Minutes of the Meeting Of

KENNET AND PANG VALLEY AREA FORUM 13 JULY 2005 – MINUTES

Minutes of the meeting of

THE KENNET AND PANG VALLEY AREA FORUM

Held on 13th July 2005

at Bucklebury Memorial Hall.

Present: Councillors John Farrin, Keith Lock, Irene Neill, Quentin Webb (Chairman)

Also present: Rachel Craggs, Sgt. Dave Ebsworth, Mark Edwards, Moira Fraser, Mark Harris, Aidan Stephenson.

PROGRAMME

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for the inability to attend the meeting were received from Cllr Graham Pask and Insp. Andy Talbot.

COMMUNITY SESSION

THAMES VALLEY POLICE

Sgt. Dave Ebsworth informed the forum that as from 29th August Insp. Andy Talbot would be posted to Greenfields in Abingdon and they did not yet know who his replacement would be, if anyone had any issues they could email Sgt. Ebsworth at

Crime figures were continuing to fall and Neighbourhood Action Groups had been introduced in three areas and were working well, speeding had been identified as a problem and Sgt Ebsworth asked people to email him if there were areas of particular concern.

Brimpton Parish Council asked if SID was calibrated correctly, as he believed it was 3 to 4 mphs higher, in reply Sgt. Ebsworth stated that West Berkshire Council had the contract and maintained the device any queries should be directed to Phil Frost.

Brimpton Parish Council asked if there was to be a strong Police presence at the Glade Festival in Wasing, in reply Sgt Ebsworth stated that Insp. Andy Talbot was the Bronze Commander and would take a firm approach supported by a Sergeant and ten officers on site.

Cllr John Farrin asked about the double yellow lines on the corner of Revelation and Reading Roads and if their widths affected legality and if they were to be monitored at all. In reply Mark Edwards stated that line widths could vary without affecting their legality, Sgt. Ebsworth stated that these parking problems had been raised at the NAG, if there were persistent offenders he should be informed and he would arrange for a Traffic Warden to visit the location. A member of the public stated that he believed parking close to a junction was prohibited, in reply Sgt. Ebsworth stated that this was only during the hours of darkness or if parking would cause an obstruction. The Police were there to educate as well as enforce and their experience showed that issuing warnings was more effective, if the problems persisted tickets would be issued, he would talk to Jim West regarding this issue.

Alison Beaumont (Bradfield Parish Council) asked if there was anything to stop permanent parking in a lay-by in which a Post Office mail box was situated, in reply Sgt. Ebsworth stated that as a bus stop parking was not allowed, he suggested that polite notices were used first and to email him if problem persists.

Mike Potter (Padworth Parish Council) stated that Padworth Lane required an HGV restriction, Sgt Ebsworth met with him after the meeting.

Clive Vare (Aldermaston Parish Council) asked if anything could be done to prevent parking on pavements, Sgt. Ebsworth replied that the subject is often raised but is not illegal as long as the footpath is not obstructed. If vehicles do impede access it was then classed as unnecessary obstruction and was an enforcement issue, if there were double yellow road markings then parking was illegal.

COMMUNITY SAFETY UPDATE

Rachel Craggs gave a presentation to the Forum updating them on the Community Safety Strategy and its priorities; initiatives that had been introduced to support this strategy such as:

·  Local Priority Offender Scheme:-

-  Catch & Convict/Rehabilitate & Resettle - 15 persistent offenders had been identified

-  Prevent & Deter crime amongst the young

-  Mapping offender data & youth activities to identify a potential lack of facilities

·  A Domestic Violence Homicide Review following the Pemberton case of all agencies involved in the case

·  An intensive Domestic Violence Perpetrators’ Programme that last 27 weeks to challenge the beliefs and behaviour of perpetrators, Thames Valley Police had provided funding for a course to be run in the East

·  Vehicle Crime target - access to reward funding

·  Racial crime poster campaign was trying to reach as much of the area as possible to encourage the reporting of this hidden crime. West Berkshire had a low ethnic minority population, as incidents may not be reported, there was also a fear that due to recent events such attacks could increase.

Other initiatives had been introduced in the area:

·  Handy Van Scheme – Was West Berkshire Council funded and run by Help the Aged to install security and safety in the homes of those over 60 with savings under £25,000 but was not means tested.

·  Community Safety Handbook – would be distributed to residents via the free paper and would include information on reducing anti-social behaviour and useful contact details.

·  Anti Social Behaviour Route Map

·  Young people’s Anti Social Behaviour leaflet – to inform young people in the prevention of becoming victims and how their behaviour could be perceived by adults as being anti-social

·  Designation Orders for Alcohol

·  Review of Neighbourhood Watch to identify good practise and promote the scheme

·  Neighbourhood Action Groups in Theale, Burghfield and Purley were now running.

The Chairman asked if there was a crossover between Thames Valley Police and West Berkshire Council mapping systems, in reply Rachel stated that Victor Vanni the Crime and Disorder Analyst worked extensively with his counter parts in Thames Valley Police. A shared database of anti-social behaviour recorded by Thames Valley Police, West Berkshire Council and Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service was being worked on so that all such behaviour could be mapped.

FEEDBACK FROM THE PREVIOUS KENNET AND PANG VALLEY AREA FORUM

·  Brimpton Footpath 4 work was almost complete, the Parish Council wished to thank West Berkshire Council and Liz Howlett in particular.

·  Traffic Calming Streatley, highway Officers had met with the Parish Council and were seeking to implement works

·  Road Marking improvements on Paices Hill, there was a lot of signage and advance warning, all of which met standards, Officers would continue to monitor the area and carry out speed checks and accident analysis regularly. Parish Councillors informed Mark Edwards that it was the second bend on the upper section from the Industrial Estate that they were worried about and that was not signed.

·  Work to give priority to vehicles entering Bradfield village was complete.

·  Neil Stacey was carrying out the survey of the A4 and the crossroads at the Coach and Horses in Midgham had been included but these would not be reported until the A4 study had been completed. A design brief had been written and a Members task group chaired by Keith Chopping was overseeing the study.

·  Hollybush Lane had been included in the Freight Study whilst speed checks were ongoing, results of recent checks suggested an average speed of 34mph.

·  Union Road, Bradfield, work was proposed to repair the road edge that would widen it back to it’ original width, signage to indicate horses with riders was difficult. Mark Edwards was concerned that cutting back the verges could cause speeds to increase along the road.

·  Bucklebury Common, Paul Hendry was still awaiting CCTV cameras that could be installed.

·  Road from Burghfield to Tadley, work to replace the anti-skid surface had been completed.

·  Highways could not find any errors with the Beenham speed limit signing, the orders were all in place.

·  A meeting had been arranged with the Parish Council and Andrew Reynolds regarding flooding on Brimpton Road.

·  Improvements to the crossroads at the Bull, Streatley were now in the Capital Bid programme and subject to the normal process.

·  Padworth Saw Mill was reported to have been a problem since October 2004 and in December West Berkshire Council Planning Department was informed of the noise and dust nuisance it was causing. Mark Edwards informed the Forum that after several deadlines for requests to submit planning applications had passed enforcement action would begin.

·  There was no policy regarding flashing lights outside schools, Officers had to be careful implementing a scheme for Basildon School so that a precedent was not set but a suitable timer controlled solar powered system had been identified.

·  The Sun Hill lay-by was included in the Freight Survey and Mark Edwards would check that the refuse bins were included on the collection rota.

·  Work on Highways improvements in Woolhampton were ongoing.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS

Hartshill Road edges were being broken up and deep rutting was being caused due to heavy traffic.

Brimpton Parish Council asked if signs could be sited to warn that part of the road from Brimpton to Heads Hill was unsuitable for HGVs and warn them to use Thornford Road instead. In reply Mark Edwards stated that there were developer contributions available to improve this junction and improved signage could be incorporated.

Alison Beaumont (Bradfield Parish Council) spill lorries from the school started operating at 6am and used Tidmarsh Road. Mark Edwards replied that he was in communication with the applicants and was advised that the lorry movements would finish at the end of September, he was due to meet with the applicants again and would raise that the HGVs appeared to be using the wrong route.

Mike Potter of Padworth Against Waste Site residents group stated that the road to the proposed amenity site as a single carriage way was very poor. With vehicle movements of 700 lorries and 2000 cars a day access was inadequate, a situation that would be exacerbated if the swing bridge was open, which it often was especially at weekends.

Mr Potter asked if a Highway impact assessment had been completed as he was entitled to see it but one had not been supplied. He also believed that statements made by Councillors regarding the proposal were contradictory. Mark Edwards replied that no planning application had been presented but that when it was Highways would evaluate all aspects of the assessment and verify the data supplied with it impartially. Cllr Farrin stated that as a West Berkshire Council application the proposal would go before committee to be determined and Members would note that they had been lobbied at this meeting.

A Member of the public asked if more money was to be spent on rural roads. In reply the Chairman stated that the new ruling group were looking at budgets with a view to increasing the road budget. Mark Edwards stated that in the Highway Improvement Programme 33 roads were scheduled to be resurfaced, 70% of which were in this forum’s area. Cllr Farrin asked Mark to supply the report on the programme indicating what resurfacing was patching and which was total resurfacing.

Keith Lock asked Officers to inspect work in Mortimer after gas mains had been dug up to ensure that the road was properly resurfaced afterwards.

PETITIONS

No petitions were received.

Skate Park on Auclum Green: The forum was informed that West Berkshire Council had advised Burghfield Parish Council that the site on Auclum Green was not suitable for a skateboard park, and that the Parish Council should find an alternative site, as yet no suitable site had been identified.

BUSINESS SESSION

1.  There were no declarations of interest.

2.  The minutes of the area forums held on 10th and 25th May 2005 were signed as a correct record by the Chairman

3.  Traffic Management Works Programme. Members were informed that there was £12,340 left in the budget, Mark Edwards would email all Members of the group with possible schemes. Members agreed to place Whites Hill on the programme to introduce improved signage.

4.  The Area Forum approved the following nominations to local school governing bodies:

·  Basildon – John Statham - Renomination

·  Bradfield – Joan Hayes – Renomination

·  Mortimer St. Marys – Gary Woodcock – Renomination

·  Mrs Blands – Anne Taylor – New Nomination

·  Streatley – Mary Dowling - Renomination

CHAIRMAN ………………………………………………………..

(Meeting closed at 8.40pm)