Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair of the Area Assembly, Councillor Diakides, welcomed everyone to the meeting.  He advised that the Haringey Adult Learning Service and the Council’s Community Safety team had information stalls and he encouraged attendees to take the opportunity to visit them.

Councillor Diakides also advised that –

·        There was an opportunity for residents/traders to contribute to the work of the West Green and Philip Lane Traders and Strategy Group.  Lagu Sukerman, a local trader, would provide further information later in the meeting.

·        Unfortunately, Down Lane Park was currently being closed in the early evening because of reported attacks and muggings.

·        A new managing director, Juliette Alexander had been appointed to the Bernie Grant Centre.  Juliette would be undertaking a consultation exercise, to be held on 7 December at 6.30 p.m., on the future of the Centre.

·        The next Community Clear Up exercise for Sevens Sisters ward would be held on 25 January 2010.

·        The Gyratory Garden Village was also having a clear up.

·        The Christmas lights for West Green common would be switched on by the Mayor at 5.00 p.m. on 5 December.  Events at the Common, including contributions from Downhills Primary School and the Tottenham Community Choir would commence at 3.00 p.m. that afternoon.      

Maxine Lynch, Senior Project Officer from the Neighbourhood Management team provided an update to the meeting on the ‘making a difference’ projects.  Information boards providing detailing information on the various projects were displayed in the meeting room.    

Maxine also advised that, as already mentioned, the West Green and Philip Lane Traders and Strategy Group were seeking interested residents and traders to assist in providing recommendations for improving the experience of environment of West Green Road and Philip Lane.  The first meeting of the Group would be held on 9 December at Wisdon School on West Green Road, N15.

Seven Sisters and St Ignatius Schools were undertaking clear-up and recycling projects. 

Lagu Sukerman of the West Green Traders Association provided a brief introduction to the work of the Traders and Strategy Group, newly established to support local retailers and improve the environment and shopping experience in Philip Lane and West Green Road.  He encouraged people to support their local retailers and shop locally whenever possible.  He was pleased that the Council Leader, Councillor Kober, had recently undertaken a walkabout to see the issues for herself.  Lagu highlighted the issues of lack of public toilets, particularly important for the elderly, people with disabilities and pregnant women; and parking.  He was disappointed that having made the case for low or free charges for short periods of parking the Council had actually increased them by 60%.

Council Diakides in thanking Lagu for his presentation expressed his belief that the Traders and Strategy Group would make important and valuable contributions to achieving improvements in the local area.            

The meeting received a presentation from Graham Nash, Senior Programme Manager and Stephen O’Connor, Consultation Manager at Transport for London (TfL) regarding the proposals for changes to the Tottenham Hale Gyratory system.  These envisaged the current one-way traffic system being changed to a two-way one, and the creation of a public square and a larger and improved bus station outside Tottenham Hale station. 

The proposals included –

·        Better facilities and access for pedestrians and cyclists

·        Reduced traffic volumes on Broad Lane

·        New larger bus station at Tottenham Hale underground and railway station

·        Buses available in two-way directions and more convenient bus stops

·        New public square at Tottenham Hale Station, and improved footways in the area

·        Increased traffic capacity on the two-way traffic system with no significant change in journey times for road users

·        The new bus station and public square would be at the heart of the proposed new urban centre for Tottenham Hale

·        Improved access to properties for residents and businesses

·        Linkage with the Council’s development proposals for the Down Lane Park area

In response to questions Graham and Stephen confirmed that Transport for London’s timetable following the consultation period would be to seek planning permission next summer with the works commencing after the 2012 Olympic Games, and being completed by 2014.  Whilst the Olympics, preparations for which had implications for TfL, the timings of the works were more governed by availability of the total £37m funding which included the improvements to the bus station.

Concern was expressed regarding peak time traffic, on Saturdays and Sundays, at the retail park and the corresponding effect on Broad Lane, possible rat-running and pedestrian access.  An additional pedestrian crossing would be installed in Broad Lane but residents were concerned that overall, the proposals would have less crossings (three) than at present and the informal signal crossing at the Philip Lane and High Road junction was inappropriate, dangerous and should be re-thought. 

The meeting was advised that TfL were aware that the cycle route proposals were still in the early stages and need further detailed work.  The issue of poor drainage and problems with water mains would also be raised with Thames Water in an effort to ensure replacement works were completed before TfL undertook their works.  The proposals for landscaping were broadly welcomed but, as with other areas of the proposals TfL actively welcomed local people’s views.         

Bishop Frimpong–Manson provided the meeting with the background to the Ghanaian Community’s representation and involvement in the Tottenham area.  He was pleased to also advise that the refreshments and food provided for the meeting had been provided by the community.  Ghana, which today has a population of 27million, had achieved independence in 1957 under the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah.  Nkrumah aspired to the working together of the countries of post colonial Africa and was a founding father of the Organisation of African Unity.  The Bishop was pleased that the community had made a positive contribution to Haringey’s Black History month in October.

Announcements from the floor:

Sue Penny advised of the ‘making a difference’ project by which under-utilised large gardens in Grove Park Road were being sued to grow vegetables.  The group was now in the process of planting for next year and more help was always welcomed.

Beth Thomas of the Tynemouth Road Residents’ Association apologised for the late circulation of their current newsletter.  She confirmed that the next meeting of the Association was next Monday 30 November at 6.45p.m. at the Tynemouth Road Health Centre building.

The Wards Corner Community Winter Warmer 2 event was being held on Friday 4 December at 8.00 p.m. at Tottenham Chances, 399 High Road.           

Jean Croot, Head of the Safer, Stronger Communities Unit asked the meeting to participate in a voting exercise to ascertain local views regarding the priorities in the Tottenham and Seven Sisters neighbourhood  for the 2010/11 Area Priority Plans.  Jean explained that the results would be collated and fed into the draft local plan which would then be presented to the Assembly for further comments.  Once agreed the plan would inform the work of the Area Assembly and Neighbourhood Management in conjunction with ward Councillors and Council services, by indicating and highlighting residents’ priorities.

The voting exercise provided the following results –

Topic – An Environmentally Sustainable Future: The three priorities were; clean streets, safer parks and open spaces with more facilities, reducing fly tipping and dumping

People at the Heart of Change: residents more involved in decision making and shaping local services, shared activities for older and younger people, people taking responsibility for and respecting each other

People and Customer Focus:  improved services for older and vulnerable people, more activities for children and young people, improving access to local services

Healthier People with a Better Quality of Life:  decent affordable homes, mental health support, reduce alcohol and drug abuse

Economic Vitality and Prosperity Shared by All: support local businesses, more local people into jobs, supporting young people in to education, employment and training

Be Safer for All: anti-social behaviour, burglary and vehicle crime, more neighbourhood watches and residents’ associations

Unfortunately Sgt. Lee Hobbs was unable to attend the meeting because he had been called to an incident at Tottenham Hale.  Councillor Diakides, on Sgt Hobbs’ behalf reported that the police were keen for residents to volunteer to serve on the ward (Seven Sisters, Tottenham Green and Tottenham Hale) based Community Safety Panels.  These met monthly and advised on local community safety and policing priorities.

In terms of Tottenham Green the Chair was pleased to advise that the police had made progress in dealing with the three ward priorities;

·         Prostitution in Lawrence Road

·         Burglary in Tynemouth Road

·         Drugs

The meeting was provided with the opportunity to question the Leader of the Council, Councillor Claire Kober and Councillor Lorna Reith, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People.

Residents and traders raised concerns regarding lack of public toilets, car parking, empty and disused buildings, funding linked to the proposed Wards Corner development, the proposed development of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and consultation process linked to the development of Ashley Road and Down Lane Park. 

The Leader and Deputy Leader recognised the on-going problem of the lack of public toilets and had endeavoured to encourage the involvement of local businesses in the Council’s community toilets initiative.  However, perhaps due to insufficient financial compensation and fear of anti-social behaviour local businesses were not willing to participate.  It was noted that a similar scheme was successful in Waltham Forest.  The Council had also tried to ensure that public buildings provided toilet facilities but this was also proving problematical, particularly with regards to Job Centre Plus in the High Road.

Councillor Kober was pleased to announce that following consultation undertaken with traders across the borough the Council was to provide free car parking in Council controlled car parks, including Stoneleigh car park in Tottenham, in the week before Christmas.  A voucher scheme for free parking to be given out by traders to returning customers was being piloted in Crouch End.  If successful consideration would be given to rolling the scheme out across the borough.

Residents raised concerns regarding derelict properties at 23/24 Collingwood Road, N15, lack of development progress at the burnt out house on Philip Lane (opposite Dongola Road, N17 and anti-social behaviour at the empty property at 594 High Road, N17.  The Leader advised that the Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Bevan, had initiated compulsory purchase orders for 30 properties; under the 2004 Housing Act but, the process was a lengthy one.  She would, however, have the circumstances relating to the specific properties raised at the meeting investigated. 

In response to a question relating to the Wards Corner development and an alleged transfer of funding to Grainger Councillor Kober clarified that the Seven Sister NDC was a charitable trust completely independent of the Council and she would ask the NDC to respond directly to the questioner.

The meeting was advised that there had been problems in delivering the consultation documentation to local residents on the Ashley Road/Down Lane Park development proposals.  Arrangements had been made to address this and it was available on the Council’s website.  There had also been two well attended public meetings regarding the proposals. 

Councillor Daikides in closing the meeting thanked everyone for their contributions and attendance.