minutes+12th+October+2004


 * __Report of HFRA General Meeting – 12th October 2004__**


 * //__RA Delegates Present__://** John Waller – **Bounds Green & District Association, N11;** Marian Janes – **CASCH, N8;** Bob Maltz – **Gladwell, Landrock & Cecile Pk Residents Action Group, N8;** Grahame Pearce – **Heron Wharf RA, N17;** Peter Thompson - **Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Assoc, N2;** Pat Ayinde - **Bruce Grove Residents Network, N17;** Peter Hall - **The Sandlings RA, N22;** Robert Gainsborough – **St George’s Lodge RA, N10;** Dave Morris – **Chestnuts Northside RA, N15;** Laurie Owen - **Parkside Malvern RA, N8;** Jane Laporte – **Woodlands Park RA, N15;** Vivienne Cuming and Simon Fedida - **Avenue Gardens RA, N22;** Catherine Stenzl and Michael Cordwell-James – **Chitts Hill RA, N22** and Friends of Woodside Park, N22; Mary Masaba – Noel Park Resident, N22; Ofer Acoo – GreenN8, N8 **//__Apologies:__//** Ibilola Campbell – **Tiverton Tewksbury RA, N15;** Sarah Bromfield – **Campsbourne Community RA, N8;** Richard Tayler – **Hornsey Lane Assoc, N6;** Brian West – **Hillcrest RA, N6;** Sam Ewert – **St James Lane and Church Crescent Residents Action Cttee, N10;** Stephen Whittle - **West Green RA, N15;** Anne McArthur – **Woodstock Rd Assoc, N4;** Joyce Rosser – **Warner Estate RA, N8;** Roy Jensen – **Keynes Close RA, N2**


 * __1. Minutes of last meeting__** The minutes for the 14th Sept General Meeting were agreed.


 * __2. Local reports from RAs present__** There were reports from all groups present (and some sent in by RAs) about some of their most recent activities and concerns.


 * //Gladwell, Landrock & Cecile Pk Residents Action Group, N8//** Have for 5 years been opposing a housing development proposed for some garages behind their gardens and affecting 130 local homes. Have strongly criticised the behaviour of the developers and the LBH Planning Dept. Have a large ‘Save Our Backlands’ banner which they can lend to others (donation welcome).
 * //Bounds Green & District Assoc, N11//** Have concerns over the Council’s draft UDP. Have been campaigning for local traffic calming and reduction. Otherwise, ticking over.
 * //St George’s Lodge RA, N10//** Trying to deal with anti-social behaviour of one of their residents. **//CASCH, N8//** Involved with defending the character of their area against inappropriate planning applications – had a recent success. Did their own survey of local potholes and hedges. Produced a recent Newsletter [circulated at the HFRA meeting].
 * //Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Assoc, N2//** Had helped in a planning victory for local people against a development on Lauradale Rd reservoir open land.
 * //Bruce Grove Residents Network, N17//** Met up with Council officers to work out traffic management plan to reduce speeds and rat-running throughout their area. Held a public meeting on housing issues. There are concerns with the way the police and council are using a local anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) against all young people.
 * //Chestnuts Northside RA, N15//** Working with Council officers to implement local traffic calming measures (under ‘Safe Routes to School’ budget). [NB. Minutes of their last meeting circulated at the HFRA meeting].
 * //Parkside Malvern RA, N8//** Concerned over the latest proposals for the huge Heartlands development - have set up H.E.A.R.T. with neighbouring associations, which continues to get advice, lobby and campaign for the interests of local communities. Supporting a mural for Martin’s Walk, a local alleyway.
 * //Woodlands Park RA, N15//** Seeking 2 extra pedestrian crossings for roads in the area. Organising a residents Quiz Night with local teams.
 * //Avenue Gardens RA, N22//** Opposing a proposed intensive development of 78 flats in an old clothing factory. [//Update:// their 40-strong protest with placards at the site got front page publicity, and the application has now been withdrawn]. Planning a bulb-planting day in their local green space.
 * //Chitts Hill RA, N22//** Seeking local traffic calming measures. Also, members involved with Friends of Woodside Park are campaigning against an application by St Thomas More School to annexe part of the local park for a floodlit pitch.
 * //Heron Wharf RA, N17//** Preparing for an AGM in October.
 * //GreenN8, N8//** Local residents launched a campaign to oppose an application to build a concrete batching factory in their area. Tireless work, protests, imagination and an excellent special website have mobilised the whole community – local meetings attracted 120 residents first time, and 300 at the second. Have produced their own very detailed reports.
 * //Noel Park, N22//** Mary reported efforts to improve a local park. There’s a history project. No RA at the moment.
 * __Other reports:__**
 * //Fairfax Rd Residents Group, N8//** Their street party on Sept 18th went very well, despite terrible weather – it included an outdoor film show.
 * //Hillcrest RA, N6//** Had successful AGM in September, including a discussion on the future of Council housing, and painting and decorating issues.

During the reports there were a number of discussions, including about planning issues, the pros and cons of ASBOs, and ways to get rid of invasive estate agent boards.


 * __3. Planning and Development__**


 * a.** **//Communities First! – HFRA residents’ conference on planning and development issues – Sept 25th.//** The general feeling was the event had gone remarkably well. It had been well publicised (11,000 HFRA leaflets), and well attended (80 people from 49 local organisations). Everything went smoothly – there was much highly-focused discussion, despite the huge range of issues covered and limited time and space. A 7 point resolution/summary was agreed at the end, and there was good press coverage before and after the event which has helped to raise the profile of residents’ concerns on planning issues. 36 people from a wide range of local organisations signed up to remain part of a Planning & Development Issues working group.


 * //b. LBH Unitary Development Plan [2nd deposit]//** It was agreed that the current, amended UDP draft was an even more complex document to respond to, and that the strict 6-week limit was ludicrous. This should be noted in the Federation’s response. It also seems that the Council have unilaterally imported some pro-developer amendments into the document. Various groups were aiming to respond by the deadline. Dave to do HFRA response, based on previous agreed points. It was felt we should all pool our efforts and work together if we are going to have an effect during the consultation process (including the public enquiry in the spring), and on some of the major issues affecting our communities.

We agreed to organise a joint protest march on Sat October 23rd, as decided at the Haringey Friends of Parks Forum meeting. //Update:// over 150 took part and it went very well – see report enclosed.
 * //c.//** //**Parks and Open Spaces (eg White Hart Lane Rec)**// The draft UDP had been scandalously amended by the Council to enable development in our local public parks and green spaces. The HFRA Secretary had attended the Oct 9th Haringey Friends of Parks Forum where over a dozen ‘Friends’ groups expressed their shock and anger about this to the Council’s lead member on this (Cllr Ray Dodds) and lead officer (John Morris). Their responses had been defensive and apologetic, but in effect saying that parks and open spaces had little clout anymore as they did not feature in official government audits of the Council’s performance. It was clear to all concerned that it was up to community groups to take the action necessary to protect our vital public and open spaces. An immediate test case was the application by St Thomas More School to annexe and fence off part of White Hart lane Rec / Pond Park – for their own sports use. If not opposed, this privatisation of public space would set a precedent - many parks would be under similar threat. The local Friends group was working very hard to oppose the application, including research, leafleting and petitions etc.


 * //d. Licensing Laws//** A new parliamentary act has changed the way premises are licensed (eg for sale of alcohol, opening times etc). LBH had been expected to have already circulated and consulted over a policy document on this. //Update:// Peter (MHFGA) has obtained the document, and has agreed to co-ordinate any responses. We’ve circulated it to RAs. To be further discussed at the next meeting.


 * __4. Council Housing__** 25 people attended a lobby of the full Council meeting on Oct 4th to demand there be no privatisation of public housing, and a ballot of all tenants and leaseholders on any proposed changes. A delegation addressed the Councillors present.


 * __5. Federation Business__**
 * //- Affiliations//** We agreed to affiliate/donate £50 to the Haringey Friends of Parks Forum.
 * //- __Community Action__ bulletin//** We printed 2,000 of our //__Community Action__// bulletin – most were distributed via our mailout, and by groups taking bundles at the Sept 25th conference. Still a few copies left.
 * //- Federation leaflets//** New HFRA leaflets on various themes are planned, but depending on time and finances available.
 * //- Eco-lightbulbs//** We have distributed 400 long-lasting, energy-efficient light-bulbs free to residents associations. As interest seems to have dried up, we decided to suspend distribution.
 * //- Federation talks//** Dave has been invited to address a public meeting of the Muswell Hill Pensioners Action Group on the subject of ‘Local Services For Local Communities’.
 * //- European Social Forum//** It was noted that over 20,000 people from around the UK and Europe were attending a wide range of events and discussions in Haringey (including at Ally Pally and Middx University campus) over the Oct 15th - 17th weekend.