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

There were no declarations of interest in accordance with the code of conduct.

The Committee will be asked to confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 30 September 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 the meeting held on 30 September 2009 be confirmed as a correct record, subject to an amendment to minute 21 (vii), replacing the word ‘Ernesettle’ with ‘Honicknowle’.

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

There were no items of Chair’s Urgent Business.

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

Representatives from Devon and Cornwall Police provided the Committee with an update on policing issues in the area.

Those present were informed that –

           (i)      anti-social behaviour issues in the Honicknowle area included –

·        a person responsible for a number of hoax calls had been apprehended and was on bail;

·        there had been positive press reports involving the police team at Honicknowle including a firework poster campaign;

·        there had been arrest following a breaking of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order;

·        there had been an increase in burglaries in the West Park, Honicknowle area and initially there seemed to be no links between them;  security points for the public to be aware of included cat flaps and not leaving keys in doors;

         (ii)      issues in the Southway area –

·        there had been an escalation arising from a previous stabbing incident;  there had been arrests and police were pursuing formal statements;

·        the PCSO had organised a speedwatch and an initiative was to be launched on 23 November 2009;

       (iii)      issues in the Whitleigh area –

·        there had been an incident involving a dangerous dog which had been dealt with by a multi-agency approach and the dog had been seized and kennelled;  the case had been adjourned;

·        Whitleigh PACT had identified drugs at Whitleigh Green as an issue of priority;  there had been multi-agency work on overt drug use and the camera in that location was linked to the city centre CCTV control room;

        (iv)      issues in Ernesettle included the presence of travellers;  there had been no increase in crimes linked to travellers.

In response to questions raised, those present were advised that –

          (v)      travellers were on private land and the owners would be receiving an eviction notice;

        (vi)      regarding drug problems in Whitleigh, police wished to encourage people to make reports to the Whitleigh Housing Office and to the police; as the public were finding that the Housing Office was not forwarding drug reporting to the police, they should contact the Neighbourhood Beat Manager;

      (vii)      regarding the query about why police were not enforcing audible means of approach on cycles and whether there was third party insurance for pedestrians on shared routes, it was a difficult issue to enforce but cyclists were breaking the law if they were cycling on pavements not designated for cycling.

Resolved that –

(1)               police representatives be thanked for their attendance;

(2)               with regard to (vii) above, a written response be provided, in accordance with the Constitution.

The Head of Policy, Performance and Partnerships will give a presentation on the review of Council priorities.

Representatives of the Head of Performance, Policy and Partnerships gave a presentation on the review of Council Priorities.  Those present were informed that, in addition to presentations at Area Committees, the Council would be conducting a consultation exercise at Drake Circus next week.

Those present were consulted on –

            (i)          Affordable housing – members of the public commented that they were not sure what was being done in the city on this issue currently;

          (ii)          Culture and Leisure – members of the public commented that they considered there were two parts to this question and it was therefore difficult to answer;

        (iii)          Anti-social behaviour;

         (iv)          Informing and involving residents;

           (v)          Better value for money;

         (vi)          Older people’s living independently;

       (vii)          Cleaner streets;

     (viii)          Raising achievement in schools;

         (ix)          Transport and getting round the city easier.

Officers advised that the responses of those present were recorded and would be taken into account as part of the consultation exercise in respect of this review (see responses graph attached to this minute).

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

In accordance with the constitution, the Committee considered requests from individual Committee Members for future items.

Members advised that the draft Sports & Recreation Strategy was now being consulted on and this strategy indicated that there was significant under-provision in the NW locality.  Those present queried whether residents’ associations were being consulted.

Resolved that the following items be considered at the next meeting –

(a)     Officers be requested to submit a report including the relevant extract from the draft Sports and Recreation Strategy that referred to the North West locality and provide advice on what the Council’s long term plans were to address the under-provision in this locality;

(b)     Officers be requested to attend the next meeting to answer concerns regarding the Whitleigh Housing Office.

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

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

            (i)      current situation with Whitleigh Community Centre;

          (ii)      the possibility of the Council funding fencing at Widewell to divide the playing fields to ensure pupils’ safety and public use;

        (iii)      the Widewell School Educational Trust use of S106 money relating to Belliver reservoir;

        (iv)      Widewell School Educational Trust’s intention to expand to two forms of entry and the source of funding for what was proposed;

          (v)      Council liability increase;

        (vi)      trees at the back of Taunton Avenue dividing the school from houses;

      (vii)      Council assurance that footpaths would be provided at the new estate on the old BAE site at Lulworth Drive;

    (viii)      lack of action by the Whitleigh Housing Office regarding smashed windows of Council housing property.

Members responded as follows –

(a)     with regard to (i) above, Whitleigh Community Centre –

·         this building had been in the possession of the bank;

·         it had been sold at auction to a private individual;

·         it was not yet known what would happen to the property;

·         the Council’s covenant for the land to be restricted to social and community  remained in place; any change of use would need planning permission which might involve S106 provision issues;

·         there were not many community halls across the city;

·         development of a new church in the Budshead ward would include a church hall which could be used by the community;

(b)     regarding (v) above, the Chair read out an email response he had received;

(c)     regarding (vi) above, the trees at the back of Taunton Avenue were due to be planted within the next few weeks;

(d)     regarding (viii) above, the Chair would follow up this matter; in view of concerns raised at this meeting relating to the Whitleigh Housing Office, an item on this be placed on the next agenda (see minute 37(b) above).

Resolved that written responses be provided in respect of items (ii), (iii), (iv) and (vii) above, in accordance with the Constitution.

The next meeting will be held at 6.30pm on Wednesday, 20 January 2010 at St Aidan’s Church Hall, Ernesettle.

Resolved that the date, time and venue of the next meeting, i.e. 6.30pm on Wednesday, 20 January 2010 at St Aidan’s Church Hall, Ernesettle, be noted.