Waltheof Gardens – Tower Gardens Estate

Tag: Waltheof Gardens

Minutes of the Tower Gardens Residents Group Meeting

Minutes

16th October 2023

Venue: Chad Gordon Autism Campus, Waltheof Gardens

Present: Kim, Tanya, Pedros, Karen, Mary, Matthew, Fiona, Friedrich, Angie, Dan, Dayall, Collette, Kate, Owen.
Councillors attending: Anne Stennett, Liam Carroll
Apologies: apologies were received from several residents.

1) Welcome and introduction

2) Discharge of the Committee (including Treasurer’s Report) and election of Chair, Secretary, Treasurer

Karen Loasby (Treasurer, retiring) gave a financial summary. The bank balance at the start of the year was £1641 and at the end of the year it was £1513. The £128 expended has covered meeting room fees, bulbs for planting in public areas, and other expenses.

Fiona Stevenson was re-elected as Chair
Friedrich Ernst was elected as Treasurer
Dan Zwi was elected as Secretary

All votes were unanimous and thanks were given to the committee volunteers.

3) Minutes of last meeting

Matthew Bradby (Secretary, retiring) gave a verbal summary of the Minutes of the last meeting held on 14 June 2023. Karen volunteered to upload these to the Tower Gardens website – https://www.towergardens.org.uk/

4) Matters arising (unfinished business) –
Community Picnic in Tower Gardens was very successful, good partnership with IntoUniversity that lease the building from the Council. Public liability insurance for the park lasts until May 2024.
Spring bulb planting – this is planned for 10 am on 18 November, meet at the Waltheof Gardens roundabout.

Additional subjects raised by resident Ruth by email are listed below.

5) 100 Tower Gardens Road and Citizens Advice Bureau building
100 TG Road – the first floor is rented from the Council by the charity SureStart. The ground floor is vacant.
Citizens Advice Bureau (temporary building on Waltheof Gardens) – the ground around this is now in a dangerous condition.

The Council are undertaking a formal review of their local property portfolio. The meeting suggested that the Council review should be strategic and take most appropriate uses into account. There is a need for local retired people to have a place to meet and socialise.

6) Low Traffic Neighbourhoods – there was a lively discussion about the value of these in Haringey.

Kate asked if people were welcoming trick or treat visits on Hallowe’en – it is hoped to produce a Google Map for residents.

Crossovers – parking in front gardens in Gospatrick Road – e.g. number 6 and various house numbers between 40-50 near the Roundway. The Council has written to at least one property asking them to desist. Residents feel strongly that front garden parking is very negative for the area and more should be done to stop this occurring.

Issues raised on emails from residents, which were briefly discussed:

Update from Friends of Park re Park Entrance works. Awaiting planning document re planting.
Update from Open House. Successful day. A local resident whom is also an architect provided a guided walk.
Update re drugs users in the estate area. Some properties are known to the police and attracting similar persons to the estate.
Dumping – ongoing issues. Unclear what deterrents other than fines
Update from neighbourhood management requested re status on Veolia re green area maintenance and weeds on streets.
Council update re structural concerns due to lack of maintenance: 1 housing property in Risley Avenue, wall surrounding park, Rear of Rose Supermarket.

Next Meeting

It is planned to hold this in the week of 13 November, focused on fly tipping. Veolia to be invited, perhaps combined with a walkabout on the estate to visit hotspots/residents.

Minutes of Tower Gardens Residents Group meeting: 24 July 2018

Minutes

Tower Gardens Residents Group

Meeting 24 July 2018 at Larkspur Close Meeting Room.

Present: Mary (Chair) Friedrich (vice chair) Matthew (sec), Fiona, Larbi, Collette, Dick, John Brown, Stuart, Thea, Grace, Karen, Ruth, Claudette.
Police: Lucy, Hassan, Simon, Pauline
Cllr Gideon Bull

Summary of Matters Discussed:

Condition of estate – concerns raised about overhanging trees, and other areas of neglect. Dick said that tree works were coming soon.

Crime – five known burglars are operating in the area and police are monitoring their activities. Action is also being taken against drug dealers on the estate. Dealers are known to police.
There are also problems with bikes being raced down Risley Avenue.
The unmarked caravan parked on Risley Ave has recently moved but there are concerns it is a centre for antisocial behaviour of various kinds.
If anyone would like to find out more about the ‘Smartwater’ please contact Pauline.

Waltheof Gardens – there are no plans to build houses or flats here. There is not enough space. There may be proposals to build new higher quality social/health facilities to replace the existing 4 buildings.

Notice boards on the estate – these have been vandalised beyond repair and the meeting believes they should be replaced.

Conservation issues – the breezeblock extension on Risley Ave jct with Siward Road is awful. The Council has refused retrospective consent as the building does not meet any standards.

2A Risley Avenue – this is an eyesore and cars are parked in the front garden.

Littering and fly tipping continues to be a problem, and there are persistent problems regarding the bins on Lordship Lane that have never been resolved. Re: Homes for Haringey properties.

Tower Gardens Park – Zoe has been instrumental in getting a new friends group together. A friends group is really useful as it can bid for funds. There is now a Facebook page.

Trees – Matthew has received a street tree pack to help us celebrate the trees on the estate.
Dick has been working with youth centres to help raise tree seeds for future plantings. Important to help increase ecological and amenity value.

Website – Larbi Ernst is liaising with Karen about updating the site.

Open House – this will take place on Sunday 23 September

Date of Next Meeting – Tuesday 11September

Minutes of Tower Gardens Residents Group 2016 AGM

Minutes

Wednesday 22nd June 2016 at 7 pm
Meeting Room: Larkspur Close off Fryatt Road.

Present:

Mark Kalemkerian, Philippa Snoaden, Matthew Bradby, Friedrich Ernst, Gladys Nichols, Kathleen Nichols, Claudia Neil, Ava, Chaira Contrino, Colette Kirkbride, Philippa Snoaden, Sebastiao Schoning
Cllrs Anne Stennett, Charles Adje, Gideon Bull
Chris Bell from Homes for Haringey
Pauline Syddell – Met Police and PC James Fulton

Apologies – Ruth Crowley, Jennifer Kirk, Fiona.

Introductions

Last years’ minutes
These were circulated and agreed.
Accounts
These were circulated and agreed. It was noted that we had been successful in getting a £2000 grant from Haringey Council ward budgets – £1500 of this is for trees. Other money for website and also for community clean up.
Matthew will contact the Council about tree planting this autumn.
Matthew will contact Sarah Hayes from Cleanup UK to arrange a date for further clean up of the estate.
Elections
The following were elected as full committee members:
Mary Kalemkerian (Chair) Matthew Bradby (Sec) Karen (Treasurer) Friedrich Ernst (Vice Chair); other members Chaira Contrino, Claudia Neil, Philippa Snoaden, Colette Kirkbride.
Policing and antisocial behaviour
PC Fulton and Pauline Syddell gave an update on local news and also about Neighbourhood Watch.
Matthew reported that anti social behaviour at Turnpike Lane station had got worse recently; Pauline indicated that there would be new cameras and that police were aware.
Rubbish and collections
It was noted that Veolia had missed a lot of collections recently in Gospatrick Road; other areas have been alright. When collections are missed this leads to an increase in street dumping.
We recognised there were two issues – dumping by residents on the street, and fly tipping that may be by traders/landlords/construction jobs.
Everyone is encouraged to report missed collections, dumping and fly tipping.
Controlled parking and traffic
Some residents were experiencing problems parking outside their house – e.g. in Risley Avenue and Gospatrick Road. The process for extending a CPZ was discussed.
Residents are very concerned about traffic, particularly speeding on the Roundway and Lordship Lane, and the junction between them opposite Sainsburys. The Council has asked TFL to look at this but there is no funding for an additional crossing here. There is currently no safe crossing between north and south side of Lordship Lane anywhere near the junction.
Resolution: that this meeting is very concerned by traffic conditions, particularly speeding, on the Roundway and Lordship Lane junction and asks for traffic calming measures to be taken by relevant authorities.
AOB
We discussed having another clean up and celebratory event during the summer holidays.
This would focus on Waltheof Avenue and Waltheof Gardens.
Dates to be discussed. E.g. Morning of 23 July

The meeting concluded and Chris Bell gave Matthew relevant paperwork to complete for registration with the Council for the forthcoming year.