Agenda and minutes

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

Any 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 Cutkelvin as chair welcomed those present and introductions were made. 

There were no declarations.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Shelton.

The Action Log of the meeting held on 7 March 2019 is attached for information and discussion.

The action log of the meeting held on 7 March 2019 was confirmed as a correct record.

Updates on Actions were to be addressed in Ward Councillor Feedback.

Councillors will provide an update on ward information.

Councillor Cutkelvin reported on the following:

·         A bid had been received for Ward funding for Saffron Fete on 10 August 2019 which would include a music festival as well as local stalls.

·         The fence that had been damaged at the time of the helicopter crash had now been fixed.

·         Investment was being sought for the refurbishment of the ground-floor area of Aylestone Leisure Centre.  The option of re-opening the café on a reduced level was being explored.

·         Councillor Cutkelvin had been in conversation with officers regarding eco-friendly play equipment for developments on St Mary’s Allotments.  These developments would be put out for consultation.

·         The extension to Marriott Primary School would be complete by the end of next term.

·         The broken pavement outside FMB Cycles had been fixed as part of the Neighbourhood Improvement Scheme aimed at improving shop fronts on Saffron Lane.  Councillor Cutkelvin requested those involved to put together photographs to show improvements made by the scheme.

·         A temporary road closure was in place so that traffic calming works could be carried out on Brookfield Rise.  Two speed cushions were in place and more were to be installed so that there would be between six and eight in total.

A resident enquired as to where the speed cushions were to be placed.  Action: Councillor Cutkelvin to email resident directly.

It was announced that there would be a talk about the MS Therapy Centre to the Aylestone Park Residents Group on 1 August 2019 at 7.30pm at the Church of the Nativity on Cavendish Road.

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

No major crime incidents were reported by the Police Community Support Officers present.  Residents were invited to discuss minor issues with them after the meeting.

A resident who had previously reported incidences of stone-throwing reported that the issue had now abated.

It was reported that drones could not be used as hoped to tackle anti-social behaviour involving mini-motos as drones were now flown by a specialist unit and needed to be flown by a warranted Police Officer.  Action: Councillor Cutkelvin to discuss issue with Police and Crime Commissioner.

An update will be given on addressing anti-social behaviour issues in the ward.

Councillor Cutkelvin reported issues surrounding Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) allegedly perpetrated by 10-20 young people around Kingfisher Youth Centre.  ASB had included:

·         Aggravating behaviour towards residents.

·         Blocking cars in roads.

·         Climbing on the roof.

·         Criminal damage such as broken windows.

Councillor Cutkelvin also reported Anti-Social Behaviour around Aylestone Leisure Centre and highlighted the security difficulty in monitoring who went in and out of the centre.  It was hoped that the planned refurbishment work would mitigate this problem.

Service Manager of Early Help, Brian Bodsworth, gave an update on how this ASB was being approached.  Points included:

·         The youth service worked with 13-19-year olds and the young people engaged in the ASB within that age range were known to them.

·         All the young people had been identified and intelligence and information exchanged with the local Police.

·         There was a large group of young people but 4/5 key individuals who were causing the most disruption.

·         Youth Workers had carried out home visits to all of these key individuals.

·         Letters had been handed to young people and their parents.

·         They had been invited to attend a meeting at the youth centre, preferably with their parents, but the young people would still be met with if their parents did not engage.

·         Informal Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) would be established with 3 of the young men identified in order for them to continue to attend the youth sessions and establish why they were behaving in this way.

·         One young person had already breached his ABC so officers were looking to do more intensive work with him and potentially refer him into Targeted Youth Support.

·         The Police, in particular PC Lewis Dedmen-Ert had been very supportive having increased surveillance at both sites and having supported staff when locking the centre.

·         Weekend patrols had been increased.

·         Letters of apology had been received from several young people.

·         The street-based youth work team had been deployed to engage with young people outside of youth club times.

·         Martin Forbes, the Professional Grade Youth Worker for Kingfisher was working with the overall group over the summer to plan a young men’s mental health awareness event on 23 August following the death of one of their friends. It was hoped that bringing the group together with common purpose would support them to establish some ownership and respect for the services they had access to.

Councillor Cutkelvin noted that the above actions showed that information passed to the Head of Service for Early Help was getting through.

The importance of an active youth service in keeping young people occupied and preventing them causing trouble was discussed.  Brian Bodsworth cited the ‘Get Up and Go’ campaign engaging with children aged 0-11 and their families to provide low-cost holiday events.

When informed of another group of young people engaging in ASB, Brian Bodsworth assured that they were trying to engage with all young people and were exchanging information with the Police.

An update will be given on the Green Hut on Tick Tock Park.

An update was given on the renovation of the Green Hut on Tick Tock Park.  Points included:

·         There was a plan to refurbish the hut, including providing an access hatch on the other side of it to make it accessible and avoid the tree which was blocking the original hatch and causing a health and safety issue.

·         It was hoped that the refurbishment works would take place in September.

·         The refurbishment works aimed to keep the original structure and to extend its life by 20 years.

·         £2000 of Ward funding money had been designated to the project.

·         A plan was in consultation to display street-art in the surrounding area which was hoped to be ready by early Spring 2020.

A local housing officer will be present to provide an update on housing related issues in the Ward.

Housing team Leader Kamina Rughani and Neighbourhood Housing Officer Daksha Tailor gave an update on housing issues in the Ward. Points included:

·         The refurbishment of The Crossway path had been completed.

·         A plan was in procurement to improve bin storage areas on Heathcott Road and Neston Road and was hoped to be completed by March 2020.

·         A fire risk assessment was currently in progress as part of the above scheme.

PCSO Jackie Moore-Freakley made the Housing Officers aware of a wooden bollard that was being used by burglars to climb a fence on Heathcott Road and asked if it could be removed.  Action: Housing Officers and Councillor Cutkelvin to investigate.

The issue of brambles protruding onto the pavement on Heathcott Road was raised.  Housing officers had served notices to the properties where the brambles were protruding from, if these timescales for cutting them back were not adhered to then the council would cut them back and charge those who owned the properties.  Action: Housing Officers to follow up.

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

City Warden Noel Cazley gave an update on issue in the Ward including:

·         Waste had been left by students who had left Leicester.  Individuals had been searching these waste bags for valuable items, which had left ripped bags on the streets.

·         Notices had been served in incidences of improper waste disposal.

·         The City Warden urged those present to destroy confidential waste to prevent identity theft.

·         Waste had been cleared on Brazil Street.

·         The ‘Bins on Street’ project had moved into Filbert Street, Hazel Street, Walnut Street and Brazil Street.

·         Residents had breached a notice served to arrange removal of Japanese Knotweed, meaning Leicester City Council could now kill the weed and default the charges to the occupier.

·         £5000 had been invested from the Ward Budget so that the City Warden could carry out additional work, which allowed the City Warden to serve notices to landlords on Cavendish Road to tackle fly tipping. 

·         £100 fixed penalty notices could be served to residents who failed to meet conditions from the Community Protection Notices that had been served for fly tipping.

·         Businesses could face unlimited fines for each breach of notice.

·         The City Warden was looking to get an area of Cavendish Road fenced off to prevent fly tipping.

·         Notices had been served regarding fly tipping on the car park on Macaulay Street.

Bulk waste including a fridge and a cupboard was reported on Cavendish Road.  Action: City Warden to investigate.

Councillor Cutkelvin proposed an end-of-year review to show how Ward funding had been used by the City Warden.  Action: City Warden to produce a PowerPoint presentation for the review.

Issues including litter, broken glass, dog fouling and overflowing bins were reported on the Mud Dumps.  Action: City Warden to refer to the Parks department.

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.

Community Support Officer Laura Burt provided an update on the Ward Community Budget.

It was reported that seven applications had been approved since the beginning of the municipal year.

·         Saffron Art Forum – Saffron Community Music and Sports Event- £3150

·         Saffron young People’s Project – Community Fun Day - £750

·         Leicester Wheels for All- Summer events - £500

·         Recovery Assistance Dogs – Tunnel for Agility Gym on Aylestone Recreation Ground - £500

·         Special Olympics Leicester - SOL Event - £750

·         Hazel Community Primary School – Year 4&5 Trip to France - £750

·         Aylestone Park Residents Group – Room Hire for meetings - £247

A balance of £11,353 remained for the municipal year.

As part of the Local Plan all green space in the city was being reviewed.   Areas in Saffron Ward under review for the possibility of housing construction included the Mud Dumps, the land around Kingfisher Youth Centre and Meadow Gardens.  There would be a consultation on the issue.

PCSO Sam Donnington enquired when the designated graffiti wall on the shelter in Aylestone Park would next be cleaned.  Action: Councillor Cutkelvin to ask if this could be done when the demolition work on the pavilion takes place.

A resident who had warned parents online about children playing dangerously on a blind bend around Heath Park reported that the issue had since abated.

Concern was raised about overgrown greenery on Cheviot Road impeding drivers’ visibility.  Action: Councillor Cutkelvin to enquire about getting it cut back.

There being no other business, the meeting closed at 7:30pm