Minutes

Cllr Weber welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Area Assembly, in particular the opportunity of hosting the meeting in Stroud Green, at a venue run by MIND, a leading mental health charity operating services in Haringey including counselling and day centre.

Swine flu

The Chair referred attendees’ attention to a briefing circulated on swine flu, providing the most up to date information and guidance. Attendees were encouraged as community leaders to pass information on, for example by displaying information on community noticeboards. In addition, confirmation was provided that contingency plans had been developed by the Council to ensure continued provision of essential services should staff absences due to swine flu become significant.

Leadership consultation

The Assembly were advised of a consultation underway in relation to changes to the Council leadership model, in light of new legislation requiring local authorities to adopt either a directly elected mayor or an indirectly elected leader model of governance from 2010. The consultation would be carried out in two stages, with the second stage running from 27 July – 30 September 2009. Attendees were encouraged to submit views to feed into the consultation process.

Transport

The Assembly were also advised that following the last meeting on transport issues, a full report had been produced by Neighbourhood Management incorporating issues raised at the meeting to feed into Haringey’s Transport Liaison Group.

Conservation Area Advisory Committees (CAAB)

The meeting received a brief presentation from the Chair of the Hornsey Conservation Area Advisory Committee (CAAB) providing information on the role of Committees in assisting the Council in the formulation of policies and guidance and providing advice on planning issues for conservation areas. Committees aim to put forward the views of local community, and preserve and enhance conservation areas through commenting on planning applications, especially in relation to design and heritage matters. The Hornsey CAAC, which covers all of the area with the exception of Stroud Green, meets on a monthly basis at the Hornsey Historical Society, with the next meeting on 20 July with new members welcome. In response to a query regarding the lack of a CAAC for the Stroud Green area, confirmation was provided that Stroud Green Residents’ Association would be working towards arranging a Committee.

The Assembly received a presentation from a council Conservation Officer seeking comments as part of the consultation process on a character appraisal for the Crouch End conservation area. The borough has a total of 29 conservation areas, classified due to their special architectural and historic interest. Character appraisals were being undertaken for each area as part of a rolling programme, defining the features of interest, character and public realm in the area with the aim of guiding decision-making on planning applications. Consultation on appraisals aimed to allow local people to comment on factual information and consideration of boundary changes, which would be shown on maps published on the Council website.

As part of the development of the Hornsey appraisal, the local listed buildings of merit list would be updated and extended to offer greater protection against demolition. In response to concerns raised regarding the length of the consultation period and lack of involvement from local Residents’ Associations, there was agreement that the deadline be extended to the end of September 2009. Comments should be forwarded via email or post to the Conservation Officer, especially in relation to boundary changes and inaccuracies.

Comments were also expressed regarding a general lack of awareness of conservation areas in the borough and it was suggested that a reminder be placed in Haringey People. 

There was a discussion about proposals to develop ‘back lands’, the established planning use for this type of land, and any potential implications arising when such land is included within a  designated conservation Area.  It was agreed that the Area Assembly Liaison Officer would convene a separate meeting to discuss this in more depth. 

An update on the improvement project in Parkland Walk was provided by officers from Recreation Services and Mayer Brown, the project management company. The project had been planned in two initial construction phases to end in 2008/09, with a focus on improving accessibility through works including path resurfacing, building of drainage trenches and new or improved steps to improve access at a number of entrances. New facilities including litter and dog bins. The last phase of the project, shortly to commence would involve putting up signage, orientation boards and any remedial work needed.

A management plan was being drawn up by an ecologist, with the aim of potentially seeking Green Flag status for the Walk in the future.

The Chair extended praise for the project, including the improved wheelchair access via entrances at Oxford Road and Blythewood Road. 

Concerns were raised regarding the narrowing of the path in certain areas and the problems caused by stinging nettles. Confirmation was provided that although it was recognised that the varying width of the path was part of the character of the Walk, the Parks department would be cutting back the vegetation on a regular basis as part of the management of the area.

In response to concerns regarding the Florence Road entrance to the Walk, officers agreed to contact the Highways department to find out who was responsible for the pathway from the end of the steps to the road.

With regards to managing crime on the Walk, the area surrounding the Oxford Road entrance had been cleared to allow better access for CCTV and to discourage drug taking activity. Drug taking was a priority for the Safer Neighbourhood team, with regular cycle and foot patrols to monitor the situation due to past incidents.

The meeting was advised that priorities for ward teams were decided on a twice yearly basis, with monthly progress updates provided via newsletters. Residents were also encouraged to contact teams with any priorities they think should be covered in areas. 

The main priorities identified were Crouch End, Stroud Green and Hornsey were around burglary, robbery and youth anti-social behaviour and drug use on the Parkland Walk.

The meeting was updated on the street lighting improvement programme underway in the borough, to bring provision up to the British Standard and standardise lighting provision across Haringey in line with the streetscape manual.

Areas to be upgraded in 2009/10 included Tottenham Lane N8, Church Lane N8 and Priory Gardens, where match funding from English Heritage would allow refurbishment of cast iron columns. In response to a question from Stroud Green Residents’ Association in relation to the refurbishment of victorian lampposts in the area, the meeting was advised that the columns were variously affected by corrosion causing a risk of collapse due to their previous conversion from gas lamps. Additionally, electricity companies now require cut off switches to columns, with the result that some units could be salvaged and refurbished but that those not meeting the new requirements would need to be replaced.

The Assembly was also advised of ongoing carriageway and footway maintenance schemes in the area including resurfacing of Denton Road N8 carriageway and footway reconstruction to Tregaron Avenue, Hawthorn Road and Beechwood Road N8. In response to a query it was confirmed that work to kerbsides and channels were included during footpath maintenance works.

Residents were invited to question the panel and Cabinet Member for Environment and Conservation on issues raised during the meeting and received the following responses:

Road safety: in response to concerns regarding the impact of road condition and speed humps on cycle safety, confirmation was provided that a campaign to introduce a separate cycle path to the spine road was underway. Road maintenance was undertaken on a regular basis across the borough, although delays had been experienced in some areas due to utility. 

In response to a query regarding the potential classification of the borough as a 20 mile an hour zone, the meeting was advised that this had not been identified as a priority for the Police as enforcers, although discussions were underway regarding the potential of using council funds to obtain speed guns, and with the Police then providing training to enforcement teams. Should enforcement action be sufficient to ensure the reduced speed level was observed, consideration would then to given to moving towards using speed cushions instead of humps.

Equalities Questions included within Consultation Questionnaires:

Cllr Haley clarified that the equalities questions included within the council’s consultation questionnaires were set on the basis of consistency.  He also clarified their purpose, which was to enable the Council to monitor the reach of its consultation to minority communities, and identify where special efforts need to be taken to gain responses from hard to reach communities.

Leadership model consultation: in response to concerns regarding the perceived lack of publicity around the consultation, confirmation was provided that efforts to engage with the community for the second stage of the process would be repeated including press releases, information on website and Haringey People, posters etc.

The Neighbourhood Manager advised the Assembly of proposed local projects to be undertaken in 2009/10, including a welfare benefits and advice programme at Campsbourne estate, an employment fair for Hornsey and Stroud Green, a Hornsey recycled sculpture education project, development of the Chettle Court Children’s Centre and a youth gym at Muswell Hill Youth Centre. Match funding would need to be found to allow a number of potential projects to be go forward.

Cyclists on Parkland Walk - Jackie Goodwin

Jackie addressed the meeting on concerns about the behaviour of some cyclists on Parkland Walk, especially in relation to the danger posed to pedestrians from cyclists riding at high speed.

It was confirmed that the Parkland Walk Steering Committee would encourage good behaviour of cyclists in addition to patrols by local policing teams, with enforcement by fines if necessary.  

Consultation on Leadership model – Adrian Essex.

Adrian raised concerns about the management of the consultation process for the new leadership model for the Council, including the quality of the publicity campaign in Haringey People and the number of irrelevant supplementary equalities questions associated with the consultation page on the website. In addition, the phrasing and lack of explanation regarding the purpose of the consultation were criticised and in general that efforts to actively engage community in the consultation had not been sufficient.

Residents were asked to advise the Neighbourhood Management team of any requests for agenda items for future meetings.

The meeting was also advised that Bob Goldsmith, Neighbourhood Manager, Crouch End, Hornsey and Stroud Green would be taking a sabbatical from August 2009 until June 2010. An interim manager would be appointed shortly.