PRESENT:, Vice-Chair Pam Freegard, , Treasurer John Phillips, Muhammad Chaudhry, John and Vi Clark, John Freegard, Kate Johnson, Kay Malko, Cluniford Mason, Rebecca McIntosh, Mr Murray, Val Purvis, Madge Sutton, Ros Timlin
ALSO PRESENT: Tim French, Councillor Montaut, PC Diffin, PCSO Stuart Bird, PCSO Rhys Jones and Mark Walker, SBC - guest speaker.
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Chair Karen Leakey, Secretary and Archivist Kevin Leakey, Beryl Phillips, Evelyn Mason, Brian Jones and Kath Jones.
CONFIRMATION OF THE MINUTES: – 05 January 2011 meeting.
These Minutes were confirmed and signed a true record. Proposed by Madge Sutton and seconded by Val Purvis.
MATTERS ARISING FROM THE JANUARY 2011 MINUTES: None
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WARD COUNCILLORS REPORT: Councillor Montaut apologised for being late, but he’d been at a Council Meeting regarding the impact of the Budget Cuts.
He encouraged everyone to attend the Cabinet Meeting on 17 February, which starts at the Civic Offices at 7pm.
The Central Sure Start Scheme will have 20% cut from its budget, affecting the vulnerable people in the Community.
He suggested a debate following the Demographic changes, particularly with regards to a new School needed for the area. As soon as the suitable sites have been agreed, then consultation can take place with the RESIDENTS. He is aware of a couple of the sites other than Broadgreen but wasn’t prepared to say or open any debates until the formalities have been completed. It was clear though that the BG Community Centre was the preferred position.
The Developers proposal to add a crossing by Debenhams on Fleming Way would mean an increase in the Traffic in the area. As a Consequence an emergency solution was being put to the Council Meeting that night. Councillor Montaut left the meeting to come to our meeting, so asked Councillor Wright to raise concerns on his behalf. He and Mark Walker had learned of the proposed solution only a few days ago, Councillor Montaut as the Leader of the Labour Party was raising the concerns as a Ward Member. The Solution would increase the Traffic Flow through County Road and Manchester Road,
The proposal would be approved anyway, but it was wrong not to have allowed Consultation. The emergency meeting was because of the threat of losing more 106 monies, if work hadn’t been completed at the earliest time. Councillor Montaut suggested a letter was written to the CEO who Mark Walker confirmed to be Gavin Jones.
Councillor Montaut suggested that we have a Traffic Engineer come to a meeting to explain what would be happening and the impacts of the new changes.
NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE TEAM REPORT:
PC Diffin suggested we look at the Government Website about the problem areas reported as Raw Data. In this area, it suggests that Colbourne Street is the hotspot of Crime, but if this is broken down, the majority of incidents reported were actually from TESCO. The data is very generic and include, ASBOs, theft, vehicular crimes and violent, domestic or otherwise.
· Parking/obstruction rear alleys– This problem still continues and tickets are still being issued.
· Speeding in Broad Street, Bathurst and Station Road – The Speed Enforcement day brought about very little but it will be continued at different times of the day/night.
The Streets being targeted for this area are Station Road, Broad Street and Manchester Road
The current 3 priorities are
Speeding
As above. Traffic Calming would be helpful, but it is a major piece of work and would be too costly.
Flashing Road Signs
These cost about £5,000.00
CCTV would also have Automatic Number Plate Recognition, so ‘regulars ‘could be picked up by this method
John Phillips thought these could be added to the ‘gateways’ to highlight people entering and leaving the area.
Currently there are not sufficient collisions/injuries in the area to justify a major piece of work being carried out.
Drinking in Alleyways
There are not so many drinkers in the area as a result of the dispersal area, and they have told the Police that they are buying their drinks in Faringdon Road because it is cheaper.
PC Diffin was asked the question about the comment that Councillor Wright has made about the drinkers being moved to a site on the old Canal off of Shrivenham Road. He said as far as he was concerned, they were still looking at a Wet Room in East Street
The third Priority still had to be decided, but it looked like it might be more of an environmental issue, i.e. fly tipping, /litter and dog fouling.
The 1ST new style Tasking Group is to be held on 18 February 2011, and so far, there were quite a few people committed to attending the meeting
CCTV
The comments made by Commercial Services, will be used to place the cameras, and it is they who will be accountable
The solution it seems is education, but we shouldn’t look at short-term gains. We need to educate so that hopefully in about 5 years, the message will have got through
Prostitutes
Very few of them about now, although it seems they have moved towards Town.
It’s possible that the ‘clients’ have moved, or the Cold Weather has put them off, so they could be shoplifting
Drug dealers are being pulled from the area, and the quality of heroin they have been supplying has been of poor quality.
Mrs Purvis commented that there were drinkers in the subway at Whalebridge, and PC Diffin said he’s had no complaints, and this area would now be under his jurisdiction. Mrs Purvis admitted there had been no problem with them as they often just said ‘hello’.
It appears that a scrap merchant may be going round the area to remove selective items.
There is rubbish in Gladstone Street piling up against a resident’s boundary, which isn’t hers. The address was to be given to Mark Walker and he said he’d speak to the Probation Service to see what can be done.
Currently it cost £40 and hour for a contractor to remove the rubbish and £75 per tonne for landfill.
Mr Murray said that the rubbish at the back of County Road had been cleared.
The Police Officers left the meeting at this point
GUEST SPEAKER: Mark Walker, SBC Town Centre Cluster Lead. SBC has obtained a grant for £40k for moveable CCTV cameras to help with environmental problems. The contract has been given to a local Company called OSE who have carried out work for the Council previously, and the cameras are being manufactured by a National Company called Wireless Network. In fact the order for the cameras was made last week.
We are looking at the end of February/beginning of March for them to be put up and working.
As Mark said last time, the images will be sent to the Council Control Room at Waterside. Note, if any residents were to see anything going on which shouldn’t be, we can always call the control room as it is monitored 24/7, and ask them to see if they catch the ‘wrong doings’ on camera. The number is 01793 464703
The offer to visit the Control Room still stands
There was still no definitive answer as to the position of the cameras. If the decision as to where to put them is wrong, then they can be moved, as seen fit.
If any residents or businesses can tell when any tipping was made, i.e., it wasn’t there at 10pm, but it was there at 6 am, reporting this would give the control room a better chance of trying to find the guilty parties
The Council own the pictures, and if they did have to be given to the Police for evidential purposes in a Court of Law, then the pictures become the responsibility of the Police.
After 1 month, the images are overwritten.
The images won’t be released until a Senior Police Office has signed a proforma requesting them. The Data Information Commissioner sets rules as to how these images are managed by WHOEVER SEES THEM
Mr Chaudhry raised a problem in the Council Offices, with the computer terminal requiring a Password
Mr Murray confirmed that he was told he wasn’t allowed to use a phone but eventually was told he could, but was there for at least ½ hour before he was able to speak to someone.
Councillor Montaut and Mark Walker left the meeting at this point.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Sent – None Received – None
PLANNING –
S/ADV/10/1737 – 69 Shrivenham Road, SN1 2QA – Erection of a single storey hobbies room to rear.- Application Pending Consideration – Case Officer Mr Rob O’Carroll
S/10/0231 – 26 Manchester Road – Change of use of ground floor from dwelling (C3) to Restaurant/Café 9A3), Installation of Extractor Fan to rear and a new Shop Front – Application withdrawn
Football Stadium, County Ground, AN1 2ED – Display of advertisement (mural on wall) retrospective –Application Grated, Delegated Decision – Case Officer, Mr Rob O’Carroll
TREASURERS REPORT:
There was a discussion about the Community Garden Money and Working Capital of the Community Council being moved, or returned.
Proposed by John Freegard and Seconded by Madge Sutton.
CHAIR REPORT:
Karen has heard back from the lottery bid of £44,500 and we weren’t successful this time. Karen has spoken to Kerry and her and Kerry would like to work together and look at other lottery bids for the Broadgreen area. Does Karen have our backing for this? Everyone agreed she did.
Karen has spoken to quite a few people and the reaction to the CCTV in the area has been mixed. Some think it’s a good idea for safety, others (like Karen) think it should be down the alleyways as agreed last year.
No feedback is available on the Draft Cluster plan Event that was held last year. Hopefully we’ll have some news tonight.
Karen didn’t attend the Stronger Communities Forum on 11/1/2011. Minutes were attaches with information about Grants etc.
The AGM is in May and people need to consider if they wish to continue the Officer and Committee roles they have. Both Kevin and Karen are still looking to step down from their roles; so if anyone is interested in being the Chair or Secretary, please let Pam know. No one openly offered to take on these roles.
There has still been no contact from Doreen Gordon, so Karen is going to write a letter for Doreen to sign and send to the Bank. Hopefully this will work.
Mrs Sutton was sorry to hear of Karen and Kevin’s decisions, but agreed we must support it.
BROADGREEN HISTORY PROJECT: No report
SHRIVENHAM ROAD REPORT: Fly Tipping at the back of Mitchell’s Cycles.
No more graffiti
No more Prostitutes, although one had been seen at the junction of Broad Street and County Road.
There has been some graffiti in the alley recently. The Police regularly patrol the area in a van.
NEIGHBOURHOOD/STREET WATCH REPORT: No reports
ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
Mrs Johnson said she’s seen a lady in the alley with dogs and told her not to let her dogs foul in the alleyways. The lady now takes them by the Old Post Office land.
There was a discussion about problems near the Bus Station.
We are still hoping to visit the House of Commons this year.
Mr and Mrs Freegard apologised in advance as they wont be at the next meeting, as did Mrs Purvis.
Meeting closed at 9.40 pm.
