Neighbourhood Governance Notes of Lady Margaret Ward Forum held on Thursday 16 th October 2014 at Lady Margaret Primary School, Lady Margaret Road, Southall UB1 2NH Present: Councillors: Mohinda Midha (Chair), Karam Mohan, Attendees: 21 residents attended the meeting Apologies: Councillor Swaran Padda, Mark Reynolds Park Ranger Officers present: Guest: Police: Council: Sgt Rhys Peters, PC Nina Trainer Lady Margaret Safer Neighbourhoods Team Jo Spedding Safer Communities team Dennis Frost (DF) Neighbourhood Governance Co-ordinator Sachdev Seyan Ramgarhia Sports and Social Club 1. Chair s welcome and Introductions The meeting began at 7:15 pm. Councillor Mohinda Midha welcomed those residents present and introduced her fellow councillor, Karam Mohan. Councillor Midha reported that Councillor Swaran Padda was unwell and had sent his apologies for absence. 1
P June 2. Notes of last Lady Margaret ward forum 30P - attached to note th 2014 Councillor Midha confirmed that the notes of the last ward forum had been circulated to residents and published on the council s web site. Further copies of the notes were available at the meeting. Residents asked for more details of how the council deals with rat infestations (item 8, page 10). DF noted he had provided details to the particular resident who had asked the question, but would provide more information when the notes of this meeting are circulated. (Update: see opposite). 3. Update on Lady Margaret issues including For information: The council has a pest control team which provides a service to residents which obviously includes rodents. It is however on a paid basis, but will normally be very competitive in price compared to most private companies. If there is debate as to where the rats are nesting, one of their team can help assess the situation and advise the appropriate course of action. Residents can ring our Customer Call Centre on 020 8825 6644 to make bookings for home calls. If residents want to report sightings of rats associated with a specific commercial enterprise (i.e. as a complaint) they can telephone Regulatory Services on 020 8825 6666. Durdans Park Sports Ground - this item was deferred until later in the meeting, as Sachdev Seyan had been delayed in traffic. Residents supported tree planting - an information sheet was available at the meeting and will be attached to these notes. 4. Local Police update from the Safer Neighbourhoods Team - report from Lady Margaret ward team Sgt Peters and PC Trainer gave a detailed verbal report on their recent work in the ward, as follows: 2
Staff changes: - PC Kerosevic had moved on from the team, but two new officers had been appointed Katie Blythe and Martin Joyce. Burglary: - there has been a seasonal increase in ward burglaries often the case at this time of year with the darker evenings. Officers will be leafleting the ward and have home safety kits to distribute. Thefts from vehicles: - removal of catalytic converters has been prompted by the increasing value of the metals they contain. However an identity marking scheme was helping to contain the problem. Drugs and money laundering: - a significant cannabis and cash seizure took place in the ward recently. Allenby Road shops: - Police have been working with the managing agents to improve the area, which has including repainting the communal areas to the flats. Drug dealing has been tackled, also street drinking and a roaming dog had been returned to its owner. Lady Margaret Safer Neighbourhoods Team details: Team members Inspector Julian Holton Sergeant Rhys Peters PC Nina Trainer PCSO Natalie Brennan Address Lady Margaret Team, Southall Police Station, 67 High Street, Southall, Middlesex UB1 3HG Phone 020 8721 2918 E-mail 3TULadyMargaret.snt@met.police.uk U3T Web site 3TUwww.met.police.uk/saferneighbourhoodsU3T Ward surgeries At the Jubilee Medical Centre, Jubilee Gardens: - details on the web site Britten Drive: - a resident who had been causing significant problems has been served with an injunction preventing him from visiting the area. Test purchasing: 3
- a number of under-age Police cadets in plain clothes have been served with alcohol at shops in Lady Margaret Road. The shopkeepers concerned had been warned against future breaches of licensing regulations. Hillside Road: - this was becoming a significant crime area in particular the lane behind the shops. - Officers thanked residents for the significant amount of local intelligence they have provided, which has helped the Police to deal with the range of issues described. Councillor Midha thanked the Police for a very detailed report, and asked if there were residents questions. Are the Police still publishing a local newsletter? Sgt Peters replied that budget recent cost savings had meant that a printed a delivered newsletter was no longer possible. However he encouraged residents to provide their e-mail contacts, so that information could be circulated electronically. Are the Police still patrolling the ward s parks? We are. This is undertaken every day providing the officers are available. - update from the council s Safer Communities team Britten Drive: - Jo confirmed the exclusion of a particular resident, which had taken place in August. Ward Safer Communities Officer: Jo Spedding tel: 020 8825 7483 3TUspeddingj@ealing.gov.uk U3T Hillside Road: - joint work with the Police included securing the lock-up 4
garages behind the shops and also the communal areas of the flats. Park Guard: - the support provided by this contracted firm, dealing with low level crime and nuisance, has proved to be a valuable support for her team s work. Distraction burglary: - this is where an individual or a group trick their way into a home. Jo provided an information leaflet attached to these notes. Councillor Midha asked if there were questions to Jo: Is street drinking being tackled? Jo replied that it was. The council and the Police have powers to prevent street drinking and were concentrating their efforts on deterring the most prolific local offenders. Durdans Park Sports Ground Sachdev Seyan had now arrived and updated residents on progress with the Club s plans. With the granting of planning permission in the summer, preparations were now in hand appointing contractors to build the new sports pavilion. It was hoped that work would begin in January 2015. Ramgarhia Sports and Social Club website: 3TUhttp://www.ramgarhiasports.org/U3T The project was likely to cost 1.3million, of which 630,000 had been raised so far. The work would be carried out in two phases, to take account of the need for further fundraising. Sachdev encouraged residents to log on to the Club s web site, 5
which provided more information, and he hoped that an exhibition of the Club s plans could take place in the ward shortly 5. Envirocrime report - written report from Julie Matthews Envirocrime Officer Councillor Midha drew residents attention to the latest written report. Copies were available at the meeting. Julie had been concentrating on fly-tipping and the dumping of waste by commercial premises. A number of individuals and local traders had been prosecuted. Councillor Midha encouraged residents to report instances of rubbish and fly-tipping, including those on private land. Council s Envirocrime Team details: Julie Matthews, Envirocrime Prevention Officer Ealing Council, Customer Service Centre, Perceval House, 14-16 Uxbridge Road, Ealing W5 2HL Office hours: Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Tel: (020) 8825 6000 E-mail: 3TUcustomers@ealing.gov.uk U3T 6. 0BWard Budget 2014/15-1Bdiscussion of ward budget and finalising projects Councillor Midha asked DF to introduce this item. DF confirmed that the ward had 71,300 to allocate this year. He had produced a finalised list of possible projects, which was available at the meeting. These comprised: Highways: - a number of ward schemes to restrict parking at road junctions by the use of double yellow lines - reviving the joint project with Dormers Wells ward, to create a mini roundabout at the junction of Burns Avenue and Carlyle Avenue. This project was approved last year, 6
but not proceeded with. Dormers Wells ward forum was now keen to reinstate the project, which will improve road safety at this junction. Community Safety: - support for residents gating schemes had proved popular with grant of 50% given to eight ward schemes so far. A further allocation was recommended. Parks: - Councillor Mohan reported that he was working with council officers to design and install a canopied seating area in Jubilee Park. This would be a significant project for which there was much local support. - planting a further group of street trees was proposed. Residents suggested that Somerset Road would be a suitable. - Spikes Bridge Park: two projects were proposed a contribution towards the cost of repainting the railings around the running track, and the installation of more public exercise machines. - it was also proposed that a further sum be allocated to ongoing improvement work at Greenford Recreation Ground, which would include tree planting and a wild flower area. - residents asked that the Mansell Road allotments should be considered for further funding, to support the long delayed plan to bring them back into use. 2TGating scheme details are available from DF Housing: - Britten Drive: residents had asked if the grassed area in front of the flats could be improved. Community Grants: - Christ the Redeemer Church had requested help with the 7
P March P July cost of replacing the heating system in their community hall - two projects based in Old Southall were proposed: a Punjabi language project, run by Desi radio and some community art at the newly refurbished Dominion Centre. Southall Green ward forum was taking the lead on these projects, and had asked if other Southall wards could make a contribution 2TDF was asked to circulate a finalised budget and to seek formal approval from the Leader of the Council. 7. Public forum issues and questions from residents Councillor Midha asked the organisers of the Ladies Social Club to give a report on their recent activities. The Club which had received a grant from the ward held its rd first meeting on 23P at Christ the Redeemer Church Hall, and the event had been attended by the Mayor of Ealing. Since opening, the club had met weekly on a Wednesday afternoon. The programme had included a number of trips, as well as keep fit and counselling classes. The organisers thanked the ward forum for a grant, which had allowed the club to start its activities Councillor Midha asked if there were questions from residents. 8. Date of future meeting 2014/15 2TCan the telephone boxes in Allenby Road be removed? They are rarely used nowadays. 2TDF offered to see if this was possible. nd - 2P 2015 - Lady Margaret Primary School, starting at 7pm 8
Dennis Frost 21: Oct: 2014 9