11
CODSALL PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES
Of the
Council Meeting held in the Parish Chambers,
Station Road, Codsall
on Wednesday 12th April 2006 at 7.30pm.
PRESENT Cllrs. S. Berg (Chairman)
P. Barrow
Mrs. P. Campbell
R. Etheridge (Late Arrival)
Mrs. E. Forster
Mrs. S. Oatley
R. Simmonds
L. Stovin
1. APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Cllrs. Bissell, Dunn and Walls
2. DECLARATION OF INTEREST
None
3. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
There were quite a number of residents present this evening all with issues concerning policing and these were raised under the Agenda item Police Report.
Mr. Jeremy Hobbs advised the meeting that a large fundraising event is being organised for the benefit of Compton Hospice culminating in a ‘Charity Spectacular’
Mr. Hobbs wished the parish council to be aware of the event and the fact that organisers will be pushing posters and flyers through household doors over the coming weeks.
4. MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting held on the 8th March 06 were received and unanimously approved.
5. POLICE REPORT
a. Two written reports on policing were received.
1. Written report for period 9th February - 9th March 06
Apologies were extended for non-attendance.
Statistics:-
Burglary 0
Burglary other 1
Criminal Damage 2
Theft of motor 2
Theft from motor 7
Nuisance/rowdy behaviour 9
We have recently been involved in the Neighbour Policing Survey and the various consultations with local people that take place with regard to it. As a consequence the radar gun had not been used quite so frequently but now that the survey is completed we will start to target roads which cause concern including Wolverhampton Road and Wood Road.
Parking continues to receive our attention and the new system of random targeting particularly the schools is working well.
Insp. Shannaghan the Divisional Commander is planning to make a presentation soon to explain Neighbour Policing and the impact it will have on Codsall.
We recently had a most unfortunate incident at Bilbrook Railway Station which supports our views that railways are not the place to be unless you are catching or meeting someone from the train.
Parents should always be aware of where their children are and to ensure that they are kept away from areas where they can cause nuisance to the general public. Fixed penalty notices of £50 are being used effectively to keep children in particular away from areas where they cause nuisance.
Written report for period 9th March – 12th April 06
Burglary dwelling 1
Burglary other 1
Theft of motor 0
Theft from motor 1
Criminal damage 4
Rowdy behaviour 21
The local police are now known as the Neighbour Policing Team, and contrary to what you have been told there is no reduction in staff simply a redeployment, which is considered right for the general good of the local policing unit as a whole. We are also expecting to have soon a number of PCSO’s who are a great help in dealing with nuisance youths and other petty crime.
We do have a new crop of youngsters gathering in the village and are tackling the problem in various ways, many of which appear to be working.
Drinking and smoking are a major concern especially when the children involved are well below the legal age to buy. We shall be targeting licensed premises with regular visits and viewing of CCTV anyone found selling or simply handing over to the under aged will be dealt with firmly.
Under age smokers and drinkers will have cigarettes and drink confiscated and anyone found in possession of cannabis will be dealt with according to Force policy, which is that those under 17 will be arrested. Cannabis is still viewed as a controlled substance, dealers could face a custodial sentence.
The CCTV cameras around Codsall allow us to detect much crime. Fixed penalty tickets of £50 or £80 are being given for many offences, litter being one. Parents are being contacted, as most youths cannot afford to pay these fines.
Anti Social Behaviour will result in entry on the ASBO system. Further bad behaviour will be dealt with a full blown order, resulting in restricted movements etc.
Youths have been hanging around the Co-op entrance lobby causing some nuisance this is being dealt with immediately any youths thought to be committing offences will be processed in the right way.
b. To discuss the ‘Inadequate level of policing in Codsall’
Sgt. Tim Heap and P.C. David Allen were in attendance this evening and after a brief report from P. C. Allen regarding an updated report on police activities during the previous weeks, members of the public were invited by the Chairman to advise the meeting of any comments they wished to make relating to policing matters. Several members of the public spoke on behalf of fellow residents expressing concern at youth activities in various parts of the parish where behaviour is not only raucous and intimidating but on occasions has been causing damage to cars and property. A common complaint from many residents is that on calling the police they have great difficulty in getting through the switchboard. Invariably they are advised officers will be despatched, very rarely is there a police response. On several occasions police have advised that they will call the resident back, but this has not been fulfilled. Several residents complained at vehicles speeding throughout the village and there appears to be little or no action taken by the police either by speed checks or other methods although it was acknowledged that speed activated signs have now appeared in several locations in and around the village. Several members endorsed the high speed of vehicles particularly late at night from 10.pm. onwards particularly on Wood Road where boy racers seems to revel in this location and very high speeds are being seen on a regular basis.
Other residents commented on the lack of police presence for some considerable time now at parish meetings and they felt that the liaison between the police councillors and residents has been lost and with the lack of police presence on the streets the growing youth activity is undermining public confidence in the police.
Sgt. Tim Heap then spoke to the meeting in a very aggressive and robust manner advising the meeting that he was singularly unimpressed with this discussion topic this evening and according to the statistics for the whole of South Staffordshire then Codsall was over manned in relationship to the percentage of incidents throughout the area.
He went on to mention that a recent police survey of a small number of local residents asking how safe they felt the area was, 10% felt the area was very safe and 58% felt the area was safe. No one at the meeting had been asked to comment in this survey or knew of anyone who had taken part.
Both Sgt. Heap and P.C. Allen then attempted to allay the concerns raised by residents at various specific locations promising to investigate matters further for the events that have apparently either gone unrecorded or received no response.They also assured the public that speeding is being taken seriously hence the speed triggered signs being placed at regular intervals throughout the area together with the regular use of the radar speed gun funded by Codsall and Bilbrook Parish Councils. P.C. David Allen advised that he has stayed on many occasions in the area after completion of his duty hours to witness problems particularly speeding in various locations in order that these problems can be specifically targeted at the correct times.
Sgt. Heap advised that there had also been some changes to shift patterns to make the police more available throughout the day and that there was always the immediate response team on hand when our Community Officers are off duty. Overall the youth problems in Codsall are small in relation to other areas and are being controlled by the police. This is clearly in contradiction to the feelings and perceptions of many councillors and residents who are witnessing nightly increases in the number of youths in large groups congregating and walking through the village centre and residential areas. P.C. David Allen advised that there was no Section 30 in place for this area which would allow large groups of youths to be dispersed but in spite of this restriction the police are talking to these groups of youths and know the names and addresses of many of the children in an age group between 12 and 16. The police are actively phoning parents to advise them of their children’s activities and in the main has received a very positive response from parents, but nevertheless these large groups of youths are still congregating and parading through the village every evening. After questioning by several councillors the police did admit that Codsall has lost one community officer being relocated to another area of the Wombourne Policing Division but that the shift pattern changes would help cover for this loss. Codsall and Bilbrook is now being treated as one unit controlled by two officers with the assistance of Community Support Officer.
The police also commented that they believe the high number of youths in the village at the present time could be a direct response to the current closure of Perton Youth Club which is currently being renovated and this would clearly tie in with the observations of many residents who do not recognise the children gathering in the village but also believe children are coming from other areas.
6. ROAD SAFETY CONCERNS
a. Wergs Hall Road
Correspondence received from Mrs. Palmer concerning the lack of a pathway along Wergs Hall Road from the junction with Heath House Lane to Codsall & Wergs Garden Centre which she perceived to be dangerous for anyone walking along this busy country lane to the Garden Centre. Members discussed and agreed with Mrs. Palmer’s observations, but commented that this would be an extremely costly exercise on this country lane. Whilst one or two people do walk along this lane pedestrian volume is extremely low, but nevertheless dangerous for pedestrians. It was suggested that the parish advise Mrs. Palmer to raise the concerns with County Council as it is their direct responsibility, but that the Parish Council should also raise the issue with the suggestion of placing a speed restriction on this busy country lane.
b. Other areas of Concern
The main concerns mentioned at the meeting were speeding vehicles in additions to the well publicised roads Wolverhampton Road, Birches Road, and Wood Road high speed is being seen in Strawmoor Lane, Moatbrook Lane, Hollybush Lane and the meeting asked that these be brought to the attention of our local police officers. Heavy goods vehicles are also again using Suckling Green Lane and this will also be brought to the attention of our local police officers.
7. COUNTY COUNCILLOR'S REPORT
County Cllr. Oatley advised that she had written to the Police Authority concerning the reduction of officers covering Codsall and also the community concerns relating to increasing youth problems. At the moment she has not received a reply and will bring the response to a future meeting.
County Council through their Community Strategy Programme are liaising with South Staffordshire District Council for the setting up of a Births, Marriages and Deaths department at the District Council and other centres to reduce the problems currently experienced by residents and having to go to Wolverhampton or Wombourne.
County Council have approved the Annual Budget which shows an increase of 4.9% year on year.
Cllr. Berg asked County Cllr. Oatley if she would pass forward the extreme dissatisfaction with the responses from County Council relating to the complaints received from Oaken residents on the lighting replacement programme. Residents are extremely upset at the intransigence of the scheme and the poor responses and the lack of understanding shown by the County Council.
8. ACCOUNTS
a. The report on Council Finances for year to 31st March 06 were received and unanimously approved.
b. The schedule of payments to 12th April 06 was received and after a full explanation of each item by the Clerk was unanimously approved by the meeting
c. Renewal of Parish Council Insurance with Allianz Cornhill was agreed at £2876.96 a 6% increase on the year was unanimously approved
d. The Preliminary Income & Expenditure Account to 31st March 2006 was presented by the Clerk to the meeting with a full explanation of every item shown together with the protected figures for the Annual Return.
Acceptance was proposed by Cllr. Campbell, Seconded by Cllr. Etheridge and unanimously approved by the meeting.
e. The Clerk gave a brief review of the Parish Council ‘Financial Regulations and Risk Assessment’ advising that he does not currently believe that there is any need for change. This was unanimously endorsed by the meeting.
f. The meeting received details from the Clerk of the damage to Codsall House Field fence following a car accident and that the car drivers insurance is currently being pursued for that damage but once repaired the sections on either side which are extremely old ideally need replacing at a cost of £595.71 + VAT replacement of these additional bays was unanimously approved by the meeting..
9. DISTRICT COUNCILLOR'S REPORT
Cllr. Pat Campbell advised that the bus tokens were currently being issued and how she had received many positive responses from residents who were pleased that the tokens were being retained and not subject to replacement with a bus pass, which would have been useless for many local residents.