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 Dawood, elected as Chair, welcomed everyone and led introductions.

 

No interests were declared.

Apologies were received from:

 

EbrahimJasat – St Peters Tenants and Residents Association

John Thomson – Area Manager, Housing

Martin Fletcher – Highways

Erkan Pala – The Big Local

Sergeant Matt Painter – Leicestershire Police

Councillors will report on their recent activities in the ward.

Wycliffe Ward Councillors gave an update on issues they had been dealing with in the ward. The following was discussed and noted:

 

·         Highfield’s Centre – A decision made by the City Mayor regarding the Centre’s funding. This decision had been ‘called in’ by Members and would therefore be subject to further discussions.

·         It was noted that Councillor Dawood had led a motion which was approved, requiring the Council to boycott any produce originating from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. This was likely to be subject to a legal challenge.

·         Wycliffe Ward Councillors expressed their concerns with Uplands School being converted into an Academy and the short notice process.

An update will be provided on highways issues in the ward, including resident’s parking.

Highways Officers were unable to attend the meeting but sent an update on the resident’s parking scheme in the St Matthews area: The report was as follows:

 

·         Resident Parking Strategy had been presented to and supported by the City Mayor.

·         As part of a prioritised programme - the St Matthews resident parking scheme was scheduled to start the engagement & survey element around autumn 2015.

·         As part of a working partnership with Housing the initial survey would aim to look at;

 

1.    Parking capacity

2.    Number of cars in the area

3.    Number of residents

4.    Logistics of the parking scheme

 

The initial stage would be to assess the demand and capacity to inform the basis of the overall parking scheme.

 

Residents had the following highways concerns:

 

·         That some highways projects were not being extended to the St Matthews area, as it was felt that several roads were in a poor condition. A crossing was required in front of the St Matthews centre.

·         All highways issues reported at the meeting would be relayed to the Highways team. Councillor Dawood also suggested that a separate meeting could be held with Highways Officers whereby these concerns would be raised.

Housing Officers will give an update on housing matters in the ward.

There was no Housing Officer present at the meeting to provide an update. Wycliffe Ward Councillors requested the Community Engagement Officer (CEO) to contact the Director of Housing (Ann Branson) expressing the necessity for a Housing Officers presence at the meeting especially with Wycliffe now having two estates within the ward.

The City Warden will give an update on environmental and enforcement activities.

Jamie Stubbs, City Warden gave an update on activities taking place within the Wycliffe ward.

 

Attendees were informed that the City Warden team were currently awaiting the following new powers:

1)    Public Spaces Protection Order - intended to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a particular area (e.g. drinking, ASB and noise) that has a detrimental effect to the quality of life of those in the locality.

2)    Community Protection Notice – intended to deal with any issues.

 

It was noted that issues could be reported to the Housing team, City Wardens or by using the Love Leicester app.

 

Local shop owners expressed concerns on issues they had recently faced such as confrontational customers and ASB in front of their premises. Ward Councillors requested that the City Warden visit the nearby shops and the Tenants & Residents Association in the area as they would be able to give feedback on their concerns. The City Warden would also feedback to the Community Safety Team.

The Police will give an update of their activities in the Ward.

PC Brian Varney presented the following information at the meeting:

 

·         In July there was an issue with a few groups of people in the Highfields area causing trouble. The Police implemented necessary measures to contain the situation including arrests and recovery of drugs & weapons.

·         The Police & Ward Councillors requested the Wycliffe Community contact them to put their views forward and report any issues. It was emphasised that the more reports put forward the more effective the Police could be. Police contact numbers: 0116 222 2222, 101 or 999. Crimestoppers no. 0800 555 111 – caller can remain anonymous.

·         Residents had concerns that there were drug issues on the St Matthews estate and requested something to be done about it. Residents also felt that people in the area did not know how to engage with the Police and felt the Council needed to create more public awareness/ strategies.

An update will be provided on the project.

A handout was available at the meeting from the St Matthews Big Local Project as apologies had been sent from the representative Erkan Pala.

Councillors are reminded that they will need to declare any interest they may have in budget applications, and/or indicate that Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

 

The following bids will be reported for noting at the meeting:

 

Joint Bid: 5086

Applicant: Waterfront Sports & Education Academy

Project Name and summary: Waterfront Sports & Education Academy Summer Playscheme 2015.

Amount Requested: £3,900

Amount Approved: £0

 

Joint Bid: 5087

Applicant: Farida Kavde

Project Name and Summary: Original Step Performers - Summer Dance & Fit Scheme.

Amount Requested: £2,250

Amount Approved: £0

 

Joint Bid: 5090

Applicant: Leicester Welfare Association

Project Name and Summary: Community Eid Celebration

Amount Requested: £500

Amount Approved: £200

 

Joint Bid: 5091

Applicant: Greater Noakhali Shomiti UK

Project Name and Summary: Eid Function & Celebration

Amount Requested: £800

Amount Approved: £450

 

Joint Bid: 5093

Applicant: Office of Jonathan Ashworth MP

Project Name and Summary: The Highfields Food Bank - Food Hygiene Training.

Amount Requested: £150

Amount Approved: £300

 

Bid: 1449

Applicant: The Contact Project

Project Name and Summary: St Matthews Community Parks Day 2015.

Amount Requested: £600

Amount Approved: £600

 

Bid: 1450

Applicant: Hasi Abdi

Project Name and Summary: Engaging newly arrived immigrants.

Amount Requested: £500

Amount Approved: £0

 

Bid: 1451

Applicant: Sudanese Darfur Association in Leicester

Project Name and Summary: Eid celebration event.

Amount Requested: £1,681

Amount Approved: £300

 

Joint Bid: 5095

Applicant: Highfields Library

Project Name and Summary: Children Summer Reading Activities at Highfields and St Matthews Libraries.

Amount Requested: £480

Amount Approved: £480

 

Bid: 1376

Applicant: Action for African Development (AfAD)

Project Name and Summary: From Bullet to Fork to Farming Event.

Amount Requested: £626.30

Amount Approved: Deferred

 

Joint Bid: 5097

Applicant: Leicester Malawi Association

Project Name and Summary: 51st Independence Day Celebration

Amount Requested: £200

Amount Approved: £200

 

Bid: 1453

Applicant: Friday Day Group

Project Name and Summary: Travel & Social Outings

Amount Requested: £1000

Amount Approved: £1000

 

Joint Bid: 5098

Applicant: Ilfan Novsarka

Project Name and Summary: To run a cricket team for youngsters on the street.

Amount Requested: £700

Amount Approved: £700

Angela Martin, the Community Engagement Officer presented an update on the Community Meeting Budget. The following applications were considered:

 

5086: Waterfront Sports & Education Academy – Requested £3,900 to run a Waterfront Sports & Education Academy Summer Play scheme 2015 – APPLICATION NOT SUPPORTED

 

5087: Farida Kavde – Requested £2,250 to offer a Summer Dance & Fit Scheme programme within the Belgrave & Latimer area – APPLICATION NOT SUPPORTED

 

5090: Leicester Welfare Association – Requested £500 to organise a Community Eid Celebration – Grant of £200 APPROVED

 

5091: Greater Noakhali Shomiti UK – Requested £800 to hold an Eid Function & Celebration – Grant of £450 APPROVED, for Room Hire only (dependant on proof of room hire)

 

5093: Office of Jonathan Ashworth MP – Requested £150 to provide Food Hygiene Training to volunteers at The Highfields Food Bank – Grant of £300 APPROVED IN FULL - This application was initially a joint bid of £150 from Spinney Hills Ward and £150 from Wycliffe Ward. Wycliffe Ward Councillors agreed to pay the full amount of £300 therefore the Spinney Hills application was retracted.

 

1449: The Contact Project – Requested £600 to support the St Matthews Community Parks Day 2015 - Grant of £600 APPROVED IN FULL

 

1450: Hasi Abdi – Requested £500 to provide assistance to newly arrived immigrants – APPLICATION NOT SUPPORTED

 

1451: Sudanese Darfur Association in Leicester – Requested £1,681 for an Eid celebration event – Grant of £300 APPROVED – The part supported was Henna for women/ kids entertainment.

 

5095: Highfields Library – Requested £480 for Children’s Summer Reading Activities at Highfields and St Matthews Libraries – Grant of £480 APPROVED IN FULL

 

1376: Action for African Development (AfAD) – Requested £626.30 to hold a ‘From Bullet to Fork to Farming Event’ – APPLICATION DEFERRED

 

5097: Leicester Malawi Association – Requested £200 for a 51st Independence Day Celebration – Grant of £200 APPROVED IN FULL

 

1453: Friday Day Group – Requested £1,000 for costs towards Travel & Social Outings – Grant of £1,000 APPROVED IN FULL

 

5098: Ilfan Novsarka – Requested £700 to run a cricket team for youngsters on the street – Grant of £625 APPROVED

 

5102: Build Community Development – Requested £500 for a Community Event in Spinney Hills Park – Grant of £500 APPROVED IN FULL

 

1467: The Spark Arts for Children – Requested £500 to support ‘Tales from the Table’ a cross cultural food and stories event – Grant of £500 APPROVED IN FULL

The date of the next Wycliffe ward meeting will be reported at the meeting.

The next Wycliffe Ward Community Meeting will take place on Tuesday 10 November 2015 at 6.00pm – venue to be confirmed.

The next ward funding application deadline will be reported at the meeting.

The following ward funding application guidance was given regarding the Wycliffe Ward:

 

·         The funding limit would now be £1,000.

·         Councillors could support applications of £500 or less through the ‘Fast Track’ process.

·         The new deadline dates would be 2 weeks prior to each Wycliffe Ward Community Meeting.

·         Angela Martin, the Community Engagement Officer (CEO) was requested to assist the ‘Action for African Development’ applicants with their application.

Discussions took place with Ward Councillors, local business owners and the CEO regarding the possibilities of looking at a St Matthews Business Forum.

 

The Wycliffe Ward Councillors requested that successful applicants from the Ward Community Budget gave a report on their project at a subsequent meeting.

The meeting closed at 7.27pm