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 Cutkelvin, Chair for the meeting, welcomed everyone and led the introductions.

For future reference, the meeting room had access issues as it was upstairs.

There were no apologies for absence.

Attached for information is the Action Log from the last Saffron Ward community meeting.

Point 3 – the location of other venues for Councillors’ surgeries and community meeting was ongoing. Home visits would still be conducted.

Point 4b – the mural on Walnut Street had been completed.

Point 4d – outdoor gym installation had started.

Point 5(3) – approval by the Executive of Bloomfield road speed humps was expected in a few weeks, with works to commence during January / February 2017.

Point 5(5) – Ward Councillors attended a patchwalk around Martindale Close with local residents, Housing Officer, City Warden and Jon Ashworth MP to discuss issues on the estate area, and to discuss the tightening up of parking restrictions in the area.

Point 7(2) – the new District Manager for Saffron would be invited to the next meeting. Councillors and residents gave their thanks to Ian Stapleton for his work in Leicester South.

Point 7(8) – the probation Community Payback scheme had been used to clear weeks in the St Andrews area of the Ward.

Point 11 – the Customer Service Centre was encouraging people to apply for resident/visitors parking permits online. Residents were not being told the correct information by staff, and permits could still be obtained from the centre.

Residents queried the financial gain of obtaining a permit online, as there were postage costs when sending permits to residents.

Consultation on residents parking in general would be undertaken in the ‘nuts’ and ‘lakes’ streets. Surplus parking in the daytime had been identified, and a hybrid scheme, pay and display alongside residents / visitors parking was suggested.

It was noted there were fake permits in the area which required investigation.

Councillors asked residents to contact them to report experiences of using Customer Services.

Councillors will provide an update on ward information.

a)    The Tigers mural was installed, with financial assistance from Tigers Rugby Club owners.

b)    Knighton Fields Road West – complaints made on the lack of play equipment. Section 106 money was available and residents would be consulted on what equipment they would like.

c)    A mix of affordable and rented new housing was planned for land at St Mary’s allotments. People on the authority’s waiting list could apply for the affordable housing.

d)    Further houses were planned on the site of the old velodrome, but it was not known who would deliver the next phase of development.

e)    Outdoor gym equipment at Meadow Gardens to be installed in the next fortnight.

f)     The Saffron Fete was successful, though windy.

g)    The Saffron Christmas Fete (details attached) and Christmas pantomime (date to be confirmed) were coming up.

h)   Residents were informed the rumours of the Kingfisher Youth Centre closing were not true, but the Centre would be included in a future review of youth services. It was suggested the centre open up to provide a facility for the whole community.

i)     Sure Start on Crossway was proposed as a hub (main centre) for the area which was positive new for the centre.

j)      A lot of money had been spent on Saffron Lane road surface – an example of money being spent in neighbourhoods.

An officer will be present to provide information on the consultation.

Luke Crown (Service Development Manager, Waste Management) delivered a presentation on bulky waste collection and DIY consultation (attached for information). Consultation would close on 27^th November 2016, and officers were keen to find out how proposals would affect residents.

Consideration would be given to charging for two services due to the Council’s financial position.

• Bulk waste collection service
• Household waste recycling centres.

Research into the correlation of charging for bulky and DIY waste, and fly tipping, had varied results. Residents were asked to contact the City Warden to report fly tipping issues.

Details of the proposals were contained online. Paper copies of the consultation were available on request from Customer Services.

Other points raised:

·         There would be a future review of cleansing services;

·         Waste offloaded onto private land was the landowners problem;

·         There would be charge disposing of wood, depending on the amount and size;

·         The £20 charge may not be affordable for all;

·         Student waste outside a house was the landlords responsibility;

·         Waste removers with no certificate and licence would have vehicles seized;

·         The Orange Bag scheme would remain.

An update will be given on any Policing matters within the Ward.

Sgt. Ian Wakelam and PCSO Karim Baladi updated the meeting with the following:

·         There were no serious crime issues to report;

·         There had been no trouble at the Champions League games;

·         The landlord would be spoken to about fly tipping on land at Filbert Street;

·         People were arrested following an incident involving fireworks at the University halls of residence;

·         Police questioned the unknown source of a bad smell at the bottom of Brazil Street, and were informed it was a dry sewer;

·         Officers were investigating a rise in criminal damage for example, wing mirrors on vehicles, and were watching one particular group who might be linked;

·         The Police teamed up with Leicester City Football Club to form the Kicks Project, aimed at getting kids off the street, and included training with Leicester City coaches – working really well (leaflet attached).

·         The next beat surgery was 18^th November at the Kingfisher Centre. Leaflets to be posted in the Leisure Centre and Saffron Advice Centre.

·         Residents to be advised on the beat surgery in the LRI. Another venue would be sought for a surgery in St Andrews area.

The City Warden will provide an update on any environmental issues within the Ward.

Noel Cazley, City Warden, circulated an information sheet for the ward meeting, and provided the following information:

·         A citywide procedure had been finalised with the Council’s Legal Services, and it was now a civil offence to leave bins on streets;

·         Bins on street - action had been taken on Grasmere Street, Jarrom Street, Macaulay Street, Aylestone Road, Sheridan Street and Shakespeare Street;

·         Approximately 200 notices had been issued;

·         Bins not numbered would be removed. The City Warden would establish owners of and number unmarked bins where possible;

·         Offenders had 28 days to appeal a notice;

·         Community Protection Notices had been issued for cars for sale on the highway;

·         Notices had been served on people advertising their business on railings.

A Housing update will be provided on any Housing Works within the Ward.

No-one from the Housing Office was available for the meeting. The replacement for Ian Stapleton would be invited to the next meeting.

Councillors reported the Heathcott Road development now had properties that were occupied. A meeting at Kingfisher on 2^nd November, 12Noon had been arranged to discuss the housing development.

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 and on the current applications.

Budget application were reported at the meeting.

The next deadline for funding applications over £500 is 31^st January 2017.

1.    Residents reported traffic building up on Grasmere Street from 6.30-7.00am, and development traffic using the street than crossing the building site. Delivery trucks were also an issue reported since the closure of Mill Lane. They asked that Grasmere Street be considered as a 20mph zone – Councillors to check if the street is to be considered.

2.    Residents requested the University to be invited to the next meeting.

3.    A thank you from recipient of a recent funding application was received – a trip to Great Yarmouth had been very successful.

The meeting closed at 8.13pm.