Lincolnshire County Council Cut Services to Children

According to their own Newsletter Lincolnshire County Council are cutting budgets of 20 local projects to aid children in Lincolnshire. They have asked South Kesteven District Councillors our views on their strategy.

In a bid to tackle Child Poverty, they plan to funnel resources into only a few households which are deemed to have "complex" needs. These households will have children with no working parents and it is planned to provide a co-ordinated, targeted approach to care.

The proposals can be viewed on South Kesteven District Council's Community Policy Development Group website:

http://moderngov.southkesteven.gov.uk/ieAgenda.aspx?A=2701

It seems to me that the only way to tackle Poverty is to increase income. This will be through employment or supporting benefits.

The Government cutting the benefits and an economic policy which is reducing available jobs for local families will undermine any plans of Lincolnshire County Council.

My view that it is also wrong to only  target households with "complex" needs and no workers, when so many children live in poverty within homes with one or more working parents who are struggling to get by on a minimum wage, was shared with others at our Grantham Labour Branch AGM last week.

District Councillors have been asked their views on proposals by 31 January and I have asked some key local organisations for their views before submitting a response. Your views are also welcome.

Please contact me on 01476 574748 if you would like to know more about the Consultation.

St Annes Ward Conservation Area Application Submitted

After the loss of Shirley Croft Hotel a number of us got together and agreed that a more proactive position is needed to save our local heritage. As a result of further discussions with English Heritage and the Victorian Society, and, supported by local historian Malcolm Knapp  - Grantham Conservation Society and Courtnay Finn - Grantham Civic Trust a new active Conservation Group has been set up.

Any local residents interested in actively protecting our natural and built heritage are welcome to join us. Conserving Grantham members have drafted the St Annes Ward Conservation Area Application which has been submitted to South Kesteven District Council, in our first bid to protect local landmarks and streetscenes. The bid includes the hill from the Hills and Hollow across to Somerby Hill, the Victorian housing of the industrial era in St Catherines Road, Harrowby Road, Dudley Road, Bridge End Road, London Road (parade of shops), the Universities Square block including College St and Oxford St.
The Earl of Dysart houses in Houghton Rd, Albert St and Edward St are also included.
We have included Wyndham Park and Dysart Parks and the walkway along the River Witham.

For full details of our application please feel free to contact me.
A six week public consultation period will take place once the council have reviewed the application.

Planning Applications - How to object/comment

As a member of the Development Control Committee I receive a number of requests regarding what can be done in the event that a planning application affects someone and they want to make a comment or object.

Here are some general guidelines. I will be happy to assist you should you require it. Please contact me for advice and support.

The following are considered valid material planning considerations:-

 

• design/visual impact
• privacy/loss of daylight
• noise;smell pollution
• access/traffic
• health
• ecology & landscape
• crime
• economic impact
• cumulative impact i.e. where one or more impacts create an overall impact which is not acceptable
• personal factors (rarely used)
• sustainable materials
• internal standards
• overlooking private space
• need - in some cases
• 
  

The following are  not considered material considerations

 

• the applicant - whoever they are e.g should not matter if it is the queen or dustman making the application
• land ownership - you do not need to own land to apply for planning permission
• private right e.g. access
• restrictive covenants
• property value - loss of property value is not a consideration
• competition
• loss of view
• moral issues - usually applies to licensing
• numbers of people objecting - the number is not material but what people are saying could be
• change from previous scheme

It is possible to submit your views by 

a. email directly to the planning officer in charge of the case, 

b  via the SKDC website link where you may "Search for a case"

 

http://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1640

 On this website you can view the plans for the application.

Tthere is a statement in blue

Comment on this application

This is where you may submit your comments/objections

You will receive a confirming email if a submission is made.

 

IMPORTANT: Not all Planning Applications automatically go to Development Control Committee.

Many smaller applications are decided by Planning Officers, unless any objections are received

If you raise an objection to a plan, at the Senior Planning Officers discretion, you may request that an application goes before the Development Control Committee. It is important to ensure your request is supported with relevent material planning concerns, as listed above.

 

If you do not have internet access you may write to the Planning Officer with any objections.

You may arrange a meeting to view the plans at The Guildhall, St Peters Hill, Grantham by calling the Planning Team on 01476 406080.

 

Speaking at the Meeting

If you wish to speak on the day you need to contact Development Control Committee Officer Malcolm Hall ideally at least 2 days before the meeting and preferably beforehand via email on m.hall@southkesteven.gov.uk

or call 01476 406080.

Malcolm will arrange for your speaker to be added to the agenda and the Chair notified. 

Each speaker has 3 minutes.

Once you have spoken you may be asked to leave the Council Chamber.

Supporting evidence e.g. photos of the site/powerpoint presentations may be used.

 

IMPORTANT: If the outcome of the meeting at which you speak is that the case is Deferred for further action you will NOT be able to speak again at any future meeting.

Contacting Committee Members

You may also chose to submit concerns directly to the committee members prior to the meeting as some campaigners do.

They should read/listen to your point of view but will not confirm their position unless they have chosen not to vote.

All committee members, including myself, must keep an open mind on the day looking at all evidence to avoid predetermining the case.

 

If you do want to contact committee members you can view the current members via the SKDC website.

Doing so has the advantage that your own words will be visible to them, otherwise they are summarised by the planning officer at/before the meeting in a report. 

 

I do hope this helps give you all your options. 

  

Further Help

If you need any further assistance with the planning application process please do not hesitate to contact me on 01476 574748 or email charmaine725@btinternet.com

or the Planning Team on 01476 406080.

 

Housing Benefit changes to hit single adults from January 2012

There will be significant reductions in the housing benefit available to single people aged between 18-35 years from January 2012.

The Government will only pay Shared Accommodation rate in future for people falling into this age range unless there are exceptional circumstances.

There is a real concern that many claimants are unaware of the changes and many landlords are unaware as well. The changes will force single people into shared accommodation. This is not as straightforward as it may seem. Many single people are divorced or seperated and have children. How will they manage to keep up contact with their children once forced to share their home with strangers?

This policy is ill considered and will force thousands of people to leave their home. 

The proposals are anticipated to go through the House of Commons in December 2011 and South Kesteven District Council will start implementing the changes from January 2012.

Full details of the changes can be viewed through the Department of Work and Pensions link

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/sar1.pdf

Concessions won for residents as McDonalds apply for 24/7 operation

PRESS RELEASE TO GRANTHAM JOURNAL 15 NOVEMBER 2011

Residents win concession as Grantham McDonalds plan to stay open 24/7

South Kesteven District Council Development Control Committee meeting on 15th November 2011 in the Civic Chambers granted only temporary permission for McDonalds in Bridge End Road Grantham to operate 24hrs daily after letters of objection were received from local residents, St Annes Ward Councillor Charmaine Morgan and County Councillor Adam Stokes.

Ward Councillor Charmaine Morgan, who has been listening to residents in neighbouring streets and reflecting feedback from beat constable PC Simon Wright, spoke at the Committee meeting on their behalf. She also worked with SKDC Planning Officers prior to the meeting to get a condition restricting delivery times added.

Councillor Morgan said: "There have been serious concerns raised regarding anti-social behaviour at the site from youths regularly using the McDonalds car park as a meeting point. Neighbouring residents have had to tolerate years of sleepless nights due to loud music blaring, horns sounding, shouting and screaming and engines revving  and back-firing into the early hours. The youths also dangerously race between McDonalds Car Park and the island on Houghton Road, which they  treat as a speed circuit.

Residents have also complained about rats, bad odours and the recently installed tannoy system which operates only a few yards from residents homes in South Parade.

Councillor Morgan said that she will be working closely with residents, the youths, the Environmental Health Officers, McDonalds and Police to tackle the issues on the site.

She said 'McDonalds must start to take the concerns of their neighbours seriously and act against anti-social behaviour and envrionmental issues on their site or face losing their increased operational hours. By making only a few changes McDonalds could greatly improve the quality of life for neighbouring residents. They have managed to keep litter at bay around their premises and South Parade but need to extend this to Bridge End Road.

SKDC Environmental Protection Team are urging anyone experiencing anti-social behaviour or other environmental concerns such as rats and odours to report them to the Environmental Protection Team on 01476 406080. They will work with residents to closely monitor the situation. In a worst-case scenario SKDC Environmental Protection team have the authority to shut down any take-away premises which fails to tackle anti-social behaviour of customers.

Councillor Morgan is also urging people to report issues regarding mis-use of vehicles to create anti-social noise or dangerous driving, after 11pm to the Police. She said:

The Police need to support residents more. Mis-use of vehicles to cause noise and disturbance is an offence and they can take action to confiscate the vehicles of persistent offenders. SKDC Planning process revealed Police records were poor and didn't reflect the issues residents have had. It is important to get a crime reference number from the Police who can be contacted on 999 whilst an offence is being committed out of hours.

For further info:

The attached information sheet regarding Noise is a useful reference guide to the differing laws and powers to act around this issue.

Other Useful Links

DEFRA
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/noise/

South Kesteven District Council - Environmental Health

http://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1535

How to get help with anti-social behaviour

To tackle anti-social behaviour it is really important that we all work together. 

It also helps to know your rights. For example, thanks to Heathrow Airport campaigners the European Courts have confirmed British residents have the "right to sleep".

It is the responsibility of your local authority i.e. South Kesteven District Council Environmental Health Team  to protect you from persistent noise/anti social behaviour that affect you.


There is also an overlap in responsibility with many anti-social behaviour activities also being criminal activities. All criminal activities can also be tackled by the police who have increasing powers to act in this area. This is especially applicable for anti-social behaviour involving vehicles where recent changes in the law give the police the power to confiscate vehicles after a second warning BUT the officer must catch the person in the act to deliver the warning.


What you can do


Please report all anti-social behavioural activities and crimes. 
Be persistent. 
Don't give up.
If you feel you are not being taken seriously by any authorised body - police or council officials please let me know charmaine725@btinternet.com or call me on 01476 574748.

Criminal Activity
Please report any incidents of anti-social behaviour to the Police on 101, especially where vehicles are used. Police have the power to confiscate vehicles of persistent offenders.

Serious incidents OR crimes in progress should be reported immediately on 999.

When contacting the Police, due to concerns about local Police reporting, please also notify South Kesteven District Council's Community Safety Team - Contact Sandy Cavanagh via s.cavanagh@southkesteven.gov.uk
or call 0800183 0279 

The Community Safety Team monitor progress and look for trends.

Neighbour disputes and anti-social behaviour around a business premises/take away
Neighbour disputes e.g. noise and harrassment and anti-social behavioural issues around business premises including takeaways should be reported to the Environmental Health Team - South Kesteven District Council.

They also handle other environmental issues including odours, vermin, background noise etc. 

The Environmental Protection team are available through Anne-Marie Cautauld on 01476 406080.

IMPORTANT - ALWAYS GET A REFERENCE NUMBER FOR YOUR CALL

It is important to gain a reference number upon each contact to ensure your call is properly logged. If all incidents are properly logged senior managers can identify where there are issues and provide appropriate resources to tackle the issues. 


In the case of business premises which fail to address anti-social behaviour issues relating to their premises the Environmental Health team can use records to build a case for terminating any license/permission to trade.


Latest Local News

As a result of my contact with local residents in Bridge End Road and South Parade I will be working with the Community Safety Team and PC Simon Wright to address some of the ongoing issues regarding late night "boy racers" in the area.

We continue to monitor progress tackling anti-social behavioural issues along River Walk. There is still more work to be done here too.

If you have any problems and want to know how to get help please do not hesitate to contact me on 01476 574748. 


Other Useful Links

DEFRA
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/noise/

South Kesteven District Council - Environmental Health

http://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1535

McDonalds Grantham Apply for 24 hour operation - Councillor Morgan defends local residents

McDonalds, located at the corner of  Bridge End Road and London Road, Grantham is seeking planning approval to extend existing operational hours for their drive-in and restaurant to 24 hour - 7 days a week - Planning reference S11/2432.

After contacting neighbouring residents about the proposals I discovered that a number of people have been suffering from anti-social behaviour from youths visiting the McDonalds car park late at night. 

As a result of my discussions with local residents I have decided to speak on their behalf at the Development Control Planning Meeting on 13th November opposing the plans.

This case highlights the importance of recording any incidents of anti-social behaviour to the Police on 0300 111 0300 and to South Kesteven District Council's Community Safety Team - Contact Sandy Cavanagh 0800183 0279.. 

It is important to gain a reference number upon each contact to ensure your call is properly logged.

As a result of my contact with local residents I will be working with the Community Safety Team and PC Simon Wright to address some of the ongoing issues regarding late night "boy racers" in the area.

If you have any problems in your area and want to know how to get help please do not hesitate to contact me on 01476 574748.