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 Gugnani as Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked the councillors to introduce themselves.

No apologies were received.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 March 2014 are attached.

The minutes of the previous meeting held 10 March 2014 were agreed.

Representatives of the Street Market, who previously received a grant from this meeting, will give feedback on how the grant was used.

Caroline Spence provided an update on the Street Market that was held on Allandale Road / Francis Street on Sunday 22 June. Attendees were asked to note that the event had been very successful and thanks were given for the funding from the community meeting budget.

 

A general discussion followed which included the following points:

 

·         There were concerns that shops were closing down on Francis Street and Allandale Road though efforts were being made to increase footfall into the area and some new shops had opened.

 

·         Views were expressed that the rents were too expensive and that the John Lewis store had affected the area.

 

·         There was a hope that the new parking initiative would be helpful to trade.

 

·         There were concerns that if the proposed boundary commission changes took effect, the Allandale Road / Francis Street area would fall within the Stoneygate Ward. This Ward had previously not supported the Street Market.

 

·         It was suggested that support for the area might be available through Economic Regeneration and that an officer might be able to help access such support. It was further suggested that this might be an agenda item at the next meeting.

 

Officers will be at the meeting to answer questions on planning matters in the Ward.

Steve Brown, Group Manager, Planning and Jenny Timothy, Senior Conservation Officer were present and attendees were invited to raise queries and ask questions relating to planning issues. Steve and Jenny then responded to a variety of questions.

 

In response to a request raised at the previous meeting, the attendee was given a map that detailed the locations of the Houses in Multiple Occupations in the Knighton Ward. The attendee referred to the Article Four direction restricting new small Houses in Multiple Occupations covering parts of the City including Clarendon Park and asked that the impact of that restriction on adjacent areas be reviewed sooner rather than later.

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

Police Constable Jim Mungovin provided an update on policing statistics and asked residents in particular to note:

 

·         There were increasing problems with theft from motor vehicles and residents were urged to ensure that their vehicle was secured. Many of the vehicles that had previously been broken into had not been locked.

 

·         There were concerns relating to two young men who were going round cleaning windows although they were not proper window cleaners. There had been complaints that they had previously taken the money but not carried out the work.

 

·         Residents raised concerns relating to the danger of cyclists on pavements. Pc Mungovin responded that it was a national problem and really needed to be tackled on a national level as it was very difficult for the police, with their limited numbers, to carry out enforcement on this.

 

·         It was noted that there were problems by the school on Overdale Road whilst the National Grid work was being undertaken. The footpaths were completely blocked and people were trying to squeeze by the utility vehicles; the situation was leading to tensions amongst the pedestrians. Views were expressed that this work should have been carried out in the school holidays,

 

Cllr Moore agreed to check with officers to see if they had spoken to the National Grid. An attendee asked Cllr Moore also to check that the National Grid would ensure that the pavements were reinstated to an acceptable standard.

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

Caroline Walsh, the city warden provided an update on the issues she had been dealing with in the ward.

 

The following issues were then discussed;

 

·         Dog fouling – people were asked to inform Caroline where there were problems with dog mess.

 

A problem around Avenue Road Primary School was reported; Caroline agreed to inform a colleague as the school was not in Knighton Ward.

 

A request was made for more bins generally as people were bagging up the dog mess and then dropping the bag rather than waiting until they found a bin.

 

·         A city warden presence was requested on the footpath by Asquith Boulevard. The footpath was well used and there was a problem with broken bottles. There were high fences on either side of the footpath and there was a view that youths congregated there.

 

·         A problem was also reported relating to the alley way by Shanklin Drive / the Ring Road, which was very overgrown. Caroline responded that following concerns raised at the previous meeting she had visited the alley way.  She offered to pay a further visit.

Councillors are reminded that under the Council’s Code of Conduct they should declare any interest they may have in budget applications

 

a)     An update will be given on the Ward Community budget; and

 

b)     A list of grant applications submitted for consideration at this meeting is attached.

 

 

Mike Broad, the Neighbourhood Development Manager for the Knighton Ward presented the community meeting budget.

 

Attendees were asked to note that the following bids had been fast tracked and approved for payment:

 

1055: Big Sunday Lunch

 

Applicant: Jean Mcleish

 

Amount requested and approved: £100

 

1046: Northcote Road Community Playing Out

 

Applicant: Sally White

 

Amount requested and approved: £75.72

 

The following bids were discussed:

 

1035: Replace floor in main room in Holbrook Hall

 

Applicant : PCC of Conventional District of St Guthlac

 

Amount requested £3500

 

Amount supported: £3500

 

2570: South Knighton Floor Defences

 

Applicant: Residents of Carisbrooke Road, Arreton Close and Knighton Church Road

 

The meeting heard that alternative funding sources for this application were still being investigated.

 

0023: The PLAce multi purpose venue: external signage, replacement grilles and dishwasher

 

Applicant: Pre-School Learning Alliance – Angela Eager

 

Joint bid to Knighton, Aylestone and Eyres Monsell Wards.

 

Funding application deferred.

 

1014: Artbeat – Clarendon Park Arts Festival

 

Applicant: Sue King

 

Amount requested £2100 originally but exact amount to be confirmed.

 

Funding application deferred  - to ascertain how much money the applicant was seeking.

 

5007: Allandale Road / Francis Street Community Market

 

Applicant: Stoneygate Shops Retailers      

 

Amount requested: £3279.50

 

Funding application deferred. The Neighbourhood Development Manager to check whether this was a duplicate bid.

 

 

1056: Replacement Walkway Enclosure

 

Applicant: Stoneygate Baptist Church

 

Amount requested:  £2500

 

Amount supported: £2500

 

 

5001: Aylestone Park Run

 

Applicant: Alison Robbins

 

Application not supported

 

5024: Community Multibed Acupuncture

 

Applicant: Ariane Thompson

 

Application not supported

 

Action: for the Neighbourhood Development Manager / Community Engagement Officer to progress the actions on the funding applications as agreed.

Cyclists on Newmarket Road / Craighill Road

 

Councillor Moore asked the meeting to note that she had received a complaint about cyclists travelling down Newmarket Road onto Craighill Road. She had spoken with officers at the council about measures to slow the cyclists down.

Officers had suggested that bollards be installed and a further suggestion for the installation of a chicane was raised at the meeting.

 

Play Streets

 

Councillor Moore asked the meeting to note that following the success of the play streets event, the Assistant City Mayor for Children, Young People and Schools had said that she would like to encourage more such events across the city.

 

Pot holes

 

The meeting was asked to note that Councillors had been assured that work on the potholes in Church Lane was imminent.

Members of the Community were asked to note that the next Knighton Community Meeting would take place on Monday 22 September 2014

The meeting closed at 8.15 pm.