Tax rise fears after Icelandic banks crash

nlnews@archant.co.uk
10 October 2008

MILLIONS of pounds of Haringey Council cash could be lost as a result of the Icelandic banking crisis, it has emerged.

The council has around £37million of deposits in three Icelandic banks which folded this week - understood to be the biggest total of any London borough.

The crisis has prompted fears of Council Tax rises and service cuts to recoup any lost funds.

Opposition politicians warned it could cost tax payers £370 a household.

But Councillor George Meehan, council leader, has moved to reassure residents.

He said: "We have sufficient resources to manage these exceptional circumstances and frontline services will not be affected because we have sound and prudent financial management in place to protect against such risks.

"Given the sums of public money involved I expect government to protect these investments. Together we will be working to safeguard our assets and ensure our investments are properly protected.

"We follow tight government guidelines and have a good track record for financial management. This issue is the result of the problems in the world economy."

More than 100 councils along with police forces, fire services and transport authorities, have deposits totalling hundreds of millions in Iceland's crisis hit institutions.

Haringey has £15.2million with Landsbanki, £19.8million with its British counterpart Heritable and £2million with Glitnir.

Councillor Robert Gorrie, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, said: "This is a staggering amount of money - potentially £370 for every household in Haringey. We need urgent reassurances that frontline services will not be affected and that the council's other deposits are safe.

"Once the dust has settled and our remaining assets are secure we will need to understand the impact of this event on the borough's finances and of course ask the key questions of how the council got into this mess."

Lynne Featherstone, the party's Hornsey and Wood Green MP, said: "I am absolutely determined that the Haringey taxpayers will not be left to pick the tab for these losses.

"I have already made urgent representations to the Chancellor Alistair Darling to demand the government guarantee is extended to councils' deposits."

Keith Flett, chairman of Haringey Trades Union Council, said: "The key thing is to make sure that ordinary people in Haringey don't suffer."

A council spokesman refused to elaborate on Councillor Meehan's statement when asked how confident it is of the money being saved or if lost, whether Council Tax rises and service cuts might follow.

The council has been criticised by some for being slow to reveal its financial exposure to Iceland banks as the story broke on Wednesday (October 8).

One Crouch End resident, who did not want to be named, said: "The BBC News said that Haringey had been asked if it had money in the Icelandic banks and declined to confirm or deny. I think is absolutely outrageous over a matter as important as that."

Ian Sygrave, who lives on the Harringay Ladder, is more forgiving.

He said: "It's not their fault. I think the main concern is really whether they would get the money back and whether the Government will help them out. They've been responsible and invested in a reputable bank. It seems unfair that the tax payer has to pay for it."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has threatened legal action against the Icelandic government condemning the situation as "totally unacceptable" and insisting it has responsibility for reimbursing UK investors.

The government has reassured individuals with deposits in Icelandic accounts it will reimburse any losses they suffer.

But it is less emphatic about helping local authorities saying only it will look at situations on a "case by case basis".

It added there is "no evidence of recklessness by local authorities".

David Lammy, the Tottenham MP, said: "I know that many people, like me, are deeply concerned about the impact of the global financial crisis and particularly Haringey's investment in Iceland.

"I have had a number of conversations with treasury ministers and Haringey Council, and am assured that no frontline services in our borough will be cut. Haringey has a record of sound financial management, and I am confident the government will do all it can to work with councils like Haringey to make sure this money is returned.

From the FAQ:

What is the purpose of the new MPS Crime Mapping website?

The MPS is currently testing electronic crime mapping software, to ensure that it meets our expectations in terms of delivery to Londoners.

What do the maps show?

The site is populated with the crimes of burglary (residential), robbery (personal and commercial) and vehicle offences ("theft of" and "from" vehicles) shown as an "aggregated total" of these combined crimes.

Just clink on the Begin button at the bottom of the page and follow the instructions.

Here the web site.

Anyone fancying the idea of some Guerrilla Gardening initiative in N4?

Leave a comment!

Shiri Shalmy outside the art gallery. ‘This has been a labour of love for me,’ she said

Park loo that became gallery faces closure as cash dries up

Plan for information centre raises questions over how decisions are made

A THREAT to a popular art gallery – in a converted public toilet in the middle of 115-acre Finsbury Park – sparked a row this week about who should run the famous open space.
The gallery, in a former toilet block opposite the lake, boasts hundreds of visitors each week. It has received a £3,000 grant from Islington Council, but Haringey Council, which controls the park, has refused funding because it wants the building for an information centre.
Gallery operator Shiri Shalmy, from Kentish Town, is using a personal overdraft to keep it open. Unless she finds more funding, she says it will close next month.
The park is used by thousands of residents from Islington, Hackney and Haringey and extends into the three boroughs. But Haringey, which controls its management and finances, wants to use the gallery building to provide information to visitors and only occasionally run art exhibitions.
A campaign is being launched to set up a partnership organisation which would give the three authorities a say in decisions about the park.
Peace campaigner Bruce Kent, who lives locally, has called for an emergency meeting of the Friends of Finsbury Park to discuss the threat to the gallery.
“It’s a wonderful venue and it should be properly funded,” he said. “There have been some excellent exhibitions. But arts and information shouldn’t be in conflict. They should be able to provide both.”
Local historian Hugh Hayes, who has written the definitive book on the park, said it was too important to be left to one borough. He added: “My impression is that few Haringey councillors take any interest in the park. The main concern is that it generates enough cash each year.
“Residents in Islington and Hackney feel they want a say on how it’s being run.”
He considers the gallery to be a wonderful asset. “But I’m not sure if it can double as an arts and community re­source,” he added.
Mr Hayes revealed he had sought financial details about the park, going back five years, from Haringey Council under the Freedom of Information Act.
He added: “I got last year’s accounts. Then Haringey stalled and said I must pay £750. That’s ridiculous – it’s a public park with public money and I’m a resident.”
Ms Shalmy had been working in the park on a £50,000 heritage project when she came across the empty building two years ago.
She got permission to use it as a gallery and employed volunteers to help refurbish it.
Ms Shalmy said: “This has been a labour of love for me. I’ve got into serious personal debt running the gallery because there’s been very little funding.
“This is the only art gallery in the area but I’m not even allowed to put up a sign in the park to tell people where it is.”
Its current exhibition about old Finsbury Park has attracted 2,000 visitors in two weeks, mainly due to word of mouth and her own publicity.
Ann Barwick, chairwoman of the Friends of Finsbury Park, said the building was always intended to be used an information centre.
She added: “Any use of space should involve the community, although there is potential for a small gallery if that’s what people want.
“The point at issue here is that it can’t be exclusively used just as an art centre.”

PUBLIC MEETING

Members of the public are invited to attend the Public Meeting of the

Haringey Community & Police Consultative Group.

What are your views about crime and disorder in the borough? TELL US

Think MORE could be done? 

Think the police prioritise the WRONG problems?

Are there things about your area that make you FEEL UNSAFE?

THEN COME AND QUESTION  the

 BOROUGH COMMANDER

(Chief Superintendent Simon O’Brien)

ON HIS POLICING PRIORITIES for 2008-2009

Date :Wednesday 19 MARCH 2008

        Time:  7:30pm

          Venue : Wood Green Civic Centre

  High Road, Wood Green 

                              London N22 8LE

                  (Refreshments provided)

The following links document better which are the gangs in N4 locating them in a map: Hackney and Islington.
For N4 the names are Blue City, Queens Drive, Finsbury Park Man Dem, Holly Park Boyz and Manor House Boys.

Well, we don't know how active and dangerous they are, but at least we know name, area and links:

- Finsbury Park Man Dem par round the Six Acres Estate. Blue City align themselves with FPMD. Holly Park Boys are from the Holly Park estate and are also aligned to FPMD.

- Highbury Grove Man Dem are present round the Highbury Estate and Holloway Boys from Holloway. Popham Youts are a younger gang in the area close to the City.

- Islington's gangs are predominantly mixed with numbers of African and Caribbean manz. There are some man that par round De Beauvoir Town in Islington sides, although De Beauvoir Town extends into the borough of Hackney aswell.

More information is available in the following forum, if you manage to have the right access to read the information in it.

If you know more, post a comment.

Got some feedback on the forum about Finsbury Park Gangs (with updates):

N4

FPMD
FPK
Blue City
MHB
Queenz Drive
Holly Park Estate/YBM

Most known and probably feared click outter N4 is Manour House Boys although they're located under N4 P/ Code they represent Hackney,

Next serious would be FPMD/FPK Niggaz Not much known about FPMD, only that theyre Oldahs from day !!! since WG Mob/TMD were making noise, not sure if they've long disbanded now, but in Finsbury Park itself there's a new dilemma which is the Youngahs 'FPK'

HollyPark Estate Niggaz are known but not really known for all out Beef or anything too serious, just a few shottas roudn there linked to WG niggas and them YBM music cats run them bits !!!

Blue city been around for a minute !!! on this colour ting, on the Blue bandanna hard !!!, but they aint really feared that much, they have numbers when needed, but they mostly jam on the Six AcreEstate and further down to Andover on SSRD, Holloway

I don't know the names of the Algerian clicks, but that strip theyre on FHRD and BSRD are grimey at night time and they run them bits of FP they expect you to take up there offer, whether it'll be crep anything !!! or sometimes you'll get MOVED TO !!!! few of them got banged up for bottling one yout on the N279 nightbus, there conniving Little Madmen, stay away at all costs !!!!!

Added on 27.02.2008

Finsbury Park is a manor every Ends in Nort' comes and goes, becos of the many events and Fun Fair 's in the Park and also it 's joint wit' Transportation wise - Hackney, Holloway, Wood Green and Tottenham being the closest

You get gangs from them 4 or 5 Manors steaming trains back in the day, and sometimes even Gangs South of The Thames - from Pecknahm and Brixton - '' The Nort' Ldn Central Mosque '' is situated within Finsbury Park district which alot of Somalian gangsters come from allover Nort' and Nort'Weez

Not forgettin Morrocan and Algerian Hustlers, Thugs and Hoodlums

Still FPK had/got seroius olders don't know bout that youngers man them reppin there but I know they was a strong allie of Totty don't know how they fair with Hackney goons from Stokey as you only have to walk a couple back streets to get there I used to bop through Brown or Bournville Rd to get up to Stokey bits.

Added on 12.03.2008

I think some man from FPK/Totty are still Blessed from the Olders point of view But right now them Two Ends can 't agree, espicially the Youngah Youngahs,They'll do anything to wet eachother up if they Had the chance,Archway has had some Totnahm man residing there b4, But there Independent from all other Haringey Hoods

It' s cah FPK are joining up wit' Wood Green Niggaz ATM,so That 's pissin Totnahm off and they are just on some HOOVER CRIMINALS 'ISH 'ANYBODY KILLA' AND 'EVERYBODY KILLA' them T - man !!!

Yeah I hear you Archway man for real been independent when I used to bun and there was a serious dro/ 'eerb drought when there weren't know pox in Grove man truss would go Archway to holla at man they'r.

FPK gets a bit heavy during Friday mostly coz bare schools pop out and bare Mandem appear to be see weather there is kiddle pussios that are dumb enough to let dem FPK youts use their phones and den run off wid it, mandem are mad about phones.

Yeah I know - I hear you on that, I see plenty of school's out there on the Bus Stops - Them Boys from St Tommy' More in WG recently got robbed by a Batch of FPK

It's Rah fam - what fone you got - erm Nokia reh reh - Boom - Lemmie see it fam - Boom - ite safe !! Left standing saying ' Llow it ' it's not funny

Wood Green and FPK man are known to just Rob anyone from or outter the Bits, Don't go WG flossin even Broaddaylight cah you will get Clocked if you ain't moving right

But FPK / WGCOG / Totty High Rd / Hornsey Lightfoot & Priory Park/ Ally Pally is good for them kinda theft's there !!!

Still I member Finsbury Park one summer see some sweet tings from Hackney going bout hers , you know them gyal there you just would wanna put yah kids in NO LONG SHOW!!! proper buff CARAMEL TING.

Lmao No Long Ting dats how I've seen dat ish happen to lil boys, I see my guys from woodgreen go up to one boy and ask him
TJ "wagwun G wat you on?"
Likkle pussio "nout much man "
TJ "Why u saking man I'm just asking if you got credz coz I wanna make a quick fne call"
Likkle pussio "ohh right" Boy come out wid W810i fne
TJ "ima be 2mins wait ere blad"
Likkle pussio "ok"

what da stupid boy don't know is dat he go shot da fne to da shop near southgate college and ids dumb idiot been waitin nuf time and I must of told him, he not coming back wid his fone.

Tuckman "boy he not coming back wid your fne, u shouldnt of let him, use it"
Likkle pussio " "

Lol i felt sorry for da boy tho he was nice boy and he got jiddlesed

I remember i use to buss them tricks in 97 - 98 robbing man for the ericsson ph388 or Faceoff when its was only avaible on orange or sometimes just use to snacth and dnt look back
then str8 to SIDs in balham near the court and get a nice price or to the kebab shop near upper cut in norwood anything GSM means GOOD PRICE

HAHAHA yeah the FACEOFFS !!! mandem used to take them off of Youts Nicely back then, everybody was jackin 'em off people tho, even Gyal dem, they wouldn't break no matter which way you 'Konked someone or Dashed it sumwhere LOL

@TUCKMAN who is this 'Tashan Johnson' fello???? He's from Hornsey??? got remanded cah He wet some girl in the neck????

The first 20mph speed limit in the borough was introduced in Wood Green in 2001. Since then, the same limit has been rolled out or proposed in 29 areas of Haringey, making it a contender to become the first London borough with a blanket restriction on residential roads. Haringey's transport and traffic chief Brian Haley is making every effort to meet Mayor of London Ken Livingstone's target of introducing a 20mph limit on all residential roads across the capital.

Large swathes of Tottenham, Wood Green and Harringay are already restricted to 20mph and consultations are underway in Muswell Hill, Stroud Green and White Hart Lane.

Click here to see a map of the existing and proposed 20mph zones.

Until last month, councils have been able to introduce 20mph restrictions only in limited areas and accompanied by enforcement measures, such as speed cameras and road humps.

But in a bid to tackle the rate of accidents and injuries on London's roads, Mr Livingstone has given the green light to make 20mph the default speed without restrictions and without the need for enforcement. This has been welcomed by many - but with some caution.

Chico Pacheco, co-ordinator of Park Avenue South Residents Association, would like his road to be included in the scheme. But he said: "There's no enforcement. It's all very well to make these laws, but if there's no enforcement, it makes a mockery of the law.

"It's a superb idea, but at the moment it's so theoretical."

Haringey Police Borough Commander Simon O'Brien said anything that potentially reduces deaths and injuries "has to be a good thing".

He said: "Inappropriate and excess speed continues to be a fundamental element in the cause and severity of collisions.

"Slower speeds means fewer casualties, fewer collisions and fewer risks. Enforcement is only part of the answer. There needs to come about a change in the public's perception of speeding."

According to Transport for London, nine out of ten pedestrians would be killed if hit by a car travelling at 40mph, two out of ten at 30mph and one in forty at 20mph.

Councillor Brian Haley, cabinet member for environment and conservation, said: "Vehicle speed is the most important factor in the severity of road accidents. A 20mph speed limit significantly reduces the risk of fatal or serious injuries ."

He added that residents consistently say they want lower speed limits.

And he dismissed claims made by the AA last month that cutting speed limits in London to 20mph could increase carbon dioxide emissions by more than a tenth. According to the AA, slowing vehicles down makes them less efficient, increasing fuel consumption by 5.8 miles per gallon compared to someone driving at 30mph.

Mr Haley said: "There are always going to be some differences of opinion between the pro-motoring lobby and environmental groups.

"The AA's own report on this states that 20mph zones in residential areas can reduce carbon emissions, but that a 30mph limit on main roads may be more environmentally friendly than a 20mph limit.

"Our current 20mph zones concentrate on residential roads. We will bear in mind the findings of the AA when considering any 20mph zone along main roads, though as the AA says, more research is needed."

According to residents, consultation is the key.

John Hajdu, chairman of the Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association, said: "We would support the idea of 20mph limits if it's properly considered and consulted, especially near schools, in residential areas and on some shopping streets."

This sentiment is echoed by councillor Martin Newton, Liberal Democrat spokesman for traffic and highways.

He said: "I am broadly in favour of 20mph zones for residential areas. However, consultation must take place at an early stage, with each road being looked at to avoid unnecessary use of humps and bumps."

Zones with 20mph restrictions in Seven Sisters and Crouch End are expected to be approved by the end of April, with all the other areas under consultation due to be implemented by 2010.

"Crossing conditions are unsafe, links to community facilities poor and the treatment of the road unsightly. The wide road creates high traffic speeds. The community has consistently emphasised this."

"The existing road through Woodberry Down is an anomaly - the only six-lane section in the area. Both east and west have four lanes (two all vehicle and two bus lanes)."

Road plan lunacy

hg.editorial@archant.co.uk
14 September 2007

Plans to reduce traffic on the notorious Seven Sisters Road rat run by narrowing the dual carriageway from six lanes to just two for cars and a bus lane in either direction have been branded as lunacy by a Hackney councillor and dangerous by London Ambulance Service.

Cllr Maureen Middleton, who represents New River ward, believes that instead of cars speeding down the stretch of road between the junctions with Green Lanes and Amhurst Park, a major accident blackspot, the proposals will result in a bottleneck of traffic, increasing congestion and pollution at peak times.

She said: "The reduction of Seven Sisters Road is going to be appalling. Where is the traffic going to go and what if there is no access for emergency vehicles? It is crazy."

A spokesman for London Ambulance Service added: "We feel that a reduction in road capacity would be likely to increase road congestion and potentially cause a delay in answering emergency calls."

The scheme forms part of the £1 billion, 20-year masterplan to rejuvenate the Woodberry Down estate, approved on Monday by Hackney Council's planning committee.

Transport for London, which is responsible for the road, has yet to approve the scheme.

The council dismissed 50 formal objections to the scheme, 30 of which came from individual residents and one of which was lodged by the Woodberry Down Estate Development Committee, which represents the tenants, who argued that reducing road capacity would add to congestion in the wider area and contribute towards rat-running along Woodberry Grove.

The council states in the masterplan that congestion in Seven Sisters Road will increase by no more than 15 per cent.

A council spokesman said: "Crossing conditions are unsafe, links to community facilities poor and the treatment of the road unsightly. The wide road creates high traffic speeds. The community has consistently emphasised this.

"The existing road through Woodberry Down is an anomaly - the only six-lane section in the area. Both east and west have four lanes (two all vehicle and two bus lanes).

Tenants' fury at 'land swap' deal as estate undergoes £1 billion revamp

hg.editorial@archant.co.uk
31 August 2007

ANGRY tenants say they will be forced to suffer the misery of living on a building site after plans for the £1 billion redevelopment of their estate were altered radically.

The blueprint for regeneration of the massive Woodberry Down estate has been re-drawn by the town hall in a land swap deal so that a planned new academy for 11 to 18-year-olds can be re-located.

The academy had been set to be built on the nearby site of the former Woodberry Grove primary school, but English Heritage refused permission as the school is a listed building.

Hackney Council's Cabinet gave approval last month for the academy to be built on another part of the estate earmarked for property developer Berkeley Homes to construct 209 mixed tenure homes.

To compensate for the loss of land, Berkeley Homes has been given an alternative site, requiring the scheduled demolition of four blocks elsewhere on the estate - Havering, Wyersdale, Weybridge and Wensleydale Houses - to be brought forward.

Angry tenants of neighbouring Weardale, Toxteth and Groveley Houses say the revised plans mean they will have to suffer the noise, filth and disruption of living next door to a building site while waiting years for their blocks to be bulldozed.

[from: Tottenham, Wood Green and Edmonton Journal]

Fury over sex trade

nlnews@archant.co.uk
23 August 2007

PROSTITUTION has returned to the Seven Sisters area after years of cleaning up the area of vice, it has been claimed.

Women who live off Seven Sisters Road have been stopped by kerb-crawlers as they walk home from work and residents have also found used condoms in their gardens.

Matthew Laban, the Conservatives' Greater London Assembly candidate for Haringey has been campaigning in the area.

He said: "I am grateful that residents have been in touch with me as their prospective GLA member. This problem isn't new - it's been going on for ages. When the prostitutes are not in the area, they're over the border in Hackney. The two boroughs use them as tennis balls.

"Many of the girls are addicted to alcohol and drugs. Many of them have children, too. I want the authorities to provide them with professional help. I also want their pimps and 'clients' brought to book."

Police Sergeant Paul McGregor, of Seven Sisters Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: "I'm aware there's a re-emergence of sex worker activity affecting the quality of life of residents and I've stared introducing some tactics attempting to strangle the supply chain of the dealers to impact on this.

"I have offered a number of intervention measures to sex workers who are dependent on class-A drugs to cut these offences in order to end their dependencies."

The side streets off Seven Sisters Road down to St Ann's Road have been worst affected, along with the Tiverton Estate, which has experienced drug problems in the past.

Prostitution in the Seven Sisters area is a long running problem and police say it is strongly linked to drug dealing - which is the police's number one priority.

Jim Cassins, chairman of South Tottenham Residents' Association, said: "About 10 or 12 years ago it was really bad. It was rife in Seven Sisters Road and the whole area. It was the prostitute area.The police got right on them. It did improve."

The services provided by the year-old housing organisation Homes for Haringey are ‘good’ with ‘promising’ prospects for improvement according to an independent report released by the Audit Commission.

On a scale from zero to three stars, the Audit Commission inspection team gave the arms length management organisation set up by Haringey Council in April 2006, two stars. This is because services have improved substantially the borough's repairs and maintenance service scored as ‘fair’ with ‘promising’ prospects for improvement in a previous report published in May 2005..

Adrian Brown, lead housing inspector for London region, said:

‘The new ALMO has demonstrated the ability to deliver substantial service improvements in a number of key areas since it was set up just 14 months before our inspection this May. Homes for Haringey has achieved these through close working with residents, including tenants and leaseholders and an effective board with the support of the Council and dedicated staff across the organisation.’

The inspectors found a number of key strengths:

- Frontline staff provide a helpful and polite service to customers, from comfortable offices that complied with the Disability Discrimination Act;
- an excellent website with comprehensive jargon-free information, alongside good quality written materials in a range of languages;
- a clear understanding of the profile of residents in order to deliver appropriate services to its diverse community; and
- a robust complaints process and good procedures for dealing with racial harassment and domestic violence.

The inspectors also highlighted an effective response repairs service with a good standard of property for reletting as well as high quality estate management and concierge service; very good involvement of tenants and leaseholders in service development and monitoring; good services for leaseholders and high collection rates of leaseholder charges; and well-managed sheltered and supported housing with opportunities for residents to get involved in service improvement; Residents are also getting good value for money (VFM) through new procurement arrangements, new ways for tenants and leaseholders to make payments, VFM reviews of associated Council services and a wide range of other savings.

However, inspectors also found areas for improvement:

- Visitors to customer service centres at peak times wait too long and residents wait too long for aids and adaptations;
- a lack of investment in the stock over a long period and stock condition data now four years old and inadequate;
- gas servicing, although improved considerably, could be better still;
- collection of rental income is weak and rent arrears are increasing; and
- more is needed to improve the effectiveness in dealing with complaints of anti-social behaviour.

The inspection looked at the services provided by Homes for Haringey ALMO, including services to 21,000 tenants, leaseholders and residents in sheltered housing. It also looked at the organisation's governance and its relationship with the Council.

Copies of the report are available from Homes for Haringey, Haringey Council or from the Audit Commission website at www.audit-commission.gov.uk/reports.

An extract:

Haringey Council purchased the data covering the London Borough of Haringey from a survey carried out by Horton Levi during the winter of 2000 and this can be viewed by following the link to the Year 2000 Home Heat Loss Map provided in the external links section at the bottom of the page.

Furthermore we are delighted to be able to inform you that the data captured on the night of March 16th 2007 by aerial information specialists BlueSky International Ltd. has now been processed and can be viewed by clicking on the link to the Year 2007 Home Heat Loss Map provided in the external links section at the bottom of the page.

The 2007 map can be directly found here.

An article covering the topic.

I reduced the big list to something more relevant for us and here the figures:

Figures are per 1000 population.

As soon as the issue is inserted in the website it's reported directly to the relevant council.

If you want to be active part in fixing those problems in Hackney, you can also become Street Leader, and I invite you to do so. You can even participate to meetings organised by the council and discuss issues related to your ward face to face with them.