Stourbridge Township Council - The Neighbourhood Council of Stourbridge established 1979

MINUTES OF THE 378th MEETING OF STOURBRIDGE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL
HELD IN THE TOWN HALL STOURBRIDGE ON THURSDAY 9th May 2013 AT 7.15 P.M

PRESENT:
Stourbridge Township Council: Mrs E M D Scott (Chairman), Mr B S Craddock (Vice-Chairman), Mrs K C Shepherd (Clerk),
Mrs M Wakelam (Deputy-Clerk), Mr A C Dawes, Miss A Green, Mr I J Hackett, Mrs J D Hackett, Mr P J Miles, Mr R S Owen,
Mrs W E Packer, Mr D Pope, Mr P Shepherd and Ms S Turner.
Visitors: Sgt A George (Stourbridge Police), Mr M Glover, John, Cllr I Marrey, Cllr C Perks, Cllr H Rogers, Mr J Simpson and Cllr B Sykes.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION. Nothing was raised under this item.
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
From Members: Mrs E E Fellows, Mr D M Price and Mr D I West.
Also: Mrs K Dyas, Cllr C Elcock, Cllr C Hale, Mr D Harcourt, Cllr T Herbert and Ms M James MP,

POLICE MATTERS
Item A: Sgt George spoke of the ongoing crime prevention initiative concerning vehicle theft: Stourbridge LPU are working to ensure persons are keeping their vehicles secure and without items of value on display. Local police officers are patrolling streets in local residential neighbourhoods e.g. the Old Quarter, checking vehicles and alerting owners to the potential dangers by knocking on doors, leaving notes, etc. This has proved to be highly successful.
There is a Pub watch meeting on 22 May and the issue of removing glasses and bottles from premises will be raised with the bar and pub management. Following on from our April meeting - additional litter bins are being installed in High Street, Stourbridge and people encouraged to use them to deposit their rubbish. Mr P Shepherd spoke about the amount of debris left outside cafes and food outlets and asked why the premises/owners shouldn’t be held accountable for clearing away the rubbish and shouldn’t it be made a condition of the lease. Stourbridge Police have a Community Action Team whose priority is to look after and ‘police’ the town especially during night time activities will continue to monitor the situation and take action.
Item B: Mr P Shepherd raised the issue about the number of taxi’s waiting in Bell Street late at night. Due to the traffic restriction in High Street, which prevents cars and private hire vehicles from entering after 10pm, vehicles are pulling up and obstructing Bell Street and Talbot Street. Taxi marshals could be used to bring some order and ensure the area is kept safe for vehicles and pedestrians as they had been doing during the Christmas period. Sgt George said that the issue had been raised with the private hire companies to see if they will support this system by way of funding/ personnel, they would benefit from it, when dropping off and collecting fares but taxi marshals cost money. He will raise this issue at the next Taxi Watch meeting.
Mrs W Packer spoke of an incident in Wollaston where an elderly person had been followed and robbed. She is concerned that elderly or vulnerable persons might be targeted. Sgt George said he would investigate the matter further and contact her direct as well as an issue raised about damage and vandalism at Rimski’s Cafe during the night time. Sgt George said he is happy to look into any issues members wish to raise on an individual basis and can be contacted by email or phone.

CROWN CENTRE REDEVELOPMENT UPDATE FROM TESCO
The Chairman welcomed Mr Jonathan Simpson (Tesco) and Mr Mark Glover (Bowmer and Kirkland) and invited them to update members on the progress of the redevelopment.
Mr J Simpson said that the construction work will be completed Oct/Nov with the Tesco store opening mid November.
Tesco’s store is keen to support and involve the local economy and will be looking to bring in an employment access team to recruit staff (equivalent to approx 300 full time staff) starting in August - vacancies will be advertised locally through Stourbridge Jobcentre. Mr P Miles asked if people can register their interest now. This can be done online via Tesco website – details will be sent to Clerk.
The Tesco store will be open 24 hours a day and the car parking hours and charges are still under discussion with Dudley Council. It is likely that there will a short stay limit of 3 hours, although this may be varied in the evenings. Many of the Tesco stores offer free parking or charge reimbursed if a purchase is made from the store. Details will be forwarded when they have been finalised with Dudley Council.
There will be 8 individual retail units to let within the Crown Centre, which will be maintained together with the car park by a facility service management team. Both the store and facility team manager will be introduced to the Township Council when they are on site, in order to develop a two way interactive communication route with regular town users and supporters.
The pedestrian routes will be; into the High Street via Crown Square and Market Street via Smithfield. Concern was raised about pedestrian access to the Crystal Leisure Centre, in case persons might use the car ramp from the car park as a short cut to Bell Street, which would be dangerous.
Crown Lane will be made two lanes to accommodate vehicles leaving the car park and traffic from Lower High Street. The junction from Crown Lane onto the Ring Road will be controlled by traffic lights. Note: Crown Lane will be closed for construction work from 8th July to 26th July, traffic being diverted via Crown Square and Market Street. It is hoped that on completion of the Crown Centre and the opening of Tesco that it will increase the footfall and number of users to existing, as well as new, Stourbridge shops and businesses.

CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATIONS.
Mrs Scott spoke of her recent experience in Russell’s Hall hospital where she had been invited to take part in trialling a new food service provider and sampling their new menu. She reported that it was a great improvement in quality, choice, taste and it was hot! She had complained about the food she had been served in her hospital stays in 2012 which had been cold, little variety and poor service. She hoped the caterers would be approved and a contract to provide the food to all the hospital wards would be introduced soon. The Chairman also commented about the lack of communication between the wards, discharge team and ambulance drivers when organising and planning a patient’s discharge- Ambulances making separate journeys for patients living in same area, waste of time, resources and cost to the hospital.
The Chairman said she welcomed the new disabled parking bays in Market Street, indeed she had been able to park in one tonight. Many comments about the ones being trialled in Drury Lane were made and whilst any additional disabled parking provision is to be welcomed in the town, questions about the location were raised – they are quite a distance from the Town Hall – shops in the High Street, Ryemarket Square for anyone using walking aids- helps wheelchair users getting in and out of vehicles but need a dropped kerb on Market Street. The affect of the loss of 11 short stay spaces on the traders particularly in Market Street when parking is at a premium, is serious and they are unhappy they were not asked or consulted about it . Only recently converted and not advertised, so regular users are driving down Market St- having to turn round, often mounting the pavement and creating congestion in this busy narrow street. Surely it would have been better to wait until new Crown Car Park is open, their facilities taken into account and then temporary measures introduced after some discussion with the traders too.

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
The minutes of the 377th meeting of the Stourbridge Township Council held on 11th April 2013 were received as a correct record and signed by Mrs EMD Scott, Chairman.

REPORT FROM THE CLERK TO THE COUNCIL
The Clerk circulated a copy ‘STC Clerks Notes/Updates’ to all members which provides an update about ongoing issues during the month and invited comments and any questions.
Oldswinford Cross Traffic Lights installation of a right hand filter – Mr P Vangeersdaele (Dudley Council) had advised the Clerk that he would refer the item to the traffic management committee in order to carry out further enquires and consideration.

MATTERS RELATING TO PERSONAL SERVICES
At the meeting of the Friends of Mary Stevens Park on 24 April there had been a discussion about the proposals for the removal of trees and shrubs around Heath Pool. The report and numbers had been exaggerated in the local press and this had understandably fuelled local residents concerns. Due to the knowledge provided and actual information shared and discussed at the meeting a clearer picture was drawn and most residents felt reassured.

MATTERS RELATING TO TECHNICAL SERVICES
Item A: The Clerk and Mr Shepherd had reported to Dudley Council, the broken paving slabs on the footpath next to the pedestrian crossing on the Ring Road by the Crystal Leisure Centre. Slabs were damaged, raised and someone could easily have tripped. Having reported them online, via Dudley Council reporting system, they were repaired the next day. So well done Dudley Council! All members should use this system to report problems they see –it can be used for a number of issues from broken street bulbs, pot holes, overhanging trees, litter, etc. Cllr Sykes commented that Dudley Council are aware that there are a huge number of road repairs needing attention- they are being dealt with in order of merit - so accuracy (size, depth) in reporting them is important.
Item B: An email from Stourbridge Line User Group has been received asking for the support of the Township Council in a funding application to improve the entrance and approach to Stourbridge Town Railway station on Vauxhall Road. Members agreed that the approach needed maintenance work so if further improvements could be funded, it would be beneficial to the Station/ Interchange and Town – Clerk to request further details re improvements, design, etc.
The Clerk noted that a planning application has been approved to convert two shops into a restaurant on the Hagley Road in Oldswinford. The shops have been empty for several months.
Item C: Nothing was raised under this item.

FINANCIAL, CIVIC AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT MATTERS
(a) Finance; current balance £613.25.
Finance Clerk reported that the Accounts for 2012/13 had been presented and authorised by the Auditors,
Mr P J Miles and Mr R S Owen on 18 April 13. A copy of the financial statement was distributed to all members.
(b) Stourbridge Community Forum’s dates to be advised following the Dudley Council full meeting in May 13.
(c) Stourbridge Township Council will meet on Thursday 13th June and Thursday 18th July 13.
CHAIRMAN’S OTHER BUSINESS
The Chairman had no other business and closed the meeting at 9.10pm.

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