Agenda item

Councillors Lynne Allen and Cllr Peter Curling attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillors.

Concerns and suggestions from petitioners included the following:

• The church warden for St Mary’s Church said that the car park was frequently used by alcoholics, prostitutes or people using drugs.
• Appreciated the work undertaken to cut back the trees during the summer months so that the car park could be seen from Church Green.
• Gangs would hang around and intimidate passers-by.
• A light and camera would deter troublemakers from using the car park and would act as a deterrent for crime.
• Rubbish was frequently dumped, including sofas, mattresses etc.
• People were scared to use the car park therefore they parked in Hemmen Lane which frustrated residents.
• The area was a conservation area.

Both Cllr Lynne Allen and Cllr Peter Curling spoke in support of the petitioners’ request and raised the following issues.

• They had been dealing with complaints regarding the car park since 2001.
• Cutting back the trees had made a difference in the summer months.
• Concern is that there was no lighting to deter criminal activity in the car park after dark.
• Residents of Lichgate Walk had limited parking.
• Parents of children attending Dr Triplett’s School could utilise the car park if it was made safer.

Local MP John McDonnell also spoke in support of petitioners and raised the following issues:

• Concurred with the thoughts of Ward Councillors.
• Users of Barra Hall Park also should be able to use the car parking facilities available.
• Requested that if not CCTV at least lighting is implemented,
• Drug dealing regularly took place in the car park.

Local Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Maxine Ward also spoke in support of petitioners’ request.  PCSO Ward stated she had personally not seen any gang activity taking place in the car park, however, she stated that lighting would act as a deterrent.

The Cabinet Member, Cllr Douglas Mills, listened to the concerns and responded to the points raised.

Cllr Mills was grateful that the work carried out to improve the car park had been acknowledged and noted it had a better effect in the summer months.  Cllr Mills agreed with petitioners that lighting would act as a deterrent for criminal activity although he was less keen for CCTV to be installed; one of the reasons was due to high demand in other areas of the Borough.  Cllr Mills encouraged petitioners to report any suspicious activity to their local Safer Neighbourhood Team.

Resolved - That the Cabinet Member:

a)     Noted the views of the petitioners.

b)     Noted the work which the Council had undertaken to improve the area.

c)     Discussed with petitioners whether they perceived the area to have been improved.

d)     Considered whether the installation of lighting and temporary CCTV from time to time is still necessary to detect or deter crime or anti-social behaviour, given the improvements which have so far been made.

e)     Agreed for lighting to be installed in the car park next to St Mary’s Church, Hayes.

REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION

The Council will maintain the reduction of vegetation and foliage around the car park to improve natural light and sight lines. This should provide sufficient security and reassurance to residents and there have been no reports made to police since March 2013.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED

The car-park currently has no lighting, and a quotation has been obtained to install two light columns which would be sufficient given the size of area to be covered.

A temporary portable CCTV camera could be used in the area if needed, wirelessly accessed and recording onto its own hard drive for the purposes of retrospective detection and the providing a deterrent.  However, there would be no real time CCTV monitoring and for recording after dark there would need to be lights installed at the same time. 

The Council could install permanent monitored CCTV in the area, but this would increase cost and is not considered to be necessary at this time.  The combined cost of lights and CCTV is not felt to be justified at this time, at least until an assessment has been made of the long term benefits of the improvements so far made.  Installation of lights and CCTV can be reconsidered at any time if the need should become apparent.