Agenda and minutes

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 Barton as Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were given.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Cole and a number of residents including Kenneth Bray, Brenda and Paul Cavers and Rev Burnham.

The Action Log from the meeting held on 17 January 2017 is attached for information and discussion.

The Chair referred to the Action Log and said that those actions identified had been addressed.

The ward councillors will provide an update on the issues they have been dealing with recently.

The meeting was asked to note the Councillors feedback. Points made included the following:

·      A meeting with residents had taken place on Westfield Road / Letchworth Road to look at traffic calming issues and problems relating to Westgates School and Christ the King.

·      Residents who believed that the lights on their street were not bright enough could contact the council to ask for the level of brightness to be altered.

·      An official announcement regarding buildings on Western Park was expected in the next week.

·      Funding was being put towards a radar gun for use in the ward to tackle speeding.

·      Councillor Barton had met Lord Bach, the Police and Crime Commissioner to discuss crime in the neighbourhood. An extra police officer was being allocated to the area.

A resident expressed concern that funding from the community meeting budget had paid for railings by the community centre and leisure centre on St Oswalds Road. This was meant to prevent vehicles accessing the green space  but the railings were not proving to be effective. Action Robert Bateman, Team Leader,Highways and Traffic Design to look into this.

A police and crime update will be provided on issues relating to the Western ward.

The meeting was asked to note an update from Police Sergeant Simon Walters. Points made included the following:

·      A partnership event with Severn Trent, to tackle distraction burglaries, had taken place to raise awareness of what people should expect to see if someone from the Severn Trent knocked on their door.

In response to a request, PS Walters said that they had contacted Severn Trent about holding this event in the New Parks area.

·      PCSO Sally Morgan had been working to set up new neighbourhood watch groups. New Parks was an area where people were reluctant to report crimes..

·      There were plans to set up a community speedwatch on Letchworth Road. The scheme would need 10-20 volunteers to pledge that they would they use a speed gun as part of this scheme. Councillor Barton explained that many complaints had been received about speeding and there were plans to set up a 20mph zone in the area.

Wayne Gale, Station Manager, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) provided an update on the joint Police and Fire Service operation that had taken place. Attendees were asked to note:

·      Drivers were stopped for offences such as speeding, not wearing a seat belt or using a mobile phone and shown into a mobile information centre where a hard hitting video was screened. Officers were present to talk about their experiences of dealing with the aftermath of such offences.

·      The scheme was designed to be an educational tool, and while some attendees expressed scepticism, the meeting heard that it was proving to be more effective than a speed awareness course.

·      LFRS also helped with home fire safety checks for vulnerable people.  An offer was made for the Neighbourhood Watch to raise awareness of these  in their newsletter.  Wayne offered to help with the wording as not everyone met their criteria.

·      If anyone needed to use a community defibrillator, they should call the telephone number given where the defibrillator was kept. The caller would be given instructions as to what to do.. Attendees were urged to learn how to use a defibrillator if they had the opportunity to attend a relevant course.

The city warden will provide an update on local environmental issues.

Members of the community were asked to note an update from Matthew Davinson, the City Warden.

Concerns were raised relating to dog fouling, particularly on Letchworth Road / Glenfield Road and Eastfield Road.  It was reported that someone was allowing their dog to foul in the pavilion and that other people were picking up dog mess and then throwing it into a hedge. The City Warden explained an enforcement day had been held recently and there was now a £100 fine for dog fouling. Dog fouling and other environmental issues could be reported through the Love Leicester app.

The Community Meeting will receive an update on highway issues that affect the Western ward,

Attendees were asked to note an update from Robert Bateman, Team Leader,Highways and Traffic Design.   Points made included the following:

·         There were some variable message signs on Glenfield Road; these were temporary and intended to change driving behaviour. Feedback on these was welcomed.

·         There were plans to erect from 20mph signs on Letchworth Road; ideas for their location were welcomed.

·         New College had a car park by the football area which parents could use when taking to children to the nearby primary school. A resident stated that the parents would not walk from that car park to Christ the King because they would feel it was too far away. There was a hard standing area, also owned by New College which was much nearer to the school and was not being used.   Action: Robert Bateman to investigate.

·         Robert had met with residents about plans for the Letchworth Road junction. There would be consultation before action was taken.

Requests were made by attendees for parking enforcement at Dovelands Primary School and for flashing speed signs on Scudamore Road. Action: Robert Bateman to investigate.

The Community Meeting will receive an update on local housing issues.

Attendees were asked to note an update on housing issues in the New Parks area. Projects that had been approved for the financial year included:

·         The formation of a new parking area on Blissett Road

·         Landscaping and tarmacking on Withens Close

·         Landscaping on Norfolk Way

·         Landscaping to the rear of Tatlow House.

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

Information on the ward community budget will be provided.

Punum Patel, the Community Engagement Officer provided an update on the community meeting budget; details of the budget are attached at the back of the action log. Attendees were asked to note that there was a new system for applying for funding and applications would need to be submitted on-line. If someone needed help with the process, they could contact the helpline on 0116 454 1940.

A concern was raised relating to fly tipping and drug taking at the old Blue Moon, a now empty and boarded up old public house. It was pointed out that this was not in the Western Ward but the City Warden was asked to forward the complaint as appropriate..

The meeting closed at 9.12 pm.