Crossgate Community Partnership: Minutes

Minutes of the meeting Tuesday 1st November 2016

1. Attendance

Present: Roger Cornwell (in the Chair), R. W. Banks, Liz Brown, Mary K. Crichton, Alan Doig, Brendan McKeown, John Pacey, Simon Priestley, David Ramsden, Jean Rogers, Doug Scott, Simon Squires, Ann Stokes, Sarah Wilkinson, Clare Wright
Cllr Grenville Holland
PCSO Steven Bell

2. Apologies for absence

were received from: Lesley Aers, Mike Costello, Ann Evans, Jackie Levitas, Barbara Ravelhofer
Cllr Nigel Martin

3. PACT (Police And Communities Together) Session

a) PCSO Steve Bell reported: there had been two bicycle thefts on this side of the city, plus a further eleven on the University / Elvet side: CID is looking at all of these.
There had been three burglaries / attempted burglaries on the same night in May Street / Laburnum Avenue / Summerville.
The police had repeated the exercise of trying doors, and leaving a 'hand' leaflet in those that opened (they had found about open 40 doors).
The City Beat Team continued to work a late shift on Wednesdays, to deal with issues from late night drinking. They had worked until midnight the previous night, which was Hallowe'en.
In response to our prioritisation of dangerous cycling, PCSOs Leesa Bennison and Phil Raine had been carrying our educational stops of people cycling on Silver Street; they will repeat this.

b) PCSO Rebecca Carey had sent a written report. In the last month she had:

issued 33 Community Protection Notices for noise (of which 26 in the Crossgate / Nevilles Cross area)
issued one Community Protection Notice (in the Crossgate area)
issued 10 fines for urinating in the street
made 161 alcohol seizures

The consensus of the meeting was that police enforcement was having an effect in reducing noise at night.

c) Roger Cornwell reminded the meeting that we had in the past asked the police to prioritise action on those using mobile phones while driving, but that this had proved difficult for operational reasons. In view of the recent court case, and of the government's announcement that it would combat this practice by increasing penalties, would the police be increasing the priority given to detecting and stopping this practice? He was asked to write to this effect to Police and Crime Commissioner Ron Hogg.

d) Priorities: The meeting supported the action taken by the police to combat student nuisance and dangerous cycling, and agreed that these should remain our priorities for the coming month.

4. Minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record.

5. Voluntary Code of Practice for Letting Boards

Jean Rogers had received a reply from Ian Thompson's office: the Council seemed surprised that residents had seen the extension of the period of the Code as a relaxation, as this had been intended to increase the part of the year in which the Code applied. A group of officers were working towards implementing a Regulation 7, with the intention that this should be in place by September 2017. They did not, however, plan to consult residents until after the end of the year's Code period (March 2017): it was agreed that residents could usefully have input at an earlier stage than this, and that we should talk to Mike Costello (DURF secretary) about DURF taking a lead on this and so including all residents' groups.
Cllr Grenville Holland has been in touch with Stephen Reed, Planning Development Manager, and will keep up the pressure in that quarter.
Among points arising in discussion was the unanimous view that boards have become irrelevant to potential student tenants: they are a way for agents to advertise their services to landlords - and a service for which they can charge their clients.
The question was asked: is there such a thing as membership of the Voluntary Code, or does the Council simply note which agents do not follow its guidelines? The 2016 Code asks agents to send Pam Glaister lists of the properties they will be advertising, in advance of the letting period, but when Liz Brown asked for sight of these lists, she was told none had been received: does this mean that no-one is currently abiding by the Code?

6. Bus Station Proposals

There was a general discussion of the issues raised by the "consultation". Simon Squires was complimented on his response to the exercise, and asked to compose a similar submission on behalf of the CCP.

7. Retrospective Planning application for 16 Nevilledale

The case goes to committee on November 8th; planning officers would be recommending acceptance of the modified scheme. Immediate neighbours felt that, quite apart from the bad precedent this sets, the modifications are not sufficient. They are still deliberating who will speak on their behalf. Grenville advised on the type of objections which will, and will not, carry weight with the Committee.
Roger was asked to write to express the CCP's support for local residents.

8. University Masterplan

John Pacey argued, as he had said in a recent letter in the press, that the expansion of the University by one third would be disastrous for the City. Liz Brown will contact other residents' groups, with a view to forming a stronger opposition to these plans.

9. County Hospital: purported discharge of conditions

The Council say that they are keeping an eye on activity on site. The preconditions for work to go ahead have not been met, but the work currently being carried out is all preliminary and therefore permitted. Liz has issues of tree preservation in hand.

10. Reports from Local Councillors

Grenville has secured funding for bollards.

11. Date of next meeting

The next meeting will be on Monday 5 December 2016.