Annual Report

It has been another busy year for the BPCA, and as ever thanks are due to lots of people. As a community association we try to serve our community in many ways, and provide ‘services’ which are needed and give pleasure. None of this could happen without the involvement of many people who give their time and skills to making our area look and feel better and be a happy and safe place to live. There is lots of work to do, but as we head towards the 10^th birthday of the BPCA we can honestly say that many things are better than 10 years ago.

The two most visible improvements to our area are the Community Garden in Myddleton Road which was created by the association, and the start of the revitalisation of Finsbury Gardens. Thank you to Charlotte Argyle and Lydia Navarro and all in the Community Garden Group, from gardeners and weeders to cake and tea makers, and the committee members who keep it ticking smoothly. Thanks also to Haringey council gardeners for the essential mowing. Keeping any garden looking good the whole year is a tricky thing, but to keep a community garden - much used by children and adults whether for a safe play or a quiet beer, locked and unlocked every day - looking good is even more difficult. The Garden rightly deserves its third Green Pennant. Instead of looking dark and unloved, brightness has come back to Finsbury Gardens, thanks to the newly formed Friends of Finsbury Gardens – another offshoot of the BPCA. Thanks to all who have dug, chopped and planted – especially Kate Franzmann, Jim and Isabel Friedman and Nicki Della-Porter – and to Gaia Friedman for the lovely posters for events. Again thanks to Tony Healey and his Haringey gardening team for mowing and gardening help.

Many local people don’t do the work but only have fun with the BPCA, and maybe they don’t know how much hard work goes in to making a successful event. This hard work is what made the Quiz night such fun, many thanks to Catharine Perry, Sarah Harris and all the people who did the catering and sorting. Catharine Perry also organised the successful sponsored walk, which made over £600 for the work of the association and she organises the regular Walking Group which has fun and fresh air while getting to know London and further afield – so yet more thanks. The Wonderful Garden Picnic was organised by the Garden Group and lots of additional helpers and yet again was a really fun day for all the family – thanks to all. In March, Maria, one of our Members, cooked a wonderful meal to raise funds for the BPCA and a group of us ate a gourmet meal in her lovely house and had a jolly evening – thank you Maria.

Much of the work the association does has a much lower profile, but is none the less important. Thank you to all who have alerted us to planning matters, and to those who have themselves written letters about applications. Thank you to those who have alerted us to blocked drains, wobbly pavements, dangerous kerbs, dumped rubbish and other small environmental matters. Everyone can report these problems themselves, and things will usually get done, but we are happy to be a conduit. Hundreds of reports, mails and letters on these issues have been sent on your behalf in the last year.

We have our committee meetings every six weeks, and they are informal though full of business. We have only had one Public Meeting this year – held at Mandellies in Myddleton Road, but this informal session was useful in making new contacts who could raise their issues and concerns.

I must say a big Thank You to the members of our committee. We said Good-bye to Sarah Harris and Susan Parasher who had many competing activities, thank you to them for long service. Caroline Theodorou was a very useful new member but sadly her work moved her out of the area – thank you and good luck. Newly elected Neena Surva found she would rather do things when requested than attend meetings, so has just switched roles. Thank you to Father Robert Wilkinson who beavers away unseen on our ever-expanding website. A big Thank You to our Secretary, Lukie Hewat, who spends many hours keeping us all in touch and dealing with incoming mail, doing the committee minutes and lots more besides. Brian O’Reilly has had a busy year, what with finishing his degree, doing the house and the arrival of young Charlotte – and we are glad to welcome his skills back on the committee regularly. Thank you Kathy McKeown for organising the distribution of the newsletter and having kept all the papers and archives so neatly – we are sorry to lose you as a committee member but good luck with the new full time job. Kate Franzmann has been a very useful, though informal member – thank you Kate. We have been very lucky indeed that Marguerite Canuti agreed to be our Treasurer. The books have never been clearer, the spreadsheets more colourful – nor more healthy. She also took on the allied task of keeping our Membership records and we know exactly who is where and for how long - we now have the largest paid up membership in our ten years. To all - a big Thank You. And to Members out there – do please consider joining the committee!

Local people everywhere blame their local councils for so many ills – and we have all done it, I am sure. There are indeed times when both Haringey and Enfield are maddening and slow. But the BPCA has a good relationship with Councillors and Officials in both councils, and much of the time the area gets assistance and care. We thank Kate Garner and Beverley Stephens in Haringey Neighbourhood Management who have supported and helped in many ways, Tony Healey and staff in Parks, Tony Kennedy and traffic officers in Haringey, Russell Hart and Lee Rider at Enfield Waste Management and many others in both councils. We also thank our elected Councillors, in particular Cllr Matt Cooke for his unfailing efforts to improve not only Myddleton Road but other areas of our patch.

In 2009 we have two major celebrations – the 10^th birthday of the BPCA and the 150^th birthday of the New River Tunnel. We plan to build a programme of events and work around these two anniversaries and would like to hear from any members who would like to take on any related piece of work or can help in any way. We are looking forward to working with Nightingale Primary School in developing a part of their humanities curriculum built around the New River and the Victorian growth of our area. I am sure there will be fun and healthy exercise in many events, and the area will look even better in November 2009, but it is only through YOU, our members that any of this can be possible. Thank you for your encouragement and support in the past year and I look forward to an even more action-packed year ahead.

It is nearly six years since the group was formed, with the first meeting taking place in a café on Myddleton Road, with the support of Haringey Council’s then Community Worker, Rani Khan.

The space was designed for use by the whole community, as a place for peace and quiet, community events, and to encourage flora and fauna to flourish. The garden is widely used by the community and the dedicated stewardship of group members, particularly the chair, Lydia, and secretary, Charlotte, has meant hardly any abuse of it.

Events such as the community picnic in June, part of the Open Gardens weekend, has brought people together and provided great entertainment for children, through face painting, balloon modelling and, of course, Mr Ali Cadabra’s magic show!

The variety of vegetation in the garden continues to widen with the erection of a willow tepee in the spring. There is a gardening season on the first Saturday morning of each month (everyone welcome). During a planting day in September we were also joined by student volunteers all the way from Worcester College of Ohio! Wildlife is encouraged, e.g. buddleia plants attract butterflies, and nesting boxes on the yew trees have been used by blue tits in the spring time. On a sunny day the different colours and textures in the garden make it an oasis!

As well as nature conservation, the garden is also used for encouraging recycling through Freecycle events. This is where you bring items that you no longer want and others can take them away for free, and vice versa.

As well as meeting new people, involvement in the Garden Group means learning new skills, whether that’s to do with gardening, running meetings, organising and promoting events, or fundraising. There is now an opportunity to help make a mosaic for the garden under the leadership of our own local mosaic artist, Miranda. So if you have 2 hours to spare on either Tuesday 25 November, Saturday 29 November or Saturday 6 December, and want to learn something knew, call Miranda on 020-8881-9853.

For the third year running, the garden has been awarded the prestigious Green Pennant award by the Civic Trust, recognising its safety, accessibility, biodiversity and community involvement. We would like to thank both Haringey and Enfield Council officers and councillors for their continued support, as well as our two local MPs. And finally a big thank you to all members of the Garden Group and others who have contributed to make the garden a place to be proud of.

If you are interested in joining the Group, call Charlotte on 020-8881-0673 for more information.

Friends of Finsbury Gardens

Finsbury Gardens has got a better atmosphere and has looked better than for many years – thanks to the Friends of Finsbury Gardens.

The newly planted central bed has grown well this year and produced some colour throughout the seasons and the bulbs we planted last Autumn cheered those who passed through the gardens. There were clumps of daffodils and crocus early and then the tulips and hyacinths - and apart from a very few stray fingers they were all left well alone for everyone to enjoy.

We lost one Chestnut tree due to disease and another tree was removed to let in the light. This has opened up the park and allows sunlight to reach all parts during daylight hours.

Notice Boards have been placed in both Finsbury Gardens and at one end of Hidden River Path which allow communication to take place about local events and have the additional advantage of informing passers by that there is a group of people who are trying to improve things.

A bench was removed partly due to complaints from those who face the park as it was being used late into the night and disturbing those who were trying to sleep. We hope to replace it with another in a different position later in the year. We should have another bench and a table in the play-park very soon.

We have been given money for fruit trees and seats to be placed in Hidden River Path but these are very slow in arriving. However the Dog bins have improved this cut-through as have the rubbish bins.

A carol concert held in the park was well attended an enjoyed by all and this will be repeated on December 21^st between 6.00 and 6.45. Put this date in your diary as it is a great way to get Christmas started. Mulled wine and mince pies will be provided along with song sheets.

We have had two tidy up days to try and keep the gardens looking good. The Spring one was poorly attended, so sadly was the October one on a very wet day, but those who came worked very hard. The hedge bushes need some more pruning – so do offer to help if you can. You are very welcome to join us and make more Friends. Please contact Kate Franzmann at 85 Nightingale Road or ring 0208 888 1689 or email katefranzmann@tiscali.co.uk.

Social and Fundraising Events

The fourth BPCA quiz took place on 26^th April at the Bounds Green Bowls and Tennis Club and once again was successful and enjoyable, giving participants a great evening out and raising over £350 for the Association. The Garden Group also had an opportunity to raise money from the raffle. Particular thanks go to Jane O’Neill for organising the refreshments and to my fellow quiz mistress, Sarah Harris, for all her help.

On 21^st September – a perfect sunny autumn day – a sponsored walk was held down the New River from Enfield to the Community Garden in Myddleton Road. Participation was disappointingly low, but the 15 people who did take part raised a magnificent £646 for the Association and the two Gardens in our area. Sponsorship by Thames Water funded costs, including the purchase of T-shirts.

I am now hanging up my hat as events organiser, but I am sure others will step forward with fresh ideas for community-building social and fundraising events for the Association and its sub-groups.

Catharine Perry

Planning

The BPCA comments on many applications, and it might be useful to repeat what I said last year about the process. “The Association is sent the planning applications for properties in our area by both councils. If there is a matter which does not affect the over-all nature of the area then we either let it pass, or inform those members who live near that it is being considered. Applications that we consider more important to the area as a whole, are looked at by the committee or sub-committee and comments sent to the council. In some cases residents close to an application site take action themselves, and this we support where appropriate.”

· 133 Whittington Road – application to turn ice-cream depot into blocks of one person flats – refused on the grounds that family homes are needed instead.

· Kings Shop, 51 Finsbury Road – the new owners tore out the old shop windows in this corner Conservation Area property and did other works totally without permission. Started to insert smaller plastic windows etc. General local uproar. Work stopped. Now windows have been replaced by timber but (we consider) inappropriate windows and other works still stand. Have just heard that Planning officer has agreed to let these all stay. We are finding out who we can complain to about this further degradation of the Conservation Area.

· Shaftesbury Hall, Herbert Road – the Samaritans (part-owners) applied for permission to demolish this 19^th Tin Tabernacle and develop the land with flats and offices. Much local opposition. Permission Refused. Owners have appealed. Appeal to be heard Civic Centre, December 2^nd. English Heritage will not List the building as they say there are better quality Tin Tabernacles, but have said that it is of local historic interest.

· 136 Palmerston – application to turn family house into nursery for 56 children aged 1-5. Local opposition. Decision pending.

· 90 Trinity Road – corner property of Conservation Area refused permission for existing blue metal extension. Refused permission for new brick and metal extension. Enforcement action being taken.

· 4-10 Whittington Road – Conservation Area - enforcement action being taken on a variety of matters.

· Police Station, High Road/corner of Nightingale Rd. – a huge, new red brick, steel and glass building was proposed instead of our traditional “Dixon of Dock Green” station. Much local opposition. Application withdrawn. English Heritage will not list the existing building because it is not one of the best examples of its kind.

· 17 Whittington Road – Conservation Area – has applied for certificate of Lawfulness for 6 self-contained flats in what was a simple terraced house. Local residents do not believe it has been self-contained flats. Decision pending.

Myddleton Road continues to be an example of where unauthorised changes happen almost weekly, and many planning applications for inappropriate alterations are posted. We do hope that current actions by the Council will make owners think twice in the near future.

The purpose of commenting on applications is to try to keep or create good quality buildings and good quality living and working accommodation. As in previous years there have been many unauthorised changes to buildings and subdivision of buildings without permissions. Please do be vigilant about your local street. Talk to a planning officer at your council if you are worried about any property. Check the planning websites if you have internet access.

Caroline Simpson

Another year; more progress on Myddleton Road!

A lot of work has been carried out since our last update and Myddleton Road looks cleaner and feels safer. The street continues to be tidier and we have had committed street cleaners who have worked hard on our behalf.

This is important but still the road has not ‘turned the corner’ and developed new and dynamic businesses to provide even better shopping and eating options for local people and more customers for the businesses that are already there. Work continues and here are some of the ongoing and completed pieces of work:

The Myddleton Road Strategy Group is looking at longer term change to try to turn the road around. The Group, chaired by Bounds Green Labour Councillor Matt Cooke, is made up of Council Officers from neighbourhood management, housing, regeneration and enforcement, BPCA representatives and Myddleton Road residents and traders.

A bid has been made to the HLF for money to restore some of the historic Edwardian shop fronts. This scheme will work with owners, who contribute some funds, to return the shop front to its former glory and help to retain some of the original character of the street. Just a few shop fronts remain that give a hint of the wooden frames, curved glass, tiling and decoration that made the street an architectural treasure.

These features have been replaced with plastic frames, metal shutters and satellite dishes which are all contrary to the conservation area status of the street. But, there is no point in looking back and constantly bemoaning what has gone wrong. Council officers will be working with property owners to try to reverse some of the damage.

Building on recent changes that have improved the look of the street by bringing in new paving and lighting, we now have the pay and display parking scheme. This has stopped cars blocking the street while their owners park up for the day whilst at work in order to use Bowes Park station, and means that people who want to use the shops can at least find somewhere to park.

The Myddleton Road Action Group keeps a close check on changes being made to properties on the street. One of the reasons that so many properties have had their historic elements removed was because owners illegally removed them without planning permission. If the changes which are made are not investigated within four years then they become legally permissible. We now work with the planning team at the council to spot illegal conversions and adaptations of properties on Myddleton Road as soon as they happen. If they’re not legal they are challenged and hopefully the challenge is successful.

The Council published a style guide earlier this year with planning do’s and don’ts as an easy-read guide for property owners. This also gives all owners less of an excuse to make unacceptable changes to their properties!

The Council is currently working on encouraging (and where necessary enforcing) properties on the Road to put metal roller blinds inside properties rather than outside, reinstate wooden sash windows and site satellite dishes out of site – all of these items are not permissible in a conservation area.

A pilot project is also been taken forward by the Council for the area around Myddleton Road, which will need to be given the go-ahead by the Secretary of State. This would impel owners of certain houses of multiple occupancy to be registered with the Council. This would mean that they were open to inspection in terms of health and safety and they would have to bring their properties up to a good standard or face prosecution and have their ability to manage properties removed.

It will be very beneficial to the area if there are plans and powers in place to deal with badly managed properties and we are pleased that the Bowes Park area has been chosen to lead this application for all of Haringey.

As we always say, we also need some new and innovative businesses in the road that will attract local people and help build on the strong and enduring community spirit in the area. There are many local people who give their time to bringing about improvements and help Bowes Park thrive. If anyone out there is looking to start something up in Myddleton Road, do get in touch and we will try to help your venture get off to a great start.

I would like to thank Councillor Matt Cooke for all his hard work on our behalf and to the Council officers who have given so much time and resource to Myddleton Road. There are many claims on their time across Haringey and I appreciate the way that they have stuck with us.

Bowes Park Walking Group

The Walking Group, now in its third year, has enjoyed a variety of walks this year: urban, such as Regents Canal from Islington to Limehouse and the southern part of the New River from Finsbury Park to Islington, in parks (Richmond and Wimbledon, Lea Valley), and in more rural areas such as Broxbourne Woods and around Forty Hall. We were only rained off once (the first time since we started in May 2006), so have a walk around Hadley Wood in hand for next summer. In December and June there were planning/social events to set up the walks for the next six months.

Walks take place once a month on a Saturday or Sunday and are led by different members of the Group. When we need to travel we nearly always use public transport. Numbers this year have mostly not been high, but there is a core of 12-15 regulars and many more on the list who we hope will join us sometime. Looking ahead, the walks in 2009 will be on the fourth weekend of the month, with a balance between London, local and out in the country. Everyone is very welcome.

Handy People

This year saw the setting up of the BPCA ‘handy people’ directory on the website. At the time of writing it is early days, but there are already a number of people listed and is definitely worth a browse. So, if you need a painter, plumber, Polish teacher or whatever, have a look on the website for a local person. Also, if you know of someone who you think should be included, send Lionel an e-mail with details at bowespark@tiscali.co.uk . It might be best if you check that they do not mind with them first.

Bring & Take

During the year, we held a number of ‘bring and take’ mornings. These were small affairs in the community garden, giving people the opportunity to bring along any unwanted items, and to take away anything that was left.

Then, as part of the London Reduce Your Waste Week, Enfield council offered to sponsor a larger scale event, helping us with publicity, hall hire – we hired Trinity-at-Bowes – disposal of non-claimed items, and even supplied an electrician to check any electrical items and certify them safe. Haringey Freecycle also helped with publicity and supplied a number of helpers on the day.

We lost track of how many people came (in the hundreds), but, to give you some idea, we estimate we exchanged 165 kg of clothes, 180kg of books, 143 kg of toys, 16 kg of tapes, cds, videos and dvds and 84 kg of bric-a-brac and much more. All these would have ended up in landfill and, instead, have gone to homes that actually need them.

Two more events are planned for 2009 in April and September. If you would like to be e-mailed information about future events, send an e-mail to bowespark@tiscali.co.uk

Rubbish

Sadly our two WOW award winners who swept Myddleton Road have been moved in the change-over from Accord to Enterprise. That switch created a hiccup in the cleaning of our local Haringey streets, but on the whole it is far better than a few years ago. Enfield put up a good new multi-lingual sign and stopped the bad dump at the Marlborough/Whittington corner – but it has moved across the road a bit further up Marlborough. Let us hope they can crack that one too.

Both councils continue to shift dumped rubbish quickly if contacted. Haringey Neighbourhood Management has promised that we will soon have new bins that we have requested - at the Bounds Green Road ends of Queens, Whittington, Clarence, and Nightingale. We have recently requested some more dog bins as there are far more dogs being walked locally. Take a litter picker and an old plastic bag with you when you go for walk locally - feel fitter and a little bit virtuous. But it is really up to all of us to use the bins or take our rubbish home.

Crime and safety

The BPCA Chair is the co-chair of the Bounds Green Safer Neighbourhood Panel. This has 4 meetings a year to agree and monitor the work of our Safer Neighbourhood team which covers the whole Ward. Bounds Green Ward has the second lowest level of recorded crime of all wards in Haringey but if you are worried about a police issue or you witness behaviour you feel uneasy about, then do contact your local team: Enfield – 8721 2679; Haringey – 8721 2676.

Caroline Simpson is also on the Borough-wide Forum for Chairs and Vice-Chairs which identified young people’s anti-social behaviour as a major Haringey-wide problem. We have been pressing for more detached youth workers for Haringey and are pleased that there are now more such workers and next year there will be a new Rapid Response Team to “tackle issues of concerns relating to young people and behaviour as they arise across the borough”. We welcome this expansion of detached youth work and look forward to seeing it in action with young people in our area. Young people are not a problem, the problem is that they are perceived as a problem when they are ‘hanging around’. Detached youth work aims to engage with them where they are and encourage them to do new things.

The New River, the Tunnel and Hidden River Path

The New River is one of our most wonderful assets, but it is often a bit neglected by Thames Water, who own and maintain it. We have had meetings with Thames Water officials to try to get things better, one of which was called by our Enfield Councillors. It is obvious that TW does not provide enough resources to keep the Path itself as clean and decent as we would like it. As the New River is still a major provider of water to North London, TW’s main concern, not surprisingly, is the state of the water and water-way itself. However we are pressing for more resources from TW, a better policy with the local councils towards litter and waste, more regular bank maintenance, and actions to discourage what little bad behaviour there is. The graffiti that disfigured the Grade 2 Listed Tunnel entrance has now been removed, the worst bit of bank repaired, and the entrance at Myddleton Road has been cut back and tidied. We had a community tidy up one pleasant late summer evening. The New River and its Tunnel are indeed to be celebrated!

For well over a year now our voices have joined those of Partridge Way other local residents to get repairs to the very broken tarmac footpath between Bounds Green Road and Nightingale Road. We pressed for this to be included in the 2008-9 budget, but we have still not been told, despite many requests, when or if this is to be done. Do be careful! Do report any fall or additional hazard. Let us hope we can record some action here in the next Annual Report.

Traffic and Roads

Traffic Calming - Decades ago residents of Whittington Road petitioned for something to be done about the terrible traffic in their narrow residential road. For ten years the BPCA has been trying to get traffic reducing improvements to a number of roads, especially Whittington. Due to the A406 proposals TfL money is now being spent on schemes in the Whittington and Palmerston roads area. What began as a joint piece of work - which seemed sensible considering the roads go from one borough to the next - seems now to be two distinct treatments again. There were many consultations and late in the summer the work started on the Enfield section. Some details have yet to be agreed with the BPCA on the Haringey sections, but work should start before Christmas and be finished some 3 or 4 months later. Initial reports from some Enfield/Palmerston Road residents say that the traffic is as heavy but faster – so no real improvement there. But it is only when it is all done that we shall see whether it is effective or not. We have asked that there be careful monitoring of the effect of the works, so keep your own diary if necessary.

CPZ - The much awaited and hotly debated CPZ started earlier this year in some streets of the Haringey area. It has made it easier for residents of those streets who have cars, and generally less car-heavy, but now residents in the streets which initially opposed the CPZ are asking for zone extensions. We hope that Haringey will be able to extend the scheme where practicable. It will be interesting to see what it is like on local streets in a year’s time with the new traffic calming plus the CPZs. It should all make our lives better, and as it’s probably a once in a lifetime expenditure by TFL we do hope so.

Secretary’s Report

This year has seen greater involvement amongst members who have enthusiastically supported events put on by various branches of BPCA. This has been reflected in the increasing interaction by email sent to and fro with details and reminders of events (in addition to website entries) and items which are thought to be of interest to members, not least – sadly – notification of street crime. This year there has been a marked increase in two-way traffic between members and the secretary, who acts as ‘postmaster’ in passing on items of use or interest to members.

With the co-operation of other members of the committee, the Secretary’s duties have been made more straightforward and easy, and thanks to the remarkable work of our Treasurer, it has been easy to keep members’ lists up to date. It has been great to see membership increasing and interest in BPCA increasing month by month. Lukie Hewat

Month	Average Visits per day	Number of pages on site visited per day
Oct 2008	21	80
Sep 2008	16	95
Aug 2008	16	71
Jul 2008	17	58
Jun 2008	21	66
May 2008	21	83
Apr 2008	17	77
Mar 2008	11	45
Feb 2008	12	55
Jan 2008	12	52
Dec 2007	9	37

The table above shows the statistics of usage for our website in the last year. The general trend is upwards, and shows that visitors to the site are coming much more frequently than they were some months ago and, just as interestingly, they are staying longer and visiting more pages within the site while they are there.

This is clearly good news as it demonstrates an increasing interest in what is going on in our area and shows that, for those living within our small locale, our website proves to be a useful medium. Anecdotally, it is understood that the pages visited most often are the “What’s On” page and the “Walking Group” page, with interest in gardening and community events coming up close behind.

The site expands slowly and we are piloting a page showing recommendations for tradespeople & services, highlighted as “Handy People” on the site. The site contains many photographs, historic and new, and also carries details of recent committee reports and Association business matters. Please do feel free to visit, and while you are there click around a bit and offer suggestions or contributions.

The webmaster manages the website on a day-to-day basis including design and layout, but the overall editorial control, especially regarding content and the inclusion of matters regarding third parties, falls under the jurisdiction of Lukie Hewat, who may be contacted electronically direct from the “Contact Us” page.

The webmaster is happy to continue but is only, at best, an amateur, and if the Association has a member with more developed skills to develop the site further, then approaches to the Committee will be welcome. - Robert Wilkinson

The Association has increased its membership this year to 126, which has bought membership subs up to £699.00, over double that of last year. I would like to thank all those who helped. We now have 34 members paying by standing order, which brings in a guaranteed sum of £196.00. People were generous this year and donations were up by over double compared to last year reaching at total of £210.31

Fundraising Events Dinner Party, Quiz Night, Give & Take Day and the Sponsored Walk brought in a net income of £657.64 for the main Association.

We hope to receive a refund for the cost of the venue for the Give & Take Day which was £90.00. The Sponsored Walk fundraising has been divided to give each garden £93.86 and the remaining £187.74 this is to be used for next year’s New River Celebrations. We should receive £400.00 from Thames Water, this will be divided as follows £200.00 for the New River Celebrations, and £100.00 for each garden group.

Our cost for printing the newsletter has been reduced by £164.00 this being due to our chair finding a new printing company.

Thanks to “My Dental Care” in Myddleton Road for their sponsorship of £250.00 towards the cost of the newsletter.

Myddleton Road Garden The Garden received £220.62 in donations and did well with their fundraising. Carol Singing, Quiz Raffle, Picnic, Cake Sales and Sponsored Walk totalling £350.96. The council paid to insure the garden tools and for a gardener.

Bowes Park Community Association and Friends of Finsbury Gardens

Details of funding made by Wood Green Neighbourhood Management and Making the Difference in

About Bowes Park – the BPCA Newsletter

Over 3,500 copies of About Bowes Park are distributed free to all residents in the BPCA area, and sent to all Members who don’t live here. We have produced two issues of About Bowes Park this year. The main job of coordinating/editing was done for the first by Catharine Perry and the second by Caroline Simpson – thanks to both. The management of the distribution was by Kath McKeowan and Brian O’Reilly, who stepped in to manage the second issue. Many thanks to them and to all of our members who deliver the newsletter – despite barking dogs, snappy letter-boxes and soggy weather. Thank you also to the dentist in Myddleton Road who sponsored the first issue. We are keen to find other sponsors for further issues – it is a great way to get known by all local residents.

The newsletter is our main way of communicating to the residents in our area, and we hope that each issue has some news items of interest to all. We would welcome any short articles and news items from our members and other residents – so if you have something you wish to say to a wider audience, why not try writing to About Bowes Park?

The BPCA’s primary area

This map shows the main area that the BPCA covers and delivers the newsletter to all flats and houses in these streets except the High Road/Green Lanes and Bowes Road.

We also take an interest in some matters in a wider local area – such as around the tube station and bits of Bounds Green Road. We have also commented on planning matters which affect residents in our area though the specific issue or site may be outside our primary area.

Present: Caroline Simpson (Chair), Kathy McKeown (Secretary), Catharine Perry (Treasurer)

Miranda Andrea, Charlotte Argyle, Ed Balleny, Daniele Canuti, Marguerite Canuti, Kate Cooke, Lionel Ferer, Sandra Ferer, Kate Franzmann, Sarah Harris, Cathy Herman, Lukie Hewat, Thomas Jones, Chris Lawler, Ron Lock, Kevin McGarry, Steve O’Leary, Brian O’Reilly, Susan Parashar, Nell Reid, Mat Riches, Anita Shapiro, Deirdre Stowell-Smith, John Sweeney, Karl Sweeney, Neena Surya, Caroline Theodorou, John Waller

Haringey Councillors: Matt Cooke, John Oakes Enfield Councillors: Yasmin Brett, Achilles Georgiou, Jeff Rodin

Apologies: Mr Brown, Councillor Ali Demirci, Jim Friedman, Nikki Della Porta, Kevin Tipple.

The Chair welcomed members to the meeting. Apologies were received as listed above.

The Chair thanked Kathy McKeown for her work in producing and circulating the annual report. She thanked all those who had worked during the year to improve the area, particularly the outgoing Treasurer, Catharine Perry. The Annual Report was accepted.

The Treasurer, Catharine Perry, circulated a revised version of the accounts which included amendments to the figure for bank interest and a £20 difference in income and expenditure on events. More importantly, the accounts now reflected gifts in kind from a grant from Haringey Council. The accounts were accepted by the meeting.

Because the Association’s work was growing and there were now several subgroups, it was agreed that expenditure should be authorised in the following way:

required, the decision may be taken by three officers after consultation with committee members by email and telephone and the decision minuted at the next meeting.

Caroline Theodorou indicated willingness to serve but wished to attend a meeting as an observer first.

Catharine Perry said that she wished to stand down from the post of Treasurer. Marguerite Canuti was elected as Treasurer nem. con.

Kathy McKeown said that she wished to stand down as Secretary. As there were no candidates, the task of finding a secretary was remitted to the Committee.

Members were pleased to hear that Caroline Simpson was willing to continue as Chair.

It was resolved that cheque signatories for the Association should be: Caroline Simpson (Chair); Marguerite Canuti (Treasurer); Kathy McKeown (Committee Member) and Neena Surya (Committee Member).

The Chair drew members’ attention to the existence of the Haringey Youth Opportunity Fund which gives grants for projects devised by young people.

Traffic calming measures for Whittington and Palmerston Roads have been agreed after several years of suggestions and consultations. There will need to be a further consultation before implementation. Karl Sweeney put forward an idea for making Whittington, Truro and Nightingale Roads ‘access only’ once the traffic calming is in place. Extra traffic had been caused by Whittington Road being on a Satnav system, which gained publicity for Bowes Park in the Evening Standard.

The problem corner of Whittington and Marlborough roads is now being cleaned once a day, and leafleting of residents and a notice in several languages seems to be having an effect; CCTV is due to be installed. Cllr Jeff Rodin reported that Enfield officers have taken notice that the area next to the A406 is a dumping ground, and Environ-Crime teams are in action. When division of houses into flats fronting onto the street with inadequate waste disposal facilities have been approved, problems inevitably arise. Big bins emptied regularly are needed. Another problem is that as vans cannot go to the tip without paying, drivers who only have vans have difficulty in getting rid of their rubbish. As with so many of Bowes Park’s problems, enforcement is the key and staffing levels in both Councils are too low.

Enfield councillors have achieved the installation of new street lights on the Enfield side of Bowes Park.

For Bowes Park, it is very important that Haringey and Enfield councillors coordinate their work.

Charlotte Argyle reported that the Group now has 10 members and in the past year organised a planting day, a picnic, a concert, and a ‘Freecycle’ day. There are monthly gardening sessions and a planting plan has been drawn up. Good publicity has come through the local papers, and fundraising efforts had been successful. The Garden gained a certificate of merit in Haringey in Bloom, and won a second Green Pennant Award. Following participation in the Open Gardens and Squares Weekend, a cheque for £100 had been received from the organisers. Recently Lionel Ferer had organised the successful ‘Freecycle’ day where unwanted items were brought to be taken by anyone who could use them.

Kate Franzmann reported on the development of a group of residents who were working on ways of improving the Gardens. They had received great help from Haringey Council, solving problems of dilapidated equipment and fencing. A ‘Planting Day’ had taken place with participants ranging in age from 6 months to 81. A ‘Making a Difference’ grant would soon be received for noticeboards, benches, tables and plants. Kate thanked the Chair who had given a lot of assistance to the Group.

Catharine Perry reported that a third successful quiz had been held in March at the Bowls and Tennis Club, enjoyed by the 100+ people who took part; it had raised £320 for Association funds. A joint summer barbecue and social with the Bowls and Tennis Club had been affected by bad weather, but had still been enjoyed by about 70 people and raised some funds. Catharine said that she was stepping down from convening the events group (apart from the 2008 quiz) and invited volunteers to help with organising.

Sarah Harris reported that a varied programme of monthly walks had been enjoyed in places ranging from the very local to further afield, such as Bayford in Hertfordshire and Richmond Park. Different people lead each walk, and often there is a shorter and a longer component. Lukie Hewat was thanked for her work as coordinator.

Two issues of the Newsletter had been distributed to every household in the BPCA area and posted to members outside the boundaries. Sponsorship had come from Demetriou & English, Funeral Directors of Myddleton Road, and Adam Kennedy, estate agents. Caroline Simpson thanked Kathy McKeown for her work in organising the distribution of the Newsletter, and those who had done the delivering.

Cathy Herman said that the Group had had three priorities during the year: Myddleton Road, Finsbury Gardens and the stretch of pavement along Bounds Green Road from Whittington to Brownlow Roads. On the first, progress had been made through working with Haringey Council’s Myddleton Road Action Group, chaired by Cllr Matt Cooke, which brought together representatives from the relevant departments. New lighting and pavements were being put in and the Group was working with English Heritage to restore the shop fronts. They were also working with Housing Departments to stop the ‘dumping’ of people into emergency accommodation. CCTV is due to be installed at the Marlborough/Myddleton crossroads. The basic need is for new businesses to come in to the empty shops.

Concluding the meeting, the Chair demonstrated containers for shops to use to recycle plastic bags. Cllr Rodin commended the Association, saying that the positive approach of its officers and members made it a pleasure to work with. Caroline Simpson was warmly thanked for all the work she had done as Chair during the year.

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