East Luton Area Board
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COMMITTEE REF: AB(E)/06/15 NOTICE OF MEETING COMMITTEE : East Luton Area Board DATE : Wednesday, 24 June 2015 TIME : 19:30 PLACE : Wenlock Junior School Beaconsfield, Luton, LU2 0RW COUNCILLORS : SKEPELHORN (CHAIR) M. J. DOLLING BAKER KEENS CHAPMAN MOLES CHOWDHURY RIVERS M. DOLLING J. TAYLOR CO-OPTED MEMBERS: Representative of Bedfordshire Police Inspector JOHN MURPHY Representative of Health Authority (tbc) Ward Forum Representative (tbc) QUORUM : 3 MEMBERS Contact Officer: [Angela Fraser] (01582 546070) INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC From 6.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. Ward Forums will take place. The Forums will enable issues that are specifically relevant to each Ward to be discussed. The Area Board will commence at 7.30 p.m. PURPOSE: To enable the Council to effect locally based communication, consultation and decision-making. This meeting is open to the public and you are welcome to attend. For further information, or to see the papers, please contact us at the Town Hall: IN PERSON, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, or CALL the Contact Officer (shown above). ACCESS the Council’s Committee Management Information System (CMIS) at agendas.luton.gov.uk/cmiswebpublic/ Arrangements can be made for access to meetings for disabled people. Page 1 of 21 If you would like us to arrange this for you, please call the Contact Officer (shown above). Page 2 of 21 AGENDA Agenda Subject Page Item No. 1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE 2 MINUTES 2.1 2nd November 2014 2.2 19th May 2015 6th November 2014 4 - 12 19th May 2015 13 - 13 3 Chair's Announcements 4 Feedback from Ward Forums 5 Public Question Time 6 Petitions 7 Neighbourhood Governance - 'You said we did' 14 - 21 (Report of the Area Board Support Officer) 8 Progress Report on the refurbishment of the underpass in Wigmore Lane (ORAL UPDATE) (Oral report by Mark Barnett, Trainee Technician) 9 Luton Clinical Commissioning Group (LCCG) (Oral update by Emma Dwyer, LCCG) 10 Items for Next Board Meeting 11 Date of Next Meeting: 2nd November 2015 Page 3 of 21 AGENDA ITEM 2.1 EAST LUTON AREA BOARD MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 6TH NOVEMBER 2014 AT 7.30PM Present: Councillor Skepelhorn (Chair); Councillors Chapman, J. Davies, Dolling, Franks, Hanif, Moles and Rivers 25. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE (REF: 1) Apologies for absence from the meeting was received on behalf of Councillors Cato and Zia. 26. MINUTES (REF: 2.1) Resolved: That the minutes of the meetings held on 3rd July 2014 be taken as read, agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair. 27. FEEDBACK FROM WARD FORUMS (REF 4) The following key issues were raised: CRAWLEY – COUNCILLOR FRANKS Parking – Buchannan Drive On going security issues – Naval Club ROUND GREEN – COUNCILLOR RIVERS Tree trimming Grass & verge cutting on estates Dog fouling Grass cutting STOPSLEY – COUNCILLOR J. DAVIES Travellers – on-going problems Parking – Putteridge Primary School Luton Regional Sports Centre WIGMORE – COUNCILLOR MOLES Speeding traffic in Wigmore Lane and Heavy Goods Vehicles Resolved: That feedback on the issues raised above be noted and passed to the relevant Council Departments to follow up. Page 4 of 21 28. POLICE AND PUBLIC QUESTIONS Why do we not see Police Officers policing in George Street. There is a man with three large dogs begging and harassing people? The Police advised that due to a restructure Police Officer were withdrawn from the town centre and PCSOs were deployed who had limited powers. Recent proposals put forward would see the return of Police Officers to the town centre from 1st December 2014. Has the issue raised at the last Area Board meeting regarding usage of the interchange by Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles been addressed? Councillor Franks replied that the Engineers were asked to compensate people living in the East of Luton the extra £2 cost charged by taxi companies, which was declined by the Engineers and therefore remain accessible to authorised vehicles only. If bollards were to be installed in Station Road how would private coach companies gain access to that area? Councillor Franks replied that in the absence of a highways representative the question was unable to receive a response. Who would be the contact for reporting of fumes from noxious bonfires and noisy neighbours? Councillor Skepelhorn replied that the Environmental Protection Team should be the first point of contact during office hours and were unavailable outside office hours. If the noise became a persistent nuisance the Police should be called by dialling 101. Resolved: (i) That the issues raised above be noted. 29. NEIGHBOURHOOD GOVERNANCE – YOU SAID WE’RE DOING (REF: 7) The Area Board Support Officer highlighted the following projects: Community Festival – Raynham Way Community Centre joined forces with Ramridge Primary School to deliver the East Luton Community Festival. A collective partnership working was made between staff from the centre and colleagues from the neighbourhood governance team who worked closely with staff and parents from the school to plan the event which took place in June. ‘Mind body and Soil’ at Colwell Rise – The Groundwork Trust received funding through the participatory budget to run a project aimed at older people from Colwell Court Sheltered Housing Scheme and day centre. The project aim was to train, encourage and support older people to grow their own vegetables and soft fruit. Residents noticed physical and mental health benefits from being involved. Page 5 of 21 Loneliness and Social Isolation Project – The project is sponsored for one year by Luton Borough Council to reduce loneliness and help residents feel included in their communities, and aims to encourage them to find innovative ways of integrating lonely people into community life. Memorial to James Dyer F.S.A. MA – A commemorative stone was unveiled in October at the Inspire Spots Village to celebrate the life of James Dyer and to mark the extensive research into the Stopsley National School which once stood on the site. Resolved: That thanks to the Area Support Officer be recorded and the report (Ref 7) be noted. 30. AREA BOARD REPORT (REF 8) The Area Support Officer presented the report (Ref 8) and advised the issue raised at the last meeting with regards to Church Street was included in the report. Unfortunately, the absence of a Highways representative meant questions which may arise were unable to receive a response. The following Area projects were approved by the Area Board: Project Number Project Cost of Project Amount Requested RG 546 Somerset Avenue, £2,800 £1,400 Stanford Road and (Approved) Turners Road South - To install Gating schemes in the above roads CR 547 Wenlock C of E £2,037 £2,000 Junior School (Approved) The project is part of a wider plan to redevelop part of the school grounds for community use to improve an under used area to be accessed by the pupils and their families. It is intended to create a wellbeing garden which will involve completely refurbishing a neglected pond area and include the development of Page 6 of 21 a trim trail from which fitness sessions can be offered to parents and other members of the community. WI 548 Raynham Way £788.00 £788.00 Users Association (Approved) - Indoor Bowls Mat To supply three mats in different colours for the bowling green. The Area Support Officer further advised that the new homes for Luton funds totalling £152,000 had been received. The Executive agreed 50% be retained in the East area (£76,000) and the other 50% be spread among the four ward areas in the town (Central, North, South and West - £19,000 each). The projects approved by Members are attached as an Appendix to the minutes. A member of the Public enquired whether the East of Luton would also benefit from money from the flat conversions in the town centre. Councillor Franks replied ward areas would only receive money for new homes built on land owned by the Council and where there is an agreement between the Council and developers to pay £1000 per house which is built. Resolved: (i) That the report (Ref 8) be noted. 31. DETACHED YOUTH WORK IN EAST OF LUTON (REF: 9) Joan Bailey, Safer Luton Partnership presented the report (Ref 9) on detached youth work carried out in the East Luton area by the Safer Luton Partnership. She advised detached youth workers were deployed to work in the East area 2/3 nights a week following a meeting held with the local councillor representative who identified areas of concern where groups of young people hung out but not always caused problems. Areas identified and covered were: Stopsley Hart Hill Adventure Playground Round Green Wigmore (shop area) Roads targeted were: Thurston Green Abbotswood Road Hart Lane Ashcroft Road Page 7 of 21 Turners Road Links by detached workers with young people were made to build relationships and to discuss issues and concerns. Following that a piece of work with a group of young people on drinking and health information, and on smoking related issues was held. A meeting was held with the Business Development Coordinator at Hart Hill Adventure Playground where major concerns were raised regarding levels of antisocial behaviour that took place in the playground and in the neighbourhood. This lead to extending the hours of the detached team to start their evenings at the playground on Thursdays and Fridays which would involve: Working with young people who were excluded but were acting out challenging behaviour Focusing on 10-12 year olds that need more than play work and in danger of following in the footsteps of older sibling and other local young people demonstrating antisocial behaviour Carrying out detached work in the local area and engaging those who had been excluded from the playground until issues with playground staff were resolved.