Minutes+-+Dec+7th+2007

Minutes archive: //[|www.haringeyresidents.org/minutes]// Recent news:  // [|www.haringeyresidents.org/what’s+new] // **// Activities flagged up included: //** campaigns for 20mph and traffic calming zones (Crouch End and West Green/St Ann’s); local planning issues campaigns and meetings (eg Wards Corner community plan, Lawrence Rd developments, opposition to threat to Crouch End Hill open space); xmas parties and events; newsletters circulated; safety alarms for RA members; new RA public noticeboard; bulb planting in green space (Crouch End Hill and Clyde Area); supporting Friends of Parks; loss of meeting space; need for youth facilities and activities; planning enforcement; need for local neighbourhood GP services; developing internal RA email communications; protection of backlands sites; RA did own parking survey; Making A Difference projects (eg improving Quernmore Rd, N4) More info: //__www.haringeyresidents.org/street+scene+-+bits+and+pieces+-+public+toilets__// // Local GP surgeries // There was a great deal of opposition in November (co-ordinated through the Stop Haringey Health Cuts Coalition, to which we are affiliated) to Haringey PCT’s latest controversial proposal to close many local GP surgeries by funding instead 4 polyclinics / super health centres. Objections included the Federation’s Secretary addressing the Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee – the Committee agreed that the proposals were ill-thought out and the consultation had been totally inadequate. As a result the PCT was forced to withdraw the proposal and promise to revise it. Their plans could affect GPs, dentists and chemists and hence all RAs are urged to support their local practices. More info: __ [|www.haringeyresidents.org/Public+services+-+health+services+-+Local+campaigns] __ // b. General services / staff-residents co-operation // The UNISON union rep for the Council’s adult and social services workers had produced a statement objecting to cuts in services being proposed in his department, outlining the effect this would have on vulnerable people throughout Haringey. Sue Hessel, the Federation’s Vulnerable Groups officer, has been attending many meetings and talking to users, parents and staff from various services and day centres. In fact the Council are planning huge cuts and ‘efficiency savings’ across all departments. We discussed this and agreed to approach UNISON to see how staff and residents could share relevant information and work better together to protect the services we need. //Update:// Our Secretary was invited to address a UNISON branch meeting, who agreed to circulate our Community Action bulletins to their reps, and to elect an officer to liaise with us in future. More info: [|www.sustainableharingey.org.uk] There was a related discussion about the closure of the Swan Pub in Tottenham High Rd following breaches of licensing laws.
 * __ Report of HFRA General Meeting – Dec 7th 2007 __**
 * //__ RA Delegates Present __//****// : //** Bob Maltz - **Gladwell, Landrock & Cecile Pk Residents Action Group, N8;** Lauritz Hansen-Bay – **Hampton Ct Owners Assoc, N22;** Wendy Keenan – **Fountain Area RA, N15;** Dave Morris - **Chestnuts Northside RA, N15;** Anne Gray – **West Green RA, N15/22;** Sue Hessel - **Haslemere Rd RA, N8**; Lloyd Davies – **Chesnuts Area RA, N17;** Candy Amsden – **Clyde Area RA, N15** **//__Apologies:__//** Chico Pacheco – **Park Ave South NW, N8;** Kit Grieveson – **Stroud Green RA, N4;** Joyce Rosser – **Warner Estate RA, N8;** Peter Thompson **- Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Assoc, N10/N2,** and **Hillfield Park NW, N10;** Pat Ayinde – **Bruce Grove RN, N17**; Joyce Oyeyi-Effiong – **Suffolk Rd RA, N15;** Matt Bradby – **Tower Gardens Residents Group, N17;** Bernice Sullivan – **Roden Ct TA, N6;** Adam Coffman – **Fairfax Road RA, N8;** Ulla & Ole Lefmann - **Burghley Rd Area RA, N8;** Kate Huddie - **Noel Park North Area RA, N22;**
 * 1. ** **__ Minutes of Nov 13th Meeting __** Agreed
 * 2. __Local Reports__ ** There were the usual interesting local reports from groups present, and some discussions about what was raised.
 * 3. __Planning and Development__ **
 * a. ****// Wards Corner, N15 //** 7 local residents associations and Latin American market traders at Wards Corner have now formed a dynamic Community Coalition to stop the proposed destruction by developers of the historic site by Seven Sisters tube. They have produced their own alternative Community Plan for the site and have submitted their own official planning application. // http://wardscorner.wikispaces.com //
 * // b. Lawrence Road, N15 //** // http://fara.wikispaces.com/-+Lawrence+Rd //
 * // c. Site Visits protocols //** The Council have decided to restrict the rights of local residents to attend site visits (by officers or Planning Cttee members) regarding new planning applications, despite residents being the experts when it comes to local knowledge and issues affecting their communities.
 * 4. __Green spaces__ **
 * // a. Staffing //** The Friends of Parks Forum continue to press for better staffing in parks, and are calling for the Parks Dept money spent on the parks constabulary to be redirected into more effective on-site staffing. Met Police or Safer Neighbourhood Teams can respond to any incidents. // [|www.haringeyresidents.org/green+spaces+-+The+Friends+of+Parks+Forum] //
 * // b. Open Space Standards //** Following pressure over the last 4 years from the Federation and the Haringey Friends of Parks Forum the Council have finally produced a draft ‘Open Space and Recreational Standards’ consultation document. The idea is to set standards for the amount and quality of open spaces, allotments, nature reserves, sports playing fields, children’s play areas and swimming pools. This will guide all future development in the borough and force developers to contribute space and funding for such amenities. This is good news. The Federation and the Haringey Friends of Parks Forum are preparing a joint response to the fact that the Council seems to have watered down some of the nationally-accepted minimum standards.
 * 5. __Street Scene__ **
 * // a. Safer streets //** Haringey Living Streets campaigners, backed by the HFRA, have been calling for safer 'Green Man' crossings at all major traffic junctions. A planned protest pressing for new crossing in Endymion Rd, N4 was turned into an on-site celebration in December when the long campaigned-for crossing was finally installed! More info: __[|www.haringeyresidents.org/street+scene+-+traffic+calming]__
 * // b. Public Toilets //** The Federation and Haringey Forum for Older People are calling for a new scheme which will ensure public access to existing toilets in scores of cafes, pubs and public buildings around Haringey. Such a scheme has been successful in other boroughs, but Haringey Council have so far refused to consider it. Our Secretary will raise this at the coming Better Places Partnership board meeting. //Update:// Success! The Council has now agreed to seriously consider this for Haringey.
 * 6. __Public services__ **
 * // a. //**** //Health Services// ** //Foot care for the elderly// Lauritz Hansen-Bay, of Hamden Ct Homeowners, reported that the Haringey Forum for Older People wished to take up the issue of the lack of foot care services for the elderly. Half of all those attending their last AGM said they needed chiropody support, which was often expensive or currently unavailable on the NHS due to cut-backs. Many of the 22,000 residents over 65 in the borough might have serious mobility difficulties as a result. Lauritz and others were drafting up proposals for Haringey Primary Care Trust. We agreed to support the efforts of Haringey Forum for Older People on this.
 * 7. __Sustainability issues__ ** The Council was currently consulting over its proposed ‘Greenest Borough Strategy’, outlining plans and timescales for improving waste collection, green spaces, street scene, energy reduction etc across the Council and the borough as a whole. The Sustainable Haringey network, which we are affiliated to, will be responding in detail in order to strengthen the proposed policies (eg around climate change issues) and insist on specific actions and targets.
 * __ 8. Licensing Laws __** We noted that there is an official review of how the new licensing laws, brought in a couple of years ago, are working. At the time the Federation, through the efforts of Peter Thompson of Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association, expressed some concerns. To be discussed next meeting.
 * 9. __Federation Business__ **
 * // a. Our __Community Action__ bulletin //** Our Secretary had produced number 7 of our news bulletin - a succinct 2-sided A4 version. It will also be emailed out to all RAs and added to our website (minus the graphics): // [|www.haringeyresidents.org/Federation+-+other+info+-+Community+Action+07-08] //
 * // b. Haringey Independence Day //** At our last meeting we had agreed to take up the invitation of organising a stall and a discussion meeting at this event on April 26th bringing together Haringey’s independent community groups and campaigning groups – including Haringey Independent Cinema. We agreed to show our ‘Community Action’ documentary followed by a discussion.
 * // c. Finances //** Simon Fedida, our treasurer since the HFRA was founded in 2002, has given notice of his intention not to stand for the post at this year’s AGM. He has done a fantastic job, but we now urgently need someone else to volunteer to step forward. If you may be interested please contact the secretary initially to discuss what the post might entail.
 * // d. Next meeting //** We agreed to miss out the January meeting, the next one being on February 12th.