Minutes:
· Meeting Day to be Varied: Request provided to Democratic Services ahead of the 2024-25 meeting calendar being finalised. May’s meeting date has already been set.
· Uplands Park Tree: The tree failed during high winds and was brought down in the interests of safety and its shortened safe life expectancy. The tree has been left as ‘coppice’ as the Council’s Arboricultral Officer is confident the tree will grow a new iteration of itself from the stump.
· Installation of a Traffic Mirror at the corner of Uplands Road and Fairfield Road: This is a matter for discussion with Leicestershire County Council Highways.
· Allotments / Badger Issues: More details to be sought before being raised with the Council’s Corporate Assets Team. Allotments on Brabazon Road are not being maintained; hedges are not being cut anymore. There is a waiting list for plots on the allotments; one is vacant and not yet re-let, it is now overgrown and in a poor condition. Residents noted difficulties in paying their allotment fees since September 2023; residents have visited the Council to resolve this, and phoned them, to no avail. Councillors will follow up on this. The badgers in the area are destroying crops and discouraging people from attempting to grow there; this is also affecting neighbouring gardens and the property of the vacant swimming pool. The badger’s set can be moved but this can only take place in a certain window from July.
· Planning Application for 39 Gorse Lane: An application was put in to convert an existing 4 bedroom home into a residential care home for young people aged 8 – 18 years. There are concerns as to the suitability of the premises for this and Councillors have previously met with residents regarding this. The planning process with public input should still be followed, and Councillors have spoken to the Council’s Planning Officers regarding this.
· Works on upper part of the Washbrook course: Work has been undertaken by Severn Trent; we’re not aware of this and Severn Trent has been approached regarding what the works are and their purpose.
· Fludes Lane: Part of Fludes Lane has been resurfaced as per previous Forum meetings. This is not a permanent resurface and will be looked at again in the future for a more permanent surface. The bridge here has also been replaced.
· Buses through Oadby: Bus services in Oadby have not been consistent for some time; Councillors have spoken with Arriva regarding this on a number of occasions and found them to be very amenable. The bus service has been improved, ensuring that all the bus stops have timetables on them, old bus stops being removed, and improving the promotion of the bus service to households in Oadby. Buses now run both ways around Oadby preventing unnecessary travel for some bus users. The buses should arrive on the hour and half-hour. Residents noted the improvement regarding the bus stops having maps and timetables on them. Thanks were given by the Chair and Residents to Cllr. Kaufman for his work on this.
· Town Centre Cleansing: Residents wish to note the hard work of Ian Foster for cleansing the Oadby Town Centre. A letter will be drafted from the Forum to Ian to thank him for his work. Residents unanimously agreed that this letter should be written.