The demonstration at Community Cook Up followed a dispute with the council over operating outdoors, reports Olivia Opara

Haringey Council has denied calling the police to a demonstration held by a Tottenham foodbank last week, in an escalation of an ongoing dispute with the community organisation.

On Thursday, 2nd March, three police officers were called to Kenneth Robbins House in Northumberland Park after Community Cook Up Tottenham (CCU) continued to run its weekly foodbank for local residents despite instructions from the council to stop doing so.

The police told Haringey Community Press (HCP) that officers had attended between 9am and 11am, but could not provide further details, saying: “There is minimal information so presume all passed without incident.”

CCU had previously been running the foodbank from the Eric Allin Centre in Northumberland Park, however it was evicted by the council on 26th January after a report found a series of fire and health safety breaches.

The group continued to run a weekly foodbank outside the Eric Allin Centre but on 28th February it was told it could no longer operate outdoors as this posed “an environmental health risk”.

Alison Davy, who runs CCU, told HCP that on Wednesday, 1st a manager from the council called her and asked why the foodbank was going ahead, to which Alison responded: “The foodbank needs to be run because it is needed.”

The manager then suggested that Alison write up a risk assessment for running the foodbank outside. Alison cooperated but says she has not had any response.

Alison believes that the council both called the police to attend the foodbank and “told the concierge of Kenneth Robbins House to prevent the unloading of a delivery van” filled with £500 worth of tinned peaches.

She told HCP that the concierge “felt embarrassed,” adding: “These big council bosses are hiding in their offices telling people to stop the foodbank.”

Haringey Council informed HCP that council officers had not called the police.

Alison explained that CCU and the council had a “good partnership” when the group first started in 2017. CCU was allowed to use the Eric Allin Centre for free once a week and given a grant of £5000 to provide a drop-in food and support project.

However, the relationship has broken down over recent months and Alison claimed she was warned by council officers and other funding bodies not to go to the press or the organisation would not receive funding in future.

She said she is speaking out in the hope of creating change for other community organisations in a similar situation.

She said: “We do want the council to work with us but to call the police on a foodbank – why?

“This all just intimidating to them – the fact that the residents could be having a demonstration, is intimidating to the council.

“The very people who are supposed to be helping the marginalised people are the same ones trying to shut us down.”

Responding to Alison’s claims, cabinet member for housing services, councillor Dana Carlin said: “We recognise and applaud the vital work of voluntary sector organisations, particularly their efforts supporting communities in critical areas such as food distribution. We provide support and financial assistance to dozens of community groups across Haringey.

“We have an open and transparent grant funding process. Unfortunately, Community Cook Up were unsuccessful during the last funding round. If any group has concerns about the funding process, they should bring them to the council’s attention in full confidence and they will be investigated.

“Unfortunately, Community Cook Up’s operation was assessed to be causing a fire hazard to Kenneth Robbins House and they were asked to vacate the Eric Allen Centre. We will work with Community Cook Up to be assured that they can operate safely and will do everything possible to help them to continue to provide support to our most vulnerable residents.”

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, or one-off donation.