Minutes of the August Wincanton PACT Meeting
Wincanton PACT Meeting Minutes for Thursday 12th August 2010, 7pm at the Council Offices, Churchfields, Wincanton.
Apologies: Pam Williams, Regeneration Officer, Steve Brewer, Community Safety Officer, Denise Dunford: Community Safety Project Officer, Kerry Gray: Area Youth Worker, Helen Rutter: Area Development Manager.
Present: Anna Groskop: County Councillor, Sam Skirton: Town Council Clerk, Colin Winder: Town/ District Councillor, Colin Bowie: Town Councillor, Tim Carroll: District Councillor, PCSO Jenny Maynard, PC Andrew Brown, NHW coordinators, Members of the public.
Updates on the last meetings priorities:
Improve the CCTV System for the Town
From PCSO Jenny Maynard on behalf of Pam Williams:
The companies that were due to provide illustrations for the scheme, have not yet done so. Pam has therefore asked that other companies be followed up as a matter of urgency with a view to doing a proper update in September 2010. Delivering any scheme, even a really low cost solution, is going to require 'new' money at a time when things are very tight.
PC Andrew Brown: There are 4 mobile CCTV cameras that can be bid for by a Town that is experiencing anti social behaviour in a specific area that would benefit from having CCTV present. There was a bid for Mundays Mead to have one installed, but the need is no longer there.
We have considered the mobile CCTV system for the Wincanton Recreation area, but due to lack of lighting and no nearby lamppost's in the area to attach it to, this would not be practical.
NHW coordinator: it seems that Wincanton always seems to be forgotten when it comes to getting funding.
Tim Carroll: Wincanton has received significant funding over the last 11 years. £3.5 million was raised for the installation of the Sports Centre, and with the amount of people living in Wincanton, this was a generous amount of funding.
Colin Winder: would it be a possibility to install the boxes/ covers for the portable CCTV camera onto various lampposts, so if that area has an increase in problems then the camera can be installed straight away?
PC Andrew Brown: The problem is that you would need the funding to install the equipment, when there isn't necessarily a need in that area at that time. It would have to be an area that is experiencing specific problems with antisocial behaviour.
Traffic Issues: Parking/ Speeding in and around the Town Centre
Sam Skirton: Highways conducted a traffic survey between 17th May – 24th May 2010 in High Street, Wincanton and the results showed:
1.Travelling East towards the High Street:
Total Vehicle Count: 13795
No. of vehicles less than 30mph: 10887
No. of Vehicles 30mph but less than 40mph: 2771
No. of Vehicles 40mph but less than 50mph: 132
No. of Vehicles above 50mph: 5
2.Travelling West towards South Street:
Total Vehicle Count: 14439
No. of Vehicles less than 30mph: 11087
No. of Vehicles 30mph but less than 40mph: 3167
No. of Vehicles 40mph but less than 50mph: 175
No. of Vehicles above 50mph: 10
Highways have said: 'The readings are fairly consistent in both directions and are well within the 30mph speed limit which suggests there is perhaps a perception of speed rather than an actual speed problem at this location. Obviously there will always be 'rogue' figures and the odd vehicle travelling in excess of the speed limit but these figures clearly reflect that the average mean speeds are certainly acceptable. On these figures this location would not qualify for a Speed Indicator Device (SID).'
Highways also said that they were not keen to change make Wincanton Town Centre from a 30mph to a 20mph. They mentioned looking into Community Speed Watch.
PC Andrew Brown: Yes, we have looked into setting up a Community Speed Watch in West Hill Wincanton last year with no success. This scheme involves at least 3 members of the public getting together to form a group to get trained in using an ultralight (speed gun) and regularly monitoring the traffic speed, with the help from the police.
If anyone is interested in trying to get a Community speed watch group together, we are really keen to set one up in the town, please contact us.
Colin Winder: Is it a possibility to change the priority at the Market Place junction?
Tim Carroll: It is not possible due to the lack of visibility up the High Street.
PCSO Jenny Maynard: In relation the Balsam Fields/Mundays Mead junction, I have seen a marked improvement with people refraining from parking opposite the junction, which has improved the flow of traffic through that area.
Resident of Balsam Fields: I think that the vehicles that park near the junction of Balsam Fields/ Common Rd, is very dangerous, and the lorries from the Kingwell Rise Development.
Jenny Maynard on behalf of Pam Williams: 'SCC have followed up the site foreman and are satisfied with their management plan for site deliveries and advice to contractors avoids using local estate roads. If residents are continuing to experience problems I suggest encouraging them to record specific dates, times, vehicle registration or identifying company logo etc.'
Sam Skirton: The parking outside the Bank on South Street is still a problem.
PC Andrew Brown: Parking is an on going issue throughout the town, but we do have less tolerance when it comes to parking outside the bank due to the traffic disruption that it causes.
Anti social behaviour in and around the Recreation Area
PCSO Jenny Maynard: Wincanton is a priority target for ASB for the Neighbourhood Policing team. PCSO's from other areas are also patrolling Wincanton to increase our visibility.
Late evening patrols are being conducted in the troublesome areas like the rec area and the town centre, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.
Since the last PACT meeting we have issued:
4x PND's for Drinking in a 'No Drinking Zone'
4x PND's for sec. 5 Public Order, explain
Alcohol is regularly confiscated from youths, and parents are informed of what their children have been up to. We are working together with the Town Council, to try and prevent access to the upper car park in the recreation area, to scooters, to reduce the nuisance factor for residents. Since April 3x Sec.59 have been issued to local youths that have caused ASB using their scooter.
Between 12/7/2010-12/8/2010 14 reports of ASB in Wincanton, and 13 incidents were attended by the police. We need the public's help; the more people ring us and tell us what is going on, the better we are able to deal with these people that are causing distress and annoyance.
Sam Skirton: The Town Council are looking into increasing the 'No Drinking Zone' in Wincanton to aid the Police's ability to deal with the alcohol related ASB robustly. Also, we are looking at putting barriers in place in the walkway between Rickhayes and the Recreation ground, and on the pedestrian gate at the end of Cemetery Lane to prevent the scooters getting into the Red Cross car park.
Residents of the Town Centre and Cavalier Way: Expressed concerns in reference to antisocial behaviour in the Town Centre and the Recreation Area. They mentioned underage drinking/ noise/ damage being caused.
PCSO Maynard: I cannot stress enough how important it is to ring the police and report this behaviour. It really helps us in dealing with these incidents robustly and the intelligence that we receive enables us to accurately identify the correct offenders.
Update on the towns bins
Sam Skirton: The Town Council are paying for 2 rubbish bins to be put up in West Hill, and a dog bin will be put up in Snagg Lane, Thornwell Lane, and Bramble Way.
Member of public: Are you allowed dogs in the Recreation play area? Because there are dogs that are taken in, and I don't think it is very safe with young children playing.
Sam Skirton: No you are not allowed dogs in the play area, there is a sign put up every Monday to state this fact, but someone keeps pulling it down. If there are any problems with dogs in the play area, contact the Town Council.
Requests for new priorities:
1. NHW coordinator: Foliage on signs, preventing road users from seeing the information.
Sam Skirton: If you let me know the specific signs affected, I will get Highways to deal.
2. Tim Carroll: I would like to have some statistics on what offences Restorative Justice is used for and its success rates.
PC Andrew Brown: It is a very successful way of dealing with offenders and the reducing the re-offending rates significantly.
Agreed Priorities for the next meeting to remain the same:
- Improve the CCTV System for the Town
From Pam Williams - Traffic Issues: Parking/ Speeding in and around the Town Centre
From PCSO Jenny Maynard - Anti social behaviour in and around the Recreation Area
From PCSO Jenny Maynard and PC Andrew Brown
The next Wincanton PACT Meeting will be held in the Area East Meeting Room, Churchfields, Wincanton on Thursday 25th November 2010 at 7pm.
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