Ovenden Ward Forum For more information, go to www.halifaxnorthandeast.com; email [email protected]; or ring 0300 555 0266

M a r c h 2 0 1 9 F e e d b a c k

Date: Tuesday 26 March 2019

Venue: Moorside Community Primary School ,Ovenden Halifax Attending: Councillor Anne Collins (Chair ) Andrew Pitts (Assistant Director, Neighbourhoods CMBC) PCSO Cartwright PCSO Shephard (WY Police) Karen Scanlon (NHP) and 19 residents

1 Welcome and introductions 1.1 Ward Forum chair Councillor Anne Collins introduced herself and Andrew Pitts from Calderdale Council. PCSO Cartwright PCSO Shephard (WY Police) and Ward Link Worker Karen Scanlon

2 Council Updates 2.1 Andrew Pitts Assistant Director, Neighbourhoods spoke to the ward forum regards the Council plans to enforcement and strengthen environmental service Andrew Pitts spoke about a report that the council have created to suggests that two key public-facing Council services which impact significantly upon the quality of life of residents, businesses and visitors to Calderdale - Highway Maintenance and Safer, Cleaner, Greener - should be integrated into a single new “Green Spaces and Street Scene Service”.

Together, these services keep neighbourhoods and town centres clean; maintain parks and open spaces; look after play areas, allotments and sports pitches; repair potholes, pavements, walls and drainage; protect and enhance the countryside; keep the highway network open in bad weather; and deal with a range of highway emergencies round the clock.

Getting these fundamental, universal services right - provided in a responsive, efficient and customer-focussed way - is central to the delivery of the Council’s Vision 2024 and its ambition to be the Best Borough in the North; it also supports the ‘right first time’ approach in the Customer Services Strategy to reduce avoidable customer contact and improve the Council’s reputation.

2.2 Andrew Pitts also informed the meeting about the council recent recruitment drive for Community Safety Wardens .Safety Wardens work across Calderdale to help keep our communities safe. This service aims to create a step change in the way we respond to nuisance and quality of life issues. These include: unauthorised traveller encampments; and anti-social behaviour.It builds and complements existing Council services, focusing on enforcement and visibility. They are responsible for the Council’s public space CCTV provision and manage a number of radio networks across Calderdale They are equipped with the powers required to issue fixed penalty notices to tackle dog fouling, littering and fly-tipping. Community Safety Wardens work in strong partnership with other agencies, such as the Police and the Fire Service. This is to provide support in times of need and through intelligence sharing. They are the Council’s eyes and ears on the ground and are deployed where needed in Calderdale

3 Local Updates from Ward Councillors 3.1 Spring Flower displays -Councillor Collins wanted to pay attention to the beautiful splash of colour with the spring blooms at Ovenden Way .Planted by the children at Dean Field School and more recently the Junior Wardens at Moorside School and how it shows Ovenden in a positive bright lovely area

3.2 Sod House Green -Councillor Collins explained that the council have received lots of complaints of local residents regarding the state of the back of Sod House Green. Councillor Collins explained through partnership working with Calderdale councils Safer Cleaner Greener Team the area is cleaned up

3.3 Snicket at Club Lane - Councillor Collins said that the snicket reported at the last Ward Forum leading from Club Lane onto Nursery Lane Ovenden as now been cleaned thanks to the Safer Cleaner Team

3.4 Lentalfield Street /Friendly Fold – Councillor Collins confirmed that CMBC have issued enforcement notices to builders who have left area in a complete mess after completion of the builds

3.5 Daisy Chain Dementia Café – Councillor Collins encouraged local people to come along and attend or bring along someone they may know who could and would benefit from this type of group. Every month on the second Wednesday of the month at Halifax Ruby Club Ovenden Park Halifax

3.6 Well Being @ Moorside - Councillor Collins said that she was honoured to open the launch of this new group held at Moorside School and said she felt it’s a positive for the area providing good positive wellbeing and encouraged local people to come along and attend or bring along someone they may know who could and would benefit from attending

3.7 Cousin Lane –Councillor Collins confirmed that ongoing work to address the conditions of the road with senior officers from the council and look at improvements to be made.

3.8 – Councillor Collins confirmed another positive for the area is the filming of the TV programme Ackley Bridge who have recently filmed at HXRUFC Ovenden Park and Turner Avenue South.

4 Police Update 4.1 Tesco’s Ovenden –Ongoing Issues with shoplifting and abuse from customer .Police are working with managers and staff to try and combat this issues .2 young people have been issued ASBI and received bail conditions and if breached will be arrested .

4.2 Most Wanted – PCSO Cartwright confirmed that 2 of Calderdale’s most wanted from the Ovenden area have now been arrested and in police custody awaiting trial

4.3 Barn Fire at Old Lane – It’s believed that 3 young people had set fire to a barn at Old Lane causing death and damage to the barn and livestock. PSCO Cartwright confirmed that 3 Young people have been arrested and ongoing investigations are underway

4.4 Neighbourhood Policing Team Partnership Neighbourhood Priorities - Halifax North and East area are

 Parking and road safety around schools.

Page 2  Council based activity - Fly tipping.

 The criminal and anti-social use of cars and motorcycles across the area, including speeding traffic

5 Ward Forum Update 5.1 Karen Scanlon asked the forum and informed those attending that from April 2019 there will be a new round of Ward Forum grants starting, Karen then asked local people attending if they are happy for the existing grants panel to continue deciding on grant applications. And also ask if any person would be interested in being on the panel. 2 Residents put themselves forward as interested to be on the panel

Existing Ovenden Panel included

 Karen Scanlon NHP

 Councillor Anne Collins

 Councillor Bryan Smith

 Councillor Helen Rivron

 Together Housing office C Webster

 Local resident

6 Your issues - Open Forum

6.1 Lee Mount –A resident thanked the local councillors for contacting SCG leading to the promptness of the grass cutting at Lee Mount since the last Ward Forum

6.2 Land at Wheatley Road Lee Mount –Resident was interested to know who now owns that piece of land –Action Councillor Collins will liaise with Andrew Pitts to obtain that information for the next ward forum

6.3 Rugby Mount Land – Resident asked who owned the land in-between Rugby Drive and Mount if resident could take this on to grow vegetables and maintain the land. Action Councillor Collins will liaise with Andrew Pitts to obtain that information for the June ward forum

6.4 HXRUFC –Issues with young people causing ASB around the club and in the stand area .PCSO Cartwright confirmed that West Yorkshire Police are aware of this ongoing problem and monitor the area constantly alongside of the youth service who have put outreach in place to engage with the young people in the area

6.5 Bikes –Resident said that there are bikes riding around in an anti-social behaviour at Ruby Mount .Police confirmed that they need information to be able to issue a section 59 warning and urged resident to ring 101 with the information

6.6 Shroggs Park – Resident asked about volunteering to help clean up at planned action days at Bracken bed /Shroggs Tip

7 Date and Venue of Next Meeting Wednesday 5 June 2019 6.00pm at Moorside Community Primary School for refreshments and a prompt 6.15pm start.

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