Annual Chair’s Report, March 2019
Sunset, Ally Pally in distance: Evening view from Page High
Annual Chair’s Report, 2019
Delivered at Annual General Meeting.
The tenants’ association was established in mid-November 2017. The most pressing concern then was that Page High was earmarked for ‘redevelopment’ in the council’s Wood Green Area Action Plan. Our homes were to be demolished, and we were uncertain about where we would go and for how long. That seems a long time ago now—now that our homes are safe.
Page High preserved
A year ago, the wrecking ball was in our midst. The council was planning to demolish the estate and move tenants out. There was massive opposition to this on the estate, with over 80% of households signing a petition against demolition. Happily for us, there was widespread opposition to the council’s ‘regeneration’ agenda, which included the demolition of several estates (and much of the High Road). We met with councillors and council officers; we worked, too, with other groups opposing Haringey council’s regeneration agenda. We campaigned on Twitter (@PageHighTenants), and through a blog (https://pagehighestate.wixsite.com/haringey/blog). The tenants’ association became a key voice in the local social housing debate. And, what’s more, we won. Following the May 2018 election, Haringey council’s emphasis has been on preserving, rather than demolishing, its existing social housing.
Arresting Page High’s decline: Monthly meetings with Sanctuary
The tenants’ group was keen to establish monthly meetings with Sanctuary, and, bar last winter when Sanctuary failed to meet us for three months, we have been regularly meeting the housing association since January 2018. At the meetings, members of the committee represent tenants’ concerns to the Sanctuary Area Manager, our housing officer, and sometimes others (e.g. People responsible for repairs and gardens). While working with Sanctuary can be slow and frustrating—sometimes extremely so—this ongoing dialogue offers us the best chance of changing Page High for the better.
At our first meeting, we noted that Page High had gone ‘downhill.’ This wasn’t so clear to residents who had moved in three or four years ago; but to those of us who came to Page High in the 70s, 80s and 90s the decline was very clear. We remembered a cleaner, better maintained estate where repairs were completed more reliably. We remembered having a caretaker who was around each weekday. We remembered, too, housing officers who were detailed to keep an eye on Page High. Things were never perfect, of course; but there’s no doubt that Sanctuary had let the estate slip.
The decline was due significantly to the prospect of demolition. (Why pay to maintain somewhere that might soon be levelled?) The decline has also been due, I think, to Sanctuary having merged with another housing association a few years ago and having become larger, more bureaucratic and distant from its tenants. There have been problems with contractors, too.
From part-time to full-time caretaking: A cleaner estate
The most notable change for the better to result from our meetings with Sanctuary is that Danny, our caretaker, is now looking after the estate five days a week. The place is certainly cleaner, and it’s great to have Danny, a caretaker who truly takes care, back again full-time.
New radiators: Improvement on Sanctuary’s plans
If caretaking was a victory for us, another victory—or least a success in terms of damage limitation—concerns the installation of new radiators. For several years we’ve been having problems with heating; change was long overdue. When we saw what Sanctuary was going to do, however, it was clearly unacceptable. With pipes going up and around doors, Sanctuary was planning a job that would have made our flats look more like third world prisons than homes in North London. We said, “No.” Sanctuary reconsidered, and the job was carried out in a far better fashion. (I know we’re not all happy with the job that was done, but, believe me, it could have been far, far worse.)
Security
When we established the tenants’ group, and when committee members first met Sanctuary, estate security was a huge concern. There was a crack house on the estate; drug dealers were forcing doors and dealing on stairwells. We repeatedly made it clear that doors had to be properly secured. We met with the police, lobbied councillors and our MP (who were very supportive), but still Sanctuary dragged its feet. When the intercom was finally overhauled—something we had been long been calling for—doors were left permanently open. This was a disgrace—and an invitation to drug dealers to ply their trade in our entrances and stairwells. With aggressive dealers and addicts loitering, tenants who just wanted to come and go from their homes were unsafe. For many, Page High became a difficult place in which to live.
Very sadly—and, indeed, shamefully for Sanctuary—it took a security incident for the housing association to recognise that while the intercom was being replaced Page High tenants had to be secure. Kingdom Security were employed to patrol the estate.
Since the intercom has been improved and doors secured, Page High has been much safer. Now Sanctuary has agreed that any problems with doors will be treated as an emergency that must be attended to within five days. When a couple of weeks ago there was a problem with the door near the Dovecote lift—magnets that had been improperly fixed had been removed—Sanctuary contracted Kingdom Security again to patrol until the door was fixed. (It must be said, though, that the guards, who should have been visible, were largely absent. I understand that the firm has not been paid—nor should it be.) Right now there is one screw missing from the lower magnet on the Lymington front door. The door must be properly secured rapidly.
There are still some problems with addicts. They are given access by people living on the estate. Most of us know who the offenders are here. We have made sure that Sanctuary knows, too. We understand that legal action is underway. As we know from the time it took to evict the tenant at number 84, legal action takes a long time. Still, hopefully the tenants making others’ lives difficult can eventually be thrown out. In the meantime, we must all be careful not to let anyone on to the estate who we don’t know and trust. And we must report wrongdoing to the police and Sanctuary.
Repairs and maintenance
We have been following up a number of repair and maintenance issues. Often assurances are given, but there are delays. Sometimes (as in the case of clearing drains) the work is done badly. Drain gullies are due to be cleared again in the next month, during which time dodgy pipework on the roof should be attended to. Battered walls around lifts are, we’re told, to be repaired, and lift walls are to be deep cleaned. Stairwells should be painted and windows repaired in spring. Danny has done some deep cleaning on the estate and a quote is being sought for that which he hasn’t been able to do. We are waiting for handrails on stairs to be assessed, and hopefully they can be painted.
At our monthly meetings with Sanctuary, we shall continue to closely monitor these issues and the assurances given by the housing association.
Fly tipping
Fly tipping near the Dovecote lift was a persistent problem when we set up the tenants’ group. Now, following discussion with Sanctuary, fly tipping is removed promptly—a big improvement.
Gardens
The gardens have been looking sad for a long time. Long-time tenants remember a greener and more pleasant Page High. But there will be new planting in the spring. Do you want to be involved in choosing the plants? Let me know.
In addition, we are working with Grow N22 to secure Sanctuary funds for two big beds full of plants: one near the Dovecote lift, and the other outside the Dovecote entrance. Hopefully, the first will discourage fly tipping and the second physically reclaim some of our space from the fruit and veg people who have colonised the Dovecote entrance. Do you want to be involved in this project? Just let me know.
Xmas party
In December we held an afternoon/early evening party to celebrate the estate’s preservation at The Green Rooms on Station Road. It was a joint event with Sky City Action Group, and we plugged into the council ward fund. The event was a lovely occasion but, to be honest, not many came. People have so much on during the run up to Xmas. We have to think more about the timing of such events.
London Open House
In September last year, Page High was a location for London Open House, the festival of architecture. Three tenants acted as guides and showed round two groups of visitors, who were fascinated by our unique rooftop village.
Because we’re removed from the High Road and unknown to most people even in Wood Green, we need to let people know we’re there. And we must keep reminding the council that we cannot be ignored. Events such as Open House can help develop our profile.
Web and social media presence
Twitter has helped develop our profile, certainly. Having established the account in November 2017, @PageHighTenants has 318 followers at present. Usually, I tweet at least once a week about what’s going on in Wood Green and housing issues in particular.
We also have a website (https://pagehighestate.wixsite.com/haringey) with an associated blog. This isn’t updated often and could probably be developed further. Would you like to add photographs or other content? Just let me know.
The coming year
Where do we want Page High to be in 12 months? I’d like to see a cleaner and greener-looking estate. I’d like to us to feel secure. I hope that the maintenance and repair issues that we’ve highlighted to Sanctuary will be dealt with.
What do you think?
I think it would be great if we could have a summer festival up at Page High, and another Xmas party. More social events, anyway; and perhaps you have some ideas.
I hope, too, that more people can get involved with the tenants’ group, and that people from Page High can get more involved in wider community initiatives (such as the Safer Neighbourhoods Ward Panel). I hope we can work with neighbouring residents’ groups where appropriate, too.
Adrian Chapman
Chair, Tenants’ Association
Flat 27
March 2019