You Said - We‟re Doing

Neighbourhood Governance programme progress report.

This report gives an overview of progress with addressing the top community priorities for Area Central as agreed by local people, councillors and partners through the „Your Say, Your Way‟ programme.

It also covers updates on priorities under the keys themes of stronger & safer communities, health & wellbeing and environment & economy.

Meeting Title Central Area Board

Date 24th October 2012

Name of Chair Councillor Tahir Khan

Reporting Marek Lubelski

Officer

Updates on Local Community Priorities

Blundell Rd recreation ground - A hidden gem Work to support a design review for the recreation ground began in May at Saints Community Festival where we gathered important feedback from local people. Many didn‟t know that the recreation ground was there due to the absence of signage. Others (particularly teenagers) said that the area was perceived as unsafe.

Improvements are difficult to achieve in the current financial climate, but LBC Parks Service have already responded by painting the entrance gates and fencing , and filling potholes in the paths. We plan to introduce some allotment provision, and to encourage wider community use to promote fitness when funding becomes available.

New play facilities will be hardest to achieve, as this will require significant external funding. The support of local people is crucial and we are Improving High looking to work with anyone in the neighbourhood who is interested to take this forward. Town Road Local businesses, community groups and Countryside access ward councillors have recently come together LBC Planning are working with local charity to support improvements Groundwork to develop a plan for enhancing and and develop High Town improving access to open space and countryside Road as a shopping within and close to Barnfield and parts of Icknield venue. wards. The group has been bidding for funding and is hopeful Research is underway with key stakeholders and that it will soon be in a position to offer up to £20k to there is an opportunity for further community support a number of projects to enhance the consultation at an event where initial suggestions environment and creativity already present on High will be on display for viewing and comment at the Town Road. Anyone interested in getting involved can Bushmead Christmas Festival on Saturday 1 find out more by attending the decision day in December. November (see following page).

The target date for recommendations on taking They have also canvassed shop keeper opinion and this forward is February 2013. are about to begin working with a representative of business in the community to draw in further support for our high street.

Better heath promotion and local NHS services The new NHS commissioning body for Luton, Luton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), has begun a programme to improve the quality of general practice in Luton. A number of practices in the central area have been prioritised to receive additional support from CCG doctor leaders to improve the following:

the ease in which patients can see their GP screening and early intervention for conditions (such as diabetes, cancer and coronary heart disease) the ability of practices to support patients with long term conditions such as diabetes and lung disease

Stronger & Safer Communities

National Citizens

Service (NCS) Young people were involved in highly successful 'social action' projects in the Barnfield and Saints wards, supported by the Community Development Service (CDS) and Cultural Tackling anti-social behaviour in High Town Trust. Over the 2012 summer, Local police teams A new cross At Bushmead they helped run Police ran have been recently partnership problem community based workshops four “Operation Turtles” reorganised and solving group is being to design and paint two large to clamp down on kerb are now looking at formed to address the murals with an environmental crawlers. A total of eight how to plan these issue from a number theme, which are now going to people were stopped operations regularly of angles and PCSOs be erected outside the and detained, with five and then become will be available in Bushmead Community Centre. admitting the offence „business as usual‟ High Town to speak and agreeing to be and get assistance to residents at local The Saints project saw young conditionally cautioned. from the wider drop in sessions. people running activities to force. support a local group that gives support to disabled children, their families and Both Summer schools provided Summer activities for carers. educational and recreational young people activities, including anti-bullying Update on burglary in LBC‟s Prevention and Early and community cohesion Intervention Team commissioned workshops. Saints two summer programmes for young people aged 13 to 19, one at Local residents in Saints can be Crescent Summer School and the reassured about issues raised other at Mitalee. about burglary. Year-on-year comparison shows that levels of 133 young people accessed the recorded burglary have decreased Crescent Summer School by 39.5% in Saints and by 23.1% programme at the Centre for Youth in South Saints since April 2011. and Community Development, and Levels are regularly monitored so 300 young people at Mitalee any rise will be quickly recognised Summer School. and addressed.

Food drive Upcoming community activities & events Volunteers and Council officers, Saturday, 17 November 2012 – High Town decision day – at working in partnership with High Town Methodist Church 11am – 2pm for local people voting Discover Islam and Age UK on which projects they want to see funded, and the best ideas for helped to run a food drive to improving the high street. help feed the 240 households Saturday, 24 November 2012 – decision day – at Denbigh below the poverty line in Luton. High School 1.30pm – 4.30pm for local people voting on which Over 5,500 items were donated projects they want to see funded by members of the public. The Council is currently Seasonal events – there will be many events and activities taking supporting the development of a place at our community centres in December (for all ages) food bank for Luton to address including fayres, parties for older and younger people and also the this major issue. chance to get children involved in the town‟s annual lantern parade.

Health & Wellbeing

Health and well being community events Community based health promotion has been proving successful in Central wards. A youth event was organised by the Bushmead Residents Association on Saturday, 22 September 2012, with funding from the „Your Say, Your Way‟ programme, attracting over 70 young people and encouraged healthy and active living as well as promoting community cohesion through a range of activities including badminton, basketball, table tennis, football coaching (by the 2 PCSOs), kwik-cricket, air hockey as well as a healthy buffet. At another event, attended by around 50 people, took place at Saints Community Centre on 4 October celebrating older people‟s day (1 October) and the full of life month of October, NHS Health Trainers

performed mini Health MOTs checking for diabetes, weight management, support for stopping smoking,

as well as advice and information stands, games and healthy refreshments.

Service updates More health checks through local GPs

Health trainers are promoting health messages specifically for An NHS health check helps to

the African Caribbean community identify your risk of developing

during Black History Month, eg heart disease, stroke, diabetes sickle cell, blood pressure, and kidney disease at an early stage so that you can take However, LBC Public Health are diabetes and prostate cancer. action to prevent those working with Luton Clinical Call 01582 55 72 66. conditions. Commissioning Group (LCCG) A new free healthy asian cooking Everyone aged between 40-74 to encourage GP practices in club is running at Beech Hill who has not already been Biscot to invite more of their Children‟s Centre on Tuesdays 1- diagnosed with one of these patients to have a check. Public Health are also looking into 3pm, and at Hatters Children conditions can have a health check through their GP. using community venues to offer Centre on Wednesdays 9.30- As of the end of August, GP NHS health checks to residents 11.30am. Call 01582 70 74 00. practices in Biscot had who do not access them through between them only delivered their GP, while health trainers

just over 20 per cent of their have actively been promoting

target heath checks. health checks across the ward.

Stop smoking Improving access to sports facilities Stop smoking services are now available at Community Following on from four introductory Centre 1 – 4pm every Monday. sessions for young people held in the The advisor can speak Urdu and summer through the community Bengali. To access this service call centre, community access to the 01582 54 84 33. The service can multi-use games area at Bushmead provide Nicotine replacement Primary School will be improved by: therapy (eg patches) for free for those that don‟t pay for their organised sports sessions planned for Tuesday and Thursday mornings during October half term prescription or at prescription cost weekly Saturday morning sessions from 3 for those that do pay for November to 15 December (all 10am to midday) prescriptions.

Environment & Economy

New local plan moves ahead The Borough Council local plan process is underway and initial research on neighbourhood and district centres has collated site development opportunities including potential opportunities in High Town to encourage a mixed use approach (employment, housing and green space).

The local plan will include a chapter on neighbourhood & district centres.

This will set out the strategic approach to development which will in turn

shape and be shaped by any proposed Neighbourhood Plan process. We

anticipate that more detailed consultation with local residents and

stakeholders on neighbourhood centres will begin in summer 2013.

New courses for residents NEET support The level of young people not in education, employment or The Council‟s Luton Adult Learning service has unveiled a new look to training (NEET) is below the coincide with an increase in the range of courses and learning town‟s target in the four opportunities on offer, falling into distinct learning strands - „business wards in Area Central. Just and skills‟, „community learning‟ and „leisure learning. 5.5 per cent of young people aged 13 to 19 are NEET The „business and skills‟ strand includes apprenticeships, while the whereas the target for the „community learning‟ strand includes ESOL for living in the UK and town is 6.5 per cent. confidence building with English and Maths and also a range of Young people in Area Central community information workshops including preparing for retirement, are able to access intensive affordable warmth, money management, democracy and volunteering. information, advice and guidance on an ongoing, „Leisure Learning‟ courses are aimed at people looking for a bit of fun one-to-one basis either at the and relaxation, or as a new hobby including floristry/flower arranging, town centre drop-in centre or various arts and crafts, health and beauty, hair care, fashion, in the community through dressmaking, stitched textiles, food studies, computing, foreign their Personal Adviser. The languages, recreation and exercise. To find out more about how we drop-in centre also offers can support learning needs in your community, visit interview practice sessions. www.lutonacl.ac.uk or call us on 01582 49 00 33.

Improving traffic in Biscot The Council‟s Civil Enforcement Officers are deployed to Bury Park and the Dunstable Road area on a daily basis. The level of enforcement is comparatively high, with 349 visits and 119 notices issues in September 2012 on Dunstable Rd.

New traffic signals installed at Birch Link will be more efficient with better vehicle detection and computer control. On Dunstable Road/ Lincoln Roads we have extended the no waiting at anytime restriction further into Lincoln Road and away from the junction and the school, thereby helping to ease congestion, subject to successful enforcement. Construction of the Busway should be largely complete by late Jan/early Feb 2013, with services due to start running from May 2013.

New routes have been agreed with both Arriva and Centrebus with real time passenger information, and they have purchased vehicles together with smartcard enabled ticket machines. It is envisaged that the new Busway should help to relieve through traffic on Dunstable Rd.

'Your Say, Your Way' ..in Central Luton

Your Local Councillors

Barnfield

Cllr Rachel Hopkins [email protected] Cllr Martin Pantling [email protected] Councillor Surgeries – Second Saturday of every month 10.30am – midday - Bushmead Community Centre, Hancock Drive

Biscot

Cllr Mohammed Ayub [email protected] Cllr Naseem Ayub [email protected] Cllr Tahir Khan [email protected] Councillor Surgeries – First and last Saturday of every month 10am - midday Bury Park Community Resource Centre, 161 Dunstable Road

High Town

Cllr Andrew Malcolm [email protected] Cllr Roxanna Whittaker [email protected] Councillor Surgeries - Every Thursday 10 – 11am – High Town Community Centre, Concorde Street

Saints

Cllr Asma Rathore [email protected] Cllr Mohammed Riaz [email protected] Cllr Raja Mohammed Saleem [email protected] Councillor Surgeries - Last Saturday of every month 10am – midday – Saints Community Centre, Solway Road North

For further information on this report Central Luton Policing Team or the ‘Your Say, Your Way’

Luton Police Station, Buxton Road, programme please call Community Luton, LU1 1SD Development Service on 01582 54 87 79 or email: Email: LPT.Luton- [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.bedfordshire.police.uk Or visit Call your local police on 101 www.luton.gov.uk/neighbourhood