Agenda and minutes

Councillors with Chair will introduce those present and make any necessary announcements.

Councillors Dempster, Meghani and Westley introduced themselves and Councillor Meghani indicated that he would Chair the meeting.

There were no apologies received.

The first main item on the agenda is Declarations of Interest where Councillors have to say if there is anything on the agenda 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 to be discussed.

Councillor Dempster and Councillor Westley both declared they were Board Members of Ur Choice Project, who had placed an application for ward funding. The Members indicated they would view the application with an open mind.

The minutes of the previous Beaumont Leys Community Meeting held on 4^th March 2014 have been circulated, and Members will be asked to confirm them as a correct record.

The minutes of the previous Beaumont Leys Ward Community Meeting held on 4^th March 2014 were approved.

The Chair welcomed representatives from Young People’s Council to the meeting.

Councillors will update the Community Meeting about Reverend Mandy Ford’s move to London and will share a few words in recognition of all the work the Reverend has done in Beaumont Leys during her time at Christ the King Church.

Councillors paid tribute to the Rev. Mandy Ford who was leaving Leicester to take the position of Canon at Southwark Cathedral, after 10 years at Christ the King Church, Beaumont Leys.

Members described Mandy as dedicated, warm and caring, and an asset to the community, and wished to express on behalf of themselves and the people of Beaumont Leys how grateful they were for the great work Mandy had done for the community.

Mandy thanked everyone for their friendship and support, and said she valued the experience she had gained working in Leicester, which she would take to Southwark and Bermondsey.

The Community Meeting to receive an update on Local Policing.

An update by PC Chris Gorman, a new member of the Beaumont Leys Police Team, was noted:

• Assault and harassment was down by 9
• Burglary other than dwellings was up by 7
• Robbery / theft from person had increased by 2
• Drugs incidents had increased by 2

PC Gorman reported burglars had been targeted in June 2014 through crime prevention, and there was a big reduction in burglaries from dwellings. People could apply for window locks and alarms, and UV marker pens.

It was reported that the supply and use of drugs had been targeted by a new pro-active team. Evictions from 6 addressed were awaited. Residents asked the police to work with young people to help identify drug sellers and users, and provide education.

Residents were asked to report anti-social behaviour and motorbike issues on Telephone Number 101.

Statistics given were for Beaumont Leys, but it was reported Beaumont Leys station covered Beaumont Leys, Abbey and New Parks wards.

Members said the new Crime and Policing Act 2014 was a huge worry, and Ward Councillors would meet with the Inspector at Beaumont Leys to discuss changes.

The Community Meeting to receive an update from the City Warden.

Mathew Davinson, City Warden, reported the following since March 2014:

• 18 complaints of fly-tipping
• 6 complaints of removal of waste from private land
• 1 issue of an abandoned vehicle on private land – legislation will be used to remove the vehicle
• A report was received of oil poured down a drain off Heacham Drive
• The Parking Team dealt with parking issues.

City Wardens could also be contacted through Twitter and Facebook.

The Community Meeting will receive an update about the Our Place programme in Beaumont Leys. The ward was successful in receiving funding to develop a partnership strategy to tackle a range of issues within the area. The partners include voluntary and statutory organisations.

Chris Shaw, Locality – Our Place programme, was present to discuss £4.3million grants money available from the national programme for neighbourhoods through the Department for Communities and Local Government. Chris informed the meeting Beaumont Leys had been successful in a bid for a small Getting Ready grant of £3,000. A development strategy was submitted to Locality, for Getting Going grant for £10,000 in Year 2 and £25,000 in Year 3. The five themes for the strategy were asset transfer, land for community development, working with multi-national employees in the area, health and well-being, and advice for low-income families.

Councillors will provide an update on patch-walks in Beaumont Leys.

Ward Councillors requested a patch walk be arranged for Collett Road following complaints of tenants fly-tipping in the area. Members had also emailed Housing Officers of dates when they also held patch walks.

Members hoped to hold litter-pick days, to educate people to be environmentally friendly.

Parking issues continued on Heathley Park. The whole of the estate had been leafleted to raise awareness of consultation regarding the double yellow lines on Heathley Park Road.

Mounds of earth had been made to prevent further illegal traveller encampment on Beaumont Leys Lane.

Members thanked Mr Dennis Tamper from Restorative Justice. Through previous Ward Community funding, 15 women had been trained in conflict mediation.

Members and the meeting remember Mr Muganbhai Patel, Chair of Heathley Park Residents Association, who had recently passed away.

Members campaigned during the recent Euro Elections, and had managed to get two new ballot polling stations – Heathley Park and Anstey Heights.

Councillors are reminded that they will need to declare any interest they may have in budget applications.

1. Leicester City Ladies Juniors Football Club - Girls & Ladies

Football in the local community                                                            £1,500

2. NDI IGBO Leicestershire (Nigeria Community Association) - IRI JI (NEW YAM) FESTIVAL 2014                                                                              £910
   1. IriJi Festival a celebration of the Igbo annual Harvest Thanksgiving Season. This year’s event in Leicester is on Saturday August 16th, 2014; the 5th in the series.

Items which have been fast tracked since the last meeting

3. The Nelson Mandela Community Programme - The Nelson Mandela Community Programme Launch                                                           £500
   1. The proposal is to raise the awareness and the profile and encourage community cohesion of the African Heritage people living in Leicester and surrounding areas by erecting a statue of Nelson Mandela in the city of Leicester for the benefit of all.

4. Cornerstone PCC (Church of England) - Community Fun Day           £500
   1. Community Fun Day - 13th September 2014 - This event aims to build on the events held over the previous five years.

Noted that the following grant applications had been approved by Councillors under the fast-track procedure (grants of £500 or less) since the last meeting:

Application 5011 for grant of £500.00. Cornerstone PCC (Church of England) – community fun day.

Application 5021 for grant of £500.00. The Nelson Mandella Community Programme launch.

Applications considered at the meeting:

5008 (Joint) – Leicester City Ladies Juniors Football Club – girls and ladies football in the community. Application for £1,500. The application was partially funded for the amount of £800.

5025 (Joint) – NDI IGBO Leicestershie (Nigeria Community Association) – Iri Ji (New Yam) Festival 2014. Application for £910. The application was partially funded for the amount of £500.

1082 – Leicester Sudanese Association – Eid Celebration. Application for £500. The application was supported in full at £500.

1094 – Christina Herbert – Hoe Start Leicester, Barleycroft Community Garden. Application for £397.40. The application was support in full at £397.40.

1095 – Rev. Mandy Ford – Tuesday Friends (Christ the King Church). Application for £2,000. The application was supported in full at £2,000.

1097 – Ur Choice – Home Farm Festival. Application for £800. The application was supported in full at £800.

Applications not supported:

5027 (Joint) – Evariste Mabi Tshindio – Music. Application for £1,000. The application was not supported.

Councillor Westley requested a box of ‘stubbies’ (portable ash trays) be provided to the young people at Ur Choice.

The meeting closed at 8.15pm.