Agenda and draft minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

There were apologies for absence from Councillors Viven Edge and Deborah Evans.

To sign and confirm the minutes of the last meeting, held on 5^th August 2020.

The minutes of the last meeting, held on 5^th August 2020, were agreed as a correct record to be signed by the Chairman. 

To report progress on outstanding actions from the minutes of the last meeting, for information only.

With respect to Minute 63, the Chairman advised the meeting that he attended the Cabinet meeting on 9^th September and Cabinet had approved the Committee’s recommendations for expenditure from its Events budget for this year and next year.  In addition, Cabinet had decided to remove the requirement for the Committee to seek Cabinet approval of expenditure over £10,000, for which he thanked the Cabinet. 

To receive declarations of interests in respect of any item on the agenda.

None.

To answer any written questions received from members of the public no later than 5 p.m. two clear working days prior to the meeting – for this meeting the deadline is 5 p.m. on Monday 21^st September 2020.

None.

(A report presented by Peter Hunn, Community Safety Manager)

The Community Safety Manager and the Operations Manager presented a report, which highlighted a timeline schedule of the Council’s dealings with an illegal encampment of the green open space site on Woodville Road by travellers from Friday 31^st July to Wednesday 5^th August 2020. 

The report included details of reports made to the Police and Council; actions of Council officers; costs in relation to dealing with the incident and quotations received in order to target harden the Woodville Road green open space area to prevent reoccurrence of this issue again in the future.

The Woodville Road open space had seen illegal encampments set up four times in the last three years. On each occasion, but especially on this last one, there had been numerous reports made to both the Police and the Council and incursion had had a detrimental effect on residents and businesses in the local area.

Increased target hardening of this site would discourage and prevent further illegal encampments from occurring and protect the asset giving confidence to residents that this type of occurrence would not happening again in the future on this site.

Appended to the report were full details of reports and action taken; a copy of the High Court Civil Injunction Order, Section 77 Direction to Leave Land and Remove Vehicles notice served and Section 78 Summons served on the travellers; photographs taken of the site each time it was visited during the encampment and the condition it was left in afterwards; quotations for target hardening; legal advice provided by Legal Services Lincolnshire; and an update from Lincolnshire Police.

The Community Safety Manager added that the Legal Services Lincolnshire representative would be happy to answer any questions at a future meeting.

The Ward Member read out a letter from a member of the public who lived opposite the site, which described the effect it had on his family.  He reported that this had been the worst incursion yet; travellers had broken into property, ridden quad bikes over the site and spread fear.  Residents had even been afraid for the safety of their dogs. In addition, there had been several vehicles with no MOT or tax. When they left, the site was a complete mess, with human waste and litter on the play area. He believed the site needed a fence, bollards or a trench. He urged the committee to make the site safe describing the episode as terrifying.

Members were unanimous in their gratitude to the Anti-Social Behaviour Officer for his bravery during the process of dealing with this incident and the street cleaning staff for their hard work putting the site back to how it was.

The Community Safety Manager then responded to questions as follows.

The travellers had told officers they had not left  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72.

(The Committee’s work programme for the current year for discussion and/or updating.)

Members agreed to the Chairman’s suggestions for increasing the frequency of meetings to six-weekly in order to give more time to agenda items.  It was noted that the report on Play Area Improvements would include security.