Agenda and minutes

Councillor Steve Battlemuch and Councillor Georgina Culley were nominated for the position of Chair. When put to the vote, Councillor Battlemuch received 3 votes and Councillor Culley received 2 votes.

Councillor Sally Longford and Councillor Jim Armstrong were nominated for the position of Vice-Chair. When put to the vote, Councillor Longford received 3 votes and Councillor Armstrong received 2 votes.

Harry Copson – University of Nottingham Students Union.

None.

Meeting held on 23 February 2015 (for confirmation)

Subject to recording apologies from Gary Bevan and David Swannell, and to recording that Rob Kirkwood represented Friends of Wollaton Park and that Pauline Peck represented Wollaton Park Community Association, the Committee confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 23 February 2015 as a true record and they were signed by the Chair.

Verbal Update from Inspector Wilson, Nottinghamshire Police

Inspector Wilson of Nottinghamshire Police updated the Committee on the following issues:

Wollaton West

(a)  There has been a large reduction in shed burglaries, and house burglaries and car crime are also down;

(b)  Shop theft continues to be a concern, and Nottinghamshire Police has spoken to affected stores, providing advice to help prevent future thefts;

(c)  A Police ‘capture car’ has been operating in the ward, and has led to several arrests;

(d)  There has been a significant drugs seizure in the ward, and several prolific offenders have been taken out of circulation.

Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey

(e)  While house burglaries were down, there has been an increase in shed burglaries, car crime and theft from shops;

(f)  There is also an increase in cases of criminal damage in the ward;

(g)  A drugs warrant has been issued in respect of a property in Bosley Square.

During discussion, Inspector Wilson confirmed that Nottingham Police has lodged an objection to the grant of an extended licence for the sale of alcohol at the Marks and Spencer outlet at Wollaton Vale Filling Station. Inspector Wilson also advised that distributing details about persistent offenders could be counter-productive, and was inappropriate in the case of minors.

RESOLVED to note the update.

Governance Officer’s note: policing issues were also discussed at agenda item 8: Ward Performance

Please contact Noel McMenamin, Governance Officer, with issues by close on Wednesday 17 June 2015. Tel: 0115 876 4304 or email noel.mcmenamin@nottinghamcity.gov.uk.

Community representatives were invited to update the Committee or raise issues of concern not dealt with elsewhere on the agenda, providing the following information:

(a)  Pauline Peck – Wollaton Park Community Association

Young people have been congregating outside Wollaton Park Community Association and at Harrow Road Community Gardens, and have been drinking, smoking cannabis and causing a disturbance.  Inspector Wilson undertook to inform PCSOs – Councillor Sally Longford confirmed that she has alerted them to the issue.

(b)  Anthony Swannell – Wollaton Vale Residents Association

Parking on verges remains an issue on Wollaton Vale and Parkside Rise. In response, it was confirmed that bollards will soon be in place to deter similar infringements in future.

(c)  Rob Kirkwood – Friends of Wollaton Park

A revamped Steering Group is to meet later in June 2015 to take forward the Walled Garden project.

(d)  Rob Kirkwood – Friends of Wollaton Park and Gary Beaven – Wollaton Park Residents Association

Both community representatives raised the issue of speeding, especially on Harrow Road, where cut-through traffic during rush hour is an issue. In response, Inspector Wilson stated that he believed attitudes and behaviours will change over time as the new 20mph restrictions embed. Enforcement action will focus on accident hotspots where speeds of more than 30mph are registered, though drivers generally won’t be prosecuted if less than 10% above the speed limit.

RESOLVED to thank the community representatives for their updates.

John Marsh, Locality Manager, introduced the Strategic Director of Commercial and Neigbourhood Services’ report, which details the performance of Wollaton West and Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey ward for Quarter 4 of 2014/15 against a range of performance indicators. The discussion initially focussed on crime and anti-social behaviour, particularly in the Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey ward, with the following points made:

(a)  A councillor was concerned that crime and anti-social behaviour levels appeared to have increased significantly over the past year in Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey ward, and sought assurances that action was being taken to address the situation;

(b)  In response, Inspector Wilson explained that overall crime levels in the ward were static, but he acknowledged that burglary dwelling and violence levels have increased. Both the Criminal Investigation Department and Domestic Violence teams were actively seeking to apprehend the relatively small number of perpetrators active in the ward;

(c)  A councillor expressed the view that staffing consistency for patch managers, PCSOs and Police was important to maintain and share high levels of local intelligence. In response, Mr Marsh advised that PCO levels remained unchanged, and that Neighbourhood Management staffing levels were down slightly. There have also been extra patrols in the Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey ward, with additional resources deployed on Manton Crescent and Grangewood;

The discussion also covered the following points:

(d)  Mr Marsh advised that 120 ‘deep cleans’ were taking place across Nottingham, and he invited feedback from community representatives on suitable locations for carrying out deep cleans in Area 7. Mr Marsh also asked for information on blocked gullies, so this could be passed on to the relevant Highways staff;

(e)  Mr Marsh and Paul Howard, Tenancy and Estate Manager, NCH, assured the Committee that the neighbourhood priority to tackle fly-tipping, untidy gardens and alleyways continued to be addressed, but that there are particular challenges at this time of year, with students leaving term-time accommodation and warm, wet weather leading to high levels of vegetation growth;

(f)  Graffiti levels remained low, while the increase in dog fouling levels was from a low baseline.

RESOLVED to note the report, noting also that more information on the policing structure in Area 7 will be made available at the September 2015 meeting of the Committee to inform a discussion on policing issues.

Report of Strategic Director for Commercial and Neighbourhood Services

Pauline Dorey, Neighbourhood Development Officer, introduced a report of the Strategic Director for Commercial and Neighbourhood Services, highlighting progress of projects supported by Committee over the 2014/15 financial year.

In Wollaton West, Ms Dorey highlighted the Middleton Primary Peace Meadow, the Wollaton Mother and Toddler group in the Muslim Centre, the Literacy Volunteers resource enhancements and the crime prevention initiative for older, vulnerable people. In Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey, Ms Dorey highlighted the replacement of Pagoda and Solar lights, fruit tree and bulb planting and developments to Lenton Abbey Park developments.

Councillor Sally Longford informed the Committee that there is a bid being developed for improvements to Sutton Passeys Playground. Consultation is ongoing and the bid outcome will be known in December 2015. There is a community event at the site on 4 August 2015, and plans will be available on-site.

RESOLVED to note the update.

Report of Strategic Director for Commercial and Neighbourhood Services

Lylse-Anne Renwick, Neighbourhood Development Officer, presented the report of the Strategic Director of Commercial and Neighbourhood Services, detailing decisions made under delegated authority in both the Wollaton West and Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey wards since the last meeting on 23 February 2015.

RESOLVED to note the actions taken under delegated authority, as follows:

Wollaton West

Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey

Report of Strategic Director for Commercial and Neighbourhood Services

John Marsh, Locality Manager, introduced the Strategic Director for Commercial and Neighbourhood Services’ report detailing the latest spend proposals under the Area Capital Fund.

RESOLVED to

(1)  note the available balances of £47,881 (Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey) and £22,575 (Wollaton West);

(2)  approve the following schemes:

Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey ward:

Wollaton West ward:

Paul Howard, Tenancy and Estate Manager, Nottingham City Homes Ltd (NCH), presented the Chief Executive of Nottingham City Homes’ report on performance in the area. Mr Howard made the following points:

(a)  NCH was meeting or exceeding key performance indicators in Area 7, including targets on anti-social behaviour, repairs, rent collections average relet times;

(b)  Every NCH home now meets the government’s minimum ‘decent homes’ specifications, with a focus on bathrooms, kitchens, boilers and roofs. A fencing and guttering plan is currently being drawn up;

(c)  The roll-out of the external solid wall insulation programme will also be offered to owner-occupiers.

The Committee noted the report and welcomed its key positive messages.

Report of Chief Executive, Nottingham City Homes

RESOLVED to approve the following schemes, to be funded from the Housing Revenue Fund:

To consider meeting on the following Mondays at 5pm:

21 September 2015

16 November 2015

8 February 2016

RESOLVED to meet on the following Mondays at 5pm:

21 September 2015

16 November 2015

8 February 2016