Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair of the Assembly, Councillor Gina Adamou, welcomed everyone to the meeting.  Councillor Adamou advised the meeting that forms were available for asking questions of Cabinet Members and for raising any issues under the Soap Box agenda item.

The Chair had the following announcements –

The meeting would be aware of the problem with regard to the incorrect insert in the latest edition of Haringey People circulated in the Harringay and St. Ann’s wards.  Wayne Longshaw, Interim Assistant Chief Executive apologised for the error which had been caused by the Council’s contractor which dealt with the circulation of the magazine.  The correct information was available on the Council’s website and on Haringey on-line.

At the Community Safety Awards held at Alexandra Palace on 11 February Ian Sygrave was the winner of the Haringey Community Safety Citizen of the Year 2010.  The Most Outstanding Contribution from a member of front-line staff across the Safer Communities Partnership was Pauline Syddell. The Best Community Safety initiative by a local Business was awarded to  the Green Lanes Strategy Group/Green Lanes Traders Association.

The Chair was also pleased to announce that the Area Assembly’s very own Neighbourhood Management Team had won an extra mile award and a nationally recognised “WOW” award for its work in supporting the Green Lanes Food Festival.

The Chair also reported that apart from the local press being present the Council’s communications team were also present with their photographer who will be taking pictures during the meeting.

The Area Assembly received a DVD presentation on the Green Lanes Food Festival held in September last year.  The Festival had attracted over 10,000 on the day and had been highlighted and promoted by Time-Out magazine. Due to this success it was proposed to hold a festival every two years.  The first meeting of the Festival sub-group which would plan and organise the event scheduled for September 2011 would be held next month.   

No officers attended to present this item.

The Area Assembly received a presentation from Marsha Matthews, Children’s and Young People Project Co-ordinator at the Pyramid Health and Social Care Association (PHASCA).

PHASCA was this year celebrating its tenth year anniversary.  The Summer Scheme held from 3-27 August last year was funded by the Area Assembly’s making a difference budget and had provided the following for children and young people from the ages of 8 - 18 to enhance skills and knowledge and to raise self-esteem and confidence –

-          Homework club

-          Guitar classes (25 young people involved)

-          Drama and dance sessions (280 young people attended overall)

-          Tennis coaching (17 children attended)

-          Film evenings

-          Road safety awareness projects

-          Youth forum (for ages 13-18)

-          End of Scheme community event

Lena Hartley, the Chair of PHASCA was also present and thanked the local community for their support.  She was pleased to advise that her organisation was now celebrating its tenth year and in addition to making the difference had also received funding from Help a London Child and the BBC’s Children in Need.  If any local people could spare up to an hour on a Thursday or Friday evening to support the work of the Association they would be very welcome. 

The Chair thanked Marsha and Lena for all their excellent work and for coming along to the meeting.

Sgt. Jono Clay Michael (Harringay) attended the meeting to provide an update on the work of the Safer Neighbourhood teams.   He gave apologies on behalf of Sgt. Tim Hannah (St. Ann’s) who was unable to be present due to work commitments elsewhere. 

Sgt. Michael was pleased to advise that significant progress was being made in dealing with the local priorities of prostitution and vice.  Whilst still an issue in the Green Lanes area, incidences were much reduced.  He sought the local community’s co-operation to provide witness statements regarding a particular and well-known prostitute who was a problem in the area.  Burglary, another significant issue had, over the last two years, been reduced from 40 to now less than 7 cases.

Self defence classes for women from 6.30 p.m – 7.30 p.m. were being made available  in March and April at the United Reform Church in Allison Road, N8.

Residents from St Ann’s ward requested that consideration be given to providing these classes in their area.  Sgt. Michael confirmed he would raise this with Sgt. Hannah but, it should be understood that funding for this was limited.

The meeting was provided with the opportunity to question the Councillor Nilgun Canver, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Safer Communities.

Residents and traders raised concerns regarding the gritting and clearing of roads and pavements during the recent icy weather, the development of the Council’s Winter Plan, illegal conversion of properties into homes of multiple occupation (HMOs), and the proliferation of Betting shops in Green Lanes.  

Councillor Canver recognised the concern of residents regarding the safety and mobility of residents, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, caused by the recent heavy snow and freezing temperatures.  The Council had endeavoured to keep principal, or priority 1, routes free of snow and ice but staffing and financial were not unlimited and priorities had to be made.  The Council was reviewing its winter planning priorities which included consideration of returning to the use of road-side grit boxes.  Unfortunately, these in the past had been subject to theft and vandalism.  It was also to be noted that severe weather conditions were experienced infrequently so the Council had to ensure that its limited resources were used effectively and efficiently.  Some residents considered the Council could have done more whilst others felt this was not a good use of resources and that residents had a responsibility themselves to assist the local authority in keeping pavements in particular clear of snow and ice, as was the case in other countries.

Councillor Canver acknowledged and shared the meeting’s concern at the low fine of £1,000 on a landlord who had illegally converted a house in Burgoyne Road, N4 into eleven flats.  She had now written to Baroness Scotland, the Attorney General, to ensure courts were provided with more stringent sentencing guidelines, that the definition of “fair costs” was clarified, and that costs of dealing with such cases were awarded to the Council and were received without delay.  Councillor Canver also confirmed that the issue was being raised with the LGA as this was a London-wide problem.

The disappointing decisions by the Licensing Committee concerning recent applications for two betting shops in Green Lanes had been raised with David Lammy and the relevant minister.  The government has indicated they will review the powers given to Licensing Committees.  This issue had arisen because previous applications refused by the Committee had been overturned on appeal and the Committee now had concerns that it had insufficient evidence to reject these latest applications, even if they created ‘clusters’ of gambling establishments in a local area.

In reply to questions, Councillor Canver indicated she would investigate the issues relating to the installation of a barrier outside South Grove Infants School. 

Councillor Nilgun Canver provided a progress report on the 18 month pilot project in Harringay and St Ann’s wards to investigate the issues relating houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) which had a relatively high concentration in the local area.  

The Metropolitan and British Transport Police services along with Council Tax, Private Sector Housing and Safer Neighbourhood teams had been undertaking information gathering and enforcement work on rogue landlords and criminality related to HMOs.  Raids on problem properties had dealt with pickpockets on bus routes and prostitution.

Work was also being undertaken to draft a Corporate Strategy to provide an effective policy for Council and agencies in dealing with HMOs, particularly in relation with certificates of lawfulness and the gathering of robust evidence.  The next meeting of the HMO would be held on 4 March.   

Hugh Flouch, a member of the Charter Sub Group, advised that three quarters of the consultation exercise regarding the local strategy and vision had been completed.  The Council was to be congratulated on taking significant efforts to take account of residents’ views.  Hugh was also pleased to announce that the Green Lanes Festival notice board had now been erected.   

Residents raised and discussed the following –

Area Assembly Meetings

·         Residents should have more input on the formulation of the Area Assembly agenda.

·         Communication of information to residents prior to meetings a problem.

·         Residents encouraged to contribute but officers do not always respond.

·         Structured process should be developed for the role of Councillors and residents are Assembly meetings.

·         Agendas should be more balanced – some residents felt that the emphasis was on Harringay rather than on both wards.

·         Too many presentations.

·         Councillors and politics tend to dominate at the expense of residents – politicians have many other forums for their political debates.

·         Assembly meetings should be held on different days and times rather than Tuesday or Thursday evenings.

Future Agenda Items

·         Proliferation of betting shops and gambling establishments.

·         Provision of green spaces. 

·         Noise nuisance and the work of the Noise Nuisance team.