BOROUGH OF POOLE
MINUTES OF BROADSTONE, MERLEY AND BEARWOOD AREA COMMITTEE
4TH FEBRUARY, 2004
THE MEETING COMMENCED AT 7.00 P.M. AND CLOSED AT 9.15 P.M.
Members of Committee present:
Councillor Mrs Hives (Chairman)
Councillors Belcham, Brooke, Mason and Newell
Members of the Public in attendance: 27
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mrs James.
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor Belcham – M.10 – future of the Library bus – as a Member of the Member Working Group.
Councillor Brooke – M.10 – future of the Library bus – as a Member of the Member Working Group.
Councillor Mrs Hives – M.9(c) - Disability Awareness Programme – as her husband is registered disabled.
Councillor Mason – M.6(a) – Traffic Panel – as the former Transport Manager of Whites’ Aggregates.
3. MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting held on 12th November 2003 were submitted for approval:-
M2, P1, second line amend “she” to “he”.
M8(c), P8, second line amend “Whitchurch Avenue” to read “Gravel Hill”.
Subject to the above amendments, the Minutes of the meeting were confirmed as a true record.
4. POOLE PARTNERSHIP WEB PORTAL
Jonathan Burke, Strategic Planning Services, presented a report on behalf of the Poole Partnership, which detailed that the Web Portal would be a computer based information sources, as well as a gateway to other web sites. The Partnership were extremely excited by this new initiative, and were keen to involve as many local organisations and individuals as possible. Organisations would be able to explain about themselves, what they plan to do and what they have achieved. This would be an extremely effective tool for organisations/individuals to use in order to obtain users’s views on issues which were of concern to an individual or organisation. In response to a question raised, Members were assured that the site would be security protected.
The “Broadstone.net” Web site was highlighted as a particularly good Web site and there would be an opportunity for linkages here via the Web Portal.
Jonathan Burke, Strategic Planning Services, concluded by stating that the key benefit here was with the potential “linkages” and the idea was to “join up” information rather than duplicate.
RECOMMENDED that the report be noted.
5. SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES – CONSULTATION
Councillor Adams commenced his presentation by stating that at the meeting of full Council on 16th September, 2003, the following Motion was referred to the Environment Overview Group:-
“In view of the very great public concern regarding health issues relating to passive smoking, we the undersigned request this Council to undertake consultation with all interested parties and investigate the possibilities of seeking a by-law to prohibit or severely restrict smoking in all enclosed areas to which the public have access”.
Signed: Councillors Adams and Gillard.
This matter had gained cross-party support and was now the subject of public consultation at all Area Committee meetings, together with wider publicity through the local media. In addition, a small Member Working Party had also been established to steer this initiative.
Members were advised that once the various results had been collated, it was intended that select/focus groups and Committees be held in order to fully debate this matter in order to present a final report to the Environment Overview Group who would then make recommendations to Cabinet, hopefully during September/October 2004. He concluded by stating that it was pleasing to be able to report that other authorities were starting to look at this issue and it was satisfying to note that we appeared to be “leading the way”.
In response to a question regarding whether or not this initiative would produce any financial savings, Councillor Adams advised that hopefully in the longterm, nationally, this would be the case, however, any direct savings for Poole would hopefully be identified following the Consultation process.
In response to a question regarding whether or not the young people of Poole were being consulted, Councillor Adams advised that he was making a similar presentation to the Poole Forum for Young People.
Questionnaires were then circulated to Members of the public which would then be analysed as part of the Consultation process.
The Chairman thanked Councillor Adams for his interesting and informative presentation.
RECOMMENDED that the presentation from Councillor Adams be noted.
6. TRANSPORTATION ISSUES
a) Traffic Panel
Steve Dean, Transportation Services, advised that the Traffic Panel had met on 10th December, 2003 and discussed the following items concerning this Committee:-
i) Lancaster Drive/Springdale Road
ii) Pinesprings Drive, Clarendon Road, West Way, Broadstone Way
iii) Gravel Hill
iv) Wentworth Drive
v) Canford Magna
Members were advised that no objections had been received to (i), (iv) and (v) above, therefore, these Traffic Panel recommendations have been approved under delegated powers. However, with regard to (ii) and (iii) above, a Ward Councillor had raised concerns about the Traffic Panel’s recommendations on these, and therefore has requested that this Area Committee discuss these further.
Members then discussed these in detail and Member pointed that the costs associated with these were way over the limit of this Area Committee, and therefore any such decision would have to be a recommendation to the Transportation Advisory Group for further consideration. On considering the request for HGV vans at Pinesprings Drive, Clarendon Road, West Way and Broadstone Way, it was proposed and seconded that this be considered further by the Transportation Advisory Group and that they be requested to look at possible alternative options. On being put to the vote, this was carried.
With regard to the request to extend the existing 40mph speed limit at Gravel Hill to the Crematorium Roundabout, Steve Dean had advised that national guidance regarding speed limits was soon to be received by local authorities and all roads within the Borough would be reviewed on receipt of this new guidance.
On discussing this further, Members felt that it would seem sensible to keep this request as “high profile” and then review the situation on receipt of the new guidance regarding speed limits. It was therefore agreed that the whole structure of this road be reviewed on receipt of the guidance.
7. TRAFFIC CALMING – MERELEY PARK ROAD
The Chairman stated that as Mrs Louisi was not in attendance at this meeting, this matter be deferred. This was agreed.
8. OPEN SPACE STRATEGY FOR POOLE
Matti Raudsepp, Open Spaces Manager, introduced the item by advising that public open space of all types amounted to nearly 1070 hectares and made up 17% of the total land area in Poole. He added that public open space was one of our most important public assets and the Open Space Strategy intended to be a tall to assist the planning and management of “green space” for recreation, amenity and bio-diveristy as well as the delivery of the good quality of life. It was also intended to guide the future management and improvement of all public open spaces.
Further information was then provided on:-
· What the Strategy intended to achieve
· Emerging issues for Poole that were noted in the Strategy
· Action Plan three main aims
- Provision and development of open space
- Participation and use
- Care and sustainability
· Consultation process
Matti Raudsepp, Open Spaces Manager, advised that for the wards covered by this Area Committee, the Strategy recommended that the highest priority for development and improvement of open space was given through a relatively small number of the most important parks. In making this proposal, the Strategy has taken into account the size and catchment area of each open space, the existing quality and potential for improvement, as well as the value to the local community. There is an acceptance that the Council will never be able to put unlimited resources into every piece of open space, but strategic choices would need to be made and based on need.
M8, Open Space Strategy for Poole - a resident stated that he felt the point had been made at the last meeting that Elected Member involvement in this process would be crucial, even including the possible changing of the stated priority areas. It was agreed that this point be added to the Minutes.
Members were then provided with information on the sites in Broadstone, Merley and Bearwood that had been prioritised.
A resident stated that he felt the point had been made at the last meeting that Elected Member involvement in this process would be crucial, even including the possible changing of the stated priority areas. It was agreed that this point be added to the Minutes.
Matti Raudsepp, Open Spaces Manager, concluded by stating that this Strategy was not yet a “final document” and therefore, the Council welcomed further comments and feedback in preparing the final draft.
RECOMMENDED that the report on the preparation of an Open Space Strategy for Poole be noted.
9. ITEMS SUBMITTED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS
(a) Request for Play park in Bearwood
Lois Taylor informed the Committee that during the early 1980’s, some 400 houses had been built for young families with young children, and the view was expressed that Bearwood had been neglected with regard to play parks/areas. She added that a petition had been submitted to full Council, signed by 100 young mothers, on this issue.
Matti Raudsepp, Open Spaces Manager, recognised that there was definitely scope for improvement in the Bearwood area and he stated that there would be potential to address this issue as part of the review of Open Spaces.
On discussing this matter in further detail, there was a general consensus amongst members that regarding “aspect of need”, Bearwood deserved a higher priority within the Open Space Strategy for Poole.
A young resident from the local area referred to the recent “Leader’s Priorities” which stated the Council’s intention to give “the best possible start for youngsters in life”, she added that she did not feel that this was happening for the young people of Bearwood.
RECOMMENDED that:
i) Leisure Services be requested to undertake a review on the position regarding play parks in the areas covered by this Area Committee be undertaken and that this includes costings on any potential provision
ii) This Committee supports the Bearwood area having a higher priority within the Open Spaces Strategy; and
iii) Leisure Services be requested to investigate alternative options for the funding of play park/areas in Bearwood.
(b) Moor Road
A Ward Member, on behalf of the residents of Moor Road, reported on the problems being experienced during the daytime in Moor Road due to the fact that vehicles were using this road as a “free” car park. It was suggested the implementation of waiting restrictions on one side of the road, by the residential properties would assist.
Steve Dean, Transportation Services, advised that this had been on the “shopping list” of the previous Area Committee which covered this area and would be repeated on the next list for consideration by this Committee where this would have to be considered and balanced against other items also on the list.
A resident requested that similar problems were being experienced in Golf Links Road, and he would request that this be considered for inclusion on the list also. Officers undertook to investigate this.
RECOMMENDED that the above be noted.
(c) Disability Awareness Programme
Mr Williams gave a brief presentation reporting back on the results of the recent survey undertaken, regarding the Disability Awareness Programme. He advised that the survey had indicated that there was a lot about disabilities within the local community that had not been known.
He stated that generally, the pavements in Broadstone were quite adequate and user friendly. However, a further report was being prepared on the condition of pavements leading to neighbourhood shopping centres, as some of these were badly maintained and were not being cleared of debris.
He concluded by stating that the report produced from the survey results was now in Broadstone Library, and he added that a local focus group would soon be established in order to progress this.
Members thanked Mr Williams for the time and effort he had spent on the Disability Awareness Programme Survey and he was advised that Ward Councillors would pursue any issues from this Survey.
RECOMMENDED that the above be noted.
10. ITEMS SUBMITTED BY WARD COUNCILLORS
Future of the Library Bus
A member stated that the future of the Library Bus had now become a contentious issue, largely due to some negative reporting in the local press. Residents were advised that a Working Party had now been established and this Group was now looking at all ways of managing the Mobile Library service. The point was also made that reports in the local press had also attempted to link the acquisition of the new Mayoral car to the future of the Library Bus and this was not the case. It was simply that the Member Working Party were considering both issues.
In conclusion, local residents were assured that all alternatives would be addressed by the Working Party in order to find the best solution to maintain the service and a further report on this matter would be reported back to this Area Committee.
RECOMMENDED that the above be noted.
CHAIRMAN
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