Haringey Cuts

AM · March 2011

Have not read all of the above just the opening comment and it breaks my heart to see the suggestion of so many adverse actions against the Community's services. I hear a lot about the BIG SOCIETY and I am sorry if this has already been covered above - but apart from protest about decisions already made - can we not get together and try and run some of these services. Sounds like an enornous task but we start by getting together to discuss an action plan - including citing unused buildings that could be used for community services (including Libraries) and then get a meeting with the Council or Concillors. Pie in the sky thinking I know............

Papa · March 2011

This may be shot down because it's from the Telegraph (and I hate the constant use of Baby P council by the media for example) but it is still valid

<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8371416/Baby-P-council-offers-140000-for-place-and-sustainability-director.html">Haringey is advertising for a £140k director of place and sustainability</a>

The best bit is their quote at the end: 'The salary is average for this level of responsibility. In order to reduce costs, we are processing applications online and managing the majority of recruitment activity through our in-house HR department.'

I'd bloody hope so, if you've got a website, recruitment team and HR department, it might be wise to use them - although I not they're not actually managing to do the whole thing themselves and are presumably sending out some fees to the firms on the public sector leeching gravy train

Ali · March 2011

It always annoys me how they compare the salary of the PM against these jobs. People seem to completely forget that the PM doesn’t actually do very much he Chairs a cabinet and sets policy while in this job the holder is running fairly large operational departments. DC is a Chair while the Gus McDonald is the CEO. This post is more towards the CEO end of things. It does seem to be a very daft name for what the job actually is and you would think the council would be more aware and avoid this kind of thing. Anyone heard any more about what is happening to the Hideway After school club now that consultation has closed

helen · March 2011

@AM - totally agree and the truth is we're going to have to take some bits over. ideas is what we need now, not just commenting on how bad it all is..."cos i think we all agree on that..

@Ali - no word yet but the school is going to ask everyone to help as it puts together a plan for the Hideaway. I think there are legal issues about how and when the governors and the school can start to talk about it all which shouldn't be mistaken for a lack of interest on their part

Ali · March 2011

Bit more info about after school clubs here (http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/topstories/8902002.Childcare_funding_axed_by_council/) seems like all funding is being removed from after school clubs and the council seem to expect the schools to take over which I am sure will not have been budgetted by them. I wonder what kind of business model can be put together to keep them going

Ali · April 2011

Excellent Article from Johann Hari in the Independant <http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-the-plan-to-save-ed-miliband-2258737.html#>;

graeme · April 2011

It's certainly a long article.

Not sure how the claim that the 'Mr and Mrs Diamonds' of the country haven't been getting the free handouts that he claims 'Bob Diamond' has. What's the cheap credit they've had for nearly the last 15 years if not free 'money'? And how can the Mervyn King say with a straight face that this is an assault on living standards when he and his team have been robbing savers (and reducing the standard of living of those who rely on income from their savings) by not attempting to get inflation under control? Crackers.

Also, he's re-iterated the bollocks claim that
"We can afford to do it: our national debt has been higher for 200 of the past 250 years, it is around the middle of developed international league tables, and we can borrow at very low rates – so we can run a deficit for several years if it gets us out of this hole."

His claim that debt isn't high doesn't mean that those people lending us money will continue to do so if they think the Government can't get the deficit under control (i.e. by making cuts). If you lent an existing debtor more money and they thought "great, they've given me more money, I can just spend it all, cos they'll continue give me money whatever I do" without trying to have some attempt at getting your spending under control, they'd rightly whip the ability to borrow away from you. Then we'd be double fucked.

If certain of the previous Governments spending was based off-the-books PPP etc., where the money would have to be paid back by our grandchildren, is it not reasonable to cut things and make us (this generation) pay it? Or is the alternative to just spend on the never never?

Can't argue that I learned quite a lot from this article though. Thanks.

Ali · April 2011

Kinda of agree with you it will be interesting to see if EM can turn himself into a sound bite man, would of loved to have heard the suggested approach to the Squeezed Middle interview on the Today program. Would have been very effective.

Ali · May 2011

Seems like Jamboree and Treetops young kids provision is to be axed by the Council in September. Some more people loose their jobs, Surestart gets chipped away at, a little bit more demand gets taken out of the economy . The Jamboree building itself will no doubt get vandalised and become and eyesore etc etc I wonder if the Jamboree Transition garden will get to continue but least the school seems to be taking over Hideaway

Ali · October 2011

more on the way <http://www.hornseyjournal.co.uk/news/haringey_budget_parking_fines_up_grants_and_jobs_cut_1_1085067>; get your potholes fixed this year !

Papa · October 2011

Vulnerable kids, potholes, people parking to visit residents or shops, everyday workers hit, but propaganda budget remains.

'council magazine Haringey People will be unaffected, already reduced to six issues per year'

julieshrive · October 2011

Did the PM direct the troups to 3 wars or did they suddenly arrive there ? Deregulation? Were we consulted ? How are the Cuts Fair? If you leave it to accountants they have no soul let alone discretion. Islington did a survey then ignored the evidence presented then had meetings no one knew about. Strange & the person responsible for unfairness was running the survey. I wonder why?

Al · December 2011

<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Seems like following on from the commentary on the Riots last week more evidence is appearing that the cuts are biting and crime is on the up. Seems like everything the government think does <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>rebounds on them in very predictable way.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>According to this <A href="http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24020341-burglary-and-robberies-on-the-rise-as-unemployment-bites.do"><FONT color=#800080>http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24020341-burglary-and-robberies-on-the-rise-as-unemployment-bites.do</FONT></A><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>muggings are up 61% in Haringey</SPAN>

Ali · July 2012

<P>Thought this is quite an interesting article about the impacts which are now being seen related to the cuts:</P> <P><A href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/03/cruel-welfare-system-private-firms#start-of-comments">http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/03/cruel-welfare-system-private-firms#start-of-comments</A></P>; <P>The really bad thing is that there will be much worse to come.</P> <P>Whats the betting on an early snap election with the Tories blaming the LibDems for the breakup of the coalition with a Europe Referendum and more cuts for the "wasters" as Tory policys in the glow of a sucessfull games !</P>

ADGS · July 2012

Any prognostication based around a successful Games can be safely filed alongside those reliant on self-flown bacon. Especially given the weather.<br>

Ali · July 2012

Well the first steps to the next Election may have just been taken yesterday

wisteria53 · July 2012

<p><font color="#3333ff">copied from the SG residents assoc Yahoo group "<strong>SGRA</strong>" email:</font></p><p>The Haringey Parking Account 2011-12 <br>Posted by: "CDC" <br>Mon Jul 16, 2012 1:31 pm <br><br>Those wondering where parking charges and fines end up, might like to take a look the Borough's Parking Account for the last period. The total "surplus" (the council doesn't use the word profit) is£5,544,000, an increase over last year of £2,211,000.<br><br>Haringey Councillor Alan Stanton has posted a summary and comment on his blog here<br>http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanstanton/7523421210/in/photostream</p><p><br></p>;

yagamuffin · July 2012

<font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">Unbelievable! They could make permits free and scrap pay & display and still break even! I bet they won't though

</font>

Ali · July 2012

Surprising the LibDems have not been complaining about this

Alan Stanton · August 2012

Anyone interested in the topic may want to see the <a href="http://barnetcpz.blogspot.co.uk/">Barnet CPZ Action Campaign</a> which hopes to get a Judicial Review.<br><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"> </span>An aspect of Haringey's CPZs is the so-called <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanstanton/7693268112/">Environmentally Friendly Parking Charges</a>. I opposed these when they were suggested. But not because I'm in favour of high emission vehicles. Haringey's PR spoke of "gas guzzlers" and "Chelsea tractors". I calculated the charges would also hit ordinary family cars. This turned out to be true. Also, no evidence was produced to show that the bandings would have the impact claimed. And it seemed unfair that profits from CPZs should be used to fund transport-related services across the whole borough.<br><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"> </span>Unsurprisingly, after okaying the bandings, Haringey showed no interest in whether they had the "environmental" impact claimed. I've had to ask for figures each year. They should have been published automatically. <br><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"> </span>In 2011-12, for the first time all the changes shown are positive. But this is unlikely to be due to the banded charges. The most significant factor is probably EU legislation, which meant car manufacturers have been steadily <i>bringing down the CO2 ratings</i> of new vehicles. (Now working into the second-hand market.) <br><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"> </span>The outcome? The Banded charges are largely a tax.<br> <br><i>(Alan Stanton Tottenham Hale ward councillor)</i><br>

Julie Shrive · August 2012

At moment there are boundary issues regarding those living at bottom of Crouch Hill having not so much choice regarding GP Surgeries & catchment areas . You are pushed into area where you pay Council to & if they have issues with you raising issues of access to social services they use a lay person on a remit to shorten your medical record questionably <div>. </div><div>When they pushed me into Islington with Thatchers Cuts not only hospitals cut monitoring appointments the Surgeries were going to rotate yearly part of their contract for a pay rise .Each one said not going to acknowledge my history or records, give repeat medication or refer. That was before they took me on . </div><div><br></div><div>Getting my Medical Record shows they have been omitting chronic problems & disabilities & not recording whether medications are effective or not . What they are adding to cover their backs??!!<div>This is causing my health & safety to be at risk . What I have found is horrifying so please check as even though on Drs Panel & Link not allowed to ask questions.</div><div><br></div><div>Consequently would like to change to find the Receptionists of Haringay acting as if in straight jackets too .This was happening in 2000 nothing appears to have changed in fact worsening as not replacing the decent ones.</div></div>

gardener-joe · August 2012

What on earth ...?

Ali · October 2012

<P>Back to topic sort of, I like this out of the Guardians blog this morning re the "recovery"</P> <P> </P> <P>"The double dip recession was, of course, purely the fault of 1) the Labour party 2) Gordon Brown in particular 3) rich people paying too much tax 4) the Eurozone crisis 5) the Global economy 6) too many employment rights for workers 7) not enough de-regulation 8) the broken society 9) feral youth 10) teenage pregnancies 11) the welfare dependency culture 12) the bloated NHS 13) health tourists 14) unseasonably hot weather 15) unseasonably cold weather 16) unseasonably wet weather 17) public sector workers 18) public sector shirkers 19) public sector strikers 20) public sector pensions 21) interfering European bureaucrats 22) legal immigrants 23) illegal immigrants 24) disabled and sick people for drawing too much in benefits 25) elderly and retired people for not dying quickly enough, so costing a fortune in pension payouts 26) ordinary people for borrowing too much money to buy over-priced houses 27) the Queen's anniversary celebrations meaning too many Bank Holidays 28) the Olympics 29) the lack of a 3rd runway at Heathrow. </P> <P>Not forgetting G4S.</P> <P>However, it seems that credit for the “recovery” rests entirely with the outstanding statesmanship of Dave and our 2 economic gurus, Gideon and little Danny."</P> <P>Says it all roll on the next election !</P> <P>That saying are the Haringey cuts affecting us all?</P>

Roy · October 2012

<i>14) unseasonably hot weather 15) unseasonably cold weather 16) unseasonably wet weather</i><br><br>Don't forget 'unseasonably dry weather' - we had hosepipe bans in much of the country not that many months ago<br>

Ali · October 2012

I had to laugh on the Today prog ysterday. There was a a forestry minister say it was wrong for blaming the government for not acting on the Ash Tree ban last Feb. Bit rich

Ali · January 2013

<P>It will be intyeresting to see the effects of this post April and over the summer as the knock on starts to impact.</P> <P> </P> <P><A href="http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/10138557.Charity_leader_says_benefit_cap_will_hit_poorest__with_catastrophic_force_/">http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/10138557.Charity_leader_says_benefit_cap_will_hit_poorest__with_catastrophic_force_/</A></P>;

rainbow_carnage · January 2013

I knew Paul Nicolson years ago when he was active on the Living Wage campaign. He's a lovely man, but I can't agree with him on this. <br><br>I've spent the past few weeks looking at flat prices in the area with the intention of moving somewhere bigger. You can definitely find places below the HB cap. I know this because our budget is below the cap. You may not get a flat that's within five-minutes of the tube, with a garden, a fireplace and hard wood floors, but you will find a flat. <br><br>No one is going to end up on the street because of this. They may have to move down the street, but no one will have to move out of London. The people who will be affected have been living in flats that cost more than two people in full-time jobs can afford.<br><br>With any luck, rental prices for higher-end properties will go down to match the cap. Though they'll still be above our budget.<br>

kreuzkav · January 2013

What I think really happens is that some landlords who are willing to take on people who are on full housing benefit hike up the rent. A basic flat that would usually be rented to working people for £800 a month is rented to benefit claimants for a few hundred more. Benefit claimants will accept the higher rent for a basic flat because they have limited choice on the market. Most benefit claimants are living in very basic flats but the landlords are inflating the prices because they know the benefit is paying for it. Rent controls are needed for all rents. Well, for most rents. Luxury flats can be subject to market forces as they're beyond the grasp of most people.

Siolae · January 2013

<p>Anecdotally, I know of one family already who are moving to Birmingham due to the cuts in Housing Benefit. The mum is a single parent who works, but on a low wage. She has 4 kids and has not been able to find another suitable property in the area with a landlord who will agree to accept housing benefit and doesn't require a month's deposit, which she cannot claim on benefit. Many landlords will not accept tennants who claim housing benefit, primarily because of the innefficiencies in payment, particularly when tennants first move in and because often the payment of the deposit is beyond reach. She has not been looking at anything with a garden or wooden floors and is desperate to stay and not uproot her kids, one of whom is in the middle of GCSEs. The issue is not simply one of rental cost. </p>

rainbow_carnage · January 2013

@kreuzkav - I have no doubt that some landlords charge HB recipients a premium. At the same time, I have several friends who live in much larger, nicer flats than mine, with their rent covered by HB. Two of them live in Highbury, one in Shoreditch. All three have hard-wood floors. One has a fireplace, another a rooftop garden. I don't know how much those flats would normally cost, but I suspect more than the new cap.<br><br>@Siolae - Bureaucracy and landlords' unwillingness to accept HB is, indeed, a problem. But I'll be honest, as someone who has been putting off having kids solely for financial reasons, I have a hard time feeling bad for your friend. I'd love to have four kids, but I know that we'll never be able to afford it. So we don't.<br><br>I should also say, for the first decade of my life, there were five of us living in a small two-bed flat. Three adults and two kids. It's not ideal, but it's certainly doable.<br>

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