Agenda and minutes

The Chair will introduce those present and make any necessary announcements.

Apologies for absence will be noted.

The Chair and any other Councillors who are present will make any declarations as required by the Councillors’ Code of Conduct.

Councillor Cassidy as Chair led the introductions and welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Apologies were received from Neighbourhood Relationship Officer Vicki Chapman who was due to give an update on Waterside Schools.  A written update had been submitted.

No declarations were made.

The Action Log for the last meeting, held on 11 July 2019, is attached for information and discussion.

A correction was made to Page 2 of the Action Log: It should have read ‘Councillors would meet with the City Mayor’, rather than with Ombudsmen.

Otherwise the Action Log of the previous meeting held 11 July 2019 was confirmed as a correct record.

Councillors were still waiting for a local meeting about the local plan.  Other actions would be addressed in the agenda.

Ward Councillors will provide an update on local Ward issues.

Councillor Waddington reported on the following:

·         Thanks were given to the Adventure Playground for their Halloween event and comments were made about its popularity.

·         A lot of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and drug dealing issues and had been reported in the Ward.  It was hoped that a new camera at the end of Tudor Road would deter this.

·         A yellow box had been painted by a bus stop on Stephenson Drive in order to prevent cars parking there and impeding access to busses.  Other such boxes could be painted in the ward if deemed necessary.

·         There would be a consultation between 22 November and 16 December 2019 for a 20mph zone on Wentworth Road and between 15 November and 9 December 2019 for traffic calming measures on Brading Road and Medina Road.

Councillor Cassidy reported on the following:

·         Rev Liz Wilson was the new vicar for St Paul’s and St Augustine’s Church.  Councillor Cassidy suggested holding a future Ward Meeting at the church.

·         Fortnightly Councillor surgeries were being held at Fosse Library and Woodgate Resource Centre.

There will be an update on progress concerning Waterside Primary School.

Councillor Cassidy gave an update on schools in Waterside.  Points included:

·         A public meeting on the issue was being planned, new and unresolved issues had previously prevented this.

·         Due to excessive costs, the original plan for a local authority school had been shelved.

·         Mead Academy Trust had offered to set up a school on the site that would be paid for by the government.

·         Councillors had been informed by Mead Academy Trust that the school would have 52 Nursery places, 450 Primary places and 900 Secondary, it would open in 2023 and the places would be filled gradually over 10 years, initially taking in one form of Primary and one form of Secondary.

·         Fosse Primary School would remain open and be invested in and improved, but not developed.  Slater school would close in 2022.

·         Mead Academy Trust had met with the Woodgate Residents Association and discussed traffic issues with them.

·         Mead Academy were also developing a school on the former Kirby and West site which would serve the city centre as well as Fosse Ward.

Concern was raised over the increase in traffic that the schools may bring.  Councillor Cassidy expressed hope that the gradual nature of filling the school would mitigate this and clarified that the plan was not yet final and there was still a chance to influence the way it was implemented.

There will be an update on progress concerning the Waterside Development.

Senior Project Manager David Beale gave an update on the Waterside Development.  Points included:

·         Construction was taking place between Fosse Ward and the city centre.

·         There were four buildings in the in the Great Central Square complex.  Two hotels were nearing completion and due to formally open from January 2020.  An office building had received strong interest from prospective occupiers and projected to create 250-300 jobs.  The former Great Central station building would become a bowling alley with food and beverage outlets.  The buildings would be linked by a new public square and the pedestrianisation of part of Great Central Street.

·         A high-quality walking and cycle route would lead to the complex from Woodgate.

·         The land around Northgate Street owned by Leicester City Council was being developed with Keepmoat Homes for housing and offices.

·         Wilkin Jones were developing student accommodation in Bath Lane.

·         Wullcomb had completed an apartment block adjacent to John Lewis’ Multi-Storey Car Park and 200 of 300 apartments had been let.

·         The Regeneration process had begun in 2015 and there was now £250,000,000 of private investment in the city.

In response to a query about the development of railway arches in the ward, David Beale responded that they were owned by Charles Street Buildings who were now discussing a further commercial scheme on top of the viaduct structure and the developer may consider as part of the scheme whether the use of the arches could be improved at the same time.

A resident reported racist graffiti in the area surrounding the railway arches.  Action: City Warden to investigate.

Responding to a query about the Repton Street site, David Beale reported that explained that the land was in private ownership with three separate interests and confirmed that the development was still dependent on the land being elevated and that there were interdependencies with the Environment Agency’s (EA) work to reduce flood risk.  He further explained that the EA strategy was still under development and once fixed the Council would re-engage with the landowners.

Regarding a query about the Richard Roberts site and surrounding area, David Beale reported that a planning application was lodged for an 8-storey apartment building, but this had since been withdrawn as they were advised that it was too high.

The All Saints’ Place site had planning consent for 70 apartments approximately 5 storeys high.

Leicester City Council (LCC) owned two parcels of land with frontage to All Saints Open -   The contractor compound which had accommodated the Winvic cabins, and 65 Great Central Street.  Development options for this land were being considered.   The land between LCC’s ownership and the Great Central Square scheme was in the ownership of a developer working up a large residential proposal.

In response to a question on the Concrete Works site.  David Beale explained that LCC owned the island and were working with Breedon Aggregates to bring the use to an end within approximately 12 months.

A resident raised concern that no medical centres were planned in the residential  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

An update will be given on Bus Lanes and on the Five-Ways Junction.

Highways Network Asset Manager Rupert Bedder gave an update on issues surrounding Bus Lanes and the Five-Ways Junction.  Points included:

·         There was a portable air quality monitoring system on Blackbird Road that was being considered for relocation to the Five-Ways Junction.

·         Parking issues around Tudor Road and Woodgate were on the programme to be taken to a meeting with the City Mayor before Christmas.

·         Of the 22 trees removed on the Blackbird Road Junction, 11 had been replanted as part of the scheme with three scheduled to be planted in the next month.  30 trees were to be planted in other locations under the ‘2 to 1’ tree replacement scheme.

·         Thanks were given from the Highways team leader for the patience of residents during the developments around Ravensbridge, Anstey Lane and Blackbird Road.

·         The report on the Groby Road bus lane would be reviewed before proposals were made, but the project would go ahead.

·         Whilst the Five Ways Junction project was not on hold, there was no further progress due to coordination and funding issues.  The design was still in progress.

·         Railings had been installed around the grass area on Clifford Street to prevent parking on the grass.

·         Bollards had been installed on Hinckley Road to prevent pavement parking.

Concerns were raised about the lack of progress on the Five Ways project and the potential traffic problems that it, along with other developments, could cause.  Councillor Cassidy suggested that had the Five Ways project been completed before other plans then some controversy and complication may have been averted.  Action: Rupert Bedder to feed back to Highways team.

Councillor Waddington reported that she and Councillor Cassidy had attended the consultation on the Groby Road bus lane and heard objections, but they had not seen the outcome of the consultation.  She had asked for the whole plan to go to the Economic Development, Transport and Tourism Scrutiny Commission.

A resident raised the concern that the bus lane opposite the school would narrow the road and worsen congestion.  Action: Rupert Bedder to feed back to Highways team.

A resident drew attention to the confusion caused by the ‘green man’ on crossings where they were on the side as opposed to ahead, some were pointing the wrong way, which could be confusing and dangerous to those with dyslexia and/or colour-blindness, especially as there was no audible sound.  Action: Rupert Bedder to feed back to team.

Officers from Leicestershire Police will be at the meeting to provide an update on police issues in the Ward.

Sergeant Ed Jones, who was currently covering Fosse Ward, gave an update on Police Issues in the Ward.  Points included:

·         Fosse Ward now had a new Police Community Support Officer (PCSO).

·         Police were returning to a more local approach.

·         The police were looking to recruit more officers, but it would take time to train them. 

·         Police were working with landlords to evict troublesome tenants.

·         Police were working with landlords and LCC to tackle ASB on Stephenson Drive.

·         PCSOs were enforcing double-yellow lines on Tudor Road.

·         More patrols were being carried out in the area.

·         The rise in burglaries that usually occurred at this time of year had not been seen.

Concern was raised over a man prosecuted on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving who had absconded whilst awaiting trial.  Sgt Jones reported that the police were aware of this and the man in question had surrendered to custody that day.

Councillor Cassidy raised concerns about a premises on Hinckley Road including suspicions about its use and the risk of exploitation and trafficking.  It was also felt that its proximity to the site of the Hinckley Road explosion was insensitive.  Action: Sgt Jones to investigate concerns raised.

Councillor Cassidy wished it to be noted that the meeting congratulated the Neighbourhood Police Team for Fosse Ward who had won the award for Neighbourhood Police Team of the Year.

The City Warden will give an update on issues in the Ward.

City Warden Charlotte Glover gave an update on issues in the ward.  In addition to the handout circulated (attached), points included:

·         Rubbish had been removed from gardens on Woodgate.

·         Fly posters on St Augustine and Fosse Road had been taken down.

·         23 businesses had been visited in relation to their waste duty of care.  Four had been given a fixed penalty notice.

·         The bins on streets scheme was ongoing and had been enforced on Tudor Road, Tewksbury Street and Carlisle Street.

·         Litter thrown from vehicles was now the responsibility of the vehicle owner.

·         A fly tip on Beatrice Road had been cleared after the City Warden had spoken to those responsible, who were unaware of the rules.

Rubbish was reported in a car park on Bonchurch Street.  Action: City Warden to report to City Cleansing.

Fly tipping was reported by the car-wash on Balfour Street, as well as beer cans thrown into piles of leaves. Action: City Warden and City Cleansing to investigate.

Old furniture was reported to have been dumped on forecourts on Fosse Road opposite the Glenfield Hotel. Action: City Warden to report back.

There will be an update on the Ward Community Budget.

Councillors are reminded that under the Council’s Code of Conduct they should declare any interest they may have in budget applications

Since the last ward meeting a total number of eight applications have been supported totalling £3930  A balance of £8832 remained in the budget to be spent by the beginning of March 2020.

Applications supported included:

• New writing for performance
• Book club- Based at Westcotes Library (residents of Fosse Ward attended)
• Club Rockhaq- A music journalism creative writing project based at the BRITE Centre (residents of Fosse Ward attended)
• Trip to DeMontfort hall
• Halloween event
• Brightening up Woodgate
• Christmas music concert
• Mama skate workshops

Community Engagement Officer Anita Clarke invited any new groups, however small, to apply for funding.

Councillor Cassidy clarified that when requests for funding came from outside Fosse Ward, evidence that Fosse Ward would benefit was necessary.

It was reported that the Community Advice Centre at Epic House on Charles Street was offering free initial legal advice, which included immigration advice concerning Brexit (attached).  Action: Community Engagement Officer to give three copies of information to Woodgate Resource Centre for display.

The Women Talking City Listening leaflet (attached) was distributed.

There being no other business, the meeting closed at 7.33pm