Agenda item

The City Wardens team will give a presentation on the role of the City Warden locally and will inform residents of their action plan for the Thurncourt Ward.

Barbara Whitcombe, Team Manager (City Wardens) with Leicester City Council, introduced herself to the meeting and drew attention to the information that had been tabled at the meeting.   Copies of these leaflets are attached at the end of these minutes for information.

Barbara Whitcombe reminded the meeting that the City Warden service had received funding from the Community Cohesion fund to buy litter pick kits.  As a result, the service now had 90 adult kits and 90 for children, all of which could be borrowed for community use.  It also was noted that the service could help co-ordinate community litter picks, including helping with publicity and removing litter picked up.

The meeting noted that the Council offered free removal of bulky items.  A resident advised that Council operatives had refused to take an electrical item that had been double-bagged, even though Customer Services officers had said that the item would be taken if it was double-bagged.  Another resident advised that an electrical item that was collected from their property had been dragged from the property by its electric lead, which had marked the driveway.

Barbara Whitcombe advised that the bagged electrical item should have been taken and that the collection vehicles all carried pack barrows, which should have been used in the case reported.  A representative from Biffa advised the meeting that all staff should use the correct manual handling techniques and should not be dragging items.  This would be raised with staff.

The following points were raised during discussion:-

·            The Council was now providing graffiti removal kits for community use.  These could be used to remove graffiti from smooth, non-porous surfaces.  To arrange for the removal of graffiti from other surfaces, the Council needed to be contacted;

·            A resident had asked for graffiti to be removed from a brick wall at the junction of The Parkway and Peters Drive, but had been advised that the Council could not do this, as it was a private wall.  Hughie Blair, Graffiti Services Manager with Leicester City Council, confirmed that the Council had a budget for the removal of graffiti from premises such as shops, but did not have funding to remove it from houses;

·            There appeared to be confusion over how many black bags could be removed by the Bulky Waste Collection Service, Customer Services having advised that only 5 bags could be collected.  Barbara Whitcombe undertook to ensure that staff were aware of the correct number of bags that could be taken;

·            Complaints continued to be made that rubbish being dropped by refuse collectors was not cleared up.  Officers confirmed that no residue should be left and asked anyone seeing rubbish left in this way to ring the Council straight away.  This made it easier to monitor where problems were occurring; and

·            It was noted that there was only one road sweeper machine available for use in four Wards.

Darren Evans, City Warden for Thurncourt, drew the meeting’s attention to the Ward Action Plan that had been tabled at the meeting, a copy of which is attached at the end of these minutes for information.  He then made the following comments:-

·            It was hoped that work could be done with local shops to reduce litter problems;

·            There were particular problems with dog fouling in the Ward.  Patrols were undertaken, the days, times and locations of which would be changed to respond to local conditions, such as the weather;

·            Although problems with the recycling point had reduced, they were starting again.  Evidence was being collected and work to reduce the problems was being done in conjunction with other service areas;

·            He would be working with local Brownies and the Raven Youth Centre on litter picks;

·            He would be undertaking educational work with schools, for example visiting school assemblies;

·            A good working relationship had been established with the Police, based on mutual help;

·            He would be trying to attend the Thursday morning coffee mornings at the Community Centre and as many community days as possible; and

·            He thanked everyone concerned for welcoming him in his new role as dedicated Warden for the Thurncourt area.

Some concern was expressed that dog waste bins were not being emptied and that people could be putting bags of dog waste in to ordinary waste bins.  In reply, Barbara Whitcombe advised the meeting that a City-wide campaign would be launched in September 2010 to encourage people to clean up dog mess.

The meeting suggested that consideration could be given to setting up a box in Thurnby Lodge Community Centre in which messages for the City Warden could be left.

The City Warden was invited to submit information on campaigns or other elements of his work for publication in the local newsletter.