Outer East Area Committee Halton Forum

Meeting held on 4 September 2008 at Christ Church, Halton

Present: Councillor Mick Lyons (Chair), Councillor Jackie Langdale, Nick Clarkson (South East Area Management), James Nundy (SE AMT, minutes), Michelle McGill (LCC Neighbourhood Warden), Greg Shaw (LCC City Services), Kris Nenadic (LCC Parks and Countryside), PS Dale Wooffindin (West Police), PCSO Sharon Taylor (Police), Coullin Meikle (LCC – Youth Services), Susan Merrey ( / Primary School) Colin and Denise Wilsher (Woodland and Whitkirk Neighbourhood Watch), Peter and Barbara Huison (WWHW), Alan Wakefield (Templegates Neighbourhood Watch), Terry and Barbara Dennis (TNW), Barry Morton (resident), Jack and Joan Fitzpatrick (residents), Audrey Linley (Field End Neighbourhood Watch), Joyce Schofield (Halton Townswomen Guild), Malcolm Bedford (resident), Laurie Milner (resident), Mr and Mrs R Fisher, Gwendoline Green (resident), Patricia Wragg (resident)

Apologies: Liz Haynes (Friends of Park), Margaret Blenkhorn (Woodland and Whitkirk Neighbourhood Watch), Tony Steer (Field End Residents Association / Neighbourhood Watch)

1.0 Welcome / Introductions / Apologies Action

1.1 Cllr Lyons welcomed everyone to the meeting, introductions were made and the above apologies noted.

2.0 Minutes of the meeting held on 28 February 2008

2.1 Previous minutes were agreed as an accurate record.

3.0 Matters arising

3.1 Lack of doctor’s surgery issue raised again. After over two years, there still isn’t a surgery in the Halton area. Cllr Lyons has been in touch with the PCT. • PCTs newsletter states there is going to be a surgery in the annexe of Halton Clinic, with an operational date of October 2008 Ø Cllr Langdale requested a copy of the newsletter from Colin Wilsher CW

4.0 10 minute open floor

4.1 The road name for A63 from the Skyliner roundabout to A64 York Road is to be renamed the B6129 ahead of the new East Leeds link road opening, in an effort to help reduce traffic levels passing through Whitkirk and Halton. The East Leeds link road will adopt the A63 name.

4.2 There is no direct bus service from Templegates to Crossgates. Ø Nick Clarkson to investigate the suggestion of diverting the Number 18 bus NC with Metro and WYPTA Ø Cllr Lyons to raise at Area Committee with Metro and First Bus Cllr L

4.3 Traffic at Lidl City Development are looking into the car park exits and adjustments to the right turn into the car park.

4.4 Grove Road is having problems with drivers parking on the double yellow lines.

Produced by the South East Leeds Area Management Team (tel: 24 74310) Page 1 of 3 Ø Cllr Lyons to write to City Development Cllr L

4.5 Temple Court will soon benefit from ‘residents only’ parking restrictions.

4.6 Field End Road parking issues [Mr Fisher] On going issues for the past 18 months due to the works taking place at the school. Very annoyed that the situation is still ongoing. The teachers and lorries parking are causing bad obstructions.

5.0 Community Safety

Police – PS Dale Wooffindin 5.01 Run through of statistics from last six weeks – a handout was distributed. There were 34 crimes in total, the most frequently occurring being burglary (dwelling). Current hotspot is Selby Road.

5.02 There was no increase in overall crime from the last period. Extra officers are patrolling on the late shifts.

5.03 Ramada Jarvis car park is a hot spot for car crime at the moment.

5.04 The forum was reminded about taking precautions to prevent sneak-in burglaries: Lock your doors and keep all keys out of sight.

5.05 A fence, paid for by South East Area Committee, is to be installed at Brooksbank Residential Home, at the rear of Matalan, in an effort to reduce ASB in the area. It should be erected within the next two weeks.

5.06 A scheme to target off-licences who sell alcohol to under age people will start in the area soon.

5.07 Attacks on uPVC door locks are on the increase. The issues were highlighted and the forum told to check which type of locks they have.

Neighbourhood Warden – Michelle McGill (tel: 07891 277 577) 5.08 Working with the local councillors and youth workers and looking into setting up a Youth Café for the young people to run themselves.

5.09 ‘Dream Scheme’ was highlighted – it is a project where young people do something good (eg create a garden for the elderly) and earn points. Points = prizes, eg a trip to Alton Towers.

5.10 Trying to arrange some music and dance lessons – maybe the local schools can offer accommodation and help supervise?

5.11 LCC Enforcement are dealing with the car park issues at the Travellers public house (closed down).

6.0 Play areas in Temple Newsam Park

6.1 There is potential for a new toddlers park in Temple Newsam Park (Grove Road area). Looking into funding at the moment.

6.2 Improvements have been made to several parks across Leeds. A decent play area costs in the region of £120,000 - There is no money in the capital budget for new play areas, so all funding has to be obtained via funding bids to places like Green Leeds, Area Committee, Lottery, etc.

Produced by the South East Leeds Area Management Team (tel: 24 74310) Page 2 of 3 6.3 Discussions with Fispak are underway in connection with a play area for disabled children.

6.4 There are plans in the pipeline for a new playground on the site of the old one at the sunken bowl next to the free car park. A bid has been submitted to ‘Play Pathfinder’ scheme run by the Government.

6.5 Laurie Milner was outraged that there is no money in the capital budget for play areas.

7.0 Parking issues at Pinfold Lane

7.1 It was noted that the plan used for consultation wasn’t the same one which was submitted to Planning.

7.2 When works at schools complete, there is a condition in the contract which states that residents get a say in what should happen with traffic eg yellow lines, waiting restrictions or a parking permit scheme (the latter being a highly unlikely outcome as they are not used around school gate areas). • Please direct any views to the councillors and they will make sure the All appropriate person notes your comments

8.0 Youth Services – Coullin Meikle

8.1 Coullin (aka Virgil) introduced himself as the new Youth Work Manager for the area and described how following the restructure there are now 3.5 full time youth workers in the area. • Need to find suitable locations to do the youth work • There will be mobile provision (via the Youth Bus) in safe locations, but have to make sure the youths don’t congregate at that location on the nights when the bus is elsewhere in the ward • Lots of partnership working going on, including with Temple Moor resources and Extended Services • School holiday programme, funded by the Area Committee, is being well received, and includes trips to Temple Newsam Farm and Flamingo Land etc

9.0 AOB

9.1 Thanks went out to everyone involved with the Halton Library refurbishment. It should be completed by February 2009.

10.0 Next meeting

10.1 Thursday 4 December 2008 at 6pm, Temple Moor High School. All

Produced by the South East Leeds Area Management Team (tel: 24 74310) Page 3 of 3