By Simon Allin @SimonAllin3 Local Democracy Reporter, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey
Cllr Nesil Caliskan (top left) held on to power but Cllr Ayfer Orhan (bottom left) quit Labour Enfield Council leader Cllr Nesil Caliskan saw off a bid by opposition groups to bring down her administration – as yet another councillor quit Labour. The Tories failed to win the Labour votes they needed for their no-confidence motion to succeed after a fiery 45-minute debate during an extraordinary council meeting on Thursday. Held after local elections that cut Labour’s majority on the council further following a string of defections, the debate saw heated exchanges on issues such as low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs), fly-tipping and council debt levels.
By Simon Allin @SimonAllin3 Local Democracy Reporter, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey
Trent Park in the north of Enfield A plan to make Enfield “the greenest borough in London” has been approved – despite concerns it does little to protect the green belt. The council’s Blue and Green Strategy, which sets out a ten-year plan for the protection, management and expansion of the borough’s waterways and green spaces, was approved at the annual council meeting on Wednesday. It is designed to inform the development of future planning policies and help achieve the borough’s aim of being carbon-neutral by 2040. The plan aims to boost blue-green infrastructure in Enfield by 25 per cent, while “protecting and improving existing assets”.
Cllr Anne Brown, who represents Southgate Green, has joined her ex-Labour colleagues in opposition group Community First. Community First leader Cllr Dinah Barry said: “Community First are delighted to welcome Cllr Anne Brown to our group. We have great respect for Anne’s strong Labour values and her courage. “Anne represents Southgate Green ward, where Community First now have a majority.” Cllr Brown has not made public her reasons for leaving the Labour Party. She joins Cllrs Barry, Daniel Anderson, Dino Lemonides and Derek Levy in the breakaway group, which was formed last year. The four other councillors quit Labour due to concerns about an apparent lack of democracy in the Labour Group under the current administration.