Community Empowerment in Tottenham – what does it look like now and in the future?

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Public Meeting
Community Empowerment in Tottenham – what does it look like now and in the future?
Sunday 18th October, 3pm to 5pm
@ The Hub (by the lake), Lordship Rec, N17 6NU

All welcome to come and share views and experiences of community empowerment projects, groups and campaigns in Tottenham, and to join in a discussion about what we want to see around our neighbourhoods (and the whole of Tottenham) in the future.  How can we publicise and coordinate our efforts effectively in order to make a real difference?

Some inspirational examples – which help point the way – can be found here:
http://ourtottenham.org.uk/community-plans/

Join us in creating a community plan for St. Ann’s Hospital site

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St Ann’s Redevelopment Trust

Next year, two-thirds of the St Ann’s Hospital site is due to be sold for private housing development, with only 14% of the homes classes as “affordable”. The current proposal takes no account of the needs of local people at a time of severe housing need, workspaces and green spaces being turned into expensive housing and pressure on local health services.

We believe we can do better than this! The St Ann’s site is a public asset which should be used for the benefit of the whole community rather than wealthy private developers and landlords.

START (St Ann’s Redevelopment Trust) are running a consultation on what local people want from the site. Please go to

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C8WN8TJ and complete the survey. It will only take a few minutes.

Can you also forward to everyone you know who live or work or play in the area, as we need as many replies as possible so we find out what people really want for the site.

Launch of First Steps work by N15 Development Trust – Monday 28th September

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Want to improve Seven Sisters Market and restore Wards Corner?

Want community-led development of the local area that brings benefits to the wider community?

If you do, then come along to the launch meeting of the ‘First Steps’ project of the West Green Road/Seven Sisters Development Trust on Monday 28 September 6.30-8.30pm at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre.

The First Steps project will set the Trust’s priorities across four key areas: 1) Business Plan & Funding; 2) Feasibility Studies; 3) Stakeholder Engagement & Communications; and 4) Governance. Come along to the launch meeting to find out more about the project, give your ideas and sign up for our new working groups. Now is the time to get actively involved in realising our shared ambitions for Wards Corner and the town centre.

Please confirm your attendance to n15developmenttrust@gmail.com. If you can’t attend but would like to get involved, do also get in touch. Look out for more events in November and February.

The Trust was set up in 2008 by four members of Wards Corner Community Coalition to provide a vehicle for community and business-led improvements to the West Green Road / Seven Sisters town centre. Its first project is to deliver the community plan for Wards Corner, which received planning permission in April 2014.

Further details about the Trust and the First Steps project at https://n15developmenttrust.wordpress.com/

Marcus Garvey Library protest demands No cuts to space or services of important Tottenham library

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Don’t sell off our public facilities and resources!

Watch the BBC interview and report of the Friends of Marcus Garvey Library protest on Friday to demand no to cuts to space or services.

LOTS more information about the terrible proposals from the Council on the Friends website here: http://friendsofmgl.tumblr.com/

Support the Campaign to stop these proposals here:
Sign the Petition here: https://www.change.org/p/tell-haringey-council-to-save-tottenham-s-marcus-garvey-library
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1527639460848841/?fref=nf
Twitter: #SaveMarcusGarveyLibrary
Email: friendsofmgl@gmail.com (NOTE corrected email on 17.8.15)

Friends of Marcus Garvey Library, Tottenham
Save Marcus Garvey Library

Call out for Tottenham Community Empowerment Week – October 2015

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Tottenham Community Empowerment Week

10th – 18th October 2015
Why not plan an event to coincide with the week?!

eg.. exhibitions / socials / festivals / meetings / leaflettings / bike rides / activities / protests / walks / alternatives / consultations / film shows / conferences

The Our Tottenham network are calling on people and groups to organise activities and events showcasing the collective power and concerns of those who live and work in Tottenham, and celebrate our strong and diverse communities. The week will be launched at the Efiba Arts Multicultural Festival on Tottenham Green planned for Saturday 10th October.

As soon as you confirm your event, or let us know if you already have an event scheduled that week, we will add it to the programme which will be publicised widely. If you want to discuss things please come along to the Our Tottenham coordination meeting: Thursday 3rd September, 7pm @ 639 Centre, 639 Tottenham High Road, N17 8AA – and/or email ourtottenham@gmail.com Continue reading →

Haringey Community Centres Network

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Standing up for Haringey’s community-run Community Centres of all kinds, linking up and supporting each other throughout the sector, and celebrating the widespread and vital range of services and activities carried out on behalf of our communities

Contact HCCN c/o info@communitybuilders.org.uk

Report of launch meeting, Sunday 19th July 2015
Conference Room, 639 Centre, 639 Tottenham High Road, N17 8AA

Attendance included:
From Community Centres – Markfield Project (Dee Kushlick-Williams, Sarah Miller); Haringey Irish Centre (Tony Brennan,Teresa Intravarant, John O’Dovan [?], Mary Maguire, Paul Walker); Hornsey Vale Community Centre (Lynne Brackley, Bob Packham); Cypriot Community Centre (Susie Constantinides); Selby Centre / Trust (Sona Mahtani); Lord Morrison Hall (Dau Aldolphus, Philip Udeh); Somerford Grove Adventure Playground (Alison Davy); Asian Centre (Ano Rao, Santhosh Chandra, Raj Gupta); Jackson’s Lane Centre (Melian Mansfield); Lordship Rec Eco-Hub (Dave Morris); Greek Cypriot Community Centre (Yiannoulla Pacheco); Kurdish Advice Centre (Cudi Dabakoglu);
Plus supporting organisations – Haringey Association of Voluntary and Community Organisations (Paul Leslie); Northumberland Park Residents Association (Natasha Ohanaka); The Ubele Initiative (Yvonne Field); CONEL University and College Union / Haringey Trades Union Council / Trade Union and Socialist Coalition (Jenny Sutton); Remi Jones
Apologies:  A number received

Background to the meeting
–       The Our Tottenham network had mooted the need for a community-run Community Centres network in 2014 as a result of the closure and demolition of the Welbourne Centre, threats to close Chestnuts Community Arts Centre, and an ongoing Review of Community Buildings by the Council. OT held 2 exploratory meetings. The OT network recently applied for and obtained grant funding from Locality ‘First Steps’ to help develop a such a Network.
–       The Council’s Community Buildings Review, following 3 years of officer research and meetings with individual Centres, had resulted in a Report to Cabinet recommending short-term leases, higher rents, and general insecurity for the community-run Centres in Council-owned buildings. The Report was incomplete (without the views of the Centres and with no background research/data), inaccurate in parts, vague in many respects, and a real threat to the survival of most Centres.[See links at end of attachment]
–       The affected Centres were not notified of the Report. 5 Centres managed to find out, meet up and arrange a rushed deputation to the Cabinet meeting on 14th July (see  http://www.haringey.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/176397 [from 30mins to 1hr and 2mins of the webcast]. They called for a suspension of any decision to enable the release of the Review views and data, genuine consultation with the sector and a partnership approach in implementing the Council’s ‘Communities Strategy’ (which advocates community empowerment, independence and partnership with the Council [see Communities Strategy’ 5 Strategic Priorities in attachment, at end].  The lead Cabinet Member Alan Strickland’s response was to say the Council supported most of the points of the presentation by the Centres, but [bizarrely] that the Review Report’s Recommendations should be adopted anyway. No Cabinet Member opposed this so they were passed. Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting are now available, and were circulated to those present.[See at end of attachment]]
–       A planned and publicised Community Centres lobby of the Full Council meeting on 20 July was postponed out of respect for the former Council Leader Cllr George Meehan, a strong supporter of the Centres, who passed away at the end of last week. Continue reading →

Two new community-led development trusts in Tottenham

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Two new community development trusts have been set up to create community plans led by the community. Follow the links for more information and get in contact with them directly.

N15 Development Trust (Wood Green Road/Seven Sisters)
WGR & Seven Sisters working together with the community to support the local economy and further development in the best interests of the community as a whole.
Website: https://n15developmenttrust.wordpress.com/
Twitter: @n15devtrust

South Tottenham Community Development Trust (including the St Anns Site)
A new group in South Tottenham who want to reclaim public assets at risk of being sold off to private developers and give them back to the community.
Twitter: @stcdgroup

Spurs Stadium Controversy Grows

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  • Local people oppose threats of demolition of nearby homes and estates, shops and businesses, and historic buildings
  • Campaigners demand support for Council Housing

There is a frenzy of plans for property speculation and ‘regeneration’ around the Spurs ground and across Tottenham as a whole. Thousands of Council homes, and hundreds of local shops and businesses are under threat – the threats to the area around Spurs have been opposed by a 4,000-strong local petition.

The expansion of the stadium is not in itself the problem – it’s the controversial associated development in the surrounding area. This mission ‘drift’ is being pushed by Haringey Council and property developers, backed by Spurs directors.

  • The Spurs property arm, registered in Bermuda, has been buying up threatened land & buildings so they can make massive profits if luxury housing can be built there instead.
  • Spurs are still evading obligations to pay £17m to the local area and provide affordable housing.
  • The plans for a ludicrous ‘Wembley-style Walkway’ from White Hart Lane station to the ground would mean the controversial demolition and redevelopment of the 300 homes on the Love Lane council housing estate, the demolition of the historic shopping parade facing the ground (including the library and medical centre) and the Peacock Industrial Estate to the north (a total of 120 local family businesses destroyed).
  • Now they want to build an outrageous 35-storey tower block complex to the south of the stadium, and demolish most of the historic listed High Road buildings they had promised to protect.
  • There is also a serious threat of demolition and ‘redevelopment’ of the 1,000-home Northumberland Park council housing estate to the east of the ground.

Continue reading →

A to Z of ‘Tottenham Regeneration’

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A – is for the asset-stripping of Haringey Council’s public buildings, housing estates, schools, hospitals, and parks. The latest public assets under threat are locally-run community centres.
B – is for Best Consideration price rules cited by Haringey Council as legal justification for selling the Apex House customer service centre for £3.8m to their preferred buyer Grainger and avoiding an open market sale that could have potentially reached a higher price.
C – is for the Chickentown business getting £250,000 of public funding to open a ‘healthy’ fried chicken restaurant in the former fire station on Tottenham Green. Displacing from the premises a children’s charity and the reception area of the building’s management agent.

Continue reading →

A platform for architecture and planning professionals to support the current housing stuggles in London

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https://www.concreteaction.net/signup.php

A group of architects called Concrete Action is launching a website on the ‘dark web’ to allow development professionals to anonymously leak confidential documents about regeneration projects.

The ‘Wikileaks-style’ website will from June allow staff to leak documents such as viability assessments which are often not released in the public domain by councils and developers citing commercial confidentiality. Inside Housing understands activists have already lined up a programme of leaks.

Albane Duviller, an architect involved in Concrete Action, said the site will be used by campaigners and journalists. She said: ‘It will be a way to counter regeneration schemes that are driven by speculation. It will bring back into public knowledge that normally should be a part of the public debate.’

The group has a technology team to set up the website, trying to make it a ‘secure drop’ to allow professionals to leak information without leaving a digital trail that could identify them.

Anyone can visit websites on the dark web, if they have the URL. This means the site will be useable by activists, members of the public and journalists. However, these websites aren’t indexed by search engines, and it is very difficult to find out who runs them.

In recent years there have been a number of high-profile cases in which councils or developers have been accused of wrongly withholding viability assessments.  Greenwich Council in February was ordered by a tribunal to publish details of deal with developer Lend Lease to regenerate the iconic Heygate estate.

But it is possible that leakers could still be tracked down by property developers upset about information being released. Paul Mander, a partner at law-firm Pennington Manches, warned staff would almost certainly be dismissed if they are caught.