minutes+13th+Sept+2005


 * __Report of HFRA General Meeting – Sept 13th 2005__**


 * //__RA Delegates Present__://** Ibilola Campbell – **Tiverton Tewkesbury RA, N15;** Ruth Moulton – **Coppetts RA, N10;** Seamus Carey – **Dowsett Estate RA, N17;** Helen Allen and Andy Wordsmith – **Campsbourne Community RA, N8;** Sheik & Kyoko Thompson - **Chesnuts Area RA, N17;** Usha Chauhan and Dave Morris - **Chestnuts Northside RA, N15;** Colin Marr – **Methuen Park Association, N10;** Vivienne Cuming and Simon Fedida - **Avenue Gardens RA, N22;** Pat Ayinde – **Bruce Grove RN, N17;** Kate Huddie – **Noel Park North Area RA, N22;** Joyce Rosser - **Warner Estate RA, N8;** Ole & Ulla Lefmann **– Burghley Rd Area RA, N8;** Peter Thompson - **Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Assoc, N2;** Bob Maltz - **Gladwell, Landrock & Cecile Pk Residents Action Group, N8;** Jane Laporte **– Woodlands Park RA, N15; And:** Roy Jensen – //Keynes Close//


 * //__Apologies:__//** Samra Jahic – **New River Village RA, N8;** Gwen Owens – **Campbell Ct RA, N17;** David Singh – **Broadwater Farm RA, N17;** Maureen Towerzy – **The Sandlings RA, N22;** Alison Smith – **Gardens RA, N4;** Robert Gainsborough - **St George’s Lodge RA, N10;** Kit Grieveson - **Stroud Green RA, N4;** Joyce Oyeyi Effiong – **Suffolk Road RA, N15;** Annie Bebington – **Seacole Ct RA, N15;** Alex Irvine - **Bowes Park Community Assoc., N13;** Stephen Whittle - **West Green RA, N15;** Sammy Leggat – **Robert Burns House RA, N17;** Judith Hanna – **Clyde Area RA, N15;** Sue Hessel – **Haslemere Rd RA, N8;** Adam Coffman – **Fairfax Rd RA, N8;** Sarah Montgomery – **Oakfield Ct RA, N8;** Anne McArthur – **Woodstock Rd Assoc, N4;** Michael Cordwell-James – **Chitts Hill RA, N22;** Paul McKay – **Hewitt Rd RA, N8;** Laurie Owen - **Parkside Malvern RA, N8**

- Minutes for the July 12th General Meeting were agreed.
 * __1. Minutes of last meeting__**


 * __2. Local reports from RAs present__** There were reports from all groups present (and some extra ones sent in) about some of their most recent activities and concerns. This included:
 * //- Campsbourne Community RA, N8//** Secured £180,000 to improve their estate, and organising a ‘Have Your Say’ event. Concerned over a nearby proposed water treatment works building.
 * //- Dowsett Estate RA, N17//** Concerned to improve the adjacent Downs Lane Park.
 * //- Coppetts RA, N10//** Getting active again after a quiet period. Organise regular street parties.
 * //- Chestnuts Area RA, N17//** Refurbishing railings and lights in the area. Organised day trip to Brighton for 160 residents of the estate, then took 34 people to a Hackney theatre.


 * __3. Planning and Development__**


 * //a. LBH UDP//** **//Public Inquiry//** The long, complex and controversial Inquiry was now over. The general feeling was that the Federation and RAs had worked hard to promote community interests, with success in some areas of policy. But the Council had continued to promote house-building and over-development at the expense of other policies. Therefore there would continue to be battles and controversies in local areas around the borough.


 * //b. Planning Applications//** There were continuing concerns raised by RAs present about a number of local planning applications, including the Lordship Lane tower blocks (N22); Hornsey Waterworks (N8); Hornsey concrete factory (N8); Watsons Rd over-development (N22); Heartlands traffic, tall buildings and green spaces (N22); the house-building threat to the Tiverton’s green space (N15); Tottenham Hale proposals (N17); and a 6-storey building proposed for Wood Green High Rd (N22). There were discussions on the details, general policies and potential tactics for opposing unwanted proposals – including encouragement to insist on ‘Development Control Forums’ [official public meetings where developers must answer questions from concerned residents] and appearances at the relevant Planning Applications Sub-Cttee hearings.


 * c. Planning Issues Stakeholders Forum** Bob (GLC-RAG) and Stephen (WGRA) are members of this consultative forum. The Federation has now also joined, and Simon Fedida and Dave Morris drafted some detailed proposals for improvements to the Council’s planning consultation procedures and methods (enclosed). Bob and Stephen raised these and the Forum debated them at some length. The Council agreed to respond to the HFRA by the next Forum meeting (Jan 2006?). //Note:// HFRA agreed to adopt the policies.
 * __4. Late Night Licensing__** A new and more lax system for late night licensing of pubs etc is now in place. Last year during a consultation exercise over Council policies on this the Federation wrote a detailed response pointing out likely problems for local communities and making constructive suggestions. Unfortunately it looks like what we said would happen is happening, and that the Council has ignored sensible proposals for addressing the problems. AGRA reported their efforts to lobby the Licensing Committee about a local pub which already causes disturbance to a local neighbourhood and had applied to extend its opening hours. Residents are now supposed to be consulted by nearby pubs – but the Cmttee was reported to have ignored this and residents’ views.
 * __5. Green open spaces__** The Council had been consulting over a new draft ‘Open Spaces Strategy’ document. The Recreation Dept agreed to send it to all RAs, using our mailing list labels. The Haringey Friends of Parks Forum had debated this at their last meeting. Joyce Rosser and Dave Morris had been present on behalf of their local Friends groups, and reported back to us. The Forum had agreed that the Council should be aiming for //at least// minimum national standards for all types of open spaces in Haringey. The Forum also agreed a number of other points, including wanting a commitment to seek designated park wardens for all local parks. We agreed, as the Federation, to support the Forum’s views. Our Secretary would draft the official joint response.
 * __6. Streetscape Manual__** A new draft **Streetscape Manual**, outlining policies for the design of our streets (including traffic calming, street furniture and pavements etc) was being consulted over. This was thought to be a welcome development. Copies were in short supply but we’d agreed to send out a special Council letter in our last mail-out inviting all residents associations to special consultative meetings. Some RAs present had attended those meetings. The Street Scene dept also gave us 10 copies of the Manual for the Federation meeting.

Dave had drafted some proposed amendments to the Manual and circulated them to RAs on our e-list. Further responses and suggestions were discussed at our meeting and agreed - to be sent to the Council. (See copy enclosed).
 * __7. Council Housing__** Ibi Campbell reported that the ALMO was slowly being set up to manage the borough’s council housing. She had been chosen to go on the ‘shadow board’ to stand up for tenants’ interests. There were plans to visit other areas to see what had been done there and gauge best practice. She and Sheik Thompson updated the meeting on refurbishment measures on their estates.
 * __8. HFRA ‘Keep It Local’ residents conference__** Haringey Friends of Parks Forum had agreed to back the conference. 5000 leaflets had been printed and were being distributed. The Council Voluntary Sector Team had mailed the details out to about 700 community groups, as had Haringey Community Empowerment Network. All groups are urged to deliver leaflets to their members – please contact Dave to get copies. A list of proposed workshop discussion themes was discussed and agreed. It is hoped that many RAs will offer in advance to contribute to the discussions.
 * __9. Better Places Partnership__** The Federation was invited to attend a special meeting of key Haringey organisations. The aim in theory is to get many of the institutions together who currently have power and resources [utility companies, regeneration bodies, police, and various agencies] to discuss how to achieve the Council's Community Strategy for improving local neighbourhoods, social infrastructure, local services, regeneration, decent homes standards, sustainability etc. Ibi Campbell, Bob Maltz and Dave Morris attended for the HFRA and put forward proposals regarding additions to the BPP's proposed Policies & Targets. [See enclosed]. These were deferred to the next BPP meeting on October 12th for detailed discussion. We agreed to back the proposals.
 * __10. Federation Business__**
 * //a. HFRA Website//** We urgently need technical help to run it! Please contact 8211 0916.

//Due to lack of time we agreed to discuss the final items next month: eg Community Volunteers,// and //Street Parties.//