Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor McQueen, Smart, Todd-Jones and Meschini.

No interests were declared.

The notes of the meeting held on 9 June 2022 were noted.

The Committee received a report from the Senior Operations Manager.

 

The report outlined an overview of the Council’s Streets and Open Spaces, Environmental Health and Shared Waste service activity in the Area Committee area over the past six months.

 

The Committee discussed the following issues:

      i.         Fly tipping of bulky items as residents did not notify officers in advance of undertaking cleaning activities that items need to be collected.

    ii.         Fly tipping was a cross-ward issue.

   iii.         A ward clean up day for East Chesterton.

  iv.         Street bins and domestic waste were not always removed as quickly as desired in covid, possibly due to sickness levels of operatives.

 

Members of the public raised the following issues:

      i.         Bins had been removed from the path on the Chisholm Trail between the tow path and Fen Road. Please re-instate, but not in eye line of pedestrians and cyclists so they can see each other.

 

In response to questions the Senior Operations Manager said the following:

      i.         Bins would be re-instated the path on the Chisholm Trail between the tow path and Fen Road.

    ii.         Street bins and domestic waste collection was the responsibility of the Shared Waste Service. Bins in open spaces etc that were the responsibility of his team were emptied regularly.

 

Action: Don Blair (Senior Operations Manager) to liaise with Cllrs Bird and Thittala Varkey; plus Community Engagement and Housing Teams about Kings Hedges and Arbury Wards clean up days.

Charles Hattersley – Ferry Path Biodiversity Project

Becky Allen – Belvoir Road Project

Lilian Rundblad - Mayfield Green Project

The Committee received presentations as follows:

·       Charles Hattersley – Ferry Path Biodiversity Project

·       Becky Allen – Belvoir Road Project

o   Action: Cllr Scutt to put Gurney Way resident in touch with Becky Allen as they wish to do undertake a similar project.

o   Action: Cllr Collis to liaise with Becky Allen regarding Happy Bee Streets scheme participation.

·       Lilian Rundblad - Mayfield Green Project

o   Action: Cllr Cox Condron to liaise with Lillian Rundblad regarding funding to improve areas to tackle issues such as fly tipping.

o   Action: Add Weed spraying schedule - Cambridge City Council to webpage so people can see weed spraying schedule.

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

      i.          Noted residents wanted environmentally friendly ways to remove weeds.

     ii.          The Arbury and Newnham pesticide free trial was testing alternatives to herbicides. Once the trial was concluded, information would be shared.

The Committee received a presentation from GCP Officers.

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

      i.          Communication about the project needed to be improved. Not all residents were aware which roads would be closed.

     ii.          If Stagecoach was making changes to routes, a representative should be invited to North Area Committee.

 

Action: Cllr Scutt to invite Stagecoach to future North Area Committee to discuss changes to bus routes and bus stops.

 

The GCP Officers said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.          Stagecoach ran bus operations. Queries regarding bus route operations from tonight’s meeting could be forwarded by GCP Officers in attendance to Stagecoach.

     ii.          Buses would operate during the construction period. If a bus stop was closed then a replacement temporary one would be put in place.

   iii.          Little congestion was expected as road closures were only expected for one week from 8 September, between 7pm and 6am.

   iv.          A diversion route was in place but would be used intermittently and limited to just necessary periods.

    v.          Resources were in place to improve communication. A public drop in centre was being considered for Milton Road. Arrangements were being made with Milestone (the project contractor).

   vi.          Undertook to liaise with Milestone about alternative bus stop locations.

 vii.          The construction period would have a traffic management plan to mitigate traffic build up.

As part of the open forum a discussion will be held on the Arbury Carnival/Festival.

Members of the public asked a number of questions, as set out below.

 

1.    A member of the public gave details about the Arbury Carnival and asked for support.

 

Action: North Area Committee invited to suggest ideas to assist Arbury Carnival/Festival Committee putting on future events and how to help publicise that volunteers are sought to help run future events.

 

2.    Councillor Swift said an event would be held circa 6 or 7 September to get the Mitcham Corner scheme up and running.

 

3.    A member of the public raised the following issues:

               i.         Travellers returned to Mayfield school site.

 

Councillor Collis said:

               i.         A portaloo had been supplied and paid for by the City Council on-site.

             ii.         City Council Officers had undertaken a welfare visit and queried how long the Travellers would stay. This was the first stage of enforcement action. Further action could not be taken without a court order.

            iii.         There was a cycle of this issue across the city. The long term solution was to identify negotiated stopping sites as there were none in the city. The City Council did not own land that was suitable so was working with other organisations to provide sites.

 

Councillor Cox-Condron said Environmental Improvement Projects were in place to improve the Mayfield Green area now that land ownership issues had been resolved.

 

           iv.         Environmental Improvement Projects were not anti-Traveller measures. They were a separate process to bid to for funds that happened to aim to address anti-social behaviour in the case of Mayfield Green.

 

4.    A member of the public said Travellers had returned to Romsey after 100 days. Queried if this was linked to the eviction notice.

 

Councillor Bird said the City Council was working with other local authorities to look at land for a suitable Traveller site. Travellers had come to the city for hospital appointments and needed a site where they could stay. The City Council was trying to balance Traveller and Resident rights.

 

Councillor Collis said 100 days was the limit for an eviction notice so Travellers could come back after 100 days. The law limited the eviction process to 100 days before the process had to be repeated. Travellers and Officers were aware of the deadline.

 

5.    A member of the public asked when the Buchan Street development would start?

 

Councillor Collis said:

               i.         The Meadows and Buchan Street development would be undertaken in four phases. No work would be undertaken at Buchan Street until phase 1 was complete.

             ii.         Work should start autumn 2022 and be complete 2024.

            iii.         Buchan Street would not be demolished until replacement facilities were in place.

           iv.         Residents would be contacted about work as it occurred. There would be a liaison officer.

 

6.    A member of the public raised issues about trees.

 

Action: Saplings in Chatsworth Avenue and other areas in the ward are dying due to lack of water.

     i.      Cllr Collis undertook to investigate if trees/plant maintenance was the responsibility of the City Council. Ideas from residents to improve planting maintenance would be passed onto Guy Belcher (Biodiversity Officer).

    ii.      Cllr Collis undertook to liaise with Greater Cambridge Partnership as the responsible party for trees on Histon Road.

The committee action sheet was noted. Councillors would send any updates to the Committee Manager outside of the meeting.

 

Action: North Area Committee asked that when the Police attended committee in future the following issues could be discussed:

     i.      Traffic speeding in Kings Hedges Road.

    ii.      E-scooter users apparently delivering food could be involved in county lines activity.