Your Ward Councillors will report on things they have been involved in within the ward and there will be an opportunity to ask questions.
Minutes:
Councillor Shelton reported on the following: -
i) Saffron Fete 2011
As Event Manager for this event he had received feedback from a number of people that this event had been the best to date. One minor criticism had been the lack of rides for very young people. More people were now being sought to serve on the Saffron Fete Committee, the next meeting of which was expected before Christmas.
ii) Marriott Primary School
As a Governor of the School it was stated that the Marriott Primary had been in Special Measures until recently when a new Head had been appointed. The staff had been fully supportive of the new Head and the changes proposed at the time, with the result that the school was now performing better than the national average. A special visit to the school had been arranged for Councillor Dempster, Assistant City Mayor, to visit the school and award the school a Certificate of Honour.
The City Warden stated that he had reported the graffiti on Marriott Road and had spoken with the staff at Marriott Primary School, the graffiti had yet to be removed.
iii) Planning Matters
Wheatsheaf Site
It was reported that The Wheatsheaf site on Knighton Lane was subject to an application for housing provision that was granted. A number of complaints had been received around potential traffic problems but work had started on the site and no further complaints had been received. The development would be phased to raise funding to restore the Wheatsheaf building itself.
It was further stated that S.206 funding from the developers of the site would be staying in the area to provide play facilities, particularly for young children.
Manchester Hotel
An application had been received to convert the building to student flats. A lot of complaints had been received but the application had been granted.
Site opposite Manchester Hotel
An application had been received to turn the site into a gas storage facility. The application had been refused but the applicant appealed against the decision. The Government Inspector looked at the Appeal and granted the Appeal in the applicants favour, the gas storage site would now go ahead.
Velodrome Site
A member of the public questioned what was happening regarding this site. Councillor Shelton stated that an application had been submitted years ago, but following the granting of planning permission, the applicant disappeared. Another application followed and the same thing happened. The City Council has made it clear that they want a mix of Housing and apartments on the site. In the meantime the Assistant City Mayor with responsibility for the environment had been approached with a view to the exterior of the vacant site being improved.
Macaulay Street/Knighton Fields Road West
Planning permission granted and the site has been fenced off after a long period of time. Apartments were to be built on this site. Also on the same street an application had been submitted for ‘The Glassworks’ site. Residents had presented a petition and handed this into the Planning Department. The application would now have to be considered by the Planning and Development Control Committee, although it had not yet appeared on the Agenda.
Football Pitches, Aylestone Road
It was reported that the official opening of these pitches would be on Monday 10th October at 4.00pm. The fence around the site had recently been painted as part of a Community Project scheme.
iv) Free Swimming
Councillor Cutkelvin reported that the recent free swims at Council facilities during the summer had been a great success and would now be rolled out across the City during holidays.
v) Knighton Fields Primary School
It was reported that this school was under-performing and that there were proposals that it could be converted to an Academy. Cabinet were to consider the matter and consider how best the school could be improved and avoid conversion to an Academy.
vi) Chimney – Saffron Lane
A chimney to industrial premises on Saffron Lane had recently been found to be emitting noxious emissions. The City Council had secured some improvements following a number of complaints from local residents.
vii) St Mary’s Allotments
It was stated that discussion had taken place at Cabinet around the problems at this site, designated as Housing and Open Space in the Local Plan, and it had been agreed that a site visit would be arranged to meet local Councillors and senior officers. A member of the public stressed that Cabinet need to be aware of the local sensitivities within the local community around this site.
viii) Highways – General
The following issues were highlighted: -
· Parking Issues – Keble Road (around the Mosque)
· Grit Bin now installed on Saffron Lane
· Industrial area – potholes now been attended to
ix) Community Meetings
It was reported that the scope of Community Meetings was due to be broadened and would feed into Joint Action Group (JAG) meetings and vice-versa. Officers based within the community would manage the meetings and the format of meetings was likely to be different.
It was stated that feedback was required from the public.
Comments received: -
· Contact details of Councillors required on Agendas/publicity
· Publicity not widely distributed
· Saffron Post Project currently delivers to every house in Saffron
x) Aylestone Leisure Centre
A member of the public stated that new lockers had recently been provided in the wet area of the Centre, however there were only 4 working lockers in the dry area. There was only a need for some 20 lockers in the dry area and that this issue had been ongoing for at least 6 years when a request to get at least 12 working lockers in the dry area had been first made.
The Chair suggested that this issue be raised on October 10th when he was due to be holding a regular surgery at the Centre, and when the City Mayor would also be present.
RESOLVED:
that the information be noted.