Draft Minutes London Road LAT 10th May 2016

London Road L.A.T.

Tuesday 10th May 2016 18.30 Calvary Church, Viaduct Rd, Brighton

Minutes

I. Welcome, introductions and apologies

In Attendance:

Philip Wells

Terry Reed -Yardley Street

Mary-Louise Maeder

Dave Perrins (Share your Story-looking to hear local stories on neighbourliness – event taking place 25th May 2016 at OneChurch, Gloucester Place)

Sharon Burke (PCSO)

Nicola Harrison (PCSO)

Bob Chilton (Resident-Viaduct Road)

Mark & Daphne de Boissiere (Residents Warleigh Road)

Tony Firmin

Mark Hedgethorne

Richard Barraball

Andy Roberts (Ditchling Rise)

Elspbeth Broady (Secretary of Ditchling Rise Residents Association/ F.O.Brighton Greenway)

Jacob Engelberg (Marketing Manager at Duke of York’s)

Cath Prenton- MRICS – Resident

Cllr Louisa Greenbaum

Andy Keefe (UOBrighton)

(=18)

Apologies:

Amanda Healey – head Teacher St.Barts, Andy Winter, Penny Morley, Sandy Crowhurst, Anne Townsend, Susie from Sew Fabulous, Chris Sevinck, Bob Curtis, Cllr Pete West, (assumed) James-88 London Road (previously Emporium)

II. Minutes of last meeting
  • Minutes were approved

date of next meeting was agreed as 7th June 2016

III. Policing report, priorities and Licensing

1. Feedback on Youth Disorder (From PCSOs Nic and Sharon):

  • Has mostly gone quiet at the moment
  • Still have trouble with a few individuals after two ‘leaders’ were found with knives
  • Phil has had oblique conversation with social workers ,and they are looking at social help too (restorative justice), rather than forceful (i.e. arresting)
  • Have one case of girl changing after more of a social approach (still banned from Churchill square)
  • Sharon B concerned cutbacks could hurt this social/community approach – some of which takes place in donated time

2. Crime Commissioner Elections

3.The Level

  • PCSOs report it has been difficult managing the Level
  • Police are planning a day of action at the Level to combat drug dealing and hope to have results
  • have special constables come out to join PCSOs
  • Crime reduction team sergeant, Andy Newman, is new-hoping to make a difference in Level Crime

Priorities:

It was decided to keep priorities as:

1. prevention of intimidating behaviour on London Road
2. prevention of shop lifting on London Road
3. Maintaining antisocial/drug behaviour on the Level

4.Licensing (B&W Stores) **See letter

  • Licensing panel removed B&W stores license to combat street drinking, B&W stores appealed this – they kept their licence, but had strict conditions attached.
  • Now they would like to have certain limitations lifted, including:
    • no single cans of lager/beer can be sold
    • there must be a personal license holder on duty at all times alcohol is being sold
  • B&W claim street drinking has now decreased and there is no need for the above measures

Mike H

  • Shouldn’t be there to sell single cans
  • Should always be a license-holder any way
  • Once you’re a license holder, the license holder goes with the person, not the store
  • Another problem is that B&W staff were probably not getting any training in how to sell alcohol

Jacob E.

  • Duke of York have managers trained at selling alcohol and must have one in the building when selling alcohol

PCSOs

  • We strongly oppose single can sales
  • All stores on London road voluntarily took high-strength beer off of shelves, but Mr. Ibrahim at B&W was opposed and had to be forced to do this
The LAT voted unanimously to oppose removal of these conditions.

5a.Rough Sleepers – and “legal highs”

– the discussion turned to the effect of “legal highs” on Street Drinkers and “Street Community”

Cllr Louisa

  • Haven’t been aware of anything the Council is doing to combat legal highs (a lot of corner shops sell it)
  • Could we try voluntary arrangements with the shops (like we did with alcohol)

PCSO

  • Spice is causing so much harm-self harm: seizures, death
  • Ambulances are strapped because of so many legal high calls

ANDY K.

  • There were plans for some of the legislation to outlaw some of the legal highs but has been postponed
  • Shops will start selling soon-to-be-illegal substances very cheaply to sell it off
  • May be good to have someone from BHT come to speak about what they’re doing

ACTION POINT

It was decided that someone from pavilions should come in next time to talk about legal highs and where people are obtaining these substances

5b. Rough sleepers/begging in particular and in general – (RB)

PCSOS

  • Seems to be the same rough sleepers outside Aldi and the COOP
  • Begging is illegal but police don’t have the resources to monitor it
  • Getting a lot of calls against homeless people but no law against rough sleeping
  • Have no legal obligation to move them on
  • It is said that St. Mungos haven’t got any places to put them

ANDY K

  • Funding cuts have affected rough-sleeping teams
  • You can move people on but you can’t solve the core issues
  • If you haven’t got those teams working regularly with the people, then problem will just move around

CLLR LOUISA

  • should call street link rather than council to report incidents on street

PCSO NIC

  • could invite Scott Crossley to come speak
IV. Updates (if any)

1. Pollution Figures for London Road

  • have been drops in pollution (3%) based on a London Road measurement
  • In order to meet UK emissions targets would have to drop 33%
  • Would we like to come back to pollution as a more major item?

CLLR LOUISA G.

  • Massive issue for city right now
  • Over 150 people each year dying prematurely because of pollution-related deaths
  • Council is trying to start a cross-party working group on this

TONY F.

  • Any influence with Brighton Hove Buses?

CLLR LOUISA G.

  • Buses are getting cleaner thanks to recent funding
  • Only really works if you make the switch and give up your car
  • Other bus problems cited include too many on the same route and some nearly empty

PHL W.

  • From a meeting many years ago a speaker said buses are part of the problem and solution
  • Should we have a bus company rep to come and speak?

ACTION POINTS

  • It was decided that it would be good to have a bus company rep come and speak
  • Cllr Louisa G. to find out where pollution measurements are taken

2.Viaduct Road HMO issues

Elspeth B.

  • Have found 36 registered HMOs in Viaduct road (50% registered), which is public information
  • There are 6 license holders who own more than 2 properties and 5 managing agents
  • currently a consultation on-going about communal street bins to mitigate rubbish in front gardens, rubbish in the street, and poorly maintained front gardens
  • hope to lessen impact of on-street bins with planting
  • there are a few grants we could apply for including funding for street trees
  • trying to get an action group together but has been difficult to agree dates

PHIL W

  • have emailed Cllr Gill Mitchell in order to be a part of planning of bin design, but – as she points out – no consultation has taken place to approve the progress of any plan.
  • Cllr Louisa – possible to email J Junker to see what the consultation would look like, but said it would be difficult with so many different residents

CATH P

  • 12 out of 46 properties on Beaconsfield road that aren’t registered
  • if they are registered , we have options to contact landlords about bin problem; if they aren’t registered, then they have no right to do anything

ANDY K

  • Should go through unions to get in touch with students
  • Some students want to clean up their residences
  • Any properties perceived to be a student property, Andy is happy to be a contact for

ACTION POINTS

  • Planting will proceed in black planters for now, headed up by Elspeth B.
  • Then determine what to do about illegal HMOs
  • Cllr Lousia G. to discuss how voting will look (what percentage will be counted), for the vote about communal bins

Recap of HMO Meeting (Tony F. and Mike H. )

  • Tracy Hill would be interested in coming round to speak
  • Took on board the idea of an ‘Idiot’s Guide to HMO’s’, a clear intro guide to the process of determining if HMOs are registered
  • Talked about refuse and recycling
  • Emphasised that if you have rubbish on private property, you can’t touch it
  • City clean supports communal bins in Viaduct road
  • Some people against them because they don’t like them outside their houses
  • Sussex to produce a localised leaflet about what to do with rubbish
  • Next meeting to be 8th June will be dealing with noise issues
  • Phil to put minutes on website

Action Points:

  • Phil to put minutes of meeting on website
  • Cath P. has offered to go to next meeting on 8.6.16

CATH

  • Environmental health will get involved if it’s perceived to be biodegradable or hazardous
  • Must first report it to City clean (Environmental Health) and copy universities

CLLR LOUISA

  • Fly-tipping and rubbish collection has been outsourced to 3GS from City Clean
  • Now getting reports of heavy/disproportionate fining for small offences
  • Not meant to be about making money but improving the streets
  • Email Cllr Louisa if we hear of any exorbitant fines

3. London Road Town Team had London Road BID “business improvement district”

  • nothing further to report

4. London Road Town Team – AGM was held April 19th

  • Nothing to report

V. AOB

  • PRESTON Park Manor will have an open day on Saturday 28th May from 10:00-16:00

VI. Close:

  • Meeting was closed at roughly 20:20
  • Next meeting 7.6.16