Haringey Lib Dems list "The Three Failures"

11 July: Liberal Democrats highlight Labour’s three failures that 'gave the green light' to the Pinkham Way development

LABOUR'S support of unsuitable plans for a waste site and lorry park at Pinkham Way are revealed today, in a damning response from local Liberal Democrats to the 'North London Waste Plan', and in a motion which will be debated at the next Full Council meeting.

Cllr Juliet Solomon (Alexandra ward) revealed in her response to the waste plan, that Haringey Council’s Labour administration facilitated the progress of the Pinkham Way development:

1. By changing the designation of the land from 'employment' to 'industrial' use in November 2010, the administration did not fully consult local residents on the effects of the change
2. With their motion to Full Council on 18 July, Liberal Democrats highlight that Labour members on the North London Waste Authority failed to object formally to the proposals to build a waste facility and depot for Barnet’s waste lorries
3. In a third failure by Labour, there has been a lack of communication by the Council to its residents on the proposals for Pinkham Way, which have been progressing for many years.

Liberal Democrats, including Lynne Featherstone MP, who have spearheaded a campaign against the proposals at Pinkham Way, will now call on the Council to write to the Chief Executive of the NLWA, to suggest that the plans are withdrawn.

Cllr Juliet Solomon comments:

“Labour has failed to put residents at the heart of this decision. The secrecy behind the change of land-use last year, the fact that Labour failed to stand up for Haringey in the North London Waste Authority, and the lack of communication with local residents are three failures that gave the green light to the Pinkham Way development. Labour must be held to account for their failures.

The way in which the Pinkham Way plans have dictated the whole North London Waste Plan rather than the plan shaping individual projects seems to be a totally unprincipled way of dealing with planning issues, and flies in the face of good practice.

I hope that the NLWA, the Council and Labour members take note and take action now.”

Lynne Featherstone MP, added:

“I am appalled to find that Labour has so fundamentally failed to stand up for local residents, and given the green light to this development that will blight the area around Pinkham Way and negatively affect thousands of local residents – residents they should represent, not ignore.”