minutes+11th+January+2005


 * __Report of HFRA General Meeting – January 11th 2005__**


 * //__RA Delegates Present__://** Ibilola Campbell – **Tiverton Tewkesbury RA, N15;** Peter Hall - **Sandlings RA, N22;** Laurie Owen - **Parkside Malvern RA, N8;** Grahame Pearce - **Heron Wharf RA, N17;** Pat Ayinde - **Bruce Grove Residents Network, N17;** Dave Morris - **Chestnuts Northside RA, N15;** Jane Laporte - **Woodlands Park RA, N15;** Joyce Rosser - **Warner Estate RA, N8;** Vivienne Cuming and Simon Fedida - **Avenue Gardens RA, N22;** Peter Dalby - **Chitts Hill RA, N22;** John Waller – **Bounds Green & District RA, N11;** **//__Apologies:__//** Sheik Thompson – **Chesnuts Area RA, N17;** Joyce Oyeyi Effiong – **Suffolk Rd RA, N15;** Alex Irvine - **Bowes Park Community Assoc., N13;** Marian Janes – **CASCH, N8;** Bob Maltz - **Gladwell, Landrock & Cecile Pk Residents Action Group, N8;** Stephen Whittle - **West Green RA, N15;** Robert Gainsborough - **St George’s Lodge RA, N10;** Peter Thompson - **Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Assoc, N2;** Ule & Olle Lefmann - **Burleigh Rd Area RA, N8**


 * __1. Minutes of last meeting__** The minutes for the 14th December General Meeting were agreed.

There were reports from all groups present (and some in writing) about some of their most recent activities and concerns. The attached summary combines the reports from the last 2 meetings. As usual, some of the issues raised led to general discussion.
 * __2. Local reports from RAs present__**

There were reports from some recent traffic calming schemes in which groups present were involved. This was followed by a discussion about consultation, and the effectiveness of various schemes. Regarding making our streets attractive for walking and local community use, the Council had affiliated to the ‘Living Streets’ organisation and is able to do Living Streets ‘street audits’ on the quality, safety and attractiveness of local streets. //__Update:__// The HFRA gave evidence about traffic calming measures, schemes and policies to the Council’s Transport Scrutiny Review on January 17th – report back at the next Federation meeting…
 * __3. Traffic calming and street scene__**


 * __4. Planning and Development__**

The UDP Public Inquiry starts on 12th April 2005. About 25 residents from various groups (including residents associations) attended the official Pre-Inquiry Meeting on 10th Jan at the Civic Centre. The Federation had encouraged objectors to meet up beforehand in the foyer to discuss co-ordination. This helped. The HFRA Secretary had prepared a written presentation and list of questions. He and a number of others put over a range of residents’ concerns to the Inspector at the meeting – mainly about the extremely complicated procedures up to and during the Inquiry, and the documentation required etc. We managed to extract guarantees from the Inspector and the Council that all enquiries to them would be dealt with promptly and helpfully.
 * a.** **LBH Unitary Development Plan**

There were also concerns expressed that the key policies were already set, and handed down from a London and national level, and that some areas of policy not included in the UDP draft were being unnecessarily excluded. However, the overall impression from the meeting was that residents’ groups would do their determined best to stand up for policies which would protect community interests and the environment. Whatever happens at the Inquiry, we are forging links and making alliances which will strengthen our ability do just that.

The HFRA is trying to keep objectors informed through e-list briefings, and also encouraging the pooling of efforts, mobilisation and publicity. Contact info@haringeyresidents.org for more details. We agreed to look into turning our Planning & Development contacts list into a conduit for collective e-communication and sharing of relevant documents etc.

There were reports back from 3 or 4 delegates present about the Council’s ‘Green Open Spaces Scrutiny Review’ of the management and future of the borough’s green spaces (including on roadsides and housing estates etc). In December the HFRA had strongly complained that the remit didn’t include the most fundamental issue - evaluating the policies for effective protection and expansion of green open spaces! This was finally accepted at the session on January 10th. Our statement to the Review panel, included a number of points and proposals, and was well received. Regarding the continuing threats to our green spaces by educational institutions seeking to expand - despite community protests - we agreed that this is unacceptable, and agreed to call on the Council to demand government funding to buy ‘brownfield’ sites for this when needed.
 * b.** **Parks and Green Open Spaces**

The next Review hearing is an important one for residents and park users to put their views – on Tues 25th Jan at the Broadwater Farm Community Centre. //__Update__// – over 20 residents from local residents associations and Friends of Parks groups attended a very lively and constructive session. There’ll be a report back at next HFRA meeting.

Ibi reported back, as a member of the Council’s Options Appraisal group, that there would be a ballot of all tenants and leaseholders about the proposal for an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO). The Council were looking into the wording and timing of this.
 * 5.** **__Council Housing__**

There will be a special one-off event for RAs in the Tottenham area to discuss common issues and how to better work together. It will be on March 19th at Tottenham Green Leisure Centre. HFRA agreed to allocate £100 to the organising group to pay for the venue and flyers etc. The first organising meeting was attended by members of 5 local RAs, with members of 6 other RAs sending apologies. The next meeting will be on Thursday 10th Feb, 7.30pm at 42 Falmer Rd, N15. (See enclosed flyer).
 * 6. __Tottenham Area Residents Associations Networking Day__**


 * 7. __Federation Business__**


 * //a.//** **//Community Action//** **//bulletin//** We are asking for news stories of local RAs’ activities for the next edition of our //__Community Action__// newspaper. Next Federation meeting is the deadline. Please email or send any of your news items, newsletters or press cuttings to our contact address. Please also let us know how many copies of the next edition your group could distribute (eg to all members, to all households in your area or to local meeting places and Drs’ surgeries etc). Its free, or a donation. We’ll print however many are needed – so please tell us!


 * //b. Key events during 2005//** We discussed the main HFRA events in 2005 (see below), and our financial resources. To be firmed up at the next meeting.

//April/May// - UDP Public Inquiry //May/June?// - HFRA AGM/residents conference //Summer// - HFRA fun/fundraising event [cycleride + picnic in a park?] //Autumn// - HFRA ‘Keep It Local’ residents’ conference on local services and facilities for local communities.

8. Any Other Business

 * //a. Advertiser newspaper strike//** We had been contacted by the journalists from the Advertiser (free local paper) who were in dispute with management – including a one-day strike - over plans to cut staff and relocate to West London (!). They felt this would seriously compromise the quality of the paper and its ability to report real local news. We agreed to send our support to them.


 * //b. Bruce Castle Park Event / Dog Show//** A member of Robert Burns RA in N17 was helping organise a public event on Sunday March 20th in Bruce Castle Park. It will include a dog show, things for kids of all ages, stalls, display about Lea Valley etc. HFRA will do a stall there.