ABSTRACT
This chapter contextualises the case studies of planning and regeneration-related community activism in the London Borough of Haringey that appear in subsequent chapters. Haringey Labour Party was one of the first to reflect London's growing ethnic diversity within its membership. Bernie Grant remained as leader of the Council until May 1987 when he was elected a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Tottenham. The Council developed its own Haringey Standard in setting minimum quality specifications for its services as part of a Quality Service Guarantee to residents. However the main body through which the Council came to engage with black and minority ethnic groups was the Ethnic Minorities Joint Consultative Committee (EMJCC). Haringey Council introduced a Property Quality Index monitoring system to monitor the quality of accommodation being offered on the basis of race and ethnicity. Central government policy during the New Labour era and during the previous Conservative one has diminished the power and autonomy of local authorities.
