Comment by John Mellor on October 3, 2014 at 16:34

Cllr Sitkin thank you for involving the press I hope this will keep up the pressure on hard pressed police to resolve the drug dealing and prostitution in our neighbourhood. 

I too find it difficult to believe that Police are really unaware of the antisocial activities in the area ...

My concern at getting something done quickly is based on a my observation that street drug dealing is increasing and dealers are just brazenly operating unashamedly on our streets.

Comment by Donald Smith on October 4, 2014 at 16:37

John Mellor previously wrote: Just along the road the recently refurbished premises called "Bujani" is licensed as a Restaurant their agreement (displayed on the Enfield Council website)  permits the premises to " ...operate as a restaurant in which : customers shall be shown to their table; food shall be provided in the form of a substantial table meals prepared on the premises and consumed at the table using non-disposable crockery; alcohol shall not be sold or supplied otherwise than for consumption by persons who are seated in the premises and bona fide taking substantial tables meals there; & the consumption of alcohol by such persons shall be ancillary to taking such meals." These stipulations are being ignored and the premises is used as a private club with local people being turned away and told it is a "members only drinking club". The CCTV cameras which are a condition of their license will, I'm sure, show this happening.

Please tread carefully, as there are two regimes in operation; the regime of planning control and a regime of alcohol licensing.

An alcohol licence and change of planning use relates to the land; and not to the trading name; In the absence of planning use approval for a site the alcohol licence and attached conditions are ineffective. 

An application for alcohol for the Funky Lounge at 111 Green Lanes was REFUSED on 3rd July 2013. 

An application for alcohol for Bunjani at 89 Green Lanes N13 4TD was indeed granted but it does not have planning permission for change of use from Use Class A1 to a Social Club (Sui Generis or Use Class D2) was REFUSED on 31st March 2010 as part of planning application TP/10/0019 for reason of The change of use of the ground floor to a social club, due to the nature, scale, opening times and intensity of use, would result in an inappropriate change of use in this location giving rise to conditions of noise and general disturbance detrimental to the residential amenities of adjoining neighbours contrary to Policies (I)GD1, (I)GD2, (II)GD1 and (II)GD3 of the Unitary Development Plan as well as Policy 4B.8 of the London Plan. 

Comment by John Mellor on October 18, 2014 at 14:16

I see from the Labour Councillors website that the Council Antisocial Behaviour team have become involved:

A letter has been distributed to some of the streets affected ... but not all ... Why not Melbourne, Sydney, Tottenhall, Grenoble? The text is reprinted below. It is unfortunate that the council officer has asked local residents to do the job of the police by gathering evidence and witness reports ... but if that is what we must do then let's make sure Councillors and Officers are made aware of the incidents the police are turning a blind eye to. It is also a shame the Safer Neighbourhoods Team didn't publicise their meeting via this website, but it looks like some attention has at last been focussed on this area after years of neglect.

The way to resolve the antisocial behaviour is to report it every time it is witnessed  - please let the Councillors, the Police and the Council know everytime you see a drug deal. ... but be careful these are dangerous men - so don't be seen writing down car number plates as the council have suggested.

Letter from Labour Councillors website:

The Resident(s) Belsize Avenue & Kelvin Avenue London N13	Please reply to :	Mrs C Bowden Community Safety Unit B Block North Civic Centre Enfield EN1 3XA
	ity
	E-mail  :	Christine.bowden@enfield.gov.uk
	Telephone  :	020 8379 3703
	My Ref  :	15208
	Your Ref  :	MEQ7794/14
	Date  :	9 October 2014

Dear Resident(s)

Service Road Rear of  Green Lanes Shops

Between Kelvin Avenue & Belsize Avenue

I am writing in response to a number of concerns that some residents have raised with the council.

The issues involve some of the following problems:

·         Allegations that drug dealing activity is being undertaken by a group in and around the area of the service road

·         Allegations that young people are involved in prostitution in this area

·         Allegations that a homeless male is loitering in the alleyway and has been seen attempting to break in to a private garage

To enable the police and the council to fully investigate these concerns it is essential to obtain further information regarding the level and frequency of these incidents. 

I have enclosed with this letter a nuisance diary log sheet.  If you or some one you know are being affected by the type of activities noted above, please complete your  log sheet providing as much detailed information as possible.

Please include the date, times and any description of the people involved.  If there are any vehicles involved please provide the vehicle registration numbers where possible.  Your information will allow the police to conduct patrols of the area at the times these incidents are taking place

If you witness anyone forcing entry into property that does not belong to them please dial 999 for police assistance.

Should you wish to speak with a member of your Safer Neighbourhood Team you are able to contact them on telephone number 0208 721 2679.  You are also able to meet with your team at their drop-in surgery due to be held at Trinity at Bowes Church at 10.30am – midday Saturday 11^th October 2014.

Yours faithfully

Mrs C Bowden

Anti-Social Behaviour Team

Comment by Donald Smith on October 18, 2014 at 17:05

John Mellor has written:

"The way to resolve the antisocial behaviour is to report it every time it is witnessed  - please let the Councillors, the Police and the Council know every time you see a drug deal. ... but be careful these are dangerous men - so don't be seen writing down car number plates as the council have suggested".

• Get to know your police sergeant PS Perry LaFrenais YE15  who Bowes Shares with Southgate Green

otherwise I could not agree more with John Mellor's warning .....whilst an action like writing down number plates in a public place may be legal, the police still issue a warning or arrest the doer for action liable to cause a public order offence. Make a mental note and walk away

• Most of the SNT team's work is now "TASKED" and it comes down from the top... so that SNT patrols have to appear on the task list
• use their e-mail rather than telephoning... both parties then have a record

Comment by Irena Rybinska on October 18, 2014 at 21:34

Am really concerned about the increasing number of incidents in and around Bounds Green tube station most recently again this week .Why is there no cctv in the vicinity which may act as a deterrent?

Comment by Alan Sitkin on October 19, 2014 at 12:25

The station itself is titularly in Haringey so re: CCTV you might ask my friends Joanna, Ali and Clare, the Labour councillors for Bounds Green ward. They are good hard working people and will do whatever they can. But I need to be honest here too - I'm not so convinced anymore that CCTV is very effective at dissuading the baddies. We've rolled a couple of mobile units across Bowes ward the last few years but the quality of the film can be mediocre (camera not set at exactly the right angle to see under a hoody, etc.). There was also the time when my bicycle was stolen from the Council car park; the camera got a full image of the person stealing it; but the footage was so grainy the police couldn't prosecute. I'm starting to think that a better answer is plainclothes police at odd hours of the day. Maybe with signs saying that undercover agents are in operation. Anyway that's my personal take. People have been trying to fight crime forever everywhere. We'll never give up the fight but if we knew the perfect remedy we've have already applied it. It is true that there are times in history where things get better. I was interested by the techniques of a US supercop named Bill Braxton who used a data-led system to target (scarce) resources better. Idea being that the cuts have hit the police force too - as anyone living North London can attest - hence the need to rethink where what is done. Serpico, you know?

Comment by John Mellor on October 19, 2014 at 13:03

Donald

Thanks for your information. It is helpful to know that the work of the SNT is tasked by senior officers.

All the more worrying therefore that earlier in this discussion thread it was revealed that Detective Superintendent Paul Healy claimed Police were unaware of any specific problems ... he will not task his officers to respond if he denies the existence of a problem.

At least the council officers now seem to be aware of the situation, including the man sleeping rough for the last few weeks in a shelter he has built behind the Green Lane shops. He was still there this morning roaming the streets spitting and swearing at people on the street. This ongoing situation is intolerable.  I repeat my earlier comments: In the light of inadequate policing we as residents we must do their job of surveillance for them. -please make sure you report every incident of Anti Social Behaviuor.

Comment by Donald Smith on October 19, 2014 at 14:31

Comment by Irena Rybinska 16 hours ago

Am really concerned about the increasing number of incidents in and around Bounds Green tube station most recently again this week .Why is there no cctv in the vicinity which may act as a deterrent?

Comment by Alan Sitkin 1 hour ago

The [Bounds Green] station itself is situated in Haringey so re: CCTV you might ask my friends Joanna, Ali and Clare, the Labour councillors for Bounds Green ward. 

If you notice any activity around Bounds Green Tube (or any tube station) a traveller is able to report it to London Underground for investigation, using the report form linked here. Fill in as many items that you can so that the scrutiny people can look at the correct LUL CCTV camera

If you are travelling by bus report it by e-mail using the following address here For a bus report you will need the bus route number, time, direction of travel, location and preferably the Vehicle registration Number and a description of the incident so that they can download the CCTV images 

Comment by Anna Blackburn on October 21, 2014 at 11:21

What incidents have there been in and around Bounds Green tube? I'd like to know as I use it a lot.

Comment by John Mellor on March 7, 2015 at 18:53

So, after a few months of quieter time on the streets - probably due to the cold weather - it seems the warmth of spring have brought the drug-dealing, weirdos and crazies back to Green Lanes. Over the last two nights people have been camped in the doorway of the Spriritualist church on the corner of Green Lanes and Melbourne - street drinking, fold-up chairs, sleeping bags and lit candles go unchallenged as if this was "normal" behaviour.

Despite calls to SNT this bizzare spectacle carries on just along the high road from my home - and the drug dealing premises at 111 and 89 Green Lanes still remain open with their "customers" hanging around on the street, spitting, leering and abusing women as they pass and urinating in the alleyways behind the shops whilst police and council ignore the core issues and blame "the cuts" for their failure and inaction.

What do we have to do to stop this?  Those charged with dealing with breaches of law, planning and trading regulations "officially" are nowhere to be seen so maybe it is it time for community direct action?

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