minutes+6th+November+2002


 * Report of HFRA General Meeting** **- 6th November 2002**


 * //__RA Delegates Present__//** Francesca Elu - **Gardens RA, N4**; Paul Burnham - **Partridge Way TRA, N22**; John Hajdu - **Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association, N2**; Dave Morris (HFRA Secretary) - **Tower Gardens Residents Network, N17**; Simon Fedida (HFRA Treasurer) - **Avenue Gardens RA, N22** **//__Apologies__//__:__** Pastor Kwaku Frimpong-Manson and M. Allende - **Broadwater Farm RA, N17**; Pat Ayinde and Tim Wilmott - **Bruce Grove South Residents Group, N17**; Frank Forni - **Northumberland Park Independent RA, N17**; Jim Cassins - **HOBA & S. Tottenham RA, N15**; Kate Ablett and Mike Towerzey (HFRA Chair) - **The Sandlings RA, N22**; Cathy Herman - **Bowes Pk CA, N22**; Steve Whittle - **West Green RA, N15**; Pam Moore - **Keynes Close RA, N22**; Annie Popoola – individual interested in setting up RA in S.Tott’m


 * Chair:** P. Burnham **Minutes:** D. Morris


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


 * 2.** **__Local reports given or received__** Reports included discussions on many key issues raised….

//__Gardens RA, N4__// Their festival to celebrate the opening of their new community garden on ex-derelict rail land attracted a lot of support and publicity. The new Garden was also used for a Halloween local children’s event. Their ‘rising bollards’ traffic calming experiment has proved a great success. In the original consultation 54% of the area replied to questionnaires, with 85% agreeing to have the measure. After a year in which accidents have been cut from 15 to zero, it has been decided to make the bollards permanent. Planning Neighbourhood Watch scheme. GRA AGM planned for 17th November. [//Update:// 35 residents and invited guests attended, discussing a wide range of practical local issues, campaigns and activities – report hopefully next month].

//__Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association, N2__// Big local debate about pros and cons of wheelie bins. Did walkabout with local LBH Clean-Up Team – seeking extra public bins near schools. Participate in the Muswell Hill Area Assembly – well attended and useful meetings. Their September Newsletter features efforts to reopen a local police station, news about their website, their planned public meetings and other local events, their own poetry competition, the sad disappearance of front gardens for private car parking, litter, and a local knowledge quiz. Their delegate added that they discussed the Federation at their last meeting, were delighted to affiliate and make a donation, and urged all RAs to do likewise!

//__Avenue Gardens RA, N22__// Trying to establish regular liaison meetings with local Cllrs and officials. Succeeded in getting new traffic lights installed for safe crossing of dangerous local road - AGRA will monitor the phasing of the lights. Concerned over proposal for a local commercial ‘self-storage’ site. Also other planning concerns re proposed 8-storey block of flats, and the impact of the Heartlands development plans.

//__Partridge Way RA, N22__//. A new RA on a council estate, gaining in confidence and range of issues covered. Got a local road resurfaced. Looking into regeneration of some old garages. Developing a new landscaping proposal (they did the initial drawings themselves) in discussion with Council officials. Pursuing lighting, soundprooofing and rubbish/waste issues.

//__Tower Gardens RN, N17__// Trying to set up a parent/toddler group. Discussing the next phase in their Home Zone development, particularly traffic calming measures (new funds secured for this). Attended a constructive council/residents ‘inspection’ of some flats in the area. Obtained some free personal security alarms to distribute to local elderly people. Very busy – general meetings currently approx every 3 wks. Having some problems due to ongoing hostility from a local Councillor, and also the LBH Residents Participation team.

//__The Sandlings RA,N22__// Hands full keeping their community centre going. They invite regular bookings in their lovely, friendly, resident-run, centrally-situated Sandbunker Community Project [tel 8489 8798].

//__Bowes__// //__Park__// //__Community Association, N22__// Have opened their own community garden. Very concerned about dangerous traffic issues. Former local station being used to house neighbourhood wardens, and hopefully artists studios and some public space in the future.

//__West Green RA, N15__// Autumn Newsletter out covering local regeneration issues, traffic, local community meeting facilities (including public meeting about a new Resource Centre), local campaign for wheelie bins, controversy over a disused ex-petrol station site, and crime/policing matters.

//__Northumberland Pk__// //__RA, N17__// Leafleted the whole area (3500 homes!) to publicise the first NPIRA AGM. As a result new people came forward to get involved. Hold weekly co-ordination/drop in sessions. There area 6 or 7 small residents groups in local neighbourhoods within the area. NPIRA are working with residents of one particular Council block to try to help them deal with some serious building works problems they are facing.

//__Broadwater Farm RA, N17__// Setting up their own Tenant Management Organisation to run the estate in partnership with the Council.

//__Bruce Grove South Residents Group, N15__// Now meet in a local church. 20-30 people involved. Featured in Haringey Advertiser. Plan general meeting with a local Councillor.

//__Woodlands Park RA, N15__// Organising their first AGM. Recent issues include traffic and rubbish.

//__Ferry Lane Action Group, N17__// November Newsletter features issues over the huge Middx University site development opposite them at Tottenham Hale, wheelie bins, a possible new parking scheme, the local tube station, the nature reserve by their estate, their successful campaign for an extra kids playground, street lighting and monitoring of local trees.

//__Seaford Rd__// //__area, N15__// The HFRA Secretary met up with local resident hoping to get a local group established, to offer support.

//__Morant Place__// //__RA, N22__// Block of 90 flats – 40 residents attended meeting to set up new organisation.


 * 3. Traffic calming throughout Haringey** Cathy Herman from Bowes Park Community Association phoned to propose that the Federation pull together news and information about the wide range of locally-based campaigns and schemes, and maybe call a conference on the issue. Earlier this year we’d discussed such ideas and a proposal then to set up a Traffic Working Group. A Federation Briefing on this issue had been produced. We agreed this was a vital and urgent subject affecting most communities. We decided to contact the Council for up to date documentation, to seek a dialogue and cooperation, and request a meeting about this. One idea may be to find ways to make it easier to designate residential areas as 20mph zones if those living there want that.


 * 4. Rubbish collection** Following last month’s debate about rubbish and waste issues, we discussed and agreed the text of a constructive letter to the Council calling for the £15 charge for bulky items to be scrapped, an extensive recycling program, abolition of the £57 charge for dealing with rats, and regular local special collection/clean up days in all local communities organised in cooperation with local residents and RAs. Secretary to send copies to all Councillors and all RAs, backed up by a press release. To be discussed further at the December meeting.

The Secretary of Haringey Leaseholders Association (HLA) had written to the Federation to point out the benefits of an ALMO. In her view there was a lack of accurate information about what an ALMO means. Members of the HLA committee had participated in the previous consultation exercise, and have sat on the LBH Housing Management Board as tenant/leaseholder reps. The ALMO company was not privatisation, and would be run by councillors and council officers, tenants and leaseholder reps and some relevant experts. We had also received a detailed 8-page briefing paper from the London Tenants Federation Forum (LTFF – see 8.c. below) which is highly informative but critical, especially of central Government’s policies denying capital funding to Councils, but not to ALMOs - and about the way ALMOs may develop in the long term. [Copies available from us. You can also contact the Council for any information they have about their plans]. This led to much discussion. Partridge Way RA has written to the Council asking what was happening with the money raised by Right To Buy receipts, and why they weren’t being used for improving council housing (which is currently starved of investment).
 * 5. Council Housing – the future** There was a report of the lobby of the Council on Oct 14th called by local campaigns opposing LBH plans to set up an ‘arms length management organisation’ [ALMO] to manage Haringey’s 20,000 council homes, and privatisation plans for some leisure services. This included concern over £600,000 of public funds being proposed to be spent on hiring a second set of ALMO consultants - as a result of opposition, that decision was postponed.


 * 6. Minibus tour** MHFGA delegate proposed an educational minibus tour of the borough to involve and meet up with local associations and get a flavour of local issues. HFRA agreed in principle (maybe summer).


 * 7. Anti-social behaviour** There was some discussion about this complex and vexing issue, and positive ways in which RAs could make a difference. The general lack of youth clubs and facilities was noted. Soundproofing and insulation of flats could help reduce noise disputes (as well as noise from traffic and industry). Free personal security alarms may be obtained from Age Concern to distribute to local elderly people [contact 8801 2444].


 * 8. __Federation matters__** **//a. Attendance//** - 30 RAs have so far attended Federation meetings in the last 18 months, and 12 other RAs have sent in apologies and messages of support. **//b. Finances and Fundraising//** - A number of local RAs have sent an affiliation/subscription donation to us in the last month. **//c.//** **//London//** **//Tenants Federation Forum//** //-// Our Secretary had attended the last LTFF meeting, a London-wide discussion/co-ordination federation concentrating on council tenants/leasholder issues. We elected two Federation delegates (D. Morris and P. Burnham) to attend in future. **//d. Haringey Trades Union Council//** //-// Our Secretary was delegated to attend the next HTUC meeting as an observer.

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