Agenda and minutes

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.

Councillor Chamund in the Chair. 

The Chair welcomed all present and introduced herself and the other Ward Councillors.

For clarity, Councillor Solanki declared an Other Disclosable Interest in that she works for Sainsbury’s.  Although this interest did not relate to any item on the agenda for this meeting, an update on plans approved for the development of the former Sainsbury’s site had been discussed at the last meeting, (item 30, “Planning – Former Sainsbury’s Site”, referred).  In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, this interest was not considered so significant that it was likely to prejudice Councillor Solanki’s judgement of the public interest.  She therefore was not required to withdraw from the meeting.

An apology for absence was received from Paresh Chandarana, Neighbourhood Housing Team Leader.

The Action Log for the last meeting, held on 19 March 2019, is attached for information and discussion

Item 33(i), “Any Other Business – Health Event”

All to note that this was an open event, held on Saturday 13 March 2019, with things happening at various locations.

The Ward Councillors will provide an update on local ward issues

All to note:

·           Ward surgeries are held on Saturdays between 10.00 am and 12.00 noon at the Casework Centre on Belgrave Road. Two of the three Ward Councillors attend each surgery, on rotation;

·           Approximately 85% of matters raised at Ward surgeries relate to housing.  Issues relating to school admissions / places also are raised often;

·           Anyone unable to attend a surgery can contact the Ward Councillors by telephone or email;

·           Patch walks have been undertaken, including with the City Warden in relation to paan spitting, and various events attended, such as those for Armed Forces Day and Clean Air Day;

·           One-way traffic would be introduced in Doncaster Road on 19 August;

·           A CCTV camera has been installed on Linford Street;

·           The Ward Councillors have been working with Neighbourhood and Environmental Services teams on issues such as improvements to public toilets;

·           A new public address system has been bought for the Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre;

·           Two petitions have been received, one in relation to parking at the Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre and the other concerning changes to opening times at Cossington Street Sports Centre;

·           Housing land in the Holden Street area has been cleaned;

·           Funding was approved for the provision of meals by the Belgrave Holiday Club; and

·           The Ward Councillors want to make sure that local parks are suitable for use, improve the main roads in the Ward (not just Belgrave Road) and work with partners such as the Belgrave Conservation Society and those addressing anti-social behaviour.

Residents and businesses asked to support the Ward Councillors in their work.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service will be at the meeting to provide information and advice

All to note:

·           A fire in Kensington Street was caused by candles.  It is hoped that community elders can be encouraged to promote the use of electric tea lights instead of naked flames;

·           Since April 2019 that have been six incidents, four of which were accidental;

·           The service tries to engage with the community, particularly regarding people with particular needs;

·           Fire and Rescue crews have been given authority to do all they can to get fire engines in to heavily parked areas to reach a fire, even if this involves crashing in to parked vehicles; and

·           The service works with the Police and the Council’s City Wardens to address problems caused by inappropriate parking.

Residents asked to let the Fire and Rescue service know of vulnerable people who are hoarding, as officers from the service can help them.

The Fire and Rescue Service asked to consider how the actions of the young person affected by the fire in Kensington Street can be recognised.

A Highways officer will be at the meeting to provide an update on highways issues in the Ward

All to note:

·           Road lining works in relation to the new Doncaster Road one-way traffic system will be carried out on 18 August and the new system will become operational on 19 August;

·           Changes will be made to the double-yellow lines in Donaldson Road will be made in September to help large vehicles access the area more easily;

·           A parking bay reserved for disabled drivers will be installed in Weymouth Street outside the temple;

·           Patching works will be undertaken in various roads in the Ward and bollards installed in some locations; and

·           Highways officers will be meeting Ward Councillors and the City Mayor in September to determine highway priorities for the Ward.

Highways officers asked to investigate reports that pedestrians are having to walk in the road due to parking at the junction of Loughborough Road and Melton Road.

Residents invited to advise Ward Members of suggested priorities for highways works in the Ward.

The City Warden will be at the meeting to discuss environmental issues in the Ward

All to note:

·           Cleansing officers had met the Ward Councillors about problems with the public toilets in Cossington Street and had accompanied the Ward Councillors on a patch walk to consider issues in relation to Cossington Street Recreation Ground.  They also were working together on the removal of seating in the area between Stubbs Road and Southey Close;

·           A Fixed Penalty Notice has been issued in relation to fly tipping at Cossington Street Recreation Ground;

·           A CCTV camera is to be installed on Bath Street to try to stop fly tipping there;

·           The footpath from Dorset Street to the old Sainsbury’s site / Peepul Centre is being cleaned twice a week, which appeared to be resolving the problems previously experienced there;

·           Officers are aware of problems caused by street drinkers in various parts of the Ward and action is being taken.  For example, the bushes in the Catherine Street seating area will be cut back in the next few weeks and Highways officers will be consulted about whether any action is needed in relation to the seating there;

·           Notice has been served on the Chaiwala Tea Room in Melton Road / Loughborough Road to stop litter from the business accumulating outside the premises.  The business has responded well and is doing what it can to remedy the problems;

·           Boards will be put up round the site of the former Sainsbury’s store, which it is hoped will stop rubbish accumulating and drinkers congregating there;

·           Literature in relevant languages relating to bins left on streets has been requested.  Similar leaflets, which include a lot of pictures, have been very successfully used in another ward, so a similar result is hoped for in this Ward; and

·           The City Warden has visited Jackson Street with the Police in response to problems there with nuisance parking.  All unit holders are now under notice not to use the street as an extension to their units.

City Warden asked to investigate reports of fly tipping in Dorset Street and reports of residents being unable to park in Agar Street due to a local garage parking vehicles there, some of which do not appear to move for some time, and the same garage parking vehicles on pavements and the street corner.

All residents reminded of the need for everyone to take responsibility for looking after the Ward.

Leicestershire Police will be at the meeting to discuss Neighbourhood Policing in the Ward

All to note:

·           The number of Police officers in the Ward has reduced since last year, largely due to Police Community Support Officers joining the Police;

·           Street drinking is one main area of anti-social behaviour experienced in the Ward and work is underway to address this;

·           In general, anti-social behaviour has reduced in the Ward over the last three months, but work on reducing it further is ongoing;

·           Issues being targeted include speeding motorists and anti-social behaviour caused by car music and people parking to smoke;

·           Good results have been achieved with the campaign to reduce chain snatches, with no snatches having been reported since April;

·           A projector is available that can be used to project images on to a large area, such as the side of a building.  A crime prevention film in three languages also is available.  When used with the projector it can be left running on a continuous loop;

·           There has been an increase in knife crime over the last year, so the Police hope to get in to every secondary school in east Leicester to educate young people about what happens when knives are carried.  It is recognised that some people are reluctant to talk to the Police, so others, such as youth groups and workers, will be asked to advise how to approach this.  Work also is underway with the City Council’s Youth Services on the provision of diversionary services; and

·           An advisory panel is being established on how new powers in relation to stop and search should be used.

All reminded to be aware of the possibility of gold chains being snatched when being worn, particularly as the evenings get darker and at events celebrating forthcoming religious festivals.

All asked to advise the Police when it is known that knives are being carried / used, to help the Police address this issue.

Anyone interested in taking part in the advisory panel on stop and search powers is invited to contact the Neighbourhood Policing team.

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

An update will be given on the Ward Community Budget

All to note that:

·           The opening balance in the Ward Community Budget fund was £18,000; and

·           Grants totalling £1,975 have been approved, leaving a balance of £16,025 for the current financial year.

All invited to contact the Ward and Community Engagement Officer if assistance with completing a grant application is needed.

a)     Leicester Adult Skills and Learning Service

All to note that the Leicester Adult Skills and Learning Service (LASALS) is holding a series of Open Days at core centres in the city, as shown on the leaflet attached at the end of this action log.

b)     Responsibility for Gardens at Council-Owned Properties

Housing officers to report to the next Belgrave Community Meeting on the outcome of discussions between Housing officers and Highways officers to determine what can be done to improve the area of land about which concerns have been raised.

c)    Former Jungle Club, Checketts Road

Ward Councillors to establish what use is proposed for the former Jungle Club on Checketts Road and provide an update at the next Belgrave Community Meeting.

d)   Former Sainsbury’s Site

At their forthcoming meeting with Council officers on progress with the development of the former Sainsbury’s site, Ward Councillors to find out what green landscaping is proposed for the site and who will be responsible for maintaining it.

Ward Councillors to provide an update on the above meeting at the next Belgrave Community Meeting.

The meeting closed at 7.36 pm