Agenda and minutes

The Police representative, PCSO 6118 Sarah Parnaby, updated residents on policing matters as follows:

·         Regarding the Oadby street lights switch-on, Wigston residents were informed that the street lights will be temporarily switched on until the end of January 2018.

·         The Police agreed to the switch-on, due to the spike in burglaries in Oadby. The Broadway and the area generally are being patrolled by the Police. The Police will see if this temporary lights switch-on makes a difference to the level of burglaries.

·         The traffic usage on Bradgate Drive is reported to be excessive. There is nowhere to park in the evenings. At times, neighbours have been forced to park in each other’s drives.

·         It was reported that a neighbour with three cars has the back of one of them hanging out beyond the drive and into the roadway. This was reported as causing an inconvenience to his neighbours. The Police are aware of this. This resident, it was stated, moving. The Police can only issue a ticket on the vehicle if it is not on the drive. It was stated that people are being forced to go onto the road as the back end of the car is hanging out onto the pavement, the front wheels are on the drive.

·         The Police suggested residents install H Markings. If an inconvenience is still being caused, on reporting the police can take action.

·         Parking outside of schools was reported as an issue. A camera car is to be purchased by the Council to stop drivers parking outside of schools.

A white van was reported as parked on Council land. It was suggested that it creates a blind spot. The Police suggested that when this is occurring residents should ring in to get the Police out to deal with the vehicle. An officer was seen on Cedar Avenue placing tickets.

·         The Chair confirmed new coins are being accepted in Paddock Street for parking and the new parking orders have all been altered.

·         The minutes of 11 September 2017 were checked for accuracy and then agreed as a true record.

·         Page 1 - Residents are to note the gazebos mentioned in the minutes belong to the Friends of Peace Park and are merely on loan to the Lions Group.

·         Page 2 - Review of the Residents Fora Consultation.

·         On the matter of the residents Fora consultation update feedback, it was observed that Colin Towell’s submission was the longest of the five submitted for Wigston. A request was made for the full content of it to be shared with residents at this evening’s meeting. The content of the other four were also shared. The submissions raised concerns about resident forum money being granted with greater accountability and follow up on issues such as the timescales for getting feedback and action taken on requests made to the Council. The submissions along with those made by Oadby and South Wigston Residents Fora have all been received by the Council and will form part of the meeting the Council is to hold on Tuesday 5 December 2017. It is to cover issues such as funding and best value.

·         A five member panel has been formed to deal with grants and grant making. Following this meeting a new policy on funding through the Council will have been created.

·         It was agreed this topic is to form an agenda item for the next residents forum meeting and include information on how funding is to be awarded with a built in accountability trail on spend, how emergency funding can be awarded and project delivery and closure.

·         The Chair asked residents present if there was anyone who wished the current meeting venue to change. There were no residents who voiced a wish to change the current meeting venue. No alternative venue was put forward.

·         Residents enquired as to what action plan was in place for the forum and if it along with major planning applications and the Council budget and savings could be brought to the next forum meetings as agenda items.

·         The Forum meetings are currently advertised on the Council’s webpage, Facebook, Twitter, on electronic notice boards, in libraries, in Customer Services at Bell Street, by post to residents who do not have an email address but request notification, on notice boards across the town and in the Letterbox magazine. In 2018 advertising will be extended to some businesses and local meeting places.

·         Page 3 - Pride of the Borough and the Chair’s update are both on the agenda for discussion.

·         Page 3 - The Council Budget Options 2019 to2020 is on the agenda for discussion.

·         Page 3 - Capital Projects Update.

·         Sainsbury store in Bell Street has agreed to the defibrillator once purchased to be fixed to the external wall of the store.

·         The two bins for Meadow Way and Stanhope Road have been installed.

·         The Community First Responders award has been paid.

·         The funds for payment of the Girl Guides shed has been cleared, but the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

·         The Chair drew residents attention to a poster placed on all seats. The poster came from Sports and Leisure Management (SLM) representative James Naylor. It outlined partnership working between the Council and Parklands Leisure Centre for the future development of Parklands Leisure Centre on 18 February 2018.

·         The poster outlined three areas of future development. The soft play zone for children of all ages, a tiered multi activity soft play structure featuring slides, foam ball shooters, trampolines, a fun climbing walls. Inclusive of colourful and dynamic interactive climbing walls, an introduction to climbing and an opportunity for fun parties and at Brocks Hill Visitor Centre, a new activity space with wooden sprung flooring, a refurbished cafe and a car park extension for Parklands and Brocks Hill.

·         SLM will run Parklands and Brocks Hill. The central wall is coming out of Parklands to make space for the climbing wall. The deal will save the Council £100k per year. The Council has no wish to cut front line services. The building can be hired out to groups and for activities. Staff with the exception of the Ranger will be tuped over. The Ranger’s role at present will remain at the Depot and another new organisation is moving so room will be freed up. SLM changes will be ready by January 2018 and the Ranger’s Office is to be kept on site, if possible.

·         Eighty acres will continue to be managed by the Council. Money will be borrowed to make the alterations. The borrowing cost is about £1.3 million pounds which will be paid back but savings will still be made by making this investment. Improvements will be made to existing parking. There will be no application for change of use and it will have the exact same use. The pathway from the Meadows Estate is to be developed later. Access to the path and rights of way are to be dealt with. Potholes will be repaired and a footpath created from Oadby Road to Parklands (planning permission will be required).

BUDGET UPDATE

·         It was reported that Mere Walk from St Wistan’s Church to Brocks Hill at the back gate, residents are seeing more rubble/rubbish being fly tipped. The resident was advised to report fly tipping issues to the Customer Service Centre. It was emphasised that Members have a system to follow when they are working with officers to progress issues. They have a certain number of days to deal with these issues.

·         A resident questioned why the two sets of traffic lights on the big roundabouts in Wigston cannot be put on demand around 10pm at night. Moat Street lights also raised a cause for concern. It was agreed that the Chair would address the issue of the roundabout at Moat Street with the County Council. Where there are new housing developments, highways issues have to be addressed as part of the planning application.

Frame Knitters Museum

·         The Chair declared an interest as a Director of the museum.

A loan was taken out fifteen years ago which paid on for refurbishing the Frame Knitters Museum. Interest on the loan is paid to the Council each year.

Green Waste Credits

BUDGET OPTION

·         County Council has withdrawn the recycling credits. The contract for most of the recycling of waste in Leicestershire has gone to Casepak. Casepak does not take clothing or shoes. Cardboard and other items are separated Casepak items are mixed together.

·         Green garden waste is a discretionary service and therefore collection of green waste is an option service. From 1 April 2018 it is to be recommended that the Council charge one sum a year for collection.

·         There is to be a weekly refuse collection and black bags collected fortnightly. There is to be a mix of variables to choose from.

·         The public toilets are to be looked at with the view to savings. £30,000 is spent on toilets annually to maintain them.

·         Parking for three hours or more may incur a charge. Residents will be consulted on budget saving suggestions before any decisions are made.

·         By 2020 Central Government will no longer provide the revenue support grant but new homes will encourage building and will help with retaining business rates.

OTHER MATTERS

·         It was also emphasised that there will only be one bollard left in Bell Street should the current one be damaged and could it have reflective tape on it. A resident supported Bell Street being cycle free.

·         A resident complained about motorists speeding on Boulter Crescent and suggested street calming should be introduced before someone is seriously hurt. Councillor Boulter stated he would raise this with the County Council.

·         A complaint was made that the piece of grass by the bungalows by Torrington Cross is neglected. It was stated that some of the areas were not adopted. Councillor Charlesworth stated he will look into this matter to see if the grass can be accessed by the working party.

LOCAL PLAN UPDATE

·         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.

·         There is a requirement to build some 950 houses. The Government will send a directive for building if the Council does not identify areas. The Council will be able to build affordable Council Houses.

·         Bushloe Developments the Councils house building company is, to build housing. People will not have a right to buy. Money from rent will come directly into the Council. Most of the three bed houses being sold are under the right to buy scheme. There are currently 12 people in emergency accommodation in the borough. Universal Credit is being paid to people five weeks in areas to pay rent. This may encourage debt.

·         Residents were requested to make a comment on the Local Plan which is out for consultation on the Council’s website.

·         The Pride of the Borough membership card goes on sale on 1December 2017. It can be purchased from Brocks Hill Visitors Centre and Oadby Library. Retailers in the scheme now number forty two.

·         On the 28 February 2018 all card holders will be entered into a prize draw. Parklands are to give a family of four the chance of winning a three month family membership.

·         For the fifth consecutive year, Britain in Bloom awarded the Borough, a silver gilt award.

·         Tidying up the community was said to be appreciated by lots of local people.

·         The Take Pride campaign has been now going for two years. Church groups and others have taken part in joint working parties, including along Aylestone Lane, in litter picking. An appeal was made for the submission of names to Colin Robertson of anyone known who litter pick and on which street. This is so an updated database can be built and maintained to recognise the volunteering residents are doing in keeping litter to a minimum and the area clean.

The Pinfold development is being developed by a range of community groups making contributions to the funding and the design. The funding committed is as follows:

-          Pride of the Borough - £1,500

-          Greater Wigston Historical Society - £100                     

-          Wigston Civic Society - £50

-          Donation received from Wigston and Knighton Floral Society - £100 (towards planting and maintenance of the trough)                            

Supplementary funding request to the Wigston Residents Forum for £872.70.

Wigston Library

A resident brought a copy of a County Council pilot proposal being trialled for Syston and noted how it could potentially be the model for a local library opening in the town. This is about the future use of local public libraries. The resident wanted residents to understand the potential risks to cuts in library services and the move to self servicing. Further points she raised are as follows:

·         The lack of facilities for young people to do homework.

·         Less staff. Shorter opening hours. Lone working. Putting staff at risk and vandalism. Families put at risk with less secure libraries. This includes Wigston and well as South Wigston.

·         Limitations of future services to all residents.

·         Printers and copiers running out of ink and paper with no one to help. Misuse of car parks. Three hour working hours for staff, which may be inadequate.

·         Users locked out of computers.

·         The risk of having libraries opening for only 30 hours a week similar to the pilot running with Syston library, which could lead to a totally diminished library service.

Holmden Avenue Trees

A resident asked what progress had been made on finding funding for the planting of trees on Holmden Avenue. The Chair stated a report is to come to the Council about tree maintenance, types and planting.

William Gunning Park

On the William Gunning Park a water issue reported. This is to be checked with Severn Trent Water Authority.

The Chair in closing the meeting thanked everyone for their attendance.

The date of the next meeting is 14 March 2018 at 7pm.