Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from James Naylor, SLM – Everyone Active.

PCSO Len Brown presented the crime statistics for Oadby and took questions.

There had been a spate of burglaries in Oadby, particularly during October.

Two types of Police operations were carried out in Oadby. This has lead to arrests locally and wider afield. Since 5 October no further burglaries have occurred.

November’s statistics should show what has been happening over the last few years.

The Council helped with petitioning to get the lights switched on until January 2018.

There is an operation to promote Neighbourhood Watch. Copies of the Neighbourhood Watch guidebooks were left for residents to take away.

Neighbourhood Watch is mainly done online. On 23 November 2017 a meeting is to take place at Woodland Grange School at 7pm. The meeting is to promote Neighbourhood Watch in the area.

The Police reported that there has been a trend in robberies focussed on Asian households. This trend relates to targeting homes where gold use is linked to the celebrating of various religious ceremonies this time of year.

The Police are promoting strategies to protect property at this time of the year from theft.

The draft minutes of the meeting held Wednesday 20 September 2017 were agreed as a true and accurate record subject to the following amendment.

The minutes are to record that at the previous meeting held on 20 September 2017, The Oadby Traders requested £2,800 for the hire of a stage, with lighting and insurance cover. The request was agreed without abstention or objection by residents and taken to Finance. Under a moratorium sustained by Finance this proposal and others previously agreed were not taken to the PFD (Policy, Finance, and Development) Committee. The Traders funding request was refused on the basis that it was revenue not capital. As a sum over £2,000 it had not been proposed using an application process format that could create a clear trail for audit and monitoring purposes, nor sustain Council Finance accountability.

Through a process of delegated authority held by the Interim Chief Executive a full listing of schemes which had been taken to Finance, including the Traders proposal for funding, were approved and all now agreed. As from 15 November 2017 the account of the Oadby Traders will be credited with the sum of £2,800.

Going forwards, awards for Resident Forum funding will be required to be for capital items only and be completed using a simplified system.

THE COUNCILS ALLOTMENTS POLICY

Following a query from residents, the Street Furniture Officer provided an update on how the Council allocates its allotments.

Allotments and the way they are administered are governed by the Allotment Acts and therefore the information below can be communicated to the Residents Forum for information but it may be there is not room for changing policy if this is the intention of discussions at the Forum.

There is a waiting list for allotments. Only residents of the Borough can apply for an allotment and be added to the waiting list. When plots become vacant they are offered to the person at the top of the waiting list in strict order. Occasionally there are reasons why the person at the top of the list cannot take on a plot at a particular time and so once they have been offered plots on three occasions and not taken a plot up then they are removed from the list.

If an existing plot holder wants to take on an additional plot then they have to go on the waiting list in order to get another one. They are then eligible for an additional plot once they have reached the top of the list.

Co-workers can be registered against a plot – once they have been a co-worker for three consecutive years on the same plot they are eligible to take over that plot once the tenant vacates, should they wish to (and assuming they live within the Borough).

GIANT POPPIES DISPLAYED ON LAMPOSTS

The question was raised as to why giant poppies were not seen on Oadby lamp posts. Central British Legion supply these giant poppies. Councillor Miss A R Bond stated she would enquire about the poppies. Councillor D M Carter informed residents that poppies placed on Borough Council lampposts are deemed to be fly posting and would require County Council permission to be attached.

PARKLANDS AND SOFT PLAY EQUIPMENT

Work is to begin, mid 2018 on the Soft Play Equipment at Parklands.  James Naylor, the representative for SLM is to circulate this information.

The Local Plan contains planning policies that drive, as well as shape sustainable development in the Borough throughout the Plan period up to 2031. The Plan will also protect and enhance the Borough’s historic heritage and green open spaces.

So far, the Council has undertaken the two stages of public consultation, the first taking place between October and November 2015, the second between November and December 2016. Those periods of consultation sought to focus upon the Key Challenges and the Preferred Options for the Borough’s Local Plan.

The comments and the responses from those previous consultation periods have been taken into account by Officers whilst producing this Pre-Submission draft document that is now to be consulted upon. The latest draft of the Local Plan contains the Council’s preferred approach to tackling the key challenges and delivering sustainable development for the Plan period. The document is currently being publicly consulted on for a six week period which commenced on Monday, 6 November through to 5pm on Monday, 18 December 2017.  The Pre-Submission Draft Local Plan and its supporting evidence based documents are available to view online on the Council’s website, or in the Council’s Customer Services Centre in Bell Street, Wigston; Wigston Library; Oadby Library; and, South Wigston Library. 

Once adopted, the new Local Plan will supersede the Saved Local Plan, the Core Strategy and the Town Centres Area Action Plan. The Borough Council will adopt the new Local Plan in Summer 2018.

No questions were raised on the contents of the Local Plan Update.

The Council is addressing the issue of recycling and bin collections. Following the survey carried out on waste management, it was noted that residents wanted weekly bin collections. This is the Council`s preferred option. There will need to be brought in wheelie bins for recycling and general rubbish.

New trucks will be required to take the weekly rubbish so the Council may have to outsource the recycling collections. The options are to be brought for public consultation next year. It was suggested that to stop foxes and birds destroying bags of litter left out the night before, residents could try buying a black bin to place the rubbish in to stop vermin tearing the bags. It was commented that most houses have six to seven bin bags and therefore bins would not hold all of the bags.

So far, the Council has undertaken the two stages of public consultation; the first taking place between October and November 2015, the second between November and December 2016. Those periods of consultation sought to focus upon the key challenges and the preferred options for the Borough’s Local Plan.

An Update was provided by the Oadby Traders representative.

The festive light switch on was a very successful, well organised event which supported community cohesion. The acts were co-ordinated by Chris Swann and consisted of diverse acts. Sarah from Knightsbridge Estate Agents co-ordinated all the retailers. Thanks were extended to them both.

Feedback was requested from any residents who attended the event. If anyone wishes to volunteer their help for next year please let Sam from Epic Accessories know.

The lights require checking. Someone climbed up a tree and vandalised them.

Planning will need to be organised for next year’s event and co-ordinated with the Council Town Centre Manager. Residents will need to be asked what they wish to see at next year’s event.

The Traders Chair was congratulated by the residents for organising the event which was enjoyed by a record number of people.

A plea for big double bins for the event was requested. Some of the current bins are not working. Council workers had to empty them on Sunday morning. It was commented that food sellers could be asked to provide big drum bins.

The overall consensus of residents was that the event was a brilliant success.

Takings to the event went up due to the increased trade. Residents were reminded that spending money in local shops goes back into the local economy.

Saturday 18 November 2017 and the third Saturday of the month in December are dates organised for Town litter picking. The times are 10am until 12 noon. Other people litter pick midweek. Refreshments will be provided. Pride of the Borough will send out an email. The email goes out monthly to inform residents of the meeting points for litter picking.

The meeting point is outside the Walter Charles Centre on Wigston Road, Oadby. An appeal was made for residents to come along and help.

Pride of the Borough will supply additional litter pickers, with equipment as long as they report occasionally and collect more bags. Where there is a lot of debris the Council will do a special pick up.

It was stated that a house on Primrose Hill had a load of cardboard dumped before it. Pride of the Borough goes and does such pickups when residents miss the bin collections.

Pride of the Borough placed a request for spare unused green bags. Should any residents have some, please contact Pride of the Borough and they will collect them. The Council then collects this debris.

Pride of the Borough cards have now run out. 750 have been ordered. Various shops give different amounts of discount. This ranges from ten to fifty percent. Members holding a valid card before the end of February 2018 will be placed into a prize draw. The prize is a three month membership of Parklands and a ticket from the Race Course for a family of four for the 24 May 2018.

New cards will be issued on 1 December 2017 for 2018. New cards can be purchased from Brocks Hill Cafe, Libraries in Oadby, Wigston and South Wigston. An application form will also be available in the Letterbox magazine.

The SLM – Everyone Active representative, James Naylor, gave apologies for his non attendance at the meeting.  The representative is to attend the next Residents Forum meeting due to be held on 28 February 2018.

Wednesday 28 February 2018.