Minutes+-+Oct+9th+2007

__ Ferry Lane Action Group, N17 __ We all particularly welcomed the first ever attendance of FLAG, the residents association for the large Council estate by the river at Tottenham Hale. They explained there has been an RA there since the 790-home (2,500 people) estate was built in the late 1970s. The RA was re-launched in 1991 as the FLAG. Have been very active over the years and gained a lot of improvements to the estate. About half of the homes are now leaseholdings. Currently involved in linking up with other local residents’ groups to challenge/improve the proposed mass high-rise developments planned for the area. Are supporting the redevelopment of an old pub site for social housing and shops. __ Chestnuts Northside RA, N15 __ Getting their own new community notice board. Also handing out safety alarms to all members. Lobbied successfully, with other residents groups, for a disused community building to be re-opened for community use. Helped get a new entrance agreed into Chestnuts Park. __ Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association, N10 __ Helped organise biggest yet Muswell Hill Festival (10,000 attended). Planning a public meeting about local health issues, especially the threats to local GP services and the plans for the Hornsey Central Hospital site. The previous public meeting was successful – with the Head of Fortismere School, which has recently caused controversy by opting for Foundation status. Lobbied successfully for ‘Green Plaques’ to commemorate local people of historical note – the first, for William Barlow, a crystallographer from Muswell Hill, has now been unveiled. Have been working with the Friends of Parkland Walk to improve the Walk, including helping clear the dreaded japanese knotweed. Hillfield Park NW are lobbying for improved ‘round the clock’ policing, especially around the Broadway. // [|www.mhfga.1to1.org] // __ Fountain Area RA, N15 __ This 1 yr old association has been extremely active. They’ve been producing monthly newsletters and distribute to all 700 local homes. Are seeking traffic calming, more street trees, a community garden, and other improvements. Have established good links with local RAs, and recently invited to their meeting a group of Latin American market traders from Seven Sisters. This has led to a major campaign for a Community Plan to regenerate the Wards Corner area (see Planning below). The local RAs have also linked up to campaign for quality pro-community development in nearby Lawrence Rd. // http://fara.wikispaces.com // __ Bounds Green & District RA, N11 __ Trying to get funding to restore a neglected local open green space. Working with others to challenge CPZ scheme and poor consultation. Long-running efforts to deal with the neglect and dereliction alongside the North Circular (A406). Some safety issues to do with individuals gathering at the A406 / Bounds Green Rd junction – police are seeking a ‘dispersal order’ there. Monitoring some local development schemes. __ Warner Estate RA, N8 __ 30 homes flooded recently due to burst pipe – organising a meeting with Thames Water about this. Taking up local development issues. Now have 200 members on their internal email list. // [|wera-n8.co.uk] // __ Roden Ct TA, N6 __ Their estate is facing total redevelopment, with most of the residents due to get replacement homes there. The developer has submitted an application/design. RCTA continue to stand up for the needs of their members. __ Gladwell, Landrock & Cecile Pk Residents Action Group, N8 __ After 8 or 9 years of successful battles to save their backlands from inappropriate development by Paul Simon Ltd, they face yet another application – possibly the last, seeing as how the recent plan was rejected wholesale by an Appeal’s inspector. Preparing for a final campaign. Also supporting local traffic calming proposals. __ Fairfax Road RA, N8 __ [Report in writing] Joined with the local Friends of Fairfax/Falkland Open Space to organise a successful public Fun Day in the park. __ Noel Park North Area RA, N22 __ Going really well. Have decided to expand to cover the whole estate. Planning a public meeting on ‘Decent Homes’ standards and funding for Council housing. Helping regenerate Russell Park. 8. __Local Services__ // a. Health // We agreed to publicise the national ‘Celebrate & Save the NHS’ demonstration in Central London on Nov 3rd, and the fact that Haringey people were meeting up beforehand to go down together as a contingent. The latest local controversy is Haringey PCT’s threat to close many local GP surgeries by funding instead 4 polyclinics / super health centres. // b. Post Office // We discussed the recent postal strikes. We agreed to support the West Green RA’s proposal to recognise the value of the postal service, their call for a //‘fair and just resolution to the current dispute’// and for //‘mail deliveries to be part of a properly funded public service that works for the community and in which both employees and customers are fairly treated.’//
 * __ Report of HFRA General Meeting – Oct 9th 2007 __** // [|www.haringeyresidents.org/minutes] //
 * //__ RA Delegates Present __//****// : //** Quentin Given – **Ferry Lane Action Group, N17;** Wendy Keenan – **Fountain Area RA, N15;** Bernice Sullivan – **Roden Ct TA, N6;** John Waller - **Bounds Green & District RA, N11;** Dave Morris - **Chestnuts Northside RA, N15;** Bob Maltz - **Gladwell, Landrock & Cecile Pk Residents Action Group, N8;** Joyce Rosser – **Warner Estate RA, N8;** Peter Thompson **- Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Assoc, N10/N2,** and **Hillfield Park NW, N10;** Kate Huddie - **Noel Park North Area RA, N22;** Stephen Whittle - **West Green RA, N15** **//__Apologies:__//** Kit Grieveson – **Stroud Green RA, N4;** Laurie Owen - **Parkside Malvern RA, N8;** Adam Coffman – **Fairfax Road RA, N8;** Chico Pacheco – **Park Ave South NW, N8;** Catriona – **Chettle Ct RA, N8;** Sue Hessel - **Haslemere Rd RA, N8**; Candy Amsden – **Clyde Area RA, N15;** Pat Ayinde – **Bruce Grove RN, N17;** Joyce Oyeyi-Effiong – **Suffolk Rd RA, N15;** Simon Fedida and Vivien Cuming - **Avenue Gardens RA, N22;** Ulla & Ole Lefmann - **Burghley Rd Area RA, N8;** Matt Bradby – **Tower Gardens Residents Group, N17**
 * 1. ** **__ Minutes of Sept 11th Meeting __** Agreed.
 * 2. __Local Reports__ ** [For a list of RAs check out // [|www.haringeyresidents.org/links+-+local+RA+groups] // ]
 * 3. __Planning and Development__ **
 * a. ****// Heartlands //** RAs in the area affected by the Heartlands planned development continue their efforts to work together and lobby for improvements to the plans – some frustration is reported that ‘consultation’ is just lip-service.
 * b. //Wards Corner, N15// ** 10 RAs in South Tottenham and Latin American market traders at Wards Corner (by Seven Sisters tube) have united to oppose the proposed destruction of the historic building and popular indoor market, a scheme unfortunately backed and part-financed by the Council and the local NDC regeneration body. 70 people at the public meeting organised by the local RAs rejected the plan, and called for everyone to back the alternative Community Plan being proposed by the traders. The Community Plan has excited everone, and is now being expanded to include local people’s views. Efforts are being made to get the support of the NDC and Council. // http://wardscorner.wikispaces.com //
 * // c. //** **// Alexandra Palace //** The Save Ally Pally campaign won their High Court action to force the Council and private developer to re-consult the public over the sale of Ally Pally and future plans for the site. The campaign hopes to keep the site as a public amenity, but the Council cant afford to run it. // [|www.saveallypally.com] //
 * // d. Making Places //** **// seminar //** The Council organised a public seminar at the Civic Centre to have a debate about planning policies and practices. It was organised and chaired by the Council’s Head of Regeneration & Enterprise. A number of official speakers argued that good quality development that benefits local communities is what is needed and that the policies are in place to ensure that. Most of the 50 or so who attended were from local RAs, and many spoke of their local battles against profit-driven, Council-backed over-development. The HFRA Secretary called for the Council and Planning Dept officers to work with communities to get the best possible development for the borough. He proposed, and the meeting agreed, there needed to be a jointly organised RAs/Council round-table meeting to work out how this could be done.
 * // e. Hale Wharf //** There’s a lot of proposed development on sites near the river at Tottenham Hale, including one consisting of 5 massive residential tower blocks. Local RAs and Friends groups have united to lobby the developers and the Council, and get publicity for their concerns and proposals. As a result the developers for the Hale Wharf site withdrew and then modified their design substantially.
 * // f. Wood Green //** RAs around Wood Green High Road continue to work together to seek improvements there, in line with the recommendations of the Wood Green Audit (produced last year by local residents). Most of the Audit’s recommendations were accepted by the Council, and a Wood Green Action Group of key stakeholders (including RAs, Council, Businesses and Police) has been meeting to oversee the improvements needed. A schedule for these was agreed. However, RAs report that the schedule has slipped alarmingly, and few improvements have yet been made. Meanwhile the Council is about to produce a ‘Spatial Plan’ for the area.
 * // g. Backlands //** The Federation re-affirmed our support for GLC-RAG and the battle to save backlands throughout the borough from inappropriate development.
 * // h. Lawrence Road, N15 //** RAs in the area have formed an alliance to campaign for quality development and additional green space in this regeneration area. // http://fara.wikispaces.com/-+Lawrence+Rd //
 * 4. __Housing__ **
 * // a. Council housing //** It was noted that the national ‘Defend Council Housing’ campaign is having some effect in getting the government to recognise that Councils should be able to invest in improving Council homes without being forced to set up arms-length companies or sell to Housing Associations.
 * // b. New social housing //** According to Haringey’s UDP Annual Monitoring Report, of all the new homes built in 2005 only 32% were ‘affordable’ (the official target for Haringey and London is supposed to be at least 50%), and only 11% were social housing (the official target for Haringey and London is supposed to be at least 35%). However, Shelter produced a report based on GLA figures which claimed Haringey was achieving over 60% ‘affordable’ housing. Suddenly Council reps were quoting Shelter publicly and in the press, and ignoring their own figures! The HFRA Secretary has challenged the Council, Shelter and the GLA about this, and no-one has yet provided any evidence which contradicts the official UDP report statistics…
 * // c. Homelessness //** There was a brief discussion about the spiralling levels of homelessness.
 * // d. Decent homes standards //** Noel Park North RA have organised a special public meeting on their estate on this issue. RAs from outside the area would be welcomed.
 * 5. __Green spaces__ ** No news to report. We continue to support the sterling work of the Haringey Friends of Parks Forum and local Friends groups. // [|www.haringeyresidents.org/green+spaces+-+The+Friends+of+Parks+Forum] //
 * 6. __Street Scene__ **
 * a. ** **//Haringey Streetscape Manual//** Despite a print run of 2,000 for this crucial advisory document, only 12 copies were left when we contacted the Street Scene Dept – they gave them to the Federation to hand out at our meeting. They were eagerly snapped up and we’ve asked that all RAs be able to get copies when (if) reprinted. //__ [|www.haringeyresidents.org/street+scene+-+Street+design+and+furniture] __//
 * // b. Billboards and hoardings //** After a couple of years of effort from the Federation we have at last received a written commitment from the Planning Enforcement dept that they wish to work with RAs and the Federation to systematically get all unlawful hoardings removed from Haringey. We will call a meeting to set up an organised campaign. // [|www.haringeyresidents.org/Street+Scene+-+Removing+Billboards] //
 * // c. London Cycle Day //** The London ‘on yer bike’ day on 23rd Sept saw 30-40,000 cyclists meet up around London (including in Finsbury Park) to go down to streets in central London which were closed to other traffic for the day. One RA rep at the meeting reported that it was ‘the happiest day of my life’!
 * // d. Community Transport //** We noted and supported the recent launch of Haringey Community Transport – they are developing a range of transport to support community groups (eg minibus hire) and people with mobility difficulties.
 * 7. __Heritage and conservation__ ** We noted that the work of RAs and the Tottenham Civic Society to recognise and protect heritage sites was beginning to have a real effect in the east of the borough. Joyce, as HFRA heritage officer and TCS events organiser, is proposing a series of heritage and design walks and talks in 2008, possibly focusing on key estates and involving local RAs (eg Broadwater Farm, Ferry Lane).
 * 9. __Sustainability issues__ **
 * // a. Sustainable Haringey //** We noted the continuing growth of the Sustainable Haringey network and a range of related working groups. The ‘Greening Our Homes’ working group had organised a successful training meeting for local RAs to champion energy efficiency and savings in local neighbourhoods. Peter (MHFGA) and Dave (HFRA Secretary) are preparing a detailed ideas sheet for what people can do to spread sustainability ideas and practices in local neighbourhoods. Quentin, the FLAG rep, is also the rep for Tottenham & Wood Green Friends of the Earth – he offered to come and speak to any local RAs about climate change and sustainability issues, and what people can do about them. Please contact him on: quentin.given@btinternet.com More info: http://sustainable-haringey.wikispaces.com
 * // b. Waste management //** The situation has slowly improved over the last few years as the Council has received extra funding for the door-to-door and estate-based recycling of a range of materials (expected to cover the whole borough by the end of 2008). The Council has also prepared schedules for street cleaning and clean up days, and ways of dealing with the collection of ‘white goods’ and dumping. But much more needs to be done to improve the recycling percentage etc. We noted that the North London Waste Authority was consulting this winter over the details of its new Action Plan.
 * 10. __Federation Business__ ****// a. HFRA website //** An HFRA working group have redesigned our website to make it easier to add material. It is now starting to be updated and used more effectively. **//b. Disasters Planning//** As a key strategic body the Federation has been added to the list of local organisations to be informed and consulted about arrangements for any future local disasters.