury’s supermarket was opened in November 2013.
9. Remove the Tottenham Hale gyratory and improve road layouts between High Road and Broad Lane
Underway - Improvement works on the gyratory began in October 2012. They are all due to be complete (including the new bus station at Tottenham Hale) by end of August 2014.
10. Refresh public space at Tottenham Green, including Bernie Grant Arts Centre and the Holy Trinity Church yard
Completed - Work on Tottenham Green started on site in late 2013. The majority of the works are now complete and the Green was re-opened for public access on the 25th June 2014.
11. Upgrade Bruce Grove and improve Holcombe Market
Underway - Bruce Grove railway bridge was repainted in early spring 2014 and a design to light the underside of the bridge has been submitted to Network Rail for their agreement before works can commence.
Transport for London are currently preparing proposals to upgrade the public realm around Bruce Grove Station which will be subject to traffic modelling.
Designs for the improvements to Holcombe Road market received planning permission in 2013 and the scheme design is currently being worked up in more detail, to pre-construction stage, before work can begin on site.
12. Bring landmark shops back to the High Road – with Aldi back in business and rebuilding work underway at Carpet Right
Completed – The Post Office relocated to 476 High Road and reopened January 2012, the Job Centre Plus reopened April 2012, Aldi reopened in November 2012 and Carpetright reopened in 2013.…
Residents' Fears at Betting Shop's Plan
Will Stone, Haringey Advertiser, 26th November 2008
A petition has been launched in protest over a betting shop
seeking to split itself into three.
Betting shop
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