Minutes+-+March+11th+2008

Minutes archive: //[|www.haringeyresidents.org/minutes]// Recent news:  // [|www.haringeyresidents.org/what’s+new] // The 6 year rolling refurbishment programme is expected to improve 12,000 of the 20,000 Homes For Haringey council homes. Some of the RAs present at the meeting reported that their block or estate was already earmarked for ‘decent homes’ works – mainly replacement of kitchens and bathrooms - but still had concerns about a number of issues… // - Decorations of communal areas: // These are supposed to be done regularly, but the schedule has slipped. // - General repairs: // not being done properly or at all (even in some cases involving serious health and safety issues) // - Roofs and other infrastructure (including estate grounds and landscaping): // Was there going to be enough money to do desperately needed works? // - Rent rises: // On top of the basic 6.5% rent increase this year, services charges have suddenly been increased – amounting to a total of about 11% rent rise. //- Service charges for leaseholders// Many council home leaseholders are very worried about being charged large amounts for the much needed works for communal areas and some infrastructure. //- Meeting rooms:// There are sometimes problems in getting use of council-run community centres, even ones on estates designated for residents’ own use. Our Secretary recently attend a local meeting organised by the Milton Rd & Willow Walk RA, where residents were angry at not yet getting a key for their own purpose-built centre. We agreed to support those RAs facing these unnecessary problems, and to take this matter up with the Council. This is not something that just affects RAs on estates, but many other RAs also. // - Borough-wide campaigning // We noted the continuing activity of the Haringey Defend Council Housing (HDCH) campaign who are the only group who have been regularly raising many of these concerns, leafleting estates, holding public meetings, issuing press releases etc. They also continue to lobby to ensure that the Council keeps to their promise not to allow the management of Homes for Haringey to sell off any council homes. - continue to support local RAs on housing estates (whether Council or housing association) in speaking up for their specific needs, and to encourage and enable them to link up with other RAs with similar issues. - continue to encourage RAs with a percentage of social housing to support such residents in their area with any specific concerns they have - continue to circulate useful information generally - continue to support HDCH - take up any specific issues we are asked to by RAs //b. Leisure services// Hundreds of older people who use leisure services (swimming, gyms etc) took part in public meetings and a protest at the Civic Centre after the Council announced it would cancel free leisure passes for the elderly. As a result the Council backed down substantially.
 * __ Report of HFRA General Meeting – March 11th 2008 __**
 * //__ RA Delegates Present __//****// : //** Ben Payne – **Parkside Malvern RA, N8;** Pauline Lijertwood – **Milton Rd, Willow Walk & West Green RA, N15;** Elaine Cowin & Bjoern Schlonski – **Tynemouth Area RA, N15;** Joyce Rosser – **Warner Estate RA, N8;** Peter Thompson **- Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Assoc, N10/N2,** and **Hillfield Park NW, N10;** Bob Maltz - **Gladwell, Landrock & Cecile Pk Residents Action Group, N8;** Wendy Keenan – **Fountain Area RA, N15;** Dave Morris - **Chestnuts Northside RA, N15;** Stephen Whittle – **West Green RA, N15/22;** Paul Burnham – **Partridge Way RA, N22;** Kit Grieveson – **Stroud Green RA, N4;** Sue Hessel - **Haslemere Rd RA, N8**; Lloyd Davies – **Chesnuts Area RA, N17;** Ricardo Mfuka - **Chettle Ct RA, N8;** Candy Amsden – **Clyde Area RA, N15;** Lauritz Hansen Bay – **Hampden Ct Homeowners, N22;** John Waller – **Bounds Green & District RA, N11;** Pat Ayinde – **Bruce Grove RN, N17 //__Apologies:__//** Yvonne Denny – **Edgecot Grove RA, N15;** Joyce Oyeyi-Effiong – **Suffolk Rd RA, N15;** Matt Bradby – **Tower Gardens Residents Group, N17;** David Singh – **Broadwater Farm RA, N17;** Bernice Sullivan – **Roden Ct TA, N6;** Adam Coffman – **Fairfax Road RA, N8;** Ulla & Ole Lefmann - **Burghley Rd Area RA, N8;** Kate Huddie - **Noel Park N. Area RA, N22;** Marian Janes **– CASCH, N8;** Brenda Babalol **– Grovelands, Lemsford & Leabank RA, N15;** Paul Cavendish – **Heron Wharf RA, N17;** Peggy Baker – **James Place & Church Rd RA, N17;** Seth Baidoo **– Pagin House RA, N15;** John – **The Sandlings RA, N22;** Seamus Carey – **Dowsett Estate RA, N17;** Hazel Chambers – **Blenheim Rise RA, N15;** Ibilola Campbell – **Tiverton Tewkesbury RA, N15 (dormant);** Jule Wallman – **Garton House RA, N6;** Mary Freeman – **Coldfall RA, N10;** Chico Pacheco **– Park Ave South NW, N8;** Marilyn Robinson – **Millicent Fawcett Ct RA, N17;** Anne MacArthur – **Woodstock Rd Association, N4;** Yvette Buttigieg and Martin Caheen – **HTBG RA, N17;** Kay Griffiths – **New River Village RA, N8;** Fiona Cox – **Hillcrest RA, N6;** Helen Steel – **Woodlands Park RA, N15**
 * 1. ** **__ Minutes of Feb 12th Meeting __** Agreed
 * 2. __Local Reports__ ** As there were so many RAs present we had just very brief reports - except from the four RAs who’d not attended before or not for ages: ** Milton Rd, Willow Walk & West Green RA, N15 ** – Going just over a year. Largish estate of Council and Housing Assoc flats. Issues – repairs, getting access to their purpose built community centre, social events. **Partridge Way RA, N22** – 2 tower blocks of LBH flats + some houses. Problems with repairs. Have succeeded in getting improved landscaping, but some areas still to do. **Tynemouth Area RA, N15 –** Going around 2 years. Mostly terraced streets. Campaigning around over-development in the area, and also to save local Post Office. Next meeting will try to set up action groups about litter/waste, planning/development, and security/safety. Planning a street party. **Chettle Ct RA, N8 –** 300 LBH flats. Do very good newsletter. Issues with getting access to their community centre… have their own youth football team who need base.
 * 3. __Threats to 7 local Post Offices__ ** People around the borough had only recently discovered that 7 PO branches serving local communities were under threat of closure – there was a feeling of disbelief and outrage that such key local facilities could face closure. RAs from each of the affected areas reported that they were getting involved and launching local campaigns, petitions, public meetings and protests. Hundreds had already taken part. In many cases this had brought neighbouring RAs together for the first time. The Federation agreed to actively back all the local campaigns, and to call a borough-wide rally outside Wood Green Library on 29th March, the last Saturday before the deadline.
 * 4. __Social housing__ //‘Decent Homes’ works and other issues// ** We welcomed again the good news that the Government had finally agreed to release £198m to the Council for the much-needed refurbishment of council housing in Haringey. This followed years of effort, planning and lobbying by officers and tenants/leaseholder volunteers. 1,000 residents of Council homes had attended an exhibition at Ally Pally to find out how this money might affect their homes.
 * // The role of the Federation regarding social housing //** Whilst we of course support all the borough’s RAs and their common concerns to improve their areas and services etc, we agreed to:
 * 5. __Planning and Development__ a. //Wards Corner, N15// ** The local coalition of residents associations and market traders at Wards Corner have submitted their Community Plan application to restore/regenerate the market & historic site. Their public meeting on 28th Feb. attracted the largest turn out in Tottenham for decades - 350 local residents attended! It was reported to be an inspiring and exhilarating meeting. The Coalition is also opposing a private developer’s plan to demolish the site for luxury homes & corporate chains. // http://wardscorner.wikispaces.com //
 * // b. Other sites //** We briefly noted other local planning controversies regarding the former Hornsey Depot, N8 (loss of historic frontage)… the former BP garage in West Green Rd, N15 (over-development and poor design)… the plans for Tottenham Town Hall, N15 (over-development and poor design)… + backlands site in Bounds Grn.
 * // c. Local development Framework Core Strategy //** The new ‘Local Development Framework’ (which will eventually replace the 2006 Haringey Unitary Development Plan) has now started to unfold. The first consultation is over which policies and questions should be addressed in the ‘Core Strategy’. The Federation will respond with our concerns and proposals.
 * 6. __Public services__ //a.// //Health Services//** Concerns continue over Haringey PCT’s latest controversial proposal to fund 4 polyclinics / super health centres but close many local GP surgeries (and also adversely affect many dentists and chemists). The Stop Haringey Health Cuts Coalition has written to all GPs to inform them of what is going on. All residents and RAs are encouraged to be on alert to defend their local GP surgeries, and to contact local ‘patients committees’ or set them up if there isn’t one.
 * 7. __Sustainability issues__** **//a.//** **//Haringey Sustainability Weeks//** RAs are being encouraged to organise something during Haringey Sustainability Weeks (June 1st – 22nd). More info: [|www.sustainableharingey.org.uk]
 * //b.//** **//Climate Change conference//** Dave Morris (for the Federation) and Quentin Given (Ferry Lane Action Group) attended a very interesting, informative and timely London Tenants Federation Climate Change conference. Dave ran a workshop on ‘Sustainable Communities’.
 * //c.//** **//Home energy saving//** Ruth, a member of the Sustainable Haringey ‘Our Homes’ group, and of Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association, is organizing another training session for RAs who wish to get clued up on all the latest energy saving (and money saving) ideas, schemes and grants so that they can inform their members. Contact: ruth_schamroth@yahoo.com


 * 8. __Licensing Laws__** On behalf of the Federation, Peter Thompson (Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association) drafted a response to the Council’s official review of how the new licensing laws, brought in a couple of years ago, are working. He outlined RAs’ concerns regarding increased night-time noise and anti-social behaviour, and the failure to involve local communities in the licensing process. It was adopted by the HFRA and sent off.


 * 9. __Federation Business__ //a. Our AGM//** We have agreed that our monthly meeting on Tues May 13th will be our AGM. All RAs are urged to attend! **//b. Finances and fundraising//** Simon Fedida, our treasurer since the HFRA was founded in 2002, has now stood down. We now urgently need someone else to volunteer to step forward. We also urgently need subscriptions and donations from RAs. Subs received at the meeting = £20
 * //c. Community Link Forum//** This new forum for voluntary and community organisations has now been launched. Reps are being elected for the various Partnership Boards in the Haringey Strategic Partnership. It was agreed that it was not practical or appropriate for us to go through all the individual candidates and select ones to vote for. **//d. Haringey Independence Day event//** We are running a stall and a discussion meeting at this event on April 26th (12-5pm) at the West Green Learning Centre, including a showing of our ‘Community Action’ documentary. Helpers welcome! **//e.//** **// Big Green Bookshop //** This new independent bookshop is being run by members of local RAs, and has agreed to display HFRA leaflets. **//f.//** **// Street Parties //** As always, RAs are encouraged to organise street parties this summer.