Councillor Phil Jackson  -  unwell

Dr Jonathan Harte  (Clinial Director, BACHS Primary Care Network)

Louise Matthews  (Community Representative)

Liam Searle  (Neighbourhood Development Officer)

John Walker  (Community Representative)

None.

Minutes of the meeting held on 15 January 2020, for confirmation

The minutes of the meeting held on 15 January 2020 were confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

The following matters arising from the minutes were discussed:

(a)  Item 33 (Appointments to Outside Bodies): there are four community centres in the area where the Committee can appoint a councillor as a member of their management committee. As the four bodies (the Beechdale Community Association, the Birchover Community Centre, the Sheila Russell Community Association and the Vale Community Association) are within the Bilborough Ward, and the availability of the three ward councillors to attend their meetings is limited, the Bilborough councillors are able to support the four organisations on a collective basis as and when required, rather than through a named councillor being appointed by the Area Committee to each body;

(b)  Item 36 (Public Health): the Area Committee should provide as much support as possible to the local Primary Care Network (PCN), through the available Council resources. The most effective means of support is likely to come through the Council’s communications infrastructure, to spread messaging such as on taking up flu jabs and countering anti-vaccination positions, and on access to dentistry – with a particular focus on children’s dental health. As such, a short report is needed from the Neighbourhood Development Officers, in consultation with Dr Jonathan Harte as the local PCN’s clinical director, on what messages need to be communicated to citizens most urgently, and what mechanisms can be used to achieve this;

(c)  the NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group has also been in touch with councillors regarding the commission of primary care services in the area, where the current service provision contracts at a number of GP practices are coming to  an end. It would be positive for the Committee to be aware of and involved in the decision-making process for local healthcare commissioning, to ensure that the service needs of residents are met. Clear health inequalities exist in the area, particularly in the context of low levels of physical activity (which has strong links to other poor health outcomes), and the Committee would be a good forum to discuss and address these inequalities;

(d)  Item 37 (Nottingham City Homes): the Committee had resolved to approve the installation of new railings and gates at Bracken Close and Fircroft Avenue, to improve the environment for the residents. It requested that Nottingham City Homes confirms whether this work has taken place, or whether it is yet to take place, due to delays caused by the Coronavirus lockdown;

(e)  Item 38 (Area Capital Fund 2019/20): the Committee noted that the funding committed by it at its last meeting to Public Realm schemes under the 2019/20 Area Capital Fund budget had not yet been spent, and that the completion of the associated works will be reported to the Committee once they have been carried out.

Report of the Director of Community Protection

Angela Bolton, Neighbourhood Development Officer, presented a report on the work carried out in the Aspley, Bilborough and Leen Valley wards during the Coronavirus lockdown period, including the latest statistics on crime and other important issues. The following points were discussed:

(a)  all of the 18,069 individuals in the area who are known to be either medically or socially vulnerable to Coronavirus have been contacted or accounted for. Response work was supported by 73 volunteers, with whom regular contact is maintained, and will continue to be in the future. The contribution from the voluntary sector was hugely important, especially in terms of delivering food and medicine. The support from Evolve Nottingham was particularly significant;

(b)  the volume of requests for help from citizens in the area cluster was high relative to the rest of the city, and much of this contact was by phone. As such, it is important to consider the potential impact of digital exclusion on vulnerable citizens. As it appears that new restrictive measures will be put in place in relation to Coronavirus in the near future, the cluster is making the associated preparations;

(c)  the Committee thanked everybody involved – and the Neighbourhood Development Officers and Evolve in particular – for their very hard work in responding to this crisis. It felt that the actions of communities and Council officers have contributed to keeping the direct impact of Coronavirus relatively low in the area to date, and it hoped that this strong response will continue. It noted, however, that Coronavirus has had a significant impact on Evolve and other voluntary sector organisations, so detailed consideration should be given to how the Council can support these groups in their continued, vital operation.

The Committee noted the report.

Update from the BACHS Primary Care Network and Neighbourhood Development Officers

The Chair reported that, unfortunately, Dr Jonathan Harte, Clinial Director for the local Primary Care Network (PCN), was unable to attend the meeting to provide a verbal update, due to illness. The following points were discussed:

(a)  the Neighbourhood Development Officers (NDOs) have met to discuss how to further support health services within the area. They will consult with Dr Jonathan Harte, as the local PCN’s clinical director, to explore what value the Area Committee can add to the public health agenda for the area through taking advantage of the Council’s communications infrastructure, and what messages need to be communicated to citizens most urgently. This will be raised with the Council’s Communications Team, to identify what mechanisms can be used to achieve this. In addition, the NDOs will also consider with the PCN how the Area Committee can play a part in informing the local commissioning needs for health services, and addressing persistent health inequalities.

Resolved to request a short paper from the Neighbourhood Development Officers on what value the Area Committee can add in support of the Public Health agenda in the areas of communications, service commissioning and addressing health inequalities, in partnership with the local Primary Care Network and Social Prescribing Link Workers, for presentation to the next Area Committee meeting on Wednesday 20 January 2021.

Update from Nottinghamshire Police and Community Protection

Inspector Gordon Fenwick, of Nottinghamshire Police, provided an update on the current crime statistics and policing priorities for the area. The following points were discussed:

(a)  unfortunately, Leen Valley has seen a 5% increase in overall crime compared to the same period last year, with 19 more crimes taking place that the 351, last year. Assaults have increased by 9% (26 more offences), with violence with injury increased by 25%, to 39 incidents. Theft offences – shop theft, in particular – have risen by 24%, in addition to vehicle theft rising by 26%, to 33 cases. This is an area of particular concern, and will be explored thoroughly. Also of concern is that domestic incidents have risen by 61% to 110, and this will be investigated in detail;

(b)  hate crime has reduced by 50%. Although incidents of anti-social behaviour have increased by 88% on last year, this is reflective of a general rise across the city due to the Coronavirus lockdown, and represents a low increase relative to many other wards. Police staffing in the area is at full strength, and work is underway with communities to support the reporting of crimes and suspicious activity through social media;

(c)  Bilborough has seen an 8% decrease in overall crime, relative to last year. Victim-based crime has reduced by 11%, with violence with injury down 34%. Sexual offences decreased by 9% and vehicle offences fell by 21%. Hate incidents have increased by 118%. However, these affect a small number of repeat victims. The police are working closely with these victims, and three people have now been charged with hate crime offences;

(d)  due primarily to Coronavirus, incidents of anti-social behaviour have increased by 110%, and policing is being focused on managing youth gatherings on Bracebridge Drive. Policing activity has aimed to remain low-key in enforcing Coronavirus restrictions and, generally, communities have cooperated and it has been relatively straightforward to ensure compliance, including when it has been necessary to break up some low-level gatherings and parties. Currently, it is not possible to say how many Coronavirus-related fines have been issued in the area, as data has not been compiled at the local level – however, information on the statistics will be requested from the central sources;

(e)  Aspley has seen an 8% decrease in overall crime on last year. Victim-based crime has reduced by 9%, with violence with injury down 29%. Sexual offences decreased by 9%, domestic incidents are down by 2% and hate incidents have decreased by 19%. All burglaries are down by 6%, though there has been a slight 3% increase in theft. Vehicle offences fell by 10%. Anti-social behaviour increased by 56%;

(f)  policing is focusing on the shops around Aspley Land and the young people who congregate in the area, in addition to Broxtowe County Park. The ward councillors requested that, following some resident complaints, Community Protection Officers engage with staff in the shops on Aspley Lane, to ensure that all employees are complying with the requirements regarding the wearing of masks when at work;

(g)  Outreach Teams are embedding into their communities in support of neighbourhood policing, and engaging with schools and young people. Work is underway to combat metal theft, and a new knife amnesty drive will begin shortly.

The Committee thanked Inspector Gordon Fenwick for his policing update for the area, and noted the report.

Report of the Director of Community Protection

Abu Belim, Principal Enforcement Officer, presented a report on the proposed extension to the current Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for Smedley Close, Aspley. The following points were discussed:

(a)  the Nottingham City Council (Smedley Close, Aspley, Nottingham) Gating Order 2008 (GO 5004) was made in 2008 to address issues of anti-social behaviour. Due to changes in the legislation, the Gating Order (which had no time limit) became a PSPO on 20 October 2017. PSPOs may not have effect for a period of more than 3 years, after which they must be stopped or extended, so the current PSPO will end on 19 October 2020. As such, the required public consultations and legal work has been carried out to maintain the current PSPO by extending for a further 3-year period.

Resolved:

(1)  to approve the proposed extension to the Nottingham City Council (Smedley Close, Aspley, Nottingham) Public Spaces Protection Order 2008 for a further three years from 19 October 2020;

(2)  to delegate authority to the Director of Community Protection to carry out the necessary advertisements, and arrange for appropriate signage to be erected where necessary, in accordance with the requirements of the relevant legislation.

Update from Nottingham City Homes

Kristian Murden, Area Housing Manager at Nottingham City Homes (NCH), provided an update on NCH activity in the area during the Coronavirus lockdown period. The following points were discussed:

(a)  during the Coronavirus lockdown period, there has been a large increase of reports from NCH tenants regarding anti-social behaviour (often relating to disputes between neighbours) and domestic incidents. NCH officers have been working closely with Community Protection colleagues to combat these issues but, due to social distancing requirements, it is often difficult to address cases on a face-to-face basis. Although there were some concerns that the lockdown may have resulted in more incidents of social unrest, this has not been the case;

(b)  NCH teams have been working hard to provide the needed services to tenants in different ways. The Tenant Involvement team is carrying out remote exercise classes with Evolve Nottingham. In addition, the area had four finalists in the annual garden competition – two of which became winners. Unfortunately, due to the expected introduction of stricter restrictions in the near future following the rise of Coronavirus cases, the presentation of prizes event scheduled for next week has been postponed;

(c)  the occupation of void properties was sluggish at the start of lockdown, but new processes are now in place for the contacting of next of kin, sanitisation ahead of occupier changeover, and the passing on of keys. House clearance was made difficult due to the transfer of NCH’s main storage site, at the start of the year. The garden assistance scheme was paused at the start of lockdown, but work has now resumed to address the backlog of needed lawn cutting and hedge trimming;

(d)  some committed capital works, such as path resurfacing, has been carried out, but other work has been delayed, so a summary of the current works budgets and approvals will be brought to the next meeting of the Committee. It is intended that the regular reporting on NCH performance indicators will also be resumed;

(e)  the Committee thanked NCH of its hard work during the lockdown period – particularly in the context of finding and making contact with the tenants most vulnerable to the impacts of Coronavirus.

The Committee noted the report.

Update from the Lead Organisation

Jo Phelan, of Groundwork Greater Nottingham, presented a report on the 14 organisations funded under the four streams (Youth and Play, Employment and Skills, Support for Older People, and Voluntary and Community Sector Support) of the Area Based Grants, and the emergency community response to the Coronavirus emergency. The following points were discussed:

(a)  normal delivery progress has been affected substantially by Coronavirus, but partners have responded well to the need for emergency community support by alternative means, through delivering food parcels, collecting medical supplies, running clothing banks, cooking and delivering hot meals, offering befriending support, carrying out regular telephone check?up calls and service delivery calls, offering activities through online provision, delivering games and activities packs, and increasing the use of social media to engage with people. The telephone befriending service continues to operate, to reduce isolation and loneliness – particularly for older people in the area. Groundwork is continually looking for additional funding for its partners, and is making a bid for money to improve IT support to organisations;

(b)  as restrictions eased, outdoor sport and play activities with reduced numbers, and increased sessions for socially distanced 1-to-1 activities, re-commenced – particularly to support children and young people over the school summer holidays. A great deal of online provision is in place, and it is now possible to do more face-to-face provision;

(c)  programmes are also being delivered with Evolve Nottingham to support people into work, and this provision is being expanded through the Strelley Social Club;

(d)  the Green Doctor Programme is starting in October, in partnership with Cadent Gas, to combat fuel poverty by providing free and straightforward support and advice for people who most need help to stay warm during winter, stay well, save money on household bills, and reduce their carbon footprint. Recruitment is underway to support the programme, and engagement is taking place with the Council’s Housing Partnership team to help to identify particular areas for targeted focus.

The Committee thanked Jo Phelan and Kat Navrouzoglou for attending the meeting to update on these activities, and noted the report.

Updates from the Community Representatives

Tracey High and Sneha Soma, Community Representatives for Aspley, Bilborough and Leen Valley, reported that they had no further updates from their communities.

The Committee thanked the Community Representatives for their attendance and their ongoing work in the areas.

Update from the Employment and Skills Area Partnership

Councillor Graham Chapman presented a report on the most recent meetings of the Employment and Skills Area Partnership, and its particular actions during the Coronavirus lockdown period. The following points were discussed:

(a)  the establishment of the first Community Hub in Strelley by Evolve Nottingham is a key achievement in supporting local people in seeking jobs and claiming benefits. Its primary focus is on one-to-one, one-stop-shop support to people who are not reached through the normal channels, and who need particular assistance in understanding the benefits system and completing its forms. Currently, each session tends to have around 8 to 9 participants, but this may rise following October, once the Government’s furlough scheme ends. Often, information on the support available at the hub spreads locally, by word of mouth. It is intended to replicate the Strelley hub in both Bilborough (starting this week) and Leen Valley (later in October) and, ultimately, across the rest of the city;

(b)  it is important to ensure that the various job support organisations in the city are linked up in their provision and ready to take advantage of new Government employment and skills schemes. Currently, the Council’s Employment Hub is engaging with employers about the jobs available currently for citizens on its register;

(c)  the Committee thanked everyone involved in the creation of the Community Hub, particularly Evolve and Groundwork Greater Nottingham, as it should have a strong positive impact for the area.

The Committee noted the report.

Report of the Director of Community Protection

Angela Bolton and Debbie Royle, Neighbourhood Development Officers, presented a report on the Area Capital Fund (ACF) schemes approved during the 2019/20 financial year; the latest ACF spending proposals, including highways and footways; and the latest spending proposals for Public Realm schemes.

Resolved:

(1)  to approve new spending of £50,000 for Local Transport Plan schemes and £32,828 for Public Realm schemes in the Aspley Ward;

(2)  to approve new spending of £122,100 for Local Transport Plan schemes and £35,100 for Public Realm schemes in the Bilborough Ward;

(3)  to approve new spending of £71,603 for Local Transport Plan schemes and £30,247 for Public Realm schemes in the Leen Valley Ward;

as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

Report of the Director of Community Protection

Angela Bolton and Debbie Royle, Neighbourhood Development Officers, presented a report on the use of delegated authority by the Director of Community Protection for those projects funded by Ward Councillor Budgets.

The Committee noted the actions agreed by the Director of Community Protection for projects and schemes within the Aspley, Bilborough and Leen Valley Wards for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 financial years, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

For agreement:

Wednesday 20 January 2021 at 6:00pm

Wednesday 31 March 2021 at 6:00pm

Resolved to meet on the following dates:

·  Wednesday 20 January 2021 at 6:00pm

·  Wednesday 31 March 2021 at 6:00pm

Councillor Rebecca Langton and Councillor Wendy Smith reported that this is the final Area Committee meeting for Debbie Royle, as the Neighbourhood Development Officer for the Bilborough Ward. They thanked Debbie for her strong support and for all of the hard work that she has done within the ward, and gave her their best wishes for the future.