CONNAH’S QUAY TOWN COUNCIL Minutes of Meetings held Wednesday, 3 September 2008 Present: (Attendance Register) Councillor R.V. Hill (Chair) presiding Councillors J.B. Attridge, Mrs P M Attridge, D. Barratt, Mrs. E.M. Barratt, J.B. Bone, A.I. Dunbar, C. Granger, W. Hastings, R.V. Hill, K. Kelly, R.P. MacFarlane, E.W. Owen, A.J. Roberts, A.P. Shotton Mr. Gary Feather (Clerk & Financial Officer) Mrs. C. Jones (Senior Administrative Officer) 083. NOTICE OF MEETING The notice of meeting was taken as read. 084. APOLOGIES Apologies for non-attendance were received from Councillors P.J. Wainwright, I.R. Smith, D. Birch, P.Kindlin and R.V. Williams. 085. POLICE CONSULTATIVE ARRANGEMENTS (47) The Chair welcomed CBM Rob Stevenson to the meeting. CBM Stevenson introduced the new PCSO Danny Hughes to councillors and submitted Inspector Darren Wareing and Sergeant Iwan Jones’ apologies due to been involved in early operations. The CBM Stevenson reported back on items previously discussed at the 3 July 2008 meeting:- (a) Police horses – they will visit Connah’s Quay once a month and will act as traffic calming measures to slow traffic down. (b) Youths congregating at Hillside Avenue – there has been only one phone call since the last meeting and that was not related to youths congregating. Visible patrols are continuing and all off licences have been involved in a test purchase scheme. Many outlets have failed the test and if they fail three times they are therefore and have been prosecuted by trading standards also persons buying alcohol for underage youths have had their property seized. Proxy sales ongoing operation – youths have been dealt with by means of a yellow card. (c) Anti-social behaviour at Primrose Street/Howard Street and Dodds Drive – CBM Stevenson assured Councillors that patrols would continue. CPSO Hughes has spent a lot of time in this area and has also been involved with the County Council’s Clean Team. (d) Alcohol Free Zone, Wepre Park – signs are up and there has been an operation at the Park about a week and half ago. The alcohol free zone has been brought to the attention of the Press who have issued a release, as the signs are very small. (e) CCTV – a report was submitted to the Clerk of all jobs reported and how they are utilised a total of 89 calls were received between January and August 2008. (f) Youths anti-social behaviour at the Courts – contact has been made with the County Council’s Housing Department. This area has been included in the sales of alcohol operation and hopefully residents will see an improvement due to PCSO Danny Hughes and Sian Atkinson and myself having spent a lot of time in this area. (g) Youth Worker, Connah’s Quay – the Officers of Deeside Police fully support the Town Council in the endeavours to have a full time Youth Worker and enquired whether there had been any progress. Councillor A.J. Roberts asked that another letter be sent to the County Council as the Clerk had written a letter but to date had received no reply. (h) Gas canister set alight at Wepre Park – there have been no more instances of fires being lit at the park. (i) Damaged signpost in the vicinity of the Quay House – no incidents of criminal damage had been reported and there was no sign on the floor. N.B. Councillor A.P. Shotton entered the meeting at this juncture. (j) Motto-bike, Hillside Avenue – there had been a call regarding this motto-bike and when officers attended there was no sign of the bike. North Wales Police have a anti-social behaviour system in place that anyone complaining should be contacted by the police within 2/3 days and in some instances due to volume of work 24 hrs. Councillor E.W. Owen reported another instance of the motto-bike and would submit evidence of this to CBM Stevenson. The following matters were raised by Councillors and discussed:- (i) Councillor A.I. Dunbar requested extra patrols in Wepre Park as youths had been seen with beer crates entering Wepre Park and also referred to an instance last Tuesday night when a youth had a crate of beer on his bike in the vicinity of the Council Offices. CBM Stevenson stated that this could have been a test purchase and that patrols would continue at Wepre Park as part of an action plan. (ii) Councillor J.B. Attridge expressed his concern at the amount of failed test purchases of sales to under age persons and asked what is the policy. CBM Stevenson stated that when an establishment has failed the test purchase they are given a written warning by Trading Standards and if they fail a third time the matter is referred to Licensing and they could be closed down. Following the recent trials a member of staff has been dismissed and 2 members of staff suspended and in one off licence is in fact closing down – this was across Deeside. CBM Stevenson further reported that he is now in charge of Off Watch and would keep monitoring the situation. (iii) Councillor J.B. Attridge reported that he had recently attended a Neighbourhood Police Panel meeting and the matter of parking on double yellow lines had been discussed and an Officer had stated that this problem is not a priority. He further reported instances of double parking at the junction of Howard Street, which is dangerous as it is in the vicinity of the school. CBM Stevenson stated that 1212 he is very keen on road safety and it is prioritised, verbal warnings are given and in some cases prosecutions. (iv) Councillor J.B. Attridge reported that there has been a lot of anti-social behaviour at Chapel Court, youths are drinking on a regular basis, broken bottles and rubbish are strewn everywhere and residents in the area are very frightened and asked for more regular patrols. CBM Stevenson reported that they are aware of the situation and CPSO Hughes and Atkinson are visiting the area and doing what they can. (v) Councillor D. Barratt reported that youths are congregating between midnight and 1.00 a.m. on Friday evenings in the Broadway area and causing anti-social behaviour and criminal damage. CBM Stevenson noted. (vi) Councillor A.J. Roberts referred to a recent burglary at Wepre Inn when items were taken from a car and to a conversion by one of Deeside Police who stated that two out of the sixteen cameras were not working and expressed his concern as it costs the Town Council a lot of money for the annual maintenance of the cameras. He further stated that the Clerk should be informed if any cameras are not working. CBM Stevenson stated that there had been a technical problem that night and that normally the cameras are repaired within 24 hrs. (vii) Councillor R.P. MacFarlane reported instances of drug taking in the Golftyn area and of his concern that no prosecutions have been made and residents are affected in their daily business. CBM Stevenson reported that there has been a high level of police patrols, both high visibility and covert, stop and search which is aimed at disrupting the supply of controlled substances and these patrols will continue. (viii) Councillor A.P. Shotton referred to the matter raised by Councillor J.B. Attridge of parking on double yellow lines at the junction of Howard Street and of a child’s fatality in this vicinity, which is a sensitive subject and residents need to have the assurance that Deeside Police will challenge an obstruction. CBM Stevenson stated that drivers causing serious obstructions would be prosecuted. (ix) Councillor A.P. Shotton reported his concerns about the cluster of youths causing anti-social behaviour in the Central Ward and of the problems at Chapel Street. Officers are continuing to patrol the area and in fact one youth was banned from entering into Connah’s Quay. (x) Councillor W. Hastings had been informed by a resident of Halkyn View that youths have been spotted coming out of Wepre Park with alcohol and seen heading for Wepre Inn. CBM Stevenson stated that an operation is in place in identifying underage drinking. (xi) Councillor W. Hastings referred to the three thefts of lead within a year from St David’s Church and enquired whether this involved manhole covers and if there had been any leads. CBM Stevenson stated that he was not aware that any manhole covers have been taken and with regards to lead Deeside Police are in close contact with scrap dealers in the area and also surrounding areas and they now mark their lead. Thefts are low in the Connah’s Quay area and arrests have been made. The Chair thanked CBM Stevenson and CPSO Hughes for their valuable assistance. 1212 86. PROPOSED INSTALLATION OF WASTE TREATMENT PROCESS PLANT AT CORUS WORKS The Chair welcomed Mr Gary Nancarrow, Flintshire County Council, Mr Steve Whatmore, Director and Mr Andy Gilbert, Consultant of Orchid Environmental Ltd to the meeting. Mr. Nancarrow gave an overview of the waste processing facility, as the environment statement does not cover everything. He further stated that the consultation process is 16 weeks and ends on the 29 October. The proposal is for household and commercial waste to be processed, it could either be Flintshire County Council’s or private waste and it is estimated that there will be 160k tonnes per annum transported by 130 vehicles a day (65 in 65 out), 6 days a week and will have access onto the A548 and roads in and around Connah’s Quay will not be used.