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Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Ocean Road Community Centre, Ocean Road, Leicester, LE5 2ER

Contact: Laura Burt, Ward Community Engagement Officer (tel: 0116 454 1876) (email:  laura.burt@leicester.gov.uk)  Ayleena Thomas, Democratic Support Officer (tel: (0116) 454 6369) (email:  ayleena.thomas@leicester.gov.uk)

Items
No. Item

34.

INTRODUCTIONS, APOLOGIES & DECLARATIONS

Councillors will elect a Chair for the meeting. The Chair will introduce those present and make any necessary announcements.

 

The Chair and any other Councillors who are present will make any declarations as required by the Councillors’ Code of Conduct.

Minutes:

Councillor Newcombe, elected as Chair, welcomed everyone and led introductions.

 

There were no apologies for absence.

 

Councillor Newcombe and Councillor Aldred declared an ‘other disclosable interest’ in a budget application from Envoy Twirlers as they had family members who attended the club.

35.

ACTION LOG OF PREVIOUS MEETING pdf icon PDF 85 KB

The Action Log of the Meeting held on 7 March 2016 is attached at Appendix A and Members are asked to confirm it as an accurate record. Any update on actions taken since the last meeting will be reported at the meeting.

Minutes:

The action log of the previous meeting held on 7 March 2016 was confirmed as a correct record.

 

Further to the action log, Councillor Newcombe noted that officers had looked at Willowbrook Social Club and felt that the site had a possible potential for social housing and would look into whether this was viable. The sale of the club was noted as not an option at this point.

36.

HIGHWAYS UPDATE

Highways officers will be present to give an update on highways issues in the Ward.

Minutes:

Robert Bateman – Team Leader for Highways & Traffic design gave an update on Highways issues.

 

All to note:

·         Scraptoft Lane – white lanes which were reported as wearing away had now been renewed. 

·         Zebra crossing near Willowbrook School – a traffic and pedestrian count was carried out on same day of meeting, the results would be analysed. It was requested that residents provide any further information on this crossing; Highways could then do a further survey.

·         The steps near the Thurncourt Road shops were in the process of being repaired. The layby near the shops at the end of the hardware shop was on the list to be done. Patience from residents was requested on these matters, due to the process required to be followed.

·         Thurncourt Road speeding – Highways had received numerous reports however, speed measure testing showed low levels.

·         20mph zone – a proposal to put one in the area was programmed in the 5 year programme which commenced in 2015.

·         Bowhill Grove layby - Highways were working with Housing for this installation, which was currently in the programme to be carried out.

 

Residents & Councillors feedback:

·         It was noted that speeding on Thurncourt Road especially took place during the early mornings and early evenings.

·         Councillor Newcombe informed the meeting that Councillors had met with Highways Officers who were working through the Ward’s highway concerns.

37.

HOUSING UPDATE

Housing officers will be present to give a presentation on housing matters in the Thurncourt Ward.

Minutes:

Andy East, Team Leader for Housing gave an update on the housing improvements currently taking place and proposed improvements.

 

2016-17:

·         Bungalow lighting installation was in progress on Ocean Road and Homestone Gardens.

·         Fencing on Rona Gardens had been completed.

·         2 parking schemes were proposed but not yet started: Bowhill Grove and Roborough Green.

 

2017-18:

·         Unsure of what funding would be available but there were concerns that it would be vastly reduced.

·         Nothing had yet been decided in terms of schemes to develop, but dependent upon available funding the focus would be on knee rail fencing to protect the green rather than the more expensive parking schemes.

·         Another proposal was for more bungalow lighting on Longstone Green.

38.

CITY WARDEN UPDATE

A City Warden update will be provided at the meeting on environmental and enforcement activities in the Ward.

Minutes:

City Warden - Nicole Powell provided an update on the activities and enforcement the City Wardens had been dealing with in the ward since the last meeting.

 

·         It was noted that dog fouling projects were taking place including morning patrolling and spraying dog fouling stencils. Stencils at Havencrest Drive and Scraptoft Lane would still be carried out.

·         The City Warden requested residents to use the Love Leicester app and the bulky items service as these were not being used often enough.

·         Collaboration with the Community Safety Team was in place to install gates on the Parkway due to Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB).

·         It was noted that the City Warden had dealt with the issue regarding waste found at the back of the Thurncourt shops.

 

Residents’ concerns:

·         A Council truck was reported to be parking regularly on Scraptoft Lane/ Thurncourt Road and obstructing. Nicole responded that this was not in the City Warden’s remit; however, she had reported this concern previously and would pass it onto the relevant persons. When this concern was passed onto the Police in the past, they felt that an obstruction was not the case.

·         A resident requested dog fouling preventative measures for the football playing fields such as; signs, a bin or use of the Fido machine. Nicole would take the resident’s details following the meeting and report the request to cleansing.

·         It was reported that the alleyway from Dudley Close to Ocean Road had graffiti. The City Warden would look into this.

39.

LOCAL POLICING UPDATE pdf icon PDF 26 KB

Officers from the Local Policing Unit will be at the meeting to provide an update on Police issues in the Thurncourt Ward.

Minutes:

Sergeant Matt Painter and PC Sarah George gave an update on the activities they had been involved in, in the ward. Please see Thurncourt Ward Police statistics attached to this action log.

 

·         Sergeant Painter noted that following the recent EU Referendum vote, reports via media sources highlighted hate crime.

·         Leicester was noted to have had three reported incidents, which Sergeant Painter noted were not seen as hate crimes.

·         Residents were advised to report any incidents.

·         There was now funding available for 86 more PCSO’s throughout the force, who would deal with high volumes of crime and ASB.

·         PC Sarah George noted that current Police priorities in the Thurncourt Ward were ASB outside the Co-op shops and motorists parking causing obstructions.

·         There had been an increase of vehicle crime reported to have been carried out over one night. The Police believed they had caught the suspect.

 

Residents’ concerns:

·         A resident reported issues around Barbara Avenue/ The Parkway paper shops including drugs.

40.

TRANSFORMING NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES

An update will be provided on the Transforming Neighbourhood Services programme.

Minutes:

Laura Burt gave an update on the Transforming Neighbourhood Services (TNS) which affected several Council buildings across the city including libraries, community/ youth centres, housing offices and more.

 

All to note:

·         A review of how neighbourhood services would be run was in progress and also, the plans to work with local people and community organisations to deliver effective joined up services.

·         It was noted that there were currently no proposals for neighbourhood buildings in the north east as yet, as feedback was requested from ward residents prior to making any decisions.

·         The Transforming Neighbourhood Services North East Area leaflet was distributed at the meeting. This included a consultation form which would be open until 17 July 2016 and it was encouraged for residents to submit their views via the form or online.

 

Residents’ concerns:

·         A resident requested the Ward Community Engagement Officer to find out if the neighbourhood buildings in Thurncourt were under threat of closure.

·         It was noted that a focus group meeting would be taking place on Tuesday 5th July to discuss TNS.

·         A resident discussed the importance of Ocean Road Community Centre being kept for community purposes. It was reported that the Thurnby Lodge Community Association showed an interest in the future of Ocean Road CC and requested that the Councillors and Leicester City Council would support this.

41.

FEEDBACK FROM SUCCESSFUL FUNDING APPLICANTS

Applicants that have been previously awarded Ward Community Funding will have the opportunity to present feedback on their project.

Minutes:

Successful applicants were given the opportunity to give feedback on their applications:

·         Applicant Lisa Plumb who represented ‘the dream academy of dancing’, attended the meeting and gave feedback on the application which requested to take local children from their dance classes to London to have the opportunity to perform on a west end stage. It was noted that the event was a success, the funding covered coach hire and costumes.

 

·         Gareth Smith from Kick Start Academy informed the meeting that over 200 children were now registered with the academy, of which the funding covered some coaching and new equipment.

42.

WARD COMMUNITY BUDGET pdf icon PDF 38 KB

Councillors are reminded that under the Council’s Code of Conduct they should declare any interest they may have in budget applications.

 

An update on the Ward Community Budget will be provided at the meeting.

Minutes:

Laura Burt gave an update on the Ward Community Budget. A copy of the budget sheet attached at the end of the Action Log for information.

43.

CLOSE OF MEETING

Minutes:

The Chair declared the meeting closed at 7:20pm.