Agenda and minutes

Plympton Area Committee - Monday 2 November 2009 6.00 pm

Venue: St Mary's Church Hall, Plympton, Plymouth PL7 1QW

Contact: Helen Rickman, Democratic Support Officer  Email: helen.rickman@plymouth.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

28.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.

Minutes:

The following declarations of interest were made in accordance with the Code of Conduct in relation to items under discussion at this meeting –

 

Name

Minute No. and Subject

Reason

Interest

Councillor Mrs. Beer

31 - Policing Issues

Employee of Devon and

Cornwall Constabulary.

Personal

Mr. Street

31 - Policing Issues

 

32 - Plympton Library

Retired Police Officer.

 

Board Member of NHS

Plymouth.

Personal

 

Personal

 

 

29.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 42 KB

The Committee will be asked to confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 14 September 2009.

 

Please note any questions relating to these minutes can be asked under question time for members of the public.

Minutes:

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 14 September 2009, be confirmed as a correct record.

30.

CHAIR'S URGENT BUSINESS

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

Minutes:

The Chair informed the Committee that an exhibition was due to take place in Plympton Museum regarding Sir Joshua Reynolds between 20 November 09 and 20 February 2010.

31.

POLICING ISSUES

A representative from the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary will report on any relevant issues.

Minutes:

Inspector Fitzpatrick was in attendance to report on behalf of the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary. 

 

The Committee was advised that –

 

(i)

between April 09 and October 09, 935 crimes had been committed in Plympton; this was reported as being 25% less crime compared to the same period last year;

 

(ii)

there was a 40% reduction of crime recorded in Colebrook and Newnham;

 

(iii)

there was a 23% increase of crime recorded in Woodford;

 

(iv)

there was a 17% reduction of crime recorded in Plympton St Maurice;

 

(v)

there was a 13% increase of crime recorded in Yealmpstone;

 

(vi)

areas that had shown an increase in reported crime, had also shown an increase in police detection;

 

(vii)

in the last 2-3 weeks there had been an increase of criminal damage offences; two people were arrested however one of the individuals was subsequently arrested again for damaging a car. Residents were advised to park vehicles off road if possible, put wing mirrors in and hide valuables;

 

(viii)

Operation Everest took place on 14 October and was very successful; Police enforcement officers, MOD police, a speed detection van and extra patrols were out in Plympton engaging with members of the public;

 

(ix)

a mobile police surgery was due to visit all five neighbourhoods, particularly at Greenway Avenue, Newnham Carpark, Colebrook Shops, Downham Drive and St Maurice Road;

 

(x)

a surgery takes place in Plympton library on the third Wednesday of every month between 3-4pm;

 

In response to questions raised it was reported that -

 

(xi)

information provided to the Committee was balanced between percentages and actual figures;

 

(xii)

pact meetings were not well attended, so police officers were making themselves available to speak by holding mobile police surgery’s;

 

(xiii)

police meetings were advertised in the Herald, local papers and at various surgeries;

 

(xiv)

residents should be mindful of crime at Christmas and ensure to hide valuable items away;

 

 


Resolved that Inspector Fitzpatrick be thanked for his attendance.

32.

PLYMPTON LIBRARY

The Committee will receive an update on progress.

Minutes:

The Chair informed the Committee that there was little to report on Plympton Library however it was raised by Members that there were no final plans for the library as of yet.

 

Mr Street informed the Committee that members of Plympton Community Council, at their last meeting, resolved to write to Plymouth City Council to include a museum in final plans for the library. In response a meeting had been arranged between members and museum and library staff on 5 November 09 in order to discuss the issue.

33.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

The Committee will consider requests from individual Committee Members for future agenda items and identify items that are still outstanding from previous meetings.

Minutes:

Resolved that the following be added as future agenda items –

 

1.

Rees Youth Service – a short presentation updating the Committee on youth activities in Plympton;

 

2.

Localities;

 

3.

general concerns with Amey;

 

4.

community events and road closures – information to be provided on the new policy and drafted report;

 

5.

general issues with bus timetables;

 

6.

Merrifield Road – a written report to be provided updating the Committee on the possibility of upgrading signage for heavy goods vehicles;

 

7.

Langage Power Station – a representative from the Environment Agency be requested to send a report or invited to attend a future meeting in order to assure councillors and residents that environmental pollution would be adequately monitored in the future;

 

8.

Ridgeway Works – an update

 

34.

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

The Committee and Officers will respond to questions from members of the public attending the Committee. Any question not answered shall be the subject of a written response within ten working days.

Minutes:

The Committee considered questions from members of the public on the following matters –

 

(i)

the current situation with regards to the gypsy site development in Plympton;

 

(ii)

the problems caused by lack of appropriate signage with regards to hgv lorries driving down Merrifield road;

 

(iii)

if there was a possibility that money from the Local Environment Fund could be allocated to better signage in Litchaton Crescent;

 

(iv)

faulty street lighting in Maurice Road;

 

(v)

if emissions from the power station were being monitored by Centrigo;

 

(vi)

why Councillors did not attend a local meeting about the Ridgeway Works, and why the works had started 10 weeks before Christmas;

 

Responses were provided as follows –

 

(a)

with regard to (i) above, the Vice Chair informed the committee that this issue was to be discussed at 12 November 09 Planning Committee meeting;

 

(b)

with regard to (ii) above, the Vice Chair informed the Committee that he had previously requested for the signage at the top of Cot Hill to be upgraded in order to redirect hgv vehicles elsewhere;

 

(c)

with regard to (iii) above, the Chair informed the committee that this issue would be taken outside the meeting to be dealt with;

 

(d)

with regard to (iv) above, the committee was informed that the street lighting department had been contacted and were aware of the problem;

 

(e)

with regard to (v) above, the committee was informed that Councillor Dr Salter had made attempts to contact South Hams Council however assurances were not provided that South Hams would monitor emissions. The Committee was informed that the Environment Agency had powers of enforcement and it was suggested that residents should contact them with any concerns. Councillor Mrs Beer informed the committee that she had visited the power station and was told that it was currently working to 60% capacity and that officials admitted that their comments were not appropriate;

 

(f)

with regard to (vi) above the Chair informed the committee that he did not attend the meeting as it wasn’t expected that any additional information would be provided; he also confirmed that Amey had reviewed and altered the scheme of works for the Ridgeway which had caused the delay. Mr Briggs highlighted to the committee that driver priority for the Ridgeway changed at weekends;

 

Mr Street raised a personal vote of thanks to Councillor Dr. Salter for all the support he provided in relation to the incident at Langage Power Station.

35.

DATE AND VENUE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will be held at 6.00 p.m. on Monday 11 January, 2010, at St Mary’s Church Hall, Plympton, Plymouth.

Minutes:

The Committee noted that the next meeting would be held on 11 January, 2010, at 6.00 p.m. in St. Mary’s Church Hall, Plympton.

36.

EXEMPT BUSINESS

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it (they) involve(s) the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s).. of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  

Minutes:

There were no items of exempt business.