Neighbourhood Governance Note of Southfield Ward Forum Meeting Wednesday 9 March 2016, 7.30pm at Southfield Primary School, Southfield Road, Bedford Park W4 1BD Present: Councillors: Andrew Steed (Chair), Gary Busuttil and Gary Malcolm Attendees: 33 residents attended the meeting. Chris Bunting Assistant Director of Leisure, Ealing Council Alex Duncan Festivals & Events Team Manager, Ealing Council Pat Robinson Parks Ranger, Ealing Council No. Note 1. Welcome and introductions 1.1) Cllr Steed welcomed all to the meeting and introduced Cllr Busuttil, Cllr Malcolm and the attending officers. 2. Request for Any Other Business (AOB) Items 2.1) Cllr Steed invited residents to provide items for AOB, which are recorded in item 6 of these meeting notes. 2.1) 3. Notes of the last ward forum held on 9 September 2015 3.1) Cllr Steed asked the meeting to review the notes for accuracy and matters arising. Matters Arising 3.2) Item 2.2 - Cycle parking facilities around Turnham Green Station Sandra Grant the area has been left in poor condition following the work. The new recycling bin that has been placed there is awkwardly sited and is best placed at another location. 3.1) The meeting notes were agreed as accurate. 3.2) The first phase of installing cycle parking had gone ahead. A planning application is unlikely to proceed for the second phase of building a cycle shelter. - The timescale for tidying-up the area is still awaited. - The ward forum paid for a new bin in Acton Green, as there were fly-tips dumped at the old larger recycling bin opposite Turnham Green Station. This bin has been removed. 1
3.3) Item 3.3 - Update on wheelie bins and refuse collection plans 3.3) Cllr Malcolm the new refuse collection service commence from 6 June, with delivery of wheelie bins due in late May. Ealing Council will write to and notify all households. - More details about the complaints procedure are due to be provided by the council. - Households with front gardens that are deemed too small to hold a wheelie bin, can contact ward councillors for further information. 3.4) Carol Douglas is there information regarding the choice of wheelie bin sizes? 3.4) The meeting noted that there was information and advice in the council s recent Around Ealing magazine. However, information on bin sizes would be in the notification letter. 3.5) Vanessa Costello who will check households against the recycling address list? Will there be challenges? 3.5) Councillors noted that they had completed their own site checks and will verify the list. There is not yet any detail on the council s challenge process. 3.6) Has the council explained the alternative to wheelie bins? 3.6) Cllr Malcolm there may be individual bins for 3.7) The meeting also discussed general issues regarding wheelie bins in properties without front gardens and people who are unable to lift their bins without assistance. 3.8) Item 2.2 conversion of land next to the Scout Hut in Rugby Road Don Tanswell the ward forum funds provided in September have been used for site clearance and to build the forest school. - Five schools are to use the forest school. - Work will begin to gain accreditation from Ofsted for the forest school. - Donations have been received from the local community, with woodchip donated from tree surgeons. - Procuring contractors for the next phase of refurbishment is starting. - An opening party is planned for September 3.7) 3.8) tenanted households and flats above shops. 2
4. Oktoberfest on Acton Green 4.1) Alex Duncan (AD) presented information about Oktoberfest, a German Beer Festival proposed for Acton Green. - The event is scheduled for Wednesday 10 - Sunday 14 August. There will be a later set-up time and earlier closing time on Sunday. - The processes for the event planning and consultation were explained. - Acton Green was chosen as the venue in line with the council s event policy. It was chosen for its transport links and the few events that it currently hosts. - The council has given conditional approval for Oktoberfest, subject to the event organiser demonstrating that they can meet certain conditions. Including presenting their plans to police, ambulance service and the fire brigade. - The organiser of Oktoberfest is experienced and has held many events around the country. The Oktoberfest event that was cancelled in another area in London was by another operator. - Council officers will be onsite during the event and there will be a direct telephone line available to contact them. Questions/ comments 4.2) Vanessa Costello there are concerns regarding the decisionmaking process, with this decision to hold the event on Acton Green contradicting the council s events policy. - The consultation for this event is inadequate; the police have not been consulted. The organisers made a prior application to use Haven Green in Ealing, which was not supported by police licensing officers and objected by council s noise officers. - The police were not involved to circumvent the council s event policy. 4.1) 4.2) AD there was objection to the Haven Green application, due to the Green falling within a special condition. - The police were unhappy with insufficient information provided by the organisers at the time. - The police default position is to raise objections to events, but they will approve if organisers can prove the event will be properly managed. - The police, fire brigade and London Ambulance will all be consulted as part of the consultation stages. - The council invited residents to attend this ward forum meeting. 3
4.3) Chris Jones how will the attendance numbers and the noise be policed? 4.4) Carole Van Dyke the objections that have been sent to the council were against a beer festival taking place opposite a church. It s the wrong thing in the wrong place, with no local desire for the event. 4.5) Ravi Takhar there has been numerous complaints for years regarding noise from events on Acton Green. - The timetable for event set-up and close are never accurate. - In August, there will be a huge concentration of events on the Green. The idea that the Green is not used much is false. - South Parade residents will raise objections regarding noise. 4.6) Rex Carter has consideration been given to the effects on local pubs? 4.7) Jill Morris has Transport for London (TfL) been spoken to about this event? 4.8) Harvey Rose the consultation procedure was inadequate. Only two local residents associations and Bedford Park Society were properly approached and all three objected to the event. The impression is that it s a done deal. - Acton Green is badly drained and will have to be monitored. If the event goes ahead it must be on a smaller scale. 4.3) AD the event organisers will have to pay for noise monitors at key locations. The noise will be limited to 10decibles by residential properties. 4.4) 4.5) AD there are three events on the Green over the summer. Acton Green Day festivals and Guyatts Funfair are the only applications permitted and approved by the council s events team. - Cllr Steed the ward councillors arranged for the council to provide a notification letter-drop and also carried out their own consultation letter. Only six responses from 180 properties were returned. 4.6) 4.7) AD TfL are represented on the Safety Advisory Group and if the application is rejected by this group, it won t proceed. 4.8) AD - the council invited residents to attend this ward forum meeting. - The event organiser is happy to attend a meeting with residents in May or June. 4.9) Catherine Day will the event organiser cover policing costs? 4.9) AD the police are clear that events need to have a strategy in place to minimize policing. 4.10) Mr Evans how much will the council make from this event? 4.10) AD 22,500 is likely to be generated. Other costs will be covered by the event organiser. Some of the fees can be provided back to the ward forum budget. 4.11) Ravi Takhar did the council s events team support this application even though many residents objected? 4.11) Chris Bunting yes, the events team does support the application. It was reported in the Evening Standard newspaper that 66 percent of local people contacted by the paper were in favour of the event. 4
4.12) Vanessa Costello how many stages of consultation does this event require. 4.13) Sandra Grant the Open Common Society believes holding Oktoberfest on the Green is illegal. Why is the Green suitable? 4.14) Rosalind Lister some people are supportive of Oktoberfest as it s a German cultural event. 4.15) Don Tanswell provided a summary of a meeting held by Southfield Park Triangle Residents Association to discuss the Oktoberfest event. - There was only one person against the event. - Due to the location of the SPTRA area, many were not in direct hearing range of the event. - It was noted that Oktoberfest was attended by genuine beer enthusiasts. - A few people felt that noise, security and safety were concerns, but the event s organisers would have the scrutiny of the council on them. - The opening hours of the event days seemed ok, but this may not have considered children s use of the Green. - Councillors noted that they were not in favour of the event and the final decision will be taken by a council portfolio holder and a service director. 4.12) AD there are three consultation stages, of which this event is currently at stage three. 4.13) AD the council events policy mandates for more events around the borough. The Green is suitable for delivery of this event. - CB another event involving alcohol does take place at another venue in the borough 4.14) 4.5) Councillors asked the meeting for a show of hands about their views of Oktoberfest on the Green. - Most of the meeting raised their hand against the event, with five hands raised in support and five abstentions. 5. Southfield ward budget 5.1) Cllr Steed asked the meeting to review a summary of the ward s budget and invited comments. 5.1) A copy of new proposals for the 2015-16 budget and a summary of previous budget spend was available to the meeting. - The forum recommended the following proposals for the budget: Seating by the Acton Green 440 bus stop, opposite the Duke of Sussex pub in South Parade. 5
Questions/ comments 5.2) Harvey Rose can you explain the proposed CPZ consultation for Stanley Gardens and The Vale? 5.3) Cllr Malcolm a parking scheme will be put in place in Esmond Road to deter vehicles from blocking access into Esmond Gardens 5.4) Cllr Steed - a proposed scheme for Shirley Road and Brookfield Road was investigated, but will not proceed due to feedback from officers suggesting they were not value form money. Esmond Road alleyway minor parking scheme. 5.2) Cllr Steed residents want a CPZ due to more cars parking in the area, following the changes in use of office spaces to residential. Highways oppose the scheme. 5.3) 5.4) 6. AOB 6.1) A reminder has been sent from the council about an increase in charges for CPZ Zone R. What is the justification for the rise? 6.1) To be investigated. 7. Date of future meeting 7.1) The date of the next ward forum meeting is to be confirmed. The meeting closed at 9.30pm. 6