Burngreave Area Panel Minutes 30th September 2004
BURNGREAVE AREA PANEL | ||||
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Meeting held 30th September, 2004 at Pitsmoor Methodist Church | ||||
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PRESENT: | Councillors Jackie Drayton (Chair) and Ibrar Hussain. | |||
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| Also in attendance:- | |||
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| Kieron Williams | - | Area Co-ordinator | |
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| Shanza Hussain | - | Development Services | |
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| David Shepherd Katie Garnham Wendy Foster | ) ) ) | Neighbourhoods Directorate | |
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| Wendy Barlow | - | Sheffield Homes | |
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| Jon Ekwubiri | - | South Yorkshire Police | |
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| Amanda Boughton-Brown | - | Burngreave and Fir Vale Sure Start | |
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| John Turner | - | Committee Secretariat | |
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| There were approximately 20 local residents and representatives of local community groups in attendance. | |||
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1. | APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE FROM MEMBERS OF THE BOARD | |||
| An apology for absence was received from Councillor Steve Jones. | |||
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2. | POLICING ISSUES IN BURNGREAVE | |||
| Inspector Jon Ekwubiri reported on policing issues in the Burngreave area, referring specifically to the recent incidences of gun crime and problems with regard to drug dealing. | |||
| Mr Ekwubiri reported that there had recently been three shootings in one day, two in Burngreave and one in the City Centre, and it was believed that all three shootings were linked. The Police had set up Operation Maple in the last few years to specifically target gun crime. It was reported that despite the recent shootings, the rate of gun crime and crime in general was down compared to previous years. | |||
| Mr. Ekwubiri provided some statistics with regard to crime rates in the area, indicating that during the period January to July 2004, there had been 40 burglaries to dwellings, compared with 156 in the corresponding period in 2003, which equated to a 67% decrease. Also, for the same period there had been a 19% decrease in car thefts and a 43% decrease in robberies. Reference was made to Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs), which could be Police or Council led, and which prevented young people who had been causing trouble in a particular area from visiting that area. Also, young people could be served with an ASBO on conviction, which means that if they had been found guilty of an offence, they would serve a sentence and on release, the ASBO would stop them from visiting the area in which they had caused the offence. Although there were presently no ASBOs served on young people in Burngreave, a number of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) had been served on young people in the area. | |||
| Mr. Ekwubiri stated that there was now a Community Intelligence Officer based at the Sheffield Central Station, who was responsible for collecting community information and intelligence. Mr Ekwubiri concluded by stating that the Community Inspectors continued to meet on a weekly basis to discuss all aspects of community policing in the area. | |||
| The following questions were asked and responses given:- | |||
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| Q. Why did the Police not respond to a 999 call made by a local resident at approximately 2.00 a.m. one morning a few weeks ago, informing of a group of youths who had stolen a car and were driving it around Osgathorpe Park, and ended up burning the vehicle out? | |||
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| R. This incident would be investigated. There were problems in the Police communications rooms when people are ringing 2202020 due to the shortage of officers dealing with the calls. There can, on occasions, be as few as 14 officers working in the Attercliffe area on shift at any one time and often, when starting the shifts, they already had a high number of jobs to deal with. | |||
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| Q. What did the Police consider a reasonable response time to a 999 call made by a member of the public in connection with a gun offence? | |||
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| R. The Police response to this type of call should be immediate. | |||
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| Q. What feedback were the Police providing to Neighbourhood Watch Schemes? | |||
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| R. The Inspector was unable to respond to this question, but would contact the relevant officer and request that a response be provided to the resident. | |||
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| Q. There was a notice on a lamp post on Bagley Road referring to the South Yorkshire Burglary Reduction Zone. What was being done by the Police to reduce burglary levels in the area? | |||
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| R. Contact details of the Burglary Reduction Officer would be forwarded to the resident. There is a contact number for the officer and arrangements can be made for him to visit residents to provide advice in connection with burglary reduction measures. | |||
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| Q. Were the Police aware of the problems being caused by youths in Abbeyfield Park? There were a number of people working in the house in the park who felt intimidated by the behaviour of these young people. |
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| R. Arrangements would be made for the New Deal Police Team to make regular visits to the Park. |
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| Q. A local resident had recently witnessed someone throwing empty petrol cans from the window of the bed and breakfast premises opposite the Cornerstone building on Grimesthorpe Road. Another resident rang the Anti-Social Behaviour Team, but received no response. Could someone look into this matter? |
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| R. An officer from the Anti-Social Behaviour Team will be requested to ring the resident as soon as possible to discuss the matter. |
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| The following comments were also made:- |
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| · The New Deal Police Team had visited Abbeyfield Park on a number of occasions, but the problems of youth nuisance were still continuing. |
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| · The Ranger Service had made contact with some of the youths in the area who had been identified as causing trouble, arranging various games and activities for them. The possibility of them assisting with the construction of some form of shelter in Abbeyfield Park, away from the house, had been discussed with them, and they had considered this a good idea. |
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| · Arrangements could be made to involve the young people in the “CSV Make a Difference Day”, which was to be held on Saturday, 30th October 2004, and was an event whereby members of the public volunteered to undertake a variety of tasks which would either enhance or improve the area where they lived or assisted someone in some way. Efforts could be made to get the young people involved in working on something which will enhance the Park in an attempt to give them a sense of responsibility. |
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| · The Community Safety Team had arranged an event whereby officers from the Team and the Police would be visiting local primary schools in the area, warning the school children of the dangers of guns and drugs. |
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| · A Curfew (section 30 dispersal) would become operative in the Wensley, Firth Park and Page Hall area with effect from 1st November, 2004. |
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| RESOLVED: That (a) the information now reported, together with the comments now made and the responses to the questions, be noted; and |
| (b) the thanks of the Area Panel be conveyed to Inspector John Ekwubiri for the presentation now made. |
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3. | INVESTING IN COUNCIL HOUSING IN BURNGREAVE |
| David Shepherd gave a presentation on the findings and recommendations of the Area K Neighbourhood Commission. |
| Mr. Shepherd reported that the Commission had considered three options to secure extra investment in connection with the Government’s requirements to ensure that all social housing meets the Decent Homes Standard by 2010. The three options involved an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO), partial stock transfer or Private Finance Initiative (PFI). Following a number of meetings of the Commission, which had been held from February to July 2004, there had been a spread of opinion, but in general terms, the establishment of an ALMO was the most popular option for tenants in the Burngreave area. It was reported that an ALMO was an organisation established by a local authority to manage and improve all or part of its housing, and that high performing Councils which had established ALMOs could access extra funding for improving homes and neighbourhoods. |
| Mr. Shepherd referred to a map of Area K, highlighting those areas within the Area Panel’s boundary, which would benefit from the extra investment. He also referred to the Government’s requirements with regard to the Decent Homes Standard, indicating that by 2010, all Council homes must be wind and water tight, warm and have modern facilities. Around 70% of Council homes in Sheffield presently failed to meet this basic standard. |
| Mr. Shepherd concluded by referring to the timetable of events in connection with the establishment of the ALMO, indicating that a report containing proposals on the establishment of the ALMO would be submitted to the Cabinet in October 2004. All Council tenants would then be balloted during the period 22nd November to 3rd December, 2004 and the bid for funding would be made in early 2005. A Local Board would be established, which would comprise an equal split of Councillors, tenants and independent members, and would become operational in April/May 2005. The ALMO funding would be drawn down in April 2006 and used to undertake the necessary works to ensure the delivery of the Decent Homes Standard by 2010. |
| The following questions were asked and responses given:- |
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| Q. Was it a case of tenants being forced to choose one of the three options or not get any improvements undertaken to their homes? |
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| R. The Government have clearly stated that if the Council chose not to accept one of the three options, they would not receive the funding. This therefore left the Council with no alternative but to recommend that the tenants accepted one of the three options. |
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| Q. When the ALMO is in operation, will Tenants' and Residents' Associations still be recognised? |
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| R. Yes, and they will have representation on the Local Board. |
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| Q. What guarantee did tenants have that they would remain in public housing by 2010? |
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| R. There were no plans under the new arrangements to privatise the Council’s housing. |
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| Q. Will any action be taken against those tenants who failed to look after, or caused damage to their properties? |
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| R. The terms of the tenancy conditions would be enforced as they had been done in the past, whereas if any tenants caused damage to their properties, there would be a charge. It was hoped that following the establishment of the ALMO, the additional funding would enable the Council to improve service delivery. Details of any neglect or damage caused to a property was recorded and would be taken into consideration if a tenant wished to move in the future. |
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| RESOLVED: That (a) the information now reported, together with the responses given to the questions, be noted; and |
| (b) the thanks of the Area Panel be conveyed to David Shepherd for the presentation now made. |
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4. | DEVELOPING A NEW BURNGREAVE AREA PLAN |
| The Area Co-ordinator gave a presentation on the development of a new Burngreave Area Plan for 2004-06. He reported on the aims of the Area Plan, indicating that it would provide a profile of the area, highlighting key local areas and would set out the Area Panel’s priorities for the next three years and contain details on what the Panel would be doing to address these priorities. He reported on the need to have an Area Plan, indicating that it provided an introduction to the area, it would be used as a guide for the Council and partner agencies in planning the way they deliver services in the area and it would be used to inform people of the work the Area Panel was doing and to monitor the progress of such work. The Area Co-ordinator reported that the new plan would be based on the feedback of the existing plan, the issues and concerns raise at Panel meetings and other events and on the consultation undertaken by the Panel’s partners and on the new draft plan. He stated that the Area Plan would set out six key priorities that the Area Panel would be focusing on for the next three years, which were Community Safety and Cohesion, Environment, Housing, Children and Young People, Health and Education. |
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| The following questions were asked and responses given:- |
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| Q. Why was there no reference to older people as part of the priority themes? |
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| R. It was considered that the needs of older people would be considered as part of all the priority themes as a matter of cause. |
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| Q. Had any consideration been given to t, he needs of disabled people? |
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| R. Again, the needs of disabled people would be considered within all the priority themes. |
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| Q. Why was there lower life expectancy in Burngreave? |
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| R. There is strong evidence to show that people living in deprived areas suffer more health problems than those residents living in more affluent areas of the City. |
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| Q. What plans were there in respect of youth provision? |
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| R. The Area Panel was aiming to bring together all the relevant agencies to look specifically at provision for young people in the area. There were proposals in respect of introducing pilot schemes with regard to youth provision on the Wensley and Firs Hill Estates. |
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| Q. Would the woodlands in the area come under the Environment heading? Residents do not use the woodlands in the manner they used to do due to their poor condition and for safety reasons. |
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| R. Yes, future treatment to the woodland areas would be considered under the Environment heading. |
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| The following comments were also made:- |
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| · There was a need for the provision of additional facilities for older people in the area, such as meeting places. |
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| · Older people need more information on bus routes and timetables, which would help them to get out and about. |
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| · Residents were not aware of the route and timetable of the Burngreave Links Bus. There was a need for the bus to go to Wensley. |
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| · The Council was not providing sufficient funding to enable properties that had been built for disabled access to be fully adapted. |
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| In response to the comments made, it was reported that there was a need for an article in the next edition of the Burngreave Messenger in connection with the timetable and route of the Burngreave Links Bus. |
| RESOLVED: That (a) the information now reported, together with the comments now made and responses given to the questions, be noted; and |
| (b) subject to the comments now made, approval in principle be given to the themes to be included as priority themes in the Burngreave Area Plan 2004-06. |
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5. | MINUTES OF LAST MEETING |
| The minutes of the meeting of the Area Panel held on 22nd June 2004, were approved as a correct record, and arising therefrom, it was reported that (a) there had been a further accident on Grimesthorpe Road and despite several requests by local residents for the implementation of road safety measures, no action had been taken, (b) there was a need to remove the signs indicating road closures as part of the highway works to be undertaken in connection with the rehabilitation of the Moonshine Outlet main as the works had now been completed, and (c) the consultation in connection with the Burngreave and Fir Vale Masterplanning would commence on 13th/14th October, 2004, behind the Fir Vale Forum offices on Rushby Street, with further consultation events on 16th October, 2004, at the Burngreave Community Action Forum’s Annual General Meeting at Christ Church, Nottingham Street and an information bus would be travelling round, visiting various venues in the area. Residents would be notified of these dates through newsletters and mailouts. |
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6. | PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS |
| There were no questions asked or petitions received from members of the public. |
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7. | DATE OF NEXT MEETING |
| It was noted that the next meeting of the Area Panel would be held on Thursday 28th November 2004, from 6.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. at Shiloh Church Hall, Gower Street. |
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