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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Residents' Groups and This Site

I've approached all the residents' groups in Harringay and invited them to have a presence on this site. The response has been underwhelming. (The lcsp did join last year but have been almost completely silent since).

Now, this bemuses me. As I understand it residents' associations throughout Haringey and beyond are beset by falling membership numbers and Harringay's are no exception as far as I'm aware. With approaching 500 members, I'd have thought that this site provides a neutral street-corner-cum-over-the-garden-fence-cum-town-hall environment ideally suited to their getting their message across, keeping in touch with what the locals think and building support.

Have I missed something?

What do you guys think? Do you think those groups should get involved here or is their purpose and way of operating so distinct that this site is irrelevant to them? Let me know either on this thread and/or on the members' poll.

If any residents' groups reps are reading this I'd welcome getting a better understanding of your reluctance.

Tags for Forum Posts: Wightman Road, residents groups

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Adam on April 11, 2008 at 12:49
out of interest, how many RA's or groups do think there are in Harringay?
Permalink Reply by Hugh on April 14, 2008 at 0:09
Adam's just let me know that this was a question to me. So:-

I know of three bigger ones: - LCSP, GRA, Wightman N4. I imagine there's one or two road-specific ones knocking about too. I'm sure you probably know more about this than me Adam. How many do you know of?
Permalink Reply by Adam on April 14, 2008 at 10:26
fairfax rd has a RA which meets very rarely but communicates by email and comes together for a summer party every year. i think fairfax road is the only solo road member on the ladder of the HFRA. hewitt toad used to have an active RA, don't know if it still meets. i am not aware of any others that meet regularly - not to say there aren't any. there are a few neighbourhood watches that used to be very active - falkland road for example
David SmithPermalink Reply by David Smith on April 13, 2008 at 3:48
too many by far am sure.
Permalink Reply by Liz on April 15, 2008 at 22:38
David, I'm not clear what your comment refers to. It is becoming clear that most neighbourhood watches in the area rarely, if ever, meet and that there are relatively few Residents groups. So, I am assuming, perhaps wrongly, that your comment means that you would rather that no groups of residents get together to discuss issues and action (including this website?).
What is the alternative? That we operate solely through councillors? Well, that is a possibility but councillors are empowered when groups of people get together to support their work, a view supported by Hazel Blears and Co in relation to the setting up of local charters.
That residents groups restrict themselves to street parties and a keeping their street neat? Doesn't that make life just a little too easy for the politicians? Or is local democracy not important as long as the bins are collected?
I think I understand that your experience with one of our local groups was not entirely positive but you were supported by local residents and I believe that the outcome will be of satisfaction to all. Is it fair to assume that this one incident is typical of how local groups operate? I'm not sure that it is.
Permalink Reply by Hugh on April 13, 2008 at 9:57
For the record, in response to the question "Should the Harringay residents' groups have a presence on this site?" the poll results were:

In favour 85%
Against 7.5%
Don't know 7.5%
Permalink Reply by matt on April 13, 2008 at 10:12
How many people voted?
Permalink Reply by Hugh on April 13, 2008 at 10:38
It was at typical survey response rates of around 5%. (The priorities survey was exceptionally high. Most other polls/surveys on this site attract around 5 - 10%).
Permalink Reply by matt on April 13, 2008 at 15:09
So 20 - 40 people. Thanks.
Permalink Reply by Julie on April 13, 2008 at 14:04
We had a bit of a similar response when we set up a neighbourhood watch for our street. The RA's response to crime concerns was to try to police the area themselves with patrols and whistles. There was a definite reluctance to work with the local safer neighbourhoods police and some neighbours reported that they were told off for coming to the watch meeting.

There's good work being done by the RAs but they've got to be part of a bigger picture. This includes all kinds of community groups and the political parties. My RA, which is run by Dave Morris, often takes credit for improvements or projects as if nobody else had been involved. The minutes of the meetings also very often criticise officers of the council (councillors are fair game, as politicians, but officers are employees, answerable to their line managers and, ultimately, councillors elected by us. An officer who is criticised has no means of self defence.)

Dave's answer is interesting; he is happy for this forum to publicise the activities. Will he post a link to this website in his next newsletter?

A forum like this one has no agendas, apologies, minutes and matters arising. There is no church hall, thankfully. Its participants are self selected but then that's true of the RAs. And I noticed, Hugh, in your thread relating to Cllr Haley that you carefully avoided 'representing' any particular group. The temptation to set oneself up as being accountable to a group, or as speaking for them, is always there. We have democratic processes for that, surely.
Permalink Reply by matt on April 14, 2008 at 12:01
> My RA, which is run by Dave Morris, often takes credit for improvements or projects as if nobody else had been involved.

That's a bit naughty.

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