Meeting documents

Letchworth Committee
Wednesday, 13th March, 2013 7.30 pm

Time: 7.30pm Place: Committee Room 1, Council Offices, Gernon Road, Letchworth Garden City
 PRESENT: Councillor John Booth (Vice-Chairman), Councillor Clare Billing, Councillor T.W. Hone, Councillor David Kearns, Councillor Lorna Kercher, Councillor Ian Mantle and Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham.
 IN ATTENDANCE: Claire Morgan (Community Development Officer) and Hilary Dineen (Committee and Member Services Officer).
 ALSO PRESENT: At the start of the meeting 8 members of the public.
Item Description/Resolution Status Action
PART I
82 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Julian Cunningham, Gary Grindal, David Levett and Mike Rice.
 Noted   
83 MINUTES
Minutes

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 16 January 2013 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chairman.
 Agreed   
84 NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS

(1) Councillor Lorna Kercher asked the Chairman for permission to discuss residential parking at the appropriate time in the agenda;

(2) Councillor Lynda Needham asked the Chairman for permission to discuss the proposal by Central Bedfordshire Council to place a gypsy/travelers site on the borders of North Hertfordshire. Responses to the consultation regarding this proposal were required by Monday 18 March 2013;

(3) Councillor David Kearns asked the Chairman for permission to discuss proposed sites for housing in North Hertfordshire.

The Chairman agreed to these requests and stated that they would be debated at the end of the published agenda (Minutes 98, 99 and 100 refer).
 Noted   
85 CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

(1) The Chairman welcomed all those present at the meeting, particularly those due to give a presentation;

(2) Members were reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary interest, Other Pecuniary interest or Non-Pecuniary interest, and are required to notify the Chairman of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda. Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring either an Other Pecuniary interest, or a Non-Pecuniary interest which requires they leave the room under Paragraph 16.3 of the Code of Conduct, can speak on the item, but must leave the room before the debate and vote.
 Noted   
86 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - LETCHWORTH TOWN CENTRE PARTNERSHIP

Lee Boswell, Letchworth Garden City Town Centre Manager, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation as follows:
- In order to avoid coming to the Committee 3 or 4 times each year a single application for funding was being made for all key events due to be held in Letchworth Garden City Town Centre;
- Thank you NHDC and the Letchworth Committee for continued support;
- Last year a street fest, food festival and Christmas lights switch on events were held in the Town Centre;
- This year an increased amount was being requested due to an increase in costs and a reduction in income;
- Reserves would be put toward funding of events;
- Successful introduction of the proposed Business Improvement District (BID) would enable matched funding in future;
- Budgets for the 2013 events were:
Food Festival Budget £11,400 Grant Requested £2,500
Street Fest Budget £10,500 Grant Requested £3,000
Christmas Light Events Budget £14,000 Grant Requested £2,500
- Examples of increased costs faced this year included:
Food Fest Programme Production 2012 - £400 2013 - £750
Entertainer for Street Fest 2012 - £300 2013 - £410
- The costs of the Christmas Light Events had been kept to a minimum by changing the light switch on to a Friday Night;
- Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, Garden Square Shopping Centre and North Herts College would all be contributing to the cost of these events.

Members asked several questions including whether events would be cancelled if the full amount requested was not granted and how successful were last years events.

Mr Boswell advised that, if the amount granted was substantially lower than that requested events may not take place and that all events were weather dependent however events generally increased footfall in the town centre by approximately 40%, although it had to be acknowledged that approximately 50% of those people came to attend the event rather than shop but most businesses reported an increase in their income.

The Chairman thanked Mr Boswell for his presentation.
 Noted   
87 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION- LETCHWORTH GREAT WAR PROJECT

John Grant, Chairman and Dan Hill, Project Co-ordinator of Letchworth Great War Project, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation.

Mr Grant informed Members that they had been working over the last 2 years on the history of Letchworth in the Great War and discovered that the Town had a varied history including conscientious objectors and suffragettes. With the support of the National Lottery and Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation a shop would be used as a workshop and interactive location to mark the start of the war.

Letchworth museum was heavily involved in the project and would take exhibitions to local places. It was planned to create a memorial at St Julienne by 2017 and then bring the project back to Letchworth in time to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the war.

The aim was to set up an interactive website that people would be able to add information to, which would be a lasting heritage for the Town.

Members asked whether the British Legion and local schools were involved in the project.

Mr Hill advised that they had been in regular contact with the British Legion, who were keen to be involved on event days.

Mr Grant informed Members that pupils were already undertaking research on soldiers, a local history day had taken place with artefacts from Duxford being available, there was a project for children to produce a piece of fiction regarding the Great War and Highfield School would be arranging a visit that would following soldiers to the battlefields.

The Chairman thanked Mr Grant and Mr Hill for their presentation.
 Noted   
88 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - YOPEY

Representatives of Young People of the Year Award (YOPEY) had given their apologies that they were unable to attend this meeting to give a presentation.
 Noted   
89 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - NEW YOUTH FOUNDATION WORKSHOP

Michael Elias, project co-ordinator of the New Youth Foundation Workshop, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation.

Mr Elias informed Members that this was a new organisation which provided music, dance and art for 4 - 16 year olds in the Jackmans area. It was aimed to base the group at Jackmans Community Centre and to be self financing, however funds were needed for set up costs, in particular the purchase of a sound system.

Members asked several questions including whether children were charged to take part; whether other people were involved; what would happen if there was anti social behaviour; whether any of the organiser had a background in youth work and whether other sources of funding had been investigated.

Mr Elias advised that children were charged £3 per session per child, with 2 sessions being held each week; there was a Committee of which the Chairman was involved in dance and the Secretary in art and other volunteers would be sought. Children came to dance and produce art in a structured setting and a no tolerance basis would be used in regard to behaviour; none of the organisers had a background in youth work and an application for grant funding had been made to Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation.

Members expressed concern at who would take responsibility for the sound system and where it would be stored.

Mr Elias stated that the group's insurance policy would cover use of the equipment both inside and out and that it would be stored at the Jackmans Community Centre.

The Chairman thanked Mr Elias for his presentation.
 Noted   
90 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - CORTEX

Francesca Acaster, a representative of Cortex, thanked the Committee for their previous support and the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation as follows:

- Cortex now had 2 holidays per year, which helped transgender people socialise and gain the confidence to move forward;
- They had been involved in providing a Christmas Day dinner for those who may be isolated on Christmas Day;
- The group now had an office in Waltham Cross;
- The group's minibus was being used for the benefit of the wider community;
- They were involved in peer support;
- The Stevenage branch had now been closed
- Costs of presentations, printing and postage had been very expensive;
- Entry fees had been increased to £5;
- The group were considering ways in which costs could be reduced;
- The grant request was to help with the costs of rent and public liability insurance.

Jay, a member of Cortex, gave a brief resume of how the group had supported her and enabled her to become more involved in the community.

Members asked several questions including how much was the Public Liability Insurance; whether the group had any other source of income and where members of Cortex lived.

Ms Acaster advised that the Public Liability Insurance would costs £126; the group raise money through entrance fees and events, but were also applying to other organisations for grant funding. She explained that some people kept the fact that they were transgender secret, with even families not being aware of it and for this reason they do not ask for addresses.

Brenda Reeve advised that they would also be seeking grant funding from local housing associations.

The Chairman thanked Ms Acaster and her colleagues for their presentation.
 Noted   
91 CHAMPION NEWS AND FINANCE REPORT
Report
Appendix 1 - Budgets
Appendix 2 - Summary Update
Appendix 3 - Grant Application - Yopey
Appendix 4 - Grant Application - Letchworth Garden City Town Centre Partnership
Appendix 5 - Grant Application - Letchworth Great War Project
Apprndix 6 - Grant Application - New Youth Foundation
Appendix 7 - Grant Application - Cortex

The Community Development Officer presented the report of the Head of Policy and Community Services entitled Champion News and Finance Report and drew attention to the following:

WILBURY PROJECT
The meeting held on 28 February attended by representatives from local schools, churches, youth groups, Council Officers and Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation had been very successful. A residents forum would be set up which would consider organising a community funday which would promote activities on the Wilbury estate and find out what other activities residents would like to have available.

A Member advised that feedback from the Wilbury project had been very positive and that all involved had been complimentary about the work that the Community Development Officer for Letchworth undertook in the area.

JACKMANS 70S PROJECT
The Letchworth Garden City Heritage Museum would be running a project on the Jackmans estate looking at life in the 1970s and contact details of the museum curator had been sent to local groups.

RESOLVED:

(1) That the budgetary expenditure, balances and carry forwards from the Development and Visioning Budgets be noted;

(2) That the actions taken by the Community Development Officer to promote greater community capacity and well-being for Letchworth Garden City be endorsed;

(3) That the Letchworth Committee recognises the work that the Community Development Officer undertakes in the Town and the positive feedback received from residents and local groups.

REASON FOR DECISION: To keep Members of the Committee apprised of the latest developments in community activities in Letchworth Garden City.
 Agreed  Community Development Officer - CM
92 GRANT APPLICATION - LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY TOWN CENTRE PARTNERSHIP

Members recognised the importance and value of the events undertaken by the Letchworth Garden City Town Centre Partnership but expressed concern at the substantial increase in the amount requested this year, whilst NHDC was in the process of cutting costs.

It was proposed and seconded that grant funding of £7,000 be awarded to Letchworth Town Centre Partnership towards the costs of providing 3 key events during 2013.

RESOLVED: That grant funding of £7,000.00 be awarded to Letchworth Garden City Town Centre Partnership from the Discretionary Budget towards the costs of providing three major events in Letchworth Town Centre, including a food festival, a Street Fest and the Christmas Light Switch On Celebrations.

REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community.
 Agreed   
93 GRANT APPLICATION - LETCHWORTH GREAT WAR PROJECT

RESOLVED:
That grant funding of £1,500 be awarded to Letchworth Great War Project from the Discretionary Budget towards the cost of setting up a website.

REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community.
 Agreed   
94 GRANT APPLICATION - YOPEY

The Community Development Officer advised that YOPEY has applied for grant funding of £300 towards the cost of promotion of the award in schools encouraging young people to nominate their friends. The award also encouraged young people to take part in voluntary activities.

Members asked what grant funding would pay for and how would positive stories about young people be relayed to the media.

The Community Development Officer advised that grant funding would pay for 2 volunteers to run workshops in schools regarding how to get involved in the community and that a Hertfordshire wide awards ceremony would be held to which the media would be invited to hear about the positive work of young people in the community.

Members were of the opinion that any organisation requesting grant funding should attend a meeting of the Committee in order to answer any questions. As representative of YOPEY had been unable to attend this meeting they agreed that the grant request should be deferred until such time as a presentation was made.

RESOLVED: That a decision regarding the request for grant funding from Young People of the Year Award (YOPEY) be deferred until such time as representatives of the organisation could attend a meeting of the Letchworth Committee to give a presentation.

REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure that grant funding is allocated to groups and local organisations in a fair and open manner.
 Agreed   
95 GRANT APPLICATION - NEW YOUTH FOUNDATION WORKSHOP

Members supported the aims of the New Youth Foundation Workshop and wished to support the start up of the group, however they expressed concern about the amount of capital expenditure for a new group and felt that ownership of the equipment purchased with any grant should remain with NHDC.

Members agreed that the Head of Finance and Asset Management should be requested to provide a report addressing issues of grant funding for capital expenditure and ways in which NHDC can retain ownership of these items.

It was proposed and seconded that a grant of £1,600 be awarded to purchase a PA system, ownership of which would remain with NHDC, which would be loaned to the New Youth Foundation Workshop on a permanent basis. A further grant of £400 be awarded to New Youth Foundation Workshop as support funding towards the costs for hall hire, stationery and publicity.

RESOLVED:
(1) That grant funding of £1,600 be awarded from the Discretionary Budget to purchase a PA system, ownership of which is to remain with North Hertfordshire District Council;

(2) That Grant funding of £400 be awarded from the Discretionary Budget to New Youth Foundation Workshop as support funding towards the costs of hall hire, stationery and publicity;

(3) The PA system mentioned in (1) above be loaned, on a permanent basis to the New Youth Foundation Workshop, who will be responsible for any upkeep and safekeeping of the equipment;

(4) That the Head of Finance, Performance and Asset Management be requested to provide further information to Members regarding capital purchases, loaned to groups in order that NHDC retain ownership. The report will cover issues such as insurance and repairs to equipment.

REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community.
 Agreed  Head of Finance/Performance and Asset Management
96 GRANT APPLICATION - CORTEX

Prior to the item being discussed Councillor Lorna Kercher declared a non-pecuniary interest, as she was the Chairman of Howard Garden Social and Day Care Centre from which Cortex rented accommodation for their meetings and left the room for the duration of the item.

The Committee and Member Services Officer advised that the meeting would be inquorate during this item and therefore the Committee would not be empowered to take any decisions.

Members suggested that the Chairman may wish to grant £500 to Cortex under his delegated authority and that the Committee would be pleased to consider a request for a further grant of £500 at the next meeting of this committee due to be held in June 2013.
 Noted   
97 WARD AND OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS - MEMBERS' REPORTS

No Ward matters or Outside Organisations were discussed.
 Noted   
98 RESIDENTIAL PARKING

Councillor Lorna Kercher had previously asked the Chairman to allow a debate regarding residential parking (Minute 84 refers).

Councillor Kercher advised Members that she had noticed a discrepancy with the residential parking signage in Rushby Mead. The various signs along the road quoted different parking restriction times and she believed that the Traffic Regulation Order quoted the same restrictions for the entire length of the road.

Members agreed that the Transport Policy Officer should be requested to investigate the residential parking Traffic Regulation Order in Rushby Mead, Letchworth Garden City and ensure that signage in the street stated the correct restriction times.

RESOLVED: That the Transport Policy Officer be requested to investigate the residential parking Traffic Regulation Order in Rushby Mead, Letchworth Garden City and ensure that signage in the street states the correct restriction times and report any action taken to this Committee.

REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure that signs regarding residential parking restrictions are in accordance with relevant Traffic Regulation Orders.
 Agreed   
99 GIPSY AND TRAVELLERS SITES - CONSULTATION BY CENTRAL BEDS

Councillor Lynda Needham had previously asked the Chairman to allow a debate regarding the consultation being undertaken by Central Bedfordshire Council about planned gypsy and traveller sites (Minute 84 refers). This issue could not be considered at the next meeting of the Letchworth Committee as responses to the consultation were required by Monday 18 March 2013.

Central Bedfordshire Council had recently informed Letchworth Councillors that they were undertaking a consultation regarding the proposal to provide a gypsy and traveller site on the border of Letchworth Garden City.

Members understood that gypsy and traveller sites should be within walking distance of schools, chemists and shops and be placed on known gypsy traveller routes. The nearest facilities to the proposed site were in the boundaries of North Herts District Council and Members felt that some of these were not within walking distance. They expressed serious concern that the facilities and infrastructure in Letchworth Garden City, already under pressure from the recent housing development at Fairfield, would be put under even more strain, whilst funding generated by the site via Council Tax would go to Central Bedfordshire Council.

Members were also concerned that as the providers of infrastructure likely to be used by this site, NHDC should have been consulted by Central Bedfordshire Council much earlier in the process and that the amount of time given in which to provide a response had been very limited. They questioned whether the travelling community had been consulted about how many and where sites would be provided in Central Beds and wished to make clear that the provision of the right number of sites, in the right place, supported by the necessary infrastructure was important to NHDC.

RESOLVED: That the Head of Development and Building Control be requested to make representation on behalf of the Letchworth Committee and NHDC to Central Bedfordshire Council, in response to the consultation regarding the proposed gypsy and traveller site making reference to the following:
(i) The proposed site would not be within walking distance of all of the necessary facilities such as junior, infant and senior schools, chemists and shops;
(ii) Infrastructure in Letchworth Garden City was already under pressure following the recent housing development at Fairfield;
(iii) Infrastructure in Letchworth Garden City would be placed under further strain should the proposed site be adopted;
(iv) Funding for infrastructure generated by the site, via Council Tax, would go to Central Bedfordshire Council, whilst the costs of infrastructure provision would lie with North Herts District Council;
(v) North Herts District Council, as providers of the infrastructure required to support this site, should have been consulted at a much earlier stage in the process;
(vi) Members of the Letchworth Committee (NHDC) were extremely disappointed at the very limited time given to provide a response to the consultation;
(vii) The travelling community should be consulted as to the number of sites and where they should be sited;
(viii) The provision of the right number of sites, in the right place, supported by the necessary infrastructure was important to North Herts District Council.

REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure that the Letchworth Committee and North Herts District Council are able to respond effectively to a consultation by Central Bedfordshire Council regarding the siting of a gypsy and traveller site.
 Agreed  Head of Development and Building Control
100 PROPOSED HOUSING SITES IN NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE

Councillor David Kearns had previously asked the Chairman to allow a debate regarding the proposed sites for housing in North Hertfordshire (Minute 84 refers).

Councillor Kearns informed Members that 300 people had expressed concern at the consultation on the Grange estate regarding proposed housing sites regarding the proposed housing sites. They were concerned about the possible erosion of the green belt and that the site identified at the Grange estate would produce large numbers of extra car movements on an estate that only had 2 entrance/exits making local roads very dangerous. This would not be totally mitigated by use of railways as additional car parking spaces would be needed for any additional rail users.

Members acknowledged that any development would require additional infrastructure, but that the proposed sites were only identified as possible areas of development and that no planning applications had been received regarding these site. Infrastructure issues would form part of any planning application, which would be considered by the Planning Control Committee.
 Noted