Agenda item

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.

Peter Cozens, Members Support Officer, will give an update on the latest position of the Community Meeting budget.

The following applications for funding have been received:

Appendix B1:

Application from Anita Robinson, Parks Officer, Leicester City Council –  £1,103.45 for Recycling Improvement on Bede Park

Appendix B2:

Application from Graham Smith, City Warden, Leicester City Council –

£1,615 for Dog Waste Bins on Great Central Way

Appendix B3:

Application from Nite-lite Coffee Bar, Robert Hall Baptist Church –

£1,500 for refurbishment and redecoration of the coffee bar entrance hall

Appendix B4:

Application from Westcotes Street Pastors –

£3,703.78 for the development of the Westcotes Street Pastors

The following items also will be discussed at the meeting:

a)           Provision of Cycle Racks / Bollards

b)           Fencing to Bede Park Play Area

Councillor Russell explained that the following requests for funding from the Community meeting budgets had been received and asked residents to indicate whether or not they supported the bids.

RECYLING IMPROVEMENT ON BEDE PARK

A funding application for £1103.45 had been received from Parks Services for re-cycling improvement on Bede Park. This application was attached to the agenda at Appendix B1.

RESOLVED:

                        that the funding application be supported

DOG WASTE BINS ON GREAT CENTRAL WAY

A funding application for £1615 had been received from the City Warden for litter bins (for ordinary litter and dog mess) for the area of the Great Central Way that was in the Westcotes Ward.  This application was attached to the agenda at Appendix B2.

RESOLVED:

                        that the funding application be supported

REFURBISHMENT AND REDECORATION: NITE LITE COFFEE BAR

A funding application for £1500 had been received from the Nite-lite Coffee Bar at Robert Hall Baptist Church, Narborough Road for development and redecoration of the coffee bar entrance hall.  This application was attached to the agenda at Appendix B3.

RESOLVED:

                        that the funding application be supported

WESTCOTES STREET PASTORS

A funding application for £3703.38 had been received from the Westcotes Street Pastors for resources to develop their project.  This application was attached to the agenda at Appendix B4.

RESOLVED:

                        that the funding application be supported

NOTICE BOARDS

A funding application for £340 for two community notice boards to aid better communications in the Westcotes area had been received from the New Parks Neighbourhood Housing Office. Copies of the application were circulated at the meeting.

RESOLVED:

                        that the funding application be supported

EXTRA LITTER BINS

Following on from comments made by residents earlier in the meeting, Councillor Russell suggested that there might be a need for two extra litter bins in the Fosse Road/Harrow Road area and on Narborough Road. Officers indicated that the cost of the bins would be approximately £448 each and residents indicated that they were in support of this proposal if the bins would be of benefit.

RESOLVED:

that funding for up to two extra litter bins be supported

STREET CLEAN UP

The meeting also heard that the Neighbourhood Housing Office were arranging a clean-up in the West Holme Street/Andrews Street/Norfolk Street/Norfolk Walk area and requested £150 for the provision of a skip.

Residents indicated their approval for this request.

RESOLVED:

                        that the funding request for £150 for a skip be supported

PROVISION OF BOLLARDS AND ADDITIONAL CYCLE RACKS

Councillor Russell also asked residents to indicate whether they supported funding the provision of additional bollards and cycle racks along the Narborough Road, using up the remaining funds in the community meeting budgets.  Residents indicated their support for this.

RESOLVED:

that the provision of additional cycle racks and bollards along the Narborough Road be supported from the unspent community meeting budget.

FENCING AROUND PLAY AREA ON BEDE PARK

Councillor Russell explained that funding for green mesh fencing around the play area on Bede Park had been requested. The meeting heard that residents close to the play area were having their quality of life affected by noise nuisance because of people using the slide very late at night or in the early hours. The noise from people on the slide echoed causing distress to the residents and in addition, the slide had to cleaned regularly from mess, such as vomit and urine.  The fencing would allow the play area to be secured at night to deter anti social behaviour. It was suggested that it might be possible to share the cost of the fencing with the University and the Housing Association but Residents expressed concern that the fencing would still be very expensive. In addition they commented that it would spoil the look of the park and the problem of noise could be alleviated if all the nearby houses, which were owned by the Housing Association were double glazed.  Residents were asked to vote to indicate their support of the project and as there was no consensus of opinion among the residents present, it was agreed that the funding request would be deferred to the next meeting. 

RESOLVED:

that the request for funding for fencing round the play area in Bede Park be deferred to the next Westcotes Community Meeting.