Agenda and minutes

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

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

Councillor Dempster, elected as Chair, welcomed everyone and led introductions.

Apologies were received from Rob Merrall – Local Policing Unit and Charlotte Glover – City Warden.

No declarations were declared.

The Action Log of the meeting held on 8 September 2015 is attached at Appendix A and Members are asked to confirm it as correct record.

The Action Log from the meeting held on 8 September 2015 was circulated and confirmed as a correct record.

The following was discussed:

·         Councillors recently met with Martin Fletcher from the Highways team regarding the issue on Saxthorpe Road cul-de-sac area. It was reported that Highways were looking into placing bollards and double yellow lines on one side of the road.

·         Bus shelters were still a request at bus stops.

The Community Engagement Officer (CEO) was requested to action the following:

·         Send Councillor Dempster an email regarding the parking on pavements issue on Thurmaston Lane/ Humberstone Drive.

·         Go through the action log and request feedback from the relevant Officers.

·         The Councillors agreed to write to the City Mayor requesting the state of the Humberstone Heights Golf Club to be looked into and to work with the committee to ensure it was at an appropriate standard as well as providing support for the club.

A presentation will be provided at the meeting with details of Hamilton’s housing stock.

Fabian D’Costa – Team leader for Planning, provided an update on Hamilton’s housing stock. As the figures reported were from 2011, it was requested that the Officer provide the meeting with more up to date information.

Comments from the meeting:

·         An update was requested regarding the impact of the Charnwood proposals on the Hamilton/Humberstone area, in particular with regard to pressure on road network and community facilities.

·         Councillors/ Attendees requested an explanation as to why the roads in Hamilton were so no narrow.

·         Fabian suggested he could update the map to include Charnwood and Hamilton. He would also take all above requests and an Officer would provide feedback at the March Community Meeting.

·         Councillors agreed to contact Councillor Andy Connelly, Executive Member for Housing and copy in, City Mayor Peter Soulsby with enquiries regarding the Council’s strategy/ policy for privately rented properties.

Ward Councillors will provide feedback on the current Green Belt land situation.

Anita Clarke - CEO gave an update from the minutes of the Hamilton Residents Association regarding the Green Belt land situation in the ward.

Attendees had the following concerns:

·         The litter picking/ bins overflowing at the shops near Sandhills Avenue was still a concern.

·         It was reported that there was a regular trail of litter from Gateway College to Humberstone Village. It was requested for the CEO to contact the Cleansing department to enquire how often the area was cleaned/ cleared and request regular visits to the area.

·         The CEO was requested to write to the head of Highways asking them to collate a list of land management companies in the ward to Councillors.

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

Officers from the Local Policing Unit were unable to attend the meeting.

Highways Officers will provide an update on highways issues in the Humberstone and Hamilton Ward.

Highways Officers were not present at the meeting. Fabian D’Costa from the planning team was in attendance and would feedback on Highways issues discussed at the meeting.

Housing Officers will give an update on housing issues in the Ward.

Ela Krychowska-Hall Area Manager for Housing attended the meeting and provided the following update:

·         It was noted that all current projects taking place in the ward would be completed by March 2016. Some of the projects included; bulb planting on Netherhall Road and low level fencing barriers would now be placed on some grass verges to protect the green.

·         Shops on Netherhall Road - Block paving would be replacing the concrete slabs and the stairway railing would also be replaced.

A resident requested that when bulbing was being applied to locations selected by Housing, could other resident requested areas in the ward make use of the bulbing facilities. Councillor Dempster requested the resident to email the CEO with details of areas requested for bulb planting. Ela would then provide the Councillors with a quote which could be supported by the Humberstone & Hamilton Ward Community Budget.

The City Warden will give an update on environmental and enforcement activities in the Humberstone and Hamilton Ward.

The City Warden was unable to attend the meeting.

The CEO was requested to contact the City Warden in regards to their correct contact number, as there was some confusion regarding the correct number displayed on the City Warden handout distributed at the meeting.

Ward Budget feedback will be provided at the meeting. There will be no bids to consider.

There were no bids to consider. It was noted that two applications had recently been received, both of which the Chair reported that other Council funds/ departments would be approached before considering them for the Ward Community Budget.

The CEO was requested to action the following:

·         Follow up on the Jerome project.

·         Find out what happens to funding which is not spent after the last ward community meeting 2015/16.

·         Look into how the Leicester Ageing Together (LAT) project could involve the Hamilton ward.

Further discussions:

·         Councillors requested for future applicants to inform them of their event dates for Councillors to attend. It was also requested that successful applicants feedback at community meetings.

·         The CEO informed the meeting that further funding would not be provided to successful applicants unless an evaluation form was completed.

Any items for Any Other Urgent Business (AOUB) should be requested to the Chair prior to the start of the Ward Community Meeting.

It was noted that the following events would be taking place:

·         Tuesday 1 December 2015 – Christmas lights switch on 5.30pm at Humberstone village shops, Main Street. 6.00pm at Sandhills Avenue, Hamilton. 6.30pm at Netherhall Road shops.

·         19 December 2015 – a resident dressed as Santa would be driving around Hamilton.

Requests for the CEO to action:

·         Contact the Police inspector enquiring about the possibilities of volunteers from the local community being trained to use the speed gun.

·         A resident and Councillor Dempster requested an update on the Manor Farm project for the next meeting.

The next Humberstone and Hamilton Ward Community Meeting will take place on Tuesday 1^st March 2016 at 6.30pm – venue to be confirmed.

The Humberstone & Hamilton Ward Community Meeting would be held on Tuesday 1March 2016 - Councillors agreed to keep the meeting at Hamilton library.

The meeting closed at 8.20pm.