HAPS+-+Minutes+-+27th+July+2010

__ Chair __ : Barbara Blake; __Minutes__: Murat Kerimol; __Treasurer (interim)__: Michelle Lawson; __Membership Sec__: Dave Morris
//__ Material distributed to participants __//// : HAPS leaflet; 28 June 2010 HAPS Meeting minutes; HAPS guidelines; Haringey Council’s 23 July 2010 Financial Restrictons email text; Haringey Unison newsletter; Haringey Friends of Parks Forum leaflet; National Shops Stewards Network leaflet; Right To Work leaflet; Hackney Alliance to Defend Public Services newsletter; press cuttings digest //


 * __ Attendance __** c.28 – Barbara Blake (Public & Commercial Services national office, GMB), Hazel Miller (Noel Park North Residents’ Association), Ulla Lefmann (Burghley Rd Area RA), Oktay Sambaz (North London Community Centre [Day-Mer]), Michelle Lawson, Murat Kerimol (University and College Union - CoHENEL), Jane Laporte (Haringey Solidarity Group, Unite union), Andrew Petrou (Age Concern, Haringey Forum for Older People), Sarah Namutebi (OMEGA Foundation), Richard Willmsen (Socialist Resistance), Ely Mukhwana, Seb Klier (HSG, Unite), Zaher Aarif (HSG, Haringey Unison), Rod Wells (HSG, Haringey Unison), Kenan Ulusan (North London Community Centre [Day-Mer], Socialist Party), Helen Steel (Haringey Unison), Jane James (National Union of Journalists, SP), Chris Holmes (SP), David Kaplan (National Union of Teachers, SP), Jim Horton (Unite, SP), Dave Morris (Haringey Federation of RAs, HSG), Janet Shapiro (Muswell Hill & Highgate Pensioners’ Action Group, Labour Party), Yvonne Bonnamy (Muswell Hill & Highgate Pensioners’ Action Group, Labour Party), Keith Flett (Haringey Trades Union Council, Prospect), Steve Ballard (NUT, National Shop Stewards Network, United Socialist Party), Sarah Parker (SR), Max Wynter (Friends of Woodside Park), John Dolan (Unison, SP). **__Apologies received:__** Andy Lawson (PCS), Heather Stevenson (Haringey Unison office), Simon Hester (SWP), Kieran McGregor (Save Chase Farm), Joan Curtis (Haringey Friends of Parks Forum), Pam Harling (Sustainable Haringey)


 * __ 1. Introductions and plan __** Minutes of last meeting agreed. Agreement on Chair’s suggestion to follow these minutes as a rough agenda.


 * __ 2. Brief reports on current concerns __**

// White Paper for NHS // Haringey NHS is planning to enact the government’s White Paper that will lead to the denationalisation of NHS. At least £3.1m local cuts in 2010/11 are planned. Haringey‘s Mental Health Services Review aims to cut spending by reducing acute mental health inpatient provision. A list of 25 types of so called ‘low-priority’ operations (as determined by London North NHS Trusts) will no longer be carried out using normal referral procedures. The Defend Haringey Health Services coalition is objecting to this. Andrew also described how older people were very worried about losing bus passes and cuts to health services.

// Haringey Education Services, Cuts to ‘Building Schools for the Future’ programme // Rhodes Avenue Primary School is one school that has had its BSF repair/construction work cancelled. Council Leader Claire Kober has said that by borrowing £6.2m from banks Haringey LEA could carry out the repairs itself.

// Haringey Council // A cut of at least £60m over the next few years is being threatened. Haringey Council management (Chief Executive Kevin Crompton) recently informed all councillors and middle-managers to institute a recruitment freeze for all temporary, agency and consultancy staff and other severe financial restrictions on day-to-day spending and a further 10% ‘top slice’ from all supplies. Haringey Council’s Claire Kober has written in opposition to cuts from the new government.

// College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London // The headline figures of £2.5million cuts were followed by an intensive management restructuring at the college that has led to the Unison branch chair and secretary being forced out, made redundant. Severe cuts have taken place in Childcare courses, in Supported Learning courses, Literacy, Numeracy, tutoring and ESOL. Agency system of recruitment has been further extended across the college. UCU organised lunchtime protests. More cuts are expected early next academic year.

// Council Housing / Homes for Haringey // Housing department is routinely ignoring its own procedures and changing goalposts to cut the number of people they claim qualify for housing. People are being turned away from housing/housing waiting lists.

// Haringey Parks // Cuts in the budget for park maintenance and capital projects are planned. Haringey Friends of Parks Forum have objected and will meet Cllr Dilek Dogus (Labour Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services) for discussion. Concern over increasing commercialisation of parks, eg a proposed Adidas ‘Adizone’ playground at Duckett’s Common and a proposed commercial five-a-side pitch area in Finsbury Park.

// Burial Services // Haringey Council was planning to sell the management of its crematorium in Enfield and cemetaries in Tottenham and Wood Green. Following protests by the Haringey Federation of RAs the decision has been delayed but will be discussed by Council Cabinet on September 14 2010.


 * __ 3. Discussion on moving forward __**

Meeting agreed that cuts should be registered and recorded, and that possible responses from trade unions, user groups etc should be noted. HAPS should focus on //__opposition to cuts.__// A newsletter could be formed with updates on what is happening.

Meeting considered a conference for late October or November perhaps after more cuts were more fully announced. (National Comprehensive Spending Review for 2011-2015 is on 20 October 2010). Ground work and outreach would need to be done before. Keith said sponsorship could come from trades unions by that time.

Meeting considered possible //__public events for HAPS members to attend__//, describing the cuts and any resistance to them, gathering cuts information and finding more supporters and activists: Lordship Recreation Ground Festival, 11 September 2010; Muswell Hill Festival, 12 September 2010; Festival in Noel Park, 19 September 2010.

There were also other suggestions for HAPS to //__support national protests__// eg a lobby of the TUC General Council on 12 Sept 2010 in Manchester, for HAPS to take part in a possible Europe-Wide Day of Action against austerity called by TUs for 29 September 2010. Also a national demo on 23rd Oct is mooted…

Meeting discussed possible //__ways for cuts to be opposed and blocked__//. Keith suggested a minority of Labour and Lib Dem councillors could be pressured into blocking cuts. Jim described Waltham Forest Council where all Labour councillors had voted through cuts but minority parties including Conservatives had voted against cuts. Janet said Friends of the Earth were lobbying Lynne Featherstone about carbon emissions on Friday 30 July; HAPS could do likewise about the cuts, for all councillors and both MPs. Some believed public pressure had to be much greater before considerations. A petition opposed to cuts with signatories, which could be used in lobbying, was suggested.

Janet and Barbara suggested our material should describe how there was in reality //__plenty of resources for funding of public services__//. Jim suggested HAPS writing an alternative plan or budget for the borough.

Others suggested we organise //__working groups__// dedicated to opposing cuts in particular areas: health, education, transport etc. Meeting decided working groups based on field of HAPS’s required activity for the moment (see below).

There was concern that those only infrequently involved with public services could be unaware of what’s going on and left out, and //__HAPS had to reach out__// to them. Oktay suggested a Facebook group and website. Dave said HFRA’s website had released some space for HAPS pages at [|www.haringeyresidents.org/haps] but a separate HAPS website could also be set up if desired. Dave’s telephone number 020 8211 0916 is available for membership enquiries. HAPS’ new (HSG-donated) contact email haps@haringey.org.uk, and internal and announcements lists were also now functioning as agreed. We also need to think how to keep people informed who don’t have email.


 * __ 4. Moving Forward __**

Meeting agreed that four //__working groups__// were needed:


 * Publicity and Events ** – making sure stalls, leaflets, newsletter, meetings/events, leafleting sessions are organised/publicised
 * Trade Unions ** – to spread HAPS info to TU branches and other workplaces, encourage TUs to affiliate, model resolutions
 * Community Groups ** – to spread HAPS info among, and work with, community groups and service user groups
 * Research and Information ** – to pick up information about cuts etc, asking people in unorganised sectors, and help collate figures and reports that could be useful for the other groups.

Participants for each group were requested from the assembled. Attendees themselves chose groups to work with (groups were chosen on behalf of some apologies). From the participants in each group, voluntary interim convenors were requested and the following came forward: **Publicity and Events** - Jane Laporte, Dave Morris and Oktay Sambaz (a very large group); ** Trade Unions - ** Keith Flett; ** Community Groups ** - Barbara Blake; **Research and Information** - Richard Willmsen.

Each group is to meet and act in its field prior to the next HAPS general meeting. The responsibility of getting them together is mandated to the convenors of each group. Each group is encouraged to get on with agreed practicalities but must report back to general meetings, produce recommendations for wider action which could be voted or agreed on.

//__ A HAPS protest and lobby at the Cabinet Council Meeting on the evening of Tuesday September 14, 2010 __// was agreed. The date can be distributed. 1. Dave to update basic leaflet. 2. Oktay and Kenan to organise a Turkish translation.

[Minute Taker’s Additional note] Haringey Council’s //__next Full Council Meeting__// is on October 18, 2010 at 7.30pm

Meeting agreed Michelle to be an //__interim treasurer__//. A collection was carried out and £50.03 collected, of which £20 was left for Big Green Bookshop as room hire costs.

Oktay kindly offered NLCC on Moorefield Road by Bruce Grove for //__some future HAPS meetings/events__//.


 * __ 5. Next Meeting __** Big Green Bookshop, Tuesday 24 August, 7pm.


 * __ 6. Any other business __** A round of thanks for the Chair was moved.