Agenda and minutes

Councillor Bhavsar was elected as Chair for the meeting.

There were no apologies for absence.

Councillor Byrne declared an interest as a member of the Welcome Club, being an organisation which was the subject of a grant application under the Ward Community Budget item.

Councillor Marriott declared an interest as his wife was a member of the Mowmacre Events Planning Partnership, being an organisation which was the subject of a grant application under the Ward Community Budget item.

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, the interests declared were not considered to be Disclosable Pecuniary Interests but were Other Disclosable Interests and were not considered significant as to prejudice Members judgement of the public interest. 

Members were, therefore, not precluded from the consideration of the grant applications.

The minutes of the previous Abbey Community Meeting, held on 22 May 2012 are attached at Appendix A and Members are asked to confirm them as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

that the Minutes of the previous Abbey Community Meeting held on 22 May 2012 were agreed as a correct record.

Views are sought on the priorities for updating the Ward Action Plan.  A questionnaire has been issued and further copies will be made available at the meeting.

Jerry Connolly, Member Support Officer, referred to the current Ward Action Plan and advised the meeting that views and opinions were being sought to update the Plan.

He advised that a questionnaire had been issued to community members and stakeholder organisations which asked for priority action areas to be identified.  It was noted that the questionnaire was also available online.

Jerry informed the meeting that the priority areas outlined in the current plan concerned areas of anti-social behaviour problems, a need for increased out of school activities for children, and a need to reduce unemployment levels.

It was noted that the revised and updated Ward Action Plan would influence future grants from the £18,000 annual Ward Community Budget.  Applications for grant funding which included proposed outcomes that were in accordance with the Plan would be more likely to receive favourable consideration.  The importance of input to the consultation stage of the Plan’s review was therefore highlighted and noted.

The meeting thanked Jerry for his report and community members agreed to complete the questionnaire forms to identify their suggested priority action areas.

Sergeant Michelle Zakoscielny will be in attendance to provide an overview of current policing priorities, including a report back on the use of a speed camera in the Abbey Ward and proposals for its future use.

Sergeant Michelle Zakoscielny provided an overview of current Police priorities within the Ward. 

Michelle referred to the recent use of a mobile speed camera which had led to around 50 speeding prosecutions.  The streets where the camera had been principally utilised were reported as Marwood Road, Halifax Drive, Bedale Road and Parker Drive.  In discussing the effectiveness of the camera it was reported that many drivers had slowed on noticing the camera.  Although no offence was committed it was considered an effective operation as the camera had acted as a deterrent against speeding.  In this respect the meeting was reminded of the requirement on Police Officers to be fully visible, including using high visibility clothing, when undertaking the operation.

The meeting welcomed the use of the camera within the Ward and members of the community were asked to identify areas for its continued use.  Cheltenham Road and Somerset Drive were discussed and agreed as appropriate areas for future operations.

In respect of crime figures generally, Michelle reported that a decline in reported crimes had fallen, including a significant fall in the numbers of thefts, burglaries and robberies.

Anti-social behaviour continued to present problems and specific areas being targeted were reported.  Michelle asked members of the community to report all instances of anti-social and nuisance behaviour, to help the Police to deal with the problem and to identify trends in behaviour.

In conclusion Michelle reported with regret that Warren Heath was to leave the Local Policing Unit that covered the Ward, as he had been selected to join the Force Squad from 3 September 2012.  The meeting expressed that their best wishes be forwarded to Warren and that he be thanked for his past contribution to the community.

The meeting noted the Police update.

At this point of the meeting the Chair was advised that young people who were members of the neighbouring youth club were in attendance and wished to address the meeting.

In view of the nature of the issue the Chair agreed to consider the following additional item:

The Chair welcomed a group of young people to the meeting who had arrived to ask questions about the closure of the neighbouring youth club and the resultant redundancy of the youth worker, Haj Kaur.

Three young people were invited to address the meeting.  They referred to the importance of the club in the community and spoke of their personal experiences where the club had helped them to be active and not to be involved in anti-social behaviour.  They commented on the number of young people that had also been helped by the club and in particular by Haj as the youth worker.

The young people had organised a petition to reinstate Haj to her job and to continue with the youth club.  They felt strongly that the Council had made a mistake to close the club and stated that anti-social and nuisance behaviour would probably result.

They asked Councillors to consider the petition and to support them their aim to reopen the club and reinstate Haj to her job.

The three young people who made the address were congratulated on their initiative to attend the meeting and raise the issue.

It was agreed that the young people should be supported and that the issue be investigated fully by Ward Councillors and reported to the next Ward Community Meeting.  

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 Members Support Officer will present the latest position of the Abbey Ward budget.

The following applications for grants have been submitted for consideration:

Application 1

Applicant:      Events Planning Partnership

Amount:         £500

Proposal:       Community Bonfire

Summary:     A contribution is requested towards a free community bonfire event for residents of Abbey and Beaumont Leys Wards to be held on 2 November 2012.

Application 2

Applicant:      Lucy Bailey

Amount:         £360

Proposal:       Frog Island Dance Sessions (Booty Camp Workouts)

Summary:     A proposal for a dance workout class to be held at The Rushey Mead Centre, aimed at young to middle aged men and women who are working or living near to Frog Island.  It is anticipated that the funding will lead to ongoing classes following an initial 6 month period and will help people wanting to keep fit and healthy.

Application 3

Applicant:      St Patricks Afternoon Club

Amount:         £100

Proposal:       Taxi service to meetings

Summary:     To provide a taxi service to and from meetings for older persons.     

The following applications have been approved under the Fast-Track procedure and are reported for information:

Application 4

Applicant:      Welcome Club

Amount:         £500

Proposal:       To take senior citizens on a day trip.

Application 5

Applicant:      Tiptree Neighbourhood Watch

Amount:         £350

Proposal:       Start-up costs for Tiptree Neighbourhood Watch

Application 6

Applicant:      Friends of Mowmacre

Amount:         £250

Proposal:       Container for storage of equipment on Wheatland Gardens.

Jerry Connolly, Member Support Officer, provided an update on the Ward Community budget. 

The following applications were submitted for consideration:

A) Events Planning Partnership

Amount:         £500

Objectives:    A contribution towards a free community bonfire event for residents of Abbey and Beaumont Leys Wards to be held on 2 November 2012.

RESOLVED:

                        that the application be supported to the value of £500.

B) Lucy Bailey (Booty-Camp Workouts)

Amount:         £360

Objectives:    A proposal for a dance workout class to be held at The Rushey

Mead Centre, aimed at young to middle aged men and women

working or living near to Frog Island. It was anticipated that the funding would lead to ongoing classes following an initial 6

month period and would help people who wanted to keep fit and healthy.

RESOLVED:

                        that the application be not supported.

C) St Patricks Afternoon Club

Amount:         £100

(Mrs Shorten was in attendance and advised the meeting that she wished to reduce the amount of funding requested from £100 to £40)

Objectives:    To provide a taxi service to and from meetings for older persons.

RESOLVED:

                        that the application be supported to the value of £40.

The following applications had been approved for funding under the Fast-Track procedure and were reported for information:

D) Welcome Club

Amount:         £500

Objectives:    To take senior citizens on a day trips.

RESOLVED:

that the funding approved under the Fast-Track procedure to the value of £500 be noted.

E) Tiptree Neighbourhood Watch

Amount:         £350

Objectives:    Start-up costs for Tiptree Neighbourhood Watch

RESOLVED:

that the funding approved under the Fast-Track procedure to the value of £350 be noted.

F) Friends of Mowmacre

Amount:         £250

Objectives:    Container for storage of equipment on Wheatland gardens

RESOLVED:

that the funding approved under the Fast-Track procedure to the value of £250 be noted.

Community members will be requested to provide a report on the following :

·         Unity Boxing Club

·         Community First

·         Women’s Football

A)        UNITY BOXING CLUB

Ajmal Butt was invited to address the meeting.

He referred to the funding assistance previously approved and received from the Ward Community Budget and advised the meeting of how those finances had been utilised to progress the aims and objectives of the Club.

Ajmal reported that the club enjoyed a large membership of around 200 members and that Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) affiliation had been recently been awarded which had raised the objectives and profile of the Club.  Ajmal also commented on how the funds received from the Ward Community Budget had helped in the process of gaining ABA affiliation.  He reported that a Club Constitution had been adopted and a Committee had been established with appointed Officers, including a Club Treasurer.

In view of the support received by the Club from members of the community, Ajmal referred to the recent second birthday celebration event held at the Club premises which had been visited by Ward Councillors, the Police and other community groups and representatives.  The meeting was informed of the Club’s community links and the work undertaken with Connexions and employers’ organisations, particular in assisting young people who were categorised as NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training).

As a competitive Boxing Club, Ajmal reported that 19 boxers had been registered to fight competitively.  Of the 45 bouts which the Club had competed, 39 had been won.  Two young boxers were introduced to the meeting and Ajmal reported on their successes, it was noted that that one of them had recently defeated a former ABA finalist.  The importance of the Club in the lives of many young people was emphasised and the help and support given to young people was highlighted.  It was reported that as well as the name of the Club ‘Unity’ was the principle and the theme of the Club.  Ajmal reported that no special sessions were held for any particular groups and confirmed that Women and girl boxers were members alongside a wide representation of races and backgrounds.  In this regard Ajmal commented on a recent article published in the Leicester Mercury newspaper, which highlighted the boxing career of a seventeen year old girl who was a club member and had enjoyed success at national level.

A qualified boxing referee also addressed the meeting in support of the Club.  He reported on the excellent work being carried out and asked the meeting to note the significant work undertaken by volunteers to maintain the Club’s operation.  It was noted that there were many outstanding issues to be resolved which would assist the Club; including the need to formally register an address for the Club for it to gain a postcode, and the need for a regular refuse collection service to be in operation.  In conclusion of his address the referee commented on the importance of the Club in the community, he asked the meeting to support the Club in its aims in whatever ways possible and reminded the meeting of the theme  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

To note the following dates for future Abbey Ward Community Meetings:

·         20 November 2012

·         19 February 2013

Meetings to commence at 6:00 pm.

The dates of future Ward Community Meetings were noted as follows:

20 November 2012

19 February 2013

Both meetings to commence at 6:00 pm.

The meeting closed at 7:07 pm.