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 Grant in the Chair.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and all present introduced themselves.

Councillor Dr Moore declared that she was on the steering group for Knighton Green.

Apologies for absence were received from Kevin Whitmore (representative from Aldi Supermarket), the Police representatives, and Chairman of the Friends of Knighton Park, Deb Tull.

Attached for information and discussion.

The Action Log of the meeting held on 28 August 2018 was confirmed as a correct record.

The chair noted a request had been made by a resident to amend the Action Log of the last meeting. However, as it was an Action Log there was no requirement for an amendment as it was not a verbatim record.

Councillor Grant noted that a petition objecting to speed control measures on Shanklin Drive had been received.

Councillors will provide an update on ward information.

It was reported that the Head of Green Spaces would be in touch with the Knighton Ward Councillors regarding missing trees in the ward, noting the best places to plant trees.

Action: Residents were also invited to report to Councillors where they believed trees had been removed.

An email was acknowledged regarding new bike stands in the ward and their proposed locations: Craddock Road, Meadvale Road, Knighton Road and Shackerdale Road.

The First World War Remembrance Service was praised. Other remembrance-related programmes were also praised, including:

• An exhibition over three sites that had brought in over 500 people, including many from local schools.
• Reading material on various important figures in World War I being distributed to local schools.

·         A performance that brought in over 300 people.

A representative from Aldi will be discussing their pre-consultation test.

The Aldi representative was unavailable for the meeting.

All to note:

• Objections were raised over the plans to build a new Aldi store near Oadby Racecourse due to it being in a ‘Green Wedge’.
• Objections were also raised due to the increased risk of flooding in the area with the removal of trees and the water run-off from Oadby and Wigston affecting Knighton.
• Concern was expressed over potential traffic problems caused by bottlenecks in South Knighton and a potential hazardous right-turn to access the proposed site.
• Surveys had been undertaken by Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council and the Environment Agency on flooding problems.
• A consultation had been initiated in Oadby and Wigston as part of a long-term project to prevent flooding further downstream.
• A leaflet-drop campaign in opposition to the proposal has been initiated, as has a petition that has gained 110 signatures. 
• Residents, along with the local authority and the Environment Agency, were encouraged to attend planning meetings and register objections to help get the land protected for wildlife and nature. 
• Aldi had been in touch with Leicester City Council and was open to meeting with Knighton Councillors on the issue.  Councillor Dr Moore welcomed this.

Councillor Grant invited feedback on the issue (and assured that any feedback received would be put on record.)

Phil Thompson (Flood Risk Manager) was not available for the meeting, however it was reported that:

·         Relating to the Aldi development officers were aware of the Flood Risk and were in communication with the Environment Agency and Oadby & Wigston Borough Council. He had received correspondence from residents who were unhappy with the development. Members would be provided with information as it became available.

Action: The Chair asked that technical information on traffic flow along London Road be provided for the next Ward Meeting.

A representative of the forum will deliver an update.

A written update was circulated (as attached).

In relation to the issue of school parking:

All to note:

• Barriers to be installed in two stages.  Cones and yellow lines will also be put in place along with the re-marking of the yellow zig-zag.
• The possibility of sharing a camera vehicle was mentioned to deter problem parking.

·         Concern was raised that a small number of people were persistent, waiting in cars with the engine on, causing emissions.

Councillors to provide an update on recent crowd funding.

All to note:

• The budget surplus has been looked at, and it was agreed that the Knighton Wild project was to be encouraged.

• Leicester City Council has offered land with no current use for community groups to develop.
• The Knighton Wild group had been granted money to carry out a consultation on their project.  So far, the responses were generally supportive, although there had been some concerns over the area attracting vandalism and anti-social behaviour. 

• Mr Crooks provided an overview of the Knighton Green Project going forward: Sowing and planting meadows, planting a community orchard, developing a spinney area and installing benches in a central space.

• Hope was expressed that existing users would enjoy these developments, but also that a wider range of people would be attracted.

·         It was estimated that just under £5000 would be needed to deliver the above plan.  A certain amount of funding was agreed by Leicester City Council with the emphasis that this was for a start-up.  The remainder of the funds were hoped to be raised through crowd-funding (the crowd-funding target to be adjusted to take the council funding into account).

Feedback on events will be provided by the group.

The Chairman of the Friends of Knighton Park, Deb Tull was not available for the meeting, however, it was noted that the Friends of Knighton Park were keen to accept more members and an appeal was made for more people to join. The group had been successful in keeping the park an attractive place to visit, despite the reduction in Park’s funding.

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

A representative of the Leicestershire Police Force was not available for the meeting.

It was noted that Police Sergeant Jim McGovern had retired.

• Councillor Gugnani reported that he had met with the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) to discuss the recent burglaries around the Ratcliffe Road area.  The Commissioner had reportedly stated that someone would come to report on these burglaries.  The absence of such a person was noted.

Action: Councillor Dr Moore to invite the police to come to the next ward meeting.Action: Community Engagement officer to invite PCC to the next Ward Meeting.

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

The City Warden gave an update on issues in Knighton Ward which included the following comments:

All to note:

• City Warden was also responsible for issues across Castle Ward (including the busy City Centre) as well as working on Knighton issues.
• Untidy land complaints from Knighton had been dealt with. 

Comments were made about bins left out in the Stoneygate Road area.  Action: City Warden to investigate the issue.

An ongoing bin issue at an address on London Road was raised, and it was enquired as to whether penalties go to the landlord, agent or occupant.  The City Warden confirmed fixed penalties could to the occupant after a sticker warning and ensuing monitoring.

• A hub was being set up between landlords, student tenants and councillors and it was suggested the hub could be used to raise issues.
• Action: City Warden to contact the landlord to prevent such issues occurring in the future.

·         Residents were encouraged to report any environmental issues through the website – My Account (www.leicester.gov.uk). or by phoning 0116 454 1001, or the Love Leicester App.

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.

All to note:

• From an opening budget of £19800, £8106 had been spent, £4,667.56 had been committed to the Knighton Wild project, leaving £7027.11 to spend.
• Knighton Neighbourhood Forum submitted a bid for £6,600 for a portable Air Quality assessment sensor system, however as this application had not yet been assessed the decision was pending.
• The rules governing Ward Community Funding do not allow funds to be carried forward in an election year.  As a result, no funds can be carried forward in to the 2019/20 financial year.

There being no other urgent business the meeting closed at 7.30pm