London Road Area LAT Minutes – 14th Feb 2023 – 18:30 Calvary Church,

by zoom, and in person as requested.

  1. Welcome and apologies

Apologies: PCSO Tillie Earlie, police, Simon Bannister, Councillor Shanks, Fr Ben Eadon, Lucy Dunleavy

Present:  Roz R (Open Market, Level Communities Forum), Judi Lynn (PPSG), Mike H., Tony  F., Catherine Clement (Stanley Road), Louise (Shaftesbury Road), Allan (Stanley Road), Mark McCorkell  (East Sussex Fire and Rescue) Tom Allenby (station commander), Maureen Winder, Mohammed Asaduazzaman + wife. P.Wells (Chair) (13)

In this section a report from the 2 officers from the Firestation was presented flagging up that re-development was going to happen at the Firestation.

Item 5d was dealt with at this point because Roz had to leave early.

  1. Level: Home secretary, trees, etc
    1. Mohammed reported that his business on Ditchling Road was bore the brunt of ASB, people wanting to use the toilet, damaging to his business.
      1. Maureen reported that £12k funding for trees had been granted. This was completely separate from the Longley S106 money.
      1. Discussion over best way forward to replace/refurbish/substitute for the Level Café. Various views – all agreed the present situation is intolerable.
  • Minutes of 15th November, 6th December 2022, 10th January 2023 – date of next meeting Tuesday 14th March 2023. Note elections in May 2023

agreed

  • Matter arising
    • Paving stones near Providence Place
      • Have been mended
    • Invitation to Paul Campbell to speak about Level Café – no response
      • Email from Rachel Chasseaud via Maureen Winder (cc Pete West)

Sorry we have not updated you recently. I appreciate how frustrating this is.

There is a lot of work going on to try to remedy the situation with the café and the other issues at the level but please be aware that we are dealing with this in the midst of a lot of other pressures and most notably the very difficult financial situation of the council which we have had to prioritise in recent months.

We did an initial options appraisal to consider how to bring the café back into use.

It requires major repairs and refurbishment due to long term leaks the cause of which took some time to identify. It relates to problems with the water pipe infrastructure and not the underground river or external flooding issues.

The issue for the council is the cost of this. We are still repaying a loan from the original build and the cost of this plus the cost of borrowing money for a refurbishment would exceed any rental income we might achieve. In light of the financial position of the council it has been a challenge to try to find a way as to how we might deal with this.

In addition to this we are reviewing some issues with the building with a view to trying to reduce ASB in the vicinity.

We have also been considering whether it would be preferable and more cost effective to demolish it and create an open space.

Most recently we met with the National Heritage Lottery Fund who funded part of the original building. This is to seek their views, advice and support. This was a positive meeting but there is no definite outcome as yet. I am currently gathering information that they have requested and then we will follow up with them again.

I am sorry this is a long process but it is a big challenge for us. Please be assured though that we are not going to leave a derelict building in the park – we are just try to find a workable solution to a very complex problem and one that the council can afford.

On other matters to do with the Level –

    we are looking at some additional CCTV to try to help deter some of the tagging – we are looking at how we could fund this in light of the current situation.

    We have regular meetings with the police but the ASB and tagging are ongoing. We will keep working with the police on this.  I will keep you posted of any developments

  • Environmental Enforcement – introducing Matthew Alder

Matthew didn’t make it. The zoom link was only sent out this afternoon

  • Police
    • Neighbourhood Policing week update.
    • Parcel stealing – update?
    • Sainsburys and shoplifting: BCRP radio sign-up progress?
    • Level: Home secretary, trees, etc
      • No police were able to attend
      • Mohammed reported that his business on Ditchling Road was bore the brunt of ASB, people wanting to use the toilet, damaging to his business.
      • Maureen reported that £12k funding for trees had been granted. This was completely separate from the Longley S106 money.
  • Licensing Licence – 1445/3/2023/00224/LAPREV – consultation closes 21st Feb
  • https://licensingregister.brighton-hove.gov.uk/licence/14453202300224laprev
  • Performance of music, play, sale of alcohol 0900-2300 every day
    • After discussion there was no clear mandate to object. The provisions are simply an extension of existing provisions to the patch of grass north of St Peters. It was understood that the nearer the entertainments are to residences the more potential disturbance is caused
  • Drug Harm conference – 15th February – survey
  • Providence Place/Elder Place
    • Consultants have been appointed to suss out parking provision and requirements, transport planning, traffic calming, access for business AND
    • Produce a concept design to be put out for consultation (June? or September?)
    • At some point there will be a “walk around” t.b.a.
  • BHCC support, Publicity drive and Local conference idea
  • Further updates? Ideas for next agenda?
  • Close