Agenda and minutes

Councillor Shelton was elected as Chair for the meeting.

No apologies were received.

No declarations were made at this time.

The minutes of the previous Freemen Community Meeting, held on 22 June 2011, are attached and Members are asked to confirm them as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

that the minutes of the previous meeting of the Freemen Community Meeting held on 22^nd June 2011, as previously circulated, were agreed as a correct record.

Your Ward Councillors will report on things they have been involved in within the ward and there will be an opportunity to ask questions.

Councillor Shelton reported on the following: -

i)             Saffron Fete 2011

As Event Manager for this event he had received feedback from a number of people that this event had been the best to date. One minor criticism had been the lack of rides for very young people. More people were now being sought to serve on the Saffron Fete Committee, the next meeting of which was expected before Christmas.

ii)            Marriott Primary School

As a Governor of the School it was stated that the Marriott Primary had been in Special Measures until recently when a new Head had been appointed. The staff had been fully supportive of the new Head and the changes proposed at the time, with the result that the school was now performing better than the national average. A special visit to the school had been arranged for Councillor Dempster, Assistant City Mayor, to visit the school and award the school a Certificate of Honour.

The City Warden stated that he had reported the graffiti on Marriott Road and had spoken with the staff at Marriott Primary School, the graffiti had yet to be removed.

iii)           Planning Matters

Wheatsheaf Site

It was reported that The Wheatsheaf site on Knighton Lane was subject to an application for housing provision that was granted. A number of complaints had been received around potential traffic problems but work had started on the site and no further complaints had been received. The development would be phased to raise funding to restore the Wheatsheaf building itself.

It was further stated that S.206 funding from the developers of the site would be staying in the area to provide play facilities, particularly for young children.

Manchester Hotel

An application had been received to convert the building to student flats. A lot of complaints had been received but the application had been granted.

Site opposite Manchester Hotel

An application had been received to turn the site into a gas storage facility. The application had been refused but the applicant appealed against the decision. The Government Inspector looked at the Appeal and granted the Appeal in the applicants favour, the gas storage site would now go ahead.

Velodrome Site

A member of the public questioned what was happening regarding this site. Councillor Shelton stated that an application had been submitted years ago, but following the granting of planning permission, the applicant disappeared. Another application followed and the same thing happened. The City Council has made it clear that they want a mix of Housing and apartments on the site. In the meantime the Assistant City Mayor with responsibility for the environment had been approached with a view to the exterior of the vacant site being improved.

Macaulay Street/Knighton Fields Road West

Planning permission granted and the site has been fenced off after a long period of time. Apartments were to be built on this site. Also on the same street an application had been submitted for ‘The Glassworks’ site. Residents had presented a petition  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

Officers from the City Council’s Waste Management Service will be at the meeting to explain the new recycling collection service being introduced across the city.

Geoff Soden, Waste Services Manager attended the meeting and outlined the implementation of the new Orange Bag Recycling Scheme across the City, replacing the current Green Box Scheme. It was stated that the new scheme would start on 18^th October.

It was reported that over the next 2 weeks a roll of sacks and a welcome pack would be delivered to every property in Leicester. Each welcome pack would include a list of items that could be recycled in the orange bags, this included paper, cardboard tin cans and food containers, although food containers and cans should be rinsed out first. It was stated that the main items that could not be recycled this way were soiled nappies, food waste and wood.

In each roll, several bags from the end of the roll was a sticker that enabled further bags to be requested, these would be delivered on the day of the collection. Collections would remain on the same day as previously.

Those householders wishing to keep their existing Green Box could do so, or alternatively, attach the red sticker in the welcome pack and leave the box out with the recycling where it would be removed and recycled.

A member of the public suggested that it would be a good idea if the City Council could make provision to dispose of Green Waste. In response it was stated that the Ball Mill at Bursom extracted compostable material and this was then sent to the anerbic recycling plant where it was digested and converted to provide electricity. 

RESOLVED:

                        that the information be noted.

Police Sergeant Darren Little from Leicestershire Constabulary will give an update on policing in the Freemen Ward.

Sgt. Little attended the meeting and reported on local policing in the Freemen area. It was stated that the Freemen local policing team were currently targeting ASB issues in the Stanton Row and Linwood Centre areas.

Crime figures were reported as follows: -

                                                            June-Sept 2011                   June-Sept 2010      

Burglaries                                                      14                                            16

Thefts from Motor Vehicles                                    16                                            16

ASB                                                                41                                            39

The Team had recently lost 2 PCSO’s but had also gained 2 PCSO’s from the adjoining area to keep the same numbers.

Leicestershire Constabulary were in the process of rolling out a new initiative ‘Neighbourhood Link’ as a means of enabling the public to communicate with their local police and other agencies via computer. The link required the person to register to use the service but then enabled them to make and receive messages about crime issues in the area. It was hoped to roll out this service over the next few months.

RESOLVED:

                        that the information be noted.

Scott Clarke, the Freemen City Warden, will give an update on issues in the Ward.

Scott Clarke, City Warden attended the meeting to provide an update and also stated that he was currently providing cover for the Eyres Monsell Ward to cover for the shortage of Wardens.

Scott stated that he had recently targeted the Hugenden Drive/Lothair Road area but had not had to issue any fines. The Freemens Common area was to be targeted next as there were a lot of issues to be dealt with, a Community Action Day was due to be held at Freemens Common commencing at 10.30am on Tuesday 5^th October.

Scott stated that he was looking to bring a Street Artist to the area to engage local youths and to undertake workshops, although this idea had been turned down by the City Council. It was however hoped that street art could be provided at various locations across the area.

A member of the public stated that she had recently moved back into the Freemen area and was glad to see that dog waste was now accepted in ordinary waste bins, this meant that dog waste on the street was now drastically reduced.

Both Ward Councillors expressed their satisfaction with the work that City Wardens were undertaking across the City.

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 for grants are submitted for consideration:-

Application 1: Safta’s Volunteer Awards Ceremony

Applicant: Saffron Community Enterprises Ltd

Amount: £700

Description:

To deliver a volunteer award ceremony for Saffron Volunteers

This is to celebrate and recognise the great work that volunteers do in their community.  This will be an evening of fun and entertainment for the volunteers themselves to enjoy and receive and award from a prominent figure within the city.

This years planned ceremony we hope will be themed around heroes and super stars that improved lives for the better.  We also plan to have more entertainment and an adequate buffet to say a huge Thank You!!

Application 2: Joining two communities through gymnastics project

Applicant: Catch 22

Amount: £300 (plus £300 to Eyres Monsell Community Meeting)

Description: The project will engage existing core Junior Youth Inclusion Project young people from Saffron Lane/ Eyres Monsell with existing core JYIP young people in New Parks in a joint weekly gymnastics session at New colleges’ purpose built international standard gymnasium. We are proposing to start w/c 3/10/11 to run for 8 weeks after school. We would need to transport young people to New Parks on a weekly basis and cover the cost of the qualified coach and venue charges.

We currently work with 40 core Children and Young People (20 in each location) 8-12 years, who have been identified as being at risk of becoming/ or are, involved in offending behaviours. The young people involved in the project will be less likely to be involved in ASB or criminal activity because of the stability that being involved in something positive and meaningful can provide. The project will bring together young people from different communities. Also focusing on improving the young people’s confidence, self discipline, self control and concentration and ultimately behaviour towards others.

Application 3: Supporting our artistic youth

Applicant: Pink Lizard

Amount: £3,504

Description: The proposal is to continue delivering sessions in the Arts for young people in the (SEAK) areas for six months while we seek funding from the arts council and other funding bodies who support youth in development. The sessions will be delivered at Samworth Academy. If successful the project will continue straight away.

The project sees young people from 10-18 being taught skills in acting dance, singing guitar and music tuition, play and song writing. The project has been running for one and a half years, funded by Saffron Arts before running out. Since starting the project our numbers have risen to 22 young people attending regularly two times a week for two hours a session.

Application 4: Wheelchairs

Applicant: Saffron Support for Elderly People

Amount: £320

Description: We would like to purchase four new wheelchairs so we can continue to offer assistance to those with mobility issues. Our current  ...  view the full agenda text for item 20.

Officers reported that the following applications for funding had been received:-

i)             Applications Fast Tracked since the last meeting

·         Linwood Centre – 25^th Birthday                                      £500

·         STARS Freestyle Dance Academy                                £500

·         Supporting our Artistic Youth (Pink Lizard)                  £500

·         Empress Roller Skating – European Championship   £500

ii)            Applications for consideration at this meeting

1)    SAFTAS                                                                                      £700

Application from Saffron Community Enterprises Ltd. To part fund the annual Safta’s Volunteer Awards Ceremony. The ceremony was last held in February 2011 and a date and venue had yet to be finalised for the next ceremony. The event was also part funded by the NHS.

RESOLVED:

                              that the application be fully supported - £700.

2)    Catch 22                                                                                      £300

Application received on behalf of the Saffron/Eyres Monsell Junior Youth Involvement project to part fund a ‘joining two communities through gymnastics project’. A similar bid has also been submitted to Eyres Monsell Community Meeting.

Officers reported that there were some issues to resolve regarding the application and that further information had been sought from the applicants but was not yet forthcoming. A meeting between the Ward Councillors and the project was due to take place the following week.

RESOLVED:

that the Community Meeting is minded to approve application, pending the successful outcome of the meeting with the project.

3)    Pink Lizard – Supporting our Artistic Youth                          £3504

Application split between Freemen and Eyres Monsell Community Meetings to fund sessions for youths to teach acting, dance , singing, guitar and music.

It was reported that a grant from the Arts Council for England was also pending. Further information on the application had been sought by officers but was still awaited.

RESOLVED:

that the application be DEFERRED pending the supply of further information requested on the number of local youths to benefit from the project and of the decision from the Arts Council for England. The Ward Councillors for Eyres Monsell Ward would also be appraised of the situation.

4)    Wheelchairs                                                                               £320

Application from SAFF Support for Elderly People, based at Southfields Drive Community Centre, to fund the purchase of four wheelchairs to enable SAFF Support to be able to take local residents out on trips. A similar bid had been submitted to Eyres Monsell Community Meetings and had been approved.

RESOLVED:

                              that the application be fully supported - £320.

5)    Saffron Acres                                                                             (£821)

It was reported that this application for £1821 had been submitted to the last meeting where £1,000 had been granted with agreement that the balance be presented to this meeting. It was reported that the funding was to continue and expand the work previously started to encourage local youths to grow their own vegetables and to prepare and cook them on site.

RESOLVED:

that the balance of the application be fully supported - £821.

iii)           Other Applications

Saffron Directory

Officers reported that an application had previously been deferred pending a discussion on the future of the Directory.

It was reported that work on the Directory had been delayed but that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

Health Conference – Saffron

It was reported that the Saffron Neighbourhood Management Board had allocated some funding towards the holding of a Health Conference event in Saffron later in the year.

It was noted that future meetings would be held on: -

Wednesday 7^th December 2011 at 6.30pm at the Linwood Centre, Linwood Lane.

Wednesday 14^th March 2012 at 6.30pm at Aylestone recreation Ground Pavilion.

The Chair declared the meeting closed at 8.38 pm.