Agenda item

Introduction by Ben Turner, Policy Officer, Gravesham Borough Council

Table discussions and feedback

a) Environment

• Weekly refuse collections
• Reasonable job especially recycling centre
• Pleased with the weekly collection – one for recycling and one for black sacks

Community Safety

• Petition over 90% of residents for school signs
• Traffic calming Colyer Road
• More alcohol dispersal free zones!!
• School being refurbished; gate not safe as a child being hurt

Litter

• Lids not educated on the importance of trying to keep the neighbourhood clean
• How to dispose of it – PCSO to educate, work in partnership for the schools

Recycling – currently do not collect glass!

No dog bins to dispose of dog faeces

Penalty notices; 44 last year increase from last year, 38

Prioritising Air quality

• Fuel efficient vehicles?!  Walking/cycling instead of driving

Cigarette ends

• Smoking within the town
• Alcohol bottles                    Litter
• Drinking in public places

Street cleaners

Carbon footprint

• Lorries using Colyer Road as a shortcut
• Encouraging public transport

No rubbish bins in St Andrew’s Gardens – residents picking up the litter

People hanging out in Lord Street car park

• Skateboarders/cyclises not anti social
• Drinking

Alcohol free zones are not policed

• PCSOs do not have the same authority as the police
• Liaising with the correct people

Safety

• Council officers not out at the weekends/bank holidays/evenings
• Wardens not available to private residents

PACT meetings

• Supposed to be community led; no documented minutes; nothing to refer back to; no agenda

People putting their household waste in the bins on the streets

• Building debris /smells/tarmac
• Due to building flats
• Cul-de-sacs not dealt with – KCC functions

b) Communities

• Cultural strategy – do we have an issue?– not perceived to be an issue - focus is more on arts etc
• Sports – clubs promote themselves – no priority used to be on the council
• Sport – motivational which is good – not just for game sake but development of character
• Outdoor events/culture – don’t do enough, feel we should do more
• We should have a local museum – very interesting
• Olympics – financially good for the borough but issues potentially in relation to admission accessing tickets – could the council help?
• People have to want to be healthy – has to be something they want to do – council should have encouraging role – not just finance to reward them – should have cooking etc in schools – relationships with education
• Should engage with the public – difficult but need to work at it – important as they fund the council – essential
• Equalities – important to relate to all groups – education is a key element of this through schools but also outside of schools to older people.  Better understanding of cultural differences
• Marketing/Trading Standards re advertising which influences young people
• Obesity – levels of activity have fallen over the years – computers vs outdoor activities
• Litter – is this an issue relating to different types of communities
• Difficult for council not to seem to be imposing – would be better for residents to actually do things with support from the council – more resident led activities for ownership
• Do have Chantry but it is small should put money into promoting history/heritage of the borough – not a waste of money
• Sports – health and safety is OTT and is killing activities
• Should be a dance hall in Gravesend – not much for older people to do – nothing for older people
• Council should be involved (with schools) to promote sports within the borough – use existing mechanisms (Your Borough) to promote this
• Leisure centres – not everyone can afford to go – should there be subsidies to promote healthier lifestyles – cheaper in long run
• Promoting healthy lifestyles – key issue to everything
• Communication of activities, groups and clubs throughout the authority
• Olympics – make the best of it – on commercial side – promote but don’t have enough hotels to encourage the number.  Promotion through the Olympics
• Utilise River Thames – passenger travel and should use/promote this move – heritage
• Forums – useful, give people opportunity to voice their opinions
• Festivals – continue with these types of outdoor events – funding by lots of other sources.  BBQ expenditure a bit too much but fireworks really good.  Maybe should charge entry fee if the council cannot afford to run
• Promotion – more widely

c) Housing

• Housing for those on low income and the elderly
• Believed private housing for elderly was only for disabled and those on benefits
• More housing for people as they get older (private house)
• Housing available in areas for elderly that are not as dodgy
• Bungalows rather than flats to be provided (build more bungalows)
• Think there is generally a lack of affordable properties
• Think homelessness is probably a problem but scared for safety in town at night – think there is a lack of transport to get there
• Intimidation by groups in Lord Street car park (during day)
• Immigrants taking housing – rubbish on the streets
• Working towards old person housing most important
• Working to bring empty properties back into use is important – it is a waste – should be doing something about this
• Affordable housing for young people, new developments should allocate to provide for first time buyers
• Some council housing is quite nice – Valley Drive, Westcourt
• Lack of awareness about homelessness
• Think it is difficult to get a council property
• Once homelessness measures in place were explained general consensus was that measures are very good
• Build more suitable accommodation – seems to be doing well
• Develop older persons housing strategy
• Flats not so bad if only a couple of storeys
• More affordable housing for young people – urgently
• Sheltered housing for older people – need more
• Bidding process for sheltered housing takes too long – drawn out process, if it is speeded up get income and bigger houses available
• More bungalows/desirable properties to put in housing strategy
• Homelessness is a problem – sold lots of council houses so are no longer available – housing stock?
• Long housing waiting lists
• Convert car park to flats for homeless?

d) Young Gravesham

• Need to engage with children more to find out what they want
• Vox Box need to go out and talk to other youngsters to encourage involvement
• More smaller activities over wider area rather than one or two larger
• Lord Street – do we need another car park (temporary or not)?  Could be site for youth activities (BMX site)
• Schools might assist with questionnaires to engage on what activities they want
• IT cafe in Civic Centre for young people
• Bowling club are looking for new members
• Music events
• Council to work with KCC to have an activity fayre showcasing what is available in the area
• Parents must be willing to change their ways to help children – education – essential to development of children
• How do you get the children to do the things they need to do – diversionary activities – skateboard parks
• More town centre activities are vital
• Need more discipline
• Harder to organise anything for children with so many rules and regulations
• Other organisations should be able to use facilities of schools as they belong to the community.  Should be able to use their grounds as we need open spaces
• Make friends locally so less need to travel to meet and do activities
• Schools need to know more about what is going on in local area for young people to choose from
• More partnership working with KCC
• More places to hang out, coke bars, ice cream parlours, younger cafes
• Should continue with SNAP discos
• Not so many leaders to run clubs – possibly due to regulations
• Recognise they will choose their own activities – need good variety of options
• Engage more with young people

e) Business and Regeneration

Heritage Quarter

• Manage how we build in our town centres – carefully plan to protect green spaces
• SMARTS Av – Wrotham Road land

Leisure provision

• Ski slopes in regeneration area – alternative in … and regen plan
• Hotels/accommodation for leisure facilities

New Bridge – Lower Thames Crossing – further east

Cliffe airport – no

• Concentration of shoppers to control – footfall is not trickling down to old High Street as previously – support for businesses and customer service
• Subsidy of rent for local shops – greater …/broader options for customers

f) Transformation

• Benchmarking to identify opportunities where others are doing things better/in another way and publicise those results
• Customer services – high quality
• Training of staff
• Communication key
• Skills of staff – ability to listen/open questions
• Ability to respond/answer the enquiry
• Get through can be a problem (one person)
• Meet and Greet/Reception area good, welcoming
• Police counter a good addition
• Cut out the baloney?
• Your Borough is a good read – balance of news and information
• Right skills for the right job in staff
• Too efficient at billing?
• Getting ahead of the game – parking restrictions in Kent Road an example
• Publicity and promotion of Gravesend
• Need to deliver what it says it is going to do
• Increase use of ability for fines to increase income – dog fouling, rubbish
• Use of offices out in the Borough for enforcement action – multi tasking
• Direct resources to key services on the street – sends message
• Customer Services – long recording – recording information not always dealing with the issue
• Customer Services need to be able to deal with the queries that they receive
• Money generating opportunities – crossovers from roads to public drives, parking enforcement target campaigns
• Customer Care/attitude of people answering calls/professionalism in dealing with call
• Deal with issues at first point of contact
• Copying facilities at front desk rather than taking documents away
• Recycling/black bags/dog bags – issued from Civic Centre