Ward Councillors will provide an update on local ward issues.
Minutes:
Councillor Master
· Concerns were raised with the number of Houses in Multiple Occupancies (HMO’s) trending in the South Highfields area.
· Residents were informed that houses with more than six occupants needed to be registered and logged.
· Houses with less than six occupants did not require planning permission or to be registered with local authorities.
· A Ward Profile which was circulated, containing information and data collated from different sectors such as population, housing, Census information, crime and different services available on the ward.
Councillor Chaplin
· Councillor Chaplin thanked everyone for the well wishes she had received.
· There were six different homelessness groups around the city of which three were based on the ward.
· Residents were made aware of two types of HMO’s; one being hostels which tried to try and get service users back on their feet and the other being in the private rental market.
· Obtaining information on HMO’s was difficult, although the electoral register is up to date the information changed regularly and information on room capacity was unknown.
· Landlords turning homes into HMO’s was an issue that has been raised at planning.
· At a meeting with the City Mayor and Andy Keeling the issue about regulations around housing and the duty of care held by the council and maintaining communities with the national demand on social housing had been raised.
· Residents shared their concerns of family homes being converted into HMO’s and families having to share studios and incidents of a resident “sofa surfing.”
· Residents also shared their concerns with enforcement as some properties had more people then beds and were housing people who need help but were not receiving it.
· Councillors had been asking for the regulation of landlords turning large houses into HMOs, and the issue had been raised with the Planning and Development Control Committee. It would also form part of the Local Plan consultation, the second phase of which was due to commence.
· Other issues raised included private landlords not accepting those on social welfare and planning applications being approved.
· Councillors assured residents that regulatory standards were met before planning applications are approved.
· An update would be brought back to the next meeting.
· Prebend Park had been consulted upon and proposals were still being worked on. Feedback would be given to residents and if required a public meeting would be planned.
· Works on St Stephens Road on resurfacing, additional parking spaces, improved shop fronts and addition of new bollards.
· Safer routes had been added to schools with new signs and road markings.
· A five-minute waiting period for parking prior to enforcement and ticketing had been removed. Additional Parking Enforcement Officers were in post.
· Additional parking enforcement patrols for Evington Road have been requested for the evening period when the food outlets were busy.
Residents from around the Cedar Park area shared their concerns over safety.
· Recent incidents and on-going issues with knife crime and other issues had left residents feeling vulnerable.
· Due to safety concerns residents were not willing to park their cars many streets away from their homes.
· Residents felt an action plan needed to be put together to address issues within the Cedar Road area – Issues around blind spots on Cedar Park, built up green spaces, CCTV and extra patrols.
· Empty gas cannisters in the car park next to the One Stop Shop on Evington Road, not a family friendly area and residents want something done, Sacred Spaces to be included in any meetings for Cedar Park.
Councillor Chaplin suggested a meeting be planned soon and address issues and talked about wording for a petition.
· Residents complained that no parking enforcement officers attended Rippon Street, especially when there were events taking place on Victoria Park.
· Residents from St James Road shared their concerns about drugs dealers using the street for illegal activities.
Action: Festivals unit to ensure Parking and Enforcement officers cover streets around the park too, also to ensure no anti-social behaviour was taking place in surrounding streets. Literature for those attending festivals and events on the park needed to be better.
· Due to recent hot weather Onslow Park has had an issue with over flowing bins, with residents from the local area having to volunteer to clean up the park.
· With the lack of funding, Councillor Chaplin urged residents to get involved where they can to help keep areas within the ward clean and presentable where they can.
· Councillor Chaplin was proud to announce that Stoneygate was the most pro-active ward in the city.
· Councillor Chaplin raised concerns with the trees and over grown green space on Prebend Park, pavements repairs where pavements had been damaged by building supply firms and the revenue lost when the parking meters were down.
· Councillor Chaplin shared her concern about the proposed move of the Sexual Health Clinic from St Peters Health Centre to the Haymarket Shopping Centre and had raised these concerns at the Health Scrutiny meeting. Her concerns were around the privacy of the new location and that it is not discrete, a point which was vindicated at a recent planning meeting.
· A joint scrutiny meeting on 4th September would discuss the campaign on saving the intensive care unit at Leicester General Hospital.
· Councillor Chaplin is keen on making Evington Road a family friendly area. She urged local community groups to apply for funding available from the Ward Budget.
· Councillor Chaplin held advise surgeries at monthly intervals and was pleased many more people were now attending and especially with concerns for housing. (Next surgery to be held 28 September 2018 at St Philips Church Hall)
· All to note Full Council would be held 4 October 2018 at Town Hall. Residents questions could be sent to Councillors for Council or Scrutiny meetings.
Mayfield Children Centre
o Previously a children’s centre, it had gone through a community asset transfer process, and would remain an open venue for community groups, with continued predominant use for under 5s.
o Rough sleepers and litter on the grounds of the property would be dealt with as soon as the property was transferred.
o Once complete the new lease holders of the property would be responsible for the upkeep of the whole site.
Councillors clarified the process in which the city council handover community asset buildings to local organisations. Residents were assured that all bids that were received must meet the criteria during the application process.
On this occasion the winning bid was from the group who had been running the centre for the previous three years.