minutes+13th+Dec+2005

Report of HFRA General Meeting – Dec 13th 2005

 * //__RA Delegates Present__://** Nazar Alikhan and Fran Gore – **Gardens RA, N4;** Paul McKay – **Hewitt Rd RA, N8;** Dave Morris - **Chestnuts Northside RA, N15;** Pat Ayinde – **Bruce Grove RN, N17;** Laurie Owen - **Parkside Malvern RA, N8;** Annie Bebington – **Seacole Ct RA, N15;** Sue Hessel – **Haslemere Rd RA, N8;** Peter Thompson **- Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Assoc, N10/N2 //__Apologies:__//** Marylin Robinson – **Millicent Fawcett Ct RA, N17;** Samra Jahic – **New River RA, N8;** Stephen Whittle - **West Green RA, N15;** Tony Karimou – **Wakefield Area RA, N15;** David Singh – **Broadwater Farm RA, N17;** Kit Grieveson - **Stroud Green RA, N4;** Robert Gainsborough - **St George’s Lodge RA, N10;** Bob Maltz - **Gladwell, Landrock & Cecile Pk Residents Action Group, N8;** Vivienne Cuming and Simon Fedida - **Avenue Gardens RA, N22;** Andy and Kate Huddie – **Noel Park North Area RA, N22;** Joyce Rosser - **Warner Estate RA, N8;** Ole & Ulla Lefmann **– Burghley Rd Area RA, N8;** Ibilola Campbell – **Tiverton Tewkesbury RA, N15;** Sheik and Kyoko Thompson - **Chesnuts Area RA, N17;** Joyce Oyeyi Effiong – **Suffolk Road RA, N15;** Adam Coffman – **Fairfax Rd RA, N8;** Peter Dalby – **Chitts Hill RA, N22;**


 * 1.** **__Minutes of last meeting__** Agreed.


 * 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. Some of the issues raised led to further discussions.
 * 3.** **__Street Scene__** **Living Streets** Our new ‘Living Streets’ officer, Paul McKay reported back from a bi-monthly Streetscene Forum he’d attended in Central London, which was attended by Transport for London. There were debates over walkability of London’s streets, safety of bendy-buses, safer canal tow-paths, and public toilets. He had also attended a Living Streets event at the House of Commons on ‘Empowering Communities To Run Their Streets’ – Haringey and the HFRA were noted at the event for our positive contributions to discussion around this issue…


 * //Draft Streetscape Manual//** As agreed, the HFRA Secretary followed up our proposed amendments to the Draft Streetscape Manual (many of which were being considered or accepted by the Council) with more detailed suggestions. Alex Constantinides, Head of Street Scene, has asked for a meeting with us to discuss these – Dave Morris and Paul McKay to arrange a suitable date.


 * Billboards** A letter from the HFRA on this issue was published in the local press, calling for RAs to lobby the LBH planning dept to ensure that the hundreds of illegally-erected billboards in all areas of Haringey be pulled down. We have since obtained a detailed legal briefing about what can be done – and if there was a concerted effort we could have a real effect. We agreed to arrange a meeting with the relevant planning officer.


 * Street Parties** We agreed to propose that at mid-summer - Sun June 18th 2006 – there be a day of street parties around Haringey. We would give encouragement and advice to groups who’d never organised one before.


 * Historic Street Furniture** We are encouraging all RAs to identify any historic street furniture in their neighbourhood, to ensure protection and maintenance etc. A new list is being compiled and expanded by deborah.hogan@haringey.gov.uk and funds are being sought for necessary works.
 * 4. __Planning and Development__ //Local issues//** There were reports of continuing residents’ campaigns against unpopular and unwanted development applications. This included:

//a. Cranford Way Concrete Factory// 250 residents protested outside the Civic Centre calling for the Planning Application Sub-Cttee to reject this controversial application. They did! The well organised residents campaign [GreenN8 and now also GreenN4&N15] continues, including mobilising and co-ordinating objections at the Public Inquiry/Appeal in December. Over 100 residents turned up on the first day of the Inquiry.

//b. Community pubs – The Fountain (N15) and the Oakdale Arms (N4)// We had backed the local residents’ groups campaigning to save these two much-loved and well-used local pubs facing demolition by housing developers. Our Secretary made detailed representations to the planning department calling for the Fountain application to be rejected on the grounds that this is a valued local community facility. This was accepted, and now provides a precedent for the protection of similar places (including The Oakdale Arms) under threat.

//c. Lordship Lane// Following a concerted campaign by local residents, the developers have submitted a third proposal, reducing the height of the blocks to 7 storeys, but still proposing massive over-development of the site. Noel Park North RA, backed by Avenue Gardens RA and the Federation has been co-ordinating the continued opposition to this – there was a protest outside the Planning Application Sub-Cttee (which was held at the same time as the HFRA meeting). NPNARA successfully persuaded the Cttee to reject the application. The developers intend to appeal (to be probably held at the Civic Centre in May). Mobile Masts We noted that, following many local residents’ campaigns against the siting of new masts, there is currently a review of planning policies being conducted by the Council. ‘the Government had clawed back’ their funding ‘to be diverted to the Olympics’. Suffolk Rd RA immediately contacted the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister about this, and the ODPM is said to have responded that all agreed funding for projects must go ahead, demanding a full report from the Council. The Council then agreed the funding would be restored.
 * 5. __Green Open Spaces__** The Haringey Friends of Parks Forum and ourselves have launched a joint campaign for park-keepers in Haringey. Leaflets and posters have been done for a high-profile ‘launch’ public meeting on January 28th at Wood Green library – we are calling on all RAs to help publicise. The Council has signed up to the national ‘Parkforce’ campaign which is calling for park-keepers, and the Exec Member for the Environment (Cllr Peter Hillman) agreed to speak on the 28th.
 * 6. __Council Housing regeneration__** The HFRA Council Housing officer, Ibi Campbell, reported on a worrying controversy over funding for the Suffolk Rd estate (N15) regeneration works, which have been long agreed and led by the hard work of the Suffolk Rd RA. It had been said by an officer that

This incident raises concerns which RAs may need to be vigilant about – to ensure commitment to agreed projects supported by local communities, and to ensure that the necessary funding to achieve improvements in the borough is not diverted into Olympics works.
 * 7. __Local services__** **//Red Gables//** The long and vigorous campaign by Friends of Red Gables and Haslemere Rd RA to save the much-valued family centre (threatened with closure by the Council) has been successful.

Coleridge School The successful lobbying by residents for a new primary school at the old TUC centre in Crouch End has resulted in the Council proposing, not a new school, but an extension to the existing Coleridge School over the road. There are concerns about the very large size, road safety for pupils, and effect on Ashmount School over the border in Islington.
 * 8. __Rubbish and Waste Management__** Our HFRA Waste Management officer, Stephen Whittle, is chasing up the Council and Thames Water on the measures they had promised us (following our letter to them) that they would be jointly taking to deal with the growing problem of rat-infestation around the borough.
 * 9. __Other Federation Business__** **//a. LBH Relations with RAs and the HFRA//** Once again there seems to be confusion in the minds of some Council officers about how they should consult with, and work with, local RAs and the HFRA. We have written to Lorna Reith, Executive Member for Community Engagement, calling on her to sort it out. When asked about this at an Area Assembly she stated she was very supportive of RAs and the Federation.
 * //b. HFRA Website//** We now at last have a new technical manager for the site. Secretary to liaise.
 * //c. HFRA mailout policy//** Woodlands Park RA had asked us to include a leaflet about an event they supported – a film show by the new Haringey Independent Cinema. The Secretary had asked other officers, and it was agreed to defer a decision until the next meeting. This raised questions of what our policy was for putting material in our mailings. A draft policy was submitted to the meeting by the Secretary (and emailed out on our e-list beforhand), based mainly on current practice. It was amended and agreed by the meeting. The agreed policy will be sent out to all RAs. We agreed to send out the Cinema leaflet too.
 * //d. Future HFRA meetings//** The __January 10th meeting__ would be a special one to discuss how to strengthen and broaden Federation activities.