Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
The Lib Dem team for Harringay Ward: Why we’re standing and a bit about ourselves.
The Lib Dem team for Harringay Ward: Why we’re standing and a bit about ourselves.
The next Council elections
On the 3rd May there is an election for all 57 seats on Haringey Council.
The present Council
The present Council is made up of 49 Labour Councillors and 8 Liberal Democrats. There are no Conservative or Green Party members. It is only the Lib Dems who have prevented Haringey from being a one-party state.
Harringay Ward
Harringay Ward consists of the whole of the Ladder plus Denmark Road, the eastern side of Green Lanes from Alfoxton Avenue to St Ann’s road and the turnings off (Alfoxton, St. Margaret’s, Harringay Gardens, Park Road, Colina Mews, Colina Road), as well as the Mountview Court estate. It is a marginal between Labour and the Lib Dems.
Some History
The balance for Harringay Ward was 2 Lib Dems and 1 Labour in 2006 and 2010, and in 2014 three Labour candidates were elected. The Conservatives and the Green Party have never been in contention, even when Matt Cuthbert got their best ever result in 2014, before becoming a Lib Dem himself.
Two of our candidates, Karen Alexander and David Schmitz, have served on the Council before: Karen from 2006 to 2014 and David from 2010 to 2014.
Why we’re standing
There are two main reasons.
Effective opposition
If, as many assume, Labour elects a majority of the Councillors, there really will need to be a larger opposition group to keep an eye on what they’re doing, to expose the mistakes and waste which happen on their watch and to campaign against disastrous excesses like the Haringey Development Vehicle. Remember, elections are often unpredictable, and a matter of less than 100 votes can often decide a race. So a stronger opposition is both desirable and very much achievable.
The personal touch
Faceless bureaucracy needs a human face. We see our main job as giving people someone to turn to should the system fail them. Whether it’s a flood in Wightman Road on Christmas Day, a family with small children that has been evicted, or an enforcement action that shouldn’t happen, someone has to be prepared to drop what they’re doing and call out the highways department, go with the family to the housing office, or get an explanation from someone higher up the chain of command than the call centre.
We’ve done all this in the past, and we want to do it again, but we need to be in office in order to be fully effective in doing this for you.
Why the Council needs a strong Lib Dem group
The BBC has recently observed, “Haringey Labour Party has recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons - de-selections, division, denunciations.”
If Labour form the next administration in the Council, no-one will have any idea as to what that administration would look like, or even how cohesive it would be.
What we know is that there will be plenty of people who, like the outgoing leader Claire Kober, still want to bring in the Haringey Development Vehicle. Remember that for all the chaos caused by this in Labour’s ranks, they still voted unanimously against stopping it only last month, although they had the chance to do so at an Extraordinary Full Council Meeting called by the Opposition Lib Dems. Even more worryingly, they (again unanimously) voted money for it at the recent council budget meeting.
We have long attacked this idea as oppressive because it would throw people out of their homes, and as unwise because it involves gambling £2 billion worth of Council property in a deal with one developer.
There will also be plenty of new people who are quick to talk up grand schemes without any idea as to how they can be implemented or paid for. As one former Labour opponent of ours has said, "Momentum activists at some point are going to come in to contact with reality.”
In the middle of this civil war, who will do the un-glamourous jobs of seeing to it that services are provided, and that the Council’s limited money is used to best effect, rather than squandered on failed fried chicken shops, new logos, and trips to the French Riviera?
And who will address the problems with their children’s services, highlighted yet again
• By a joint inspection by Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission, and the police and probation inspectorates, which found that when children are assessed they are too often either not offered appropriate support or their cases are closed too early. https://www.cypnow.co.uk/cyp/news/2004846/inspectors-warn-of-ineffe...
• By the Council’s own website which points out how children in care are failed when it comes to preparation for life outside of care http://www.haringey.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/health/joint-stra...
That’s where we come in. We know that Councillors can make a difference, but it isn’t by grandstanding against “the system”, or by getting too close to property developers. It is by patient and probing questioning of council officers and by listening to the people we represent.
We know that the only way to avoid bad decisions is to listen to people BEFORE we make up our minds. Our manifesto is about to be published and we’ll present it here. We believe that our plan will re-assure you that someone is looking after the interests of this wonderful borough.
A bit about ourselves
David, Karen and Matt all live in Harringay ward and are raising families here, so we are here in the ward day in, day out, and we’re always on the lookout for problems that need fixing. If we’re elected no-one will have trouble getting us to help if they find themselves bogged down in the call centre or “customer services”.
Karen Alexander was a Lib Dem Councillor for Harringay Ward from 2006 to 2014. During her terms she served on the Council’s Scrutiny Committee, which brings the Council’s workings into the cold light of day, and calls in questionable decisions – like the sale of the Hornsey Town Hall to a Cayman Islands-based property developer, and the notorious Haringey Development Vehicle – for a second, independent look. Even out of office, she hasn’t let up. She continues to attend meetings of residents’ groups and the police panel, and she works tirelessly on issues of traffic and road safety.
“As far as I am concerned, the 20mph limit on Wightman Rd has [Karen’s] name on it.”
David Schmitz was a Lib Dem Councillor for Harringay Ward from 2010 to 2014 and served on the planning committee. He quickly became known for his effective and tireless work for residents.
“From the moment I first contacted David about the problem, he was on hand with lots of good advice and useful pointers in directions that had never occurred to me. He also kept in close contact at all times.”
“He seems to be everywhere on that side of the borough boundary. Everywhere.
When he’s not working for the community, he practises as a barrister.
Matt Cuthbert is keenly involved in early-years education and the improvement of our local streets. He is an education volunteer at the nature reserve at Railway Fields (by Umfreville Road) and has taught cricket at North Harringay Primary School as well as under 9s cricket at a local club. He has salvaged and maintained many of the planters which brighten up Harringay Passage. The many groups he has contributed to have included the parents’ forum and the Friends of Harringay Passage.
In 2014, he stood for the Council as a candidate for the Green Party here in Harringay Ward, and was rewarded by the voters with the best result outside of the Lib Dems and Labour. After more strongly identifying with the ideals and proposals of the Liberal Democrats, he joined the party, and brings a keen eye to local environmental issues and a welcome take on ways to address them.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Chris Setz on
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I want effective opposition Justin - you disqualify yourself by lack of it. People will vote for you if you can demonstrate better ideas than those in power - where are yours?
Relying on old-fashioned cold war slurs in a modern world where no authority has anywhere near the control exerted by past police states just damages any support you might garner. Why have you got so few supporters, exactly?
I strongly wanted the opposition here (who have 15% of the seats) to defeat the Council's Hornsey Town Hall plans - I couldn't do it. Had they put forward credible alternatives it really would have helped - what were yours?
The one time I needed opposition to show up to the party they were unable to vary the outcome one iota.
Voters here largely agree with Labour values and support the Council. When, like all bodies with power, Council's abuse it too much, people should rise up and depose them and they do. Labour Party members here drove out the HDV mentality and now take on that very difficult housing challenge whilst right-wingers like you call for even tighter constraints to prevent them dealing with urgent need. You actively oppose allowing Councils to borrow to build social housing Justin. The Council sold off a huge bit of land that will now have 123 luxury flats on it and could have housed the worse off.
To mirror your use of an old-fashioned trope - you right wingers know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
What I want from you Justin is effective, constructive opposition. I demand that you issue no slurs - if anything, raise your game. Much as I dislike your ideology, I defend your right to hold it and want to see stronger arguments, provided you are reasonable and fair-minded about it. So less mud-slinging and more home building m8.
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Permalink Reply by matthew cuthbert on
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What was Emine’s reason for leaving Harringay Ward for Noel Park?
Continuity is good, as we don’t have to get to know a new personality, but Emine did stick out her term unlike Cllr James Ryan, who just left two years in, for a job in the Mayors media team. It was embarrassing that he didn’t turn up to sergeries, crucial for residents casework. Any more time wasters, when Karen, David and I are here desperate to serve our community?
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I appreciate your sentiment Phillip. Many like us have opposed the council, and when they don’t listen, they will loose traditional voters, there is a consequence as you say. In this instance, it’s very much local and about Haringey borough.
Harringay has been a safe vote for a long time, for some who have taken advantage of voters and Labour itself. We’ve had neglected streets through boom and bust, marches for the Whittington vs silence with St Ann’s Hospital, poor funding for mental health, then closure of our hospitals, and with it a sexual health clinic, (when we’re in the top twenty borough’s in London for STI’s.)
This area has been an edge of borough area for too long, we have amazing people here and they need to be heard. Disparity of health care is worst in the east of the borough, so now it’s time for that change, we need hope in Harringay and across Haringey, we need improvement in the way we respond.
This role is a social service, end of.I hear what you are saying, I want a fresh start that begins here. I’ve sat a watched for eight years, I’m open to advice and criticism now, ignorance it is what has institutionalised this council administration.
I think we all deserve better now, through our children, our communities and the environment.
Let’s look forward everyone.
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Solidarity across the Green Movement
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Permalink Reply by Joshua Dixon on
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A credible team that will always put the people of Harringay first. Their track record speaks for itself. Good luck to Karen, David and Matt!
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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I am utterly disgusted with the tactics you have employed this year. I note with some alarm that one of your number has been placing a none-too-subtle voting hint in the flower boxes under street signs on the ladder. Where-oh-where are the red roses of Labour on the ladder? Are they only placed on the candidates or can they be convinced to turn a planter or two red to combat this yellow tide.
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Permalink Reply by David Schmitz on
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Hi John,
A few years ago, I wrote to the BBC and pointed out to them that in the CBeebies programme "In the Night Garden" there was an underrepresentation of yellow and orange, the chief offenders being Iggle Piggle, with hiss blue costume and red blanket, the blue Wattingers and the red Pontipines.
I'll try to find it for you. It's in my 2010 archives - for April 1st.
Best,
David
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Ha ha ha!!!! Brilliant!
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Permalink Reply by Tammy Palmer on
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Hi All,
Just to give an endorsement to a really great team in David, Karen and Matt - all three have a wealth of experience of campaigning on local issues and in particular a real passion and commitment for Harringay.
Now more than ever we really need to ensure that we have an effective opposition locally, one party politics don't tend to benefit communities - and certainly from canvassing locally myself at the moment something that a lot of people have expressed concern about.
I hope that you will consider giving David, Karen and Matt your vote in May.
thanks
Tammy Palmer
Liberal Democrat PPC for Tottenham
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Thank you for your welcome and introduction.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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As the election campaign has - in effect - begun it seems sensible that HoL House Rules on political declarations take effect now. I suggest it's fair that HoL members posting should say they are candidates or have a party position or connection.
"o. Political Postings: In addition to n above, we allow statements of policy or fact by candidates or their representatives. However we urge great care from these members when entering debates, particularly during election periods. Statements of position or policy by candidates or their representatives, are encouraged. Comments denigrating the positions of opposing parties or any comments designed to bring into disrepute opposing parties, candidates or their positions are not."
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[I'm a Labour Party Member and a former Labour Councillor.
My wife Zena Brabazon is one of the Labour councillors for
Haringey ward & has been adopted as a candidate again on
3 May 2018.]
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Ummmm..... HarRingAy ward ;)
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