Stourbridge Township Council - The Neighbourhood Council of Stourbridge established 1979

MINUTES OF THE 384th MEETING OF STOURBRIDGE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL
HELD IN THE TOWN HALL STOURBRIDGE ON THURSDAY 12th DECEMBER 2013

PRESENT: Mrs EMD 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: Mr N Barlow, Mrs S Craddock, Cllr C Elcock, Insp T Draper and Insp D Lambert (Stourbridge Police), Mrs M Miles, Mrs D Owen and Cllr C Perks.

After welcoming everyone to the Christmas meeting the Chairman asked that we hold a minutes silence in memory of Dr L Pope. She had attended our November meeting and since tragically died, following a road traffic incident.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Members: Mrs E E Fellows, Mr D M Price and Mr D I West.
Also: Mrs K Dyas, Cllr’s C Hale, T Herbert and B Sykes, Mr R Hebron, Ms M James MP for Stourbridge and Mr D Wesson.

POLICE MATTERS
Item A: Insp D Lambert announced that he is being redeployed to the role of Acting Chief Inspector for Dudley LPU. Insp T Draper will be taking over as Inspector for Stourbridge. Insp Draper introduced himself to members and gave an assurance that Stourbridge Township Council would continue to receive support from Stourbridge Police and that whenever possible an Officer would attend our meetings. The Chairman thanked Insp Lambert for his help and wished him well in his future role.
Insp Lambert reported an increase in Stourbridge crime figures of approximately 5.5% for this year, although the figures are still 25% lower than 3 years ago. The increase is in vehicle crime (theft of and from vehicles) and a spate of graffiti crime(over 40 cases of property and vehicles being defaced). Individuals have been caught and dealt with for both series of crimes and Stourbridge should now see a reduction in these areas of activity. The culprits responsible for the graffiti crime were caught due to prompt action by members of the local area, who contacted the police immediately and this resulted in their arrest.
December/ January traditionally sees an increase in Business Crime – theft from shops and also purse snatching. The Cop shop is now open in the Ryemarket and regular patrols by police and support officers are being carried out around the town. By using the retail radio link (information is immediately passed between the shops and officers) several arrests have been made.
Speed checks have been carried out on High Park Avenue and Whittington Road but no major issues were found.
Annual Christmas drink driving campaign - latest on Thorns Road, Brierley Hill- 202 vehicles were checked- no criminal offences/ actions taken. This national campaign is proving to be successful and will continue over Christmas and New Year. Persons charged with a drink driving offence are being recorded on a public list - as a further deterrent by ‘naming and shaming’ them.

Item B: Cllr Elcock asked if the police could assist with problems of anti social behaviour in Swan Pool Park and more specifically a recent arson incident in Swan Street, Wollaston, whereby trees in a garden had been set alit. Cllr Elcock asks if a meeting could be arranged with the local Neighbourhood Sergeant to discuss the problems with himself and local residents, who are getting very upset and angry by the ongoing antisocial activities. Improvements to Swan Pool Park are under consideration - adding new benches, etc but fear that it will be futile if this behaviour continues. Insp Lambert agreed to arrange a meeting to discuss the problem with the Neighbourhood Team and the possibility of setting up a regular night patrol by local police officers. Insp Lambert reiterated the value of the police working with the community in sharing and passing on information in order to to both prevent and solve criminal activities.
Mr Barlow asked if a speed check could be carried out on Vicarage Road, Wollaston. Request to be passed to the local Neighbourhood Team.

CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATIONS
Mrs Scott and Mrs Shepherd had attended a preview of the new Archive Centre in Dudley. It was very interesting and included a talk on the Portland Vase by local historian, Graham Fisher. Following the official opening is in January 2014 the Chairman suggests that we could arrange a group visit to the Archives if members were interested.
She had also attended a tour of Dudley Guest Outpatients Unit with Mrs Hackett, where local health professionals were giving talks and demonstrating various aids to assist patients both in diagnosis as well as recovery e.g. stroke victims
– equipment to strengthen leg and arm muscles.

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
The minutes of the 383rd meeting of the Stourbridge Township Council held on 14th November 2013 were received as a correct record and signed by Mrs EMD Scott, Chairman.

REPORT FROM THE CLERK TO THE COUNCIL
Mrs Shepherd had visited Mrs J Collins and passed on best wishes for a speedy recovery from the Township Council.
She was pleased to see that Stourbridge College appears to have retained its name. Following the merger with Birmingham Metropolitan College and the proposed change to Hagley Road Campus, which could be ambiguous given the length of Hagley Road in the West Midlands, the BMet Group is advertising it as Stourbridge College now - retaining and highlighting its identity and prominence with Stourbridge.
Santa Jog for Mary Stevens Hospice – best ever turnout, over 600 entrants who ran, jogged or walked around Mary Stevens Park on a lovely sunny day. Hopefully this will be reflected in the fund raising for this local worthy cause.
Suggested that Dudley Council position the Dolls House in the Children’s Library, Crown Centre, Stourbridge. Can be viewed by all of the public 7 days a week, during opening hours, attraction for children and is also visible from the Crown Centre.

MATTERS RELATING TO PERSONAL SERVICES
Following on from the talk given by Dr Pope last month regarding Urgent Care/ Closure of the Walk In Centre the Clerk distributed copies of the consultation document issued by Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group. It addresses many points raised and also contains a survey which needs to be submitted by 24 December 2013. Dudley CCG have already received over 900 responses. Clerk to send letter of comments from Township Council.
Healthwatch Dudley are also carrying out a survey, on behalf of Dudley CCG speaking to visitors at the Walk-In Centre and Russells Hall A&E over the period of 1 week, daily from 8am to 10pm. Patients are asked a number of questions including how and why they have visited either centre. There is a good response - the main reason for visiting the Walk- in centre being the inability to get an appointment with their own GP - even if patients have to wait up to 3 hours at the Walk- in centre at busy times because they know they will get advice/treatment. Some patients who felt they might need an X-Ray did go directly to A&E. Most people were happy with the service/advice they received from any of the health services (A&E, GP, Walk-in) but it is all about -accessibility.
Members had a further discussion and felt that additional funding should be used to provide more local services at GP surgeries: increase the number of appointments and availability to healthcare professionals; to make better use of the excellent facilities at new medical centres and outpatient centres as ‘walk-in centres’. In the last 12 months 50,000 used the walk in centre during the day up to 8pm, so where are they going to go? The proposed Urgent Care Centre will only be open out of GP hours. Comment about the 111 helpline is that most users are referred to A&E/Walk-in Centre – if it is to be successful, then it must be manned by health professionals.
To locate an Urgent Care Centre at Russell’s Hall Hospital will not only put added pressure on A&E exisiting urgent care facilities) but also exacerbate the already dire parking problems (see previous minutes). Discussion followed about other modes of transport including the regular and convenient bus service, may well be suitable for visitors and outpatients, less so for ill or needing urgent care other members used local taxi firms but commented on the varying hire charges.

MATTERS RELATING TO TECHNICAL SERVICES
Item A: Traffic Lights at The Cross, Oldswinford – response received from Mr P Vangeersdaele stating that the traffic lights were updated in 2012, to use a vehicle detection method rather than set timings. If more time was given to traffic turning right from Field Lane or Glasshouse Hill it would be to the detriment of Hagley Road traffic, which is a major route and already has delays at peak times. Mr Hackett commented that vehicles continue to cross from Glasshouse Hill to Field Lane when the lights have changed to red, so cars turning right from Field Lane are left in the centre of the junction -do not feel safe to turn until they can see the cars have ‘stopped’- this delays the flow of traffic further and is dangerous. There was an accident as a result of this 2 weeks ago, fortunately no one was injured but the road was closed for a short time causing chaos. Mr R Owen observed that there is a CCTV camera at the junction – its use or purpose is unknown – could it be used to record movement of the traffic or individual vehicles? Clerk to make enquiries.
Item B: Tesco signage – Clerk had noted that signage to the Tesco entrance from Market Street directed customers down the travelator to the car park! The Crown Centre Car Park is proving popular with everyone - easily accessible and well lit. A concern raised by the Clerk is the two way traffic lanes all around the car park. The lanes are narrow and it is difficult for vehicle reversing out of a parking space when approached by cars in both directions, signage is also confusing. A suggestion would be have the main traffic isles from ‘In to Out’, which takes you from the upper to lower floor, as one way to keep the flow of traffic moving and the side isles as two way only. Comments were also made about the bollard at the entrance to the lower floor which has already been ‘hit’ several times and also the smell of exhaust fumes when the car park is busy.
Mrs W Packer reported that a disused building in Market Street (previously the Bon Appetit) appears to be subsiding, with cracks appearing to the front of the building and could be potentially dangerous. It may well have an effect on the adjoining building, where the upper floors appear to be in use. Clerk asked for photographic details which could be used to make further enquiries.

CHAIRMAN’S OTHER BUSINESS
The Chairman thanked everyone for attending and invited them to stay and enjoy an informal buffet to celebrate Christmas. The meeting was closed at 8.35pm.

Previous meeting minutes