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Haringey Friends of Parks Forum
- for all Friends and user groups of open green spaces
of all kinds in Haringey
Next HFoPF meeting
Saturday March 1st
10am - 1pm @ Bruce Castle Museum
Report of HFoPF bi-monthly meeting -
Saturday January 12th: 10am-1pm
@Tottenham Green Leisure Centre
Present: Catherine Stenzl (Friends of Woodside Park), Dave Morris
(Friends of Lordship/Chestnuts), Quentin Given (The Paddock), Joan Curtis
(Friends of Lordship Rec),Ceri Williams (Friends of Chestnuts), Sally Billot
(Friends of Finsbury Park), Adam Coffman (FoFairfax/Falkland Open Space, and
FoDucketts Common), David Macdonald (Friends of Downhills Park), Ulla Lefmann
(Burleigh Road RA/FoDucketts Common), Joyce Rosser (Friends of Priory Common
and embryonic FoHornsey Gdns), David Warren (Friends of Parkland Walk), Alison
Watson, (Friends of Queens Wood), Malcolm Springthorpe (Haringey Sports
Council) And: Ashley Grey (consultant), Paul
Ely and Don Lawson (both LBH Parks Dept) attended from
11am. Apologies: Edna and
Adrian Skrebowski (Stationers Park Friends), Kate Huddie (FoRussell Park), Michael and Jasper (Friends of Woodside Park), Paul Crook (Friends of Finsbury Park)
1. Dave Morris agreed to chair. Quentin Given took minutes.
2. Minutes of last meeting - agreed. No matters arising other than on
agenda.
3. Parks Constabulary and patrols.
We have written to all councillors explaining HFoPF position. Concern that
press reporting (fuelled by Met Police?) ramps up ‘crime in parks’ story rather
than calling for effective on-site staffing. FoQW keen to see presence retained
in nature reserves not just parks. Still need people to lock park gates at
night. We expect safer neighbourhood teams to take up slack if Parks Police go.
4. Sites under threat.
· Malcolm said there was strong community opposition to development of Barclay
Road site in North Tottenham. Haringey Council own the land just inside Enfield - space is much needed for children’s play area: need to lobby Enfield as planning authority. HFoPF have objected.
· Bull Lane. New 6th form centre keen to use as sports area, Enfield gave planning permission 4 years ago but will lapse soon. Weir Hall
Action Group has been fighting to save this space for 20 years. We reaffirmed
our support. LBH response: Parks are working with 6th
form centre to develop sports facility and doing grounds maintenance.
· Crouch End Hill. Following uproar over school application to annex
this public green space by the roadside, the Council is pressing Coleridge
school to withdraw planning application. We had sent in objection.
· New River. Adam reported planning application
for overgrown site near Penstock Path. Joyce to investigate.
5. Bowling clubs
Malcolm said that 3 of 10 clubs in borough had closed due to falling
membership. Sports Council is working with Parks Dept to open them up to new
blood the clubs have generally responded favourably and are keen to have
more local involvement. Malcolm can provide contact names for Friends groups to
liaise. Sally suggested using parks notice boards, Haringey People, Univ. of
3rd Age, local older people’s organisations to promote.
6. Local reports
· Woodside.
Did bulb planting recently; water logging problem recurring; railings primed
but not painted. Planning application for café were Parks consulted, as
Friends weren’t? LBH response: will paint in spring;
will respond jointly with Friends re cafe. Planning Dept are supposed to
consult Friends and Parks Dept (Ian Holt is Parks contact) on all relevant
applications - but it’s not working.
· Finsbury Park. AGM recently, Sally spoke at Beacon
event. LBH response: Sal did good speech: critical but
supportive is more convincing.
· Downhills. Planted 8 limes, 5 oaks, 900 birch whips with students from
Park View Sch helping; created steps from Midnight Alley into conservation
area. Paths being relaid as part of Tottenham north/south ‘Greenway’ route.
Problem in using ex-warden’s building for meetings because insurance policy
says Haringey staff need to be present. Can LBH get this changed Camden is doing so Ceri said. LBH response: HLF bid was
unsuccessful for new building/café but hope to use £90k match funding to bid
for other funds. Yes will look at insurance to see if can be changed.
· Chestnuts. Work in progress on phase 1 improvements, including paths,
play equipment, MUGA and café terrace. Next stakeholders strategy meeting 8
Feb. LBH response: Will have Green Flag application and new mgt plan
when works done.
· Lordship. Proposals/masterplan for £3.5m HLF bid agreed and
circulated. Friends laid new woodchip path in woodland for £3k, 17 people
involved. ‘Company of Cyclists’ due to move to Community Centre (then
eventually into proposed new environment centre) and will use Model Traffic
Area. Thames Water left big dip in path. LBH response: new
staff are helping transform park. Hope they will deal with Thames Water.
· Ducketts. New Friends group successfully established. Lew Taylor
(Parks Dept) being very helpful. Friends/BTCV did bulb planting. Working out
the key issues.
· Fairfax/Falkland. Design by Groundwork looks good, based on good
consultation. Need match funding. Doing tree survey in area. Nightmare getting
EDF to turn on electric supply. Steve Hall very supportive. LBH
response: Will try to move EDF.
· Priory Common. Bulb planting with 30 people, embryonic Hornsey Gardens group did planting near Great Northern Hotel - need coordinator for
this group.
· Parkland Walk. After much consultation
TfL works will start soon - lots of small improvements. Parks dept has set up
group to oversee.
· Queens Wood. Done coppicing near
café. Paths still a problem. AGM 9 April in café - Ian Holt
speaking. LBH response: have decentralised hygiene teams to
area manager (Tony Healey) so should be more responsive
· Russell Park (written report) This is on the Noel Park estate. Friends have lobbied to change name back to the original
Russell Park rather than the confusing Noel Park new dog bins and flower beds, funds from O2 and Safer Communities, most
trees planted lost to dog bites.
· Palace Gates Embankment Nature Reserve New Friends group.
Group/Council working on encroachment by neighbours, and seeking to turn into
nature reserve with controlled access. LBH response: Ian Holt
doing report, to cabinet in March, on encroachment so should develop a more
robust response.
LBH also reported that Wood Green cemetery and Wolves Lane going
for Green Flag this summer. Agreed to hold HFoPF picnic there in summer. To
discuss more next meeting.
LBH reported that 50,000 bulbs provided across borough of which 25,000 have
been planted (mainly thanks to BTCV’s work with community groups, schools and
Friends groups).
7. Events in Parks
Don described new procedures for applying for permissions for events up to
499 people and 500+, based on Royal Parks procedures. The aim is to reduce
paperwork for smaller events. It will be piloted, LBH wants to tweak it in
liaison with HFoPF, and maybe establish local guidelines for each park
according to local wildlife, sensitivities etc. Friends groups will not be charged
for applications, but for bigger events LBH will charge organisers for litter
collection. Don said they were not using this to increase income but at same
time keen to raise income where possible.
Sally said it was important that big events don’t overlap with school holidays.
There were concerns that form filling and bureaucracy will put off community
groups although they could of course still take part in informal events
without official booking. Suggested that the new forms be trialled this summer
and then we look at it together in September when we have had experience of it
and with Martin Hall, the officer on the case. This was agreed.
8. Review of staffing.
Don circulated notes on proposal which were going to cabinet on 24 Jan for
consultation (25 Jan 31 March). [Note: this has now been put back to
start in March]. Main proposals is to cut Parks Police budget £438k, lose
£200k of this (as an ‘efficiency saving’) and invest rest in improving
mainstream staffing in Parks, directly and through other means. There would be
more on-site staffing in significant parks. Savings come partly through
scrapping 24-hr shifts and rationalising management. Evidence is that parks
police do not get involved in many incidents so not v cost effective. Meanwhile
Safer N’hood Teams set priorities locally and this can include parks issues [eg
it currently does in Down Lane Park].
Ashley noted that Parks Police were set up 10 years ago to address issues in Finsbury Park but now it was right to review. Don said new model would
facilitate better liaison between Friends and SNTs.
9. Budget cuts
Friends groups wanted to be sure that the budget for the parks constabulary
would transfer to better on-site staffing, but this seemed very unsure now that
the Council was planning massive cuts across all Depts. Proposals are for £200k
cut from Police budget as above, £200k ‘efficiencies’ from grounds maintenance,
and £35k from repair and maintenance budget. Plus, £200k income budget not
achievable. This reflects wider council aim of 9% savings the Parks and
Leisure Dept is being told to find 9% cut of £16m gross expenditure and
9% increase in income of £9m. Some efficiency would come from reviewing
existing contracted-out services eg tree pruning on streets, weed spraying,
equipment maintenance. Cllr Adje had rejected idea of further tendering out.
We agreed to welcome the UNISON union statement by parks staff opposing the
cuts. And to continue to oppose cuts in budget and express concern about any
furthering tendering out of services.
Adam asked about income from Ducketts Common funfairs. Don to produce
statistics about income from parks events. Income goes to relevant area of
parks (West, Central, East).
9. Open space standards
Consultation open until 24 January about setting standards for provision
and quality of open spaces of all kinds (parks, nature reserves, play areas,
sports fields, allotments etc). This positive move has come as a result of
constant lobbying by the Haringey Federation of RAs and the HFoPF, backed by
the Haringey UDP planning inspector. Draft proposals report accepts some
GLA/national standards but waters others down eg the definition of an adequate
open space is 0.25ha not 2.0ha as set by the London Plan. This will be to
Haringey’s detriment, allow developers to get away with not providing. Joyce
thought the formula was too complex and would allow developers to find
loopholes.
Paul Ely said that the London Mayor urged all boroughs to adopt standards, not
that they should all be the same. The draft standards were an advance on
current ones and were ambitious and would lead to more open space.
Agreed to respond - Dave is drafting and will circulate.
10. Review of working with Friends
Ashley circulated proposals for strengthening Friends groups and
Friends/Council partnership working. Questionnaire and two workshops before end
of Feb, report by end of March. HFoPF liaison
group (DM, QG, SB, D.McDonald) will consider questionnaire questions. One workshop on weekday, another at weekend.
11. Community Link Forum.
CLF was launched 9 Jan to encourage voluntary and community organisations
to work together to advance good policies and practices, and lobby for adequate
resources for residents’ needs. Dave M attended for the Haringey Federation of
RAs. HFoPF are members too. Noted that HFRA, HFoPF, and Mobility Forum are
already members of the Better Places Partnership Board, and they and
Sustainable Haringey are proposed to be co-opted onto board indefinitely. Sally
agreed to represent HFoPF, with Joan as reserve. (Dave M will attend as HFRA).
12. Other business
· Dave (on behalf of HFoPF) attended a national conference on community
involvement in parks and green spaces. He and the B’ham Friends of Parks Forum
proposed a network of regional Friends Forums a web communication system
is being set up in Jan.
· Sustainable Haringey - next SH gathering 20 Jan. There is a Green Environment
working group which Friends groups may wish to link up with.
· Haringey Independence Day, 26th April. An event to promote
independent grass roots groups and campaigns. We agreed to run a stall and host
a meeting about Parks.
· HFoPF e-list & website Catherine agreed to take over from Hugh
(thanks Hugh!), and also run/update the HFoPF webpages on the HFRA site
www.haringeyresidents.org/green+spaces
· Joan would like to retire as Secretary if someone else can do it or help with
it agreed to circulate vacancy and send description of what’s involved.
Tasks can be shared (eg minutes, responding to press enquiries etc). Thanks
and congratulations to Joan on her work.
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