Agenda and minutes

Councillor Westley in the Chair.

Everyone welcomed and introductions given.

Apologies were received from Councillor Dempster and Councillor Meghani.

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.

There were no declarations of interest given.

The action log of the previous Beaumont Leys Community Meeting held on 30^th September 2014 are attached, and Members will be asked to confirm them as a correct record.

The action log of the previous Beaumont Leys Ward Community Meeting held on 30^th September 2014 were agreed as a true record and noted.

The Community Meeting to receive an update on local policing.

PC Adam Woolman gave the following statistical information:

·         There was a significant rise in burglary of dwellings and theft from motor vehicles.

·         As Christmas neared people were advised to remain vigilant, keep presents out of sight and premises secure.

·         A number of people on bail had been arrested, and the police were looking for a main suspect on prison recall.

·         People were asked not to leave items on show in motor vehicles.

·         A significant number of sex offences had seen some prosecutions and people being placed on the sex offence register. A press release regarding recent indecent exposures would be given to the media.

·         The number of motorbike incidents had fallen.

·         An emerging issue was school parking, and an action plan would be developed. The police were working with the Council, and a number of motoring offence tickets had been issued.

·         An increase in push and motor bike thefts near to the leisure centre had resulted in the arrest and charge of a number of people. The Police were promoting the use of D locks on cycles.

The Chair thanked the Police for the update.

·         Planning Officers from Leicester City Council delivered a presentation on consultation being undertaken on new Local Plan for Leicester. A copy of the presentation is attached for information.

·         The Local Plan is a statutory document to set out policy framework, and will be used to determine planning applications.

·         Key themes in the document were economy, housing, city centre, people and spaces, neighbourhoods, health, sports, environment, transport, congestion and climate change.

The Chair encouraged people to comment on the document:

·         People were concerned the car user was being legislated against and it was important the city had a strong public transport system, and that transport concessions for the elderly should remain.

·         Beaumont Leys was lucky as it was having a new interchange, but if bus subsidies were cut, then people in the city would feel the effects.

·         Residents said it would be useful if the council could inform the public if a tram system could be viable for Leicester.

·         A suggestion was made for derelict buildings to be knocked down and housing developed to alleviate housing problems.

·         Sport should play a major role in the city, and that leisure facilities should be developed and further venues made available for young people to take part in activities.

The Chair thanked officers for the presentation and informed the meeting the document could be downloaded from www.leicester.gov.uk/issuesandoptions with comments made until the end of January 2015. It was hoped the Plan would be adopted by early 2016.

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

The Chair informed the meeting that cleaning contracts in flats that paid a cleaning levy were being looked into by the Housing Scrutiny Commission at Leicester City Council. Feedback from tenants was being sought by the Commission Members, and the document would be made public once the Housing Scrutiny Commission had debated the issues.

Young People’s Council joined Councillors on a walk to Ur Choice, Orange Park, and surrounding areas. They found a lot of littering around Orange Park, and poor street lighting. There was a lot of overgrowth at nearby housing, and there were concerns it could give rise to violence and muggings. Goal posts on the park had been removed, and young people asked for them to be restored. Near to Ur Choice, there was poor lighting and missing posts in fencing near Gresley Close and Glovers Walk. Fencing was needed to prevent dog fouling in the play areas. Issues raised had been forwarded to Ward Councillors, who would forward them on to the appropriate council department Director for action.

·         The Sports Facility Manger at Leicester Leys Leisure Centre was present. His role was to get people involved in the leisure centre, to improve their health and wellbeing.

·         A Government key priority was to ensure children of primary school age learnt to swim, and an officer was employed at the centre to teach children.

·         Other classes included gymnastics and karate

·         Over 60s also attended the centre through a GP referral scheme.

·         It was important to raise fitness standards for children and young people.

·         Part of the remit to use Ur Choice was to consult with young people on why they did not use the facilities, what could be done further to encourage them to use the facilities.

·         It was proven that people that took part in sport showed an improvement in the standard of their education also.

·         Sports were also proven to reduce crime levels.

·         There was a sports improvement plan for the whole of the city, working with other areas, for example, parks were helping to deliver cycle areas.

·         The Sports Regeneration Team could help people become sports coaches, with some funding assistance and courses held at Aylestone Leisure Centre. The Junior Sports Leaders award was the first step into coaching.

·         Further information and contact details would be made available at the next Community Meeting.

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

(i)            Christ the King Church – Christmas Lunch and Food Parcels

Amount Requested: £1,000

The Church has four projects running which are Monday Lunch Club, Tuesday Friends, Food Parcel Scheme and the Mosaic Group aimed at adults with special needs. The funding is being requested to hold a special Christmas Lunch linking all four projects on Monday 8th December. A meal will be provided for over 120 people and there will be entertainment on the day.

(ii)          Katie Wray, Christ the King Church – Children’s Christmas Presents for Families in Need

In order to support families for Christmas the Church is working in partnership with other known food parcel providers to collect toys and donations to distribute to families in need.

(iii)         Places for People – ‘Can Anybody Hear Us’ project

Amount Requested: £2,740

The project will be delivered through dance, music technology, and film production. The aim of the project is to encourage team work and respect amongst the students, and their achievements will be presented at an awards event.

There were no declarations of interest made.

Applications Considered at the Meeting

(i)            Christ the King Church – Christmas Lunch and Food Parcels. Application for £1,000. The application was SUPPORTED IN FULL for £1,000.

(ii)          Places for People – Can Anybody Hear Us. Application for £2,740. The application was SUPPORTED FOR THE AMOUNT OF £1,500. A request was made for information on the number of children attending from Beaumont Leys to be provided.

(iii)         Katie Wray, Christ the King Church – Children’s Christmas Presents for Families in Need. Application for £250. The application was SUPPORTED IN FULL FOR £250.

Other Budget Discussion

It was noted that the following application was not supported:

Solid Treasures Music - Viva Africa (Music Video Project). Application amount was for £500. This was a joint application, and it was unsure as to how the project would benefit the residents of Beaumont Leys Ward.

The meeting was informed there would be no carry forward of the Ward Community Budget due to it being an election year.

·         The City Warden Service leaflet was noted and distributed at the meeting. It was agreed that fencing needed to be replaced around the play area to prevent dog fouling. It was also noted complaints had been received regarding people selling cars from grass verges in the ward which was illegal.

·         The next Community Meeting will take place on 4^th March 2015, at 6.00pm.

The meeting closed at 7.51pm.