MEMBERS PRESENT : Chair Karen Leakey, Vice-Chair Pam Freegard, Secretary and Archivist Kevin Leakey,Treasurer John Freegard, Muhammad Chaudhry, John Clark, Vi Clark, Paul Izquierdo, Kate Johnson, Cluniford Mason, Eiles Robinson, Ishmael Stevens, Ros Timlin, Roy Townsend, Bob Walter
RESIDENTS PRESENT : Terry Marney, Candia Morgan, Ann Walklett
ALSO PRESENT: PCSO Millarvie, PCSO Mervyn-Smith, Josie Lewis - SBC Environmental Enforcement Officer, Paul Simmonds - SBC Public Protection Manager, Cllr B. Wright
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Diana Banner, Kay Malko, Evelyn Mason, Rebecca McIntosh, Madge Sutton, Pat Townsend, Mark Walker, SBC Town Centre Locality Lead, PC Atkinson - Broad Street Area Beat Manager, PC Kuklinski - Vice Officer, Frances Barone - Town Centre Locality facilitator, Cllr. J. Wright
CONFIRMATION OF THE NOTES: 07 January 2015 drop-in. These notes were confirmed and signed a true record. Proposed by Ros Timlin and seconded by Pam Freegard
MATTERS ARISING FROM THE JANUARY 2015 MINUTES: None
NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE TEAM : PCSO Millarvie and PCSO Mervyn-Smith
NPT STATISTICS: 01 to 31 January 2015
Criminal damage – 3 (2014 – 8)
Assaults – 4 (2014 – 11) (3/4 incidents of domestic violence)
Theft and Handling – 10 (2014 – 21) (10/10 relate to thefts from commercial premises)
Drugs Offences – 3 (2014 – 4)
Dwelling Burglary – 0 (2014 – 0)
Robbery – 0 (2014 – 2)
NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE TEAM REPORT – PC Atkinson
Year to date for January 2015 incidents of crime are vastly reduced. January 2015 crime stats are the lowest since I first came to the post of Community Beat Manager in Broadgreen in November 2012. Pleasingly none of the identified thefts in the area have seen individuals as victims and violence offences have only shown one taking place in a public place (this was an assault against store security at Tesco, Ocotal Way) A continuation of high visibility and plain clothes patrols in the hours of darkness have also seen a cut in acquisitive crime, specifically with no dwelling burglaries reported across the area.
In the 12 months up to January 2015 complaints of anti-social behaviour have reduced 6.8% compared to the 12 months up to January 2014. This is a positive reduction and equates to 327 calls relating to Anti-social behaviour compared to 351 in the previous year.
Myself and Vice Officer Louise Kuklinski attended the meeting on Friday 30th January with MP Robert BUCKLAND and committee members, and were pleased that he agreed to discuss our concerns regarding licensing and the resultant alcohol related anti-social behaviour with the Swindon Borough Council Licensing Panel. Wiltshire Police’s licensing officer Sian Kalynka is currently working to evidence the necessity for the cumulative impact policy which I discussed at last month’s meeting and how this will assist Wiltshire Police and Swindon Borough Council licensing in meeting the licensing objectives, specifically to reduce crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.
ASB
Last month I discussed several complaints again of boy racers in the County Ground Car park into the night time. I have discussed this with local Councillors who will be looking into options to assist in dealing with this issue long term. There may be a possibility that materials from the soon to be demolished Carlton Street Car Park can be used to prevent anti-social driving in the car park, for example placement of bollards. This is currently sitting with Swindon Borough Council who I am in contact with. Until amendments are made to the structure of the car park, myself and my colleagues with patrol on a regular basis and deal with any identified ASB robustly.
VICE
All 5 kerb crawlers due to attend the mandatory behavioural change course at the beginning of January did indeed attend and paid £200 for the pleasure. This money will be reinvested in the Broadgreen community as discussed previously. 3 further males have been caught in the area since the last course and have been put forward for the next course due to take place in the near future.
Police enquiries have led to a male being identified and arrested for a night time assault on a female in an alleyway near Manchester Road. This male was located and arrested in less than 24 hours following the incident and will be subject to Policed conditions to prevent him coming into the area. This was an excellent piece of pro-active work by PC Kuklinski and has allowed us to remove a potentially dangerous offender from the area.
Vice patrols and regular operations are ongoing and will continue to do so in the future.
Contact Wiltshire Police on 101 if you have something you need to tell us. Or alternatively email Community Beat Manager PC 2410 Luke ATKINSON on luke.atkinson@wilthire.pnn.police.uk
The following issues and points raised and discussed with the Police Team
Adver report 29 Dec 2014 – reporter on patrol with Police – fight in Broad Street that turned out to be a hoax. The Police said 'they really had to respond if there were reports of disorder in Broadgreen as there was a high density of a lot of different cultures and ethnicities which can cause problems and when you have a fight taking place it can be quite serious'. There were concerns that this gave the wrong impression of the area.
Needles being dumped.
Problems with 101 phone number.
GUEST SPEAKER:Paul Simmonds, Public Protection Manager
His team cover Environmental Services, this could be for example overcrowding in houses, fly-tipping, waste, graffiti and noise, and Trading Standards, which could be cracking down on illegal tobacco in shops.
A discussion was had about a letter received from Enviro. Services by a resident who had made a complaint about fly-tipping in the alleyways. SBC seemed to be denying adoption of the alleys and was putting the responsibility of keeping them clean onto residents. This was the cause of some concern and considerable discussion, resulting in Mr Simmonds apologising for the mistake, which was a standard reply letter, as the Officer had thought the alleys were not adopted, he also felt that this mistake had happened, they tried to positive with their resolve, many people were happy and he did not want to be bogged down with this error.
Also discussed - fly-tipping in the alleyways and on the railway bank in Station Road, blocked drains in alleyways, shop bins stored on pavements, branches dumped at County Ground, overgrowing brambles and rubbish at rear of Stratton Bank, taxi's being cleaned of rubbish and thrown in Rosebery Street alleyway.
GUEST SPEAKER: Josie Lewis SBC Environmental Officer
Josie started this job last August and was on a year contract, she patrolled the area regularly and was aware of the fly-tipping issues, dumped needles and bin problems. She talked to residents about dumping and rubbish on their properties and 'nudge' letters were given out, eg - asking for rubbish to be removed or SBC could prosecute or bad presentation of bins – please do something about it etc. On the back of the letter, it stated all the relevant legislation. They were also aware that rubbish was being dumped on peoples property that was not theirs. It was important to report fly-tipping etc directly to the Council – telephone StreetSmart on 445501.
GUEST SPEAKER: Unfortunately a representative from Wiltshire Wildlife, due to talk to the meeting about the Broadgreen Centre garden project, was unable to attend.
COUNCILLORS REPORT – Forwarded by Cllr. J. Wright
Licensing – As stated before we have had a lot of Licensing issues and. in particular, the problems with getting notification of applications. It has been agreed at Full Council that Councillors will be provided with notification of all license applications and license renewals within their area. We will continue to work alongside the Police to object to those applications which have potential impact on the area. In particular, to unsocial hour of operation and where sales do not conform to the Licensing Objectives.
Planning – We were successful in our objection to the planning application of a property on Broad Street to be converted to a business. We want to retain residential properties and will continue to object to further conversations to businesses. We have also objected to the application by Tesco for an entrance on Colbourne Street. We have stated that we are unhappy with the application to progress without clear guidance on the impact the entrance could have on the residents of the Colbourne Street area. We do not want residents to be disadvantaged by the business interest of Tesco. We believe that if a new exit is required it should be onto the roundabout so that it would not alter the volume of traffic or local residents movements.
The Free Shop – The Free Shop held on January 24th January was very successful. The Monday Lunch Club provided tea, coffee and wonderful cakes. We were very pleased that this raised over £35 towards the Lunch Club funds. Many thanks to all those who participated. We have had a volunteer who wants to continue with the Free Shop and the Lunch Club have said that they would like to continue with refreshments. I understand the next Free Shop will take place on Saturday 28th February so please come along and support the event, even if you can just pop in for a cuppa to support your local Lunch Club. It is essential that we try to support Lunch Clubs in the area as they are so important for the elderly in our community.
Enforcement – We have been chasing for an update in regard to the shop canopies. I have received the following response:
The issue of the shop canopies is being dealt with. A small extension of time was allowed over the Christmas and New Year period but unfortunately none of the premises written to have removed the unauthorised canopy. We have received one application seeking retrospective consent (54 Manchester Road).
Planning have a meeting with Legal next week to discuss and agree the best procedure for serving all of the enforcement notices and to clarify those premises where serving a Section 215 Notice (untidy site) may be appropriate (in instances where the canopy has been there for more than 4 years and is in a state of sufficient state of dis-repair, harmful to the amenity of the area etc.)
We have responded to ask for no further delays and to push for further action. We have objected to the retrospective planning application and will continue to object to others. I also raised the problems with the shop on Broad Street with the awful canopy which is currently made up of bits of broken wood and cardboard boxes!! I have highlighted the danger of the structure and that it does not meet the required standards.
Councillor Bob Wright joined the meeting at 8.00pm and apologised for not having attended recent meetings, this was because the BSACC meeting clashed with other SBC meetings councillors needed to attend.
CORRESPONDENCE and PLANNING
SENT – None
RECEIVED – Email from Station Road resident re problems with fly tipping in back alley and SBC reply that the alley's were not adopted and putting the onus onto residents to clear
Request by residents to talk to BSACC meeting, re Free Shop at Broadgreen
PLANNING
S/15/0057 - 54 Manchester Road Swindon SN1 2AG Installation of an awning - Application Pending Consideration - Case Officer - Mrs Janet Busby
S/15/0099 - 1-8 Manchester Road Swindon SN1 2AB - Installation of a flue - Application Pending Consideration - Case Officer - Mr Ian Halsall
S/PRIORH/14/2071 - 147 Rosebery Street SN1 2EU - Prior Approval Notification for the erection of a single storey rear extension measuring 6m (from existing rear elevation), 2.35m (maximum height) and 2.15m (height to eaves) – Prior approval not required - Case Officer - Mr Edward Snook
S/14/2016 - Land To The Rear Of County View Guest House 31-33 County Road SN1 2EG - erection of 2 no. dwellings with associated parking - Application Refused - Case Officer - Miss Heather Carlisle
S/14/2000 - 139 Broad Street SN1 2DP - Change of use of part of dwelling (Class C3) to travel agents (Class A1) and installation of shop front - Application Refused - Case Officer - Mr Tom Buxton
TREASURERS REPORT - to 04 February 2015: John Freegard
The monthly Treasurers report was distributed to Members present
Proposed Roy Townsend - Seconded Paul Izquierdo
The following issues and points were raised and discussed
Volunteers were needed to help at the Free Shop held at the Broadgreen Centre on the last Saturday of every month
Room hire for next 12 months BSACC meetings – book 6pm to 10pm
Meeting closed – 8.50pm
