Agenda and minutes

Chairman’s welcome

David Hart welcomed those attending.

Apologies for absence were received from DDC Cllrs Jennifer Record and Kit Smith

Notes of the joint meeting of the DOVER NORTH and DOVER WEST Neighbourhood Forums held on 20 November 2008 at the Elvington Community Centre, Elvington at 6.30pm

Present:          St. Margaret’s Parish Cllr. David Hart             Chairman

                        Whitfield Parish Cllr Jeff Goodsell

Other KCC, District and Parish Councillors and members of the public.                

Apologies for absence were received from DDC Cllrs Jennifer Record and Kit Smith

1.         Chairman’s welcome

David Hart welcomed those attending.

2.         ‘Active Dover’ – Dover District’s Community Sport Network

Sarah Philpott, DDC Sports Development Officer,  gave a brief presentation on the Community Sports Network, the purpose of which is to:

·         increase number of people taking part in sport and active recreation

·         widen access and opportunity for sport and active recreation

·         bring together partners’ priorities and action plans in a joined-up local action plan

Each Neighbourhood Forum is asked to send a representative to join the partnership, attend a maximum of 5 meetings per year, feed in information and report back to all Parish Councils in their Forum.

Action point:  Dover West and Dover North Forums to contact Sarah Philpott with nominated representative.

Action point:  Chairman to write on behalf of joint Forums to Vista Leisure regarding non-acceptance of vouchers for free sports/swimming sessions in Dover.

3.         Street Scene Consultation

            3.1  Christopher Allen, DDC Street Scene Project Manager, gave a

presentation on the Street Scene in the District which covered:

·         objectives for environment, residents and public realm

·         partnerships to ensure clean, tidy, well maintained and safe streets

·         top 10 and all other priorities for street scene

·         top issues for Community Safety Partnership (CSP)

·         service delivery: education, prevention, involvement, enforcement

·         partnerships between all tiers of local government and CSP

·         measuring how the service is doing

·         purpose of the consultation being to understand communities’ expectations from street scene service and how they can become involved

3.2  The Forum broke into three discussion groups to identify priorities and

suggest means of community involvement:

            Priorities:        

·         litter/street cleaning

·         speeding cars

·         dog fouling and loose dogs                

·         lighting and lamp posts, especially in rural areas

·         overhanging vegetation from private gardens and

·         untidy/overgrown sites

·         lorries parked illegally in lay-bys and on pavements,

particularly Whitfield and Capel-le-Ferne; effect on lay-bys,

surrounding land and roads in District.

·         fly-tipping, only some areas

·         road signs, cats-eyes and white lines need renewal and

cleaning                      

·         drains and gullies need cleaning to prevent flooding

·         anti-social behaviour/ vandalism

·         lack of play areas

·         pot holes

·         bus shelter cleaning and lighting in isolated areas                

            Community involvement:

·         have effective PCSOs.

·         provide litter bins and encourage use.

·         Parish Councils to work together e.g. borrowing speed guns.

·         education on dog fouling, littering plus publicity for results.  

Other issues: 

·         DDC to help Parishes with new legislation and how to draw up            own by-laws.

·         one central point to receive reports of street scene issues; each to be given report number for tracking and feedback.

·         don’t overburden volunteers: encourage, give credit and recruit more.

·         needs  ‘Road Champions’ to monitor and report state of lay-bys and problems  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.