Agenda and minutes

John Marsh

None

Last meeting held on 21 May 2014 (for confirmation)

The Committee confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on  21 May 2014 as a correct record and they were signed by the Chair.

Report of Strategic Director for Commercial and Neighbourhood Services

Linda Wright, Neighbourhood Development Officer introduced the Strategic Director for Commercial and Neighbourhood Services’ report detailing the process for appointing community representatives as required by the Terms of Reference for the Role of Area Committee Community Representatives. A list of the representatives was circulated at the meeting.

The Committee noted that all community group representatives (except those representing citywide organisations) should live in the area.

 RESOLVED to

(1)  to note the report;

(2)  to note the appointment of the following Community Representatives for the 2014/15 municipal year:

Presentation by Clare Sutton, Customer Care and Administration Manager, SSE Contracting

Daniel Blake, Customer Care and Administration Officer, gave a presentation to the Area Committee on the role of SSE Contracting (SSE) who are working in partnership with the Council as the service provider for the Street Lighting PFI Contract.

 The key points brought to the Committee’s attention were:

(a)  improvements to the lighting provision in Nottingham began in Dunkirk and Lenton in September 2010 and will include the replacement of approximately 24,000 lamp posts and 11,000 lanterns. The partnership with SSE represents 25 years of capital investment;

(b)  the contract with SSE represents major long term investment and employment in Nottingham and will improve the quality of lighting, road safety, support the Council’s initiatives to reduce crime and corporate carbon emissions in the city;

(c)  the design preparation stage includes consultation with trained designers and the lighting has been designed to meet the requirements of the latest British and European Standards and the Council’s specification. As a result columns will not always be placed in their original position. In some cases, citizens may have been benefiting from the existing lighting provision on their property, but in ensuring the overall quality of the provision this benefit cannot always be retained. Where columns are relocated, citizens will be able to discuss concerns with designers to ensure that their views are taken into account;

(d)  letters will be dropped to all of those affected advising citizens of what will happen during the construction phase which will include all the relevant contact details. Leaflets are delivered to each property approximately 20 days before work starts on-site with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible;

(e)  citizens are consulted where columns are relocated and given the opportunity to discuss issues with designers. It will be the case that a number of citizens will experience less light exposure to parts of their garden for example but the overall lighting provision will be appropriate and to the Council’s specification. Where columns are being altered designers will plan in advance to ensure minimum disruption to bus routes and busy highways;

(f)  the maintenance contract with SSE includes periodic checks of every lighting column every 6 months. SSE communicates with other utility boards prior to structural work so that any disruption to citizens is minimised. SSE will ensure that all sites are appropriately cleared following remedial work.

In the brief discussion which followed, Mr Blake confirmed that the brightness of older, orange lights could not be remotely controlled. However, lighting could be altered by tilting or fitting diffusers if there were particular problems.

RESOLVED to note the presentation on the consultation process within the Street Lighting PFI.

The Chair of the meeting was of the opinion that this item, although not included on the agenda, should be considered as a matter of urgency in accordance with Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, in view of the special circumstances that the Committee needed updating on grant commitments and priorities for 2014/15 .

Dave Brennan of Castle Cavendish updated the Committee as follows:

Children and Young People Priority

(a)  Outputs for 2013/14:     

(b)    CYP Funding 2013/14:

·  Nottingham City Council Area Based Grant  £72,830 (65%)

·  Castle Cavendish Funds  £39,212 (35%)

·  Total Investment  £112,042

(c)    the key priorities for CYP 2014/15 are:

·  a Summer Events and Activities Programme;

·  a link through to new Multi-Agency Youth Panel;

·  support diversionary provision based on sporting or active lifestyles across all main CYP facilities;

·  support additional provision for Key Stage 2 Age Group;

·  encourage whole family involvement activities, such as Parent and Play sessions;

·  pursue the development of Radford Unity Complex as a Youth and Community Hub;

·  look at ways of empowering young people;

(d)  the Summer activities programme funded 18 groups and events/activities which were delivered from July-September. These ranged from sporting events to arts and craft-based activities, dance courses and activities and fun days for local communities. The total grant provided was £26,400.

(e)    the current grant commitment per ward is:

·  Lenton and Dunkirk - £16,500;

·  Radford and Park - £20,000;

·  Arboretum - £32,000;

·  Area-wide - £14,000;

(f)    the proposed CYP funding 2014/15:

·  Nottingham City Council Area Based Grant  £97,107 (76%);

·  Castle Cavendish Funds  £29,575 (24%);

·  Total investment  £126,682;

(g)    Step into Work is an 18-24’s Community Jobs Programme whose aim is to engage and support 18-24 year olds furthest from the labour market to be ‘work ready’ and get a job. The primary objectives in 2014/15 are to engage 131 young people, to support 92 into accredited learning and skill development and to ensure 52 go into sustainable work. The total investment is £139,000 with £121,000 (87%) coming from the City Council via the Cabinet Office and £18,000 (13%) from Castle Cavendish Funds;

(h)  Castle Cavendish has been awarded a grant of £21,428 from One Nottingham to set up and facilitate Work Clubs in Area 4;

(i)  total investment in 2014/15:

    Nottingham City Council:

§  Area-Based Grant    £101,867

§  18-24s Step Into Work  £121,000

§  Work Clubs  £21,428

      Sub-Total:    £244,295

      Castle Cavendish Funds   £50,925

      Total Investment    £295,220

In response to a Councillor’s question, Mr Brennan advised that a grant of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

Verbal update by Sue Foster, Project Manager, Major Programmes

Sue Foster, Project Manager, Major Programmes, gave a brief verbal update on the Hyson Green library relocation to the Mary Potter Joint Service Centre. The business case was approved by Executive Board on 22 July. A number of consultation events were planned around the start of the construction phase in November/December 2014, and the opening was planned for the end of June 2015.

RESOLVED to note the update on the project.

Report of Corporate Director for Community Services

Martin Harris, Parks Technical Officer presented the report of the Corporate Director for Community Services detailing proposals to improve Radford Recreation ground to enable the site to be put forward as a Green Flag Award candidate site through securing additional capital funding (via section 106 payments) to ensure the delivery of improvements.

RESOLVED

(1)  to approve the allocation of additional Section 106 funding to the scheme (from funding that has come into the Radford and Park Ward) totalling £71,088.30;

(2)  to review the consultation information and agree to the priorities for the improvement of the site as shown in the draft project plan (Appendix 1), with spend priorities as outlined in paragraph 2.15 ;

(3)  to take into consideration the potential ‘Green Corridor’ and implications that this may have for the site and prioritisation of works, as detailed in paragraph 2.15.

Reports of Chief Executive, Nottingham City Homes

Paul Howard, Tenancy and Estate Manager, introduced 2 reports of the Chief Executive of Nottingham City Homes (NCH) updating the Committee on NCH performance issues and seeking approval of environmental submissions.

Mr Howard advised that NCH performance reports will come to future Area Committee meetings, and that Willoughby Court was now vacant and was being prepared for demolition.

RESOLVED

(1)  to note the NCH performance update in Appendices 1 and 2 of the report;

(2)  to approve the following Nottingham City Homes Environmental submission in the Radford and Park ward:

£568.84 for the removal of conifers having a detrimental effect on the wall at the corner of Rifle Street.

Report of Strategic Director for Commercial and Neighbourhood Services

Inspector Robert Wilson, Nottinghamshire Police, and Rob Gabbitas, Iffat Iqbal and Linda Wright, Neighbourhood Development Officers, presented a report of the Director of Neighbourhood Services, updating the Committee on ward performance during Quarter 1 of 2014/15, and highlighting the following points:

(a)  incidents of graffiti, dog fouling and fly tipping have all reduced, although the public perception was that fly tipping remained an issue especially in alleyways;

(b)  in Arboretum ward work was ongoing with new and emerging communities to deal with on-street scrap metal collections, and there had been an increase in confiscations for drinking in public places;

(c)  there had been a reduction in overall crime in all three wards. Shop theft was greatly reduced and theft from vehicles was also down. However, there was an increase in bicycle theft, and an increase in violence in Radford East;

(d)  work was ongoing in preparation for the return of the university student population to raise awareness about preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, especially around burglary prevention and noise.

During discussion, the Committee made the following points:

(e)  it was usually visitors to the area, rather than local residents, who suffered from bicycle theft;

(f)  reports of anti-social behaviour had increased across all 3 wards, partly because of the increased use of the 101 number. There was sometimes multiple reporting of low-level anti-social behaviour;

(g)  the Public Drinking Order had helped reduce the problem of on-street drinking, and street cleansing teams had been able to follow up confiscation patrols;

(h)  work was ongoing to engage with new and emerging communities to address issues around street cleansing and fly tipping.

RESOLVED to note the key information from the Ward Performance report.

Report of Strategic Director for Commercial and Neighbourhood Services

Rob Gabbitas, Neighbourhood Development Officer, introduced the report on the Area Capital Fund 2013/15 Programme.

Mr Gabbitas confirmed that the Arboretum contribution of £20,000 Area Capital funding approved on 27 February 2013 was to be split evenly between the Arboretum Pavilion project and the Sports Zone project. Work on both projects was expected to commence shortly.

RESOLVED to note the monies available, and approve the following Local Transport Plan (LTP) and Public Realm schemes:

(1)  Arboretum – no new LTP or Public Realm schemes requiring approval;

(2)  Dunkirk and Lenton LTP schemes – £200 safety audit to cover installation of signs, railings and other items on Lenton Boulevard schemes, £1665 for replacement of earth with tarmac on central refuges of Lenton Boulevard, £206 for replacement of slabs with tarmac on south side of Lenton Boulevard, £200 for resident questionnaire letter survey on various roads;

(3)  Dunkirk and Lenton Public Realm schemes – £960 for the replacement of 3 further litter bins in Lenton Boulevard Area, £1000 for a contribution towards the installation of cast iron public footpath fingerposts on Lenton Road, £2192 for a further knee rail to the south section of Lenton Boulevard, £1000 to prune two trees in Rolleston Drive area to open canopy and increase light levels.

(4)  Radford and Park LTP schemes – £3500 for the variation of Boden Street TRO to include junction protection at Bloomsgrove Industrial Estate/Norton Street

(5)  Radford and Park Public Realm schemes – £1000 contribution towards the installation of cast iron public footpath fingerposts on Lenton Road.