BOWES, SOUTHGATE AND SOUTHGATE GREEN AREA FORUM - 7.3.2006 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOWES, SOUTHGATE AND SOUTHGATE GREEN AREA FORUM HELD ON TUESDAY, 7 MARCH 2006 COUNCILLORS PRESENT Yasemin Brett, Achilleas Georgiou, Robert Hayward, David Schofield, Terence Smith and Ann Zinkin ABSENT Alan Barker, Jeff Rodin and Edward Smith OFFICERS: Barry Agnew (Environment), Ray Brewer (Environment) and Lee Rider (Enviro Crime) Natalie Cole (Secretary) and Mehmet Mehmet-Emin (Secretary) Also Attending: 1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Barker, E. Smith and Rodin and apologies for lateness were received from Councillor Brett and PC Bovingdon. 2 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS NOTED that there were no declarations of interest in relation to items on the agenda. 3 UPDATE FROM THE POLICE RECEIVED a verbal update from PC Bovingdon, Southgate Safer Neighbourhoods Team. NOTED a. The Southgate Safer Neighbourhoods Team had recently held a community consultation event and the priorities set were: 1) Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) and drug taking around Southgate Circus, 2) ASB and related issues in Highlands Village and Chaseville Parade (which had been a previous priority) and, 3) parking and traffic issues in Leigh Hunt Drive; b. Streetlamps were being stolen in Highlands Village. Residents were asked to stay vigilant and to dial 999 if they saw thieves, who used ladders to reach the top of lampposts; - 1 - BOWES, SOUTHGATE AND SOUTHGATE GREEN AREA FORUM - 7.3.2006 c. Gangs travelling into the area by tube were targeting young people inside fast food restaurants and robbing them, mainly for mobile phones; d. Southgate Green Ward had a new Police Constable, PC Aris Nicholides and the Bowes Ward had PC Dean Smith. Both were currently lone workers, however, the MET Commissioner and Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, were still committed to supplying a Safer Neighbourhoods Team to every ward by April 2006. NOTED the following question and answer session: Q1 Resident Major Horsfall requested that the possibility of CCTV cameras being installed around Southgate Station be discussed. A. Two twin-headed CCTV poles had been installed in Southgate. One opposite Southgate Tube Station and another near the Bank of Cyprus, Chase Side. The cameras were to be used primarily for traffic purposes, although, as the CCTV Centre in Claverings Estate, Edmonton, would control them and be able to view live incidents, police and safety matters will take precedence. Transport for London (TfL) had indicated that it intended to install CCTV in Southgate Tube Station during refurbishments of Southgate, Bounds Green, Oakwood and Cockfosters tube stations. Councillor Zinkin had been informed the previous day that the Council might move one of the CCTV poles to face the tube station, rather than Chase Side. Q2. Resident, John Waller asked what the comparative merits, effectiveness and costs of Police Officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) in combating crime were? A. PCSOs were a valuable resource and dealt with issues for Police Constables (PCs) that would otherwise detract them from core duties. PC Bovingdon could not give an actual cost as there were different scales of pay depending on what officer’s job roles were. PCSOs were committed to the community and had extensive powers, which could be seen on the police website ( www. met .police .uk ). Q3. A resident felt that the installation of CCTV in Palmers Green had caused crime to be displaced, especially around the Alderman’s Hill area, please comment. A. PC Bovindon stated that the displacement of crime was an issue, which arose in every area of policing. Once the Borough had joined-up Safer Neighbourhoods Teams throughout, the Police would be able to take measures against the displacement of crime. - 2 - BOWES, SOUTHGATE AND SOUTHGATE GREEN AREA FORUM - 7.3.2006 Councillor Zinkin requested that crime figures for those areas where CCTV had been put in place and where crime had increased nearby. be provided at the next meeting. PC Bovingdon would provide some figures, however, asked the Forum to note that crime was not often formally reported at police stations but rather residents informally informed Officer’s of incidents while they patrolled areas and so figures presented were not often a true reflection. ACTION: PC BOVINGDON Q4. Who was responsible for enforcing traffic laws such as those concerning the running of red lights and the blocking of yellow boxes, specifically the Clockhouse Junction and Telford Way? A. The police service’s traffic division was responsible. PC Bovingdon would take details of individual cases at the end of the meeting. Q5. John Waller asked when Enfield Council would install a CCTV camera in Stoneham Road to combat crime and fly-tipping? A. PC Bovingdon advised that residents were required to apply to the Council for CCTV, who would consider any representations. Q6. Would the new CCTV poles in Southgate spot drivers who illegally turn right onto Chase Road from Winchmore Hill Road. A. Police Officers often spent time at the location, issuing tickets to those drivers who failed to go around the roundabout in order to access Chase Road. PC Bovingdon would investigate if the coverage of the CCTV poles could include the entrance to Chase Road, although it was not the area of priority for the cameras. 4 MINUTES a. Minutes The Minutes of the meeting held on 31 January 06 were confirmed as a correct record with the following amendments: (i) Southgate CPZ (Minute No. 6 (b) (iii)) NOTED that this comment should refer to Chase Side and not Southgate High Street; (ii) Area Forum Venue (Minute No. 7 (a) Question 8) NOTED that this paragraph should refer to the Bowes Ward being underrepresented and not Southgate Green. b. Matters Arising - 3 - BOWES, SOUTHGATE AND SOUTHGATE GREEN AREA FORUM - 7.3.2006 The following matters arose: (i). Asda (Minute No. 4 (b)(i)) Andy Higham, Planning Officer confirmed that the reason there had been a delay in commencing any enforcement action was that Asda had initially been keen to submit an amended scheme to address the Council’s concerns. As a result, officers had been in discussion with them to seek a negotiated solution. However, in the absence of any progress with this, the decision had been made to serve an enforcement notice. (ii) Blagdens Close Pavements (Minute No. 7(a)(i)) NOTED that works were completed 6 March 06 (iii) Lamp post in The Rye (Minute No. 7(b)) NOTED that a letter was sent to Mrs Eady on 7 March 06. (iv) Broomfield House (Minute No. 7(a) (c) Question 7) Keith Moss, Asset Review Manager reported that: (A) Plans for the proposed scheme for Broomfield House and Annex showed approximately 40 parking spaces in the depot yard excluding exclusive spaces for the stable block building; (B) Consultant traffic engineers concluded that there was capacity in local streets to cope with such street parking demands as may arise at peak times; (C) Resident, Mrs van der Knaap expressed that the amount of space that would be lost to the park if the proposal went ahead was unacceptable and felt the park was more important than the House; (D) Councillor Zinkin informed residents that Councillor Rye, Leader of the Council, had met with the group opposing the proposals for the House to explain the proposals in detail and that the Council would be producing a document, which would be made available publicly, detailing the proposals; (F) Mr Henry Lamprecht, a Trustee of Broomfield House, informed residents that the Trust would be consulting with residents and would also be working very closely with the Council and might consider other options for the House such as a memorial. 5 PUBLIC SESSION - 4 - BOWES, SOUTHGATE AND SOUTHGATE GREEN AREA FORUM - 7.3.2006 a. Advance Issues (i) 125 Bus Stop on Winchmore Hill Road, N14 Resident, Mrs. Heaton spoke about the bus stop “U912/St. Thomas Road” in Winchmore Hill Road. She had written to TfL and suggested a “bus cage” be installed to stop cars parking in the bus stop area so that buses did not have to stop in the road and passengers did not have to walk into the road when getting on and off buses. TfL had not agreed the suggestion and Mrs Heaton was now appealing to the Council for assistance. Ray Brewer, Acting Head of Environmental Health and Regulation, explained that TfL had submitted a number of bus stop schemes to LBE and the Council had refused this particular scheme. The bus stop had also been placed in the wrong location and so TfL would be relocating it. Council Officers would ensure this matter was resolved. (ii) Various - John Waller Resident John Waller asked the following questions: (A) Would such a forum be established prior to the elections of May 2006 to discuss the A406 improvements and the planning blight in the area? Councillor Hayward stated that it was not likely that a forum would be established prior to the elections. Councillor Georgiou supported the idea of a sub forum to resolve the planning blight and commented that it would make more sense for the Bowes, Southgate Green and Palmers Green Wards to be part of the same Area Forum as the Bowes Ward had little similarities to the Southgate Ward. Councillor Georgiou suggested reviewing the Area Forum Groups, making them more applicable to the areas they relate to. Many residents expressed agreement to this proposal. (B) What were the proposals of Officers to satisfactory resolve issues including repetitious flytipping, namely around Shrewsbury Rd/Maidstone Rd N11? Ray Brewer explained that funding for a gating scheme had been made available. Planning Committee had refused the initial scheme and an alternative proposal would be considered.