About the Commission
- Aim of the Commission
- The Commissioners
- Terms of Reference
- Topics and issues
- Timescales
- Meeting Minutes
- Contact
Aim of the Commission
The aim of the Commission is to develop practical recommendations on how the council - working with others - can tackle inequality and promote fairness in the borough.
Haringey is a place of great opportunity and diversity. We have amazing assets, where 100% of our schools are good and outstanding, where most children reach a good level of development in their early years, with fantastic parks and green spaces, great transport infrastructure and nationally loved cultural institutions.
However, we want to ensure everyone is able to benefit from the best Haringey has to offer. Haringey is the sixth most deprived borough in London. That there are areas with very high levels of poverty and inequality on a range of outcomes is evident. There are huge challenges in ensuring access to decent housing; sustainable, better-paid employment; tackling social care, health and mental health issues; dealing with child poverty and helping our residents to manage growing household costs.
We will be taking evidence and testimony from residents, partner agencies, businesses, professionals and experts on a wide range of themes, and aim, from this to design new policies to improve outcomes and tackle inequality for Haringey residents for years to come.
The Commissioners
Councillor Zena Brabazon
Zena is currently councillor for Harringay Ward and Cabinet member for Civic Services. She has been a councillor for almost seven years, serving on many different committees and in many different roles. Prior to that she had a long and varied career in public services, which has given her a clear and comprehensive understanding of social and public policy.
After university and qualifying as a teacher, Zena spent seven years as a community organiser in inner city Boston, Massachusetts, where she established and supported a local neighbourhood board advocating for children’s services. This amazing experience set the course for her future career, which has always been underpinned by a commitment to community engagement and participation.
On returning to the UK in the 1980s, she established a voluntary agency in Camden for children and families with learning difficulties, which promoted social and educational inclusion. To her great pride this is still thriving over 30 years on! She then spent 20 years working in Haringey where she developed Haringey’s play and early years services, gaining national recognition for the services provided. She led Haringey’s Sure Start programme, serving on the Friends of Sure Start committee hosted by HM Treasury. Working in regeneration, she also led on securing Haringey’s £50m New Deal for Communities - a 10 year community development programme focused on Seven Sisters. After working in neighbourhood management, she moved to Islington where she supported the children’s centre programme. Zena has also worked to support Roma communities in eastern and central Europe to develop early years services, enabling Roma children to access mainstream education.
Zena says “Leading on the Fairness Commission is a privilege and a real opportunity to influence our policies so all our residents can benefit.”
Professor Paul Watt
Paul is a Professor of Urban Studies in the Department of Geography at Birkbeck, University of London. His research interests span geography, sociology and social policy, with an over-arching focus on the relationship between social inequalities, space and place. His particular research specialisms include social housing, urban regeneration, homelessness, gentrification, post-industrial employment, suburbanisation, and the Olympic Games.
Paul has significant academic experience, having been a Reader at the Policy Research Institute, University of Wolverhampton, and taught at the University of East London and Buckinghamshire New University. He is on the editorial board of ‘City’. He has published four books and a large volume of academic papers and has made numerous media appearances.
Commission members
The following people are confirmed to be on the Commission:
- Councillor Joseph Ejiofor - Council Leader
- Councillor Lucia das Neves - Chair of Overview and Scrutiny
- Zina Etheridge - Chief Executive Haringey Council
- Helen Millichap - Borough Commander
- Tony Hoolaghan - Chief Operating Officer Haringey Clinical Commissioning Group
- Tony Hartney - Headteacher Gladesmore Community School and Crowland Primary School
- Jeanelle De Gruchy - President of the Association of Directors of Public Health
- Dr Geoffrey Ocen - Chief Executive of the Bridge Renewal Trust
- Sona Mahtani - Chief Executive of the Selby Trust
- Lynette Charles - Chief Executive of Mind in Haringey
- Sharon Grant OBE - Public Voice
- Reverend Paul Nicolson - Taxpayers Against Poverty
- Barbara Lisicki - Disability rights activist
- Bibi Khan - LICS Wightman Road Mosque and Multi-Faith Forum
- Rabbi David Mason - Muswell Hill Synagogue and Multi-Faith Forum
- Radojka Miljevic - Local Resident and Partner at Campbell Tickell
- Dara de Burca - Local Resident and Director of Children and Young People at the Children’s Society
- Sean O’Donovan and Kellie Dorrington - Haringey Citizens Advice
- Rob Tao - Haringey Business Alliance
- Councillor Scott Emery - Liberal Democrat Councillor for Muswell Hill ward
- Councillor Erdal Dogan - Labour Councillor for Seven Sisters ward
Catherine West MP will be attending the Commission meetings and events when available.
Further commissioners will be announced in due course.
Terms of Reference
The Terms of Reference were agreed following the first meeting of the Commission in September 2018.
Topics and issues
The Commission will focus on a range of themes, which will all have a clear link to reducing inequality and promoting fairness. These areas will be tested and refined as the Commission develops.
Jobs
Availability, quality and sustainability of jobs- Career progression into higher paid roles
- Low wages and pay ratios between highest and lowest paid
Finance
Debt, access to credit and support services- Cost and availability of food
- Cost of household energy and fuel poverty
- Availability and affordability of childcare
- Council pricing policies
Housing
Affordability- Quality
- Supply
- Inequality in asset base
Health and well-being
Ability to live long, healthy and independent lives- Mental and physical health
- Adult social care
- Social isolation
Children and Education
Child poverty- Educational attainment
- Exclusions
- School allocations
Communities and Neighbourhoods
Crime and anti-social behaviour- Social integration
- Access to faith services
- Local environmental quality
- Air quality
- Access to sport, leisure and culture
- Access to information/feeling informed/being engaged
If you think there is something important missing from this list, or that one or more of the elements are most important then let us know:
Timescales
The Commission will make final recommendations in summer 2019.
There will be three main phases of the Commission.
July-September 2018 - Scoping
The focus of this phase will be to review the evidence on the causes of inequality in the Haringey context. We also welcome initial input into the commission through our e-form.
October 2018-March 2019 - Engagement
The focus during this time will be on engagement with residents, the voluntary sector, public sector partners, businesses and academic experts. Events will be posted on the Get involved page.
April-summer 2019 - Recommendations
Pulling together the evidence gathered from the scoping phase and what we heard during the engagement, we will develop and publish the final recommendations.
Meeting Minutes
Please note the first meeting minutes of the Fairness Commission approved as below.
Contact
See the Get involved page for ways you can contribute to the Commission.
Alternatively you can contact the Commission at:
- Fairness Commission
5th Floor River Park House
225 High Road
Wood Green
N22 8HQ - Email: fairness@haringey.gov.uk
