Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

(a)  To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 17January 2022

(b)  Matters arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 January 2022 were agreed and signed as a true record. There were no matters arising.

Report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services

To consider the above petition bearing 208 signatures which was submitted by Councillor P Male, a Woodlands Ward Councillor, who has been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item.

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Service which responded to a petition submitted by Councillor P Male, a Woodlands Ward Councillor. The petition bearing 324 signatures requested the Council to allocate sufficient funding to provide a tarmac path around the outside edge of the Ponderosa in Tile Hill.

The petition related to an area of land known locally as The Ponderosa or more formally as Jardine Crescent Sports Ground, which lies off Jardine Crescent in Tile Hill.

It was recognised that the Jardine Crescent Sports Ground is an important area of open space and very much valued and well used by the local community.

The creation of a peripheral footpath has been considered. Creating a self-bound gravel footpath (with timber edging boards) would cost approximately £77,760 - £97,200. A tarmac path, as petitioned for, would be significantly more expensive at approximately £130,000 to complete. The Parks Service does not have the existing resources to undertake this proposal.

The Council’s Park Service recognises the importance of installing good footpath networks in its green spaces, particularly peripheral footpaths which do much to encourage greater access and use of open spaces as has been recognised.

The report concluded that the creation of a new footpath in the park would continue to be considered, if and when funds were made available. The service would continue to explore and exploit all funding opportunity both external and internal to provide footpaths.

Councillor Male attended the meeting and spoke in respect of the petition and the rationale behind it. He enquired which avenues had been explored to secure funding and requested that officers explore every option to secure funding to enable the footpath to be built. Councillor Male further enquired whether officers had or could pursue the following options to secure contributions; local businesses in the area, HS2 developers, S106 contributions from the Sustainable Urban Extensions (SUEs) approved for Eastern Green and also the Active Travel Fund. To conclude, Councillor Male explained that even a path on the one side of the park would go a long way to promoting active, healthy living and would open up access to the park for a lot of users, including disabled people.

Councillor J Lepoidevin, Shadow Cabinet Member suggested that officers should explore securing funding from the National Lottery and other established businesses in the area.

The Cabinet Member, having considered the report and the representations made at the meeting, stated that officers would continue to seek out funding opportunities and that he would keep a watching brief over this and requested an update in 6 months time. 

RESOLVED that, the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities:

1.  Considered the content of the petition and notes the concerns of the petitioners.

2.  Notes that there is insufficient funding for a new tarmac footpath to be provided from the existing Park Service budgets.

3.  Agrees that when opportunity and resources allow, the installation of a footpath at the Ponderosa would be considered to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

Report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services which sought approval to the extension of the existing Public Space Protection Order for Edgwick Park.

There currently was a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in place for the environs of Edgwick Park that is due to expire in April 2022. This was introduced to address anti-social behaviour and crime concerns at the location.

The report requested that this order be continued for a further three years to 2025, to allow park users and the local community to benefit from the facilities of the park, without suffering the issues that blighted the park previously.

On the whole, the Order has operated successfully. It has not eradicated issues completely within the park, but has allowed officers who attend the park to disperse groups quickly and easily, which was not the case prior to the Order.

In recent times, Edgwick Park was identified by Police officers specialising in gang concerns as allocation where known gang nominals were congregating. Concerns were such that Edgwick Park was one of a limited number of named locations with injunctions served on a significant number of individuals. It was considered that this was a significant development that lends weight to the need to extend the existing PSPO.

Impact statements from key partner agencies supporting the extension of the existing PSPO, under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 were appended to the report. 

RESOLVED that, the Cabinet Member:

1.  Notes the attached impact statements from key partner agencies and their rationale for extending the existing Order.

2.  Approves that the Order should be extended for a period of three years from the date the current Order is due to expire.

3.  Requests that all partner agencies continue their current actions and patrol plans and also monitor the surrounding areas for any potential displacement of the issue.

There are no outstanding issues

There were no outstanding issues.

To consider any other items of business which the Cabinet Member decides to take as a matter of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

There were no other items of public business.