London Road LAT minutes 7th June 2022

London Road Local Action Team meeting (LAT)

Minutes from 7th June 2022

  1. Welcome, introductions

Pete West (Ward Councillor), Corinne Lamb

Philip Wells (Chair), Alan Brigginshaw

  Catherine Clement- Stanley road

Thomas- Local resident of London road

Ros Rayburn

PCSOs- Lauren Lewis- Level and towards St Peters, Ilysha Shorten St Peters and North Laine

Sue Shanks (Ward Councillor)

Sandy Crowhurst

Mark Syrett (City parks, Council Officer)

  Apologies 

Judy Lynn

Lucy Dunleavy

Richard Grills – Presuming Ed Owner                                                                        

2. Minutes (not available as yet) and date of next meeting July 19th?

To be done as soon as possible and make them available.

3. Brighton Station Public Art – review – Poppy Heron (Poppy.Heron@brighton-hove.gov.uk)

  • Public artwork for Brighton Station, which was lead by Poppy Heron.The launch of the art strategy was in March. There has been no update from Poppy.The proposal of the artwork is to be a history of Brighton.Action Point: Phil will ask Poppy again for update.Do not know the name of the artist yet- officially. It was officially announced at a conference in May, but not to the public.Lizzy Dean (Mayor) knows more about the artist but Lizzy will not be doing anything towards this as she has to focus on her new role.AP: Ask Lizzy for details- Sue Shanks and Phil. CC Phil in.The piece itself is going to be a 2D vinyl images to be placed on the half moon glazed areas of the station, which inside the station. 

The engagement program is still in development and they continue to work with artist so no updates at present.

  • The meeting do care about this but the only person we know who is in charge of this is Poppy.
  • Seems to the meeting that the people in charge have decided on behalf of everyone in the community and it was suggested that as a council need to make sure that they strengthen the consultation strategy to improve this going forward.
    • Action point: Find out who is in charge of and ask to come to next meeting.
  • The question was raised which asked: “How do we get to the past, present and future to mix it together? “ This will not work if the decisions are already being made at the very early stages of these strategies.

Symposium Event May – public art commissions

  • The link to this in the heading above and more information is also in the link. 
  • One landscape many views is downloadable.
  • Due to be installed autumn 2022.
  • There is a consultation put forward by the council and experts in art but no public input. The public needed to be more involved, including the use of Facebook, social media and other tools to get the publics view. The information flow needs to be freer flowing and open to all.
  • It seems it was only initially consulted to by a small group of people, even in the Council.
  • Please read the consultation document, this is only the initial consultation.

4. The Level – with Police and BHCC 

  • The main problem is the state of café, this is encouraging bad behavior and having a meeting with the council on Monday 13th June. There is a under ground water problem under the café.
  • There has been a bid put in for more trees.
  • End of the summer they will start the children’s art workshops again and other projects. At the moment they are just waiting for the result.
  • The cost of refurbishing is estimated to be at least £300,000 as well as a commercial lease on the building.  It’s a lot to bring back the building back to life. However there is no money in the city parks budget.
  • Open market interest in café and other local groups want to get involved, so this might make it better. Ultimately the idea is to make it into a community centre.
  • The crime level is always going to be a problem however the level has gone down since the police have had more of a presence. There is a new CCTV system in place. The PCSO’s have a new hut and a control panel set up and a rota set up of morning and evening shifts, which have seen a decrease.
  • Café graffiti has been cleaned off, but it’s picking up again. Reports are so important in this and gauge the real picture of what is happening there.
  • There is no sign of a sign to explain what’s happening at the Cafe, partly due to the lack of funds in city parks budget.
  • Idea of a market in the Level even a couple days a week and maybe it could be a way of paying the city parks for it to take place.  Suggested idea by the PCSO’s present.  

Problem with café: Mark from City Parks.

  • The original problem with the café is the ingress of water under the café.
  • Original contractor wasn’t held to account for the issues they made. The council was going to take them to court but never happened. It was passed to City parks. It has now been seen to be a commercial outcome.  The money needed for this is going to be borrowed. The crime level, staying, the same with no intervention. Any safe place is going to fail with the crime level as it is.
  • Need to make the place safer. 
  • The new CCTV, on a pole by the fountains, and one on the skate park is not switched on at present. The old CCTV is working however. This is the camera around the café. 4 of 7 are working but not at night.
  • Technology has moved along way. No one monitors CCTV anymore AI (artificial intelligence)
  • Mark talked about the possibilities of AI surveillance: The camera learns what behaviour is and then it triggers a warning and sends a alert to the police control. This is what is currently happening. If we start with, tackling anti social behaviour, then we can move onto the building its self. We can only do the market and the events around the building once the area around it is safe. The camera is in the level café now but the aim is what is stated above.
  • The camera pilot scheme could be happening fairly soon.
  • Mark’s job is to work with the community to look at strengthening volunteer groups and manages the money through external groups.
  • It needs a discussion on whether it needs to be rebuilt, as it is a lot of money. Could do something else with the space?
  • The café is salvageable, it needs the floor taking up and a drainage pump put in. The roof is sound and ok.  The price is around £250,000. The problem needs to get going quickly. The cameras are making a difference and working and the policing are making a difference.
  • The aim for the tree planting is to put Jacaranda trees down one side of the park on the side of the skate park one end to the other. From a light point of view it has the highest data of reducing crime in parts of the world. Mark is having a meeting in two weeks to discuss this and get it signed off.
  • The data is collected is not monitored it just gives areas of usage. Can identify people after the event.
  • Politically it needs more discussion.  

Police Engagement day.

  • Positive feedback from the day.
  • Attracted families and unity from all different services.
  • It was a large event and good day and well attended.
  • They plan to do more like this, and have been in touch with the BYC and a planning on doing a two-day event at St Peters in front of the church. They want to work on building relationships with the youth using the skate parks and that there isn’t a negative relationship with them.
  • The police hub is having a positive effect. A thought was suggested that could the police enlarge into a bigger building in the future, as they have had a good experience in the hub at present. Something to consider for the future.
  • The tension is between the commercial rent and the use of the community.

5. Updates:

  •  Proposed ward boundary changes (to note again comments submitted)
  • July they will decide and the final decision is due middle of July.
  • Providence Place Project Manager (interview was April 15th) if any update
  • Recruited Project Manager and starts on the 18th July starts and will introduce self after this.

6. Any other business 

  • Dominos pizza: There was a video taken of behind Elder place parking issue. Email has been sent to manager and waiting to see what has happened regarding this.
  • Might be worth visiting Dominos place for an update on this. Sue Shanks has been in contact with them to see what has happened via regional manger.
  • Need a fresh push at advertising for the LAT. These meetings are key to local issues.
  • There are 250 people on mailing list but it is historic.
  • Date of Next Meeting: 19th July.