Minutes for Crosby Area Committee meeting, Jan 20 2010, 6.30PM official page

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Papworth and Local Advisory Group Member, Mr. B. Wright.

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.

The following declaration of interest was received:

Member

Minute No.

Interest

Action

Councillor Barber

83 - Thornton to Switch Island Link - Public Consultation and Exhibition

Personal-Member of the Planning Committee

Remained in the room but took no part in the consideration of the matter.

Minutes of the meeting held on 4 November 2009

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 November 2009 be confirmed as a correct record.

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).

Inspector Turner presented and reported on Crosby's crime statistics for November and December 2009, comparing them with the statistics for the same period in 2007 and 2008 (Hightown figures in brackets), as follows:

Nov 07

Nov 08

Nov 09

Dec 07

Dec 08

Dec09

All Crime

250(3)

281(3)

294(2)

235(4)

241(7)

226(2)

Violent Crime

23

41

32

46

32

31

Robbery

1

4

1(1)

2

3(1)

3

Burglary Dwelling

20

26

25

22(1)

28(2)

30(1)

Unauthorised Theft/taking of a Motor Vehicle

6

6

12

5

8

4

Theft from Motor Vehicle

23

22

20

8

12(3)

17

Criminal Damage

59(1)

70

88

50(1)

54(1)

44

Inspector Turner reported on a number of issues including:

·             an increase in the number of thefts of vehicles in November

·             a reduction in offences of criminal damage in December compared to previous years

·             a Police drive to reduce burglaries, many of which are committed because of insecure doors

·             an increase in the number of arrests for anti-social behaviour, particularly in the Thornton area.

Inspector Turner also responded to the following points raised by Councillors/members of the public:

·             whether details of arrests/cautions/convictions could be submitted to the Area Committee at future meetings (Inspector Turner agreed to investigate whether this would be possible)

·             whether the deployment of quad bikes had been affected by the recent severe weather (Inspector Turner indicated that this only happened on one day)

·             Inspector Turner agreed to contact the headteachers of St. John's C.E. Primary School, Waterloo;  St. Edmund's and St. Thomas's Catholic Primary School, Waterloo;  and Rimrose Hope C.E. Primary School, Seaforth, who were all reported as experiencing problems with traffic issues and vehicle parking

·             clarification that incidents involving vehicles stolen using keys obtained by thieves after entering a house would be treated as burglary offences in accordance with current Home Office guidelines on recording crime statistics

·             Inspector Turner agreed to submit details of any vehicles stolen following burglaries, to future meetings of the Area Committee

·             Inspector Turner agreed to investigate complaints of anti-social behaviour in the Field Walk, Poppy Road and Tarragon Close area of Thornton and numerous training shoes left dangling from telephone lines in the De Villiers Avenue/Longfield Avenue area of Crosby

·             Inspector Turner agreed to supply Councillor Barber with details of Police numbers deployed in the South Road area during weekends.

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).

The following matters were raised during the Open Forum:

(a)       Mr. W. Wilson asked when work would be undertaken to lower the height of the sand dunes in the vicinity of Crosby Promenade.

The Assistant Director (Neighbourhoods) agreed to arrange for a written  response to be sent to Mr. Wilson.

(b)       Mr. M Shield asked if finances for investment in Southport's Leisure Services could be frozen for two years, thereby saving much more money, instead of killing off Crosby business and trade with pay and display.

The Assistant Director (Neighbourhoods) agreed to arrange for a written response to be sent to Mr. Shield.

(c)        Mr. S. Casey requested urgent consideration to be given to the provision of traffic calming measures at the junction of Brownmoor Lane and Chesterfield Road.  He referred to three incidents over the last nine years (the most recent being on 16 January 2010) when the drivers of cars had lost control of their vehicles whilst travelling at high speed and had caused major damage to his and his neighbours' property and cars.  He suggested the provision of humps/sleeping policemen on the approach to Chesterfield Road from Brownmoor Lane;  a traffic island to reduce the width of the junction;  and railings or bollards outside nos. 53 to 57 Chesterfield Road.

It was agreed that the appropriate officers in the Technical Services Department should consider a solution to this issue, taking account of limited budgets.

(d)       Mr. I. Hamilton Fazey, the Chairperson of the Waterloo Residents Association, made detailed representations opposing the proposed introduction of charges at car parks in Waterloo.

The Assistant Director (Neighbourhoods) agreed to arrange for a written response to be sent to Mr. Hamilton Fazey.

To consider the attached report of the Environmental Protection Director which was referred to this Committee for its information by the Licensing and Regulatory Committee at its meeting held on 26 October 2009

The Committee considered the report of the Environmental Protection Director on the potential cumulative impact of licensed premises on South Road, Waterloo which had been referred to the Committee for its information by the Licensing and Regulatory Committee at its meeting held on 26 October 2009.

RESOLVED:  

That the report be noted.

To consider the attached report of the Environmental Protection Director which was referred to this Committee for its information by the Licensing and Regulatory Committee at its meeting held on 26 October 2009.

The Committee considered the report of the Environmental Protection Director on the above matter, which had been referred to the Committee for its information by the Licensing and Regulatory Committee at its meeting held on 26 October 2009.

RESOLVED:

That the report 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 regarding progress in relation to the development of the proposed Thornton to Switch Island Link and the public consultation and exhibition planned for February 2010; indicating that the Thornton Switch Island Link Road Scheme was granted ‘Programme Entry’ into the Department for Transport’s programme of major transport schemes, (i.e. schemes costing in excess of £5.0m) in September 2008; that the planning application for the scheme was proposed to be submitted at the beginning of April 2010; that Cabinet approved the proposal to hold a public exhibition of the proposals in advance of the submission of the application at the venues, dates and times below; that members of the project team would be available to explain the scheme and answer questions and that Members would be invited to attend the exhibition and the exhibition would also be publicised as widely as possible in the local area:

(a)       2pm to 8pm at St Frideswyde’s Church, Water Street, Thornton, on Tuesday, 2 February; and

(b)       2pm to 8pm at St Benet’s Parish Club, Chapel Lane, Netherton, on Wednesday, 3 February.

The report also indicated that in addition to the public exhibitions, it was proposed to offer individual discussions and consultations to the residents most affected by the scheme proposals (i.e. on Chapel Lane, Rothwells Lane and Holgate) and that individual discussions would also be offered to the local landowners and farmers who would be affected. Reports would be presented to all the relevant Area Committees and offers would be made to the Parish Councils for one of the project officers to attend their meetings and explain the scheme proposals.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No. 63 of the Council meeting of 17 December 2009, the Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director setting out proposed Traffic Regulation Orders, the effect of which would be to introduce car parking charges at the above car parks.  The report indicated that the proposals would result in a net income of £32,000 in the first year and £148,000 in future years.

RESOLVED:

That the report be referred to the Cabinet Member - Technical Services with a request that the car parks and car parking charges in the Crosby area, including a possible subsidy for residents, be re-examined.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

The Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director setting out proposed Gating Orders which would permit alleygates to be installed to restrict access to various passageways and thereby reduce incidents of anti-social behaviour.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director, in conjunction with the Legal Director, be authorised to process Gating Order applications pursuant to section 129a of the Highways Act 1980 by advertising the Council's intention to install gates, the effect of which would be to restrict access to the passageways as highlighted in the report and shown on plans numbered DC0500, DC0501, DC0502, DC0504, DC0505, DC0506, DC0508, DC0509, DC0520, DC0521, DC0529-DC0534, DC0536-DC0539 and DC0541-DC0544; and

(2)            subject to there being no objections during the statutory advertising period, the Legal Director be authorised to confirm the respective Orders.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No. 69 of 4 November 2009, the Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director on the proposed provision of a pedestrian refuge on Stuart Road, Crosby, north of Cranmore Avenue.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)            consultation with frontagers in the vicinity of the proposed refuge be carried out as soon as possible; and

(2)            subject to a positive outcome from the public consultation, the design and implementation of the pedestrian refuge on Stuart Road, north of Cranmore Avenue, be progressed as soon as possible.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No. 10 of 13 July 2005, the Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director on the proposed introduction of a Traffic Regulation Order, the effect of which would amend existing Traffic Regulation Orders on Princes Avenue and York Avenue and restrict waiting at all times at this junction.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the Traffic Regulation Order, as shown on the plan at Annex A and as detailed in the report, be approved; and

(2)       the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director be authorised to undertake the necessary legal procedures, including those of public consultation and advertising the Council's intention to implement the Order.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

The Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director on the proposed introduction of a Traffic Regulation Order, the effect of which would revoke the existing "no waiting Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m." restriction and introduce a disabled person's parking bay adjacent to the "at any time" parking restrictions on Mersey Road.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the Traffic Regulation Order, as set out on the plan at Annex A, and as detailed in the report, be approved; and

(2)       the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director be authorised to undertake the necessary legal procedures, including those of public consultation and advertising the Council's intention to implement the Order.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

The Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director which sought approval for the progression of Traffic Regulation Orders to provide disabled residents with parking places directly outside their place of residence.  The report indicated that all new Traffic Regulation Orders for Disabled Parking Permits allowed for the provision of a numbered permit which restricted the use of the bay to the applicant only.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the Traffic Regulation Orders providing numbered permits for the bays centrally located outside the following addresses, as set out in the plans at Annex A and as detailed in the report, be approved:

●          De Villiers Avenue, Crosby - Lay-by fronting nos. 62a-68d, south-east side

●          10 Morningside, Crosby

●          5 Whitham Avenue, Crosby

●          9 Beaconsfield Road, Seaforth;  and

(2)       the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director be authorised to undertake the necessary legal procedures, including those of public consultation and advertising the Council's intention to implement the Orders.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No. 73 of 4 November 2009, the Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director indicating that the balance of the budget available for allocation during 2009/10, including sums set aside for the provision of litterbins and street signs was £14,711.66 and setting out details of the progress of schemes for which funding had previously been approved.

RESOLVED:

That the remaining balance of £14,711.66 of the budget available for further allocation for the rest of the year and the progress of schemes for which funding had previously been approved, be noted.

To consider passing the following resolution:

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following  item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the Press and Public.

RESOLVED:

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it may involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act. The Public Interest Test had been applied and favoured exclusion of the information from the press and public.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

The Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director on a number of applications received from individuals for consideration as Local Advisory Group representatives on the Committee.

RESOLVED:

That consideration of this matter be deferred pending consideration by the Council of the Governance Review.

The next meeting will be held at 6.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 24 February 2010 at St. Stephen’s Church Hall, St. Stephen’s Road, Hightown.

RESOLVED:

That the next meeting of the Committee be held at 6.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 24 February 2010 at St. Stephen's Church Hall, St. Stephen's Road, Hightown.