minutes+9th+March+2004


 * __Report of HFRA General Meeting – 9th March 2004__**


 * //__RA Delegates Present__://** Joyce Rosser – **Warner Estate RA, N8;** Peter Hall – **Sandlings RA, N22;** Jane Laporte – **Woodlands Park RA, N15;** Pat Ayinde - **Bruce Grove Residents Network, N17;** Robert Gainsborough – **St George’s Lodge RA, N10;** Laurie Owen - **Parkside Malvern RA, N8;** Simon Fedida - **Avenue Gardens RA, N22;** Dave Morris – **Chestnuts Northside RA, N15;** John Hajdu - **Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association, N2** **//__Apologies:__//** Johanna Cox – **Ida Rd Leaseholders Assoc, N15;** Jeanette Sitton – **Ferry Lane Action Group, N17;** Pat Costa – **Bowes Park CA, N22;** David Rennie and Jimmy Athanassiou - **Palace Gates RA, N22;** Susan Bennett **– Friends of Alexandra Park Rd RA, N10;** Paul Burnham – **Partridge Way RA, N22;** Judith Hanna – **Clyde Area RA, N15;**  Stephen Whittle - **West Green RA, N15;** Marian Janes – **CASCH, N8 __And:__** Tim Wilmot (HFRA Chair), Adam Coffman (Fairfax Rd - in formation)


 * __1. Minutes of last meeting__** Accepted as accurate, with the following amendments – comments about Chestnuts Park to be attributed to //Chestnuts Northside RA//, not Woodlands Park RA. //Sandlings RA// – the new planting was the Council’s initiative, and no security cameras planned.


 * __2. Matters arising__** Woodlands Park RA still putting pressure on the Council over the scores of illegally erected commercial billboards around Haringey.


 * __3. Federation Business__** Due to the fact that there’s so much to discuss at HFRA meetings, the item ‘Federation Business’ is often left with little time. It was agreed to move it up the agenda for this meeting.


 * //a. Annual General Meeting - Sat April 24th//**. We agreed it will run 2-5pm, on the same lines as last year’s successful AGM (HFRA officers’ reports, elections, any amendments to the constitution, discussions, networking). After a number of ideas were discussed, we decided to include a special discussion about ‘Haringey’s parks in the 21st century’, and invite reps from the Friends of Parks Forum and the LBH Parks Dept. //__Action:__// //We urge all RAs to discuss and try to attend – all members of local associations welcome!//


 * //b. Fundraising//** Our application to Scarman Trust was successful - £2,560 for our activities from April to Sept 2004. We still need to raise funds for outstanding bills (prior to April 2004) and for the rest of the coming year (October 2004 – April 2005). Simon (HFRA treasurer) will produce an appeal for annual subscriptions/affiliations (and any additional donations) to coincide with the AGM each year. Please make all donations to Haringey Federation of Residents Associations - for use in our general funds. Simon and Dave are investigating other grants. //__Action__// //Simon Fedida and Dave Morris//

It was agreed in principle to organise a sponsored cycle-ride around key local community sites in the borough (successful traffic calming schemes, obnoxious developments, community gardens etc), depending on volunteers to organise it and a viable plan – not just to raise funds but also as an exciting event worth participating in and publicising! //__Action__// //Can anyone help with this?//


 * //c. LBH relations with Residents Associations and the Federation//** We agreed the text of a letter to LBH Housing reps regarding the acknowledgement we expect for all RAs around the borough and for the HFRA. It was agreed to add a para about effective consultation. //__Update__// Letter sent – one reply received so far.


 * //d. Speaker//** We had been invited to address a meeting of the Ferry Lane Action Group, N17 – a long-established and very active association on a council estate by the River Lea. Dave attended and FLAG members agreed unanimously to affiliate to the HFRA.

On March 6th 150-200 residents attended out ‘Save Our Post Offices’ rally outside Wood Green Library/Post Office over the 7 local PO branches threatened with the axe. There was an array of colourful placards, speeches, petitions and leafleting, and chants to the backing of a samba band. 3000 leaflets had been circulated around the borough beforehand, we issued HFRA press releases on a weekly basis, 1000s of residents had signed local petitions – and Chestnuts Northside RA organised a protest march of 100 people.
 * 4.** **__Post Offices closure protests__**

There were speeches at the rally from a local postal worker Union rep (CWU), reps from the Robert Burns RA and Chestnuts Northside RA, a Haringey pensioner, the Haringey Trades Union Council, and the MP for Tottenham. The HFRA Secretary explained how in the first 12 months of the national closure programme only 4 out of the 210 London POs ‘consulted’ over were saved – the whole consultation exercise had resulted in growing uproar and been condemned as fraudulent. However in recent weeks a further 5 local POs had had the axe withdrawn, showing the protests were having some effect. He demanded that £180m of public funds given to the Post Office to subsidise closures be used instead to keep all branches open.

All this protest activity had resulted in widespread local press coverage for weeks. Newspaper cuttings and a formal letter of objection were sent by the HFRA to Post Office Ltd. //__Update:__// Post Office Ltd replied to our letter announcing so far the forthcoming closures of 3 of the POs in Tottenham - Lordship Lane, Philip Lane and Gorleston Rd. So much for the ‘consultation’. Further details at the next meeting.


 * __5. Planning & Development matters__**
 * //a. Planning and Development Conference//** Details about our planned conference in September have now been mailed out by the LBH Voluntary Sector Team to 700 community groups. Planning Aid for London, and the LBH Planning Dept have agreed to provide practical support. There was some general discussion about the event, and we agreed to start holding open planning meetings in May.


 * //b. Unitary Development Plan//** As agreed at the previous meeting we sent a letter to the Leader of the Council and the Planning Dept calling for 12 weeks for UDP consultation in Sept 2004 (not the 6 weeks currently allocated). RAs are encouraged to do the same, as was successfully done last year. //__Action:__ RAs//


 * //c. The Mayor’s London Plan//** There was a local ‘consultation’ by the London Development Authority over the Mayor's new Economic Development Strategy for London on 4th March. This important document, backed by £350m of public funds, sets policies for London, and tends to dominate many Council policies. Simon reported back that it extols ‘growth’, which is not defined or questioned. Very few other residents attended.


 * __6. Council housing__** In the light of the Housing Dept’s current consultation exercise with tenants and leaseholders we voted unanimously to back the campaign for a comprehensive, secret ballot for all LBH tenants/leaseholders on the future of Council housing, the ballot to include not just the privatisation or ‘semi-privatisation’ options put forward by the Council, but also the option of ‘Direct investment in Council Housing’.


 * __7. Traffic calming__** On the 11th February a number of us from local RAs and the Federation attended the Transport Planning Stakeholders Forum at Ally Pally to discuss Haringey's transport policies and priorities. About 45 members of local Haringey organisations and Council officials from the transport planning and street scene departments took part in a consultation exercise over Council bids (re traffic calming schemes, cycling, walking and public transport) to Transport for London for funding in 2005/6 and future years. Dave, as our Secretary, presented the results of last November’s HFRA Traffic Calming / Safer Streets residents conference, and circulated some of the key documents from that event. There were workshop discussions on various themes, including 20mph zones. There were mixed feelings about the event – ranging from ‘excellent’ to ‘will they take proper note of what was said?’ A local paper covered the event, noting HFRA’s contributions.

//__Important note__// If you are seeking funding for traffic calming in your area it is vital to develop proposals which have community support, and get them to the Council’s Street Scene dept by May at the latest. The Council will need to be persuaded to support the ideas, and then to include them in their bid to TfL.

===**__8. Rat Nuisance__** Our waste management officer, Stephen Whittle, wrote to the Council and Water/Sewer authorities about what co-ordinated action (if any) they are taking to deal with the growing rat nuisance. Their replies were circulated at the meeting. Thames Water gave the impression that most of the problem was the responsibility of the Council or private drains (ie not them!). But if they are satisfied it is down to them, they ‘investigate the source…and arrange for targetted baiting where necessary’. They add: ‘The main objective of our investigation is to remove their means of escape by repairing any defects in the public sewer system’. The LBH Chief Exec replied that ‘the Local Authority does work with Thames Water and other bodies on a co-ordinated approach’ and have ‘secured additional funding to tackle the issue.’ They are ‘investigating the feasibility of permanent baiting points throughout the borough.’ //__Action/Follow-up__ Stephen Whittle//===


 * __9. Local reports__** Local reports from groups present were brief this month, but still led to a number of discussions on matters raised. Local RA’s minutes and Newsletters were circulated. The content of the reports given will be added to next month’s HFRA minutes.


 * __10. Any other business__** It was noted that LBH Scrutiny Panels have been officially audited and given a ‘weak’ rating. The Council is supposed to take much more notice of what the Panels discuss and decide.