Agenda and minutes

Councillors will elect a Chair for the meeting.

Councillor Annette Byrne was elected as Chair for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Colin Marriott.

The first main item on the programme is Declaration of Interest where Councillors have to say if there is anything in the programme they have a personal interest in. For example if a meeting was due to discuss a budget application put forward by a community group and one of the Councillors was a member of that group, they would not be able to take part in the decision on that budget application.

Councillors are asked to declare any interest they may have in the business on the agenda, and/or indicate that Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

Councillors were asked to declare any interests they might have in relation to the business on the agenda, and/or indicate that Section 106 of the Local Government Act applied to them.

Councillor Byrne declared a personal and prejudicial interest on Agenda Item 7 – Community Meeting Budget and in particular relating to the funding application for the Welcome Club. Councillor Byrne agreed to leave the meeting during the consideration of the funding application.  

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2008 are attached and Members are asked to confirm them as a correct record.

The minutes of the Abbey Community Meeting held on 16 September 2008 were circulated and Members were asked to approve them as a correct record of the meeting.

RESOLVED:

that the minutes of the Abbey Community Meeting held on 16 September 2008 were approved as a correct record of the meeting.

There will be an informal discussion on key police issues in the area.

Sergeant Nurse, Leicestershire Constabulary, provided a verbal update on the policing priorities in the area. Sergeant Nurse also provided information in relation to the problem solving plans that have been developed by Officers, in partnership with local people, community groups and organisations, and in relation to the policing priorities outlined. Possible sanctions in relation to offenders were outlined, such as the use of Anti Social Behaviour Orders and placing conditions on the Tenancy Agreements of Offenders living in Social Housing.

Sergeant. Nurse also provided the following information in relation to the levels of crime in the local area:

• Overall crime levels were down by 1%
• Serious Violent Crime was down by 10%
• Less serious assault was down by 25%

At the conclusion of the verbal presentation Sergeant Nurse took questions from the residents.

In response to a question from a resident about the policing activity on Parker Drive, Sergeant Nurse confirmed that it was likely that it was in relation to routine enquiries about a specific incident. However, if further information was required residents were advised to contact the Local Policing Unit with the details provided on the contact card posted to residents. Further information could be provided if details of the incident were specified.

Steve Letten, Members Support Officer, will give an update on the Ward Action Plan.

Ward Action Plan - Priorities

Steve Letten, Members Support Officer - Leicester City Council, offered a verbal update on the progress towards developing the Ward Action Plan and outlined to the meeting the process of consultation that had been undertaken to develop the plan.

A supporting document titled ‘Abbey Ward Action Plan – Issues from Priority Cards’ was tabled and circulated at the meeting. Steve Letten continued by explaining the priority setting process and confirmed that the following key priorities had been drafted as a result of the consultation:

1. Youth and Children’s Services.
2. Crime, Anti-Social Behaviour, Policing, and Drink/Drugs.
3. Traffic and Parking.
4. Street Cleaning and Fly Tipping.
5. Roads and Pavements.

The draft priorities were then opened up to the meeting for consideration and the following remarks were made:

1. Facilities for older people should be included as a priority.
2. Improvements to public transport availability need to be addressed.
3. The maintenance of grass verges was an issue.

Steve Letten suggested that matters around grass verges and local transport could be considered within the Traffic and Parking work area.

Ward Action Plan – Consultation Process and the priorities

The following matters were raised by residents in relation to the consultation process and the development of the Ward Action Plan priorities:

1. The consultation process did not involve enough people.
2. How could an action plan be developed without publicising the meetings properly?
3. The Abbey Rise area has been largely ignored.
4. How were all the meetings publicised?

Steve Letten outlined the process for publicising the meetings, what consultation work had been undertaken and questioned residents on their views of the priorities and whether residents thought they were along the right lines. Steve Letten also explained that 88 residents had been consulted so far when developing the Ward Action Plan priorities.

In response further issues/questions were raised by residents in relation to:

1.      Street cleaning.

2.      Youth issues/services.

3.      Parking and roads.

4.      Antisocial Behaviour.

Sergeant Nurse confirmed to the meeting that antisocial behaviour was not more of a problem in the Abbey Ward than in other City areas, but that it was a problem.

It was noted by some residents that the main issues should be addressed when developing the action plan, without focusing too much on single, specific examples or problems.

Steve Letten explained the process for dealing with specific problems once the Ward Action Plan and the priority work areas had been developed.

Councillor Byrne agreed to arrange a meeting between residents, relevant Officers from Leicester City Council and representatives from Transport organisations to address the transport issues outlined. Residents were requested to leave their contact details and record their concerns on the evaluation sheets at the end of the meeting.

A representative from the Healthy Living Centre confirmed to the meeting that their local consultation exercise highlighted that Youth Services was a priority area.

Steve Letten concluded by confirming that matters around grass verges and local transport could be considered within the Traffic and Parking work area and that this would be considered  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

10,000 Trees Leicester

Adrian Russell, Service Director Environmental Services – Leicester City Council, outlined the 10,000 trees initiative, the benefits provided by the scheme and circulated a document that outlined the proposals. Residents were asked to suggest locations within the Abbey Ward that would benefit from more trees and the following suggestions were made:

1. Stocking Farm Youth Centre.
2. Mowmacre Sports Ground.

Residents raised concerns about the maintenance of the existing trees within the ward, outlined the need for proper maintenance of any additional trees planted in the Ward and remarked on the need for consideration of the planting locations in relation to health and safety, pavements, parking and the potential damage caused by trees.  In addition it was suggested that fallen leaves needed to be cleared off pavements more regularly.

Councillors are reminded that they will need to declare any interest they may have in budget applications, and/or indicate that Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

The following applications were submitted to the Community Meeting:

1. Mowmacre community bonfire and fireworks event
2. Stocking Farm & Abbey Rise Christmas Fete.
3. Welcome Club

Steve Letten,Members Support Officer, provided a verbal update on the three different sources of grant available and the applications to be considered at the meeting.

Funding Application – Mowmacre Community Bonfire and Fireworks Event

Steve Letten explained the application for funding to residents and asked for residents’ views in relation to the bid. Residents responded positively to the event and Sergeant. Nurse confirmed that the Police had been contacted and involved in the organisation of the event.

RESOLVED:

that it be agreed that the bid for £2,500 be supported.

Funding Application – Stocking Farm and Abbey Rise Christmas Fete

Steve Letten explained the application for funding to residents and reminded Members of the criteria for the Community Cohesion Fund. It was also explained to residents that the Stocking Farm Events Committee would be advised that, should the application be approved, they would need to do more to ensure that a range of groups and organisations be involved in the event. The application was opened up to residents for their views in relation to the bid.

RESOLVED:

that it be agreed that the bid for £500 be supported with the condition outlined above.

Funding Application – Welcome Club

Having declared a personal and prejudicial interest in relation to this application Councillor Byrne lest the meeting for this consideration of this item.

Councillor Bhavsar explained to residents that the meeting was inqourate due to the absence of Councillor Marriott and the personal and prejudicial interest of Councillor Byrne. As a result Councillor Bhavsar explained that a decision on the funding was unable to be taken at the meeting but that the views of residents would be considered and referred to the Cabinet Member prior to the final decision on the application for funding.

Steve Letten elaborated on the decision making process, explained the two different applications for funding for the same ‘Welcome Club’ proposal to residents, and emphasised the difference between the two bids. The funding criteria were outlined, particularly in relation to not approving funding for any gambling activities such as Bingo or Raffles. Residents generally thought that the Bingo and Raffle elements of the bid were worthwhile and should be permissible.

RESOLVED:

that the first application be the preferred option, subject to the deletion of the Bingo and Raffle elements of the bid, and that this be referred to the relevant Cabinet Member for consideration.

Councillor Byrne returned to the meeting following the conclusion of this item.

At the conclusion of this item the meeting moved into the informal session.

The following information stands were sited in the room. Members of the public visited the stands and were given an opportunity to meet Councillors and Council staff and to bring enquiries and raise issues.

TABLE 1            Ward Councillors and General Information

Members of the public were able to talk to their Ward Councillors and Council Officers and raise general enquiries or issues.

TABLE 2            Local Involvement Network

A representative from the Local Involvement Network was present.

TABLE 3            Domestic Violence

Officers from the Domestic Violence Team were on hand to offer advice.

TABLE 4            Biffa / Waste Management

An Officer was on hand to offer advice on recycling and waste management.

TABLE 5            Customer Services

An Officer from the Customer Services Team was on hand to take enquiries and offer advice to residents.

The meeting closed at 8.15pm.