Minutes - Canford Cliffs and Penn Hill Area Committee- 26 September 2007

BOROUGH OF POOLE

CANFORD CLIFFS AND PENN HILL AREA COMMITTEE

26 SEPTEMBER 2007

The Meeting commenced at 7:00pm and finished at 8:45pm

Present:

Councillor Mrs Dion (Chairman) Councillor Mrs Deas, Mrs Haines and Sorton

Officers attending:

Steve Cattle, Legal and Democratic Services, Paul Morris, Electoral Registration and Returning Officer, Alan Pickering, Electoral Services Assistant, Steve Dean, Transportation Services, Clare Freeman, Leisure Services

Members of the public present: 19 approximately

CCP10-07 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ms Atkinson and Parker.

CCP11.07 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Messrs Cattle, Morris, Pickering and Councillor Sorton declared non- pecuniary interests in M.10 as members of the Local Government Pension Scheme.

CCP12.07 MINUTES

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 6 June 2007, were submitted for approval.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 6 June 2007, having been previously circulated, be taken as read, confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

CCP13.07 REVIEW OF POLLING PLACES, POLLING DISTRICTS AND ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS

The Chairman invited Mr Paul Morris, Returning Officer and Registration Services Manager for the Borough of Poole, to address the Meeting.

Mr Morris explained that the Council was obliged to undertake a review of its Polling Places, Polling Districts and Access Arrangements under the Electoral

1 Administration Act 2006. Such a review had to take place every four years. He reminded the Meeting that the Borough’s 16 Ward Boundaries could not be changed by such a Review and the process for the Review was to consult Ward Councillors, interested Groups, Political Parties, Disability Access Groups and to report the Reviews findings to Council for decision. To this end, a cross-party Working Party of Elected Members had been established and each Area Committee was being consulted.

Mr Morris drew the Meeting’s attention to a form placed on the seats of members of the public which they could return, expressing their views on Polling Areas. This form was also available on the Borough of Poole’s website. All views were to be considered and collated for a decision to be made by Council on 18 December 2007 for any new polling districts to be effective from 1 January 2008.

Mr Pickering, of Electoral Services, explained some of the rationales used to assess whether polling areas needed to be changed, using as an example, Canford Cliffs Ward, was the comparison of the number of properties and electors within a polling area compared with the Borough average, the Canford Cliffs Ward, in particular, had a large number of second homes which was not comparable with the number of electors in the Ward. Many of the polling stations in the Canford Cliffs and Penn Hill Ward were double stations but there were benefits in that mobile stations were not used in this area.

As part of the Disability Discrimination Act, last year the Borough of Poole had commissioned a survey to ensure that all of its polling stations were 100% complaint with the Disability Discrimination Act. Any proposed changes would also be subject to such scrutiny.

The Chairman, on behalf of the Meeting, thanked Mr Morris and Mr Pickering for their Presentation and urged any interested members of the public to make representations.

CCP14.07 TRANSPORTATION ISSUES

(a) Steve Dean, Transportation Services, reported that the Traffic Panel had met on 16 May 2007 and discussed the following items related to this Committee:

(i) Banks Road – Request for Loading Restriction on roundabout (ii) Lakeside Road – Request for Yellow Lines on bend

The Traffic Panel had recommended to impose No Loading at any time Restrictions at the Banks Road Roundabout and had proposed No Waiting at any time Restrictions between No’s 12 and 16 Lakeside Road.

Following the Panel Meeting, residents of Lakeside Road had complained that the yellow lines in this area were commonly obstructed by Blue Badge Holder Parking. Loading bans applied on many of the yellow lines in this area, and it seemed appropriate to include a proposed loading ban on the new yellow lines proposed in Lakeside Road.

2 Steve Cattle, Legal and Democratic Services, advised the Committee of two further representations which had been received from residents of Lakeside Road, drawing attention to parking problems in the road.

Steve Dean reported that the Committee had a budget of £4,600 available for minor traffic measures for this financial year and had only committed £1,000 to the proposed loading restrictions in Maxwell Road. It was recommended that the proposed waiting restrictions in Banks Road and Lakeside Road be included in the Area Committee’s programme for 2006/7.

In response to a question on problems in the Courthill Road area which might require, if approved, funding from the Programme, Steve Dean, Transportation Services, responded by stating that he was happy to look at the issues in the Courthill Road area but that the next meeting of this Area Committee would be considering a further batch of Traffic Regulation Orders which might have an effect on budgets.

Members supported the recommendations of the Traffic Panel.

RESOLVED that the proposed Waiting and Loading Restrictions in Banks Road (drawing HT200-27) and Lakeside Road (drawing HT200-26), be included in the Area Committee’s Programme for 2006/7.

For: Unanimous

CCP15.07 RAVINE ROAD CAR PARK

Steve Dean, Transportation Services, reported that a suggestion had been received that the Ravine Road Car Park would be used by more drivers if it was more visible from the road. It had been suggested that the bushes along the Haven Road and Ravine Road frontages could be reduced in height to allow drivers to see the car park as they drove past. In order to be satisfactorily visible to drivers, the bushes should be reduced to 850 mm high and would need quite regular maintenance to keep them below 1 metre or so in height. It was quite possible that the area would look quite bare until the bushes recovered from their initial pruning. Reducing the height of the bushes might make drivers feel that their vehicles were more secure, but in fact, there were very few instances of theft or vandalism in this car park. .

There would inevitably be a range of views on the importance of the bushes to the local streetscene and the Area Committee’s views were sought on whether or not to reduce the height of the bushes around the car park.

It was recommended that the bushes were not substantially reduced in height, but merely maintained clear of the footway and parking areas.

Councillor Mrs Haines confirmed that the suggestion had been to merely reduce the height of the shrubs but these should not be reduced substantially. She also felt that the rhododendrons could be tidied up to make the area neater.

3 Councillor Mrs Deas stated that this was a very prominent location and cutting the shrubs back could detract from the character of the area and she would not like to see the shrubs reduced substantially.

Councillor Sorton stated that he was happy with the recommendation that the shrubs and bushes were not substantially reduced in height as any further reduction would lead to large areas of asphalt being seen.

Steve Dean, Transportation Services, stated that tidying up would be helpful and the precise details and height could be decided in consultation with Ward Councillors.

Mr Grimston, of the Canford Cliffs Land Society, presented pictures of the car park to the Meeting which showed the varying height and density of the shrubs around the car park and he felt that this area was untidy and needed trimming and supported the recommendation. He also felt that some replanting was necessary to remove some of the dead shrubs.

Mrs Grimston stated that the Canford Cliffs Land Society had requested ongoing maintenance of the shrubs and bushes as no proper maintenance was being carried out. A large proportion of the shrubs were now dead. Traders had stated that the reason for parking problems in the Canford Cliffs Village had been caused by people not knowing that the car park was there. Suggestions and options which had been put forward by the Canford Cliffs Land Society had been submitted to Leisure Services but to date no response had been received.

Clare Freeman, Leisure Services, apologised for the fact that no response had been made to points raised by Canford Cliffs Land Society but she had personally visited the car park and identified areas of dead wood etc and confirmed that a Leisure Services Officer would work with Transportation Services to look at this matter in detail.

Mr Morrison stated that people preferred to park on the street for quick visits to the shops and did not want to pay to park. He preferred to see the shrubs maintained at between five and six feet in height. If the car park was opened up and it was evident, it would detract from the attractiveness of the area. There were no dangers in having high hedges around the car park but it should be tidied up. He felt that cutting down the shrubs completely should be resisted.

The Chairman felt that parking for the first hour in the Council’s car parks should be free and asked that this matter be considered by the Transportation Advisory Group.

Steve Dean responded by stating that the Council was starting to review car park charges for next year and whilst he thought that the Transportation Advisory Group would find this proposal difficult, he was willing to put it forward. He also stated that discussions needed to take place with Leisure Services on the survey which had been carried out by the Canford Cliffs Land Society and he undertook to report back to this meeting on the way forward.

4 RESOLVED that

(i) it is the view of this Area Committee that the bushes should not be substantially reduced in height, but merely maintained clear of the footway and parking areas;

(ii) a further report be made to this Area Committee in due course on the points and suggestions raised by the Canford Cliffs Land Society Survey; and

(iii) The Transportation Advisory Group be asked to consider the proposal for parking in Council Car Parks to be free for the first hour.

For: Unanimous

CCP16.07 PENN HILL SIGNALS JUNCTION IMPROVEMENT

Steve Dean, Transportation Services, updated Members on progress with the design and implementation of the Junction Improvement Scheme.

He stated that the first of the Prime Transport Corridors to be considered was the main route between Poole and Bournemouth Town Centre. The Corridor concept looked at improvements, not only on the main A35, but also on parallel alternative routes. This was on the basis that improvements to parallel routes would enable better traffic flow along the Corridor as a whole. Improvements had already been implemented at the junction of Lindsay Road with Leicester Road where the right turning out of Lindsay Road was difficult, particularly at peak times. The junction had now been signalised and congestion had reduced considerably. The Penn Hill junction was the next to be considered. At peak times the junction was over capacity with queues forming on Penn Hill Avenue to the west and Leicester Road to the east.

Reports regarding proposed improvements had previously been submitted to the Transportation Advisory Group and had been considered by this Area Committee in the past. As a consequence of the consultation, and following the reports to Transportation Advisory Group, a detailed design had now been approved.

Details and drawings of the proposals were included in his Report. As a consequence it would be necessary to amend several Traffic Regulation Orders and the amendments were currently being advertised and any objections to these would be referred to the Transportation Advisory Group for consideration.

Councillor Sorton stated that one element of the Scheme that had been debated by this Area Committee in the past was to stop traffic going up Canford Cliffs Road in a southerly direction but he confirmed that this was not now going ahead. Furthermore, it had been agreed that once the Scheme had been implemented a review would be undertaken in six months. Problems in Archway Road and North Lodge Road had also been resolved.

5 RESOLVED that the Information Report be noted.

For: Unanimous

CCP17.07 MAJOR JUNCTION IMPROVEMENT – BOURNEMOUTH ROAD/ RICHMOND ROAD

Steve Dean, Transportation Services, presented a report and stated that proposals had now been drawn up for improvements at the following junctions:

 Richmond Road/Bournemouth Road  Station Road/Commercial Road  Ashley Cross

Before being considered formally by the Transportation Advisory Group, and the Portfolio Holder, local views on these schemes were being sought through Area Committees. As the first of these was within the Penn Hill Ward, details were presented to the Meeting as follows:

(a) Creation of central pedestrian refuges on three approaches. This allowed pedestrians to cross the halfway point of the road within the normal signal cycle times and hence avoided the current “all red” pedestrian phase which was inefficient in traffic terms;

(b) In accommodating an island for the Bournemouth Road leg by St Osmunds Church, it would be necessary to ban the right turn here into Richmond Road. There was insufficient space here, both for an approach lane and indeed, within the junction itself. The amount of traffic right turning here was not significant – 12 per hour in the morning peak and 46 per hour in the evening peak. It was anticipated that this traffic would find other routes within the local road network.

(c) Controlled pedestrian phases, activated only when a demand was made, would be available on all but the St Osmunds Road leg.

(d) These proposals would achieve an overall 10–15% improvement in vehicle capacity through the Junction at peak times.

Steve Dean finally stated that, whilst the Transportation Advisory Group had ultimate responsibility for recommending strategic schemes, within the Council’s Transport Capital Programme, local views on the detail of these were extremely valuable and the Area Committees were ideally positioned to provide this input. He drew residents’ attention to the plan displayed at the rear of the hall and invited people to fill in a comment sheet and return them in the envelopes supplied

Councillor Mrs Deas felt that it would have been beneficial if these works had been carried out at the same time as the recent refurbishment of the traffic signals and suggested that this should be considered for future schemes.

6 Mr Stewart opposed the banning of right turning movements from Bournemouth Road into Richmond Road and if this was implemented, he asked what alternatives would be available for people who did not know the area. There was not a good alternative route from Bournemouth Road through to Ashley Road.

Steve Dean, Transportation Services, responded by stating that the proposals were trying to improve capacity at the Junction and the choice was to either expand the Junction or change movements which were disruptive. He felt that the pedestrian crossing in two parts would assist and give more capacity. Right turns were disproportionately disruptive for the amount of traffic using them and added to congestion along the Corridor. Capacity was improved if turning movements were banned.

The Chairman stated that this was part of a larger scheme for the Corridor and the main priority was congestion and this needed to be addressed.

A resident stated that he wished to object to the ban into Richmond Road. He had never seen any hold-up at this point and this ban would not affect capacity and would be a disadvantage to those who currently used it. There was a need to see statistics of usage before deciding on any proposals.

Mr Dowty also objected to the proposals and felt that residents in the Courthill Road/Queens Road area would similarly object as they would be affected by displaced traffic. He felt that the proposed pedestrian crossing arrangements would make it more difficult to cross the road and this would take longer and many people would not wait at the lights and would merely cross the road causing danger. He was happy to assist with consultation with residents in this area.

Steve Dean stated that the Transportation Advisory Group would consider this Scheme and stated that residents could come along to the meeting to make representations. He further stated that banning the turn into Richmond Road would have to be advertised and wider consultation would therefore take place.

A resident felt that no analysis of traffic flows had been made available and that facts were essential before any decision could be made.

Mr De Lieu stated that this was a pedestrian unfriendly scheme.

RESOLVED that the comments set out above be forwarded to the Transportation Advisory Group for its consideration.

For: Unanimous

CCP18.07 PINECLIFF GARDENS WILDLIFE PLAY SCULPTURE TRAIL

Clare Freeman, Leisure Services, submitted a report to the Meeting on the intention to install a Wildlife Play Sculpture Trail in and around Pinecliff Gardens Picnic Area and to resurface a section of path along the cliff top. The Scheme would be completed using funds generated by Developer Funding.

7 The Meeting was advised that there was currently a lack of play equipment provision in this area and a sculpture trail would be a new attraction for Poole and would attract more people to the quieter, eastern end of the beach. There were four main elements to the Project:

 install four wooden play sculptures, four feet tall and up to 15 feet long, surrounded by a base of woodchips retained by timber edging, representing a wood ant, green tiger beetle, sand lizard and dolphin.

 Replace the current unmade path to the shelter with a block laid path.

 Refurbish the shelter, including painting a mural with school groups

 Provide information boards.

The Trail would highlight the importance of local wildlife, particularly to youngsters and would involve school children in its creation.

A30 metre stretch of new block paved path would link the tarmac path around the picnic area near the car park with the shelter, creating a wheelchair accessible loop, involving the community. Some blocks would be painted by pupils to represent habitats. A further 100 metre of path would form a link with a large shelter above the sunken garden, half of this could be done in tarmac and half in painted slabs.

Clare Freeman highlighted the fact that there were insufficient funds in the Equipped Childrens Play Fund and the Casual Play and Amenity Open Space Fund for Canford Cliffs to finance the Scheme from this Ward budget only. The total cost of the Project was likely to be around £60,000 and with the agreement of Ward Councillors, £25,000 from the Casual Play and Amenity Open Space Fund for Penn Hill which currently stood at £180,000 could be allocated for this Project.

Views and comments from the Area Committee Meeting about the use of the Canford Cliffs Planning Obligations money for this Project were invited. If there was any underspend from the Project this would be returned to the Penn Hill Ward fund. Feedback would be reported to the Planning Obligations Sub Group.

Members felt that this was an excellent Scheme and fully supported the proposals. Members congratulated Dave Price, Leisure Services, for all his work on this Project.

Mrs Grimston, Canford Cliffs Land Society, stated this it was essential to have adequate signage to encourage use. Lack of signage meant that the area had not been used during the summer as people did not know it existed.

Clare Freeman responded by stating that she would be looking at new signs in keeping with the location. Interpretation maps would also be provided.

Mr Stewart stated that in the past the shelter had been used by a tramp to sleep in and this needed to be monitored in the future. Other areas where murals

8 had been painted had subsequently been vandalised. These issues needed to be taken on board.

A resident stated that this was a wonderful scheme and that it was important to provide something for children in the Canford Cliffs area and undoubtedly usage of the car park and area would increase.

RESOLVED that the above views be reported back to the Planning Obligations Working Party.

For: Unanimous

CCP19.07 QUESTION FROM MR STEWART

The Chairman reported that the following Question had been received from Mr Stewart:

”What is the total cost and % of the 2007/8 Budget being spent on Pensions for all Council staff, and separately Councillors?”

Response

Budgeted pensions cost, including schools, totals £12,398,000 Budgeted pensions cost for Councillors £15,000 Budgeted gross expenditure for the whole Council for 2007/8 totalled £277,611,000 % of budget being spent on Pensions totals 4.47% % of budget being spent on Councillors pensions totals 0.005%

CCP20.07 OPEN FORUM

 Mr Dowty, of Courthill Road, drew attention to the particular problems of residents living in the Courthill Road area which were having an effect on their quality of life and the environment in which they lived. The particular pressures experienced by residents related to car parking, the success of the Centre and businesses which meant that roads were busy. Some of the roads were narrow and could not accommodate the level of traffic now being experienced and there were issues relating to the local school and traffic that was generated from this. Various options had been considered by residents, including a Home Aone Area and Mr Dowty wished to draw these matters to the attention of the Area Committee.

He also drew attention to the Bournemouth Road/Richmond Road Junction Improvement Scheme which had already been discussed at this Meeting which would have an effect on the Courthill Road area. Residents were concerned at “rat running” and he drew attention to the recent accident which was caused by a lorry using a narrow residential road. Residents would like to work with the Council to solve some of these problems.

9 RESOLVED that the issues facing residents of the Courthill Road area be discussed at a future Meeting of the Area Committee.

 Mr Stewart advised the Meeting that he had found that a number of Residents Associations were not being made aware of Council Plans and Strategies etc and felt that an Audit should be undertaken by the Council of Residents Groups in Poole.

Councillor Sorton felt that it was up to Residents Associations to advise the Council of any changes so that its databases could be updated.

Steve Cattle, Legal and Democratic Services, responded by stating that he was happy to coordinate any changes but that there would be a resource issue if the Council was to undertake such an Audit.

Mr Stewart felt that details of the Residents Associations etc could be put on the Council’s website so that this information was available to everyone.

Steve Cattle agreed to take this matter up with the Head of Communications.

 Councillor Mrs Deas referred to the item at the last meeting of the Area Committee on the consultation on “The Time of Our Lives” – Poole’s Older People’s Strategy 2007/2012 and stated that a number of points had been put forward for consideration, such as, the use of Canford Cliffs Library for Learning Courses, and the request that Public Transport Tokens could be reintroduced. She asked when these issues would be reported back to the Committee?

Steve Cattle responded by stating that all the Area Committees had been consulted on this draft Strategy and that a large number of issues had been raised. Information on the points raised would be referred back to the various Area Committees in due course. He undertook to ascertain the timescales involved.

CHAIRMAN