ITEM 3

BOROUGH OF POOLE

MINUTES OF THE HAMWORTHY EAST & WEST AND POOLE TOWN

AREA COMMITTEE

HELD ON WEDNESDAY 26TH MAY 2004

AT HAMWORTHY MIDDLE SCHOOL, HAMWORTHY, POOLE

The meeting commenced at 7.00pm and concluded at 8.40pm.

Members of the Committee Present:-

Councillor Gregory (Chairman)

CouncillorsBulteel, Collyer, Leverett, White and Wretham

Members of the public in attendance:- 30 approximately

  1. CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME

The Chairman welcomed all to the meeting and asked the Members of the Committee and Officers present to introduce themselves. The Chairman also expressed congratulations on behalf of the Committee to Councillor Knight who had been elected Sheriff of the Borough of Poole for the 2004/5 Municipal Year.

  1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Knight.

  1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

  1. HAMWORTHY IN BLOOM

The Chairman referred to a letter that had gone out to all business premises bordering on major roads in Hamworthy, inviting them to take part in the “Hamworthy in Bloom” event. He explained that funding had been secured from Gallaghers for 2004, to support businesses wishing to take part in this event. It was noted that individual house owners could also take part.

Some concern was expressed by members of the public that businesses would be beholden to Gallaghers by virtue of their sponsorship of the event. The Chairman offered reassurance that this was not the case and said that he would keep residents and businesses fully informed with regards to the event.

  1. RESIDENTS CONCERNS REGARDING POLICE RESPONSE TO PROBLEMS AT BAITER

Sergeant Kynaston introduced himself and explained his Beat Team’s role in Baiter. He explained that he was keen to encourage long term solutions to local anti-social behaviour problems, working together with other Beat Teams in Poole.

With regards to concerns over Police response to problems at Baiter, Sergeant Kynaston explained that his team had recently been under-resourced, partly due to sick leave issues, but that from the end of June he hoped that it would be fully manned.

He went on to suggest that whilst not regarded as a “hot-spot” in terms of anti-social behaviour, it could be the case that problems originating from protagonists in Poole town centre were migrating to Baiter. He then updated all present of the measures which would be taken to tackle these main protagonists, which would include a variety of methods, including Anti-social Behaviour Orders, Acceptable Behaviour Contracts, and Case Conferences.

Mr Howard then raised a concern that the Police were not responding to complaints from members of the public and in one particular circumstance had also shown a lack of interest to a Council Officer who had attempted to deal with the illegal felling of a tree. Mr Howard expressed disgust that members of the public and Council Officers should be treated in this way. In response, Sergeant Kynaston suggested that he discuss this matter with Mr Howard at the end of the meeting.

Mr Howard went on to clarify that his main concern related not just to the lack of Police response, but also to its general lack of interest in complaints submitted by members of the public, who, in turn, had become disinclined to report problems, which, consequently, were escalating.

As Chairman of the Local Crime Reduction Partnership, Councillor Bulteel expressed concern that sick leave and other leave was resulting in an over-stretching of local Police Teams, which he appreciated stemmed from a fundamental under resourcing of Police Authorities generally.

Councillor Bulteel referred to the various anti-social behaviour reduction schemes and suggested that these could only be effective with sufficiently resourced Police teams.

Sergeant Kynaston expressed general agreement with Councillor Bulteel’s sentiments, but also clarified that, whilst the Baiter Beat Team’s resourcing problems had in part been due to issues of sick leave, they had also been due to a re-deployment of two of his Officers to train new recruits in the Team. He added that there was always a balance to be struck between meeting the needs of his Team and that of the whole Division.

Councillor Collyer then referred to the problem of anti-social behaviour on buses. He remarked upon the fact that a failure to report incidents ultimately impacted upon how much funding local Police Teams received from Central Government to help with incidents of anti-social behaviour.

A general discussion then ensued on problems of communication and poor partnership working, which members of the public considered had become endemic in local Police Teams.

There was a suggestion that a diary be kept by members of the public to record incidents of anti-social behaviour and the nature of the response received from the Police when reporting these incidents. This suggestion was put forward by Mr Chick, who continued by saying that these records could then be put to the Home Office as evidence of public concern that local Police Teams were not providing a sufficient service or responding to problems of crime in the area. Another suggestion was made that members of the public use the CCTV emergency telephone number - 0800 506 050 to report incidents of crime, which operated on a 24 hour basis, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The Committee agreed that this number needed to be more effectively publicised, as it had already proved useful in increasing arrest rates over the last 12 months.

A member of the public, Mr Brown, suggested that the Committee should lobby and submit evidence to the Home Office, that Teams within the Dorset Police were not providing an effective service, due to resourcing problems.

With regards to CCTV, Councillor Bulteel suggested that he would take the issue of installing additional CCTV sets throughout the Borough to the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.

Councillor Leverett explained that he had explored the possibility of installing CCTV cameras at Baiter, but that complications relating to the laying of fibre optics in this area had prevented this installation. As an alternative, he suggested that a recording CCTV camera, as opposed to live CCTV coverage, be installed.

Councillor Gregory suggested that in their plans to devise a Crime Reduction Strategy for Hamworthy Park, residents should carefully consider the need for CCTV cameras in this area.

The discussion then continued on why it was important for Police Teams to generate a file of evidence, assisted by reports from members of the public, to present to the Courts, in order that criminals could be brought to justice. In doing this, Sergeant Kynaston suggested that this was the only effective way of dealing with crime, and that consequently the Police were very reliant upon members of the public to report incidents.

In conclusion, the Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, thanked Sergeant Kynaston for attending the meeting and listening to the problems of the public. He emphasised the importance of reporting crime and of the need for such reports to be carefully recorded by the Police.

6.MATTERS ARISING FROM THE LAST MEETING OF THE AREA COMMITTEE HELD ON 31ST MARCH 2004

(a)Hamworthy Common access paths

The Principal Democratic Support Officer read out information which Nick Woods, Ranger Team Leader, Leisure Services, had supplied in response to a comment made by Mr Chick at the 31st March meeting. This response read:-

“Improvements have recently been made to the fire access tracks at Ham Common by the creation of a link from the Lake Drive car park to the main fire access route through the site. This work will enable Fire Service landrovers, equipped to tackle heath fires, to gain access to the site at Lake Drive and get much closure to likely fire sites. The improved track also provides a through route for such vehicles enabling access and egress at both Lake Road and Napier Road. This should improve the ability of the Fire Service to fight fires, reducing the extent of such fires and the consequent damage to the site and risk to people using the Nature Reserve.

It is understood that the track has recently been used by the Fire Service to deal with a recent fire and that the Fire Fighters attending have welcomed its provision. The track is gated to prevent unauthorised vehicles gaining access from Lake Drive. English Nature approved the construction of the track and measures were taken to minimise adverse effects on the wildlife of the site.

The work was funded by the European Union through the Urban Heaths Life Project. This temporary project is also funding additional wardening, education activities in schools, increased Police resources to deal with anti-social behaviour on local heathlands and improve fire fighting equipment (which have been fitted to the Fire Services landrovers).”

Mr Chick welcomed this response and the Chairman remarked upon the sensible precaution which the works at Hamworthy Common signified.

(b)Carriageway in front of Dolphin Quays

In response to a concern raised by Mr Howard at the 31st March meeting, Steve Dean, Transportation Services Manager had provided the following information to confirm that, as printed in Minute No. 13 on page 2 of the minutes of this meeting, carriageway arrangements along this stretch of the Quay were still two-way.

The information clarified that a Magistrates Court case had been held to decide whether an area of public highway could be stopped up along this point of the carriageway in order to be used for the new development.

The Transportation Services Manager had explained that the Council had been able to reassure the Magistrate that the area of highway that remained would still be wide enough to allow two-way traffic and a pavement for pedestrians. He had stressed that this was not an assurance that the Council would always allow two-way traffic along this section of the Quay but that it was merely a statement that the highway would remain wide enough for this.

Members of the public were asked to note that a two-way traffic system had been retained along this section of the Quay, along a stretch of road which was part of a 20mph zone, incorporating features deliberately designed to discourage drivers from exceeding this speed.

The Transportation Services Manager had also explained that the kerb extension at the entrance to the new shops had been designed to encourage drivers to keep to a reasonable speed at this location where large numbers of pedestrians would be wanting to cross the road. He had clarified that the kerb extension was part of the public highway and that it had not been stopped up as part of the Magistrates Court process, but that the highway boundary at this point actually extended back behind the columns of the new development.

In response to this Mr Howard maintained his concern and stressed that his point had been that the highway had been encroached upon by the development. He suggested that the development had been designed to stop the traffic and that it was obviously not a two-way system, as members of the public had to give way at this point. Councillor Leverett suggested that Mr Howard and Council Members needed to be careful how they commented on this issue as it was still the subject of Court proceedings, and that it was important not to prejudice the Council’s case in this matter. Councillor Leverett reassured Mr Howard that once these Court proceedings were complete, full information would be made available to the public.

A member of the public, Mr Winwood, queried whether or not, if no encroachment had taken place on Council owned land had there been encroachment on land owned by the local Harbour Commissioner.

On another matter, Mr Howard raised a concern that in certain cases the Council was not following the standards it had published with regards to its Complaints’ Procedure. He suggested that, although the standard was that letters acknowledging the complaint should be issued within 4 days, with a full response issued in 10 days, in one case regarding a planning matter it had taken 18 days to acknowledge a complaint and 44 days to answer the complaint.

In response, Councillor Leverett suggested that Mr Howard e-mail him with all the details of this matter and that he would ensure that it was fully investigated.

Mr Wisely referred to a similar concern that he had submitted a complaint on the 26th April with regards to a planning matter to which he had still not received a reply.

Having earlier received a written note from Mr Wisely on this matter, the Principal Democratic Support Officer read out further information that she had managed to source on this matter.

She read:

“Mr Wisely had written in relating to a planning matter regarding a development scheme for a four bedroom house at 71/73 Lake Drive, Hamworthy and questioned whether or not development works were compliant with the permission, as residents were concerned that the development would be much bigger than first proposed.”

Since receiving this question the Enforcement Officer had clarified that he would carry out a site visit to 71/73 Lake Drive to ascertain whether or not the development was being carried out as proposed, and that he would respond to Mr Wisely following this site visit.”

Mr Wisely welcomed this further information, but continued to request that letters of acknowledgement should be sent out within the standards set and referred to a historic practice which the Council had appeared to discontinue, i.e. that an acknowledgement card be despatched whenever a comment was submitted to the Council.

In an attempt to respond to this, the Head of Democratic Services suggested that the acknowledgement card system had been stopped for cost reasons and stressed that the Council always endeavoured to keep to the standards it set, but that due to human error it sometimes fell short. He offered reassurance that in every case, matters would be fully investigated.

7.STREETSCAPE

The Urban Design Team Leader presented details on the Streetscape project and explained how it was an extension of the masterplan for regeneration of various key sites in Poole, including West Quay, West Street, Blandford Road, the existing and new bridges, and Hamworthy quayside.

In his presentation he highlighted how the main objectives of the project included:-

  • to link new areas to existing spaces;
  • to create over 1,000 square metres of new public open space;
  • to increase public space accessibility;
  • to maximise connectivity;
  • to improve identity and legibility i.e. to help the public find their way around the town; and
  • to create schemes of the highest quality.

In his presentation the Urban Design Team Leader listed specific details of the schemes a number of which would include:-

  • improvements to the major road network;
  • improved access road links;
  • Poole Town Quayside design, allowing recreational/cultural activities, lively areas and a view into buildings on the Quayside;
  • 5 metre wide footways to allow space for a tree lined avenue;
  • a new barrier to facilitate varied levels for different experiences of the water on the Quayside to the north of the new bridge; and
  • large public open space and access to the water level on Hamworthy Quayside.

Throughout the Streetscape project a key aim was to encourage developers to add to the heritage of these sites.

In conclusion, members of the public were invited to express their views on how they would like the Streetscape project to progress.

The Urban Design Team Leader explained that full details of the proposals could be found on the Council’s web site at which provided fuller details to that published in the form of a leaflet, a CD and exhibition material – all of which had been designed to maximise public consultation.

During the discussion the following comments were made and issues clarified:-

  • it was anticipated that works on the schemes would commence in 2007/2008;
  • the public consultation period would end on the 16th June 2004;
  • the project would take into account the need not to put existing businesses at risk with the introduction of new businesses;
  • Councillor Bulteel considered that it was important to help develop the existing Town Centre and to help reinvigorate its features, emphasising the need to create and sustain vibrancy throughout the town;
  • the Streetscape and masterplan would help to guide and anchor the influence of developers in creating the new schemes to ensure that the views of the public were reflected in the schemes;
  • it would be proposed that the aims and objectives of the Streetscape project become Supplementary Planning Guidance to help inform the regeneration schemes, and to ensure that the Council had a strong influence over how the developments were designed;
  • there were a number of large spaces now vacant in the town which provided the Council with many opportunities particularly with regards to affordable housing;
  • on the 26th June at St. James’ Church Centre a planning meeting would be held for Councillors and members of the public to look at ways to combat pressures put on the Council by large developers, in order that the quality of development could be improved and greater account taken of the public’s view in the planning process;
  • parking capacity in the new development would vary from 1 space per unit to 1.5 spaces per unit;
  • visitors car parking would increase with the development of the new Asda site and a new multi-storey car park;
  • it was important to strike the correct balance between creating more car parking spaces and discouraging traffic into the town centre; and
  • noting that not everyone had received notification of the Streetscape project, the Urban Design Team Leader explained that he would make sure copies were made available where needed.

In conclusion, the Chairman invited members of the public to put any further points they wished to make on the Streetscape project in writing to the Urban Design Team Leader.