minutes+8th+April+2003


 * Report of HFRA Pre-AGM General Meeting 8th April 2003**


 * //__RA Delegates Present__//****//://** Pat Ayinde //(Chaired meeting)// - **Bruce Grove Residents Network, N17**; Jane Laporte - **Woodlands** **Park** **RA, N15**; Dave Morris //(HFRA Secretary, minute taker)// - **Tower** **Gardens** **Residents Network, N17**; Vivienne Cuming and Simon Fedida //(HFRA Treasurer)// - **Avenue Gardens RA, N22**. **//__Apologies:__//** John Hajdu - **Muswell** **Hill & Fortis Green Association, N2**; Corinne Stevens - **Deaconess Ct TA, N15;** B. Woods – **Lomond** **Close and Brunswick RA, N15;** Mike Towerzey //(HFRA Chair)// - **The Sandlings RA, N22**; Frank Forni - **Northumberland Park Independent RA, N17**; Malcolm Payne – **Commerce Rd TA and Social Club, N22;** Stephen Whittle - **West Green RA, N15;** Susan Bennett – **Friends of Alexander Park Rd RA, N10;** **//__Note:__//** //there were some additional apologies on behalf of other members of attending associations.//


 * 1. Minutes of last meeting** Agreed to be accurate.


 * 2.** **LBH Housing Dept Consultation** The council’s Housing Dept has been conducting a consultation exercise to try to improve management of the much-criticised local housing service, including in particular more involvement of tenants. It has contacted a number of local associations. Many groups however have not been contacted, including some based in areas where there is a majority of council homes. The Federation were not consulted until near the end of the exercise. The consultants who’d been hired had drafted a new ‘Tenants Participation Compact’, which included a review of the purpose of Residents Participation Team and matters of relevance to all residents associations throughout Haringey. The issue was discussed by the meeting, and there was a great deal of concern expressed. It was agreed to put the Federation’s responses in writing [See enclosed letter]. In short, we agreed:

- We welcome the maximum involvement of tenants and leaseholders in the management of the Housing Service. - Housing matters should be seen as just one of the many important issues taken up by local associations. - Residents Associations throughout the whole borough, whatever the nature of their membership, have the right to be recognised and supported by all the relevant LBH Depts, as should the Federation. - The remit of the Housing Dept ‘Residents Participation Team’ is unclear, and their practice is in some respects extremely unsatisfactory and divisive, especially concerning some local associations and also the HFRA. There seems to be an ‘interdepartmental’ problem that the Council is not facing. - There has been a failure to consult, or consult effectively, with all associations including with the HFRA.


 * 3. __Reports__** As this was mainly intended as a planning meeting for the AGM we decided to deal with local reports and other on-going issues (including traffic calming and waste collection) at the AGM and our June general meeting. However, there were some urgent matters, including:


 * //Haringey People This//** free paper delivered to all homes by the Council has a ‘What’s On’ section at the back listing local community groups (including local RAs). HFRA basic details had been sent in, but not included 3 months in a row. An editor admitted to the HFRA Secretary that the entry had been censored on the say-so of the Residents Participation Team. To be discussed at our next meeting. //Update:// After a strongly worded complaint by a local association to LBH Leader George Meehan, he replied that he’d been informed the ‘only reason’ was ‘lack of space’ and that it would be in the May issue. It isn’t.
 * //Haringey Association of Voluntary and Community Organisations//** We have joined this new umbrella organisation.
 * //Finsbury//** **//Park//** Simon reported that the previous week’s LBH Environmental Scrutiny Panel had hotly debated a proposed new contract for the controversial concerts in the Park which have caused an outcry due to the disruption, nuisance and damage they have been causing. Haringey only gets £1 as compensation for each ticket sold. The same group ‘Mean Fiddler’ was due to be allowed to continue.
 * //Illegal billboards//** Woodlands Park RA had discovered that 48 of 50 local advertising hoardings had no planning permission – ie erected and used illegally. This seems likely to be happening across the whole borough and all associations are encouraged to investigate and protest. To be further discussed.
 * //HFRA stalls//** HFRA had booked a stall at the Chesnuts Park (N15) Festival on May 31st, and was offered a chance to hold a discussion/workshop there. It was agreed that we could also take up any similar opportunities in future.


 * 4. HFRA AGM 2003** There was a detailed discussion about the plans for the coming AGM the following weekend. See AGM Report.