Richard Wilson

Over the last few weeks I’ve been dealing with a very frustrating case, trying to get a window fixed in a flat in Woodstock Road.   I was contacted by the leaseholder who lives in a former Council flat which Haringey Council still owns the freehold for.  The terms of the lease state that fixing the windows is the Council’s responsibility, so when his window jammed open he contacted Homes for Haringey, the semi-independent organisation that manages Haringey’s housing stock.

The first Haringey repairman quickly identified what the problem was, and described it in layman’s terms to the leaseholder as a spring needing replacement in a sash window  (in fact the technical term is a spiral balance).  However, a catalogue of errors and inefficiencies by Homes for Haringey means the repair has taken 2 months and 8 visits (or ‘attempted’ visits) to resolve.

• 15th September:  first visit identifies repair needed
• 19th September: second visit arranged too soon – new spring hasn’t arrived yet
• 4th October:  spring still hasn’t arrived
• 19th October:  spring arrived – but only one operative booked when job needs two people
• 20th, 26th & 27th October:  duplicate repair accidentally booked into system results in three further abortive visits
• 9th November: final visit to complete repair

Many of these visits required the leaseholder to take time off work and spend lots of time on the phone trying to work out what was going on.  In many cases the repairman failed to show up for the arranged visit, causing even more frustration and wasted hours. However, it isn’t just this individual leaseholder who suffers as a result of this incompetence, the inefficient management of repairs mean all tenants and leaseholders suffer delays to getting jobs fixed and huge sums of money are wasted.   No wonder Haringey’s housing stock is in such poor condition.  I’ve let the Chief Executive of Homes for Haringey know about this case and asked him to look into the many errors made by his organisation.

Ever since I’ve started raising awareness of the Boundary Commission’s proposals to move Stroud Green from the Hornsey parliamentary constituency to the Tottenham one, I’ve been amazed at the strength of feeling from local residents.  Katherine, Ed and I have been conducting a paper and online survey, and have been asking people to contact the Boundary Commission directly.

I’ve now looked at the first 100 responses to the online survey, and the results are:

• 100% of respondents oppose the Boundary Commissions proposal to move Stroud Green into Tottenham constituency
• 97% believe that Stroud Green has strong community ties with Crouch End and Hornsey.
• 2% believe that Stroud Green has strong community ties with Tottenham

So its clear that Stroud Green residents are completely opposed to the proposals.  All we need to do now is convince the Boundary Commission, whose consultation closes on 5 December.   We have now received hundreds of survey responses and we will sending these to the Boundary Commission demanding that they listen to local residents.  I think this is a battle we can definitely win – if everyone makes their views clear.

Last month my colleague Ed Butcher predicted the Council’s plans to force residents in the Finsbury Park Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) to return all their visitor parking permits would result in chaos (see previous post).  This prediction has proved correct – and we have been inundated with complaints from residents about how long it has taken to get replacement permits and from some who have been given incorrect permits.  And council officials patrolling the zone a few weeks ago found many cars still using old permits.

As a result of pressure from residents and local councillors the Council were forced to extend the deadline for people to stop using the old permits by two weeks.  However this extended deadline has now run out – and visitors using old permits now face fines.

It is so frustrating that the Council didn’t listen to our warnings last month and have pressed ahead in creating this predictable chaos.  Ed and I think that this two week amnesty is not enough and have urged the Council to not make the switch until 2012 – allowing residents to use up more old permits, and reducing the risk of visitors being fined.

The popular Station House Cafe in the Mind building on Stapleton Hall Road has been celebrating its first birthday.  Lynne Featherstone and I joined the Food Cycle team who run the cafe to help them mark the anniversary.

The Cafe has proved hugely popular with local Stroud Green residents both as customers and volunteers.  Local people have really bought into the FoodCycle concept of reducing waste, protecting the environment and providing nutritious food.   It’s also great to see the historic Station House being used by the local community.  

The Cafe is open every Friday lunch time and serves delicious and good value vegetarian food.  Details are on the FreeCycle website.

I’ve now been informed about the Council’s timeline for expanding the Stroud Green Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) north from Ridge Road into Nelson, Inderwick, Mayfield, Denton and Uplands Roads as well as the remaining part of Weston Park.  Below is what I’ve received from the Council officers in charge of the project:

Programme of implementation for Crouch End A and Stroud Green CPZ

I am writing to inform you that Councillor Canver has approved the attached delegated report recommending the extension of the Crouch End A and Stroud Green CPZ to the agreed roads within your wards, as per statutory notification.

Please refer to the following key milestones for the delivery of these extensions.

• Drafting and printing of works notice: Finalised by 1 November
• Distribution of works notices to community: 1-3  November
• Publication of Notice of Making: 3 November
• Start of site works: 7 November
• Go live date for extensions: 12 December

I’ve been pressing the Council to implement the extension as quickly as possible – because many residents are telling me that the parking situation is getting worse and worse, and making life increasingly difficult.

Programme of implementation for Crouch End A and Stroud Green CPZ

I am writing to inform you that Councillor Canver has approved the attached delegated report recommending the extension of the Crouch End A and Stroud Green CPZ to the agreed roads within your wards, as per statutory notification.

Please refer to the following key milestones for the delivery of these extensions.

Drafting and printing of works notice                      Finalised by 1 November

Distribution of works notices to community            1-3  November

Publication of Notice of Making-                             3 November

Start of site works-                                                    7 November

Go live date for extensions                                      12 December

There was a huge turnout yesterday for the grand medieval-themed opening of the new Stationers Park play area, organised by the Friends of Stationers Park.  It was clear that the kids absolutely loved the new ‘castle’ with its slides, fireman’s pole and rope ladder.  I had the privilege of helping local children to cut the ribbon to official open the fort.

Before cutting the ribbon, I took the opportunity to say a big thank you to the Friends of the Park, and particularly Kle Savidge, for the amazing work they have done to get this new play castle built.  It has taken a huge amount of imagination and determination to get the funds raised and the designs agreed.  Without the Friends giving up their time and energy I’ve no doubt that there would be no play are at all – as the old fort was at the end of it’s life.

Everyone loved the old play fort – but I think the new castle is going to inspire another generation of Stroud Green children to have a lot of fun.

The Friends of Stationers Park have organised an amazing medieval themed grand opening ceremony for the new play area, this Sunday (16th) from 2pm till 5pm.  There will be music, jugglers, crafts and entertainment – with a  medieval fancy dress parade, and prizes for the best costumes.  Drinks and nibbles will be provided by local Crouch End businesses.

I’m looking forward to joining in – and seeing the new play fort at the heart of the local community.   Getting the new play area built has been a huge battle, with a massive amount of hard work by the Friends to get the finance together – so everyone definitely deserves a party.