Agenda and minutes

The Committee Manager took the Chair whilst the North Area Committee elected a Chair.

 

Councillor Price proposed, and Councillor Gawthrope seconded, the nomination of Councillor Todd-Jones as Chair.

 

Resolved (nem con) that Councillor Todd-Jones be Chair for the ensuing year.

 

Councillor Todd-Jones assumed the Chair from the Committee Manager at this point.

 

Councillor Gawthrope proposed, and Councillor Price seconded, the nomination of Councillor Bird as Vice Chair.

 

Resolved (nem con) that Councillor Bird be Vice Chair for the ensuing year.

Apologies were received from Councillors Scutt and Onasanya.

No interests were declared.

The minutes of the meeting of the 9^th April 2015 were agreed and signed as a correct record.

 

The following updates to the Action Sheet were noted:

 

14/73/NAC 2 trees in Carlton Way have been replaced and 4 in Milton Rd, last March.  No replacements went into Gilbert Road. Officers have asked for this work in this financial year.

 

The City have subsidised the County Highway tree inspections, works and planting since funding was secured through Environment Scrutiny Committee in 2002. 

 

The availability of funding for planting has diminished as the County reduced its budgets and as a greater proportion of the City money has been used to fund essential maintenance and health and safety related tree works.

 

The issue of Highway tree planting is considered in the recent Tree Strategy consultation available on the Council website.  There will be opportunities later in the year to discuss policy when drafting the strategy.

 

14/13/NAC Speed awareness courses. Councillor Todd-Jones reported that he had been unable to get an answer from the Police but would raise it at the next North Area Committee when the Police would be present.

 

14/56/NAC Milton Road Junction. The Committee agreed that this matter had been resolved and could be removed from the action list.

 

14/66/NAC Micham’s Corner development. The Chesterton Road and  Mitcham’s Corner Co-ordinator would be invited to a future North Area Committee to give an update.

 

15/4/NAC Councillor Price suggested this be retained as an action pending a retrospective planning application.

To note decisions taken by the Chair, Vice Chair and Spokesperson since the last meeting of the North Area Committee.

The Committee noted the decision taken regarding Perse Way Flats Play Area and Chestnut Grove Play Area.

 

Concerns were raised regarding the lack of suitable equipment for children with disabilities. The Asset Manager (Street & Open Spaces) confirmed that the final specification was as yet unconfirmed and modifications were possible. The Chair suggested that members speak to the Officer direct outside the meeting.

6.45 to 7.15 pm

Q1 Richard Taylor expressed disappointment that no Police representatives were present to reassure the public who might be concerned about recent violent incidents in the area.

 

A. Councillor Todd-Jones suggested this be raised with the Police at the next North Area Committee.

 

Q2 At the last North Area Committee it had been agreed that specific roads in need of enforcement action would be identified outside the meeting, by Ward Councillors. Had this happened and if yes had the Police been made aware of the decision?

 

The Committee agreed that some suggestions had been made at the meeting. The final decision would be agreed and passed on to the Police. Clarity was also needed on the issues of vehicle weight restrictions on Milton Road.

 

Post Meeting Committee Manager  Note

 

The following additional details relating to agreed priorities were approved and the Police notified:

 

Arbury - Victoria Road - enforcement against lorries breaking night-time weight restriction.

 

East Chesterton - Green End Road & Fen Road - enforcement against drivers speeding / dangerous driving

 

West Chesterton -   Victoria Road (West Chesterton section) - enforcement against lorries breaking night-time weight restriction (to link in with Arbury priority).

 

King's Hedges – Speed enforcement - Northfield Avenue, Campkin Road and King's Hedges Road.

 

Q3 Kay Harris suggested that when Campkin Road had been resurfaced, the work had gone around the speed cushions leaving them in need of attention.

 

Councillor Price undertook to pass this concern on the Councillor Onasanya as she might be able to request County Council action to address the matter.

Action

 

Q4 Mr Bond suggested that Cambridge engaged in the Centenary Fields programme. The aim was secure dedication of existing and new playing fields as Centenary Fields in honour of the millions who lost their lives in World War I and to be a living memorial to them. The importance of protecting playing fields through such a dedication as this means that it will be more difficult for future governments to compel the sale of local playing fields for building under the pretext of making better use of 'under-used assets'.

 

The Assets Manager (Street and open Spaces) undertook to investigate this matter. However, he confirmed that open spaces were already well protected under planning policy.

Action

 

Q5 What action was planned regarding road safety and traffic calming in Fen Road?

 

Councillor Manning stated that the planned work to install speed bumps had been halted whilst a better approach was investigated. The County Council had been made aware of more cost effective, rubber speed bumps which could offer better results at a reduced cost. Timeframes for the work were currently under discussion.

 

Members of the public stated that the Fen Road area suffered from a lot of traffic related problems and that they had been told by the Police that nothing would be done unless there was a fatality.

 

Q6 Leila Dockerill requested repair work to the Zebra Crossing outside Tesco’s.

 

Councillor Price undertook to discuss this with the County Council.

Action

 

Q7 Doug Whyte stated that, while the work around Buchan Street was welcomed, a number of hazards remained in the area and there was no designated disabled parking bay.

Councillor Price undertook to visit the site to investigate the matter.

Action

Network Rail will give two presentations:

·        an update on the new railway station at Chesterton; and

·        an outline of planned works to the Fen Road (Chesterton) Level Crossing

 

 

7.15 to 8.30 pm

The Committee received two presentations from network rail as follows:

 

·        The new railway station at Chesterton: Joe Smith, Project Manager

·        Planned work to Fen Road Level Crossing: Bode Asabi, Project Manager

 

Full details of the question and answer session are attached as a supplement to the minutes.

 

Councillor Manning reminded those present that they could also attend the Local Liaison Forum Meeting at the Shirley School at 7.00pm on the 13^th July (see link below) where these matters would be discussed.

http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/info/20051/transport_projects/469/cambridge_city_projects/5

 

8.45 to 9.15 pm

The Committee received an Environmental Data Report from Wendy Young the Operations Manager (Community Engagement and Enforcement).

 

The Committee discussed the emerging priorities. The Committee welcomed the work completed in recent months.

 

The Committee made the following comments:

 

     i.        Suggested that lunch time litter from students at Campkin Road and surrounding areas continued to be a problem.

    ii.        Requested that the dog waste bin in Bramblesfields/Pippin Drive be relocated (alternative location to be agreed outside the meeting).

   iii.        Suggested that Officers could be asked to monitor Balfour Beatty barriers around street lamp and to right any that had been knocked down.

 

Councillor Manning questioned how the additional work was being delivered without additional funding and asked if there was data to support an improved performance. The Operations Manager stated that there had been some increase in staffing. However, the improvements had been achieved by increased autonomy and flexibility of workers and improvements to data recording. There was also increased flexibility regarding the location of bins: additional bins could be added and underused or problematic bins removed. 

 

The Committee

 

Resolved unanimously to:

 

Continue with the following priorities

 

1.   Enforcement patrols to tackle fly-tipping at Kingsway Flats and in communal archways and green areas at Minerva Way

2.   Enforcement joint working and patrols to deal with littering from students of Cambridge Regional College in the areas of Campkin Road and Nuns Way Recreation Ground and to work with the local business to address litter from their premises

3.   Early morning patrols for dog fouling on Kings Hedges (Pulley) Recreation Ground and at Logan’s Meadow.

4.   Enforcement patrols to address issues of littering in and around the Bermuda Terrace area and to follow up on intelligence received as a result of the mail drop to the area

5.   Enforcement patrols to address issues of fly tipping at public and neighbourhood recycling centres.

6.   Enforcement patrols to address issues of litter at the area of Green End Road junction with Milton Road (outside the Co-op and).

7.   Investigate littering in the green space between Cam Causeway and Fen Road

 

Add the following new priorities

 

8.   Park deep cleanse, to include removal of graffiti, flyposting, litter, dog fouling, vegetation cut back and sweeping at Cameron Road play area, Hazelwood and Molewood Close play areas, Pearl Close play area and Bateson Road play area.

9.   Evening patrols to address fires at Logan’s Meadow in evenings

 

There will be no discussion on this item.

 

If you would like your local, not for profit, community event listed here, please contact the Committee Manager.

 

The Community Events were noted.

The next North Area Committee will be on the 10^th September 2015 at Chesterton Community College, Gilbert Road, Cambridge.

Members noted the change to the date of the next meeting.