Agenda and minutes

PCSO Karim Baladi provided the following update on crime issues in South Wigston.

Some of the children and young people who have exhibited anti-social behaviour in the Fairfield and Blaby Road areas and near to Tesco Supermarket were placed on anti-social behaviour contracts.

A number of children on the Fairfield Estate were reported for throwing eggs.

Work has taken place with a local church and children to address anti- social behaviour. The church and Police are working to ensure that children are behaving themselves. Some of these children are known to live outside the Fairfield estate. It was confirmed that the children from outside the Dorset Avenue church area attend it to play with the church`s resources.

The Police are to address what it can do in relation to inconsiderate vehicles parking. The Officer stressed that the more reports people make via the 101 phone line the more the Police can do.

Reports were received about strangers peeping into local cars. The Police have dealt with the suspects.

Reports were received of speeding in and around the Kenilworth Road area Sightings were made of motor bikes being ridden on the pavement and the riders not wearing helmets. The Police apprehended a person riding an electric bike on the pavement.

A question was raised about local bin men leaving dustbins in the middle of pavements after they had been emptied. This was viewed as a potential trip hazard.

Action:

The Chair agreed to speak with the Head of Client Services to request that dustbins are placed back on the edge of driveways.

It was reported that a car was seen parked on the right hand side of Norfolk Road junction. This caused blocking of the view ahead. On such issues the Police are prepared to come out and assess the situation and can remove such vehicles.

The Police can also act if a vehicle is inappropriately parked on a pavement. If a driveway is blocked by a vehicle this is classed as an obstruction. The Police towed away a car, which had blocked in a households vehicle preventing them from accessing the road.

Double parking was reported in Gloucester Crescent .The County Council has previously been informed about inappropriate parking. Residents’ opinions was sought on installing single or double lines. Residents did not agree to this suggestion.

Last week was Knife Crime Awareness Week. The Police conducted talks to pupils in schools as a deterrence to the carrying of knives.

Excessive speeding was reported at the bottom of Canal Street.

On the concluding of the update, the Chair expressed thanks to the Police Community Support Officer for presenting it.

Action:

The Chair is to request a grey box be fitted for the issue of speed reduction.

The minutes were checked for accuracy. They were then agreed as a true record.

Page 1:

With reference to, any future South Wigston Health Centre redevelopment, the Council is still working to find a potential development solution. It was commented that the Arriva Bus Station complex would have made a good site for the Health Centre location.

Page 2:

The Chair noted that the web link to take enquirers to the Glen Parva Prison build information has disappeared. Councillor Boyce stated the Glen Parva Prison department had informed him that the design build and run contract may well change. The actual prison boundary will not change but what happens within the boundary may.

Page 2:

The Massage Parlour on Blaby Road was refused planning permission. The building use was not agreed .The Fire Safety certificate was not awarded.

Page 2:

The Defibrillator training will be rearranged to be delivered in 2019 by the Council`s Community Engagement Forum Officer in conjunction with the Community First Responders.

Page 3:

Like the Community Scarf agenda brought to the November 2018 meeting, a resident wrote to the Chair with reference to the making of Yarn Bombs for placing on trees on Blaby Road Park. Yarn bombing is a type of street art that employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted yarn or fiber rather than paint or chalk, on tree trunks.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=yarn+bomb+day+2019&qpvt=Yarn+Bomb+Day+2019&FORM=IGRE.

The Chair explained the difference between Oadby and Wigston Council Tax banding in relation to its comparator councils. A handout outlining the different council tax banding for comparator councils was circulated at the meeting. The following points to note are:

·         All the other districts have a parish charge on top of the Council Tax.

·         Some districts have a special expenses charge. This can also be increased at that Council`s discretion.

·         Oadby and Wigston Borough Council Tax charge is on par with the charging with all Leicestershire district authorities.

·         The bulk of the local borough`s Council Tax goes to funding policing and fire services.

·         Band D properties are charged £226.

·         The banding figures shared were for 2018.

·         This Council receives no grants from Central Government. Any money to run services is generated by Oadby and Wigston Borough Council.

Action:

Circulate an electronic copy of the 2018 district banding sheet.

Mr Matthew Eames, Leicestershire County Council Environment and Waste Technician provided a presentation on what are recyclable and non-recyclable items.

• All seven district councils use Case Pak in Leicestershire. Leicestershire County Council is due to roll out a recycling campaign.
• Leicestershire County Council Waste Initiatives Team carry out talks on recycling in schools and to community groups. Articles are placed in magazines such as Letterbox.

The Chair extended an appreciation of thanks to Matthew Eames at the close of the presentation.

Recycling Dos and Don’ts:

The Dos:

• Rinse and drain plastic bottles.
• Keep plastic in its original state. Squash it and place it in the wheelie Bin.
• Place plastic tubs pots in the recycling.
• Tetra pack cartons are recyclable. Flatten them if you wish. Those with the lids left on are more collectable.
• Cardboard can be flattened. Empty everything out of them.
• Cleaned aluminium foil is acceptable and can be squashed flat.
• Food tins must be rinsed and drained.
• Drinks cans are acceptable.
• Some types of clean tin foil are acceptable.
• Completely empty aerosol cans are ok to recycle.
• Rinsed glass bottles and glass jars with their lids on are acceptable. Rinse the items and place the lids back on.
• Ensure all packaging is empty.
• Brown and green loose bags previously used for recycling can be placed in the bin.
• With regard to rolls of old green and brown surplus recycling bags, residents may contact Customer Services. They will advise residents that they can either bring them into the Customer Services Centre or arrange with the Depot (Tip) for the bags to be collected.
• Residents were reminded that they could use their small black bins for composting.
• Some terraced streets and flats have clear bags, as they are unable to accommodate bins.
• Oadby and Wigston borough has one of the highest recycling rates in the Country.
• Bins for normal waste will be introduced in June 2019.The Government is to stick to the European recycling rates.
• Recycling bins from businesses and schools are treated as trade waste.

Action:

The Chair is to request a statement be drawn up by the Council on this matter. This statement will be taken to the County Council about the non-collection of recycling waste.

     The Don’ts

• Do not place any black plastic in the recycling waste. Infrared rays used to identify plastic rubbish cannot pick up its existence.
• Do not place broken glass in the recycle bin. Place it in a bottle bank for recycling.
• No flat glass such as mirrors.
• Do not add textiles, as they tangle up in the equipment. Donate them, even the rags to charity. Clothing can become tangled up with glass and blocks the system.
• No used nappies. Place them in the general waste.
• No makeup in plastic tubes. These are difficult to clean.
• No hard plastic such as hangers whole or broken, wash baskets, washing up bowls or plastic storage containers.
• No children`s toys.
• Do not add crisp packets or multi-use crisp bags. Walkers Crisps have set up a recycling  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

·         Christmas Capers takes place on; Saturday 7th December 2019.

·         New festive lights are to be introduced. The Council awarded £5,000 to South Wigston Traders for the purchase of enhanced Christmas lighting.

·         Oadby and Wigston Town Centres received the same amount of funding to spend on lighting.

The representative of Pride of the Borough (POB) provided a verbal update. Key points to note are:

• There are approximately one thousand Loyalty Cardholders in the borough.
• Discount can be received from stores such as Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Ponden Home Interiors, Lords Electricals and Cuisine of India.
• Half of the customers using Grange farm Monday to Thursday lunchtime use a loyalty card.
• The Loyalty card is helping to bring more trade into the Borough.
• Membership for the Loyalty Card can be obtained from Zeph’s Café.
• There will be a floral competition in 2019. People will be invited to enter East Midlands in Bloom and help with judging. Residents may enter a container. The Gold Medal has been won previously. Oadby and Wigston have also won joint second with Bath.
• South Wigston has fewer shops offering a discount than Wigston and Oadby.
• A Litter Campaign has begun. This will include rollout to schools and businesses. Santander is coming on board.
• The representative appealed for help from the residents to share their email and phone number with Pride of the Borough. This will help POB with sending out a monthly newsletter and to update a resident’s details when a discount card has been lost. POB does not share its database information with other agencies.
• Every third Saturday of the month POB organise a litter pick working party.
• More volunteers would be appreciated to carryout litter picking. The Litter Pick will be from 9:30am until 11:30am. All volunteers will be provided with litter picking tools. The tools include; high visibility vests, bags, litter picking sticks and gloves.
• Planters purchased with POB funding can be found outside of Hunters Estate Agent. They make sure the reservoir is kept watered. There are three beds next to the South Wigston Railway Station monument on Blaby Road Park.
• A request was made by POB to residents requesting volunteers to weed and water the big planters, which they purchased for £500 each. One is looked after by the Fish Bar and is  on Leicester Road.

• Litter picking at the South Wigston Railway Station requires the permission of the Rail authorities. POB can supply hi-visibility jackets, gloves and litter picking sticks.

• POB is addressing how it can be more effective in coordinating and updating loyalty card memberships on an annual basis. If people wish to volunteer to look after the planters or distribute the POB Newsletter, contact Graham Lamb.

• The cost of a loyalty card remains at £5.00 per year.

For more information about Pride of the Borough click on the link provided here. https://www.prideoftheborough.org/.

The Community Engagement Officer, Veronika Quintyne informed residents that the Council is to introduce a Citizen`s Panel.

A Citizens' Panel is a large, demographically representative group of citizens that reflect the diversity of the Borough, who would be accessed a minimum of four times a year to be invited to take part in surveys on a range of issues.

The Council is to invite between one to three thousand residents of varying age and backgrounds to join the Citizen`s Panel.Only those residents who sign up to the Panel would be contacted to take part in consultations and represent their views and opinions on a range of issues.

Citizens can unsubscribe their Panel membership at any time.

Residents at the meeting were given an information sheet containing background information about the Citizen`s Panel concept and how it works.

The litterbin on Saffron Road has been fitted.

The bus shelter on the corner of Gloucester Crescent has been fitted.

The current available spend for South Wigston Residents` Forum stands at £19,298

No spending requests were received.

The following are items raised by residents:

Bill Payments:

A range of bills including Council Tax can be paid through the Post Office.

There are 57 shops in the Town where the Pay Point System can be accessed for the paying of bills.

Comments were received that sometimes it can take too long for residents’ bill payments to be taken by bill paying machines.

Notice Boards on Gloucester Crescent:

The notice boards on Gloucester Crescent and Saffron Road have been knocked over.

Change of the timing of South Wigston residents Forum.

Consider changing the start time of future South Wigston Residents Forum meetings from 7.30pm to 7pm. The pre meeting surgery would take place at 6.30pm.This was agreed without dissent.

Reports on Speeding:

Reports of speeding, safety issues for the public and vehicle parking issues in the following South Wigston Streets: Glengate, Station Street, Albion Street and Kirkdale Road were reported.

Action:

Councillor Boulter agreed to raise the following issues with the County Council:

·         The partial closure of Saffron Road and St Thomas Road to support next year`s Remembrance Parade through South Wigston.

·         The use by heavy Lorries on Glengate, resulting in slabs being taken out.

·         The inconveniencing of disabled parking spaces on Kirkdale Road.

·         Residents` cars struck by other motorists due to speeding.

·         The striking of a lamp post by a vehicle on Station Street and the traffic gridlock this street experiences.

·         Children are at risk of injury as they are playing on their bikes in the area between Glengate and Albion Street.

Woodland in the Triangle:

On the question as to whether the woodland in the Triangle can be cut down, the Chair clarified that it cannot. The Council has no control over it. It is a protected area and the home of the Marble white butterfly. It is also illegal to cross over the railway line.

The date and time of the next meeting is to be confirmed.