Minutes for St. Oswald and Netherton and Orrell Area Committee meeting, Apr 9 2009, 6.30PM official page

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bradshaw, Brennan and M. 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.

No declarations of interest were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 12 February 2009

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Area Committee held on 12 February 2009 be confirmed as a correct record.

Members of the public are invited to ask questions, raise matters, or present petitions on issues which are relevant to Sefton Council.  The person asking a question will be allowed one supplementary question.

(If a response to a question is required which cannot be provided at the meeting or if the question is not reached within the 45 minute period, the Chair will either refer the matter to the appropriate Service Department for a written answer or to the appropriate Cabinet Member for further consideration).

Part “A”

These items are for general discussion.  Anybody attending the meeting is welcome to speak (subject to the Chair’s discretion).

During the Open Forum the following matters were raised:

(1)      Local Advisory Group Member Ms. M. Elson referred to newspaper articles indicating that the A59 in Maghull had been cleared of litter; and whilst welcoming the news, expressed her anger that Old Roan residents had been complaining about the litter problem at Switch Island and along the A59 and A5036 Dunning Bridge Road for over five years.

Ms. Elson sought an assurance that in future, there would be more regular litter picks whether by the Highways Agency or the Council, as this would benefit all residents of the area.

Mr. Fraser, Committee Administrator, advised that he had received information from the Highways Agency indicating that litter on the Switch Island part of the A59 came under the control of the Highways Agency and was cleared on a cyclic basis twice a year; that it was also cleared on a needs basis should this arise; that it was last cleared on this basis on 11 February 2009, and that the situation would be monitored on a regular basis; and that litter on the A5036 was the responsibility of the Council.

The Cleansing Manager had responded by letter to Ms. Elson.  The letter detailed the cleansing operations in the area together with the budgetary implications; that he would liaise with colleagues in the Highways Section to try and get trees/privets cut back to enable better litter picking; and provided costs for additional cleansing operations if the Area Committee wished to find such operations from its devolved budget.

(2)          Further to Minute No. 72(3) of 12 February 2009, (Cars and vans being driven along Pattens Close, Netherton), Mr. R. Palin complained that the response he had received to his complaint from the Traffic Services Manager did not relate to the specific points raised by him previously; and concluded that he wanted the installation of bollards in the area to rectify the problems being experienced.

          Mr. Marrin, Traffic Services Manager, indicated that he would arrange for a member of his team to contact Mr. Palin to organise a site meeting to investigate the traffic problems being experienced in Pattens Close.

Part “B”

These are formal decisions to be taken by Members of the Council.  Only in exceptional cases will the Chair allow contributions from the public (Advisory Group Members may speak but not vote).

PCSO’s Rob Johnson and Andy Wells introduced themselves to the meeting and advised that they were the dedicated officers covering the Marian Square area.

PCSO’s Johnson and Wells referred to a “Shop Watch Scheme” being established to cover the Marian Square, Park Lane and Switch Retail Park areas; that other small shopping areas could be added to the scheme; advised that the scheme operated by shop staff keeping in contact with each other and the Police, via a radio network, to alert each other about known offenders/incidents occurring; that £14,000 was required to get the scheme up and running; and that funding was being sought.

PCSO’s Johnson and Wells concluded that the aim of the scheme was to get the shop/store community to work together to reduce crime and the fear of crime.

It was agreed that PCSO’s Johnson and Wells submit a report to the next meeting of the Committee on the detailed costings of the Shop Watch Scheme.

Councillor Maher indicated that he had received numerous complaints about anti-social behaviour in the Lunt Avenue area; and that incidents of theft from property and vehicles had increased in the area.

PCSO’s Johnson and Wells indicated that they would refer the above matters onto the dedicated officers covering the Lunt Avenue area.

Report of the Environmental Protection Director

The Committee considered the report of the Environmental Protection Director on activity relating to the provision of Cleansing Services within the Area Committee’s boundary.

The report detailed aspects of the refuse collection service; the civic amenities service and that the service was currently providing 97% of all collections on the day scheduled by the Contact Centre; and aspects associated with the street cleansing service and that fly tipping continued to be a serious problem, with 418 fly tipping incidents reported within the Area Committee.

The Committee also provided information on other initiatives within the Cleansing Service relating to staff training; the reorganisation of the Cleansing Management structure linking officers to either waste or street services; and the creation of six ‘trainee’ posts, funded by the Working Neighbourhood Fund.

The report also detailed that with the roll out of alternating weekly collections completed and the limited sack collections implemented, the growth in recycling previously achieved had now settled; that there had been a sustained growth on the amount of food waste collected for composting and that about 170 tonnes per month was collected; the service provided at Bring Sites; and the Green Waste Collection Service.

With regard to St. Oswald and Netherton and Orrell Wards, the report detailed statistics relating to complaints about services; the introduction of the colour banded sacks scheme; and that since the introduction of alternate weekly collections/colour-banded sack collections, the Authority had seen a reduction in the amount of residual waste borough wide being deposited at landfill, down from 57,420 tonnes in 2007/08 to 49,068 tonnes, for the same period during 2008/09.

Mr. Gary Berwick, Cleansing Services Manager, presented the report to the Committee.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)       the report on the provision of Cleansing Services be noted; and

(2)       Mr. Berwick be thanked for his presentation.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

The Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director updating on the progress made to date in relation to Area Management (AM) and advising of the next steps to take AM forward.

The report indicated that the AM model approved by Cabinet on 11 December 2008 was driven by Area Committees across the Borough to enhance their roles and responsibilities; and that a staffing structure to support AM would be introduced, subject to the agreement of Cabinet in April 2009 of the allocation of Area Based Grant.

The report also detailed the consultation process to be undertaken with Members and the options that could be delivered, namely:

• services locally based and locally controlled
• services locally based and centrally controlled

The report concluded by detailing the specific progress made on St. Oswald and Netherton and Orrell relating to attracting more people to become involved in the Area Committee, including young people; Area Committee budget - current limits and clarity on what the resource could be spent on; and information sharing and what was going on in the area.

The report concluded by detailing the next steps to be taken to progress AM and indicating that the Neighbourhood Division would continue to work with the Area Committee to explore and tackle key local issues.

RESOLVED:

That the progress made on Area Management and the planned next steps, as detailed in the report, be noted.

Report of the Leisure Director

The Committee considered the report of the Leisure Director advising of proposals to make significant improvements to Browns Lane Allotment Gardens and seeking the Committee’s support for such proposals.

The report indicated that the allotments site covered an area of approximately 4.7 hectares of overgrown vegetation; and that they were currently disused and were vulnerable to anti-social behaviour.

The report also indicated that there were currently 243 people on the waiting list for allotments in Netherton and Bootle; that a sum of £50,000 was available from Section 106 planning agreements that could be used to reinstate the land to its former use and improve the facility and thereby help to satisfy public demand; and that the improvement works would create 140 new plots.

The report concluded that work was expected to start on site in Spring 2009 and the aim was to have the site ready for allotment holders later that year.

RESOLVED:

That the proposals to bring back into productive use the neglected/disused allotment site at Browns Lane, Netherton be approved.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environmental Services.

Further to Minute No. 77 of 12 February 2009, the Committee considered the report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environmental Services that provided responses to specific questions raised by Members in connection with the draft Highway Maintenance Programme 2009/10.

The Committee at its meeting held on 12 February 2009 raised concerns:

• that it considered that the south of the borough did not receive its fair share of works, in all programmes;

• about the very poor state of footways, carriageways and street lighting on the Sefton estate; and expressed surprise that the estate did not merit inclusion in various programmes;

• the poor standard of work by contractors undertaking surface treatment work in Parkfield Avenue, Netherton; which resulted in many residents’ complaints; and sought the views of the Strategic Director on whether payments made to the contractor would be refunded;

• that Farriers Way and Bridle Road were included in the Street Lighting programme.  It was considered that the above two roads had satisfactory street lighting whilst other roads in the area, Moss Lane and Gardner Avenue for example, were higher priorities and should be included in the programme;

• that Downside Close, Netherton was not included in any carriageway/resurfacing programme.

The report responded to the points referred to above.

Mr. A. Hogan, Highways Manager, presented the report and answered questions thereon from Members.

RESOLVED:

That the report responding to questions raised by Members in connection with the draft Highway Maintenance Programme for 2009/10 be noted.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environmental Services.

The Committee considered the report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environmental Services seeking the allocation of funding from its devolved budget for safety improvement works at Harrops Croft, Netherton.

The report indicated that there was a sloping footway leading to Harrops Croft from Fleetwoods Lane that became very slippy in wet conditions; and the St. Oswald Ward Councillors had requested the treatment of the slope with an anti-skid treatment; together with the provision of a new and extended handrail.

The total cost of the works was £1,585.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)       the safety works at Harrops Croft, Netherton at a cost of £1,585 be approved and funded from the Area Committee’s devolved budget; and

(2)       the Finance and Information Services Director be advised of the expenditure referred to in (1) above.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No. 61(5) of 8 January, 2009 the Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director on the legal and cost issues associated with the blocking off of Sandiways Avenue to stop pedestrian access.

The report indicated that the area in question formed part of the adopted public highway and could not be physically obstructed, unless having obtained a legal Order preventing access by the public at large; and the type of Order which could legally close a public highway was that of a Gating Order or Stopping-up Order using various legislation including the Highways Act 1980 and the Town and Country Planning Act 1990; and detailed each of the legal options.

The report continued that although legislation was available to legally gate a highway and maintain the highway thereafter, it would be extremely difficult to justify the legal test for the closure of Sandiways Avenue that was essentially required to process such an Order, particularly to a Magistrates Court.

The report concluded by recommending that due to the difficulties associated with justifying the legal reasons in processing a Gating Order or Stopping-up Order at Sandiways Avenue, Netherton, pursuant to the provisions of the Highways Act 1980, no further action be taken on this matter.

RESOLVED:

That the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director be requested to submit a further more detailed report to the Committee.

Report of the Finance and Information Services Director

The Committee considered the report of the Finance and Information Services Director which advised that the balance of its budget available to allocate during 2008/09 was £35,589.29 and that the Strategic Director had received the following request for allocation since the last meeting.

Requested By

Description of Project

Amount Requested

Councillor Maher

Gardening projects of local landscape plots and purchase of equipment - Old Roan Area

£500

RESOLVED:  That

(1)       the balance of the Area Committee’s budget of £35,589.29 available for allocation during 2008/09, be noted;

(2)       the requests for an allocation from the Area Committee’s devolved budget from Councillor Maher, as referred to above, be approved; and

(3)       the Finance and Information Services Director be advised of the expenditure referred to in (2) above.

Copies of correspondence relating to questions which have been answered since the last meeting are attached for information only

The Committee considered correspondence relating to previous questions raised in the Open Forum.

RESOLVED:

That the correspondence be noted.

In accordance with the agreed programme of meetings for this Area Committee, the next meeting will be held on Thursday, 21 May 2009 at the Netherton Park Neighbourhood Centre, Chester Avenue, Netherton commencing at 6.30 p.m.

RESOLVED:

That in accordance with the agreed programme of meetings for this Area Committee, the next meeting will be held on Thursday 21 May 2009 at the Netherton Park Neighbourhood Centre, Chester Avenue, Netherton, commencing at 6.30 p.m.