Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal.

There were no declarations of interest.

[To approve the minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record.]

Resolved:

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2015 as a true record.

[To consider any matters arising from the minutes.]

There were no matters arising.

[To review the outstanding petitions.]

Resolved:

That the schedule be noted.

[To consider the issues raised in the petition and support the decision not to extend the fencing.]

Consideration of this item was deferred until the next meeting of the Petitions Committee.

[To consider the issues raised in the petition and to endorse the proposed action.]

Cllr Rowley commented that she felt the petition was an overarching petition raising issues beyond the Council’s control. She noted that there were far too many issues within one petition for the Petitions Committee to deal with. She suggested that the amount of issues within a petition should be limited and made clear to petitioners.

The Chair explained that the lead petitioner has been informed of the issues that would be addressed at the meeting and asked employees to look into the amount of issues to be raised in a petition.

The petitioner was not present at the meeting and the committee heard the report in his absence.

Nick Broomhall, Service Lead, Traffic and Road Safety, presented the report. He noted that data on the speed of traffic on Mount Road was being assessed from 23 April 2015 for a week. He reported that an extra cleansing of the road drains on Mount Road would be arranged.

Resolved:

That the proposed action to investigate the need for a possible road safety scheme in the Mount Road area be endorsed.

[To consider the issues raised in the petition and support the work to address them.]

Matthew Williams, the lead petitioner, explained that the petition had been submitted following 12 months of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and criminality on the Dukes Park Estate. He explained that residents had been told by the Council that the park was unadopted land and so not within the Council’s power to make changes. He commented that Barratts Homes, owners of the land, stated that the park was a Council planning requirement. Residents were informed by Barratts that the play area would only feature toddler equipment. The lead petitioner explained that since the park had been installed, a car was stolen and set on fire metres away from family homes. He commented that criminal behaviour and ASB would go on to 2am and residents were beginning to move away from the area. He noted after 12 months, the swing was removed. He reported that empty alcohol containers were found at the site. He noted that the language used by youths was awful and not acceptable with children living so close. He commented that residents felt the park should have been dealt with a long time ago and the only way to deal with the ASB and criminality was if the park was removed.

Cllr Mattu sympathised with the residents. He commented that the park had only been there for 12 months and it was too soon to make decision to close it down. He noted that a similar issue had taken place at St Christopher’s Park a few years before which had been closed because of ASB. More recently, St Christopher’s park had been reopened and was working well. He commented that the ASB needs to be monitored. He noted that this is not an issue to be rushed and timescales should be set to improve the park.

PC Philip Upton, Police Officer on the estate, sympathised with residents but also understood the views of the Council. He commented that something needed to be done to rectify this long term issue. He noted difficulty as the ASB was taking place in the early hours. He commented that there are sustainability issues in keeping officers in the area as shift patterns would need to be changed. He noted that a domehawk camera had been put in but it was difficult to identify individuals from the footage and so there were no opportunities to put in Place ASB enforcement measures. He commented on difficulties in dealing with the issue because of a lack of communication within the Council and Barratt Homes. He noted that Barratt Homes had removed a large swing and adjusted fencing to stop cars going on to the site. He explained that the size of the estate made it difficult to cover escape routes when chasing offenders. He commented that Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council had also been contacted with regard to this issue. He commented that it had been difficult identifying perpetrators but the Police would support the decisions made by the Petitions Committee.

Karen Samuels, Head of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

[To note the outcome of the investigations in Prosser Street.]

Gwyn James, Transportation Manager, presented the update report. He reported that according to the records, there had been no applications or permissions given for any footway crossovers to the rear of properties in Swinford Road accessed from Prosser Street. He noted that a second crossover to houses across the whole city were very carefully considered and unlikely to be approved as it would reduce space for parking on the street.

The petitioners, Mrs Beddows and Mrs Yates, explained that the dropped curb at the rear of the houses had always been in place. The issue had been when residents had then opened access to gardens to allow for extra parking.

The Transportation Manager explained that the Council did not have power to deal with this situation as the dropped curb is already installed. Residents wishing to build a garage to the rear of their house would need to apply for planning permission but removing the fences and parking on the garden area was allowed without permission.

Cllr Rowley commented that having heard the highways employees perspective there was not a lot the Council could do to the street.

The Transportation Manager explained that Prosser Street was on the list for funding to improve parking on the street when it became available.

Resolved:

That the outcome of the investigation into footway crossovers in Prosser Street be noted.

The Chair thanked the members of the Petitions Committee for their work throughout the year and the committee thanked the Chair for conducting the meetings.