Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED:   That

(1)      Councillor Mahon be appointed Chair of the Area Committee for the Municipal Year 2012/13; and

(2)      Councillor Brennan be appointed Vice-Chair of the Area Committee for the Municipal Year 2012/13.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bradshaw and P.Dowd.

Members and Officers are requested to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct.

The following declaration of interest was received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 15 March, 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 15 March, 2012 be confirmed as a correct record.

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.

During the Open Forum the following question was submitted:

a)                Local Advisory Group Member Ms. M. Elson asked whether the when the landscaping and general upkeep of A5036 was going to be addressed. The landscaping had not been touched within the last two years and the area looked a disgrace. The grass / plants were wildly overgrown and full of litter. She went on to ask whether the local Member of Parliament was acting on the matter.

The Committee commented that the untidy appearance was not only unsightly but also a health and safety matter as the overgrown vegetation obstructed the views of drivers.

RESOLVED: That

(1)          the Neighbourhood Co-ordinator be requested to write to the two local MPs, Joe Benton and Bill Esterson to make enquiries with the Highways Agency with regard to clearing the detritus and overgrown vegegation along the A5063 corridor; and

(2)          the Neighborhood Co-ordinator be requested to write to the Health and Safety Executive to with regard to the clearing the detritus and overgrown vegegation along the A5063 corridor.

Report of the Neighbourhood Inspector

Update on crime statistics and area interventions since the last meeting

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).

There are no items in Part B.

Inspector Thompson reported that, in St.Oswald Ward, compared to the same period last year:  overall crime was down by 4 incidents; violent crime was up 10 incidents; sexual crime was up by 1 incident; robbery from business remained the same; burglary from the home was up by 1 incident; burglary (other) was down by 10 incidents; theft of a motor vehicle was up by 4 incidents; theft from a motor vehicle was down by 2 incidents; criminal damage was down by 5 incidents; theft from a shop was down by 7 incidents; other theft was up by 15 incidents; fraud and forgery was up by 9 incidents; drugs related crime was down by 11 incidents; and anti-social behaviour was down by 33  incidents.

In Netherton and Orrell Ward, compared to the same period last year:  overall crime was down by 52 incidents; violent crime was up 2 incidents; sexual crime was down by 3 incidents; robbery from business was down by 1 incident; burglary from the home was down by 1 incident; burglary (other) was down by 2 incidents; theft of a motor vehicle was down by 5 incidents; theft from a motor vehicle was up by 7 incidents; criminal damage was down by 39 incidents; theft from a person was down by 3 incidents; theft from a shop was down by 5 incidents; other theft was up by 20 incidents; fraud and forgery was up by 2 incidents; drugs related crime was up by 11 incidents; and anti-social behaviour was down by 119  incidents.

Inspector Thompson commented that ‘scrambler bikes’ continued to be a problem across Merseyside. His team were working with Liverpool colleagues to develop a co-ordinated approach as the problem crossed borough boundaries.

The Committee enquired into the number of incidents of ‘hate crime’ within St.Oswald and Netherton and Orrell Wards. Inspector Thompson agreed to supply data on ‘hate crime’ to the Committee. A Councillor commented that disability ‘hate crime’ was still under reported.

RESOLVED:

That the Police be thanked for their presentation.

Ms Paula Simm, Community Safety Manager, One Vision Housing to give an update in relation to issues at Bowland Drive and the Pendle Estate and agree a way forward.

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).

The Committee received a verbal update from Paula Simm, Community Safety Manager, One Vision Housing (OVH) regarding the issues at Bowland Drive and Pendle Estate.

Ms.Simm highlighted that: the issusing of a number of ASBOs had seen a reduction in the number of break-ins into empty properties; OVH had also used ‘Smartwater’ to protect items such as boilers and radiators from theft, a natural consequence of fewer break-ins was that people felt safer in their homes; OVH had funded the purchase of two mountian bikes for the Police; and OVH was looking into setting up an office in one of the vacant properties so residents had easier access to report concerns to OVH, which would also aid the ‘mapping’ of client profiles.

RESOLVED:

That Ms. Simm, One Vision Housing, be thanked for her presentation.

Report of the Director of Street Scene

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Street Scene seeking approval for the location and provision of outdoor gyms within the St.Oswald and Netherton and Orrell area.

The report indicated that the gyms would be fully funded by Sefton Primary Care Trust; that it was now proposed to install new equipment at the five sites referred to below:

·       Netherton Activity Centre, Netherton– Neighbourhood (5 items of equipment)

·       Orrell Mount Park, Orrell – Neighbourhood (5 items of equipment)

·       Killen Green Park, Netherton – Neighbourhood (5 items of equipment)

·       Copy Farm, Netherton – Local  (3 items of equipment)

·       St Monicas, Netherton - Local (3 items of equipment)

and that the site selection process had included consultation with Friends of Parks Groups where available.

RESOLVED:

That the sites selected for the provision of outdoor gyms in the St.Oswald and Netherton and Orrell area be approved.

Report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Business Intelligence and Performance that advised of the progress regarding recruitment to the Sefton Citizens’ e-Panel and the development of the Sefton Youth ePanel.

The report indicated that Sefton Council was committed to engaging and consulting with residents and other stakeholders to improve the services it provided; that as part of this commitment, Sefton had reorganised the need for regular consultation on a variety of subjects; and that this had been undertaken on the Council’s behalf by an external company.

The Council had now established an online Sefton Citizens’ ePanel, that was open to people aged 16 and over who lived, worked or studied in or visited Sefton, who would be asked to respond to several surveys per year; and that similarly, a Youth ePanel aimed at 13-19 year olds in education or training was being developed.  It was acknowledged that there would be some cross over between the main ePanel and the Youth ePanel but that this was considered necessary as the Youth ePanel may address different issues that would be relevant for 16-19 year olds.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the report on the recruitment to the Sefton Citizens’ ePanel and the development of the Sefton Youth e-Panel be noted; and

(2)      Members of the Area Committee be requested to encourage local residents to join the Sefton Citizens’ e-Panel.

Report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning on the area management activities that had taken place in St Oswald and Netherton and Orrell Wards since the last meeting.

The Committee raised concerns regarding lorry drivers parking up in the lay-by near to The Park Hotel on Dunningsbridge Road. They asked whether bollards could be installed on the lay-bys of the A5036 to restrict access to the lay-by overnight.

The Committee also requested a break down of the costs involved for the removal of bollards on Louis Pastuer Avenue and Florence Nightingale Place.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)            the Area Management Update report be noted;

(2)            the Neighbourhood Co-ordinator be requested to ascertain the cost and viability of installing bollards on the lay-by near to The Park Hotel on Dunningsbridge Road; and

(3)            the Neighbourhood Co-ordinator be requested to ascertain the break down of costs the involved for the removal of bollards on Louis Pasteur Avenue and Florence Nightingale Place, Netherton.

Report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning

Further to Minute No. 46 of the meeting held on 15 March 2012, the Committee considered the report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning that provided information on available resources for the Committee and progress on those items approved at previous meetings.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 20 September 2012 at Netherton Park Neighbourhood Centre, Chester Avenue, Netherton commencing at 18:30.

In accordance with the agreed programme of meetings for this Area Committee, the next meeting will be held on Thursday 20 September 2012, at Netherton Park Neighbourhood Centre, Chester Avenue, Netherton commencing at 18:30.