Agenda and minutes

None received.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. He followed with a reminder that Forums exist through the Council`s work with businesses and the Police.  Furthermore, he reiterated that should there be any issues with such bodies in relation to any Forum deliberations, they should be reported to the Community Engagement Officer, who can be contacted by email at veronika.quintyne@oadby-wigston.gov.uk the Community Engagement Officer will take said issues to the Council for resolution. 

In conclusion, residents and elected Councillors have no right to demand that the Police attend residents’ Forums. It was acknowledged that the Police need to prioritise their duties over attending Forum meetings.

Officer Len Browne apologised for Police non-attendance at the last meeting.

Officer Len Browne provided the following Police update:

·         Operation Behold has been running for the past three months.

·         During October, the number of Officers patrolling will increase.

·         Police are working with the local Neighbourhood Watch.

·         External force Police Officers are also on patrol.

·         Support to victims of crime is being followed up.

·         Residents were invited to feedback information via Neighbourhood link at: www.neighbourhoodlink.co.uk

·         Burglaries are lower than this time last year.

·         Speeding operations have taken place, supported by resident’s information.

·         No one has been caught using a mobile phone whilst driving.

·         Anti-Social behaviour that has been reported has mainly concerned drug use in motor vehicles.

·         On a previous report of anti-social behaviour at a local sports bar, the Police noted; the Council`s Anti-Social Behaviour Officer had investigated this, found nothing and had spoken to Landlords.

·         The Police were aware of previous complaints of anti-social behaviour. This is on the Police’s radar.

·         The Wheel Bar has since closed.  Its car park is private property, people congregating were customers from next door.

·         Residents were reminded they could ring 101 to report any anti-social behaviour. They were advised to keep a diary of events, which can be used to inform the Anti-Social Behaviour Officer in taking action.

·         The Police Officer noted there is currently a petition being actioned to request the Police are given an additional £10 million to put into services. Residents were urged to sign the petition.

The minutes were agreed as a true and accurate record.

Page 1:On Oadby Library Service, a request has been made to the Librarian to provide a response to the questions raised by residents from the points listed in the minutes of 13 June 2018. A written response was provided.

Page 1: A Council response was shared with residents as to access to Oadby Customer Services.

Page 3: The Chair provided a verbal response to residents. The small carpark is private property over which the Council has no jurisdiction.

Page 3: A request was made to Nigel Thomas, the County Council Assistant Director & Head of Service for Communities and Wellbeing to; respond to a request by residents for information as to when the consultation decision was made to; change how the future Library Service will work.  A response was provided.

Page 3: The Oadby Swimming Pool Site. Following the previous update provided at the 13 June Residents Forum meeting, there is no change in developments around the old Oadby Swimming Pool Site.

Page 4: A written proposal for a grit bin has been received in respect to the Blackthorn Manor Estate. The head of the Oadby Depot has been informed of this proposal.

Page 5: A request was made to appropriate Officers for an update report on the development of 300 homes in Oadby.  A written response was received.

Page 6: The Chair will bring an update report on the issue of anti-social behaviour in relation to an item raised about the Wheel Bar at the Residents Forum meeting on 13 June 2018. A response was provided.

Written responses to questions raised by residents at the previous meeting on the changes to be made to Library access, was supplied by the Leicestershire County Council Assistant Director for Community and Libraries.

Two questions raised by a resident regarding risk assessments in relation to resident’s safety whilst using the library when staffed and unstaffed, will be submitted to Leicestershire County Council.

The Council`s Customer Service Desk is to remain. Opening times are Monday to Wednesday and Friday, from 10 am until 1 pm. Hours of opening coincide with Oadby Library staffed opening hours.

The Chair of Oadby Traders was unable to stay for the full meeting.  She gave apologies for having to leave early and provided the Chair with the following written statement, which included these key points:

·         Thanks was expressed to all for supporting the August 2018 Motor Fest.

·         The next Motor Fest takes place on 11 August 2019.

·         The Oadby Festive Light Switch-On takes place on Saturday 10^th November 2018. Stalls and acts continue to be booked.  The road will not close until 11am in order for buses to run to the normal bus timetable.  Provisions will be put in place for a disabled parking area outside of the shops on Chestnut Avenue.

·         As many shops as possible are being invited to become involved in the Dementia Awareness Campaign.

·         There has been no response from Severn Trent Water Authority as to why the water main pipe burst.

·         New festive lights have been ordered for the Town Centre.  It is anticipated they will be installed to mark this year`s event.  These lights were funded by the Local Council and the remaining funds from last year`s Switch-On.

·         The Oadby Traders have raised some funds, which they will add to additional funding. The additional funding will be requested from Oadby Residents Forum.

No representative from Pride of the Borough provided an update at today’s meeting.

It is to be recorded that the following two projects are to be signed off by the Policy, Finance and Development Committee on 18 September 2018.

·         Blackthorn Neighbourhood Watch salt grit bin, which will cost up to £500.

·         Oadby Stakeholders and Oadby Remembers Project of World War I Soldiers Art Installation at a cost of £397.36p. These cut outs are now available to distribute, the Oadby Remembers Project held a meeting (4 September 2018) to allocate the cut-outs. They represent some 83 men from Oadby who died in World War I.

The current available spend for the Oadby Residents` Forum stands at £43,522.

There was a request by the organisers of the ‘Sam Says’ Campaign for the sum of £100.

The ‘Sam Says Stop’ campaign was launched in memory of Sam Boulton, a 26-year-old teacher who died after a taxi passenger opened the car door, knocking Sam into the path of a van on London Road.

As part of the Campaign, safety stickers have been produced with Sam’s image and the message, ‘Stop! Before you open the car door, check for cyclists.’

The proposal was supported by a unanimous vote of residents present at the meeting for the purchase of stickers. These stickers will be placed in all Oadby and Wigston Town taxis, fleet vehicles and ultimately family cars. This campaign is also being rolled out across Leicester City and Leicestershire. People can follow the Sam Says campaign at www.facebook.com/SamBsays

Request for Support from Residents for a New Local Health and Wellbeing Business in Oadby.

Two business people, Sonul and Nick attended the meeting. They attended to request the support of residents to a consultation. This concerned the provision of a new bespoke gym, to include the provision of quality equipment for one to one instruction as well as group provision. Sonul stated she has a background in Public Health. Nick stated he is a qualified Personal Trainer. Sonul and Nick stressed they did not attend the meeting to request funding. Residents asked what type of support they were looking for from the Forum.

·         A planning application is being made to the Council. On the mention of the Planning Application, two Councillors added that if the Council was addressing a planning application for this business, and they were looking for support on it, the two Councillors would have to remove themselves from the meeting, in-order to remove any potential conflict of interest.

·         A resident questioned the business`s viability as she was aware Parklands offers a gym facility. Another questioned whether the Forum could address individual business needs and did not the Forum have a duty to protect vulnerable people.

·         Other residents questioned whether the business had a business plan and wanted to know what was being asked of the Forum in regards to support.

·         The Forum clarified that Businesses as a group was represented as members within the Forum`s Terms of Reference at point 3.1.

Sonul and Nick were advised to come back to the Forum to provide a fuller presentation once they were set up and state how the service would help children and vulnerable people in the community.

Fludes Lane Repair

Fludes Lane will be repaired with funding in the next financial year. Holes and one section is to be repaired in 2018, a further section will undergo repair in 2019.

Brocks Hill Children’s Play Area

A resident expressed concern over the condition of part of the Brocks Hill play area.

There is a rolling programme across the Borough to replace and repair equipment. The Brocks Hill Children`s Play Area equipment was removed as it was in a dangerous condition. It will be repaired and replaced. The work will be carried out in February 2019. Ordinary Capital Venture money will be used to replace equipment

Uplands Park Adult Outdoor Gym Equipment

The Adult Outdoor Gym Equipment is to be replaced with Section 106 money.

The resident who requested the Outdoor Adult Gym equipment be funded with Section 106 money stated; if she had realised the Play Area required updated equipment she would not have requested the Section 106 money be used to purchase the Adult Outdoor Gym equipment.

St Peter`s Church Internal Wall rendering

The internal walls are to be rendered. It is a grade 2-listed building .It is over 200 years old. There is a meeting to discuss this on September 6^th 2018 at 7pm to discuss this.

Management of Verges by the County Council

In  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

No new suggestions were received for future agenda items.

Wednesday 31^st October 2018 at 6.30pm at Brocks Hill Centre, Washbrook Lane, Oadby, LE2 5JJ.