Minutes – Community Affairs Committee – 25 March 2019
The minutes of this meeting are presented below.
You can also download a PDF copy of the minutes here: Minutes – Community Affairs Committee – 25 March 2019
MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 25 MARCH 2019 AT 5.30PM
PRESENT:
- Councillors Apel, P Evans, Hixson, Macey, Sharp, Spink
EX-OFFICIO:
- The Mayor (Councillor Bell), Deputy Mayor (Councillor Tupper), Councillors Dignum and Kirby
ALSO PRESENT:
- Pam Bushby -Divisional Manager, Communities, Chichester District Council, Julia Sander – Friends of Chartres, Liz Turner – Friends of Ravenna, Chris Holgate – Fire Safety Friends of Kursk, Jenny Cole – Chichester Tree Warden
APOLOGIES:
- Councillor Galloway, Graham Pound – Friends of Valletta
ABSENT:
- Councillor Holman
IN ATTENDANCE:
- Town Clerk, Administration Manager
In the absence of a Chairman and Vice-Chairman, Councillor P Evans, took the Chair.
58. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
As recorded above.
59. MINUTES
RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 21 January 2019, having been printed and circulated, were submitted and the Vice-Chairman was authorised to sign the same as a correct record.
60. UPDATE FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES
Any matters arising from the previous Minutes were included on the Agenda for this meeting.
61. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE IN MATTERS ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING
Councillors Apel, Dignum, Hixson, Kilby and Macey declared a Personal Interest as Members of Chichester District Council.
62. POLICING AND SECURITY IN THE CITY
(a) Community Warden Update
The Vice-Chairman welcomed Pam Bushby, Divisional Manager, Communities, Chichester District Council, to the meeting. Mrs Bushby reported on the Community Wardens reports and although some incidences reported were common in all the Wards, the reports also showed that the matters dealt with by Community Wardens in their Wards were varied.
Mrs Bushby advised that a replacement programme for the out-dated CCTV cameras in the City had been approved which included reinstating two cameras in the Avenue de Chartres area. The City Council was thanked for their continuing support of the Community Wardens.
Members raised various matters in their Wards which was noted by Mrs Bushby and would be forwarded to the appropriate Community Warden.
(b) Community Warden Reports
The Committee noted the Community Warden Reports for the City Centre, South, East and West Wards which had been circulated to all members prior to the meeting.
63. REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES OF FRIENDS OF CHARTRES, RAVENNA AND VALLETTA
(a) Friends of Chartres
The Friends of Chartres report had been circulated to all members and noted.
It was noted that the events commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the twinning between Chichester and City had been a success. The Mayor gave thanks to West Sussex County Councillor Louise Goldsmith for arranging various tours for the Chartres Civic Party.
(b) Friends of Ravenna
The Friends of Ravenna report had been circulated to all members and noted.
(c) Friends of Valletta
The Friends of Valletta report had been circulated to all members and noted.
64. CHICHESTER TREE WARDENS
The Vice- Chairman welcomed Tree Warden Jenny Cole to the meeting.
An update was given on the responses that the Chichester Tree Wardens had given on various local consultations and the work the Tree Wardens were currently undertaking, for example, clearing weeds and debris from the base of trees and recording ancient trees in the area. It was noted that old Oak trees had been felled on private land adjacent to the Centurion Way.
Councillor Dignum asked if the Tree Wardens could submit a report indicating what type of trees and where they could be planted in the City Centre as it had previously been mentioned that increasing the number of trees in the City Centre could a Public Realm Project.
65. FIRE SAFETY FRIENDS OF KURSK
The City Council’s representative on the Fire Safety Friends of Kursk, Chris Holgate, had submitted his Annual Report and this had been circulated to all members. Mr Holgate reported that businesses and young people in Kursk had requested more links with Chichester and he asked that if any Councillor knew of a group that may be interested in establishing a link with Kursk to contact him.
It was RESOLVED that Chris Holgate continue as the City Council’s representative on the Fire Safety Friends of Kursk.
66. CHICHESTER MARKS HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY – ‘PUSH’
The Chairman of Chichester Marks Holocaust Memorial Day, Councillor Apel, reported that a performance of ‘PUSH’ had been very successful and well-received at the House of Commons when it was performed on 28 January 2019. The ‘PUSH’ opera may also be performed at Wilton’s Music Hall in London and at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester.
67. PUBLIC DRINKING FOUNTAINS AND ‘REFILL’ SCHEME
The Town Clerk that he had attended the public launch of the ‘Refill’ Scheme in Chichester and that the City Council had signed up to the scheme. The Town Clerk added that the City Council had always provided drinking water to members of the public if requested.
The next Property Sub-Committee would be discussing the possibility of installing a public drinking fountain at the Council House.
Councillor Dignum left the meeting.
Councillor Sharp had submitted a report on the following Agenda items; this report had been circulated to all members.
68. CAR FREE DAY – UPDATE
Work was on-going to organise a Car Free Day on Sunday 22 September.
69. ANTI-IDLING EVENTS IN WHYKE
Clean Air Chichester were co-ordinating events with Whyke residents to encourage drivers to switch-off their engine whilst waiting at the railway level crossing to help reduce pollution.
70. CROWN COMMUNITY PUB HUB – UPDATE
The Community were organising many events to highlight the importance of this Community Hub.
71. FRIENDS OF CENTURION WAY – UPDATE
Fundraising was being carried out for radio beam trackers so that accurate user figures of the Centurion Way could be submitted to the developers of Whitehouse Farm.
72. ITEMS FOR INCLUSION ON NEXT AGENDA
- Highway flooding around the City
- Climate Change
The meeting ended at 6.42pm.