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 Khote in the Chair

Everyone welcomed and introductions given

No declarations of interest were made

Received from Percy Thomas, Miss Williams and Daxa Pancholi (Head of the Community Safety and Safer Leicester Partnership)

The Action Log of the Meeting held on 1 August 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.

Agreed as correct

Officers will be present to address Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) within the North Evington Ward.

All to note:

·      Ward Councillors, residents and various service representatives had carried out a site visit on 12 October 2016 in the Hallaton Road area.  An action plan had been drawn up to address problems identified during the visit;

·      Letters had been issued to young people whose behaviour was anti-social.  Incidents had reduced, but the Police were still targeting this;

·      Kier Homes was discussing the installation of CCTV with the Council.  Cameras would be provided from Section 106 funding and should be delivered mid-late January 2017.  Possible locations for the cameras were being considered and the Police would be consulting residents on these.  The cameras would be monitored from the Council’s CCTV centre at Blackbird Road;

·      It had been suggested that coaches organise events at the multi-use games court.  Grant funding from the Community Safety Partnership could be considered to start this, but the ongoing cost of hiring the coaches would have to be met by users;

·      When the gap between the goalposts in the multi-sports area had been closed, the fencing would be removed from around the play area;

·      Lighting on the ball court was now switched off at 6.00 pm, as requested by local residents; and

·      Since the park had been closing in the evenings, no complaints had been received about groups of young people gathering there.

Residents asked to complete the supplied diary sheets to report incidents of anti-social behaviour.

Community Safety Partnership to report at the next meeting on anti-social behaviour, including the burning of mattresses, in the Prospect Hill area.

An update on Highways issues in the Ward will be provided.

All to note:

·      Resurfacing and relining work on Green Lane Road / Harewood Street ended in August 2016;

·      It was proposed to install road humps in Hastings Road during the school holiday in February 2017;

·      Bollards would be installed shortly in Buckland Road, which should stop large vehicles parking there;

·      The mini roundabout in Frisby Road would be removed;

·      Work would start in December 2016 on removing the double yellow lines in Prestwold Road;

·      A request had been made to include streets in the Clumber Road / Copdale Road area in a 20 mph zone, but they were not on the priority list;

·      Although footway slabs in Clumber Road were not in good condition, they were not sufficiently raised for them to be replaced yet.  Monitoring of the situation would be continued;

·      The introduction of a residents’ parking zone in the Charnwood estate area was not included in the current parking strategy, which ran until 2018.  Parking enforcement wardens had been asked to monitor the area;

·      A pilot project to discourage people from parking on zig-zag lines had started.  It was intended that this would expand city-wide; and

·      The gaps between the bollards on Asfordby Street will be filled, to stop people driving between them.

Highways officers to:

a)  investigate whether yellow lines can be painted on kerb edges to emphasise parking restrictions in areas such as Kingfisher Avenue, (especially near the Merlyn Vaz Centre);

b)  investigate the feasibility of creating a residents’ parking zone in the Kingfisher Avenue area and which roads could be included;

c)  provide the Ward Councillors with information on the criteria that need to be met for an area to have a residents’ parking zone created; and

d)  send information to Ward Councillors on the timetable for the introduction of traffic regulation orders in the Ward.

Ward Councillors to:

i)    advise Highways officers where the boundary of a 20 mph zone in the Clumber Road / Copdale Road area could be, to enable Highways officers to assess if such a zone would be eligible to be included on the priority list;

ii)  visit the school in Clumber Road / Langhill Road to discuss parking issues in the vicinity of the school;

iii) discuss with Highways officers the possibility of using green space on the Charnwood estate to create additional parking areas; and

iv) look at the problems being encountered by traffic due to the design of the junction of St Saviours Road and Nottingham Road during the site visit to St Saviours Road on 10 December 2016.

Ward and Community Engagement Officer to include an item in the agenda for the next North Evington Community Meeting on parking in the Ward.

Housing officers will be present to give a presentation on housing matters.

All to note:

·      2016/17 environmental projects had been completed;

·      Environmental projects for 2017/18 included landscaping, bulb planting and some internal painting on the Moreton estate;

·      The footpath from Uppingham Road to the health centre had been cleared and turfed.  Bollards would be installed, due to problems with vehicles parking there;

·      Overgrown shrubs obscuring the entrance to flats in Beatty Avenue had been cleared and replaced with slow growing shrubs that also restricted weed growth;

·      A new officer structure had been introduced in the Housing service.  Housing Officers now focussed on estate management, with repairs being dealt with by a separate team; and

·      Pest Control Officers investigated reports of problems with pests such as rats and advised the repairs team what work, if any, needed to be done to remedy each situation.

Housing Officers to liaise with Ward Councillors on when the missing portion of fencing on Redwood Walk would be installed.

The City Warden will provide an overview on environmental and enforcement activities they have been dealing with in the North Evington Ward.

All to note:

·      Fly tipping is a major issue in the Ward;

·      Work has resumed on encouraging people not to leave bins on streets;

·      Reports of vehicles being repaired or for sale on the road have been investigated, but it can be difficult to find evidence of trading and who is doing it;

·      Residents can report concerns about vehicles being repaired or for sale on the road to the DVLA;

·      Environmental problems in the Ward can be reported via the Love Leicester app;

·      Complaints have been received about people leaving a lot of food for birds on the Charnwood estate, especially on the green area in Farnham Street.  This is encouraging vermin; and

·      Dustbins abandoned at top of Dunlin Road could have been left by people taking items to nearby scrap metal dealers.

City Warden to:

a)  distribute leaflets on the Charnwood estate reminding residents that food should not be put out for birds on the public green areas of the estate and to monitor the situation; and

b)  pass on concerns about leaves in Kestrel Close to the Council’s Cleansing Services.

Police to investigate concerns about young people gathering on benches in green areas on estates and intimidating residents.  City Warden to investigate concerns about these young people leaving litter from takeaway food at these locations.

Officers from Leicestershire Police will be at the meeting to provide an update on police issues in the Ward.

All to note:

·      The main priority for the Ward had been problems in Hallaton Road and the park.  The erection of the fence and closure of the park had reduced these, but concern remained about whether the problems would re-emerge when the park re-opened;

·      Cars had been removed from Pembroke Street and businesses spoken to about parking there;

·      There had been 45 thefts from unattended vehicles and 55 household burglaries over the last three months.  Patrols had been increased and the situation was being monitored;

·      Problems with anti-social behaviour were being experienced in Ash Street and Larch Street.  Work to address this was ongoing;

·      Loud music was being played in vehicles parking in Houghton Street and nitrous oxide was being misused there.  The Police were addressing this;

·      Disorder had arisen in Sparrow Park due to divisions within a community.  This was being investigated and patrols increased;

·      There had been no deaths during the recent stabbing incident.  Arrests had been made in relation to this incident; and

·      Two virtual Police Community Support Officers had been appointed for Leicestershire.  PCSO Ben Hill covered the area including North Evington.  (Details attached at the end of this Action Log.)

In view of the increase in burglaries and thefts from vehicles, residents urged to make sure their belongings are secure.

Residents invited to join the Neighbourhood Link messaging system.  (Details attached at the end of this Action Log.)

Police to investigate reports of loud music and anti-social drinking at a property in Green Lane Road.  Residents asked to report any further incidences to the Police.

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.

All to note:

·      Six applications for funding had been agreed, as set out on the attached sheet, leaving £9,234.41 in the budget for the remainder of the financial year; and

·      Representatives of the Rowlatts Hill allotments thanked the Community Meeting for the grant that had enabled consultation to be undertaken on establishing a community allotment.  Through this they had been able to get an external grant of £10,000, which would be used to provide a community hut at the allotments.

Ward and Community Engagement Officer to remind applicants for funding that they should ensure that equalities issues are not overlooked.

The meeting closed at 8.10 pm