Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies from members unable to attend the meeting

Apologies were received from Councillor D Day and Councillor Thacker.

Members to declare any personal/personal prejudicial interests in any items on this agenda

No declarations of interest were received.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting and matters arising (including update from Neighbourhood Manager)

The minutes from the meeting held 22 June 2011 were agreed to be accurate. Updates from the meeting were made available on the tables at the meeting.

Following a query from Councillor Sandford, the Neighbourhood Manager advised that 2 senior council officers were leading on the issue of grass verge parking and were considering all issues around this.  The timeframe for resolutions was around January for this to be presented to the Area Committee.

The Neighbourhood Manager advised that there would be a full agenda item involving Enterprise Peterborough and the growth team coming to a future meeting to enable full debate on the issue of allotments provision and development of/on sites.

Councillor Burton advised that the issues around Werrington Paddocks could be included on a future agenda if requested.

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

Audience members were given the opportunity to ask questions and raise issues affecting the area they lived in.  These included:

Werrington Centre development

David Hedges commented that it was 19 months since planning permission for new store at Werrington Centre was granted.  It was becoming similar to the Orton Centre which became a no go area.  Lots of maintenance and safety issues re lighting and Policing.  Many elderly residents will not go into the area after dark.  At planning meeting when approval given, said if not approved, would lose £11m of development but nothing yet.  When is it moving forward?  Will a modified application come in instead? Cllr JA Fox – spoke to a planning officer yesterday, would meet with Tesco in two weeks for an update; was advised that the petrol station would be retained but no more information than that was available.

Would proposed action/works to improve St David’s Road junction be at risk with the Tesco application?  Cllr JR Fox – Will be requesting that as part of the planning application and insist a roundabout but no new application has been put forward yet.  Highways department was seeking to put in a temporary solution.

D Hedges – Werrington Centre – can we have a formal report on progress at next meeting?

Gunthorpe Allotments

Jill Crosson, Gunthorpe – what is current position re Gunthorpe allotments? The Neighbourhood Manager advised that she would investigate and report back to the meeting.

Honeyhill Parking

Jim Smith – Honeyhill – a plan was submitted to get additional parking spaces.  Had been agreement to remove double yellow lines but nothing done yet.  Neighbourhood Manager would investigate progress.

Funding from Section 106 monies

Cllr Sandford – S106 re planning applications – who gets consulted and who decides where money is spent?  Big developments in Walton so S106 funds would be available to use and thought Neighbourhood Committees would be consulted on it use.  The Neighbourhood Manager advised that S106/POIS/CIL were subject to restrictions on the allocation of funds - 65% to strategic, 35% to Neighbourhoods which is split across city.  Needed to identify priorities for each area to present a robust case for receipt of some of that money.  Ward councillors were best to submit spending ideas to as these items could be discussed in monthly neighbourhood meetings with council officers.

ACTIONS:

1. Report on progress of Tesco development at Werrington Centre for next meeting;
2. Update committee on Gunthorpe allotment  issues; and
3. Update committee on parking  issues at Honeyhill.

A vote by elected Members on the capital budget allocation of £25,000

a) Capital Budget Allocation 2011/12

Cllr Burton introduced and moved the report on Capital Budget Allocation for 2011/12 that requested the committee approved spending proposals for the committee budget of £25,000 as detailed in the report.  This was seconded by Councillor John Fox. 

Following a query from Councillor Sandford, the Neighbourhood Manager advised that a Neighbourhood Plan was discussed regularly at Neighbourhood Management meetings to compile ward profiles in order to link priorities with spending.  No final Neighbourhood Plan had been developed yet.  Work was under way to produce detailed ward profiles with data from many sources to identify priorities.

Following a query from Councillor Fower, the Neighbourhood Manager advised that the actual location of the benches across the ward was yet to be determined.  Ward councillors could determine the best locations to further develop the proposals which would include the price of installing the benches.  David Hedges advised that any pathways needed to access the benches could be very expensive and also installation of the benches so the estimated price could be another £400 per bench.  The Neighbourhood Manager would look into total costs and see if further spending could be included as capital spend.

The committee voted and APPROVED (6 for, 1 against, 2 abstentions) an allocation of the budget to the following proposals (costs estimated):

·         The provision of 4 benches across the wards of Werrington North, Werrington South and Paston.  The benches will be sited in Fox Covert Road, Werrington Meadows and the Co-op field in Paston.  In all of these places this will provide a welcome respite for a great deal of residents as the surrounding paths and areas are well used by the community during their daily activity.  The cost of providing these benches is £750 per bench - £3,000 in total.  These benches are not the cheapest ones available but on the advice of the relevant experts these are the most cost effective option as they are relatively maintenance free and are fire resistant;

·         The provision of earth bunds at Seymour Place, Paston to prevent further occupation of unauthorised encampments.  This method of defence has provided the most effective in dealing with this type of issue in this type of setting.  Advice has been sought from the relevant officers working in this field and the proposal has been brought forward by Councillor Sue Day.  The cost of providing this is approximately £500;

·         The provision of a lockable bollard between Sapperton/Hollgate Lane.  This will prevent future illegal encampments and will enhance the work already carried out in the area paid for by Community Leadership Funding.  Advice from officers is that a lockable bollard is the best option as this will also allow for easier access to complete grounds maintenance and the emptying of all types of bins.  The cost for this is £870.

Initial briefing from the first Peterborough North Area Committee ward tour

a) Peterborough North Neighbourhood Committee Ward Tour

The Neighbourhood Manager gave a presentation on a recent ward tour which occurred following recommendations from the councillor review group for Neighbourhood Committees.  The tour involved ward councillors and service providers visiting the Neighbourhood area to see locations and issues in the area.

Comments and responses to questions included:

Cllr JR Fox – An update updates re the national grid building.  Following letters to national grid from public and officers a fence is now going to be installed around the building again.

Following a question from Councillor Sandford, the Neighbourhood Manager advised that there were 22 people on the tour in total and it cost £210 to hire the coach.  The cost for the officers’ time was not known but could find out through a Freedom of Information.

Cllr J R Fox – as a result of the tour, there will now be action at Staniland Way junction.  The Purpose of the tour was to get officers to see first hand the problems so cost of officer time not relevant.  Lawrence Wright – support the action and hope some good comes of it.  Cllr Burton – officers would not have been paid extra for attending.

Cllr Simons – was critical of the neighbourhood committees, think it is developing well now.  The ward tours are another stage of the development and can see benefits.

Cllr Fower – agree with Cllr Sandford.  Even tonight there are many members of public who have been waiting a long time for solutions to their issues.  Need to make the committees more effective.

Member of public – needs too be value for money.  Need to have decision making officers on the tours who can make decisions to change things so it is value for money if they attend.

GlennisBaley – would welcome this in our neighbourhood area.  If covered in the normal salary for officers then doesn’t matter on cost.

Cheryl Goodfellow – Paston Local Delivery Team – Valuable to have the tours but need to include local residetnts too.  Neighbourhood Manager – was the first tour in the city.  All elected members were invited on the tour too so not only officers.  Will take comment about residents attending back for consideration.  Cheryl Goodfellow – local groups have lots of local information to share.  How can they put their concerns forward?  Neighbourhood Manager – Cllr S Day is on the group so can input through ward councillors.

The Neighbourhood Manger confirmed that the tour did go through the Gunthorpe area.  Elected members had nominated where the tour would go in their wards.  Cllr J R Fox – there were multiple issues in some areas and all were brought to our attention by members of the public.  Cllr S Day – Gunthorpe was included in the tour but the Ward is not called Gunthorpe.

Enterprise Peterborough will present on how their service will develop in Peterborough and answer questions from residents

b) Enterprise Peterborough

Richard Oldfield from Enterprise Peterborough spoke about the work and future development of the services the organisation provides in the area including:

·           Street care model – cleaning and street cleansing including parks and open spaces teams;

·           Recycling – objective of 65% recycling rates, need public support to achieve this, possible food waste collection next year.

Comments and responses to questions included:

·           The city council would determine whether there was a need to change to weekly bin collections;

·           Cllr Sandford weekly bin collections could affect recycling rates;

·           Richard Oldfield – there are opportunities to help people back into work and we do include the probation service in some aspects of work;

·           Richard Oldfield – if it was known who was contaminating recycling bins, would liaise with offenders and could charge if repeat offences occurred;

·           Richard Oldfield – it would be for the Council to determine if skips were placed in certain areas.  There is a bulky collection service established already;

·           Richard Oldfield – Enterprise deal with flytipping offences and collection when reported.  The Neighbourhood Manager advised that figures were included in the matters arising from the previous meeting;

·           Richard Oldfield – new leaflet for residents will include what can be accepted for recycling;

·           Richard Oldfield – will be expanding recycling to textiles including carpets etc.  Until new recycling facility opened, limited to the current range of materials;

·           Richard Oldfield – new leaflet will explain this what plastics can and cannot be recycled;

·           S Day – have been waiting for 2 weeks at one location for fly tipping to be cleared so 3 day target not always met;

·           Richard Oldfield - standards must be maintained regardless of redundancies and there are financial penalties if standards are not achieved;

·           Richard Oldfield – charging policy for bulky collections is down to Council policy. Most bulky waste is attempted to recycle. Cllr JR Fox – as it costs to pick up the waste and process it, could collect bulky waste for free;

·           Rod Landentoft – need guidance for litter picking groups on how to report and handle flytipping to the council as some litter pickers do pick up what is classed as fly tipping to clear it away.   Richard Oldfield – if concerns, ring Peterborough Direct (747474) to get hazardous materials or items picked up.  We do try to identify those who fly tip and try to identify them from what is left; and

·           Richard Oldfield – Enterprise Peterborough was responsible for removing burnt out cars.  There are procedures to follow but they will get taken away.  Call Peterborough Direct to do this.

The launch of a youth forum to work alongside the Peterborough North Area Committee

c) Peterborough North Youth Forum

The Locality Manager requested that Youth members needed to be involved in Neighbourhood Committees.  Youth Workers, Calvin Grant and Dan Hall, introduced young people who had been on outward bound courses and had participated in National Citizens Service (NCS) projects which would be used to form a youth forum for the area.

Young people spoke about outward bound courses they had been on, their unique experiences on them in the summer and how it affected them.

Young people introduced the role of the youth forum for the area and why they wanted to be involved.  They also spoke about the NCS and what it achieved.  They further described training they had undertaken at the Town Hall for the Youth Forum and expectations for the youth forum in the Peterborough North area.  They appealed for ideas for a project to work on in this area. 

The next meeting will be held on 24^th January 2012, venue to be confirmed

The next meeting will be held on 24 January 2012.