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 declarations of interest in the business of the meeting as required by the Councillors’ Code of Conduct.

Councillor Porter as Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Councillor Clarke declared an interest for the avoidance of doubt in the items of business on the agenda as a campaigner to protect the green spaces of Aylestone. Removed 15 July 2022 and republished at the request of Councillor Clarke – the declaration had been included in error.

Councillor Porter declared an interest for the avoidance of doubt in the items of business on the agenda as a campaigner to protect the green spaces of Aylestone. Councillor Porter also declared an interest for the avoidance of doubt that the was opposed to the Council’s draft proposal in the draft Local Plan to demolish the community centre and shop.

Apologies for absence were received rom Noel Cazley (City Warden).

The Action Log for the last meeting held on 28 August 2019 is attached for information.

The notes of the previous meeting held on 28^th August 2019 were noted.

An officer will be present to provide information on forthcoming consultation on the Local Plan.

Grant Butterworth, Planning, Development and Transportation, was present to provide information on forthcoming consultation on the Local Plan. During discussions the following points were made:

·         The new plan would cover the period 2019 – 2036.

·         Consultation would commence in late March 2020 for a period of 12 weeks and would seek the views on revised policies and objectives. Comments would not be taken until the consultation went ‘live’.

·         Residents would have three opportunities to have their say on the Plan. For the first time suggestions could be made by the public on where they believed development was needed.

·         All responses would be considered, and another consultation exercise would be undertaken later in the year following which the plan would be submitted to Government and a public enquiry held.

·         Currently the revised policies and suggested sites were draft. Officers had started off looking at over 400 sites, which had since been reduced to 85 sites.

·         Housing delivery across the country was not meeting targets, and it was difficult for people to access affordable housing.

·         The Government target for Leicester was the provision of an additional 1,712 homes a year until 2036 (nearly 30,000 over the plan period). It had been a difficult job to find sites for 30,000 homes, and it was felt that the target could not be met across the city. The Council were in talks with Oadby and Charnwood councils and an agreement reached in principal for the County to meet some of the target as long as it could be shown the City had looked at every possible site within the city boundary.

·         Sites that had already received planning permission, for example Franklyn Fields, did not count towards the target number of new homes.

·         Delivery of accommodation in Leicester had been good, particularly in the city centre, but it was difficult for people to access affordable housing.

·         When looking at potential sites, several factors were looked at, for example, flood risk, heritage, nature conservation.

·         There was a summary page for each site identified available on the website. It was not suggested that all sites should be developed.

·         Only two sites were proposed for Aylestone Ward in the Plan but to date there were no detailed designs or proposals: a strip of land next to Great Central Way for a small number of houses; replacement shops and centre to include accommodation. During consultation people could choose for sites not to be developed and to remain the same.

·         Draft Plan documents could be found online at https://consultations.leicester.gov.uk/sec/local-plan-2019-2036/

·         Residents noted the one shop was used by the mass number of people living in the area, and its removal would be problematic. It was stated that not everyone drove, some people were disabled, and there was a minimal bus service, and that people would find it difficult accessing shopping facilities elsewhere.

·         Residents were concerned that there were plans to take away the ball court which they stated was the only place that children on the estate could go to and stay  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

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

The Police representative did not present to the meeting.

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

Apologies were received from the City Warden.

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

An update will be given on the Ward Community Budget. A summary of grant applications submitted for consideration since the last meeting is attached.

The meeting was informed that Ward Councillors had approved budget applications.

No questions were raised by attendants at the meeting.

A resident asked that future meetings be better promoted.

With there being no other items of business, the meeting closed at 8.02pm.

Request for future agenda items:

·         Information on rat running

·         Marsden Lane ramp

·         Workplace car park levy – Council plans for public transport