Agenda and minutes

Heidi May - personal

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None.

Last meeting held on 28 May 2014 (for confirmation)

The Committee confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 28 May 2014 as a correct record and they were signed by the Chair.

Report of Director of Neighbourhood Services

Dale Griffin, Neighbourhood Development Officer, presented a report of the Director of Neighbourhood Services requesting that the Committee formally appoint locally nominated community representatives from the Basford and Bestwood Wards onto the Committee, in line with the Terms of Reference (Role of Area Committee Community Representatives).

RESOLVED

(1)  to note the criteria and process for selection and the ‘Role of Area Committee Community Representatives’ as detailed in appendix 1;

(2)  that the following are appointed as Community Representatives of this Committee for the remainder of the municipal year 2014/15:

Patrick Jordon  -  Bestwood Advice Centre;

Sharon Fullerton  -  Bestwood Estate Community Association;

Michael Savage    -  Highbury Vale Tenants and Residents     Association;

Victor Haven    -  Leen Valley Community Association;

Paula Clifford  -  Stockhill and Ladbroke Tenants and Residents   Association (SALTAR).

Presentation by Andy Parkinson, TravelRight

Juliet Line, Neighbourhood Engagement Officer at TravelRight, delivered the presentation outlining the work that TravelRight have overseen, highlighting the following:

(a)  the aims and objectives of the organisation include encouraging sustainable travel, improving people’s knowledge, confidence and safety in making local journeys and improving both access to jobs and residents’ health;

(b)  people in Nottingham perceive the cost of public transport to be more expensive that travelling by car. In reality, a study by the AA found that the average fuel bill for motorists is now over £1,500 per year and the average running costs of a small car in excess of £2,000. In mitigating these costs, TravelRight plan to raise awareness of travel plans and build trust through pilot projects and promotions;

(c)  there are a number of activities taking place in Area 2, including bike maintenance for Bestwood Scouts and in Vernon Park. TravelRight remain active in community events and a ‘bike Dr’ attends to carry out remedial work on bikes. There is also a strong focus on getting people to work on time via promoting half price travel offer for workers. This has been used to assist new workers who have had their benefits reduced and await their first pay check. Since April 2014, 126 people have benefited from personal travel plan advice;

(d)  435 bikes have been repaired since April 2014. TravelRight can provide bike Dr’s at local community events and have recently conducted local history walks around Old Basford with Chris Weir, a local historian;

(e)  future plans for the organisation include a number of community engagement events in Basford, Bestwood and Bulwell, an annual travel survey and an overall focus on increasing awareness of employment services.

Following comments and questions from the Committee, the following information was provided:

(f)  depending on timescales, TravelRight can engage local schools on safe routes to school and wider cycle training. TravelRight continues to engage with local Nottingham City Hospital and a number of health centres on appropriate travel planning.

RESOLVED to thank Juliette Line for the informative update and to note the contents of the presentation.

Briefing note of Inspector James Woolley attached

Inspector James Woolley, Neighbourhood Policing Inspector, updated the Committee on the latest police action within the wards. The main points were as follows:

Basford Ward

During the first three months of the year, all types of crime have seen a small increase.

Vehicle crime has seen the biggest increase due to an isolated incident on one evening in May where two people were arrested and charged with 12 offences of theft from motor vehicles.

Criminal Damage offences have increased across the whole Basford Ward (with no individual hot spot location) compared to the same period last year.

Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) during this period has increased and in response the Local Neighbourhood Police Team have taken measures to improve their response to ASB, including closer working with partner colleagues and reviewing the initial response to calls. 

The Community Priority during this period has been ASB and criminal damage around Vernon Road and during this period there have been increased police patrols and community engagements, which have seen incidents in the area decrease.

The new Community Priority for the next three months will be the area of Bulwell Lane through to Vernon Avenue, including Vernon Park: this will be in relation to ASB, nuisance vehicles and suspected drug misuse in the area.

Bestwood Ward

During the first three months of the year most types of crime have seen increases, apart from decreases in robbery and ‘burglary other’ (shed break-ins).

Dwelling House burglary has increased during this period across the whole Bestwood Ward and in response, there have been a number of positive arrests, with persons charged and currently on remand for several of these offences.

Criminal Damage offences have increased compared to the same period last year. In April, there was a particular increase in recorded offences in the Bestwood and Top Valley area. In response, a number of persons were identified and spoken to and now recorded offences are decreasing.

ASB during this period has increased and in response, the Local Neighbourhood Police Team have taken measures to improve their response to ASB, including closer working with partner colleagues and reviewing the initial response to calls. 

The Community Priority during this period has been ASB around Wyton Close and the surrounding area. The Police worked with partnership agencies to undertake criminal and civil actions and, as a result, a number of persons have been arrested and charged.

The new Community Priority for the next three months will be the area of Kyle View /  Huggett Gardens: this is in relation to ASB, nuisance vehicles and suspected drug misuse in the area.

RESOLVED that the latest position is noted.

Dale Griffin and Gursharan Singh Nijran, Neighbourhood Development Officers, presented a report of the Director of Neighbourhood Services, which updated the Committee on ward performance against key issues, linked to local priorities, and strategic themes in the Nottingham Plan 2020 during quarter 1 (April – June 2014).

RESOLVED to note the report.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Neighbourhood Services, updating Councillors and local representatives on ‘in progress’, completed and proposed highways, footpath and environmental schemes in Basford and Bestwood wards.

RESOLVED to

(1)  note the available remaining balances of £90,264 (Basford) and £86,527 (Bestwood);

(2)  note the available remaining environmental balance of £38,831.56 (Bestwood) and £68,698.39 (Basford);

(3)  approve the following schemes for the Basford ward:

(4)  approve the following schemes for the Bestwood ward:

(5)  approve the following environmental schemes for the Bestwood ward:

(6)  approve the following environmental schemes for the Basford ward:

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Neighbourhood Services, detailing completed and ongoing projects and schemes in the Basford and Bestwood areas funded from Councillors’ individual delegated ward allocations.

RESOLVED to note the projects and schemes, funded from ward Councillor delegated budgets, as follows: