Agenda and minutes

[NB Attendance at this meeting by guests and representatives of the Local Authority is recorded at Appendix 1].   

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

RESOLVED:  To note (1) that there were no Reserve Members in attendance at this meeting; and

(2) apologies received from Mr Rudi Page, a representative of North West London Chamber of Commerce and an adviser to the Panel, and the attendance, in Mr Page’s absence, of Mr Amin Lalljee, a representative of North West London Chamber of Commerce, as a guest of the Panel.

To receive declarations of interest (if any) from Members of the Committee arising from business to be transacted at this meeting.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of personal or prejudicial interests made by Members of the Panel arising from the business transacted at this meeting.

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED:  That all items be considered with the press and public present.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 2 October 2003, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 2 October 2003, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record, subject to the following amendments:

(i)             The revision of the record of attendance to indicate the attendance of Mrs Brenda Harvey, adviser to the Panel, at the meeting

(ii)      That additional reference be made within Minute 105 regarding the New Harrow Project to the following ‘A WAC adviser to the Panel expressed the opinion that party politics should not enter into the Panel’s work as all Panel Members shared the common aim of regenerating Wealdstone’.

One of the advisers to the Panel who represented Wealdstone Active Community reported that she had previously requested information regarding the cost of the rising bollards scheme which had been implemented in the High Street and the possibility of seeking compensation from the manufacturer for the continuing difficulties experienced in its operation.

She also requested that the front sheet of the agenda be amended to indicate that she was now an adviser to the Panel rather than a reserve adviser.

The representative of Harrow Public Transport Users Association subsequently informed the Panel that he understood that the difficulties experienced were due to inconsistent installation of the transponders by a particular bus company and the use of buses of an incompatible design, and the fault could therefore not be blamed on the manufacturer.

The Chair suggested that the rising bollards system could be put to good use in another location.

RESOLVED:  That  (1) officers be requested to supply Mrs Brenda Harvey with information regarding the cost of the rising bollards scheme and the possibility of seeking compensation from the manufacturer for the continuing difficulties experienced in its operation; and

(2) the agenda front sheet be amended to indicate Mrs Brenda Harvey’s position as an adviser to the Panel.

RESOLVED: To note that there no public questions, petitions or deputations have been submitted to this meeting, under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rules 15, 13 and 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution) respectively.

To receive any references from Council and/or other Committees or Panels.

RESOLVED: To note that there were no references from Council or other Committees or Panels to be received at this meeting.

Report of the Borough Solicitor.

The Panel received a report of the Borough Solicitor which advised that Harrow Association of Disabled People had recently confirmed their nomination of Mr Stephen Addy to succeed Mr Mike Lazar as the organisation’s representative on the Panel. Mr Lazar had resigned from the Panel in September 2002.

The report further advised that Mr Jeff Evans, who had been appointed as a non-voting adviser to the Panel in his capacity as the Chair of the Wealdstone Traders’ Association,  had recently confirmed that he had now had stood down as Chair of the Association and Susan Hall of Enhance Salon had been elected as the new Chair. It was noted that Ms Hall currently served as an adviser to the Panel as a representative of local business.

RESOLVED: That (1) in accordance with Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 3, Mr Stephen Addy, a representative of Harrow Association of Disabled People, be appointed as a non-voting adviser to the Panel for the remainder of the 2003./2004; and

(2) Mr Jeff Evans resignation as Chair of the Wealdstone Traders’ Association and Ms Susan Hall’s appointment as the new Chair be noted.

Presentation by the Area Director (Urban Living) and Chief Inspector Mawson.

The Area Director (Urban Living) addressed the Panel regarding the New Harrow Project. He explained that, partly in response to the Government’s ‘Liveability Agenda’, which aimed to strengthen communities, make streets safer, cleaner and better maintained and to provide high quality spaces, but also in accordance with the Council’s own vision and priorities for the Borough, the Council had launched the New Harrow Project which marked a change in approach to the provision of services in the Borough.

 As part of this change in approach, the Council had reviewed its own organisational arrangements to ensure that they could meet the challenge of delivering the liveability agenda, and arising out of this a new department called ‘Community Safety and Maintenance Services’ had been created within the Urban Living Directorate. This department was tasked with responsibility for not only a number of the traditional environmental services, such as waste management, refuse collection, street cleansing and highways maintenance, but also for community safety services such as crime reduction, street wardens, highways enforcement, environmental health and licensing, in recognition of the fact that to provide solutions to the root causes of problems a ‘joined up’ approach was essential.

The Area Director advised that the Panel would now receive an oral presentation from a number of the key officers of the new department and a guest speaker, Inspector Roberts of the Metropolitan Police Services, who, together, would provide information on community safety in Harrow, an update on the roll-out of the New Harrow Project to the Central Harrow area, and feedback on action taken to meet the concerns previously raised by the Panel

1.          Community Safety In Harrow

(1)        Tour of the CCTV Control Room

The CCTV Manager guided the Panel on a tour of the CCTV Control Room, which was located within the Civic Centre. He explained that the Control Room had been constructed using Home Office funding. A subsequent successful bid had recently enabled the Council to purchase more cameras, including a number of ‘dome’ cameras with a 360 degree field of vision, and to upgrade the recording equipment to digital format. He advised that in total approximately 27 cameras around the Borough now beamed footage back to the Control Room and demonstrated the position of the cameras in Harrow and Wealdstone Town Centres. The footage was continually monitored during the day by operators who had been trained in crime management and relevant legislation, such as the Data Protection Act.  A further resource was the mobile control room van which was equipped with four cameras, three mobile cameras and a link to the Police national computer which held vehicle registration data.

The CCTV Manager stressed the benefits of manning cameras rather than merely historically viewing CCTV  footage. The Council had successfully piloted a partnership approach to the use of CCTV, with operators continually coordinating and sharing information with major shops represented in the town centre, local transport providers, the Council’s Street Wardens and the Police. This information sharing was facilitated by a radio  ...  view the full minutes text for item 119.

Report of the Director of Area Services, Urban Living.

Further to the Panel’s previous requests that officers investigate suitable sites on which a market could be held, the Panel now considered a report of the Director of Area Services (Urban Living) regarding this matter.

The report observed that regular markets or ‘one off’ specialist market events could improve the vitality and viability of an area, provided that they were complimentary to the local trading conditions and a suitable site could be found within the area, but concluded that there were currently no sites of suitable size or location for either and furthermore questioned whether any of the proposed market uses were complimentary to the local trading conditions in Wealdstone. Accordingly, the Panel was requested to consider whether, in light of this,  officers should take any further action in the matter.

RESOLVED: That officers take no further action in the matter whilst the current position remains unchanged.

[REASON: To clarify the Panel’s direction to officers in the light of the current position indicated in the officer report].

Report of the Interim Head of Environment and Transport.

Further to the discussion on this matter at the Panel’s previous meeting and in accordance with their request at that time, the Panel now received a report of the Interim Head of Environment and Transport which clarified the process and timetable for the introduction of business parking permits in Wealdstone.

During the discussion which followed the Panel noted that the permits would not be introduced until the next review of the Wealdstone Controlled Parking Zone, which was not scheduled to take place until 2005. Several Members expressed concern that this was some time away. Following further debate it was

RESOLVED: That the Traffic and Road Safety Advisory Panel be requested to consider upgrading the review of the Wealdstone Controlled Parking Zone in the priority list to ensure the introduction of business parking permits in Wealdstone as soon as possible.

[REASON: To ensure the introduction of business parking permits in Wealdstone as soon as possible].

[Note: Councillor Marilyn Ashton wished to be recorded as having suggested the action outlined above].

Report of the Acting Director of Strategy.

The Panel received a report of the Acting Director of Strategy regarding the suggestion that Wealdstone should be renamed ‘Wealdstone Village’.

At the previous meeting of the Panel the response of local estate agents to the proposal had been reported and the Panel had agreed that consultation should be widened to other local businesses, but be kept to a minimal cost. The report now before the Panel set out the outcome of this widened consultation and made recommendations accordingly.

RESOLVED: That no further action be taken with regard to the above initiative.

[REASON: The majority of respondents were against the name change].

A representative of Wealdstone Active Community (WAC) updated the Panel on future activities to be organised by WAC.

It was advised that a Community Safety Day was to be held on 27^th March between 10. 00 am and 4.00 pm. The CCTV van and crime prevention trailer would be set up on the pedestrianised area of Headstone Drive outside Holy Trinity Church and the emergency services and Victim Support would also be taking part in the event. Free safety equipment, such as personal alarms, would be handed out.

It was also noted that an artist was currently being sought to assist with the project to paint a mural on the metal fence adjacent to the train station. It was hoped that the project would be completed by the end of July.

Finally, it was advised that the next issue of Wealdstone Live would be published in February.

RESOLVED: That the above update be noted. 

RESOLVED: That the following be noted/agreed:

·            Update on the Community Premises Initiative

A Member requested that a report/update on this matter be submitted to the next meeting of the Panel. She requested that it address the matter raised at a previous meeting regarding the relocation of the Grant Road after school club.

·            Part-pedestrianisation of Wealdstone High Street

Arising out of the discussion on the agenda item relating to business parking permits, an adviser to the Panel advanced that helping businesses with their parking needs would be pointless without the re-introduction of through traffic to part of the High Street as without the passing trade this would bring businesses would increasingly cease to be viable. A second adviser stated that a survey of members of the Traders Association had recently been conducted and 100% of those polled supported the re-introduction of through traffic.

It was noted that a petition regarding this matter was to be submitted to the Traffic and Road Safety Advisory Panel (TARSAP) at its next meeting and the Chair suggested that Member’s await their response.  It was agreed that in the meantime the Chair of the Wealdstone Traders Panel would arrange to meet with the Chair and the Chair of TARSAP to visit the High Street and discuss to Traders’ concerns. Councillor Marilyn Ashton requested to accompany the Chair on the visit also.

·            Incident at the low bridge

An adviser to the Panel reported that there had recently been an incident where a bus had hit the low bridge in Wealdstone. It was noted that the bus driver had sustained slight injuries.

RESOLVED: That the next meeting of the Panel be held at 6.30pm on Monday 22 March 2004.