Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Neighbourhoods

Meeting Group: Wentworth Valley Area Assembly

Meeting Date: Tuesday 7 February 2006

Meeting Time: 6.30 pm

Meeting Venue: Hellaby Village Hall

Chair: Councillor Amy Rushforth

Present:

Jean Moore - Bramley Shop Owner Dennis Moore - Bramley Shop Owner Margaret Robinson - Bramley Shop Owner Glyn Staves - Bramley Parish Council Laura Harvey - Hellaby Resident Joan Herne - Hellaby Resident Chris Arnold - Hellaby Resident Jack Arnold - Hellaby Resident Phyllis Mullarkey - Hellaby Resident M Higginson - Hellaby Resident Jean Peet - Hellaby Resident George Scott - Hellaby Resident Ann Scott - Hellaby Resident Alan Ellis - Hellaby Resident Glynis Ellis - Hellaby Resident Jim Humphries - Hellaby Resident Dora Humphries - Hellaby Resident Kath Wilding - Hellaby Resident Barrie Webb - Hellaby Resident Joseph Carney - Hellaby Resident John Hellewell - Hellaby Resident Yvonne Hellewell - Hellaby Resident Lesley Carr - Hellaby Resident Pat Davies - Hellaby Resident Marjorie Watts - Hellaby Resident Peter Vine - Hellaby Resident Claire Milner - Hellaby Resident Vera Blackburn - Hellaby Resident Kim Scott - Hellaby Resident Mick Thacker - Hellaby Resident

1 Denise Hardy - Hellaby Resident J Jepson - Hellaby Resident Sandra Clubb - Hellaby Resident T Clubb - Hellaby Resident Jim Cobb - Hellaby Resident Jean Cobb - Hellaby Resident David Morton - Clerk to Maltby Parish Council C McMahon - Maltby Town Council David Guest - Wickersley Resident Gloria Martin - Wickersley Parish Council Mike Brown - PCT Keith Stringer - RMBC, Tenants Representative Joe Holbrook - RMBC, Tenants Representative Cllr. Lynda Binnie - RMBC, Hellaby Ward 5 Councillor Cllr. Glyn Robinson - RMBC, Maltby Ward 9 Councillor Cllr. Amy Rushforth - RMBC, Maltby Ward 9 Councillor Sam Rowley - RMBC, Streetpride Mick Stowe - RMBC, Neighbourhood Development Sue Weatherley - RMBC, Neighbourhood Development Melanie Stewart - 2010 Rotherham Ltd. Ayuba Lawan - 2010 Rotherham Ltd.

No. Agenda Items Action

1. Welcome and Introductions (and any apologies for absence

Introductions were made and apologies were received from Tom Cray, Michelle Musgrave, Andy Wright, Shaz Hoades, Jeanette Hamilton, J Gunn, Cllr. Pauline Darby, Cllr. John Turner, Cllr. Brian Cutts and Beryl Billington.

2. Minutes of previous meeting (13 December 2005)

The minutes were agreed as a true record.

3. Matters Arising

3) 6) – Cycle Lane – shouldn’t it be coloured? We don’t think so. Action: Ayuba will check. AL

4. Correspondence and Handouts

The Handout Pack includes a list of the Walkabouts for 2006, the Safer Neighbourhood Teams Presentation, Dalton Parish Council’s

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No. Agenda Items Action

4. Correspondence and Handouts cont. Report, information on a training course for community groups, information on the temporary closure of Lidget Lane Recycling Centre and information on the ‘Meet the Funder’ afternoon at the Wesley Centre, Maltby on 2 March.

Ayuba had received advanced notice of road works on Northfield Lane, Wickersley, starting on Friday 10 February for 1 week to put a crossing near the school.

It was asked if anyone was aware of the impact this would have on the traffic.

5. Update on Safer Neighbourhood Teams Sgt. Stuart Price, SYP, Safer Neighbourhood Project Team and Insp. Richard Scholey, South Police

Stuart thanked the Area Assembly for inviting him back to update us on how things are going.

He explained that the Government wanted the police to look locally and engage with people. The SNT is working towards more focussed joined up policing. They want to find out what people want. We have a good start with the community planning process. We refer to that and also come out to communities asking them what they want, also what the Area Assemblies want.

There are 7 Safer Neighbourhood Teams that are the same as the Area Assembly areas. Police Officers, PCSO’s, Neighbourhood Warden’s, Neighbourhood Champions, Neighbourhood Manager and Streetpride staff attend joint daily briefings.

Two teams are piloting the scheme, Rawmarsh and Wath. It is working really well in these areas. The other 5 areas launch in April.

We have a Community Information Unit (CIU), based at Maltby Police Station. It’s not fully staffed yet. This unit looks at police and council data and briefs the joint daily meetings. This unit is the 1st of its kind in the UK and the Government are looking closely at it with a view to using it nationwide if it proves successful. Early indications of CIU are promising. They are looking at fly tipping at the same time as violent crime and to see if there’s a pattern.

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No. Agenda Items Action

5. Update on Safer Neighbourhood Teams cont. Sgt. Stuart Price, SYP, Safer Neighbourhood Project Team and Insp. Richard Scholey, Police

Unfortunately, due to a delay in funding, we won’t get our PCSO’s until October/November, but still going to launch in April. All other people are in place. Accommodation is sorted out in this area. You should see a big change.

Looking at the work the Community Planning Officers are doing. Might work through the Area Assemblies. Will tackle 3 or 4 priorities at a time. All working to same priorities at the same time. In the north of Rotherham it is working well. We have changed the way things work, e.g. abandoned vehicles now removed quicker, usually the same day. Much more focussed. There have been other policy changes and hopefully things will get better. Now proper partnership working doing your priorities as well as the governments, giving a community focus.

Stuart asked if there were any questions.

Q. Where does Hellaby come into the picture? A. Within SNT areas there’s new community beats drawn up. Hellaby will get a named Community Officer. You should all be made aware of the name of Inspector Scholey, your local sergeant and your Community Constable. Q. When? A. Goes live on 3 April. Two tier system at the moment, the 2 areas with SNT and the rest on the old system. Inspector Scholey has 3 teams of 5 for his 3 areas. By 3 April will be able to put names to areas. Q. Will you let Parish Councils know? A. Yes, but if there isn’t a reason for a constable to attend a meeting they will not attend. We’re still interested but we want constables on the beat. If you’ll pass on your concerns we’ll get a feedback to you on a regular basis. Q. Concerns about no police in Flanderwell. Can Housing Panel members be informed? A. Would like to lead to street briefings. Members of community can come along and voice their concerns. We’ll be more accessible. Ayuba will also mention this in his report. Q. Wickersley at the western end of the assembly. Community Policing has historically been maintained. We don’t have any form of wardening in Wickersley. A. Wardens will become a part of this team. They will be deployed

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No. Agenda Items Action

5. Update on Safer Neighbourhood Teams cont. Sgt. Stuart Price, SYP, Safer Neighbourhood Project Team and Insp. Richard Scholey, South Yorkshire Police

according to information received. Team will work from Maltby. For the process to work all officers need to come on at the same time to be briefed with everyone else. It doesn’t mean you won’t get the same level of policing. Q. Will the police get to know their area? A. There will still be beat ownership, officers working their own beat, getting to know issues and working on them. Think the system has a lot of merit, but please be realistic; it won’t all happen at once. It will take time. Major turn around could take 2 years. Need more police, etc. Need to address underlying cause of problems, e.g. environment, youth facilities, etc. Please support us in what we’re doing. Q. ‘Flavour of the month’ crimes, sat. nav. systems, etc. Knock on effect. Anything in system to stop this? A. Now have strategy and equipment in CIU that we hadn’t in the past. Government want us to create a monitoring system for each area assembly. Analysts will look into this making teams better informed than before. Got to train the staff but still have a manager and 2 analysts to recruit. Q. Don’t want police in meetings when they should be on the beat, but can a report be sent to parish council meetings and area assembly meetings? A. It’s not that we don’t care about these meetings, it’s just that in the past police officers have worked round meetings. We will find ways of engaging/communication. If someone needed the Inspector or sergeant will come. C. After apologies local police were always 1st on agenda so they could go. General public don’t know about PCSO’s yet. Keep in touch with us, even if only a small report. Q. Parish Councils should be used as a resource, they are all public spirited, all volunteers. A lot of decisions have already been made. Have they been tested on the communities? A. A lot of decisions have been driven by central government. This was tested in 7 regions. We’re a Pathfinder for this type of approach. We were selected by central government. Trialled in Barnsley then launched South Yorkshire wide. Still tweaking the system. There have been a series of public events, predominantly in the North. Some areas governed by restriction, but consulted as widely as possible. C. Think you made reference to Maltby Community Plan. We’re just starting the process in Wickersley and Hellaby. We need to let every community group know, need to promote who to contact.

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No. Agenda Items Action

5. Update on Safer Neighbourhood Teams cont. Sgt. Stuart Price, SYP, Safer Neighbourhood Project Team and Insp. Richard Scholey, South Yorkshire Police

It’s good that all cogs are coming together. It’s important that Parish Councils are at forefront of community planning policy and SNT process. A. They are a taskable force.

6. Care & Repair Ian Cruddas, Maltby CDT

Ian was unable to attend, but said he would be willing to come to a future meeting.

7. Bramley Parish Council Report

There was no report from Bramley Parish Council.

8. Dalton Parish Council Report

The report can be found in the handout pack.

9. Maltby Town Council Report David Morton, Clerk to Maltby Town Council

Specific to Maltby, general to Rotherham Borough Council: • Offered a place to Rotherham Parish’s on the Democratic Renewal Scrutiny Panel. Looking at 2 things – oversee decisions of cabinet members and detailed review of issues, e.g. why people are apathetic about voting? Different reasons between borough and local level, within brief. • Review into Parish Councils in Rotherham. Borough Council and all Parish Councils in Rotherham signed a Charter. Idea to improve and increase working relationship to everyone. Training session on the Code of Conduct so that all are saying the same thing.

Q. Code of Conduct, everyone isn’t aware of this? A. There was legislation in 2000. By 2002 every Parish Council in

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No. Agenda Items Action

9. Maltby Town Council Report cont. David Morton, Clerk to Maltby Town Council

the land had to sign up to their Code of Conduct. As from 2002 every Parish Council had to adopt a Code of Conduct. Q. Is there a Code of Conduct at Bramley Parish Council? A. I will not answer any questions on Bramley Parish Council. Any requests for information should be addressed to the Chairman or the Clerk of Bramley Parish Council. Q. Can you make a complaint about a councillor? A. Yes, write to Standards Board for .

10. Wickersley Parish Council Report Gloria Martin, Wickersley Parish Council

• New community building still ongoing. • Doorstep Green, fire in playground. Damaged equipment to be replaced, £15,000 worth of damage. Police have apprehended 2 young people aged 12 and 13.

11. Streetpride Report Sam Rowley, RMBC, Streetpride

Most of last years devolved budget projects are now in place. Two planting projects should be done by the end of February and the 2 name plates should be up in the next couple of weeks.

Projects to be considered for next year’s budget need to be with Sam by 31 March. She will go on walkabouts if necessary.

If anyone has any specific issues, please see Sam after the meeting.

12. Neighbourhood Management Report Ayuba Lawan, Neighbourhood Manager, 2010 Rotherham Ltd.

• Walkabouts – basically an important key to setting the agenda. Information received from community important as they are aware of issues in the area. The calendar of walkabouts and meeting places for 2006 is in the Handout Pack. Apologies for being late at the last walkabout. Residents/Tenants/those that live and/or work in the area are all welcome. We need as many of you as possible on the

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No. Agenda Items Action

12. Neighbourhood Management Report cont. Ayuba Lawan, Neighbourhood Manager, 2010 Rotherham Ltd.

walkabouts when we are in your area. You know the problems in the area. Neighbourhood Champions do an Action Plan, get the work done and tell the community groups or Area Assembly what has been done. Work together. Police have the legal powers, Streetpride, Neighbourhood Wardens, etc., all would give feedback. • Attended a NAG meeting in the Rawmarsh/Wath area. • Group of young people in the community would be involved in Community Planning. Difficulty with Hellaby as their Parish Council doesn’t get involved. • Housing Panels – run by tenants have a pot of money to be spent. Tenants decide, but want community groups to decide what they would like doing. • Need to work closely with the 4 Parish/Town Councils. Have worked well with 3 of them. Hopefully will work with all of them in the future. • Hopefully will work with TARA groups, community involvement within constituency. • Want to do away with the fear of crime. • Doing some walkabouts in the evenings, to see how the lighting is and to pick up on any problems relating to the lighting. • Housing Offices now open on Saturday, 9.00 am – 12.00 noon. Ties in with Councillors surgeries. • Feedback from Maltby Service Centre. Bidders did a presentation at the Wesley Centre from 18-31 January and did 2 meetings for community groups. Accepted all the comments received. • Police have asked that we stress the importance of phoning incidents in on 01142 202020. Ask for an incident number. Hotspot areas are picked up from these phone calls. Data is generated from the information received and we can report back to community groups what has been done.

Q. Is the Saturday opening only for Housing? A. Have made arrangement for collection of rent but not council tax. Hotline number for Saturday (only Saturday) 01709 815350. Q. No Neighbourhood Champion in Hellaby at the moment, who do we contact? A. Contact any of the Champions on the list that is shown on the walkabout’s calendar.

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No. Agenda Items Action

12. Neighbourhood Management Report cont. Ayuba Lawan, Neighbourhood Manager, 2010 Rotherham Ltd.

Q. Social event. What time have they to finish. A. Shouldn’t go on beyond midnight. Q. Old Wickersley South Ward is now in Rother Valley other area in Wentworth Valley. A. Ayuba will get a map. C. Community Event at Hellaby very successful. Lot of input towards the plan. Meant to get on with Community Plan, then the village got notice of the closure of this hall. So at the moment the Community Plan has not gone forward. C. Area Housing Panels – owner occupiers can attend meetings, but can’t vote on where money can be spent. But can bring ideas. Each panel has £20,000 to spend

13. Any Other Business

Bramley Traffic Management Scheme

Shop owner on Main Street, Bramley said she attended a meeting in 2002 about the scheme. Mentioned there were 3 plans out but people only heard about 1. Like other shop owners extremely worried. Businesses are struggling, all the parking is being taken away and block paving is being put down. Though there is parking on Church Lane people aren’t prepared to park there and walk down to the shops. Ambulance and Fire men are getting lost. Don’t know anyone who is for the new scheme. Shop owner has been in business for 20 years, but most of her business has gone. There was a write up in the Advertiser this week. All this upheaval because of Woodlaithe Village. Road narrow, pavements wide, dustbin lorries can’t get round.

Could the Area Assembly write on behalf of residents and shop owners saying how unhappy people are with the new system? Could they ask someone to come to a future meeting?

Alteration on Main Street should have taken 4 weeks. Road has now been closed for 6 weeks.

Six years ago, when the whole proposal 1st started, we were under the impression that a road was going through Holling’s Lane to Woodlaiths. Some people objected and this is where new system came in.

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No. Agenda Items Action

13. Any Other Business cont. Consultation took place quite a while ago. Mr Guest wrote to Mr. Healey MP and part of his reply read ‘I will now contact the local elected councillors to ask for their assessment of the consultation process. I will be in touch again as soon as I have more information’. In the meantime the work is still going ahead. Advice: Put in writing your concerns and send them to RMBC.

14. Future Agenda Items

We are trying to get Tom Cray to come to the March meeting to explain the new roles of future Area Assemblies.

Ian Cruddas has agreed to come to a future meeting and tell us about Care and Repair and the Newspaper.

Items already suggested include: Skate Park for Bramley/Wickersley Young People (this could be linked to Child Safety {Green Paper} and Enjoying and Achieving) Hellaby Village Hall Emergency Planning Garden Links (Age Concern)

15. Date, Time and Venue of Next Meeting

Thursday 16 March 2006, 1.30 pm, Maltby Crags School, Tickhill Road, Maltby.

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