Agenda and minutes

Name	Item	Interest
Councillor Baigent	All	Personal: Member of Cambridge Cycling Campaign

 

To follow.

The notes of the meeting held on 13 March 2023 were pending.

No matters or actions from Minutes were discussed.

The Committee received a report from the Anti-Social Behaviours Officer.

 

The report outlined actions taken since the last reporting period. The current emerging issues/neighbourhood trends for each ward were also highlighted (see report for full details). Previous local areas of concern and engagement activity noted in the report were:

 

i.               Drug dealing and associated anti-social behaviour, including threatening behaviour and safeguarding of young people;

ii.             Road safety focussing on delivery mopeds and electric scooters illegally used on public highways, particularly those vehicles at night without lights;

iii.            Street begging; and

iv.           Supporting the new (police campaign) expected on drugs with focus on frequent users and the night-time economy. Previous local areas of concern and engagement activity noted in the report were:

Members welcomed and supported the work of the Police and the Anti-Social Behaviour Team. Members expressed concerns regarding:

      i.         Littering hotspot at Fison Road.

    ii.         Illegal encampments on Green Spaces.

   iii.         Graffiti, specifically at Mill Road Cemetery.

  iv.         Illegally modified motorcycles/cars and noise pollution.

Anti-Social Behaviours Officer added there was one update not in the report, it was Anti-Social awareness week the following week. They would be scheduling a drop in event at either Petersfield or Abbey. This would be advertised on social media once confirmed.

 

Members welcomed and supported the work of the Police and the Anti-Social Behaviour Team. Members expressed concerns regarding:

      i.         Noise pollution from vehicles late at night on Hills Road. Stated residents have been recording the noise , including the dates and times of incidents.

    ii.         A Transphobic attack on Mill Road.

   iii.         Regarding illegally modified motorcycles/cars and noise pollution, would be happy to have specific reports brought to him regarding dates and times of incidents.

  iv.         People riding non-Voi scooters.

    v.         Bike theft.

  vi.         Would like increased police presence at anti-social behaviour hot spots.

 

Sergeant Neil Campbell of the Cambridgeshire Police said the following in response to Member’s questions:

      i.         If residents had complaints regarding vehicle nuisance on Hills Road stated, he would be happy to send some units there at the times reported by residents.

    ii.         Regarding Transphobic attacks in city there had recently been 5 reports during the recent Pride event in the city. Stated does not think it is a major issue in the city however would be happy to be contacted about any specific reports to investigate.

   iii.         Police had been stopping and advising people using non-Voi scooters about the law.

  iv.         When Police had a definite location of a stolen bicycle, they can enter that property. However, if they do not know that a stolen bicycle in on the premises they cannot enter.

    v.         Had regular meetings with management of Cambridge Leisure Park to combat anti-social behaviour.

 

Verbal update requested by Chair from County Councillor Beckett.

As per request from the Chair, Members received a report regarding the Mill Road Bridge Closure from County Councillors Beckett and Shailer who provided a verbal report. He highlighted the following:

 

      i.         Works were due to begin in early September and last 5-6 weeks.

    ii.         Would include full closures overnight for several nights.

   iii.         Temporary traffic lights would be installed.

  iv.         May be some daytime working.

    v.         Details would be publicised to the public before it happens.

  vi.         Final traffic restrictions would come into effect on 16 October 2023. There would be a grace period of approximately a month when the enforcement cameras would be live, warning notices would be sent out but there would be no fines issued for that month period.

 vii.         There had to be a road safety audit, site investigation and procurement of the sub-contractor.

viii.         Had to do traffic management planning.

  ix.         Rat running along Mill Road would continue to be monitored. This would be done pre and post implementation. If issues occured would work with public and businesses to address any concerns.

    x.         Generally Blue Badges are for parking and placed in the windshield of a vehicle. However, the Blue Badge scheme in relation to the Mill Road scheme, the Blue Badge would be detected by the number plate.

 

 

Members of the public asked the following question(s):

 

1)   The Cambridge Playlaws Project will be coming to Coleridge Rec on the Weekend of 01 July 2023 (See https://cambridgeplaylaws.fun/come-play/). I was at the event at the Cambridge Leisure Park on 18 July and numbers seemed to be on the low side. Please could officers and councillors ensure that:

Posters are displayed in advance of the event at nearby shops eg the Co-ops on Mill Road, Radegund Road, and Adkins Corner/Perne Road, and also the Sainsbury's on Coldham's Lane. Ask a volunteer to flier the nearby primary schools (eg Morley, St Philips, and Ridgefield) for 30 mins at the end of a school day. That the Coleridge Neighbourhood Forum and/or Cambridge City Council has a small marque similar to what Abbey had with their Big Lunch event with both information and interactive activities for the public. (Ranging from what they want to see more of in the neighbourhood to asking what they would be prepared to do in return to help make things happen - similar to the processes of Neighbourhood Agreements piloted in Oldham in the 2000s http://moarcommunities.com/services/neighbourhood-agreements/)

Invite local community groups to have 'pop up stalls' (eg the Museum of Cambridge, CamCycle) nearby .

 

I'd be interested in having a pop up stall for the Cambridgeshire Association for Local History which meets monthly at St John the Evangelist Church where Queen Edith's ward boundary meets with both Trumpington and Coleridge, so may be of interest to local residents. 

In response Members said the following:

               i.         The playlaws project funding was S106 funding. Events took place in specific areas. Had been actively promoting events in those areas including in Coleridge. Had done radio and TV interviews with artists.

             ii.         The event in Abbey was part of focus on Abbey. It was being promoted locally. It was aimed at children.

            iii.         There was excellent outreach last year, including pop ups. Hoping to do so again this winter.

           iv.         Would be happy to put up posters for the event in Coleridge.

             v.         As Chair of Colegirdge Community Forum felt it was a good idea to have a stall there. They were having a Cambridge Live event in July. Having two close together would not be possible.

           vi.         Does not have capacity for leafletting.

 

 

2)    

                        i.         Can you please provide both indicative timescales, and the approach that's envisaged for the Mill Road streetscape design phase.

                      ii.         Rat running along Mill Road and through South Petersfield will continue to be a problem after bridge restrictions are in place. Can you please outline the county council's planned approach to deal with this.

In response Members said the following:

      i.         Does not have new on where the funding would come from as of yet.

    ii.         Does not have exact timescale.

   iii.         Would like to thank Mill Road People and would like any feedback they would have.

  iv.         It was a priority however a constrained funding environment.

    v.         Would like to express frustration that this hasn’t moved forward more quickly.

  vi.         Advised could explore other sources of grants and funding.

 vii.         Regarding the Rat Run, everything that was done in regards to reducing it needed to be evidenced beforehand.

viii.         Councillor Pounds stated that she has recorded actions going forward.

 

 

3)    

We have noticed that Mill Road toilets are permanently closed. Why you as local Authorities promoting active travelling and from other hand closing public facilities which are very important for public to use. Closure of Mill road bridge and lack of public amenities will have a big impact on any activities such as Mill Road Winter fair and other small gatherings. I would like to know the reason for this decision and why Mill Road traders were not informed. 

In response Councillor Moore said the following:

      i.         Council needed to make savings and all public toilets were considered.  Were among the lowest used toilets in the city. There was also a high amount of vandalism. Toilets need to be cleaned and repaired. Hard decisions needed to be made and decision was to close Mill Road Public Toilet, amongst others.

    ii.         There was public feedback sought.

 

4)    

“The closure of the Mill Road Bridge is expected to benefit some businesses but prove damaging to others. The Council have talked about improving the environment of the Mill Road and making it a more attractive place to spend time and have claimed to be supportive of the Mill Road businesses. 

My question to the Committee is how can permanently closing the Public Toilets on Mill Road be anything but damaging to the Mill Road businesses? Can the committee explain how closing a Public Toilet, designed with the disabled in mind, can be considered compatible with our obligations to provide disabled access to toilets in this important shopping community.  The nearest public toilets are in Gonville Place, Romsey Rec and Coleridge Rec. This might be acceptable if you are young, fit and in good health but for many the closure means it is now difficult to spend time in Mill Road.”

In response Councillor Moore said the following:

      i.         This and other public toilets chosen for closure were the lowest used. The buildings would be used for something else, that was currently being explored. If people had recommendations would be happy to hear them.

5)   "The developers of the land south of Coldham's Lane (east of Romsey and Coleridge Wards, and West of Cherry Hinton) which although mainly in Cherry Hinton touches on three of the East Area wards, has a website up at https://www.cherryhintoninnovation.co.uk/

They have a public event at St Andrew's Church, Cherry Hinton from 11am-3pm https://www.cherryhintoninnovation.co.uk/june-exhibition. Please could councillors invite their local residents interested/affected to go along to the event (and share on their social media pages).

Please could I ask councillors and/or to get in touch with the developer's representative (see the screengrab enclosed) and urge him to get in touch with Rail Future East Anglia (https://www.railfuture.org.uk/East-Anglia) *and* the Combined Authority to discuss possibilities of upgrading the railway line that runs along the southern side of the development site. This is because their existing transport plans are not nearly sufficient to cope with the amount of extra road traffic that will be generated by cars and the proposed shuttle buses/public transport on a road that historically has had traffic congestion problems for years.

In response Members said the following:

      i.         Had contacted Coldhams Lane Residents Association and had put them in touch with developers.

    ii.         Developers were looking at the site being a green site.

   iii.         Regarding Rail Futures and the Combined Authority regarding rail improvements. They are engaging with Network Rail to see if the track could be doubled. Would continue to work with Network Rail and Rail Futures to ensure longer term investment and improvements.

  iv.         Needed to look at impact of traffic congestion.