Agenda and minutes

The Chairman advised that a member of the press wished to take photographs of the proceedings and sought the meeting’s agreement. 

It was agreed that the press could take photographs of the meeting.

To receive any apologies from members unable to attend the meeting.

None

None

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2012.

The minutes from the meeting held on 13 September 2012 were agreed as an accurate record.

The Neighbourhood Manager advised that updates and details of completed actions had been provided in the handouts on the tables and were also highlighted on the rolling presentation.  Key points raised were:

Youth Provision

·        Paul Phillipson, Executive Director Operations, confirmed that the Council was actively looking at two locations but could not confirm provision yet.  He reassured the meeting that this issue was high on the agenda.

·        A member of the public asked for a commitment on the level of funding as that was the key factor.  Paul advised that he was unable to make that commitment as the Council’s budget discussions were currently ongoing; however the Council were working hard to provide services but difficult decisions would need to be made.

a)                 Update on Proposals for New School Located at Gladstone Park Community Centre

(Jon Lewis, Assistant Director Education & Resources, Peterborough City Council)

a) Update on Proposals for New School Located at Gladstone Park Community Centre

Jonathan Lewis, Assistant Director Education and Resources gave a presentation on the proposals for a new school at Gladstone Park Community Centre.  The key points were: 

·         The priority for the Council was to ensure local school places for local children; allowing parental choice and ensuring there was a range of successful and different schools within the city.

·         There were a number of pressures on school place planning in the city including birth rates, migration, Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) and economic growth.

·         The preferred site for the new primary school was the Gladstone Park Community Centre.  It would be a 420 pupil school and would cost an estimated £6.5m to build.  It was expected to be open by September 2014.  The current community facilities at the site would remain.

·         Formal consultation on the proposal would begin shortly.

Comments and responses to questions included:

·         Councillor Nadeem thanked Jonathan and his team for their work in bringing this scheme forward.  He was pleased that they had worked with the community and community leaders and encouraged everyone to get involved in the consultation.  He advised that he had also discussed the budget shortfall with the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Education.

·         Councillor Cereste confirmed that the Council were supportive of a new school and he was 99.9% sure that the funding would be found.  The Government had put forward an extra billion in schools funding and the Council would make a bid for some of that money.

·         Councillor Khan welcomed the commitment that the money would be found for the project but questioned why money had not already been earmarked for the project.  In response, Jonathan advised that the project had been expected to have been ready for 2015 so was later in the capital programme.

·         Councillor Jamil asked whether the current community use of the Centre would be maintained.  Jonathan advised that they were aware of all the uses of the Centre and would be looking to preserve their use.  The school would be designed around such use.

·         Councillor Murphy requested that the Council ensure that the provision at the Children’s Centre was not reduced.  He also asked what the other options were for provision of the school.  In response Jonathan confirmed that the Children’s Centre was a key vehicle within Children’s Services and they were committed to maintaining a Children’s Centre in the area.  He was unable to discuss the other sites at this time but would be happy to do so when he was able.

·         A member of the public asked how the new school would fit in with Gladstone School.  Jonathan advised that he did not yet know but needed to look at how the education side could be delivered.  The plans would be discussed with the other schools and governors.

·         Councillor Swift asked if the Council were looking for a sponsor to make a contribution to the school or for them to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

An opportunity for any member of the public, elected and co-opted members of the Neighbourhood Committee to raise anything that affects your area and to suggest items for future meetings. 

Attendees of the meeting were given the opportunity to ask questions and raise issues affecting the areas in which they lived. These included:

·         Brian Gascoyne advised that he was frustrated that the Licensing Committee had been unable to refuse an application for an alcohol licence despite everyone objecting.  In 2005 there had been 16 places selling alcohol in the area and now it was 80.  A Cumulative Impact Zone was being looked at for the area and he would welcome the support of this meeting in trying to stop the spread of alcohol licences.

·         Paul Phillipson advised that whilst he was sympathetic with the Licensing Committee on the decision which they had to make they were unable to refuse a licence on need.  The Cumulative Impact Zone would introduce a presumption that licences would not be granted for licensed premises.  The Council would be consulting on this and intended to take it to the Licensing Committee in January.  There was also an additional option of a Late Night Levy, which could be imposed on premises which were open between midnight and 6am, where an additional fee could be charged to those premises.  He would urge everyone to continue to submit their objections and views if any other licence applications came forward.

·        A member of the public stated that some licence applications may be from shopkeepers who were trying to protect their business by becoming a one stop shop.  Paul advised that that view should be included within the consultation.

·        Councillor Khan advised that a licence application in Star Road had recently been refused.  Could the Neighbourhood Manager investigate on what grounds it had been refused and report back to this meeting.

·        A member of the public advised that the Committee’s previous decision to award £9,000 to resurface the Astroturf was now a waste of time due to the proposed new pitch planned for the new school.  Cate Harding advised that a decision had now been made to reallocate the £9,000 to other projects due to the school scheme.

The next meeting will be held on Monday 4 March 2013 at Gladstone Park Community Centre.

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Monday 4 March 2013 at the Gladstone Park Community Centre.