Agenda and draft minutes

Cllr B Boulter & R Levy welcomed attendees to this meeting. Ways of promoting this meeting included visiting local businesses, holding community pop ups to talk with local people, email newsletters and contacting key stakeholders.

Apologies were received from Cllr S Morris.

From the previous meeting, it was corrected that a tree potentially being planted to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee would be planted next to Elizabeth Court, rather than Peace Memorial Park.

With regards to a Council contact centre for residents in Wigston, Cllr Boulter established that this had not yet been done, but details on a contact centre for residents will be publicised when sorted.

PC Morgan informed residents that crime rates in Wigston were similar to the last meeting. A spike in burglaries had prompted extra Police patrols and arrests made had curtailed the number of burglaries.

PC Morgan, by way of crime prevention advice, suggested to residents to shut windows when leaving the house. This was particularly recommended in hot weather where the temptation may be to leave windows open. On the subject of e-scooters and anti-social behaviour, PC Morgan established that, where possible, he tries to stop people and give advice. The main issue with regards to e-scooters is the lack of guidance from central government.

PC Morgan established that anti-social behaviour has been a concern during the summer holidays, with issues including younger people loitering in alleyways. A fire had also been reported and attended to at Aylestone Lane.

A question from the public pertained to commercial vehicles parking anti-socially. To this, it was responded that the Police predominantly deal with parking matters that are a threat to life.

Cllr Bentley established that 3 weeks worth of speed monitoring had taken place on Horsewell Lane. 80mph was the highest speed recorded, and this was during the middle of the day. 10% of vehicles were noted as going above 35mph. Cllr Bentley informed residents that the location of the speed cameras used to conduct these speed monitoring exercises would move across Wigston; Police volunteers can support with this.

Cllr K Lloydall informed that he, as part of work with the Community Safety Partnership, had been out in a speed monitoring van to understand how they work. He told residents that speed monitoring vans from the Police are located across Leicestershire after a rigorous evidence-gathering process.

Action: If residents have evidence of speeding across Wigston, they can report this and so help gather further evidence which can be presented to the Police for a speed monitoring van to be located in Wigston.

Phillipa Fisher was unable to attend the meeting. In her absence, it was explained by R Levy that the Pandemic has brought great challenges and opportunities for local government, and how the Local Government Association visited OWBC to do a Peer Review. This featured interviews and focus groups with Councillors, Officers and community members. The result of this has been the Vision, which P Fisher presented and introduced is currently in a consultation phase.

A visual and feedback on the Council’s vision can be given via the following webpage up until 31^st August: https://www.oadby-wigston.gov.uk/pages/our_vision This is before it will be discussed at a Full Council meeting on 27^th September.

A short presentation was then delivered by Ben Clark-Monks with regards to a new Energy Efficiency Funding Scheme. This is a scheme which is targeted to households which have a collective income of under £30,000 per annum. Free energy efficient measures are available to those who apply to the scheme, for instance solar panels and cavity wall insulation. More information can be found here: https://www.oadby-wigston.gov.uk/pages/energy_efficiency_funding_scheme#:~:text=Oadby%20%26%20Wigston%20Borough%20Council%20is,and%20their%20property%20is%20suitable. This initiative is all part of plans to achieve Net Zero by 2030 and to bring the average Energy Performance Certificate of properties to a C.

One resident asked about whether those living in Council houses would be eligible for the scheme to which it was responded that there was a separate fund for this.

One resident asked why private landlords, who may be making more money on top of a first income through being a landlord, would be eligible for the scheme if they can pay for it themselves.

To this, it was said that the money for the scheme does not go to the landlord, but directly to the delivery on the scheme. The Forum was informed that properties with an Energy Performance Certificate rating of F or G cannot be rented by residents of the Borough due to their poor energy performance, incentivising landlords to ensure they’re more energy efficient.

Cllr H Lloydall asked for information on this scheme to be distributed to the Senior Citizens Action Group, which is a group in the Borough that enables socialisation between those aged over 55.

A question was asked how residents can find out what their property’s certificate raring is and the answer was that there is an online register: https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate

Final questions about this scheme were with regards to whether there were any hot spots that this scheme was targeting and what anticipated uptake of the scheme was from eligible properties. To this, it was mentioned that a worst-first approach was being taken- properties with Energy Performance Certificate ratings of E, F or G. Whilst the Council has secured funding for this, and further funding is potentially available, a sizeable amount has not been spent on marketing to free up more funding for the actual delivery of the scheme. Residents were assured that if you successfully apply, the work on your property will be done, even if this is after the project’s initial deadline of March 2023.,

The next section of the Oadby and Wigston Borough Council update came from J Bhatha and an individual from Leicestershire County Council about recycling and waste disposal. Oadby and Wigston has a recycling rate of 44.7%; the Borough Council collects all waste and LCC disposes of it. Casepak is where recycling is filtered. It was noted that the number one contaminate of recycling was nappies. More information on recycling can be found: www.lesswaste.org.uk 

Following on from the presentation, further clarity was offered on how: blister packs are currently not recyclable in Leicestershire and how lots of shredded paper is not ideal. It was also mentioned that it was preferable for recyclable items to be in their original shape, rather than items being squashed.

A question was asked about whether Leicestershire County Council were lobbying Casepak to make as many items as possible recyclable. To this, it was replied that further direction from the government was needed as to what can and can’t be recycled.

Healthwatch are health and social care champions. They are a statutory and independent body that seek feedback on patients’ experience of GP surgeries, hospitals, pharmacies etc. They are always on the look out for volunteers and to inform more people of their work. For more information: https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/what-we-do

Cllr Boulter informed residents of plans to extend further HMP Fosse Way by two blocks. This will facilitate 250 more prisoners. It was said that this will be the last extension “for the next ten years”. HMP Fosse Way is in Blaby, and Tigers Road is the way that it will be accessed.

Cllr Boulter started his update by discussing the Midland Mainline electrification currently taking place between Wigston and Market Harborough- as part of the electrification of the route between Leicester and London St Pancras. The process will be a long one and a video describing it can be found here: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/east-midlands/midland-main-line-upgrade/ The end product will be allowing for 6 trains per hour to go to London. There is a 24 hour helpline for anyone impacted or concerned by the works with the telephone number being: 03457 114141.

One resident asked about the lack of street trees in the Borough. Silver Birch’s have recently been removed from Bell Street, with their bases now being used as ashtrays. The resident said that street trees are beneficial for environmental and aesthetic reasons. The resident has made a request for more planting of street trees, but there has been no answer from the Council- and the resident’s request was made over 2 years.

Cllr Boulter said that the number of services underneath the ground make planting street trees difficult. Cllr Boulter said that trees are being replanted on Bell Street in the Autumn and there is a programme for planting trees across the Borough. Loss of parking spaces was also cited as an objection to street trees.

In addition to the above, it was mentioned that some residents are attempting to encompass trees as part of their property boundaries and it was acknowledged that Oadby and Wigston Borough Council will keep a watch on this.

A representative from Wigston Civic Society introduced the Forum to a talk is taking place at this location on Thursday 27^th September (at 19.15pm) on Buildings and Architecture in Leicester from Roman Times to the Present; tickets are £5.00 and more information, residents can visit: http://www.wigstoncivicsociety.org.uk/ or email bookings@wigstoncivilsociety.org.uk This is taking place at Memphys Hub, which is also where the Greater Wigston Historical Society now have their meetings.

A short presentation was offered to promote the work of Pride of the Borough who, amongst a range of green space maintenance activities across the Borough, look after selected planters in the Borough. Volunteers are always needed to help with this, in addition to work mornings which take place on the third Saturday of every month. More information can be found: https://potb.org.uk/

A question was asked about how many Oadby and Wigston Borough Council staff are presently working from home, in light of concerns with how to get hold of the Council.

To this, Cllr Boulter informed the Forum that many Council’s have reviewed their agile working policy, and the Council is committed to delivering high quality customer service- regardless of whether staff are working at home or in the offices.

A resident raised concerns over the amount of dog mess in the Borough and asked whether a dog warden was taking charge over solving this as an issue.

To this, Cllr Boulter said that he was asking for the dog warden to do more.

A resident also enquired about the format of pedestrian traffic light signals, saying that they are not user friendly. It would be better, residents agreed, to see something opposite to say that you can cross- rather than have to peer round at a box.

Action: Cllr Boulter to explore making pedestrian crossing more user friendly through conversation with Leicestershire County Council.

In response to a question from a resident on a possible parking warden on Manor Street, Cllr Boulter said that he has used his budget from Leicestershire County Council on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

Wednesday 2^nd November 2022, at 19.00 at the Council Offices- TBC