Verbal update.
Minutes:
The Committee undertook a verbal question and answer session with Cllr Adje, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Strategic Regeneration. The following was noted in discussion of this item:
a. Cllr Adje outlined that a grant of £850k had been awarded from the GLA and MHCLG for public realm improvement works in Wood Green. Similarly, work was progressing around the Turnpike Lane Improvement Plan and phase one public realm improvement works at Northumberland Park Station were under tender. In response to this, the Committee made a plea to the Cabinet Member to engage with local residents around these schemes.
b. In relation to a question around business intelligence groups, the Cabinet Member advised that this was part of an intelligence gathering approach of the recovery and renewal work. This involved a borough-wide event with a number of themes, only one of which was around business intelligence. The aim of the event was to gather intelligence around how the sector could support business recovery in light of Covid-19 and lockdown. The Cabinet Member clarified that as far as he was aware the group had not met since and that an all-Member presentation had been provided by Cllr Bull on work being done to support local businesses post-Covid.
c. In relation to a follow-up question around whether any meetings had taken place in the last six months between developers, senior officers and Cllr Adje, the Cabinet Member advised that there had been no such meetings.
d. The Committee noted concerns with disabled access in and around Wood Green, including shops not being disability access friendly, narrow pavements and a lack of dropped kerbs. The Committee requested that when developing future public realm works that these issues needed to be addressed as a priority. In response the Cabinet Member acknowledged these concerns and advised that dropped kerbs should be factored into any highways works programme and that the planning process should pick up disability access in shops. The Cabinet Member agreed to feed these concerns back to highways and planning officers respectively. (Action: Cllr Adje).
e. The Committee commented on a general lack of consultation and engagement around estates and questioned what was contained within the Council’s portfolio. The Committee requested that the decision on replacing bathroom pods on the Noel Park estate be delayed by Cabinet, in order that the Housing Panel have sufficient time to scrutinise this decisions properly. The Committee noted that this was a decision for the Leader. The Cabinet Member advised that the Council’s Asset Management plan had been considered by Cabinet and was publically available on our website. The Asset Management Plan was regularly updated and contained a list of Haringey’s estate portfolio.
f. The Committee requested a written briefing from the Cabinet Member regarding the update he provided in his introduction on upcoming public realm works in and around Wood Green. (Action: Cllr Adje).
g. In response to a question around the Voluntary Sector Assistance fund, the Cabinet Member advised that this was a pot of money set aside by the authority to assist the voluntary sector with during the Covid crisis. It was commented that the total value of the fund was roughly £200k-£300k.
h. In relation to a question around the Bernie Grant Centre and the Voluntary Sector Assistance Fund, Cllr Adje agreed that he would ask Cllr Blake to respond back to the Committee. (Action: Cllr Adje/Cllr Blake).
RESOLVED
Noted.