Resolved that Councillor Gordon be appointed as Chair and Councillor Bowie be appointed as Vice-Chair of this Committee for the current Municipal year.

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

There were no declarations of interest made by members.

The Committee will be asked to confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 8 July 2009.

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

Resolved that the minutes of 8 July 2009 be confirmed as a correct record.

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

The Chair allowed the following matter, which arose from the minutes of the previous meeting, to be considered:

Resolved that authority to be delegated to the Chair for Ham Ward and Vice-Chair for St Budeaux Ward.

Representatives from the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary will report on any relevant local issues.

The police reported that a serious incident took place last weekend in St Budeaux.  The police will meet with the ASBO Team tomorrow to discuss this.  No other police issues to report.

Resolved that crime statistics to be made available at each meeting.

To receive a briefing on locality working from Maggie Carter, Assistant Director for Children and Young People and Lucy Davis, LSP Co-ordinator.

The Assistant Director of Services for Children and Young People submitted a report on Locality Working.  It was reported that –

(i)                 the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) divided the city into 6 locality areas;

(ii)               children services are leading the way on locality working;

(iii)             this is a city-wide consultation;

(iv)              locality working will improve delivery of services for Plymouth citizens;

(v)                it will mean changes to area committees;

(vi)              work is taking place across the city, looking at services in a more accessible way;

(vii)            key partners are working more closely together;

(viii)          it is proposed that each locality will have a Locality Service Co-ordination Team, consisting of key people from –

-          street scene and environmental services;

-          services relating to community safety;

-          health services;

-          services for children and young people.

The following comments were made by members of the committee -

(ix)              currently Area Committees alternate each meeting between different locations, meetings that take place in Ham predominately have residents from Ham and likewise for St Budeaux.  This will mean a lot fewer meetings and local people will not be able to input at a local level;

(x)                St Budeaux is a neglected area with no facilities for youth provision.  A facility was taken away 10 years ago and replaced with a superstore.  At that time £40k was allocated to St Budeaux for a football pitch at Mount Tamar, this wasn’t followed through.

In response to questions from members of the panel, it was reported that -

(xi)              the Youth Service has been re-configured in line with the locality working.

Resolved that the committee will look into why a football pitch wasn’t progressed following the development of the superstore.

To consider objections/comments received during the advertisement period and to consider recommending to the Cabinet Member for Transport that the proposals be implemented.

The Director for Development submitted a report outlining proposals to transfer enforcement of School Keep Clear Markings from the Police to the Council’s Civil Enforcement Officers. 

Resolved that –

To receive a report on proposed alley gates for Tresluggan Road Lane.

The Director for Development submitted a report update on funding for the proposed alley gates.

It was reported that -

(i)                 there had been an increase in crime in the lane compared to last year;

(ii)               an advertisement for a traffic regulation order would be placed next week;

(iii)             a planning application has been submitted for the gates;

(iv)              crime and anti-social behaviour in the lane was affecting adjacent residents as well as shops.

In response to questions from members of the committee, it was reported that –

(v)                it is unnecessary to have a CCTV camera as well as gates.

Resolvedthat –

(1)               members authorise officers to proceed with a funding application for the project to the Home Office through the Small Retailers Capital Grants Fund, on behalf of the Wolseley Road independent shopkeepers and subject to their approval;

(2)               the purchasing and installing of a CCTV camera to cover the lane was not to be included in the funding application.

To receive an update on the Local Environment Fund.

The Committee received a report on the Local Environment Fund and noted that –

            (i)         the roll-forward from 0809 – saving of £3,000 as project of 1 way was noted as budget no longer required.    Members objected to this deletion.

Resolvedthat the deletion to be investigated and re-instated.

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

Resolvedthat Chair and Vice Chair to meet to discuss future agenda items.

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.

Members of the public put forward questions, to which the following responses were provided –

The next meeting of this committee will be held at 6 pm on Wednesday 4 November 2009 at the Halcyon Methodist Church, Dingle Road, North Prospect.

The next meeting of the Committee will take place at 6pm on 4 November 2009 at the Halcyon Centre, North Prospect.

There were no items of exempt business.