Agenda and minutes

Lea Bridge Ward Forum Meeting

Thursday 17^th September 2015, 7pm

Councillors present: Cllr Ian Rathbone, Cllr Margaret Gordon

Apologies: Cllr Deniz Oguzkanli

Members of the public: 26

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Chatsworth Road Neighbourhood Plan: update

Presented by: Euan Mills and Robbie De Santos, Chatsworth Road Neighbourhood Forum

The Neighbourhood Forum is a constituted group of residents, local businesses and community representatives working on preparing a Neighbourhood Plan for the area. The work on the plan started in 2011 following a Central Government decision to allow local groups to create a local planning policy which can help influence planning decisions for the area. Further, the remarkable speed at which the area was changing and the huge increase in residents over the last 10 years played a major part in the creation of the common aspirations.

The aim is protect the common aspirations that local people have for the area.

Around 300 surveys, 14 in-depth case studies with a diverse range of residents, meetings with local community groups and feedback from 60% of local business have helped to identify local people’s aspirations for the area. These ideas and aspirations were distilled and compared with those of the Council to ensure they didn’t contradict the wider planning policy for Hackney. Five key aspirations were drawn out of all the information gathered;

1)  Make sure people of all backgrounds can afford to live here.

2)  Create more local job opportunities.

3)  Give the full diversity of local businesses the best chance of surviving.

4)  Protect the best of the Neighbourhoods’ past, whilst making its future more sustainable.

5)  Improve how easy it is to get around the neighbourhood.

The Neighbourhood Forum’ policy summary suggests how these aspirations can be achieved;

1)  In regards to housing the Neighbourhood plan proposes ensure people can stay living in the area can be achieved by identifying sites for new developments, insisting on high quality design, 50% should be genuinely affordable social homes and shared ownership homes, making it more straightforward to sensitively expand smaller flats into family, homes and protecting the number of family sized homes.

2)  In regards to more local jobs the Neighbourhood plan proposes to protect existing employment space by protecting existing employment floor space, adding new employment space whenever there is redevelopment in the area around Brooksby's walk.

3)  In regards giving local businesses the best chance of surviving and the high street offering the right mixture of shops the Neighbourhood plan proposes to prevent shops, offices and dentists from being turned into poor quality homes by protecting the existing commercial floor space, maintaining the current number of shops as the minimum for the area, limiting the number of cafes and estate agents to keep pressure off rents by setting quotas for each use class and allowing flexibility for changing shop types within the limits above.

4)  In regards to protecting the neighbourhood’s past and making the future sustainable the Neighbourhood plan proposes to protect historic buildings, keep energy bills down and increasing our resilience  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

Lea Bridge Ward Panel meeting, 17 September 8pm at St John Ambulance Hall, Mildenhall Road, E5

Introduction: Ins Jeoff Bull introduced the new Lea Bridge SNT team. He is responsible for six wards. Each team has a sergeant, PC and PCSO. It’s a cluster – can draw on it for pouring resources into problem areas. Collect crime stats each day. He has tried to maintain the team presence in Lea Bridge.

Burglary: Is still a problem. Ins Bull advised - Register your Apple mac products. Windows left open. Lea Bridge had special attention with smart water – following up with signage. Target hardening stuff. Burglary. Alice is the new dedicated ward officer starting in October, and will be here for two years. Sgt Fiona Dawson has been the new sergeant since 6 July.

Sgt Dawson introduced herself: She has worked in Hackney for seven years, previously in the response team. She has a mobile phone number to call with an immediate answer for callers. The office is still on Theydon road.

She is also focussed on long term issues working with housing and the council. South of Leabridge Road there is a high burglary rate with four or five in the north part.

Police are looking at who it might be. Most common theft is Apple phones, phones that are portable and can be carried away easily. Ground floor windows left open by some people. Residents need to ensure they have a dead bolt on the front door. Locks are being slipped. In August 32 burglaries were attempted.

A resident suggested: lots of new tenants are students. Ask their landlords to warn them. Ins Bull said Police will also check ex-offenders, people who have come out of prison recently.

He advised: Keep lights on and radio on if you go out.

Another resident: said companies won’t insure unless deadlock on. He asked for it to be a priority. Should be an easy win.

Cllr Rathbone asked: How do you communicate? Ins Bull said with leaflets etc – resources ploughed in; and via twitter accounts.

The public mostly meet officers in the streets – posters on lampposts. Noticeboards on estates. Residents can help if they have access to community noticeboards. Let Ins Bull know.

Met Police Budget: Ins Bull reported there were proposed cuts to community support officers. The Helicopter not around. The Met stand to lose another third of the budget.  It would leave dedicated ward officers. Safer Transport are keeping officers because they come under TfL.

Ward Panel Chair: Insp Bull asked for volunteers for a ward panel chair.

Ward Panel Priorities:  Julian Couldon said neighbourhood watch used to set the priorities. Usually - car thefts, drugs, burglaries. The meeting agreed to continue those priorities.

People who commit vehicle crimes are often drug driven – Sgt Dawson warned:  don’t leave coins, or a sat nav inside the car.

People complained about insurance knock on effect.

Neighbourhood Watch: – Clevelys, Gunton, Casimir – Julian reported. Had a lot  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.