Agenda and minutes

Councillors will elect a Chair for the meeting.

The Chair will introduce those present and make any announcements.

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

Councillor Rahman led introductions as Chair.

Apologies were received from City Warden, Darren Evans.

There were no declarations of interest.

The action log of the previous meeting held on 25^th August 2022 is attached for information and discussion.

AGREED:

That the Action Log of the meeting held on 25 August 2022 be confirmed as a correct record.

Officers from the Local Policing Unit will be at the meeting to provide an update on police issues in the Stoneygate Ward.

PCSO Sam Trantom was present to provide an update on local policing matters and provided a paper presentation for crime statistics in the ward, which included the following points:

·       It was noted that crime levels were slightly higher than average for the area but within the expected levels.

·       The most notable crimes for the ward were burglary, both from residence and business, robbery and theft, in person and from/of motor vehicles.

·       Since the last meeting in August 2022, the following events or incidents occurred in the Stoneygate ward:

o   14 arrests had been made for the supply of drugs or drug dealing.

o   Four section 23 warrants had been issued according to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

o   Following reports by members of the public and businesses on Evington Road, plain clothes police officers had been stationed and conducted patrols to combat concerns about drug dealing.

o   Stoneygate ward officers had assisted Paragon Asra Housing to evict a resident for Anti-Social Behaviour around Abington Road.

o   Police had worked with residents to identify and remove untaxed vehicles.

o   A student safety campaign had been carried out at a new private student hall of residency building.

PCSO Trantom thanked the public for assisting police by reporting issues in the ward and encouraged further reports to be submitted either through 101 or on their website, www.leics.police.uk.

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

Apologies were received from Darren Evans, City Warden for the ward.

It was noted that a written update had been provided by the Warden, which was read by the Ward Community Engagement Officer, and provided the following updates:

·       Regarding fly tipping on Rowsley Street, rubbish had been accumulating increasingly over recent months and investigation into those responsible were ongoing. Legal actions were being reviewed.

·       Regarding fly tipping on Osmastion Street, investigation into those responsible for fly-tipping on the historical hotspot were ongoing and enquiries were being made with landlords in the area.

·       It was noted that fly-tipping investigations on Mere Road and Draper Street was ongoing.

·       Regarding fly-tipping on Devana Road, while there were not as many reports for fly-tipping in the area, what was reported were large items, which have been removed. A letter drop to residents on the road had been conducted and the investigation was ongoing.

·       A number of issues were known on St James Road including fly-tipping, bins left on the highway and derelict buildings. Following the bins on streets project in 2022, it was noted that it was the same properties who would leave their bins out and a new project was to come in the next few weeks. Fly-tipping had decreased and continuing domestic waste was being actioned. It was noted that the legal process to resolve the derelict buildings issue was ongoing.

·       Mill Hill Lane fly-tipping issues were ongoing. It was noted to be a complex case due to the land being privately owned by five separate owners and that the owners had a duty to remove the waste. The case was being actioned by the City Warden.

·       Remnant waste from renovations on Evington Road were noted and following investigation, legal action had been taken. A new duty of care check for businesses in the area were being looked at for the next few months.

·       The City Warden held a meeting with the Cleansing Manager following reports of waste by residents on Conduit Street. A letter was issued to all residents and a waste bin had been removed from the corner of the street, following which there had been no reports of fly-tipping for the past four weeks.

The City Warden thanked residents for their support and encouraged residents to contact him either directly or through the Love Leicester mobile app.

A Highways officer will be in attendance at the meeting to give an update of highways matters.

Ed Kocik (Traffic Operations Team Leader) and Jolanta Obszynska (Traffic Development Officer) were present to provide an update on highways related issues in the ward and the following points were highlighted:

·       Traffic surveys were conducted in October 2022 around London Road, including Stanley Road, Elmfield Avenue, Ashfield Road, Holmfield Road, St Johns Road and Albert Road. Surveys were conducted during traffic neutral, with the surveys conducted across a range of times throughout the day.
Early indication of the results showed distinctive impact by commuter parking in the area with around 5 free parking spaces available at the time of the surveys. The result of the surveys were being analysed and would be discussed with ward councillors.

·       A second round of surveys had been conducted in January 2023 for Dore, Normanton, Baslow and Ashover Roads. Surveys were conducted during traffic neutral, with the surveys conducted across a range of times throughout the day. Survey results showed no impact by commuter parking.

A member of the public questioned any potential parking problems on the streets surveyed, noting issues with parking past 6pm, leaving residents to park multiple streets away from their residences or resulting in fines.

The Traffic Development Office noted that a consultation would be conducted between 21^st February and 21^st March 2023 for residents and businesses, which residents ask questions or provide feedback either online or using a pre-paid envelop by post.

A member of the public enquired whether the consultation was for all residents and businesses in the Stoneygate ward. It was noted that the consultation only applied to residents of the proposed area. Those outside the area would not receive the consultation or ability to respond.

Members of the public disputed the survey results, noting large vans parking on the streets leaving vulnerable residents without parking spaces. The Traffic Operations Team Leader noted that surveys had been carried out in accordance with the Councils principles and results would be further discussed with ward councillors.

A member of the public raised concern about the impact of displacement parking on streets outside the proposed area for the residential parking scheme and queried whether surveys would be conducted on displacement parking for those areas. It was noted that the decision to conduct further surveys would be dependant on the results of the consultation whether the scheme would be implemented.

A member of the public enquired about a consultation conducted last year and the difference between the one recently conducted. It was noted that the consultation that took place last year was an initial consultation to review the options available to the ward. The current consultation was based on the results of last years initial consultation, which asked residents whether they agreed or disagreed to a 24-hour residential parking scheme.

A member of the public enquired about the criteria for the final decision. It was noted that the result would be based on the majority result from residents and the ward councillor’s decision.

A member of the public asked what  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

An officer will be in attendance to provide an update on the Cedar Road gardens consultation.

Brian Stafford, Head of Standards and Development, and Hannah Keys, Project Development Manager, were present to provide an update on the Cedar Road Gardens Ball Court Consultation.

It was noted that the Cedar Road Ball Court was identified as an area for improvement in the City. Due to its sloped foundations, more development was required than expected and members of the public were consulted about potential design options for the refurbished area.

PCSO Trantom enquired about the planning process for the area, as it was a noted hotspot for drug-dealing. It was noted that an engineering process in the court’s new design aimed to improve sight lines to the surrounding area. Councillors noted that Leicestershire Police would be approached for a potential financial collaboration into the development.

Members of the public raised concern about the method used for consulting with the public and the focus on design over usage. It was noted that the consultation was a simple introduction designed to get the public interested and involved in the process and that further consultations would be held at a later date, alongside interaction with residents local to the site.

The Chair encouraged members of the public to contact councillors with any ideas or questions regarding the proposed development to the Cedar Road Ball Courts.

The Ward Community Engagement Officer provided an update on successful applications submitted for support from the Ward Community Budget.

·       Marcia Brown, African Caribbean Centre – Highfields Library – Children’s Community Christmas Party – £400

·       LMA Academy – Community Focus - £1000

·       Leicester Khalifa Highfields Cricket Club – Celebratory Event - £325

·       Jamila’s Legacy – Mental Health Awareness workshops - £500

·       Somali Development Services CIC – Somali Cultural Day - £500

·       Friendship Club – Autism Awareness Day and Day Trip - £500

·       Bangladesh Youth and Cultural Shomiti – Community Event – £900

It was noted that the balance remaining was £2110. A further six applications were being considered. The Ward Community Engagement Officer highlighted that any further applications would be carried into the new municipal year following the elections in May.

Members of the public raised concern about lack of awareness about applications submitted prior to being funded and members of the ward having a say in which applications were successful. It was noted that the process for ward community budget applications had changed a long time ago and that applications were considered by ward councillors at tri-annual budget meetings. The change had been made to ensure fairness for all applicants and applicants were invited to ward community meetings to feedback to the community about how the budget had helped their cause.

Members of the public enquired about the availability of a report about the success of successfully funded applicants. It was noted that an evaluation report was collated after evidence had been gathered following the event to ensure that the budget was used correctly. If an applicant did not provide feedback following the funded event, it would be held against them and applications from them would not be considered for funding in the future.

Members of the public questioned how ward councillors made a decision for funding an applicant and priorities for applications. It was noted that priorities changed based on current day needs, such as covid PPE and emergency help during the pandemic. Ward Councillors ensured that diverse groups had access to the budget and looked at the impact of applications to make an informed decision.

Members of the public raised concern about minority communities not having access to funding. Councillors informed members of the public to encourage groups and individuals to apply if they had concern about access to the ward community budget.

ACTION: WCEO to bring the annual report on Ward Community Budget use back to the Stoneygate Ward Community meeting.

A member of the public raised concern over uneven access and use of ward facilities between girls and boys. It was noted that usage demographics for ward facilities, such as Cedar Road Gardens MUGA, could not be recorded. It was further noted that ward facilities helped to divert young boys from anti-social behaviour and crime on the streets.

Councillors will provide an update on ward related matters.

Ward councillors provided feedback on work they had been doing since the last meeting which included the following points:

Councillor Master:

·       It was noted that new black bollards had been installed on London Road.

·       Depending on the results of a survey, the potential to make Cedar Road and Myrtle Road one-way was a possibility.

·       Most casework was noted to be regarding landlords and tenants, who were struggling to pay rent, stay in properties or deal with the inflation in energy costs during the cost-of-living crisis.

·       It was noted that food bank referrals were at record levels and requested that members of the public who can help, provide assistance to struggling families and schools when possible.

Councillor Rahman:

·       It was noted that there had been some delays with planning applications.

·       Following the major earthquake in Turkey, the Leicester Turkish Education Centre requested donations from the public with emphasis on heaters, blankets, pillows, dry food, clean clothing, sleeping bags, winter boots, jackets, scarves and gloves. Members of the public can drop off any donations at the centre on 277 Saffron Lane.

A member of the public enquired about plans to implement one-way streets ward wide. It was noted that while it was in the broader strategy for the city, future plans would be based on available funding. Councillors encouraged members of the public to email enquiries about streets being made one-way over and would find out any plans as soon as possible.

Councillor Thalukdar:

·       It was noted that a lot of case work was underway during the cost-of-living and housing crisis and that concerned members of the public could either contact ward councillors or refer to the Leicester City Council website, which provided help and support for struggling residents.

Members of the public enquired about the Local Plan and noted that the Plan had relaxed the number of takeaway restaurants allowed side by side. It was noted that the proposed local plan would become national policy and the issue involved both Licensing and Planning matters. Councillors noted a bid for a representation on the matter where possible and requested members of the public to send any information over to Councillors.

Members of the public requested that, where unable to stop implementation of fast-food restaurants, that the enforcement of parking outside be reviewed and improved.

Members of the public highlighted concerns about parking in the ward. It was noted that the consultation for a residential parking scheme was ongoing to help alleviate parking concerns, with priority for residents. Further implementation of a walk to school scheme aimed to reduce the number of vehicles outside schools at drop off and pick up times.

Members of the public noted people were unable to access secure housing and full Hostels, despite empty houses in the ward. It was noted that not all empty properties were Council owned and strict requirements on style of housing may result in the private landlord abandoning the property than to fit the cost.

A member of the public enquired about enforcement  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

Elain Granger Jarvis was welcomed as the new volunteer co-ordinator for community centres. It was noted that volunteers were welcome and could apply either at local community centres and libraries or online on the Leicester libraries website. It was further noted that opportunities for gardening and mystery shoppers where available.

The Chair provided information on the new requirement for voter ID at elections and accepted ID methods for those who do not have a standard passport or driving licence.

There being no other business, the meeting closed at 7:38pm.