Agenda and minutes

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

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

Councillor Russell in the Chair. 

The Chair led introductions and welcomed everyone to the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest or apologies for absence.

The Action Log of the meeting held on 18 September 2018 is attached for information and discussion.

Agreed as correct.

All to note:

a)     Item 8, “Other Business – Braunstone Gate Archway”

Community members meet every Wednesday at the last arch in Braunstone Gate Archway to create a community garden.  Plans are being made for a mural at the back of the site and for community events, (eg, cinema or community theatre).  The site also is open on the last Saturday of every month for people to visit.

Consideration to be given to whether something can be put on the corner of Braunstone Gate to show where the site is.

b)     Item 8, “Other Business – East West Community Centre”

At a recent event at the Centre, the fire doors had been open for part of the evening, which had resulted in noise problems.  However, when the fire doors were closed the situation improved.

The ward Councillors will provide an update on recent activities.

All to note:

·           Most casework related to housing issues, parking issues and fly-tipping; and

·           Funding had been approved from the Ward Community Budget for a mobile CCTV camera to be used in fly-tipping hotspots.

City Warden to arrange for publicity for the new mobile CCTV camera, this to include reference to the last place it was used and the number of fly-tippers identified as a result of its use.

There will be an update on the flood risk management of the Braunstone Brook and the River Soar.

As the Environment Agency was not available to discuss this item, it was not considered.

An update will be given on issues concerning Bede Park.

All to note:

·           It is hoped that distance markings on the track round the park will be in place by the summer;

·           Consideration is being given to whether any games facilities can be put in to the park (eg, a chess board) and whether trim-trail equipment can be installed on the Great Central Way;

·           Lighting in the park was being reduced overnight, but due to safety concerns was now fully on all night; and

·           Some trees had been cut back, particularly around the Briton Street entrance.

Ward Councillors to liaise with officers to see whether an additional litter bin can be put in to the park.

An update on planning and development issues in the Westcotes Ward not covered elsewhere on the agenda will be given at the meeting.

All to note:

·           Notification had been received that it was hoped to extend the property at 1 Daneshill Road and convert it in to eight flats.  This was felt to be an overdevelopment, particularly as there was no parking available on the road;

·           Reductions in government funding over recent years had prevented the Council from building new housing, so it was now buying back former Council properties sold under right-to-buy legislation, as well as other properties that could be used for social housing; and

·           Planning permission had been given to change the paved area in front of the shops on Fosse Road South in to a parking area for the shops, but no measures would be provided to stop it being used as commuter parking.

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

All to note:

·           Mobile cameras had been set up on Briton Street and near the East West Community Project to help address fly-tipping.  Letters were circulated to residents in the area beforehand warning that the cameras were being used and what would happen if anyone was caught.  However, fly-tipping continued to be a problem across the ward;

·           Duty of Care visits had been made on Narborough Road to ensure that businesses were disposing of waste legally.  Some fines had been issued as a result and some re-education work done;

·           Work to stop bins being left on streets was ongoing and would soon be moving to the western side of the ward; and

·           The large skips outside the Scotia Hotel in Westcotes Drive had been removed, but some rubbish remained on the ground, for which a penalty notice had been issued.

City Warden to investigate:

o    complaints of large, overfilled commercial waste bins blocking Gaul Street and ask the company concerned to create a proper bin store (eg, with fencing round it); and

o    complaints that waste bins waiting to be emptied outside the Code building blocked the pavement at the Western Road entrance, as the waste contractor did not go on to the premises to empty them.

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

All to note:

·           Despite recent cutbacks, no staff had been lost from the local neighbourhood team, which remained as three PCs and six PCSOs;

·           A new Police neighbourhood office has opened on Norfolk Walk;

·           Burglary and knife crime are priorities for the Police. Currently the latter was not a significant problem in the Ward, but it was a national priority for which it was hoped long-term solutions could be found;

·           Local priorities were addressing begging and homelessness.  There had been a great improvement in the number of cases of these since last year;

·           Trading Standards officers had been involved in test purchasing knives and over the next year a similar exercise would be undertaken in relation to sales of alcohol;

·           Thefts from motor vehicles had increased;

·           Burglaries and anti-social behaviour fluctuated over the year.  There had been a sharp increase in burglaries on the Hinckley Road side of the Ward, but two arrests had been made thanks to help from the community;

·           There had been 55 thefts of pedal cycles in the Ward over the previous three months.  Over the same period in the previous year there had only been 33;

·           It was hoped that “D” locks for bikes could be available to sell from Westcotes Library;

·           When stolen bikes are found it can be hard to identify who to return them to.  Owners therefore are recommended to keep a full description of the bike, plus photographs, along with the serial number.  It also was useful to add your own distinguishing mark to the bike;

·           It was planned to hold a bike security campaign with De Montfort University;

·           Working with second-hand shops, the Police had recovered some stolen property; and

·           Work to remove cannabis factories was ongoing.

All encouraged to report anything suspicious.  The Police can be messaged via social media if the matter is not urgent.  On-line reporting also is available.

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.

All to note:

·           Over £2,000 remains in the budget for the current financial year.  This has to be spent before the end of this financial year, as it cannot be carried forward;

·           Some of the funding remaining in the budget may be used to match-fund work being done by the bowling club in Cambridge Street to improve access to its premises;

·           Any funding remaining at the end of this financial year will be used to buy “D” locks for bikes for selling on to residents; and

·           The thanks of the Ndi Igbo group for funding received from the Ward Community Budget over recent years was given at the meeting.

a)     Former Kenning Site

City Warden to ensure that the Environment Agency is following up his report that the former Kenning site is still being used as a waste transfer site.

All to note that the owner has been asked to remove the hoardings around the site, but has not done so.

b)     Working Hours of Garage on Western Road

Those concerned about the hours of operation of the garage on Western Road asked to record the times it is operating and, if possible, what is being done there, to help identify what action needs to be taken.

c)     Blocking of Junction of Gaul Street/Norman Street

Ward Councillors to ask Highways officers to investigate reports of a delivery van having to block the junction of Gaul Street and Norman Street when making deliveries due to the way other vehicles are parked there.

d)     Closure of Local Branch of Lloyds Bank

All to note that enquiries are being made about why the local branch of Lloyd’s Bank is scheduled for closure, as this will be a significant loss for some people.

The meeting closed at 8.02 pm