Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 2, at the Council Offices, Southfields, Loughborough. View directions

Items
No. Item

8.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 182 KB

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 20th June 2018 were confirmed as a correct record and signed.

9.

Disclosures of Pecuniary and Personal Interests

Minutes:

The following disclosures were made:

 

Councillor Miah in respect of item 4.2 declared a personal interest as a County Councillor.

 

Councillor Parton in respect of item 5 declared a personal interest as a County Councillor.

10.

Questions under Committee Procedure 12.8 pdf icon PDF 116 KB

To deal with the following questions on notice, submitted under Committee Procedure 12.8:

 

4.1 PUBLIC TOILETS IN LOUGHBOROUGH TOWN CENTRE

 

     Question submitted by John Barton, resident.

 

4.2 FLORAL HANGING BASKETS IN LOUGHBOROUGH TOWN CENTRE

 

      Question submitted by John Barton, resident.

 

Minutes:

The following questions on notice, submitted under Committee Procedure 12.8 were considered by the Committee.

 

4.1 Public Toilets in Loughborough Town Centre

 

Question submitted by John Barton, resident:

 

Can we please have free-of-charge public toilets in Loughborough Town Centre, as we used to have before 2010?

 

Background to this question: At the last committee meeting, you discussed the state of Loughborough markets. You lamented the number of empty stalls, and the number of empty shops around the town. You talked about a decorative ‘gateway’ to the market, but you failed to talk about the one issue that is stopping people spending more time in Loughborough town centre, and stopping it from being a pleasant shopping venue, namely the exceedingly irritating charges on the public toilets.

 

The following response had been published prior to the meeting:

 

The Council continues to maintain 10 toilets across the Borough, with three in Loughborough town centre, at a total cost of £78,100. There are also toilets provided in some of our Parks and Open Spaces, the toilet in Queens Park is included within the town centre toilets. With reduced funding from central government, across all services, Councils are being encouraged to achieve full cost recovery of services. The 20p charge commenced in 2010, and has not increased since that point in time. A Council led consultation at the time asked the public whether they should close or charge, the public voted in favour of the nominal charge. With 175,260 users each year, the toilets generate approximately £35,000 income which goes towards the maintenance of the toilets and employment of staff to clean and secure them.

 

In making the statement, Mr Barton reiterated that he considered the public toilets should be made free again in order to make Loughborough Town Centre a more welcoming place to visit. He also stated that the income only covered approximately half of the cost of providing the facilities.

 

The Strategic Director for Neighbourhoods and Community Wellbeing reminded Members’ that the Committee only has a consultative role in relation to matters of policy and strategic direction which relate to or affect the Loughborough town area. 

 

The Committee thanked Mr Barton for submitting the question, and following discussion it was put forward that the charging policy for the three toilets in Loughborough town centre be considered as part of the 2018/19 budgetary process for the Loughborough Special Expenses.

 

4.2 Floral Hanging Baskets in Loughborough Town Centre

 

Question submitted by John Barton, resident:

 

Why is Loughborough spending so much money on floral hanging baskets if it cannot even afford free public toilets? These hanging baskets are so large and numerous that they are a road safety hazard. When crossing Jubilee Way in a Westerly direction at its junction with Baxter Gate, and at the central reservation looking Southward along the North-bound carriageway, the hanging baskets obscure the view of traffic for pedestrians.

 

The following response had been published prior to the meeting:

 

Loughborough in Bloom is important to many residents, visitors and local  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Loughborough Burial Provision pdf icon PDF 346 KB

A report of the Head of Cleansing and Open Spaces about further site appraisals undertaken at Council owned land regarding the potential development of a new cemetery site as per the recommendations of Cabinet.

Minutes:

A report of the Head of Cleansing and Open Spaces providing information about further site appraisals undertaken at Council owned land regarding the potential development of a new cemetery site as per the recommendation of Cabinet, was submitted (item 6 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

 

It was noted that the public consultation was due to end on 23rd September 2018, and a report would be submitted to Cabinet on 18th October 2018 setting out the responses to the consultation.  At the date of the meeting 650 responses had been received.

 

The following summarises comments and observations made by individual Members of the Committee:

 

·         Cemeteries are traditionally located on the outskirts of towns rather than in the middle of residential developments.  Considered inappropriate to place a cemetery in an existing residential area due to the impact on residents and for access reasons.  This comment applies to both Allendale Road and Shelthorpe Golf Course options.

·         To an extent both Allendale Road and Shelthorpe Golf Course were allocated as recreational use and considered inappropriate to switch to another type of use.

·         Capacity of the sites indicates in a generation the Allendale Road site will be at capacity unlike the other two sites

·         Preferable that burial provision is near to the crematororiam meaning   Allendale Road and the Nanapantan sites are the better options.

·         Upward trend for cremations as opposed to burials. Nationally there is a 65% cremation rate. This is caveated by the fact that in the UK there is an ageing population so the number of burials is increasing.

·         Preference for the Nanpantan site due to the higher capacity of that site and favour a burial site as opposed to a housing development near to the Outwoods woodland and open space.

·         The Allendale Road housing development had open space provision as part of the planning process. To re-designate for burial provision will impact householders.  The Open Spaces Strategy indicates a deficiency in open spaces in the Borough so the Allendale Road option is not preferable.  On talking to residents, the Nanpantan site is the preferred option.

·         None of the options are preferable. Cabinet should look at buying land on the edge of town for burial provision. The opportunity to address the shortfall in provision was at the planning stage for the land now known as Trinity Gardens.

·         Disappointed that the consultation period commenced in the summer holidays.  Preferable that it started in September.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the above mentioned comments and observations of the Committee be incorporated into the Loughborough burial provision public consultation to end on 23rd September, 2018.

 

Reasons

 

To ensure that members of the Committee are kept up to date on significant matters relating to the town of Loughborough, and a collective response from the Committee is submitted as part of the public consultation process.

12.

Loughborough Market Review and the Tender for the Festive Lighting pdf icon PDF 352 KB

A report of the Head of Leisure and Culture providing information and updates on the Loughborough market review, including branding proposals and the tender for the Loughborough festive lighting.

 

Minutes:

A report of the Head of Leisure and Culture providing information and updates on the Loughborough market review, including branding proposals and the tender for the Loughborough festive lighting, was submitted (item 6 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

 

Overall the Committee were very positive about the future proposals for the Loughborough Market, the brand identity and the festive lighting for the town centre. 

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Committee notes the report.

 

Reason

 

To ensure that Members of the Committee are kept up to date on significant matters relating to the town of Loughborough.

13.

Loughborough Town Centre Master Plan 2018 pdf icon PDF 229 KB

A report of the Head of Planning and Regeneration appraising members of progress made in the delivery of the refreshed Loughborough Town Centre Masterplan.

Minutes:

A report of the Head of Planning and Regeneration appraising the Committee on progress made in the delivery of the refreshed Loughborough Town Centre Masterplan, was submitted (item 7 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

 

The Business Relations and Economic Growth Officer assisted with consideration of the item and provided the following responses to issues raised:

 

(i)        The refreshed Masterplan was approved by Cabinet on 12th April 2018 and is regarded as a ‘living’ document.

(ii)       Ideas for improving the Nottingham Road area and other initiatives to improve the town centre can be put forward as representations to the stakeholder reference group for consideration. Examples referenced included gateways to the town, air quality, cycle linkages and viability of a bus station.

(iii)      Car parking remains a key concern and was identified in the consultation. Information was sought on the number car spaces lost and it was agreed that this information would be circulated to the Committee.

(iv)      Membership of the Town Team as set out in appendix A, schedule 1 was approved by the Cabinet.

(v)       Information about the spend to date on the Masterplan to be supplied separately to the Committee.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the report be noted.

 

Reason

 

To ensure that members of the Committee are kept fully informed of interventions to support the long term vitality and viability of Loughborough Town Centre.

14.

Future Committee Dates

 

For information, further meetings of the Committee in the 2018/19 Council year are scheduled as follows:

 

15th January 2019 - to consider the budget proposals regarding the Loughborough Special Expenses for the 2019/20 financial year. 

 

19th March 2019

 

 

 

Minutes:

The Strategic Director for Neighbourhoods and Community Wellbeing advised that future meetings of the Committee were scheduled as following:

 

·       15th January 2019

·       19th March 2019

 

It was noted that the January meeting would consider the budget proposals regarding the Loughborough Special Expenses for the 2019/20 financial year along with a report back on the outcomes of the cemetery proposals.