LAT minutes April 1st 2014

 London Road Area Local Action Team Minutes
Tuesday 1st April / 18:15 for 18:30 at Calvary Church, Viaduct Road

1. Welcome, apologies and introductions –
Apologies: Sam Bryant (Southern Rail), PCSOs Nic and Sharon, Mike Bairstow (Level), Cllrs. Ian Davey, Pete West, Lizzie Deane, Joe Nichols (Portas Pilot), Andrew Beary (One Brighton), Bob Curtis, Amanda Healey, John Lucas, John Holden, Elspeth Broady (DRARA) , Simon Bannister.

Present: Andy Winter, William Grace (Student – studying impact of students in the area), Richard Barraball (resident, Stanley Road), Scott Crossley (Equinox), Donna Lynsdale (Trading Standards), Gary Baker (B and W Stores), Lucy Dunleavy (Stanley Road), Colin Henderson (City College), James Murphy (CRI), Khan Erkasay, Charlie Rallings (Elder Place murals), Tony Firmin, Mike Hedgthorne, Nile Amos (Community Safety), Sandie Crowhurst, Jonathan Ridley, Christina Bennett, Jan Rooney (Substance misuse), P.W, Katharine Crompton, Bob Chilton (21 in attendance)

2. Minutes from previous meeting (March 4th 2014 – please see website)
Richard Barraball queried breakdown of Elder Place Project figure. Brief discussion on Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and Skunkworks-type shops on the news recently.

Minutes agreed.

3. Policing matters and Licensing
Review of our three possible policing priorities for this month. Last month’s were:
(Also note 8c – the Level)
Graffiti and fly-tipping (plus possible drug dealing) in Stanley Road
Shop-lifting in London Road
Prevention of intimidating behaviour on London Road

Jonathan (Community Safety) comments that things are going well with their team. They are focusing on a victim-focus model. They have recently been encouraged by the rehabilitation of a young man who had been particularly difficult.

Tony Firmin comments on lack of police understanding problems when phoning in regarding park crescent surgery area. Equinox says they’re on the case, and also on top of Spar which is selling HSA.

Christina comments that no-one was answering 101 number on 2 occasions. Discussion of police presence. Christina asks if its possible to ask police to come at night on the weekend to Stanley Road, Khan comments that London road is quite intimidating at night. PW suggests bringing these up at next Stanley Road mini-meeting, April 24th.

Police priorities agreed to be kept the same.

Discussion over Kebab Nite application – LAT agrees that the matrix should be stuck to.

4. Presentation on the time-scale and plans for re-development of City College from Colin Henderson

Colin comments on how he really wants the views of the meeting on the development. Trying to sign 106 with the council during elapse of period available for judicial review. Build: animation video is shown. Starting late summer 2014. Will take 2 years to achieve build of new building on the current car park. The demolition of the existing building and rebuild by University purchasers will follow on quickly. Highlights speed of building, flexibility of use of space inside the building and how students and staff have input into that. Highlights willingness to listen to people etc.

LAT meeting comments positively.

5. Portas Pilot project

– Website up and running http://visitlondonroad.co.uk. New business have launched since last meeting. PW comments positively and reminds meeting of partial opening of Open Market, AlCampo lounge, recent re-opening of Hare and Hounds (plus sound effects)

6. Elder Place project – update

Charlie Rallings – started painting murals 2 weeks ago, working with 3 artists, has Arts Council funding. Is trying to get street art community involved rather than just shipping in people. Currently she is collecting ideas for themes. Progress can be tracked on Facebook, Twitter etc. There will be a guided exhibition in May (Fringe festival)

7. London Road public realm improvement project (indicative figure £600K has been cut to £50k) – to note: subject to the agreement of the meeting a presentation (including Valley Gardens update) has been pencilled in for 6th May meeting. Agreed.

8. Matters arising, ongoing and updates:

a) Co-op redevelopment
Going well. No representatives present on this occasion.

b) Viaduct Road – last meeting was discussed pavement cycling, wheely bins, general bad appearance. To tackle this would need considerable effort and energy. Meeting agrees to tackle this problem at a future meeting e.g. June. Simon Bannister’s help will be needed.

c) Level – cannabis smoking by Mums in the children’s area has been reported.
No reports had come in suggesting that there is a pattern to such incidents.

d) London Road Traders Association
Nothing to report

e) Open Market -progress, opening date? Possibly May?
f) pedestrian crossing timings London Road
The problem persists but otherwise nothing to report. Chair asked Tony Firmin to send in another email.

9. Any Other Business

Andy Winter wants to record thanks for Cllr Ian Davey for the pedestrian crossing at the junction of Oxford Street/Ditchling Road Also reports on Cobbler’s Thumb site – more shipping containers going to be used there for temporary use as office space.

Dates of next meeting: May 6th 2014, (April 24th 10.00 am mini-meeting for Stanley Road)

Meeting closed at around 19.45

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William Grace’s questionnaire can be found here. He came and asked for our views on the impact of students on the area.