Agenda and minutes

The Chair of the Area Assembly, Councillor Santry, welcomed everyone to the meeting and provided an outline of the issues to be presented and discussed during the evening.

Presentation and DVD followed by questions from the floor

Police Constable Bobette Ta-min provided an explanation of the ‘Kid Cop Academy’ project which provided young people with an understanding of the reasons for, the operation of, and the agencies involved in Police Stop and Search activity and procedures.  The project was a valuable school based learning exercise to address young peoples’ lack of knowledge regarding stop and search activity and an attempt to reduce hostility to the police.  The project had been undertaken at Northumberland Park Community School where PC Ta-min was the school’s Police Support Officer.

The meeting was shown a DVD (the ‘right way’ and the ‘wrong way’ for stop and search by police) and provided with a presentation.  This explained the classroom based learning and role playing undertaken by 200 children in year 9 (13-14 year olds) over a three day period at the school.  These focussed on stop and search issues relating to possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and involved -

·        role playing by young people as police officers; offenders; witnesses; prosecuting and defending lawyers and magistrates – each role group had a police officer to support them (Hendon Police college trainees)

·        undertaking the actual processes dealt with by professionals – questioning, arresting, remanded into custody, court appearances, sentencing 

·        visiting Tottenham Police station and Magistrates Court

·        question and answer sessions

The feedback was extremely positive and constructive in informing young peoples’ views of the role and work of the police and the stop and search process.   It was agreed that the project be offered to other schools and that a ‘Kids Cop’ handbook be produced.  Joanna McCartney, GLA member for Enfield and Haringey, had shown interest in extending this to other London boroughs.

Two students from Northumberland Park School, involved in the project, then answered questions from the floor.

Help and advice for local residents, followed by questions from the floor

FolaOluwole, Welfare Benefit and Debt Management Specialist of the Citizens’ Advice Bureau, provided the Area Assembly with a presentation regarding the Reaping the Benefits Project.  This project, jointly established in February 2007 by Haringey Council’s Neighbourhood Management Service and the Haringey Citizens’ Advice Bureau, seeks to maximise income and provide debt counselling outreach work to hard to reach groups in the three most deprived wars in Haringey, Bruce Grove, Noel Park and Northumberland Park.

The Assembly noted the objectives outlined by Fola for the second year of the project included –

·        To provide advice and advocacy for 400 new clients to increase benefit take up, maximise their income, minimise impact of unmanageable debt

·        To promote the project through a minimum of three events

·        To advise and assist clients into work

·        To provide sessions on a weekly basis at various venues within the target areas and test ways of delivering advice services to maximise uptake of benefits for target groups

·        To promote service to single people who were identified as a target group during the first year.

·        To ensure the service meets the needs of new and hard to reach communities

It was also noted that older people, particularly, do not claim all the benefits that they are entitled to. To access the service residents were encouraged to take the leaflets available at the meeting and phone the Bureau to arrange an appointment.

The meeting was reminded that each Area Assembly areas had £50k to fund local projects that would make a difference to or improve the local neighbourhood.  Northumberland Park and White Hart Lane had received 124 proposals of which 36 had been selected to be delivered for this year, with 6 projects being held in reserve. 

Concern was expressed that some of the approved projects would not receive the full funding bid for, and in consequence be unsuccessful.  The Chair reiterated that all submissions had been costed carefully to ensure a proper degree of equity in order that as many as possible could be realised.  Therefore, an acceptance was required by successful applicants that they should consider reducing the scope of their projects to take account of any reduction of the expected funding.           

Northumberland Park Safer Neighbourhoods Team spoke about their current three priorities in the ward, which were:

·        Anti-social behaviour in Northumberland Grove – this was still an on-going issue linked with similar problems in Park Lane.  The Police were undertaking additional patrols to address these 

·        Drug dealing and anti-social behaviour in Ruskin Road

·        Anti-social behaviour in Rothbury Walk Estate

The team were pleased to advise that vehicle crime in Pretoria Road had, due to dedicated action by the police, reduced by 33%.  However, rough sleepers accessing the Network Rail arches near White Hart Lane station were causing problems to Love Lane residents with regards to noise, public health issues. fire safety and vermin.  Network rail had been contacted to ensure the arches were secured from trespassers and Councillor Bevan had been in communication with David Lammy MP to assist in ensuring a speedy solution.     

The meeting was also advised that Sergeant Warren had commenced duty with the team on 22 July.  He would be attending the next Area Assembly in October to meet with residents. 

White Hart Lane’s Team confirmed that their current four priorities in the ward, remained the same -

·        Youth anti-social behaviour

·        Traffic speeding and road safety

·        Motor vehicle crime on the Tower Gardens Estate

·        Rubbish and fly-tipping in Somerset Gardens and surrounding area

The Police were providing high visibility patrols  to combat these issues and had achieved some success.  There was, however, a problem developing in Bruce Castle Park with youths and dog fights (Northumberland Park School pupils appeared to be involved).   One dog had been attacked and killed by a vicious dog not controlled by its young owner who had already been warned twice.  Police were investigating a Link-up with a youth club from South London who had been successful in diverting youths away from this type of anti-social behaviour. 

Information Stall: Waste Management Procurement

Presentation followed by questions from the floor

The Families into Work project provided support to all family members of unemployed people focussing on residents of the N17 ‘0’ and N17 ‘8’ postcodes in conjunction with the Employment Action Network.  Evidence showed that a significant number of school leavers from Northumberland Park Community School were, after twelve months, still not in work or training.  It was important to note that whilst Job Centre Plus provided employment advice and support to individuals, this project focussed support on all members of the family by means of a ‘Family Action Plan’.

The support, lasting up to two years, consisted of –

                     Interviews

                     CVs

                     Job Search

                     Career advice

                     Guaranteed interviews

                     Training needs

The team comprising of Sharon, Tracey and Naomi were available in the community at Job Centre Plus, local schools and from September at Doctors’ surgeries.  59 families were currently being assisted and nine individuals had been placed into paid employment, with 18 training course being provided.  6 individuals had also accessed help and support via the Haringey Guarantee route.

Skills training, employment advice and work placements, followed by questions from the floor

George Tsintas, manager of Haringey’s Employment Action Network, explained the aims and objectives of the Network and Guarantee.  These provided a new approach to worklessness, providing clients with information, support and advice and guidance.  This was being achieved by

                     Basic skills training

                     Vocational skills training

                     Work placements

                     Specialist support

                     CVs

                     Mock interviews

                     Post employment support

The Haringey Guarantee was “everything needed to help anybody who wants a job”, and was a partnership of more than ten organisations and agencies.  The network team comprised 4 Employment Advisers and 1 Employment Support Officer.  In response to questions George was able to confirm that 700 people had accessed the service, primarily from the more deprived wards in the east of the borough, and that 200 new jobs was the project’s target.

Suggestions were –

·        Lack of and closed public toilets – particularly in Parks

·        Services to support victims of domestic violence (small groups session)

·        Drug abuse

·        Rough sleepers