Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor J.J. Kelly and Parish Councillor Hounsell.

Members are requested to give notice of any disclosable pecuniary interest, which is not already included in their Register of Members' Interests and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the Members Code of Conduct, before leaving the meeting room during the discussion on that particular item.

In accordance with paragraph 9 of the Council’s Code of Conduct, the following declarations of personal interest were made and the Members concerned remained in the room, but took no part in consideration of the item and did not vote thereon:

Minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 2012

These items are for general discussion.  Anybody attending the meeting is welcome to speak (subject to the Chair’s discretion)

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 2012 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Neighbourhood Inspector

Update on crime statistics and area interventions since the last meeting

The Committee considered Inspector Prosser’s report on crime statistics for June and July 2012, comparing them with the statistics for the same period in 2010 and 2011 as follows:-

Inspector Prosser reported on a number of issues, including:

·                    The rises in burglary offences, particularly during June, which were concentrated in the residential areas which border the Rimrose Valley Park.  Additional uniformed, plain clothes and support officers had been deployed and assistance had been obtained from mounted and dog patrol units.  Also, regular articles had been published in local newspapers.

·                    Eight crime prevention roadshows had been organised during August, where the service for recording property such as bicycles and laptop computers was publicised and free window stickers and timer lights were distributed.

·                    The success of the Smartwater initiative with 500 kits having been issued and 38 signs provided within Crosby.  Additional funding had also recently been received for more kits and signs.  Inspector Prosser was aware of two houses which had been issued with the equipment but had been burgled.  Unfortunately, in one of these cases no Smartwater had been applied and in the other, no sign was displayed.

·                    Arrests, including that of a Waterloo man on 22 August in connection with a burglary in Tudor Road and three people arrested on 27 August in connection with a burglary in Lichfield Avenue.

·                    The training of Community Support Officers to give home security advice.

·                    A small increase in the number of robberies, including one involving the Royal Bank of Scotland premises in St. John’s Road which had led to the arrest of a man from the Liverpool 8 area.  Also, a third person had now been arrested in connection with a robbery at the Ladbrokes premises in Crosby Road North in April.

·                    The small increase in the number of thefts of motor vehicles.  An arrest had been made in connection with a break-in at a property in Moor Close on 9 June, following forensic examination of a bottle found in a stolen vehicle.

A period of 20 minutes (or longer at the discretion of the Chair) will be set aside for a Public Forum.

Members of the public can ask questions, raise matters, or present petitions on issues that are relevant to Sefton Council.  The person asking a question will be allowed one supplementary question.

A question form indicating the person’s name and address must be completed and submitted to the Committee Administrator as soon as possible and by no later than 15 minutes before the meeting starts i.e. before 6.15 p.m. or by 3.00 p.m. for faxed (0151 934 2034) or on-line submissions http://forms.sefton.gov.uk/openforumquestion/

Question forms can be obtained from the Committee Administrator prior to the meeting.

(If the questioner does not attend the meeting or nominate a representative to attend (at the discretion of the Chair), the question will not be read out, but a written response will be forwarded to the questioner).

If a response to a question cannot be provided at the meeting, the Neighbourhoods Division will contact the relevant department for a formal response and the resident will be contacted directly in writing.

The following questions/comments/petitions were submitted:

(a)       Mr. R. Woodcock addressed the Committee in connection with a petition with Waterloo 57 residents’ signatures, requesting the Council to close the footpath/thoroughfare between Glenwyllin Road and Parklands Way, Waterloo because of anti-social behaviour, public disorder, criminal damage and other related criminal activities which were negatively impacting the safety, wellbeing and quality of life of the residents of the surrounding area.  Mr. Steve Johnston, Team Leader, Traffic Management and Road Safety, indicated that the passageway referred to had been adopted by the Council on 11 October 2011.  In order for the passageway to be closed, the Council would have to be granted legal powers by the Magistrates Court.  Mr. Johnston urged residents to record details of criminal activity etc. in writing with a view to contacting the Police to enable them to formally log the incidents.  Councillor Cummins confirmed that the Council would try to get the passageway closed and he explained that Police logs of recorded incidents would greatly assist the Council in applying for closure.  He added that as part of the preparation of a case for closure for submission to the Magistrates Court, the Council would be conducting a survey of users of the footpath.  Councillor Cummins also offered to forward on any evidence if it was sent to his email address.

            Inspector Prosser and relevant officers responded to questions on this matter posed by residents and Members.

(b)       Mr. G. Winckles asked if the Council intended to demonstrate its commitment to the appearance of Crosby Village by properly maintaining the Council’s own assets such as car park surfacing, lighting, paving and weedkilling and issuing enforcement notices on unsightly or dangerous sites in third party ownership.

            It was agreed to request Mr. M. Catherall, Neighbourhoods Division, to arrange for the appropriate Director to send a written response to Mr. Winckles.

(c)        Ms. J. Winckles asked if the Council could address the issue of trees from private gardens overhanging pedestrian footpaths, notably in the vicinity of Warren Road/Blundellsands Road West, where she considered that such trees presented a hazard to pedestrians, especially partially sighted individuals.  She also stated that this matter had been raised with the Highways Department in May, 2012, but no action had yet been taken.

            It was agreed to request Mr. M. Catherall, Neighbourhoods Division, to arrange for the appropriate Director to send a written response to Ms. Winckles.

(d)       Mr. P. Harvey, the Vice-Chair of the “ABetterCrosby” organisation asked, now that Sainsbury’s had announced that they were not proposing to build a new store in Crosby, whether the Council would:

·                    Support Crosby village centre with funding from the High Street Innovation fund.

·                    Make public or provide ABetterCrosby and other interested groups with a map showing clearly all the landlords and their property in Crosby village.

·                    As a significant landowner in Crosby village, appoint an officer to work with Sainsbury’s, Maghull Developments Ltd, other village centre landowners, ABetterCrosby  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

Report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning

Update on area management issues resolved since the last meeting.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning on the area management activities that had taken place in Crosby since the last meeting.

The report indicated that the Neighbourhoods Division provided a co-ordination role for dealing with area issues.  Queries were forwarded to the Neighbourhoods Division in a number of ways, via a number of different sources; and in order for Members to be aware of progress made on these issues, the area management report had been compiled.

The role of partner agencies would also be included in this report in the future to update Members as to how other agencies were working on area issues.

RESOLVED:            That

(1)       the Area Management update report be noted; and

(2)            Members or residents be requested to contact the Neighbourhoods Division with any further area issues.

Verbal update from Parish Council representatives.

These items are for consultation or information of interest to the local community.  Anybody attending the meeting is welcome to speak (subject to the Chair’s discretion)

Hightown

Parish Councillor Warren indicated that the recent re-surfacing of Thornbeck Avenue, Hightown had given rise to examples of shoddy workmanship and he did not believe that the contractor had been properly supervised.  He understood that a number of manholes had been blocked and two houses had been flooded.

Parish Councillor Warren also referred to the problems with the cutting of grass verges in the area which had last been properly cut in July.  He added that volunteers had cut the grass on the war memorial and the village green in Hightown.  Mr. M. Catherall indicated that he had asked Capita to do a written response to Hightown Parish Council in relation to the Thornbeck Avenue resurfacing work with a view to a possible site visit; and he had also asked Capita for details of when grass verges in the Hightown area had been cut.

Sefton

Parish Councillor Draper indicated that there was nothing to report in relation to the Sefton Parish area.

Report of the Head of Planning Services and presentation by Ingrid Berry.

These are formal decisions to be taken by the Members of the Council.  Only in exceptional cases will the Chair allow contributions from the public (Advisory Group Members may speak but not vote).

Further to Minute No. 39 of the Planning Committee of 25 July 2012, the Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning Services and a presentation by Ms. Ingrid Berry, Principal Planner, on Neighbourhood Planning, which was a new tier of statutory planning which had been introduced by the Localism Act 2011.  It sat below the Local Plan (formerly the Core Strategy) in the Local Development Framework.  Neighbourhood Plans had to be aligned with the National Planning Policy Framework and the Local Plan.

The report indicated that two local organisations had expressed an interest in preparing a Neighbourhood Plan and that the Head of Planning Services had proposed discussions with Thornton Parish Council about converting its draft Parish Plan into a Neighbourhood Plan.

RESOLVED:            That

(1)       the report be noted;

(2)       Ms. Berry be thanked for her informative presentation; and

(3)            residents or groups wishing to find out more about Neighbourhood Planning be advised to contact Ms. Berry or Mr. Steve Matthews in the Planning Services Section in the first instance.

Report of the Director of Built Environment

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Built Environment on a deed of amendment to the concessionary cycle route agreement with the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for the North West of England and the Isle of Man in order to secure an alternative alignment of the route from Formby to Hightown.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Built Environment

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Built Environment on proposed changes to Traffic Regulation Orders, the effect of which would be to revoke Residents’ Privileged Parking bays in Staley Avenue and Kershaw Avenue and to revoke the existing “No Waiting At Any Time” waiting restrictions on the majority of the south-east side of Kershaw Avenue.  The proposed changes resulted from the granting of planning permission for a residential housing development on the former “Littlewoods” site.

RESOLVED:            That

(1)       the Traffic Regulation Orders as set out in the plans at Annex B and as detailed in the report, be approved; and

(2)       the Traffic Services Manager be authorised to undertake the necessary legal procedures, including those of public consultation and advertising the Council’s intention to implement the Orders.

Report of the Director of Built Environment

Further to Minute No. 30 of 11 July 2007, the Committee considered the report of the Director of Built Environment on the outcome of a consultation exercise undertaken with residents on the future of the Zone 303 RPP scheme at The Precincts, Crosby. 

RESOLVED:            That

(1)       the report be noted; and

(2)       all residents in The Precincts be offered the chance to obtain permits at a charge of £20 each and replacement signs relating to the Residents Privileged Parking scheme be re-introduced.    

Report of the Director of Built Environment

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Built Environment which sought approval for the progression of Traffic Regulation Orders to provide disabled residents with a parking place directly outside their place of residence at 29 Lyra Road, Waterloo and 16 Eden Drive North, Crosby; and the removal of three disabled persons’ parking places on Eden Drive North which were no longer required.  All new Traffic Regulation Orders for Disabled Parking Permits allowed for the provision of a numbered permit which restricted the use of the bay to the applicant only.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the  Traffic Regulation Orders providing numbered permits, as set out in the plans at Annex A and as detailed in the report and the removal of the three existing disabled parking bays at Eden Drive North, be approved; and

(2)       the Traffic Services Manager be authorised to undertake the necessary legal procedures, including those of public consultation and advertising the Council’s intention to implement the Orders.

Report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning

Update on Area Committee budget resources available.

Further to Minute No. 29 of 11 July 2012, the Committee considered the report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning indicating that the balance of the budget available for allocation during 2012/13, including sums set aside for the provision of litterbins and street signs, was £62,299.51 and setting out details of the progress of schemes for which funding had previously been approved.

RESOLVED:            That

(1)       the Ward budgets for 2012/13 be noted; and

(2)       the ongoing schemes for which funding was provided in 2010/11 and 2011/12 be noted.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 31 October 2012, at the Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre, the Esplanade, Cambridge Road, Waterloo, commencing at 6.30 p.m.

RESOLVED:

That the next meeting be held at 6.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 31 October 2012 at the Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre, Cambridge Road, Waterloo.