Therefore, I started a campaign to get more grit bins installed (see previous post) – and residents on six roads got in contact to say they wanted a grit bin.  Indeed – some pointed out that they used to have a bin – but the Council took it away.  I submitted these requests back in February but was told it would take months to decide.

Due to pressure from across the Borough, the Council have now published a list of new locations for grit bins – and four roads of the roads I requested are on that list: Albany Road, Oakfield Road, Denton Road & Uplands Road.  This is great news as these roads are very steep and treacherous when its icy, and now residents will be able to help keep the area safe.

However, Mount Pleasant Crescent and Woodstock Road have been left off the list – presumably because these roads are flat.  I’ll ask again for these to be included, as residents felt that these roads were still treacherous under the ice.

The new bins on the list are supposed to be installed later this month.  The challenge then will be to make sure the Council keeps them full – unlike last winter.

My quest has involved numerous false starts and set backs, and I have been passed between quite a few different council officers.  Initially I was told it was not possible for anyone to inspect the railing until April 2011 at the earliest.  Then, when I did get it inspected I was told the railing couldn’t be removed for safety reasons.  However, I was told that if another team inspected it, it might be able to get it replaced with a new railing.  Following this further inspection I was told the it would be replaced – but then heard no more.

However, when I walked past this weekend, I noticed that the railing had gone completely, which is excellent news - seeing as it served no discernible purpose.

Obviously, I accept this is a limited victory against Haringey bureaucracy:  If removing one metre of railing takes 6 months it could take me a century get all of Stroud Green’s ugly old railings removed or replaced.   But hopefully I can use this experience to try to change the culture at our local Council to make it more ‘can do’ and less ‘that’s more than my job’s worth’.

As a result I’ve sent in a request to the new Cabinet Member for the Environment Cllr John Bevan, asking for grit bins to be installed in the following six roads:

• Albany Road
• Oakfield Road (between Stapleton Hall Road and Ridge Road)
• Denton Road
• Uplands Road
• Woodstock Road (near Stroud Green Primary School)
• Mount Pleasant Crescent

At this week’s Full Council meeting I had planned to raise the lack of grit bins and a number of other ways I thought Haringey could improve its preparedness for snow and ice.  Cllr Lyn Weber and I had put down a motion calling for the Council to hold a formal review to find out resident’s experiences and learn lessons.

However, in one of the most childish displays I have ever seen from a grown adult, Council Leader Claire Kober deliberately talked nonsense for half an hour to stop our motion being reached.   Its shocking that the Leader of a Council that is rated the worst in London thinks this is an acceptable way to behave, and presumably doesn’t think the Council has anything to learn from residents’ experiences of the recent snow and ice.

The adjacent railings facing on to the busy Stroud Green Road / Crouch Hill junction probably are serving a purpose.  What’s interesting is you can tell which side of this junction is in Islington and which is in Haringey by the quality of the railing:  Islington have nice new black ones – Haringey old grey broken ones.

I’m trying to get eyesore ones like this removed or replaced, but there doesn’t appear to be any budget at Haringey Council for this.  I’ve emailed council officers this picture, arguing they have to take action as the railings are broken – we’ll have to see if that makes them change their mind.

But, I’d welcome suggestions for other metal eyesores to add to my list.  Where are Stroud Green’s ugliest railings?

The houses were built a few years ago – but a local resident contacted me to complain that the Council apparently hadn’t made the builders clear up after themselves.  As the picture shows, the pavement is virtually non-existent and urgently needs rebuilding.

I contacted the Council, who initially said that nothing could be done.  But after a couple of emails and an investigation by a highways engineer, they changed their mind have agreed the developer should be presented with a repair bill.  I hope that this works, and the pavements can be rebuilt quickly.

Another resident has contacted me about the ugly old railings on this road junction – so I have another battle with the Council ahead.