Minutes – Community Affairs Committee – 18 November 2019
The minutes of this meeting are presented below.
You can also download a PDF copy of the minutes here: Minutes – Community Affairs Committee – 18 November 2019
MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 18 NOVEMBER 2019 AT 5.30PM
PRESENT:
- Councillor Apel (Chairman), Councillor C Hughes (Vice-Chairman), Councillors Gershater, Lishman, Sharp
EX-OFFICIO:
- The Mayor (Councillor Plowman) – until minute 40(ii), the Deputy Mayor (Councillor J Hughes)
APOLOGIES:
- Councillor Scicluna
ABSENT:
- Councillor Joy
IN ATTENDANCE:
- Town Clerk, Mayoral/Administrative Assistant, Julia Sander (Chairman, Friends of Chartres), Liz Turner (Chairman, Friends of Ravenna), Graham Pound (Chairman, Friends of Valletta), Pam Bushby (Communities and Wellbeing, Chichester District Council), Paula Chatfield (Acting Chair, Chichester Tree Wardens), Mr David Barty (former Chairman of Rumboldswhyke School Governors), Parents and pupils from Rumboldswhyke School
36. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
As recorded above
37. MINUTES
RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 September 2019 and 7 October 2019, having been printed and circulated were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.
38. DECLARATION OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE IN MATTERS ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING
The Chairman and Councillors Sharp and Lishman, as Chichester District Councillors, declared a Personal Interest in Item 14 on the Agenda.
The Chairman took Item Agenda 12 next as a number of representatives from Rumboldswhyke School were present at the meeting.
39. THE FUTURE OF RUMBOLDSWHYKE SCHOOL
The Chairman welcomed representatives (ie: parents and pupils) of Rumboldswhyke School and invited them, if they wished, to address the meeting.
The Committee received several representations from both parents and pupils expressing deep concerns about the future of the school (ie: possible closure). The Committee were very sympathetic and saddened about this news and the Town Clerk was requested to write to West Sussex County Council in strong terms about the future of the School. In addition, it was agreed that all members of the City Council be given the opportunity to make representations to WSCC direct.
The Town Clerk said that he had received an email from David Barty, a former Chairman of the School Governors about the WSCC proposals. Mr Barty, who was also present at the meeting, agreed that the text of his email could be circulated to the Committee as background information, prior to the representations being sent.
RESOLVED that:
- the Town Clerk submit representations to West Sussex County Council about the future of Rumboldswhyke School, urging that it is not closed;
- all members of the City Council consider submitting individual representations to West Sussex County Council about the future of the school.
40. UPDATE FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES
(i) FLORAL DISPLAYS (Minute 25 refers)
The Town Clerk drew the attention of the Committee to the Member Services Support Officer’s report appended to the agenda. He added that it was important to remember that the Festival of Flowers was taking place in the Cathedral in 2020, therefore a high standard should be set in any specification of works. Councillor Gershater would comment on the specification attached to the agenda.
It was felt that, due to the nature and the content of the report and the decisions to be made, that this item be deferred for report to the next meeting of the Committee. In the meantime, members were requested to put forward ideas for a planting scheme for the future; for example for the Cathedral beds, and alternative planting schemes for the City, to the Members Services Support Officer
RESOLVED that the this item be deferred to the next meeting for further report by the Member Services Support Officer.
CHICHESTER CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS PLAN (2019-2023) REVIEW (Minute 26 refers)
The Town Clerk referred to the Chichester City Council Business Plan appended to the Agenda. Councillor Gershater offered to bring his professional experience to bear on the redrafting of the Business Plan so that a Gantt Chart could also form part of that process. He also said how beneficial it would be for the City Council to hold an “Away Day” to discuss tasks and priorities in the life of this administration. The Chairman would raise the latter issue with the Mayor.
The Mayor left the meeting.
(ii) CAR FREE DAY
Councillor Sharp referred to the recent public meeting held to discuss the possibility of a car free day in Chichester. The meeting had been attended by representatives of Chichester District Council and BID. A group would be set up and would contact the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) with a view to meeting before Christmas. It was hoped that the Festival of Chichester would support the project and that the ‘car free day’ could be held at the conclusion of the Festival of Chichester in 2020.
(iii) PROPOSAL FOR A FRIENDSHIP LINK WITH SPEYER, GERMANY (Minute 30 refers)
The Town Clerk said that he had made initial email contact with a representative of Culture, Marketing and Communications in Speyer. Speyer’s meeting of Council of Elders would need to discuss this further before a decision could be made, but initial reaction to the City Council’s request was promising. This meeting would be held on 26 November 2019.
RESOLVED that the Town Clerk report back when further information was available.
(iv) PROPOSAL FROM WESTGATE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION TO ADOPT THE DISUSED LISTED RED BT PHONE BOX ON THE CORNER OF WESTGATE AND PARKLANDS ROAD (Minute 31 refers)
The Town Clerk said that, although he had written to the Westgate Residents Association about this matter, he had still not received a reply. The Chairman said that she would discuss this with them at their Annual General Meeting which she would be attending on 23 November 2019.
(v) ST PANCRAS SPEEDING (Minute 29 refers)
The Town Clerk said that he had made contact with the Community Speedwatch Team at West Sussex County Council. He had been informed that SLR’s (Speed Limit Reminders) were an alternative to SID’s (Speed Indicator Devices). Assessment parameters would be made of the areas involved and that these would be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. The Town Clerk would continue his discussions with WSCC and in the meantime the St Pancras Speed Watch Team had met with PCSO James Lemm and a good possibility existed that a second, and preferred site would be found for SID operation there.
41. POLICING AND SECURITY IN THE CITY
(i) Community Warden – update
Pam Bushby – Divisional Manager, Communities, Chichester District Council gave a verbal report to the meeting as follows:
- Visible presence in the City centre will improve with the deployment of two new PCSO’s. They were being encouraged to carry chiBAC radios for added protection and a “heads up” as to what is happening in the City.
- Senior Community warden now has high visibility jacket and will be getting a body worn video camera for protection and evidential purposes.
- Meeting of the Joint Action Group (JAG) focussed on the issue of street community and rough sleepers in the City centre. The meeting was attended by BID representatives and an action plan was agreed and is being implemented. All agencies have a shared responsibility around this and all need to work together to respond in a balanced and measured way.
An additional Warden for Chichester North had previously been raised by Councillors.
(ii) Community Warden – reports
The Committee noted the report of the Senior Community Warden appended to the agenda.
42. REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES OF FRIENDS OF CHARTRES, RAVENNA AND VALLETTA
(a) Friends of Chartres
The Committee noted the report of the Friends of Chartres appended to the Agenda
The Chairman gave a brief summary of the report.
(b) Friends of Ravenna
The Chairman of the Friends of Ravenna gave a brief overview of the report appended to the Agenda. She voiced concerns about the decreasing number of exchange visitors who had taken part this year as well as the declining numbers of members of the Friends of Chichester. She expressed her hopes that the Friends of Chichester organisation in Ravenna would continue despite falling membership.
(c) Friends of Valletta
The Friends of Valletta report was noted by the Committee. The Mayor had written a letter of introduction to the new Mayor of Valletta and a reply was awaited.
43. CHICHESTER TREE WARDENS
Paula Chatfield, Acting Chair, Chichester Tree Wardens, gave a verbal report to the Committee, and mentioned the following:
- Increase in National Policy in recognising the importance of trees (including in response to the recent climate emergency declared by the City Council).
- Tree Summit meeting held at the City Council on 11 September 2019.
- Chichester Tree Wardens ongoing concern at the loss of trees in Chichester due to ill-health/being unsafe.
- WSCC plans to plant a total of 17 trees in Chichester in the 2019/20 planting season.
- Disappointment at the loss of trees lining the hedgerow bank alongside Westhampnett Road where the new Lidl is under construction. Tree Wardens intervention led to retention of trees on the historic hedgerow line on the western boundary of site. They have since submitted for inclusion in the Ancient Tree Inventory (ATI), and had verified as “ancient”, two ash trees in this hedgerow. This brings the number of trees in Chichester on the ATI to 5.
A resident of East Broyle had contacted the Town Clerk with a request to become an additional Tree Warden for Chichester. The Committee were asked to confirm the appointment and the Town Clerk was asked to advise Julie Bolton (West Sussex Tree Wardens Network Co-ordinator) West Sussex County Council of the request.
RESOLVED that arrangements be put in place for a new Tree Warden for Chichester and that the Town Clerk take the necessary action.
In response to the City Council’s decision to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan, Chichester Tree Wardens had started to look at areas for new trees/woodland, either through regeneration (e.g. in Phase 2, Whitehouse Farm) or new planting.
Councillor Sharp gave thanks to Paula Chatfield for attending a meeting with her and the Mayor to discuss ideas for the Tree Summit which was also looking at ways to bring landowners together.
44. PROVISION OF AN ELECTRIC/COMMUNITY BUS (Minute 32 refers)
The was a matter for consideration as part of the Business Plan.
45. UPDATE ABOUT THE ECO STALL, CHICHESTER MARKET
Councillor Carter reported on the success of the Eco Stall held recently at the Chichester street market but the cold dark evenings were not attractive for volunteers to continue. She said it was important to have a community hub and enquired as to whether the City Council might consider having an information board to show what was going on in the City.
RESOLVED that this matter be referred to the Property Sub-Committee.
46. REVIEW OF STREET TRADING CONTROLS IN CHICHESTER CITY CENTRE
The Town Clerk circulated to the Committee a map showing the current Street Trading areas for the City Centre and those proposed. He defined the street trading as “markets”. The idea was to open up the markets to more areas in the City. The Committee were generally supportive of the new proposals however, Councillor Sharp expressed concern about the effect on the current Saturday street market.
RESOLVED that the Town Clerk convey these views to Chichester District Council.
47. ITEMS FOR INCLUSION ON NEXT AGENDA
- VE/VJ Day 2020
- Green Energy Fair – Councillor Sharp
The meeting closed at: 7.00pm
DATE OF NEXT ORDINARY MEETING: MONDAY 27 JANUARY 2020