Issue - meetings

To receive any verbal reports from Members regarding Ward matters and Outside Organisations.

A number of Ward Matters were raised by Members including:

Letchworth BID;

Citizens Advice Bureau; and

Illegal Parking on Verges and Pavements

Audio Recording – Start of Item – 1 Hour 41 Minutes 19 Seconds

In respect of Letchworth BID, Councillor David Levett informed the Committee as follows:

·                BID Annual General Meeting had taken place that evening;

·                BID AGM looked to elect a new board that night;

·                Changed Government Member Structure meant for the first time there as a confirmed 16 Members elected to the Board;

·                There had been a lot of involvement from the Business Community in Letchworth at the meeting;

·                In respect of Anti-Social Behaviour - BID had just funded a new online data system named DISC; and

·                There had been a rise in break-ins within the town.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Levett for his update.

Councillor Mike Rice reported that Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) was holding their Annual General Meeting on 23 October at 2.30 in The Icknield Centre.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Rice for the information.

Councillor Gary Grindal asked for the Committee’s indulgence and re-presented the Member’s attention, to what was becoming a fairly regular discussion topic - Illegal Parking on Verges and Pavements.

The following Members took part in a lengthy discussion:

·                     Gary Grindal;

·                     D Levett;

·                     Ian Mantle;

·                     Sean Prendergast;

·                     Mike Rice; and

·                     Daniel Allen

and raised the following points:

·                How we can encourage enforcement and take serious action.

·                Push Council to fully investigate - take serious action.

·                Encourage people to report to Council’s Legal Department if the perpetrator is caught parking illegally.

·                Longer Term Strategies put in place and educate.

·                Cost effective prevention rather than enforcement.

·                Flexibility around land conditions put in place as an incentive.

·                Lack of parking facilities available.

·                Increased cost of fine.