minutes+8th+June+2004


 * __Report of HFRA General Meeting – 8th June 2004__**


 * //__RA Delegates Present__://** Sarah Bromfield – **Campsbourne Community RA, N8;** Joyce Rosser – **Warner Estate RA, N8;** Peter Hall - **The Sandlings RA, N22;** Roy Jensen – **Keynes Close RA, N2;** Pat Ayinde - **Bruce Grove Residents Network, N17;** Dave Morris – **Chestnuts Northside RA, N15;** Laurie Owen - **Parkside Malvern RA, N8;** Vivienne Cuming and Simon Fedida - **Avenue Gardens RA, N22; //__Apologies:__//** Jane Laporte – **Woodlands Park RA, N15;** David Rennie – **Palace Gates RA, N22;** Robert Gainsborough - **St George’s Lodge RA, N10;** Stephen Whittle - **West Green RA, N15;** Grahame Pearce – **Heron Wharf RA, N17;** Peter Thompson - **Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Assoc, N2;** Carol Ingram – **St Ann’s Res Group, N15**


 * __1. Minutes of last meeting__** The minutes for the 11th May General Meeting were agreed.


 * __2. Local reports from RAs present__**

- Keynes Close RA, N2 A council-run supported-housing scheme for the elderly. Residents pay £30pw for a special warden service, including daily visits and additional checks. The service has had dangerous lapses and understaffing, especially at weekends. KCRA have tried to get the council to take the issue seriously, including raising it at borough-wide forums. Also, problem with new wrought-iron gates having the wrong locks. - Parkside Malvern RA, N22 Have helped form H.E.A.R.T. alliance of local RAs to stand up for the interests of local communities affected by the Heartlands development scheme. Got front page local press coverage for their efforts to save one of the historic gasometers in the neighbourhood, and maybe convert it into a cultural/community centre. Are lobbying to improve street design around Shopping City to discourage urination in corners. Awaiting the installation of the zebra crossing they campaigned for, on Hornsey Park Rd. Considering designing a mural for a local alleyway. - Avenue Gardens RA, N22 //45 residents attended their recent AGM. Along with Parkside Malvern RA and others in H.E.A.R.T., AGRA have continued to lobby and hold joint meetings with the Council over the latest proposals for Heartlands redevelopment – especially over building heights, traffic issues, and the increase from 1,000 new homes to 3,000 now proposed (with lack of adequate local services). They believe community interests are being sidelined and over-ridden. AGRA are also setting up a local Neighbourhood Watch.//
 * //- Campsbourne Community RA, N8//** New association, formed in the spring. 20-30 residents attending, of which 10 have joined the committee. Previous community centre was run by residents and is much missed since being closed by LBH due to its poor condition – they are campaigning for a replacement. Working with Council and others to regenerate their area/estate – held well-attended event in local school with a model of the estate proposing new trees, buildings, better access to flats etc. Organising a range of events, including maybe a street party, and soon their own website: [|//w////ww.campsbourne.org.uk//]
 * //- Warner Estate RA, N8//** 150 members in 500 homes. Doing door-to-door Newsletter. Discussion at AGM on ‘Living Streets’. Campaigning for crossing on Priory Rd due to traffic speeds. Concerned with the future of Alexandra Park and Palace, and also local development sites.
 * //- Bruce Grove RN, N17//** 30 residents attended their last meeting. Planning their summer street party to celebrate their second anniversary. Their complaints about late night aggressive drunkenness in one local spot have led to some action being taken. Are preparing their first ever Newsletter for delivery to 4,000 homes.
 * //- Chestnuts Northside RA, N15//** Took part in Chestnuts Community Festival organised by Friends of Chestnuts and local RAs – helped with publicity, Speakers Corner marquee and did stall. 3000 people attended. 11 residents attended meeting with Paul Simon Ltd on the site of a controversial local housing development, in order to negotiate over their complaints about design, safety and security. A current focus is on ‘street scene’ – rubbish and waste, new trees, pavement repairs. First AGM is in July.
 * //- The Sandlings, N22//** New youth club in their community centre is going well – 30 attended first session. They are seeking new outside youth play area.
 * //- St Ann’s Residents Group, N15//** Leaflets from StARG were passed around. This is a new association set up this spring, in a small area of 3 or 4 streets of mixed housing around the St Ann’s Library. Interested in traffic calming, allotments, local school facilities, and anti-social behaviour.

The reports led as always to a number of discussions on matters raised.


 * __3. Planning and Development__**


 * a. Communities First! – HFRA residents’ conference on planning and development issues** The first organising meeting of the Sept 25th event was held successfully on June 2nd. Minutes were circulated at the HFRA meeting to general approval [enclosed]. Next organising meeting on July 7th.


 * b. Advertising hoardings** The problem of hundreds of illegally-erected commercial billboards all around the borough was raised at a recent LBH ‘Graffiti Summit’. Thanks to the efforts of members of Woodlands Park RA and others, the Council has begun to demand the offending companies take them down or be prosecuted. At least 3 so far have been dismantled. Meanwhile, some of the hoardings have been graffitied to publicise local events!

St Ann’s Hospital, the only such facility left in the borough. Pat later met with the Chief Exec of the Haringey Primary Care Trust who agreed that services were being ‘reviewed’, but denied there was any intention to run them down or to close the hospital.
 * 4.** **__St Ann’s Hospital__** Pat and Dave reported back from a public meeting about the uncertain future of


 * 5.** **__Council Housing__**


 * a. LBH Housing Services Users Conference** Dave did a Federation stall at this Council-run event on May 22nd attended by tenants, leaseholders and members of RAs. All present received leaflets about the Federation and our Planning & Development conference in September. There were workshop discussions on a wide range of issues.


 * b. Sheltered housing** This issue (see Keynes Close RA report, above) was discussed. //__Agreed:__ to support Keynes Close RA - and all residents in similar sheltered housing - in their efforts to ensure proper staffing levels, especially at weekends.//


 * __6. Haringey Credit Union__** Some Haringey residents, backed by regeneration funding and support, are in the process of trying to set up a Credit Union – a democratically-run money saving and lending organisation which can make low-interest bank loans to members. This is a very complex matter, and may take time to establish. There may well be a strong need for such a group in the light of recent reports that the UK’s population’s debts average out at about £17,000 for every person in the country. //__Agreed:__ We’ll keep an eye on how the HCU develops – Sarah (CCRA) volunteered to be our link person.//


 * __7. Rubbish and Waste Management__**


 * //a.//** **//Recycling//** It was reported that Park View Rd Recycling Centre has been greatly improved. We had a discussion concluding that the issue of recycling seems to be being taken increasingly seriously, especially under pressure of European legislation and targets.


 * //b. Collection charges//** There has been some recent publicity over a Lib-Dems petition calling for the scrapping of the £15 charge for collection of bulky items, the implementation of which has resulted in recent years in greater dumping of rubbish. This is an issue we took up with the Council in 2002. We agreed that the Federation should not identify with any party political campaign, but that we supported the principle and would seek the most recent statistics. //__Agreed:__ Dave to seek info from the organisers of the petition and the Council.//


 * 8.** **__Street Scene__**


 * //a. Traffic calming//** Demands continue to grow around the borough for effective calming and traffic reduction measures. We passed around 10 copies of a recent Transport for London report on the matter. The report found that London’s 20mph zones reduce average speeds by 9%, and serious casualties by 57% - but that Haringey is the worst borough in London for failing to reduce such casualties. A letter in response had been written by Dave, as Federation Secretary, and published in the local press.


 * b. Dangerous pavements** Chestnuts Northside RA explained how they had recently conducted their own inspection of all the pavements in their area. A briefing document roughly outlining some of the relevant law, written by a CNRA member (a barrister specialising in personal injuries), was distributed to HFRA delegates. //__Info:__ Copies available on request from Dave [8211 0916].//


 * __9. Federation Business__**


 * //- Fundraising//** Simon and Dave are preparing an application for HFRA funding for 2005. Haringey Cycling Campaign have agreed to co-organise a joint fundraising event next summer.
 * //- Federation reps//** All present agreed that our new Community Action bulletin was very good [contact Dave for copies], and has great potential. //__Agreed__ Sarah Bromfield (CCRA) co-opted as bulletin editor.//
 * //- Neighbourhood Management//** //__Agreed__ We will to write to Bob Goldsmith of the Neighbourhood Management department to seek ways of closer co-operation on relevant issues.//