Agenda item

A discussion about priorities for the area over the year to enable a plan to be drafted.

We noted that Area Plans were a key feature of public engagement across the country and that in Haringey the following were seen as the principal reasons for their use:

• To offer informed choices to a range of local residents and traders
• To target resources at evidenced need
• To initiative two-way information sharing and joint local priority setting
• To strengthen collective responsibility (Ward Members, Liaison, Cabinet)
• For transparency of expenditure
• To improve attendance through stronger public stakes
• To improve the resolution of local problems
• To improve the delivery of priority local services

The first stage of the process was for the Area Committee to agree the priorities for the Areas and the indicators. A rolling programme of the Area Committee’s priorities would be drawn up and refreshed every year based on local intelligence including the knowledge of local Ward Councillors and that of the professional officers. Data was being collected around the five main themes outlined in the Re-thinking Haringey Paper which had been agreed by the Council in February 2011 and following consultation with the professionals and Ward Councillors a paper would be brought back to the Area Committee in September recommending that between 3 and five priorities be set for the year which would be monitored with responsibility for achievement resting with the respective Directorates. There would be an opportunity for discussion and for the public to highlight any important gaps.

The view was expressed that the process outlined gave rise to a number of general points about communication with local residents and groups including what media would be used and whether the local press had been contacted and if they could help communicate the Plan. Also, of how would it be ensured that data related to people’s experiences. With regard to Hornsey Ward, there appeared to be no reference to large scale developments which would be taking place there shortly and which would have considerable impact including on traffic and parking. These included the Hornsey Train Depot and the Sainsbury’s developments. In Crouch End ward there was also the Town Hall Development and although outside the Committee’s geographical area there was the Heartlands development which would also have an impact. Although they were not currently included it was important that Area residents should be able to influence these developments.     

Reference was also made to the impact of the Government’s policy of ‘Free Schools’ as it unfolded which might make planning more difficult and as it would entail cross Area and possibly cross Borough issues there would be a need for both local and strategic policies to be developed in relation to it.

We were informed that the outline briefing on Area Committee Plans had been to present a proposed approach, timescale and consultation for the development of Area Committee Plans and that officers would now prepare an Area Profile guided by the discussion held at the meeting and that a presentation would be made to the next meeting of the Area Forum of the headline data/profile for the Area with a suggested Area prioritisation to provide an opportunity for discussion and for the public to highlight any gaps.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.