JOINT SPRINGFIELD WARD & POLICE TASKING MEETING 6 SEPTEMBER 2017 AT MOSELEY SCHOOL, HEALTH & FITNESS CENTRE, SPRINGFIELD ROAD ACTION NOTES In Attendance Councillors Habib Rehman, Shabrana Hussain & Mohammed Fazal Also attending - Kay Thomas, Neighbourhood Development & Support Unit John Mole, Community Development & Support Officer Eddie Fellows, Amey There were 35 residents in attendance. Apologies Sergeant Chughtai Agenda Item Action Cllr Rehman elected as Chair 1. Election of a Chair 2. Notice of Recordings Noted 3. Notes of Last Meeting Noted 4. Police Tasking Issues A police report had been submitted and circulated. The Chair highlighted the spike in burglaries but that the police were following leads to hopefully secure arrests. Two people had been charged with fly tipping at Sarehole Mill & Swanshurst Park Swanshurst Park and a vehicle seized. With regard to the travellers, the Chair injunction - Chair to update at advised that he had a meeting with the Head of Environmental next meeting Health to discuss an injunction for Swanshurst Park, similar to that agreed for parks in Selly Oak. Members of the travelling community referred to comments posted on the B13 News website that were racist and threatening towards travellers. Police had previously stated that hate crime would not be tolerated and therefore action was sought in respect of the comments posted as they lived in constant fear for their safety. The travellers advised that they were working with the Head of Environmental Services to find a site for a transit camp and residents were asked to request that a camp be identified in the City. In response to questions the meeting was advised that the site at Castle Vale was a permanent site and not a transit site. A transit camp was in the interest of local residents and it gave the police powers to move travellers. Residents requested the Chair to find out where the proposed transit camps were to be situated. The Chair undertook to take up the points raised at the meeting with the Head of Environmental Services and with Sergeant Chughtai. 1 Further issues were raised by residents as follows; − Speeding – resident had been advised by the sergeant that the local enforcement equipment was out of date. Other areas had traffic teams from outside the area and this was something that should be applied to Springfield to ensure some enforcement action. The Chair referred to the police briefing note and that speeding operations had been undertaken on Formans, College Roads and Reddings Lane. Yardley Wood Road & Wake Green Road were highlighted as roads plagued by speeding. Often the cars were high performance vehicles that also created a noise nuisance. − Groups of boys on bikes, cycling dangerously − HGV lorry’s parked on Swanshurst Lane − Parking problems – the problems were intensifying and enforcement was needed as there was a danger for pedestrians and those using wheelchairs, pushchairs etc. The Chair and sergeant were requested to seek some action so that the issues did not have to be raised at each meeting. The Chair referred to a parking enforcement exercise undertaken recently by the police that was publicized across the city and was something that other wards had sought to copy. Some residents felt that the police should not be repeatedly asked to deal with parking. It was further suggested that bollards be placed on pavements to prevent parking and save money being repeatedly spent on repairing the footpath. − Drugs – connected with the parking problem – drugs were being dealt from parked cars − 36 Avondale Road – this property was being used as a home for vulnerable children and was creating noise nuisance and disturbance to neighbours. There were 6 children living at the property but neighbours had not had any information from the planning department prior to the change of use. The Chair undertook to ask the sergeant to add the property to the list of homes/hostels to receive a visit. − Actions:- Police requested to organize speed checks Sergeant Chughtai on Yardley Wood Road, Swanshurst Lane and Wake Green Road. − Parking – solution required so issue not raised each meeting. Issue had intensified and was a danger to pedestrians. − 36 Avondale Road – HMO for vulnerable children – to be added to list for a visit. 5. Future Format of Meetings 2 The Chair advised that at the next meeting it was planned to break into groups to discuss local concerns, identify 3/4 priorities and solutions as a community and work on those going forward. Facilitators would be invited to the meeting to assist. 6. Local Innovation Fund John Mole outlined the LIF process and advised that Springfield had allocated £28k to the Springfield Project which left a further £20k unallocated. Attock Cricket Club had submitted an alternative bid. Attock Cricket Club Naz Khan set out the proposal for LIF funding and made reference to the previous bid which had met with some opposition from local residents who used Windermere playing field who had been led to believe the cricket club wanted to stop public use and build changing facilities etc. This had not been the intention but it had been decided not to go ahead with what had been planned. The cricket club had capacity to do more and reach more young people from across the community and therefore had a new proposal to extend the facilities to enable more matches to be played. The £15k requested would enable the existing synthetic strips which were old and dangerous to be removed and replaced to enable more games to be played. Local businesses were willing to help fund and volunteers had offered their time. It was intended to set up a girls team. In response to questions, the following responses were given; − There was not currently a waiting list as the club had increased its junior and senior teams by one and teams played friendly games. Most children came through Moseley School. − The club was DDA compliant but had not been asked to accommodate a child with special needs. If a request was made arrangements would be put in place − Parking for matches etc had been negotiated with Moseley School − The club was working with the county cricket club and primary schools to encourage more girls to join and younger children to participate. Awareness and taster sessions would be held to encourage girls. − The club wanted to set up a girls team by April 2018 and had the support of Warwickshire. − Attock management committee had 4 women members. Residents then made the following comments; − The proposal appeared to be for the benefit of a few people rather than the entire community − The concern expressed previously had been in relation to the lack of consultation with residents living around Windermere playing fields and the significant impact that the initial proposal would have on wildlife. 3 − A Friends of Windermere Playing Fields had been established and they would be happy to work with the cricket club. − Residents felt that the LIF had not been advertised widely enough. − There was concern expressed by a resident who had wanted to apply for LIF but had been told his proposal did JM to not meet the criteria and he felt a judgment had been discuss/advise made before the details were known. John Mole to discuss outside the meeting. − Attock should start to recruit girl players from schools during the next few weeks as the new term started. The scouting movement could also assist with recruitment. − Initially there had been some discussion regarding The Springfield Project and Attock collaborating but although the Springfield Project had attempted to contact the club no response had been received. Naz Khan undertook to take on board the points raised and work through with the officers. 7. Five Year Highway Programme - Amey Eddie Fellows, Highway Director, Amey explained that there had been an agreement with the City Council to negotiate a revised method of prioritizing highway and footway works so there was not a current 5 year highway programme and councilors had not been consulted on work for 2017. A way forward had now been agreed that used different methods of specification and it was hoped to agree to develop a 5 year programme before Christmas. He undertook to report to the meeting when more details were available. Residents then asked the following questions; − There was an issue with inconsistent approaches to dropped kerbs and who was able to benefit from a discount and was eligible for the work. − It was very difficult for residents to find out who was responsible for repairs, works etc. Amey needed to be more accountable to residents and more contactable. It was very difficult to obtain information or find reports from Amey − Grass verges along Yardley Wood Road had been repaved but had been damaged within weeks as no protection had been included. − Lamp columns around the ward appeared in different colours − Query over tree planting Eddie Fellows responded; − 4 Highway Stewards were in the process of being appointed to cover the four areas of the City. They would come to meetings and work with residents. − The work undertaken was tied to specific specifications – the colour of the lampposts was a specific chosen by each District − Grass verges had to be kept safe by Amey and therefore 4 the grass was cut and safety inspectors had to inspect by looking for defects and repairing. Bollards could be installed in some instances but there was a maintenance cost as bollards were often damaged. − There was some flexibility around tree planting and specific details could be discussed at the conclusion of the meeting. − Dropped kerbs were installed by BCC and whichever contractor was chosen although Amey did sometimes assist where there was a backlog.