Agenda item - Public Involvement

To consider the following matters raised by members of the public:

 

(a)          Petitions: To receive any petitions presented by members of the public to the full Council or at the meeting itself.

 

(i)            Reduce Pay & Display fees in Fiveways

 

(ii)          Include Hollingbury Park Avenue/Hollingbury Terrace in the 2015 Surrenden/Fiveways resident parking scheme consultation

 

(iii)         Hollingbury Road resident parking consultation

 

(iv)         George Street, Hove to open to traffic at 4pm

 

(b)          Written Questions: To receive any questions submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 10 March 2015.

 

(i)            Refuse collection in Regency ward

 

(ii)          Grit bins in Regency ward

 

(c)          Deputations: To receive any deputations submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 10 March 2015.

 

(i)            Make St Andrews Road, South Portslade safer

 

 

 

(a)          Petitions

 

(i)            Reduce Pay & Display fees in Fiveways- Clair Letton

 

88.1      The Committee considered a petition signed by 1170 people requesting the council to amend the Zone J pay and display parking scheme to allow short-term free parking for customers visiting Preston Drove businesses.

 

88.2      The Chair provided the following response:

 

“Thank you for your petition.

Paid parking for visitors is a well-established principle within parking policy across the city and the recent changes have increased the availability of parking for visitors to the businesses in Preston Drove

The Council does have concerns regarding the enforcement of limited waiting free bays and although we have introduced free parking in two specific  locations in outer areas the current policy agreed at a recent ETS Committee stated that parking schemes within and just outside the central zones would not be considered for free parking due to the demand for parking.

The Area J parking scheme is adjacent to the central Brighton parking schemes so a change to free parking in this zone would be a change in the current agreed policy.  Committee will recall we developed the clear policy on free parking periods in response to similar concerns raised in regard of Matlock Road which is in a zone not adjacent to the central Brighton zones.

However, due to the possibility of a new zone close by and the impending Circus Street development, I suggest flexibility in this case and I will ask officers to proceed with the request”

 

88.3      RESOLVED- That the petition be noted.

 

(ii)          Include Hollingbury Park Avenue and Hollingbury Terrace in the 2015 Surrenden/Fiveways resident parking scheme consultation- Simon Conroy

 

88.4      The Committee considered a petition signed by 217 people requesting the council to include Hollingbury Park Avenue and Hollingbury Terrace in the upcoming parking scheme consultation in the area nearby.

 

88.5      The Chair provided the following response:

 

“Thank you for your petition.

Officers have looked into this and are happy to recommend including Hollingbury Park Avenue/ Hollingbury Terrace as it creates a natural boundary and connects to the current consultation area.

After reviewing the consultation proposals including looking at these specific streets I feel it would be appropriate and following ward Councillor support, to recommend incorporating Hollingbury Park Avenue and Hollingbury Terrace as it creates a natural boundary and connects to the current consultation area”.

 

88.6      RESOLVED- That the petition be noted.

 

(iii)         Hollingbury Road resident parking consultation

 

88.7      The Committee considered a petition signed by 142 people requesting the council to include Hollingbury Road in the proposed Fiveways/Surrenden Road resident parking scheme consultation.

 

88.8      The Chair provided the following response:

 

Thank you for your petition.

Whilst I appreciate your concerns, the technical officer view is that Hollingbury Road does not connect to the current consultation area. The consultation proposed is also for a new area not an extension to the current Area J.

Therefore, this would need to be considered as part of another area when the future parking scheme timetable is considered later in the year.

 

88.9      RESOLVED- That the petition be noted.

 

(iv)         George Street, Hove to open to traffic at 4pm- Councillor Wealls

 

88.10   The Committee considered a petition signed by 91 people requesting that George Street open to traffic at 4pm rather than the current opening of 6pm.

 

88.11   The Chair noted that his response was based on the information supplied that 55 people had signed the petition. On the basis that the new figure represented the majority of business on the street, he requested that officers look into the issue again to examine the feasibility of a revised opening time.

 

88.12   Councillor Hawtree noted that the majority of shopkeepers had signed the petition but any investigation should also seek the views of residents and customers to provide a balanced view.

 

88.13   RESOLVED- That the Committee receive a report on the matter to its next meeting.

 

(b)          Written Questions

 

(i)            Refuse collection in Regency ward- Catherine Wilson

 

88.14   Catherine Wilson put the following question to the meeting:

 

Our rubbish and recycling bins in Regency are often overflowing and surrounded by fly tipped items like mattresses and rubble. To minimise health and safety issues and avoid the need to walk around the ward trying to find a bin which is not overflowing or surrounded with rubbish, can bins have a sticker with a bin number and free phone number for residents to ring or text when they are full or when fly tipping has occurred? 

 

88.15   The Chair provided the following response:

 

“Thank you for your question regarding communal rubbish and recycling bins. Communal refuse and recycling bins should not be overflowing and in instances where they do officers are looking to resolve these issues.  In your area officers are in touch with representatives of the Clifton Montpelier Powis Community Alliance (CMPCA) and are organising meetings to look at any improvements that can be made to address issues with bins overflowing.

Unfortunately some people do fly tip bulky items next to communal rubbish bins rather than taking them to the tip or arranging for them to be collected.  Where we can follow this up and our streets crews collect the items when they see them or when they are reported to the service.

In the coming year we will also start a program of refurbishment of communal bins and as part of that we will look at improving signage on bins advising residents what can and cannot be disposed of in the bins and encouraging people to recycle as much as possible.  We will also include clear contact details for people to report any problems and officers are looking at an asset management system as part of this work”.

 

88.16   Catherine Wilson asked the following supplementary question:

 

“What is the expected timescale for refurbishment?”

 

88.17   The Chair provided the following response:

 

“It is a rolling programme that is to start this year. Where the first emphasis goes is down to officers judgement and discussions with communities as to where the emphasis is necessary. I’m sure officers are already in discussions with your community and you are also flagging up your particular problems and I’d imagine you would be a fairly high priority”.

 

(ii)          Grit bins in Regency ward- Sarah Cooper

 

88.18   Catherine Wilson put the following question:

“I know of neighbours in Regency who have slipped and injured themselves in icy weather in Victoria Street and cars have crashed into parked cars on the corner of Clifton Place & Terrace. Can we please have more grit bins and can all of them be regularly filled during icy and snowy conditions?”

88.19   The Chair provided the following response:

 

“The total number of bins Brighton & Hove Council now maintain is over 420. Compared to other authorities, this is a high quantity within what is a relatively small geographical area. This is because we recognise that Brighton & Hove is a mainly urban area built on hills. 

However, provision of grit bins needs to be balanced against the capability to refill them within a reasonable timescale, as well as available resources. It takes two weeks for supply trucks to visit and fill all of the bins. Due to budget constraints following the 2012 budget-setting process, grit bins will only be filled once at the start of the winter season unless there is heavy snowfall.  This means that even if a grit bin is emptied immediately after being filled, there will be no further refills except during a severe weather event.  This was agreed at Full Budget Council and ratified as part of the 2012-13 Highways Winter Service Plan at Transport Committee in October 2012.

Regency ward borders the sea and is therefore warmer than some of the outlying areas; it does not receive the same heavy snowfall as more hilly outlying areas, and what snow does fall tends to melt sooner. The area does not meet the council’s agreed criteria for the provision of grit bins which aims to supply provision for colder areas with steep hills and junctions.  The surrounding roads of Montpelier Rd, Western Rd and Dyke Rd are on gritted routes, and there is a grit bin at the junction of Dyke Rd and Clifton Terrace.

This is not as thorough a provision as could be wished, but unfortunately it is the best that can be offered within the constraints which we have explained above”.

 

(c)          Deputations

 

(i)            Make St Andrew’s Road, Portslade Safer- Patricia Sauer

 

88.20   The Committee considered a Deputation presented by Patricia Sauer identifying safety issues along St Andrews Road and requested the council to work with residents to urgently improve road and pedestrian safety.

 

88.21   The Chair provided the following response:

 

“The Committee thanks the residents group of St Andrews Road for presenting its case and particularly for its efforts to gather the views of residents throughout the street.  The response you have achieved from nearly half of all households is very good and I know the advice of the Council’s Road Safety Team has been helpful to you in that regard.

As residents will be aware, St Andrew’s Road is both a residential street itself and also provides access to the residential areas to the north and south of the route, as well as forming a direct and convenient link between Boundary Road and Church Road.  The route is therefore attractive to a wide range of users including those you have described in your deputation, and I have accompanied parents using this route to access nearby schools.

The traffic and environmental issues that the road has faced over many years and those described in your deputation, are recognised by this Committee and local councillors and many of these have been treated with the introduction of speed cushions, kerb build-outs and entry treatments, all of which have contributed to the route’s good safety record – only one injury collision has been reported in the street since 2010.

The use of the route by heavy goods vehicles and buses is difficult to restrict without also limiting access to public transport and the convenience of deliveries, but I will ask officers to continue their supportive engagement with residents to try and find solutions to go some way alleviating the impacts of these activities”.

 

88.22   RESOLVED- That the Deputation is noted.