Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

(a)  To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 22^nd January 2025.

(b)  Matters Arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 22^nd January 2025 were agreed and signed as a true record.

There were no matters arising.

Report of the Director of City Services and Commercial

To consider the above petition bearing 1482 signatures.

The petition is being sponsored by Councillor S Nazir, a Foleshill Ward Councillor, who has been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item, along with the Petition Organiser.

The Cabinet Member for City Services considered a report of the Director of City Services and Commercial, which responded to a petition requesting that the streetlights be switched back on overnight.

The petition contained 1482 signatures and in accordance with the City Council’s procedure for dealing with petitions, those related to road safety and parking issues were heard by the Cabinet Member for City Services.  The Cabinet Member had considered the petition in advance of the meeting and requested that the petition be dealt with by Determination Letter rather than a formal report being submitted to the meeting.

On receipt of the Determination Letter, the Petition Organiser advised she wanted the issue to be considered at a Cabinet Member for City Services meeting.

The Determination Letter acknowledged that the decision to turn off the streetlights in the early hours across the City might concern a number of residents.  It also made reference to the fact that the decision was not taken lightly and was a response to extreme funding pressures and a drive to reduce the Council’s carbon footprint.

The part-night street lighting saw the lighting switched off between midnight and 5:30am on weeknights and between 1:00am and 5:30am at weekends when fewer people and cars were on the streets.  Officers had liaised with neighbouring authorities that also had a part night switch off and were regularly in touch with the Police and Community Safety Team who had not reported any significant issues linked to the part night switch off.  Areas adjacent to care homes, sheltered accommodation complexes and A&E departments remained in light and this was regularly reviewed.

The Petition Sponsor, Councillor S Nazir and the Petition Organiser spoke in support of the petition, highlighting the following:

·  Many residents had safety concerns over the part night light switch off and some residents felt it had curtailed their freedom

·  The part night light switch off had been in response to Council’s financial restraints

·  There had been no significant increase in crime reported by the part night light switch off

·  The upgrade to LED lights across the city in the coming months would provide an energy efficient solution

Officers advised consultation had been undertaken with all stakeholders and concerns from residents taken on board.  Officers had worked with the blue light sector in relation to the part night light switch off and an upgrade to LED lights across the city was planned.  Officers also undertook to investigate switching on the lights earlier than 5:30am in the short term.

The Cabinet Member for City Services, Councillor P Hetherton, acknowledged residents’ concerns regarding their safety in the dark.  She advised the LED light roll out across the city was an investment for the future, requiring less maintenance than the current lights and explained how the LED lights could be dimmed down to 30% but still give out as much light as the current lights. 

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for City Services:

1)  Note the petitioners’ concerns.

2)  Further to the actions  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

Report of the Director of City Services and Commercial

The Cabinet Member for City Services considered a report of the Director of City Services in respect of petitions received relating to the portfolio of the Cabinet Member for City Services and how officers proposed to respond to them.

In June 2015, amendments to the Petitions Scheme, which forms part of the Constitution, were approved in order to provide flexibility and streamline current practice.  This change had reduced costs and bureaucracy and improved the service to the public.

These amendments allow for a petition to be dealt with or responded to by letter without being formally presented in a report to a Cabinet Member meeting.

In light of this, at the meeting of the Cabinet Member for Public Services on 15 March 2016, it was approved that a summary of those petitions received which were determined by letter, or where decisions are deferred pending further investigations, be reported to subsequent meetings of the Cabinet Member for Public Services (now amended to Cabinet Member for City Services), where appropriate, for monitoring and transparency purposes.

Appendix A set out petitions received relating to the portfolio of the Cabinet Member for City Services and how officers propose to respond to them.

Petition 24/24-25 – Westwood Heath Road – Speed Limit and Traffic Calming

Members and officers discussed possible future road safety measures on the Westwood Heath Road, taking into account the increase in housing in the vicinity.

The Cabinet Member requested speed data information and that officers investigate erecting signage near to the Greek Orthodox Church.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for City Services:

1. Endorse the actions being taken by officers as set out in Section 2 and Appendix A to the report in response to the petitions received.

2. Further to Petition 24/24-25 – Westwood Heath Road – Speed Limit and Traffic Calming, additional marking to control speed be installed on Westwood Heath Road in the vicinity of Westwood Club and the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Transfiguration, to aid operation. 

There are no outstanding issues

There were no outstanding issues.

Any other items of public business which the Cabinet Member decides to take as matters of urgency because of the special circumstances involved

There were no other items of public business.