Agenda and minutes

Councillors will elect a Chair for the meeting.

The Chair will introduce those present and make any necessary

announcements.

The Chair and any other Councillors who are present will make any necessary

declarations as required by the Councillor’s Code of Conduct.

Councillor Dr Chowdhury was elected as the Chair for the meeting and led introductions.

There were no apologies for absence.

The Action Log of the previous Spinney Hills Community Meeting, held on 18 October 2018 is attached and members will be asked to confirm it as an accurate record.

The action log of the meeting held on 18 October 2018 was noted and agreed as a correct record.

Ward Councillors will provide an update on local ward issues.

·      It was noted that councillors were holding regular surgeries and most cases that were brought forward were in relation to housing as there was a large difference in demand with availability.

·      Concerns were raised about road repairs, most pot holes reported had been dealt with. Resident were advised this was an ongoing issue.

·      In relation to concerns raised about parking officers were exploring different solutions. In response to resident’s suggestion for a Residential Parking Scheme, Councillor Malik informed residents that when previously consulted residents were against the idea of a Residential Parking Scheme. It was also noted that this was a city-wide issue.

·      Residents were reminded that this was the final community meeting before the local elections that will be held on the 2 May 2019.

Councillor Malik thanked the Chair for his input and involvement over the years as his co councillor and wished him all the best in his retirement.

The City Warden will provide an update on activities and projects within the ward.

Darren Evans the City Warden for the Spinney Hills ward was present at the meeting and provided information on his role and an update on the work he had been involved in within the ward.

It was noted that very few reports had been received from residents from the ward and residents were encouraged to report cases to the City Warden.

Residents were informed that a works contact number would be provided at Pakistan Youth and Community Association (PYCA 58 Earl Howe Street, Leicester, LE2 0DF) for direct contact to the City Warden and that all queries would be responded to.

Concerns raised with dog/cat fouling in residents shared alleyway. ACTION: City Warden to contact resident and investigate further.

Resident raised an issue about blocked drains were causing a problem to the front of his property on Donnington Street. ACTION: City Warden to contact with resident and investigate further.

City Warden Direct Contact:

City warden phone number: 0116 4543110

City warden email: city.warden@leicester.gov.uk

An officer from the Highways Team will provide an update on Highways and Traffic matters in the Ward.

Mark Govan from the Engineering, Planning, Development and Transport Department was present at the meeting and provided an update on ongoing work within the ward.

It was noted that officers and Councillors were well aware of the parking issues within the ward, this had been an ongoing issue and was not unique to the Spinney Hills ward. As a city-wide concern the department had been working tirelessly to try and accommodate the ever-growing number of cars on the city’s roads.

It was noted that a Residential Parking Scheme was an option but had been objected to following consultation previously. This was an option for the future as the 9-5 workforce had been pushed on to the ward as a result of the Residential Parking Scheme in the neighbouring Stoneygate Ward. Residents would have to collectively support the scheme and could petition for it to be brought to the Council’s attention.

The Chair announced that the Residential Parking Scheme did not guarantee a parking space outside one’s home and required a reasonable area to create the zone. The scheme would have an annual cost of £25.00 per permit and could help reduce the number of commuter cars being parked on streets within the Spinney Hills Ward.

Various issues raised on Gwendolen Road such as congestion, inconsiderate parking, speeding and selling of cars from the footpath. ACTION: Mark Govan to forward to correct department for further investigation.

Residents were reminded of the change of road traffic layout on Mere Road and Park Vale Road, with effect from the end of February. Residents requested a similar idea for streets adjacent to Gwendolen Road and it was noted that the area was currently being looked into, but no decisions will be made until the next municipal year.

A resident enquired about a disabled parking outside her home. ACTION: Mark Govan to forward details to Traffic Regulations to respond. 

Issues with pot holes was an on-going issue that the department has been working on and it was noted that due to the previous bad winter the team were still working on last years pot holes. However, to date 139 pot holes within the ward had been looked at.

Residents raised concerns that Parking Enforcement Officers were not attending the Gwendolen Road area and enforcing parking. It was noted that the Council retained records of Officer visits and the number of tickets issued. ACTION: Ward Community Engagement Officer to share residents’ concerns with the Traffic Enforcement Officers Team.

Residents were advised issues pot holes could be reported to the Council using the Council’s website or the Love Leicester App.

An Officer from Leicestershire Police will give an update on activities in the Ward.

PC David Barber from Leicestershire Police was present at the meeting and gave an update on ward related issues.

It was noted that Sergeant Richardson was the new sergeant for the ward and there was also a new local recruit to the force.

Issues with robberies on Spinney Hill Park had ceased and this was seen to be a seasonal issue. However, residents were encouraged to visit the local park but remain vigilant whilst on the park.

PC Barber informed residents that the local Police team try and attend all resident complaints and concerns. However, it was also noted that young people standing on a street corner was not a crime, although he did understand that it could be intimidating for residents.

It was noted that anti-social hehaviour had risen in the last few weeks due to the half term holidays for school students. The police had a vehicle out during certain hours of the evening to monitor hotspots around the ward.

Operation Hologram was on going and there were no recent reports of Knife Crime.

Issues with drug users and drug dealing, was an ongoing issue but this had been reduced over the past few years with the introduction of Operation Engine, which had resulted in known drug dealers being banned from the local area.

The Chair asked what measures were in place to address anti-social behaviour with the month of Ramadan approaching. The Police replied that most problems were identified in the areas where the food takeaways were located. During the month of Ramadan police would monitor hotspots for anti-social behaviour.

Residents reminded that incidents could be reported to the police using the phone number 101 or the Leicestershire Police website.

Councillors are reminded that they will need to declare any interest they

may have in budget applications.

An update will be given on the Ward Community budget.

The opening balance was at £19,244

The spend to date was £16,500

Applications received were totalling £39,000

It was noted that there were still 7 days in which the applications for the Ward Community Budget were still being accepted.

All applications that have been funded would be published to the Leicester City Council website.

None

The meeting concluded at 19:35