PRESENT: Chair Karen Leakey, Vice-Chair Pam Freegard, Secretary and Archivist Kevin Leakey, Muhammad Chaudhry, John and Vi Clark, John Freegard, Paul Izquierdo, Kate Johnson, Susan Kane, Kay Malko, Cluniford Mason, Rebecca McIntosh, William Murray, Val Purvis, Madge Sutton,
ALSO PRESENT: Councillor Derique Montaut, Sergeant McCoy, PC Diffin, Tim French
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Treasurer John Phillips, Alan Jones, Beryl Phillips, Evelyn Mason, Ros Timlin, Mark Walker SBC
CONFIRMATION OF THE MINUTES: 05 October 2011 meeting. These Minutes were confirmed and signed a true record. Proposed by Pam Freegard and seconded by John Clark
MATTERS ARISING FROM THE SEPTEMBER 2011 MINUTES: None
NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE TEAM REPORT: PC Diffin apologised for not attending the October meeting, which was due to his daughter breaking her leg.
Op. Dobbin was stopped for various reasons, it was not due to financial cuts but mainly because it was no longer as effective as it had been – the op’s were only happening 6 evenings per month, with only one of them being a multi-agency op and enforcement had been lacking. The BSACC had raised issues about the increase in prostitution problems in the summer, an extra officer had been assigned, but it hadn’t been successful.
The prostitution problem had now been passed over to the NPT, and in 6 nights of enforcement, 10 prostitutes and 5 kerb crawlers had been arrested, however the extra work caused a problem because Officers had to work different shifts and at certain times worked in other areas. Op Dobbin had been assigned 4 Officers; therefore there was a need for another Officer to help cover the extra work generated by this problem.
Despite the report on Points West, there were no under-age prostitutes working in the area. Sergeant McCoy told the meeting that despite Op Dobbin no longer being undertaken, there was no less support for the NPT concerning this problem from the upper management of the Police.
PC Diffin said they would be undertaking a zero tolerance stance and although help would still be available from outside agencies, if the prostitutes, kerb crawlers and other connected people made the choice to continue using the area, then they could expect to be arrested. The Chair said the community would be behind a zero tolerance policy, but in the long run would like to see the problem eradicated completely from the area, as it wouldn’t be allowed to continue in other areas of the town.
A liaison PCSO was now working in the area to help reduce ASB problems with young people. He was working with Doug Imrie etc and amongst other things had organised sport coaching at the County Ground. The young people of Broadgreen were fairly well behaved; generally it was people coming into Broadgreen from outside of the area that caused the ASB problems.
The Chair passed on thanks to the Police from one of the Broadgreen caretakers - when an alarm had gone off recently, the police had checked the centre out and made it secure before any caretakers could get there.
7.55 pm: Sgt. McCoy and PC Diffin left the meeting
WARD COUNCILLORS REPORT: Councillor Montaut passed on news about - the ballot concerning the transfer of council housing to a housing association, Union Square financial issues and the railway station forecourt alterations.
Skeetz would probably be hit by the proposed financial cuts.
Talks between councillors and SBC officers concerning the location of a new school were continuing.
Due to the Ward boundary changes next year, all of the Central council seats were up for election, unfortunately Cllr. Montaut’s party had de-selected him from the Central Ward, although he had been offered another ward to stand in. Derique was very disappointed as he felt he had worked well within the ward and built up some good working relationships and friendships. Although the BSACC was non-political there was a general feeling of disappointment from the meeting, because the councillor had worked well with us and people couldn’t understand why, if he was being offered to stand elsewhere, he couldn’t stand in Central again. Cllr. Montaut was asked if his 2 fellow central Cllrs. were standing here again, and it seemed they would be. The Chair said that although she and Cllr. Montaut had a differing opinion on how a councillor should work, it was a real shame he would not be standing as he had always carried out requests made to him from the community council, unlike the other councillors who, once elected, had not been seen.
8.15 pm: Councillor Montaut left the meeting
GUEST SPEAKER: There were no guest speakers this month.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Sent – None
Received - None
PLANNING –
S/11/1434 - Land At Station Road, SN1 2BB - Installation of a fuel tank - Application pending consideration. Case Officer - Mr Tom Buxton
There was already one tank there –on the railway embankment - opposite the Graham St junction.
Should there be a major power cut, in order to maintain essential services for Cable and Wireless Worldwide, the generator would be able to maintain a power supply for longer than it does now.
S/TIME/11/0633 - Former Laundry Site, Aylesbury Street, SN1 1DY - Extension of Time to previous permission - S/07/1544 for the erection of 66 no. apartments and partial demolition and conversion to form 3 no. commercial units ( Class A1/A2/A3/B1) – Permission granted - Case Officer – Mr Rob O’Carroll
TREASURERS REPORT, to 31 October 2011: John Phillips
Proposed by John Freegard and Seconded by Madge Sutton
CHAIR REPORT: Karen Leakey
It was the chairs intention to set up a Broadgreen Action Group next year, in order to sort out problems directly with SBC Officers. It worked with the Police Tasking Group until it was altered and became a Central Tasking Group only concerned with Central issues.
There had been no reply from Mark Isaacs, STFC – re using car park on Friday afternoons.
New School for Central – residents living by the proposed site in Euclid St. were all opposed to a school there and had posters in their windows against the proposal. SBC had a plan of what could be fitted on that site, but it could easily be adjusted to fit on Broadgreen. The Secretary had been looking around for other possible sites for a school, and came up with the old Parks Department depot at the rear of the County Ground cricket pavilion. The Chair passed the suggestion over and SBC were looking at it. There was still a general agreement that people didn’t want to lose the open space or community facilities and if SBC decided to build on the Broadgreen Centre people were prepared to fight it. SBC officers wanted to have a meeting about the proposals with residents at the December meeting, therefore the Chair proposed that the December BSACC meeting should be shortened and start at 7pm and be finished by 7.20, - to allow setting up for a 7.30pm meeting with SBC Officers – this was agreed by the meeting.
HISTORY REPORT: Kevin Leakey
Only thing to report this month, was the cancellation of the Swindon Heritage Network meeting, which should have taken place on the 20th October – It would have been about further discussions on the future provision of local Heritage across the borough and the proposed heritage strategy being written by Helen Miah, head of Culture at SBC.
SHRIVENHAM ROAD REPORT: Mark Isaacs from STFC had still not contacted residents about the overgrown brambles on Stratton Bank, and nothing had been done about it. The Chair said she had contacted Mr Isaacs but had received no reply.
NEIGHBOURHOOD/STREET WATCH REPORT: Nothing to report.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS: Workmen at the Whalebridge alterations were parking on the piece of grass between Corporation Street and Oriel Street. This caused problems with pedestrians trying to cross Corporation St. as the view of traffic coming around the roundabout was blocked.
Quite a few cars travelling into town along Fleming Way had been seen turning right into Medgbury Place – this was a no right turn junction.
Vehicles were still parking on double yellow line in Manchester Road, including in the bus stops and on the paths, nobody ever saw any parking attendants sorting this out.
Madge Sutton thanked the Chair for arranging the recent trip to Parliament – which was thoroughly enjoyable.
Meeting closed at 9.10pm.
