Minutes

PC Denise Thorpe and PCSO Antonio Rivas gave a report covering the last three months.

•   Burglaries and car crime (theft of and from vehicles): have increased a little.  The worst affected area continues to be the roads between Hoppers Road and Broadwalk. 
The clocks are going back soon and nights are longer.  October and November are the peak times for Burglary.
Residents are advised to make sure all windows and doors are locked and to leave lights on or use timer lights if they are going to be out when it is dark.

•   ASB in Sainsburys carpark continues to be a problem.  (One resident said that it had been ongoing for 25 years.)
Sainsbury’s do not lock they gate to the carpark.  (The Planning Inspectorate -who overturned the Council’s decision to refuse planning- did not include a condition to enforce this.  DB)
Residents are advised to report the ‘boy racers’ here (and in other affected areas, e.g. Caversham Avenue and Old Park Road) on 101.
Residents would like the gates to be locked - Sainsbury’s employees and emergency services would have keys.
Alternatively or in addition, traffic calming measures could help without being a nuisance to shoppers.
(There have been three different managers in the last year.  Some progress seemed to be being made with the first, and the current manager agreed to meet with residents.  However, he has not replied to emails to set a date.  Cllr. Anderson (Cabinet member for the Environment) has now asked his officers to help.  DB)

•   People loitering in the alley behind Alderman’s Hill between Grovelands and Old Park Roads have ceased since schools have reopened.

•   A resident reported seeing a roofer throwing building materials such as tiles from a roof into a truck pulled up over the footpath.  (Dinah Barry reported something similar in the summer.) 
If anyone sees this happening, take the registration number and any other identification from the truck, and the address of the property involved and phone 101.  You can also report it to the council or ask a councillor to do this for you.

•   Residents also commented on large lorries driving down Old Park Road.  It was advised that their company details etc be noted and, along with the time of the incident, reported by phoning 101.  Residents can also report it to the council or ask a councillor to do this for you.

•   We are reminded that although the focus of the report is on crime Winchmore Hill is a low crime area.

Tony Watts from the Over 50s Forum

•   Tony reminded us that the Over 50s Forum is a large group which plays a very active part in our community.

•  The Forum is concerned that Enfield has been underfunded for many years.

•   Local Authorities receive the major part of they funding from Local Government. 

•   The formula used to calculate this uses out-of-date information and ‘grant damping’ exacerbates the problem.  Both the formula and grant damping have the effect of reducing the money Enfield should receive. (This also affects our NHS grant.)

•  Enfield gets far less cash per head than many wealthier boroughs:

-    Enfield receives government funding of £496.10 per head of population

-    Westminster gets £917.59 per person,

-    Hammersmith and Fulham receives £900

-    Kensington and Chelsea £815

•  The Forum is running a petition which has cross party support, calling on central government to:

-    Provide a fair share of funding for Enfield using latest data, without reductions. 

-    Recognise that grant damping has resulted in about £100million pounds being taken away from Enfield to help other councils

-    Acknowledge Enfield’s proven needs - we are now the 12th most deprived borough in London.

•  You can find the petition online at: https://www.change.org/p/enfield-borough-over-50s-forum-fairer-funding-for-enfield
or by writing to Enfield Borough Over 50s Forum, Millfield House, Silver Street, London N18 IPJ, 020 8807 2076

•   The average wait time on the phones is now reduced to 3mins.

•   Residents made the following points which councillors will follow up:

-    The phone message tells people that they should go online but the online system is not working well

-    it often sends people in circles.

-    booking children’s sports courses is fraught with problems,

-    Amelia keeps sending people to pest control and is hard to understand.

The Assistant Director of ICT has responded:
“I note the points raised by Cllr. Barry in relation to the digital platform, all of which I recognise, with the exception of the reference to Amelia. I believe this issue relates to the Customer Gateway team’s web chat service which (the  Assistant Director of Customer Services, Communications and Change) may be able to respond to.“Over the past several weeks and, with agreement from senior management, through to the end of the year, we are delivering several remedial actions and system enhancements, aimed at improving the customer experience through the website.

“These include some key initiatives to fix the “going-around-in-circles” experience of some users. This is in part down to the requirement to create an Enfield Connected account before being able to transact on many pages. It is also in part due to having an old Enfield website alongside the new one. Other reasons include a number of similar looking pages (for example Council Tax) which can confuse users.Officers have identified a number of activities on-going to address the bulk of the issues by the end of the year including:

1.    Removing the old website

2.    Replacing the search engine with a Google Search engine

3.    Updating the home page to make finding tasks easier, more linear (no more than three clicks wherever possible), and obvious to anyone.  

4.    Removing the requirement to create an Enfield Connected account BEFORE carrying out the request or transaction. This will help deliver “On Behalf Of” functionality with staff helping residents do things on-line.

5.    Sensibly tidying up the number of email addresses showing on the website which allow residents, businesses and visitors to by-pass the online system altogether and just send an email.

6.    Making the feedback and complaints pages easier to access, but more intelligent in terms of trying to convert complaints into requests, if this is what the person raising the matter actually wants to do.

7.    Improving the amount and quality of support to front line staff on what Enfield Connected and the website in general can do (and can’t do). This will be done in collaboration with the Customer Gateway team.

“Sometime in October we will be proposing setting up a Member, Officer, and Resident group of interested parties to help test and feedback on the changes proposed, particularly in relation to the design and layout of information, to make sure we take on board users suggestions, get s a steer from Members and Officers, and build something that we collectively agree is better for residents, businesses and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

Maintenance of street trees

•   Skirts on Lime trees are trimmed 2 - 3 times pa.

•   Other species are trimmed when an issue is identified and a register is then kept so that these trees can be routinely trimmed.  If you know of a problem, please let a councillor know so that it can be dealt with and added to the register. 

Care of new trees

•   Throughout London Enfield has one of if not the best survival rates for newly planted trees.

•   All trees lost will be replaced as part of this coming years planting program at no further cost to Enfield.

•   We have had some very hot dry periods last year and this and more newly planted trees have died as a result.  These are not removed so that the contractor can identify where to plant the replacement tree.

Groveland's woods

•   Friends of Grovelands have been concerned at lack of management plan.

•   A woodland management plan for the trees in the whole of Groveland’s Park is proposed as part of the plans of the school.

•   Friends were keen to praise the work done by Thames 21in the park.  Most recently dealing with the misconnections which damaged the lake.
They also mentioned that trees from the Woodland Trust will be arriving soon and volunteers will be needed to help with planting.

Vehicle crossovers (VXOs)

•   VXOs remove on-street parking permanently and seldom enhance the appearance of a street but the council recognises that in some cases they are necessary.

•   If they are built too close to street trees they could damage the roots and destabilise the tree so the council publishes guidance on this.

•   Older VXOs, built before there were any rules about this, may be closer.  these trees are inspected regularly to ensure they are healthy and safe.

•   Trees will only be removed for a VXO to be constructed if the tree is due for removal or there is a special need for the VXO - such as for someone who is disabled.

•   Residents can offer to pay to have a tree removed but this will only be agreed if the tree has not  yet established or inspection shows that it would need to be removed in a few years time.

Issues raised by Residents

•   Can branches of street trees that overhang a property be removed by a resident so that they don’t drip sticky sap there.

•   Dinah Barry will follow up.
Our Senior Arboricultural officer has advised that overhanging branches can be trimmed.  Once cut they must be taken onto the resident’s property - not left on the highway (including the footpath).  DB

Opportunity to meet with our Senior Arboricultural officer

•   Contact Dinah Barry if you would like to be included.

•   The council has agreed a contract with the Police to fund ten extra police officers to work as an additional resource on Council Housing Estates.

•   This should have a wider positive impact across Enfield as it should reduce the general prevalence of crimes in the borough.

•   Our additional police officers will not replace the current neighbourhood teams.

•   In addition, we have commissioned 6 more police officers to work on targeted problem solving.

•   Some residents concerned that when a cat goes missing, its owners may never find out if they are lost or have been killed in a road accident.

•   All pets that are found deceased on the highway or in the borough’s parks are scanned for microchips.  

•   Attempts are then made to make contact with the registered owner to let them know. 

•   The animals are kept for at least two weeks to enable owners to collect their pet if they wish.  If they are not collected the pets are taken to a specialist animal crematorium. 

•   A record is kept of all the animals that are dealt with.

•   New NHS figures show that child vaccination rates suffered their sharpest fall in a decade this year.  This is the third year in which they have fallen

•   The proportion of children who had received their first dose of the MMR vaccine dropped to 91.9 per cent

•   We want to encourage people to contact their GP to check their family’s medical records and make sure they and their loved ones are protected.

•  Residents asked if Day nurseries and Toddler Groups had been contacted about this so that they could alert parents.
Councillors have asked for information. (DB)
Response -
The Health Visiting service (HV) does remind parents at every contact about immunisations. Unless they are seeing a child for specific reasons, i.e. LAC, special needs, other parental support then they may not have contact to do this before school entry.
Although the HV service does not specifically work with nurseries, toddler groups re this, the Early Years Practitioners do have this contact and will do the same reminders.
Pre-school vaccinations are delivered by GP practices and this is largely their remit with support from the HV service for reminders at contacts.

•   The council’s current set of lights have mostly reached the end of their usable life, and we cannot afford to completely replace them all (£200,000).

•   We want to support our town centre businesses, so have set aside £50,000 to replace some of them so that town centres will still be able to attract shoppers

•   Locally, there will be four Christmas trees – in Enfield Town, Palmers Green, Southgate Circus and Cockfosters Green.

•  Any local businesses who think their areas would benefit from more extensive displays can contribute towards their cost.  The council will cover the costs of fitting, testing, storing and powering the lights funded by retailers, and would keep using them in future years.
Either call 020 8379 5233, or email michael.farquharson@enfield.gov.uk by October 7,

•   A new waiting room will be built further along platform one so that the old waiting room can be opened up to make access to main part of the platform safer.

•   Work has begun on the A105 (Green Lanes) scheme and is expected to be completed in seven to eight months. 

•   Our contractor will work with local businesses to minimise disruption during the construction works.

•   Residents asked that no work is undertaken in the retail areas over Christmas.
Cllr. Anderson has confirmed that officers are cognisant of those factors and will ensure that this is adhered to.  (DB)

•   Residents asked for an update on the Quieter Neighbourhood schemes which are part of Cycle Enfield.
Quieter Neighbourhoods will be added to our next agenda. 
Councillors have contacted officers for information and to invite officers to our next Forum if that it timely.
We have been told that:
“We are currently developing a programme to implement the quieter neighbourhood ideas that residents developed in the design workshops held during 2015. Our intention is to implement the proposals in Spring 2017 following completion of the councils normal consultation process for traffic schemes.
“Unfortunately, I am unable to give you any more information than this at the present time as the programme may change, however it is our intention to restart Fox Lane in the first batch of Quieter Neighbourhoods.
“Due to budget and time constraints new quieter neighbourhoods will follow a different procedure to the ones where designs have already been developed. i.e. Fox Lane, Fernleigh Road, Connaught Gardens.”  (DB)

•   This is closing for two weeks from the 17th of October to allow for essential work to be undertaken in advance of our partner moving into the site.

•   This will give us a good opportunity to reconfigure the space and re-provide / create a lovely children’s area within the main body of the library. 

•   Our partner is a local fitness trainer who will be offering private, semi-private and group classes.

•   Hardhat who represent the developers say that :

-    The facade will be retained,

-    A pub will be retained and extensively refurbished.

-    It will offer family friendly surroundings during the day and gastro pub meals in the evening.  

-    There will be housing

•   The Council is keen that there is also a meeting room available for the community.

•   Hardhat are keen to work with the community and to meet local groups.  They have made contact with Friends of Broomfield Park and Fox Lane residents association and are getting in touch with  Southgate Civic Trust.

•   Details of Palmers Green ward forum where it was hoped that Hardhat would be present were given.

•   The consultation lasted 12 weeks form 10 June to 2 September

•   there were a total of 3,191 responses (online or postal)

•   87% of all residents preferred Free Fortnightly collections.

•   This was true for all groups of respondent:

-    AREA - Higher preference for Free Fortnightly in the less affluent (93%) compared to the more affluent areas (85%)

-    AGE - 53% of respondents were aged 55 or over. There appears to be no difference in preference for Free Fortnightly between those aged under 55 and those aged 55 or over (both 87%)

-    DISABILITY - 16% of respondents were disabled (according to Census data, 15.4% of the population are disabled). 88% of disabled residents preferred Free Fortnightly

-    PROPERTY TYPE - Regardless of property type Free Fortnightly is the preferred option. However, smaller properties showed a higher preference at 90% and detached at 78%

•   The report goes to Cabinet on 19 October.

•   The CCG is currently spending more that it’s funding allocation year on year and this needs to stop.

•   The CCG is under special measures and as such it is expected to savings and get back into financial balance.

•   Copies of report: http://www.enfieldccg.nhs.uk/about-us/commissioning-intentions.htm 

•   Patient and public engagement events:

-    Wednesday 16 November 2016    2 - 5pm - Community House, 311 Fore Street, Edmonton, London N9 0PZ

-    Wednesday 2 March 2017   2 - 5pm Conference Room, Dugdale Centre, Thomas Hardy House, London Road

•   The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) has the task of periodically reviewing all Parliamentary constituencies in England.

•   Their main consideration is that each constituency must contain between 71,031 and 78,507 parliamentary electors.

•   They will also consider:

-    Special geographical considerations

-    Local government boundaries,

-    Boundaries of existing constituencies,

-    Any local ties that would be broken by changes in constituencies,

•   All of Enfield’s constituencies are too small.

•   Their initial proposal is that our constituency (Enfield Southgate) will disappear.  (As will 50 others.)

•   Enfield Southgate’s wards will be scattered through five constituencies:

-    Bowes in Hornsey & Wood Green,

-    Cockfosters in Chipping Barnet & Mill Hill,

-    Grange in Enfield,

-    Palmers Green in Edmonton,

-    Southgate, Southgate Green and Winchmore Hill in Finchley & Southgate.

•   Local government boundaries will remain - i.e. WH ward will remain part of Enfield.  (This will mean that Enfield Council will need to deal with five MPs and that three MPs will be dealing with two councils.)

•   These proposals will now be referred on to the Electoral Services Panel.

•   An online  Consultation is open till 5 December:
Five public public hearings have been arranged across London:

-    Westminter: Central Hall Westminster: Monday 17 – Tuesday 18 October 2016

-    Bromley: Bromley United Reform Church Hall – Thursday 20 – Friday 21 October 2016

-    Harrow: Kenton Hall, Woodcock Hill – Monday 24 – Tuesday 25 October 2016

-    Kingston: The Main Guildhall – Thursday 27 – Friday 28 October 2016

-    Romford: Havering Town Hall – Monday 31 October – Tuesday 1 November 2016

-    Consultation: www.bce2018.org.uk.

•   Residents commented that:

-    Meridian Water will increase the population considerably.

-    Other constituencies are not constrained by the same numbers.  It is thought that Kensington and Chelsea will only have 62,000 electors whilst Camden will have 82,000.

•   Councillors will ask Winchmore Hill Residents Association to advertise ward forums on their notice boards if they do not do so already.  (This has been done, DB)

•   It was not yet been possible to receive a presentation from Dander, the developers working on the Capitol House site. However they, are looking to hold a public exhibition and will be in touch when the details have been confirmed.

(Residents were also able to request this information in electronic form):

•   Consultation: Using a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to deal with anti-social behaviour in public.

•   Black History month events in Enfield

•   Enfield CCG Commissioning Intentions 2017/18

•   Enfield Vision Focus Day event

•   Stoptober