Draft minutes of London Road LAT meeting 11th July 2017

Minutes from 11th July 2017 London Road LAT Brighton – held at Calvary Church, 18:30

Invitation Letter said:

Topics will include

Oxford Street – residents and traders in this small street are facing a perfect storm of problems including drug dealing, late night noise and nuisance, and youth disorder. Several relevant agencies plan to be present for this item of deep concern.


Viaduct Road –  Tracy Phipps from City Clean has promised us an update on community bins on Viaduct Road.

Newsletter – more work needs to be done but, please be thinking whether you can volunteer to help with delivery etc. in time for the first meeting in September 2017

London Road BID – there is a repeat of the meeting for businesses on the 10th July at Brighton Eagle Labs. This is a crucial meeting if the London Road Business Improvement District (BID) is to have any future. The previous meeting in June was inadequately attended.

1. Welcome and apologies and introductions

Apologies :

Sandy Crowhurst (North Laine Community Assoc), Elspeth Broady (resident Ditchling Rise), Andy Keefe (UOB), Tony Firmin & Mike Hedgethorne, Robert (McDonalds)

Present:

P.Wells, Corinne Lamb, Kristina – Equinox, Alan Briggenshaw (St. Road), Rebecca (UOS), Cath Prenton, Bob Chilton (Viaduct Road), Cllr Pete West, Marcus (trader Oxford Street), Nick Ford (Oxford Street), Richard (Stroudley Road), Lucy Dunleavy, Simon (BHCC – Communites, Equalities & Third Sector), Tracy Phipps (BHCC), Cllr Louisa (slightly late arrival)

(15 present)

At introduction time:

Tracy – city clean/ city parks

  • Update- implementation of bin signage- and communal bins to go where the planters are.

  • They aim to get them done by 24th July in place early 14-21st August, Let residents know over next 2 weeks

  • City clean to share maps starting 24th July with Philip etc – final week starting the 14th-21st August

  • Recycling to be done at the same time as the collection of the bins.

  • All refuse and recycling to be collected on street bins. Refuse needs to be on the left and recycling on the right

  • Richard: The signage on recycling bins is not clear- Tracy to review bin signage on Stroudley road

  • Tagging on providence place

    • Has been taken off by Saturday and monitoring fly tipping- residents are highlighting it and put on social media.

  • Textile scheme is funded (community finding) at the moment, currently at £26,000 pounds available for people community group- Tracy to send Phil the link.

2. Minutes and date of next meeting

–No meeting in August, 12th September, 10th October, 14th November, 12th December – of which one would be AGM

– last 2 sets of minutes agreed

3. Policing and Licensing.

There are concerns about what appears to be a pattern of drug-dealing and associated behaviour in the area behind Circus Parade, Stanley Road, Oxford Street,

Winchester street etc have been given a PSCO [to contact??],

Kristiana (Equinox) could go to plenty café and have a word with them- the issue is particularly early evening and morning.

No reports to equinox about circus parade and Stanley road- this came out of a meeting yesterday (10th July)

Issues with drug dealing on Stanley road on the corner of Clyde Road, sometime on foot, car and Deliveroo bikes. Kristiana Equinox to flag it up to police

Lucy has posted leaflets to residents and emailed it into police, and people if they have issues to keep the email for records, even email Kristina, or email her about Drug taking or injecting is 999 call

Oxford Street – residents listed a catalogue of problems

  • Nick (photography shop owner) oxford street- 30 people have been dealing outside his shop.
  • Marcus (hairdresser’s) been broken into
  • All at wits end.
  • The people are coming from other places
  • The places where the dealers etc gather are Oxford court car park, behind Boots. They have been tagging, graffiti, stealing property, urine, prostitution, and needles
  • The shop owners have good relationship with each other.
  • There is CCTV but it doesn’t help
  • The residents haven’t heard much feedback from the police, although they have increased their presence.
  • Pubs: There isn’t an issue with the bat and ball pub. Noted from residents. Caroline of Brunswick is a problem because of their backgarden exit to the car park is used as a bin and a toilet.
  • Need to check their licensing-and work with the licensing-would be helpful to challenge
  • The council don’t do anything as it is seen as a private car park.
  • The main issue where rubbish and items are left is the alleyway.
  • Main people are drug dealers; it is used as a toilet and have sex workers using the alley way which is massive is a massive issue but not the only issue.
  • The residents have phoned city clean

Simon Bannister

The street has been worse and showed a before and after picture

There are different possibilities: Simon to look into closing off the alleyway but needs permission- the method is to get a public space protection order put in place- used to restrict access and could tie things into it.

This is the middle ground, there are legal hurdles but there isn’t a issue to do with the legal side.

Put a gate at the front end, but need to talk to the people who live in the houses regarding the fencing.

The council is responsible for cleaning

The council do need money for it.

Need to look into broader context what would it mean to the wider community:

Who needs access to the alleyway?

They have had people living there

.

Collaboration with the LAT is the way to raise money etc

Simon will investigate, and talk to car parks team and then take this to the council community. It could take about a year to get this done.

??? street has had the PSPO put in place and it cost £3,000 pounds so it would be around the same figure.

Some of the houses are used for temp accommodation- worried about the new residents moving in and increase negative effect of this.

Outcome:

  • Start off the inquiry for the PSPO and what they can do- come back in September and Simon will get a report back and residents need to keep a log of the incidents.
  • Can send pictures to equinox and even co-ordinate a meeting to do with this.
  • Phil is happy to meet in August and then come back with findings at next meeting.
  • Need to talk to the pub about the issue and about licensing, they do need to fix things about the control of the space.

From Robert at McDonalds

Hi Philip,

I will not be able to attend the LAT meeting tomorrow due to preparing for my holiday on Wednesday.

Please do accept my apologies if McDonald’s London Road is unable to send another representative.

 As discussed before the BID meeting today I will give you some information re Drug issues in the London Road area that is to be raised at tomorrow’s meeting and to add a positive that the Police are trying to fight drug crime on London Road:

 On the 22nd-23rd of June we noticed that there was a considerable amount of drug dealing taking place outside our premises (I have attached a photo of where we have noticed a influx in drug dealing) and within. On the evening of the 23rd I phoned the police on 101 and once the call was handled the Police turned up within 10mins in considerable force.

 They arrested two IC3 males. One of which has pleaded guilty after being found in possession of a large amount of cannabis.

 A Police inspector was with me a couple of days ago taking CCTV footage from our store to hopefully successfully prosecute the other male. She gave me some good advice that should we (or anyone) suspect drug dealing to call it in on 999 as the Police would really like every opportunity to catch the dealing in the act.

Kind Regards,

This issue will be brought to bring this problem up at the LAT chairs meeting on Thursday.

The people offending have no fear of being caught

4. Planning and HMOs if any

Updates:

  • Viaduct Road bins – see above

  • Business Improvement District

A meeting was called 10th July with attendance from some keen and positive local traders – a promotional week for London road is suggested for September – lot of interest.

Problem in who wants to support it/ and take responsibility to make it work.

Mitch at café plenty- has got involved and everything is seeming to feel positive and its key to get people to agree, its get vote from a representative of traders. It is looking hopeful that the issue will get sorted out as it is positive scheme, this CAN happen.

  • Newsletter – a draft has been prepared and a couple of items are awaited. Plans for production and distribution.

The Plan – date for printing – who will do it?

– resource centre Tilbury place is helpful

– date for distribution- maybe we can get it done by last week of august (email correspondence)

– who will do distribution?

Tony says: 3.  Newsletter.  We are prepared to do the “triangle” from (and including) Viaduct Road and south.  I am also prepared to do more if you are short of deliverers but I think … Richard to do the New England Quarter.  It is very easy since the letter boxes are all in blocks.

Meeting closed at around 19:50