Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

None.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting dated 19 January 2023 be agreed as an accurate record.

It was confirmed that all items of business were marked as Part I and would be considered in public.

Helena Webster, Community Engagement and Town Improvement Manager, and Neil O'Connor, Community Engagement Project Officer, were in attendance and presented the report noting that the scoping report for the review had been agreed at the previous Select Committee meeting.

Three residents were in attendance to give evidence in relation to the Committee's review of alley gating in the Borough.

Jane Turnbull, Chair of Oak Farm Residents’ Association (OFRA), addressed the Committee Members noting that OFRA covered an area to the east of Long Lane. The area was unusual as a large part of the estate had been designed with vehicle access behind the houses. In some other roads there was a narrower access path for pedestrian or bicycle access. Historically the wider access had been used by refuse vehicles, but the open alleys had resulted in burglary and fly tipping. In the late 1990s and early 2000s Chrysalis funding had been made available to put in gates to be maintained by residents – burglary numbers had dropped immediately. However, no central record had been kept of the lead residents who held the maintenance account and spare keys for each alley.

Members heard that, over the years, OFRA had been approached by residents regarding damaged gates and locks being broken or replaced. They had asked for lead residents to contact OFRA in order to pass on these requests but with little response.

Two main areas of concern were behind the shops at Ryefield Parade where the locks were regularly broken or changed, or gates left open thereby compromising security. In 2022 OFRA had been requested to hold a key to the gates to the west of the shops on the north of Ryefield Parade due to a problem with access to emergency vehicles. On the other side of the Parade, the gates and lock were often damaged and fly tipping and drugs use were an issue there. On one occasion a property developer had installed his own gates thereby cutting off a pedestrian access route onto Ryefield Avenue – action had not been taken in time hence the gates could no longer be removed. The Committee was advised that OFRA would be willing to keep a separate list of email / phone contact details for lead residents in charge of keys.

Paulette McGowan, Lead Resident with responsibility for 11 sets of gates in Hillingdon East, informed the Committee that she looked after the alley gates in Denecroft Crescent, Woodcroft Crescent and Grosvenor Crescent on one side of the road and Denecroft Crescent, Grosvenor Crescent, Windsor Avenue and Burleigh Road on the other side.

Members heard that the alleyway gates at Denecroft Crescent, Woodcroft Crescent and Grosvenor Crescent had been installed in 2008 following problems with burglaries and fly tipping. Other gates including those in Windsor Avenue and Burleigh Road had been installed two years later in 2010.

Ms McGowan was now solely responsible for the maintenance of the gates as the people who had previously helped her had either moved  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

Julia Johnson - Director of Planning, Regeneration and Public Realm, introduced the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and S106 Monitoring report which provided an update to the Committee on CIL and Section 106 income and expenditure in the 2021/22 financial year.

It was noted that CIL was a more strategic charge which was not site-specific while S106 funds were allocated more locally to the site of a development. A new monitoring system was in place which had been introduced mid-year. Members were informed that Table one in the report set out the total CIL income since adoption. In 2021/22 income had totalled some £6.8 million while expenditure had totalled approximately £1.7 million. A further breakdown was set out  in Table two of the report - the strategic portion of Hillingdon’s CIL had been spent on the West Drayton Leisure Centre with the neighbourhood proportion spent on the Chrysalis Programme. It was confirmed that there was no time limit as to when CIL funds had to be spent.

In terms of S106 funds, Councillors heard that in 2021/22 some £8 million had been received and £3.4 million had been spent. It was confirmed that a balance was held, and funds were not usually spent in the same year as they were received.

Members requested a breakdown of the areas where funds had been spent noting that significant funds would have been generated following developments in Hayes Town. It was confirmed that a list of funds received by Ward could be made available. A significant portion of funds received in 2021/22 had been spent on West Drayton Leisure Centre.

In response to further questions from the Committee regarding administration fees, it was confirmed that the Council already charged the maximum fees of 4% and 5% for administration. Members were informed that there was no risk of funds not being spent on time as deadlines were tracked and monitored regularly.

RESOLVED: That the Committee noted and commented on the information presented in the report.

Roy Clark, Head of Parking Services, presented the report. Members were informed that, in 1994, parking enforcement powers in London had been transferred from the police to local authorities. Hillington Council's parking enforcement service had been outsourced in August 2003 and the current contract was with APCOA Parking Limited. There were currently 22 separate Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO) deployment beats used by APCOA across the Borough - some areas were patrolled on foot and others by moped or car.

In terms of technology, the CEOs used handheld computers which recorded all the evidence and generated a ticket. The PCN ICT processing system included an option to enable the motorist to log in online and see the evidence that the CEO had collected and to then make a payment or submit an appeal. A frequently asked questions section highlighted how successful an appeal was likely to be; however, even if it was unlikely to be successful, the motorist was not restricted from submitting an appeal. The PCN ICT processing system was due to be further enhanced over the summer of 2023 with a chatbot being introduced to assist motorists. The Council had also included QR codes on the PCNs to enable motorists to access the website more efficiently.

Members were advised that the Council also used unattended CCTV cameras to undertake enforcement of some parking and moving traffic contraventions. A virtual parking permit system had been introduced which meant that a paper permit did not need to be displayed. This was a much quicker and easier process and residents could apply online. Approximately 50% of permits were currently virtual; however, a paper-based system was still available to residents who preferred not to use the online system.

It was confirmed that the hand-held computers used by CEOs included a GPS tracking system so CEOs could request help if needed - verbal and physical attacks were an issue at times. ANPR was used in private car parks for management purposes. All deployed CEOs were required to wear body worn cameras which had to be switched on during their patrols for their safety. These body worn cameras had become instrumental to enforcement to verify complaint allegations against CEOs and provide evidence to the Police.

A cashless parking payment system or mobile phone parking system was due to be introduced across the Borough shortly. This system would be tested prior to roll out and would mean that people would no longer need to display a ticket. However, the more traditional paper ticket would still be available.

With regards to delivery drivers, Members heard that, since the pandemic, the proliferation of delivery drivers had caused parking problems across the Borough.  Most delivery drivers were no longer linked to one shop and were now generally self-employed or worked for nominated delivery companies. This had resulted in large numbers of delivery drivers parking illegally whilst waiting for a delivery job to be received and numerous complaints had been received about them causing congestion and being intimidating to residents  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

Marion Finney, Community Engagement Manager, presented the report which provided an update following a previous review of engagement with tenants and leaseholders. It was confirmed that a number of recommendations had been made which included an Action Plan of delivery alongside three-year Strategies to cover Tenant and Leaseholder Engagement and High Risk and Complex Buildings as included in the agenda pack.

In response to Members’ requests for further clarification, it was confirmed that every Residents’ Association in the Borough which the Community Engagement Team was affiliated with and which received funding from the Council, signed up to a constitution containing guidance including how funding was managed and what they could/could not spend it on. This information was also available on the website. Members heard that the funding was mainly for the day-to-day running of the Association – printing costs etc. At the end of each year, prior to reapplying for the funds, the associations were expected to complete a financial audit.

RESOLVED: That the Residents’ Services Select Committee noted the development of the key strategies along with the Action Plan and timescales for delivery set out and asked questions of officers.

RESOLVED: that the Residents’ Services Select Committee noted the Cabinet Forward Plan.

Members agreed to defer the Town Centre Regeneration and Impact of HS2 on Parking and Traffic items scheduled for the April meeting to the June meeting to even out the work programme. Members were requested to provide further details of the areas they wished to be covered in relation to these two items. It was agreed that Cllr Smallwood would write to fellow ward councillors in the areas affected by HS2 (Ruislip, South Ruislip, Ickenham and South Harefield and Harefield Village) to ask for their input.

In relation to the Town Centre Regeneration item, Members requested that the Committee be provided with an update on progress made to support local businesses and increase footfall. Information regarding the possible use of empty shops for community projects was also requested.

Members welcomed the addition of the Battle of Britain Bunker to the proposed list of site visits. It was confirmed that a visit with the weed killing contractor was likely to take place in Spring. Members requested site visits to leisure centres in the near future and proposed one to see the current construction phase of West Drayton Leisure Centre and one to Uxbridge Leisure Centre.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the Town Centre Regeneration and Impact of HS2 on Parking and Traffic items scheduled for the April meeting be deferred to the June meeting;

2.    That Cllr Smallwood write to fellow ward councillors in the areas affected by HS2 to ask for their input regarding the Impact of HS2 on parking and traffic item on the Work Programme;

3.    That, in relation to the Town Centre Regeneration item, the Committee be provided with an update on progress made to support local businesses and increase footfall together with information regarding the possible use of empty shops for community projects;

4.    That site visits to leisure centres be arranged by Democratic Services in the near future to see the current construction phase of West Drayton Leisure Centre and to see Uxbridge Leisure Centre; and

5.    That the Residents’ Services Select Committee considered the Work Programme and agreed any amendments.