Councillor Jane Urquhart – annual leave

Danny Goodwin

Inspector James Woolley

None.

Last meeting held 19 November 2015 (for confirmation)

The committee confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2015 and they were signed by the Chair.

Report of the Director of Sport and Culture and the Corporate Director of Commercial and Operations

Alex Brown, Community Sport and Physical Activity Officer, Eddie Curry, Head of Parks and Open Spaces, and Councillor David Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Sport and Leisure, introduced the Park Lives Healthy Lifestyle Activity Programme 2016, highlighting the following points:

(a)  Nottingham was one of 10 authorities successful in securing funding from Coca Cola;

(b)  there are lots of Friends and Parks groups around the city that need to be engaged with. There will be opportunities to engage local people, get them involved in events as well as providing some training;

(c)  other core cities have been talking about selling off their parks, but Nottingham City Council has invested over £28m, including refurbishing playgrounds, installing outdoor gyms, and major improvements to larger parks. We now have 24 Green Flags and 9 Community Green Flags. A lot of that money has come from local councillors funding, with a lot of external sources as well;

(d)  Park Lives runs up to 2020, and lots of activities will be organised, but ideally it will be sustainable. There can be more than 1 friends group per park, and there could be activity friends groups (such as dog walking, litter picking, walking groups, outdoor yoga etc.) where people may continue after the scheme funding has ended. Friends groups and community support can demonstrate community involvement, which can help with external funding bids;

(e)  last year there were over 450 activity sessions, all free. Some were for adults, some were for families, some were for children and some were for older people. They were held at all times of day and weekends, to remove barriers and be more accessible. This year, activities will be much more locally focused, concentrating on what activities people want and when they want them in their parks.

(f)  the Park Lives Team can provide coaches or instructors, or provide training to get local people qualified as coaches to make it more sustainable. There is lots of help and support available from the team;

(g)  the main aim of the scheme is to get people to participate in low level activity. Activities and groups can be tailored to the needs of local people, such as dog walkers, mums with prams, conservation sessions, games of rounders, or outdoor yoga. It’s not about the Olympians of the future, just about getting people off the sofa and more active. For example, Derbyshire nature reserve group dog walkers were provided with litter pickers by the Council.

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

(h)  the Committee felt that this is a really good programme, which ties in with the health priority;

(i)  in order to ensure long term changes and continued momentum after 2020, it is important to get citizens to take ownership and run the activities themselves. If they start to take ownership then they become invested in and interested in the park. Involvement of community groups also often helps with finding other external funding and can be key  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

Report of the Director of Economic Innovation and Employment

Bill Husband, Manager of NG7, presented an update to the Committee on the area jobs plan, and provided an update on NG7’s activities in the area, highlighting the following points:

(a)  the report attempts to address some of the issues that have been raised at cluster meetings, where questions were raised by Councillors about employment and skills. As a result, employment and skills partnerships will be set up across the areas. To that end, the main recommendation is to set up an employment and skills partnership, with members from the area committee;

(b)  previous attempt have been made to have area jobs plans, but these were written by the lead organisations themselves. There were too many details beyond the control of the delivery teams within each area. With the new area jobs plans, Councillors can tailor delivery of projects to meet the needs of the individual area;

(c)  the Area Committee would specify priorities (such as reducing youth unemployment, reducing long-term unemployment etc.) The partnership would develop their own priorities within the framework of projects the council is funding and controlling. This would give the committee and the partnership a greater feel for how things are developing in the area.

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

(d)  it is useful to see the gaps and/or good practice in existing provision. Berridge and Sherwood has met and exceeded targets, which is good to see;

(e)  Step In To Work is a programme for 18-29 year olds which is funded by the cabinet office. NG7 runs work clubs and are open 5 days per week, with drop-in support available, and welcoming and culturally sensitive staff. Success breeds further success, NG7 have a lot of people coming in through word-of-mouth recommendations, and they also use volunteer interpreters so that they can help citizens find work. In the last week of December, this programme achieved its targets for the whole financial year;

(f)  the Step In To Work programme has been well promoted and is very well placed. Often people from other areas use the service run by NG7 too, such as those from the Arboretum, as it is so close by. Work clubs are also run in Sherwood and Hyson Green, and at Central Library.

RESOLVED to:

(1)  thank Bill Husbands for the update on NG7’s employment activities in the area;

(2)  establish an Employment and Skills Partnership, with terms of reference, membership, officers, reporting, and frequency of meetings to be decided at the next Berridge and Sherwood Are Cluster meeting.

Report of Director for Planning and Transport and Deputy Chief Executive/Corporate Director Development & Growth

Matt Gregory, Growth Point Planning and Policy Manager, presented a report to the Committee on the Local Plan part 2, highlighting the following points:

(a)  the Plan is guided by statutory rules on how we prepare local plans. These rules guide the way that the Council considers planning applications in the future, and allocate future sites for development. Part 1 was a higher level document setting out land requirements for Nottingham, whilst Part 2 focuses on the detail and is more relevant to Nottingham citizens and Councillors;

(b)  consultation is open until 11 March 2016;

(c)  planning policies form part of the plan and guide the determination of planning applications: they cover a range of topics such as district centres, open space, managing change of use, protecting family housing and supporting new family housing;

(d)  the other part of the Plan is site specification, and covers all sites above 0.5 hectares. There are 4 such locations within the Berridge and Sherwood area, and 1 is already well developed (Edwards Lane, former Haywood School Site). The other 3 are:

·  Lortas Road;

·  Severn Trent Water Depot at the corner of Haydn Road and Hucknall Road;

·  Sherwood Library on Mansfield Road;

(e)  it is expected that the plan will be adopted around summer 2017;

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

(f)  developments often have a long lead in time, and projects can stall. The plan provides guidance on the type of developments that should be considered, it does not mean that developments are currently planned for the sites.

RESOLVED to note the contents of the Local Plan Part 2: Land and Planning Policies document and accompanying Policies Map, and that the period for making representations ends on 11 March 2016.

Tim Bowyer, of Nottingham City Council Public Transport, gave a presentation on the EasyLink accessible bus service for Nottingham City, highlighted the following points:

(a)  EasyLink is the new door-to-door accessible bus service from Nottingham City Council, replacing the Dial-a-Ride service, as that had quite a few barriers to use;

(b)  6 brand new fully accessible vehicles have been introduced, including a full flat rear lift. The service is available for anyone who who lives in the Greater Nottingham area who struggles to use public transport, not just the elderly and disabled;

(c)  the service is door to door, anywhere within a 10 mile radius of the city centre. Drivers are fully trained to help passengers. Escorts or carers travel free of charge;

(d)  if you have a Nottingham City Council Mobility Citycard you can book straight away. For all other users it’s a simple application form. People can also apply online, and there’s no longer a fee to join;

(e)  the service can now be booked in advance – up to 7 days in advance for a single trip, 6 weeks in advance for block bookings, or 3 months in advance for medical appointments;

(f)  a new booking system has been introduced, including new telephone systems, an online booking system, email and text based booking;

(g)  the fares no longer operate on a zonal system, they work on distance as the crow flies, with the cheapest fare (up to 1 mile) £1.50 for a concessionary pass holder, or £3.00 for a full fare;

(h)  the Public Transport team want to promote the new scheme within the community. Leaflets and posters are available (including in accessible formats), there is information on the website. A vehicle can be brought along to any planned events to show potential users.

There were questions and comments from the Committee:

(i)  the service covers great Nottingham, as the partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council is extended. The area covered also nearly matches the Nottingham City Transit area;

(j)  one of the barriers to use of the old Dial-a-Ride service was the perception that it was old fashioned, clunky, and felt like a charity. The new service feels much more modern and sleek, and feels less like a charity, so people who don’t perceive themselves as in need of this help may be more willing to access it. It is being particularly promoted to younger people, in the hope of changes these perceptions;

(k)  all payments are made to the driver. Even at the higher end of the price range, users are reporting significant savings over having to use taxis instead;

(l)  there is no intention to introduce discounts for booking in advance, as capacity is not an issue at the moment. It may also lead to confusion with the pricing structure;

(m)  demand has increased significantly over the old service. The full public launch is taking place in March 2016, and has received good press coverage.

RESOLVED to note the information and thank  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

Dorothy Holmes, Locality Manager, read an update from Inspector James Woolley on Police and crime in the area:

(a)  The Police have started using a new computerised system – Niche – for recording crime. This went live in February. People will no longer receive a traditional crime number but instead will be given an occurrence number. The occurrence number is no different to the traditional crime number, people will need to simply get use to the change in terminology and format of what they receive;

(b)  PS Nick Wealthall is currently supervising both Berridge and Sherwood Wards on a temporary basis, whilst PS Shipley is covering the Arboretum Ward. PC Chappell is still currently abstracted and at the moment we do not know his return date to Berridge. In terms of staffing Berridge has 1 Beat Manager and 4 PCSOs. Sherwood has 2 Beat Managers and 4 PCSOs. These are comparatively stable compared to other areas of the City and we do not envisage these numbers decreasing;

(c)  there was a Cash In Transit Robbery at Aldi on Lortas Rd in December. This is a live investigation and a number of persons have been arrested and are currently on police bail;

(d)  in Sherwood, overall crime is consistent with no standout issues, and is lower when compared to the same period last year. There has been a good reduction in low level dwelling burglaries compared to the same period last year. Robbery levels were relatively low with no patterns or trends. Vehicle crime was still slightly high in October, but this has subsequently come down. There was a pattern of work type vehicles being broken into. We have arrested an offender and numerous items were recovered. There were no significant issues with thefts and criminal damage type offences. October and November were low ASB (Anti-Social Behaviour) months. December saw a small increase compared to previous months. Three addresses account for a large number of ASB calls. Warrants have been executed at two of these addresses and follow up work continues. The other address now has a civil injunction in place;

(e)  in Berridge, overall crime was consistent with no standout issues and was lower when compared to the same period last year. Dwelling burglaries remain relatively low compared to previous years with no emerging trends or patterns. There was a small increase in robberies, but arrests have been made. ASB during this period has started to decrease, and is continuing to do so. The levels are now the lowest they have been during this year’s recording period. This is particularly good considering the mild weather.

RESOLVED to note the information.

Report of the Corporate Director for Commercial and Operations

Councillor Carole Jones, Ward Councillor for Berridge and Chair of the Area Committee, presented a brief update on the Area Committees Priority Action Plan:

(a)  3 topics were chosen at the last Area Committee (health, environment, jobs and training) and the actions for each are detailed in the report;

(b)  at the next meeting in May, the Area Committee will look at Health, and there is also a training session for Councillors in march on health issues;

(c)  there is ongoing work surrounding the environment and employment and training.

RESOLVED to note the Berridge and Sherwood Area Committee priorities below, and actions as set out in the appendix to the report:

·  Health;

·  Environment;

·  Jobs and Training.

Report of the Corporate Director for Commercial and Operations

Dorothy Holmes, Locality manager, and Debbie Royle, Neighbourhood development Officer, presented a report on Ward Performance to the committee, highlighting the following points:

(a)  Sherwood is a bit cleaner than Berridge, and both wards are currently undergoing a deep clean project, with 86 deep cleans taking place in Berridge and 96 in Sherwood. Cleanliness issues include fly-tipping, but reported fly-tips are being cleared within timeframes. There is an ongoing awareness campaign surrounding fly-tipping;

(b)  the Christmas lights switch on and ward walks in both wards recently have been successful, with community cohesion events planned.

RESOLVED to note the information.

Report of Nottingham City Homes

Paul Howard, Tenancy and Estates Manager at Nottingham City Homes, presented an update to the Committee:

(a)  the Winchester Woodthorpe feasibility study has started, with an aim to reduce fuel bills for residents. Nottingham City Homes will continue to update the Committee on the progress of the study;

(b)  work on Springfield Street is complete, with positive feedback received from local residents;

(c)  tenants in Sherwood recently had their first Tenants and Residents Association meeting;

(d)  a long standing ASB case has been resolved, with positive feedback received from local residents;

(e)  in terms of performance, ASB is above target, with repairs fractionally under target, but improving. Rent collection is above target, but with Universal Credit being implemented soon, Nottingham City Homes are trying to be proactive and are contacting residents about their access to online facilities. Tenancy sustainment is slightly under target, so local letting policies have been reviewed – it has been agreed they should all remain in place, but it has been agreed that if nobody over the age of 60 is on the waiting list for a property at Collin Green, applications will be accepted for those over the age of 50.

RESOLVED to note the information.

Report of the Corporate Director for Commercial and Operations

Debbie Royle, Neighbourhood Development Officer, presented the Area Capital Fund report.

RESOLVED to:

(1)  approve the following schemes:

(2)  note the commitment of funds in Berridge and Sherwood wards as detailed in the appendix to the report.

Report of the Corporate Director for Commercial and Operations

Dorothy Holmes, Locality Manager, presented the Delegated Authority report.

RESOLVED to note the following funds and actions agreed by the Director of Neighbourhood Services:

(1)  Berridge

(2)  Sherwood