Agenda and draft minutes

In respect of the following items Members of the Public attending are encouraged to ask questions and raise any concerns

i.              Muswell Hill Police Contact Point – 6.30 pm – 7.00pm

Update from Inspector Casey - Neighbourhood Policing - Haringey West

ii.            Odeon Muswell Hill Development  (attached) – 7.00pm – 7.45pm

Update on Public Realm and development from Danny Gayle, Engineering Projects Manager (Sustainable Transport) LB Haringey

iii.           Primary School Places (attached) – 7.45pm – 8.30pm

Updating on St James Primary expansion and other plans relevant to the area including the Cranwood and St James sites from Jennifer Duxbury , Head of Admissions and School Organisation , LB Haringey.

There will be a 5 minute interval after the Area Forum business has concluded before the Area Committee commences

There were no apologies for absence.

NOTED

A member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered:

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting room.

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Register of Members’ Interests or the subject of a pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interests are defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of Conduct

There were no declarations of interests.

NOTED

There were no questions, deputations or petitions.

NOTED

RESOLVED

That the Minutes of the meeting of the Muswell Hill, Alexandra, Fortis Green and Highgate Area Committee held on 12 March 2014 be agreed as an accurate record of the proceedings.

Matters Arising

Parking Cross-overs

The Chair reported that he was still awaiting a response in respect of the number of cross-over applications refused, and figures for enforcement action over cross-over infringement in each of the 4 Wards of the Area Forum in the past 3 years.

RESOLVED

That officers be requested to provide a responsein respect of the number of cross-over applications refused, and figures for enforcement action over cross-over infringement in each of the 4 Wards of the Area Forum in the past 3 years.

(i)            Odeon Parade and Piazza Development

The Committee discussed the feedback from the Forum on the Odeon Parade and Piazza Development.

The main points raised during the Forum discussion had been:

·        Broad support for the development of the Odeon Parade and Piazza Development

·        Some concerns in relation to parking at the new development

·        Some form of town centre management being identified

·        The specific points as raised in the formal resolution below.

The Committee then briefly discussed and summarised its comments and on a MOTION by the Chair it was:

RESOLVED

That following consideration of the Odeon Parade and Piazza Development, the Muswell Hill, Fortis Green, Alexandra and Highgate Area Committee expressed their support for the pedestrian Piazza area and for the Muswell Hill shopping area, and felt that some form of town centre management could be appropriate and request the Cabinet Member for Planning/Cabinet to consider:

i.              Removal of the black Arqiva phone box on Fortis Green Road to the north of the development which obstructs the view when turning in or out of the Odeon car park and also makes it difficult for pedestrians to use the footway, particularly those with mobility difficulties;

ii.            Provision of electric points (during construction of the Piazza paving) to enable lights to be installed in trees in front of the Odeon Parade development;

iii.           Clarification of any proposed town centre management for Muswell Hill including for the public space area around the Odeon development and the need to identify which officer will be responsible, for both this and other Town Centre developments.

(ii)          Proposed  Police location at the Odeon Cinema

The Committee noted the positive views expressed during the Forum as regards to the proposed Police Contact Point at the Odeon Cinema which would be staffed jointly by police and volunteers on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 7-8pm and on Saturday between 2-3pm.

The particular comments expressed were summarised as:

·        The effectiveness of being open only three hours per week and the particular times of the operation, and the responses of Inspector Casey that the arrangement would be reviewed after initial operation to assess effectiveness and whether there was a need to increase frequency

·        That the times chosen had not been random and that the time chosen had been assessed through previous public attendance that this was the optimum time

A brief discussions by the Committee ensued where the following views were expressed:

·        The need to ensure that there was effective publicity for the Contact Point, and the encouragement of volunteers to assist

·        Further details of how the Contact Point including the ‘private room’ for people to speak in confidence would operate

It was then:

RESOLVED

That a letter be sent by the Chair on behalf of the Committee to Inspector Casey once confirmation had been received of the proposed presence at Muswell Hill Odeon by the Met Police and to ascertain issues of management of the location particularly:

·        Proposed structure of covering the presence by Police officers and volunteers

·        The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The Chair advised the meeting that the Area Plan was an ‘issues record’ which in the main highlighted highways/parking/planning issues. The Chair advised that it was a ‘work in progress’ which could be added to and updated throughout the course of the year.

NOTED

(i)            Rubbish Bin Collection issues affecting two areas

Councillors from both Highgate and Fortis Green Wards raised issues pertaining the current bin/refuse collection in Milton Avenue, Milton Road, part of Milton Park and the north side of Northwood Road in Highgate where there are a number of homes in multiple occupation, and the issue of large numbers of bins having to be housed on the pavement, with evident overflowing of bins, and subsequent intolerable smells/stench/pest issues to all occupants,  particularly those with basement windows looking out on a line of bins.

Similar concerns were expressed in relation to Queens Avenue in Fortis Green where there are various issues with rubbish due to the large number of homes in multiple occupation.

Following a brief discussion by the Committee the Chair MOVED and it was:

RESOLVED

That in respect of the extreme concerns expressed by the Committee regarding current bin/refuse collection in Milton Avenue, Milton Road, part of Milton Park and the north side of Northwood Road in Highgate where there are a number of homes in multiple occupation, and the issue of large numbers of bins having to be housed on the pavement, with evident overflowing of bins, and subsequent intolerable smells/stench/pest issues to all occupants of the said homes, particularly those with basement windows looking out on a line of bins, and also in Queens Avenue in Fortis Green where there are various issues with rubbish due to the large number of homes in multiple occupation, the Cabinet Member for Environment/Cabinet be asked to consider:

i.    Review the current household waste collection for Milton Avenue, Milton Road, a small part of Milton Park, and the north side of Northwood Road, and agree to an exception to the two week collection and variation to the contract to allow a one week collection;

ii.   Review the current household waste collection for Queens Avenue and agree to an exception to the two week collection and variation to the contract to allow a one week collection;  and

iii. To meet with the Chair of the Committee and relevant Ward Members at the locations in Highgate and Fortis Green to review these issues.