Neighbourhood Governance Note of South Acton Ward Forum Meeting

Transcription

1 Neighbourhood Governance Note of South Acton Ward Forum Meeting Wednesday 15 October 2014 at 7pm in the Centre for Armenian Information and Advice, Mill Hill Road, Acton W3 8JF Present: Cllr Mik Sabiers (Chair), Cllr Josh Blacker and Cllr Yvonne Johnson Attendance: 57 residents attended the meeting. Kofi Nyamah (KN) Neighbourhood Co-ordinator, Ealing Council Joseph Lee Lazone Safer Communities Team, Ealing Council Pat Robinson Parks Ranger, Ealing Council Netta Pakenham-Walsh - Operational Secretary, Wasps Amateurs Club 1. Welcome and introductions 1.1) The meeting commenced at 7.05pm. Cllr Sabiers welcomed all to the meeting and introduced Cllr Blacker, Cllr Johnson and the attending officers and guests. 2. Notes from last meeting 5 March ) The notes were reviewed for accuracy and matters arising. 2.1) 2.2) Item 4.7 deterrents on Twyford Avenue roundabout 2.2) Tony Palmer - this should read vehicles travelling at speeds over 40mph. Rather than up to 40mph. Matters arising 2.3) Item South Acton Community Builders Co-operative Ltd (SACB) Right To Manage 2.3) Ken Campbell a SACB office should be available from January Since the last ward forum there have been several enquiries about the Right to Manage process. 2.4) Item Stirling Road Recycling Centre 2.4) Cllr Johnson Stirling Road Recycling Centre is to be kept as it is. 2.5) Item Trees in Acton High Street 2.5) Cllr Johnson Twenty-six trees are proposed to be planted along the High Street. 1

2 3. Officer reports 3.1) Parks Rangers Pat Robinson Mill Hill Park Residents Association (MHPRA) have requested the gate keys for Mill Hill Park to be able to lock the park in the evenings. Some more details are required before the keys are provided. 3.2) Clara Lowy Springfield Park is now being locked in the evenings and this has made a huge difference. 3.3) Update from Safer Neighbourhoods police team (SNT) Cllr Sabiers provided the report in the absence of the SNT: - The ward s policing priorities are: burglary, robbery and drugs. - Crime in the ward has been down since the good result the SNT had working with Operation Trident to tackle gang crime. - Burglary is down. A suspect was arrested and this has helped. - There have been 21 thefts of bicycles in the ward. The majority have been near Acton Town Station. - Crime maps of the ward are available on the Ealing SNT web site. 3.4) Can the councillors give attention to the recent assault of a teenager in Woodlands Park? 3.5) Transform Your Space Scheme Cllr Blacker spoke about Ealing Council s 625,000 scheme to transform underused spaces in the borough. 3.1) Rangers - East ranger team Acton Park Lodge, The Vale, Acton W3 7JT Office telephone: (020) Mobile telephone: parks@ealing.gov.uk 3.6) Clara Lowy does Twyford Sports Ground qualify for this scheme. 3.5) To be investigated. 4. Ward matters in progress: 3.1) Kofi Nyamah confirmed that the locking of Springfield Park was an issue discussed at a previous Acton Central Ward Forum. 3.2) South Acton Safer Neighbourhoods Team Provident House, King Street, Acton, London W3 9LA Tel: SouthActon.snt@met.police.uk - The non-emergency number for the police is 101. In an emergency always dial ) Councillors explained they have been liaising with police on this incident 3.4) Transform Your Space leaflets were available to the meeting. 4.1) Acton Lane Bridge improvements Cllr Sabiers the ward forum put funds aside for the improvements to take place. - The council has been talking with Network Rail about the improvements )

3 - The jutting wall remains an issue and might not be able to amended, but the ward councillors will keep pushing. 4.2) Demolition of Woolf and Wodehouse Courts Cllr Sabiers both Woolf and Wodehouse Courts in South Acton Estate have been knocked down. - More housing is to be built and a road is to be adopted in the third phase of the estate s regeneration programme. - Phase 4 of the programme will see Graham Tower and Chesterton Courts both fully decanted. A planning application is imminent. - For phase 5, the blocks near the Post Office Sorting Office are almost decanted. A planning application is expected in December. - Charles Hocking House is to be decanted at the end of 2015, with more housing built and public art made available. 4.3) Cllr Johnson more funds have been made available to work on Redbrick blocks by Church Road, bringing the work forward. The blocks are to be decanted next year. 4.4) Tatiana Collins are more school places to be made available? ARK Schools is looking for sites for schools. 4.2) 4.3) 4.4) Cllr Johnson ARK Schools have permission to start a school in Acton Park, where the old depot was. - Permission has also been given for a secondary school site. - The council cannot open their own schools, but can expand existing schools. 4.5) What happens to the residents that are decanted? 4.5) Cllr Johnson if they are secured tenants they are likely to be offered a place on a like for-like basis. - Tenants can stay on the estate or move if they find a suitable place elsewhere. A council officer is available to help advise tenants. - A mixed community is sought. Ward councillors argued to keep the estate community as it is. 3 - Cllr Blacker residents are very much involved in the regeneration programme. With a lot of input by the community boards.

4 4.6) High Street transport improvements Cllr Johnson provided an update. - The idea of the roundabout in the High Street was from Transport for London (TfL). - A lot of people are upset with the pedestrian crossings provided. - There have been complaints about late-night parking near a hairdressing salon. - A review will happen in a few months. - Separators are to be installed to deter parking near Acton Police Station. 4.7) Tony Palmer traffic along Lynton Road was observed this morning. No cars took notice of the mini-roundabout at its junction with Twyford Avenue. 4.8) Clara Lowy the High Street roundabout is excellent for pedestrians near the Morrison s supermarket. 4.9) The roundabout leads to traffic backing-up. The pedestrian crossing seems to be too close to the roundabout. 4.10) Consultation on through traffic in the local roads between Gunnersbury Lane and Uxbridge Road Cllr Blacker TfL changes have resulted in more traffic on local roads. - The number of vehicles travelling in Denehurst Gardens has increased moderately by 12%. - The number of vehicles travelling in Hillcrest Road has increased significantly by 39%. - Another consultation is to take place proposing to stop up certain road exiting onto Gunnersbury Lane. A draft of the consultation has been seen by councillors. 4.11) Beryl Basford TfL were written to regarding the no motor vehicle except access signs not being adhered to in Denehurst Gardens, Wilcott Road, Hillcrest Road and King Edwards Gardens. A sign was incorrectly installed opposite Twyford School leading to vehicles trying to do U-turns. This has led to near collisions. TfL are investigating. 4.12) Paul Bond the newly formed Acton Hill Residents Association are canvassing to see if there are alternative options ) 4.7) Councillors to visit Twyford Avenue and speak with affected residents ) 4.9) 4.10) Update: The public consultation is in progress and closes on Friday 19 December. - The consultation document can be read and responded to by visiting Ealing Council s web site consultation page. 4.11) 4.12) Contact details of the Acton Hill Residents Association were made available to the meeting.

5 4.13) Andrew Hammond supports the options provided by the council s 4.13) engineers. The noise levels of traffic are a nuisance and there was an incident with a van driving along the footpath when his family were walking with their baby. 4.14) Andy Oram Hillcrest Road traffic has caused a lot of distress to 4.14) residents of the affected roads. A gated entrance is an option put forward by neighbours. 4.15) Nigel Finning the current signs are too small. Painting road markings 4.15) may help. 4.16) The no motor vehicle except access signs should be lowered to make 4.16) them more visible. 4.17) Peter Stour half of residents did not get a consultation document. 4.17) Also, many residents feel that there will be no enforcement of any driving offences. 4.18) Darren Denby the police should enforce driving offences as they are 4.18) criminal offences. 4.19) Ann Thomas the use of camera technology should be considered to 4.19) Cllr Johnson the council would not be allowed. enforce against repeat offenders. Camera enforcement is for certain issues. 4.20) What was the rationale for the transport scheme in Acton? 4.20) Cllr Johnson TfL argued it was for pedestrian safety. The council does not have much power regarding this scheme. The council put pressure on TfL to stop up local roads and this is now possible. 4.21) There was discussion about speed humps in the affected roads, with 4.21) a suggestion for raising the height of humps. Other residents at the meeting disagreed. 4.22) Who makes the final decision after the consultation? 4.22) Cllr Sabiers the council will make suggestions to TfL, which they may choose to accept or ignore. 4.23) Consultation on review of licensing policy Cllr Sabiers announced there was a paper outlining the proposed changes to the council s licensing policy in respect of the sale of alcohol, provision of regulated entertainment and late night refreshments. 4.23) Copies of a briefing paper summarising the proposed changes to Ealing Council s licensing policy were available to the meeting. 5

6 5. Public Forum 5.1) Benjamin House, Mill Hill Grove Karen Nesbitt the parking situation remains bad in Mill Hill Grove. - The new yellow lines painted in Mill Hill Terrace are not working. - A bollard on the footpath has been knocked down and as a result, cars are parking on the footway and affecting the access of disabled pedestrians. Ambulances which regularly visit Benjamin House cannot pass the parked cars. - No tickets are being issued by traffic wardens. - The No Entry sign has been removed. Can an automated gate be considered? 5.2) Twyford Sports Ground Clara Lowy the move of Wasps Rugby Club professionals has implications for the sports ground, of which a part is owned by Shanly Housing. 5.3) Netta Pakenham-Walsh the sports ground is used by both Wasps professional and amateur clubs. - Jobs may be lost due to the loss revenue if the professionals move and this may increase the possibility of the amateur club having to leave. - Consideration is being given to introducing new tenants or events hire. - The amateur club has a lot of participants, but requires the support of the local community. - A planning application for floodlights was recently objected and this affected revenue. - A better relationship is sought with neighbouring residents. This has led to the cancellations of some events to avoid disturbance. 5.4) Clara Lowy with the Localism Act shouldn t residents have a say on the use of this site? - St Vincent s School now pay to be able use the fields. - Can a running track be considered to be built in the site or a cycle safety scheme? - The council should assess the site to see if more sport can be 6 5.1) Costs of an automatic access gate and double yellow lines to be investigated. 5.2) 5.3) Natta Pakeman-Walsh can be contacted at netta@waspsfc.co.uk 5.4) Cllr Johnson Twyford School would like to expand their school site and have written to the landowners of the sports ground. It is not yet known if they have received a reply. A compromise should be reached as there is no assurance regarding the future use of the land.

7 played there. 5.5) Tony Palmer- the applications for floodlight were inoffensive and the Creffield Area Residents Association (CARA) tried hard to cooperate with Wasps and Shanly Housing. 5.5) 6. Ward budget spend 6.1) Cllr Sabiers asked the forum to review a summary of the ward s budget and invited comments. 6.2) South Acton Children s Centre Clara Lowy can the forum help with an update of IT equipment in the centre? 6.3) The Mount improvements Tatiana Collins Mill Hill Park Residents Association (MHPRA) with Churchfield Community Association propose to improve The Mount and in particular the market area with flowerbeds and seating. Can the ward forum support this idea? 6.4) South Acton Recreation Grounds Councillors outdoor gym equipment and additional seating benches have been proposed for South Acton Recreation Ground. 6.5) Mill Road loading bays Misak Ohanian can the redundant loading bays be amended to become a disabled bay and a residents parking bay? 6.6) There was further discussion regarding the pressure on parking spaces with the new pending housing developments. 6.1) A summary of the budget spend from was available to the meeting. 6.2) Cllr Johnson suggested the proposal be put forward to the Acton Gardens Community Chest. 6.3) To be considered. 6.4) To be considered. 6.5) Councillors to request Highway engineers to make the amendments. 6.6) 7. Date of future meeting 7.1) The next ward forum was announced as 10 th March 2015 to be held in the Centre for Armenian Information and Advice, Mill Hill Road. The meeting ended at 8.45pm. 7