ACCV6 Contact Officer: Frances Wardley Tel. 01484 225082 KIRKLEES COUNCIL AREA COMMITTEE – COLNE VALLEY Thursday 28 March 2013 Present: Councillor Paul Salveson (Chair) Councillors Donna Bellamy, Nicola Turner, Andrew Marchington,. Co- optees: Chris Woolnough. Apologies: Councillors David Ridgway, Hilary Richards, Co- optees Michael Moores, Jean Margetts. Approximately 11 members of the public were present. 1 Chair’s welcome and introduction The Chair welcomed everyone and introduced the Committee members. 2 Minutes of the public meeting The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 13 February 2013 were approved. 3 Interests No interests were declared. 4 Admission of the public No agenda items needed to be discussed in private. 5 Deputations and petitions There were no deputations or petitions. 6 Neighbourhood Policing Update PS Mel Harding gave an update on local crime and policing issues and responded to questions. There had been a recent spate of vehicles being broken into. Members of the public were asked to be extra vigilant about locking doors and windows now that the clocks were about to go forward. PC Richard Nicholls described his work using the police off-road motorcycle. The season for calls for service for nuisance motorcycles was expected to start soon as the weather improves. Any wishing to report a nuisance motorcycle should call 101 (unless in an emergency) or email PC Nicholls direct at [email protected]. Further details and up to date information on local crime statistics are available on the NPT web pages: http://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/NPT/. 7 Report back from community groups The committee heard a presentation by the Friends of Slaithwaite Spa 8 Library Services Salma Dad gave an update on the results of the recent consultation on the future of library services. The previous Village Libraries consultation had shown that whilst there was no appetite for communities to take over the running of libraries, there was some interest from members of the public in getting involved and supporting their local library. This more recent consultation had covered the whole of the Kirklees district and included views from both library users and people who do not currently use libraries. A number of people had expressed a wish to be actively involved and this was being followed up. A Friends of Golcar Library group has been set up, and councillors said that they would be happy to support similar groups at other libraries in the area. Many suggestions to improve services and operate services more efficiently had been collected and some were being implemented already. A full report would soon be available on the Involve database at http://www2.kirklees.gov.uk/involve/entry.aspx?id=428 9 Portfolio Group Updates Members gave brief updates on recent meetings of the Committee's portfolio groups. Environment and Transport – met on 12 February. Main agenda item was PROW strategy. Next meeting 15 March. Older People and Social Disadvantage – 5 March has had to be cancelled due to key people not being available. Meeting to be rearranged. Supporting the Economy - met on 25 March. Discussions ongoing regarding an Industrial HOST weekend and Colne Valley Expo. Next meeting 13 May. Young People - met on 11 February; next meeting 16 April. There are plans to devote a future area committee meeting to young people’s issues. There was a discussion about the situation at Colne Valley Specialist Arts College. Members of the public felt that they were not being consulted about the apparent transfer to academy status. Councillors thought that there was little opportunity for consultation on the change of status, but that engaging with the process in a positive way, it might be possible to exert influence on some aspects of the changes. It was agreed to establish a working group to do this, led by Cllr Marchington; all ward councillors are invited to participate. Tourism – met on 11 March; next meeting 17 June. 10 Budget Report The Committee noted the balance of its budget and made the following decisions: Floral Decorations 2013, Streetscene and Housing (CV, Gol): £7312.10 (revenue) - approved. Support to Colne Valley NMG (CV, Gol): £2,300 (revenue) - approved. Purchase of Speed Indicator Devices (Gol): Streetscene & Housing - £17,000 (capital) - approved Footpath improvements to support Golcar & Slaithwaite Walkers are Welcome (CV, Gol) - £30,000 (capital) - approved. 11 Public Question Time There were no questions. 12 Dates of future committee meetings and community announcements The Committee noted that the dates of meetings for the next municipal year would be published after Annual Council in late May. The chair thanked everyone for their attendance and closed the meeting. ACD5 Contact Officer: Jackie Ingham - Tel: 01484 226290 KIRKLEES COUNCIL AREA COMMITTEE – DEWSBURY Thursday 26 February 2013 Present: Councillor Ahmed in the Chair Councillors C Scott, Kane, Firth, S Patel, Rowling, O’Donovan and A Patel Apologies: Councillor Hussain Approximately 15 members of the public attended. 1 Welcome and Introduction The Chair welcomed everyone and members of the Committee introduced themselves. 2 Minutes of the Previous Meeting RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 4 December 2012 be approved as a correct record. 3 Interests No interests were declared. 4 Admission of the Public It was noted that all Agenda items would be considered in public session. 5 Deputations and Petitions Mr Maddox submitted two deputations: (a) That a zebra crossing be installed on Church Lane, Thornhill, Dewsbury South ward to enable a safe crossing to the park. (b) To ask for a public meeting in Dewsbury South ward to discuss the future of the Walker Welfare Centre. The Chair received the deputations and advised Mr Maddox that they would be passed to the relevant services in the Council, and a response would come out to him in due course. 6 Update from the Neighbourhood Policing Team Val Hardi and Ian Adair from the Dewsbury Neighbourhood Policing Team attended the meeting, and gave an update on the work of their team. They spoke about days of action that had taken place across Dewsbury which had produced some very positive results, with more than 150 vehicles stopped, and a number of fines imposed. In Dewsbury South house burglaries had been a key issue. Working in partnership with others, the police had carried out additional patrols in hotspot locations, and had set up contact points for the public in the Sure Start Centre in Thornhill, and on an ad hoc basis in Mullacos supermarket. Further details on the work of the team can be accessed through the Dewsbury Neighbourhood Policing website; http://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/kirklees/desbury-mirfield. 7 Financial Fitness Project Dawn Mason from West Yorkshire Joint Services (WYJS) gave a presentation on the Kirklees Financial Fitness Community Education programme. This Training included money and debt management, consumer rights, scams and frauds and utility switching. It had been delivered in communities across Kirklees to more than 270 people. The aim of the training was to help people cope with the massive changes that are coming through welfare reform and the introduction of Universal Jobmatch. She set out the work West Yorkshire Joint Services had done in helping set up 13 ‘No Cold Calling Zones’ across Kirklees. She discussed the work on raising awareness about loan sharks, and pay day lending. Citizens Advice had advised that 1 in 10 of their clients have problems arising through taking out pay day loans. West Yorkshire Joint Services were also involved in training up more consumer champions, and delivering more training in partnership with the Kirklees Financial Inclusion Steering Group. 8 Dewsbury Regeneration Board Update Councillor Kane and Liz Curley, Kirklees Investment and Regeneration Service, gave a presentation on the activity of the Dewsbury Regeneration Board in 2012, as well as its future priorities. Councillor Kane referred to partnership work with employers such as Tesco and Magma that had resulted in local people getting jobs. He also spoke about the ‘Empty Clusters’ funding available to convert vacant commercial properties in the town centre for residential use. The Board leads on regular audits of the town centre to identify clean up works required, and to make sure they get done as quickly as possible. Priorities for the Board in 2013 included the development of a design guide, an extension of the free parking scheme until 2014, plus Phase 2 of Pioneer House. A bid had been submitted for Townscape Heritage Initiative funding. 9 Area Committee Budget 2012-13 The current balance on the Committee’s capital and revenue budget were noted. The Committee considered applications for funding. The applications were presented by John Fletcher, Head of Parks and Landscapes in Kirklees Council. RESOLVED - (1) That £47,054.50 capital for the purchase and installation of a bandstand on Long Causeway in Dewsbury Town Centre be approved. (2) That £15,000 capital for surfacing improvements to the circular path at Savile Town recreation ground be approved (3) That a request for £15,100 capital funding for security fencing on the area above Crackenedge footpath, not be approved. Highways and Parks and Landscapes are asked to reconsider the issues on the site, and develop alternative actions to address them. (4) That it be noted the £45,000 capital approved on 7th February 2012 for Highways improvements to Town Hall Way is to be returned to budget, as the project is not going ahead. (5) That it be noted a £500 discretionary grant has been awarded to Dewsbury and District Women’s Health Group to pay for business planning support and £300 discretionary grant to the Kashmir Cricket Club to help them purchase equipment. 10 Public Question Time There was one public question: At a time when Dewsbury is wanting to advertise the best of its facilities and advantages, why the former Wheelwright Grammar School Building had been renamed the Batley School of Art.