Agenda and minutes

Venue: Beckenham Library, Beckenham, BR3 4PE

Contact: Stephen Wood  020 8313 4316

Items
No. Item

135.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received from Gail Low from Guide Dogs to the Blind.

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Helen McConnell--Business Liaison Officer,

FM Conway. Apologies were also received from Janice Pilgrim, David Wood, Gail Low, Martin Pinnell and Councillor Michael Rutherford.

 

136.

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING HELD ON 20TH APRIL 2017 pdf icon PDF 188 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 20th April 2017 were agreed as a correct record.

137.

MATTERS ARISING pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

CSD 17087

 

The Group was disappointed to note that monthly ratified air pollution data was not available. The Air Quality Annual Status report was noted, but due to the highly technical nature of the report, it was difficult to understand.

 

Members noted the update on the seat that was due to be located outside the taxi office at Beckenham Junction Station. The update stated that negotiations with Network Rail were ongoing. The Chairman enquired if a deadline was being worked to. The Group was shocked to hear that Network Rail had asked for a £10k bond before they would agree to talk to the Council. The Chairman felt that it was very important that a deadline was being worked to, and Mr Terence Stanley suggested that LBB should publicise Network Rail’s unreasonable demand.

 

Issues concerning the paving laid at Beckenham Junction would be addressed in the Major Scheme update.

 

Regarding the matters that had arisen concerning yellow lines and off street parking, the Group highlighted areas where parking on yellow lines had not been penalised with enforcement activity. They asked if the parking restrictions regarding yellow lines could be enforced.  The Chairman asked if the residents affected should contact the parking enforcement contractors. It was noted that illicit parking issues could be reported on ‘Fix My Street’, but it was the view that this would take too long to be effective in these instances.

 

Mr Warner commented that the Police could move vehicles in certain circumstances. They could enter and move a vehicle to a place where it would not be a traffic hazard, or order a person to move it, or authorise a tow-truck operator to move it, if they believed on reasonable grounds that the vehicle was obstructing the road or an entrance; or that a vehicle was a safety risk or inconveniencing the public.

 

Marsha Berg highlighted parking problems and anomalies in the vicinity of Manor Way and the Beacon.

 

The Group noted the update from the Environment Portfolio Holder that Controlled Parking Reviews had taken place across the wider Beckenham area in recent years, and resultantly, no further reviews were planned for the near future. Chloe- Jane Ross was disappointed that reviews had taken place without wider consultation. Marie Pender made the observation that parking bays in certain areas were not being used, and this was an inefficient use of road space.

 

The Chairman asked Mr Warner if the working group’s request for a new review had been turned down on the basis of cost. He also asked what consultation process had taken place previously, and if the public and local businesses had been involved. The Chairman suggested that local businesses could conduct their own review, and then submit the findings to the Environment Portfolio Holder. Ms Jean Appleton MBE commented that local taxis were afraid to drop people off for fear of being penalised.

 

Councillor Wells supported the idea of local businesses conducting a privately funded parking review report, and suggested that this could commence  ...  view the full minutes text for item 137.

138.

MAJOR SCHEME UPDATE

Minutes:

Mr Warner informed the Group that the Major Scheme work was still on course to be completed by 25th August 2018. The deployment of the planters at Beckenham Green had been hampered by unexpectedly extensive tree roots. A new delivery of granite paving was expected by the end of August 2017. Despite the problem that the wrong granite had been provided, Phase 1 of the project would still be completed on time and within budget.

 

The Town Centre Manager informed that there was going to be a market on Beckenham Green on July 8th, and that Helen McConnell (FM Conway) had a list of all planned events. The last Summer event was scheduled for 23rd September. Councillor Wells asked for assurances that the timing of the Christmas break would be confirmed. Mr Warner assured that the work would be stopped on 30th November, and that the one way system would be suspended from then until the middle of January. The FM Conway compound would not be removed.

 

Members pointed out that there were certain areas in Beckenham where they felt that the crossover gradients were too steep for wheelchair users:

 

·  Adjacent to Marks and Spencer’s

·  Outside Lloyds Bank

·  Outside ‘Creases’

·  Outside Hak's Barbers.

 

These steep gradients would disappear when the carriageway was re-laid later in the major works programme.

 

Mr Munnelly stated that the granite supplied and initially used at Beckenham Junction was lighter coloured and got dirtier more quickly than expected. There had been an issue with the supplier and the Project Board had been seeking a solution. Mr Ray Milner (FM Conway) stated that they had been supplied with an incorrect ‘G’ number and consequently the granite was too light in colour. The wrong granite had been purchased and laid. The correct granite had now been ordered. This would be used for the next two junctions and a decision regarding Beckenham Junction would be made at the end of the scheme.

 

Mr Munnelly mentioned that a budget existed for cleaning the granite areas, and that enhanced cleaning would be completed soon. He also mentioned that a new cleaning regime would be implemented from 2018. Mr Goy stated that jet washing was not working. Mr Munnelly admitted that standard jet washing had been unsuccessful, but the Cleaning Team was looking into the matter. Mr Goy expressed the view that the granite was of poor quality, and looked dirty and stained. He advocated the use of red brindle bricks throughout the scheme.

 

Mr Munnelly stated that changes to the cleaning regime were key. Mr Goy asked what other solutions could be found apart from jet washing, and a member asked if deep steam cleaning was possible. A member of the public requested that cleaning not be undertaken during the night time because of noise.  Councillor Wells clarified that the jet washing that he had observed was carried out without the use of a detergent. 

139.

BUS ROUTE DIVERSIONS - UPDATE FROM TfL

An update will be provided by Stephen Hosking from London buses.

Minutes:

The Bus Route Diversion update was provided by Stephen Hosking from TfL Buses. Mr Hosking disseminated a leaflet that explained the current diversions. Ms Appleton referenced a bus stop that looked as if it was not in use, but was still picking up passengers. Mr Hosking explained that normally a yellow board would be located over the bus stop sign if it was not in use.

 

Mr Goy asked if a ‘tube lines style’ diagrammatical leaflet was available to show the bus diversion routes. Mr Hosking stated that, in his opinion, this was not needed as experience had shown that customers just required a simple instruction to tell them where to go to get the bus of their choice. The Group was informed that over the Christmas period the plan was to suspend bus diversions. The diversions would end on 30th November at 4.30pm and return to the usual routing until mid-January.

 

The Group heard that limited funding was available for bus count-down units, but they would be kept maintained at existing locations.

 

Sarah Niblock raised the following issues concerning the new bus stop G opposite the tram terminus:

 

  Damage to adjacent fences and the accumulation of rubbish

  Lack of bins to deposit rubbish in

  The rubbish seemed to be coming from passengers of the 54 bus

  An extra bin was needed

 

A new pedestrian refuge island was planned for Rectory Road. Mr Goy reported that a car had collided with the existing island, a tree and then two houses; he suggested that the island not be sited immediately adjacent to a bus ‘cage’ thereby creating an overtaking hazard. It was agreed that bus drivers would be told not to idle their buses outside of people’s houses on Rectory Road.

 

If anyone required any further information concerning bus diversions, Mr Hosking can be contacted at the following email address:

 

 StephenHosking@tfl.gov.uk

 

RESOLVED that:

 

(1) Bus drivers be instructed not to idle their buses in Rectory Road

 

(2) TfL to supply any relevant updates at the appropriate time.

 

(3) An additional litter bin be requested from LBB Environmental Services to be located at bus stop G.

 

140.

UPDATE ON PUBLIC NOTICE BOARDS

Minutes:

The Town Centre Manager informed the Group that three public notice boards existed, which were each primarily managed by a residents’ association. Some Group members expressed the view that other community groups such as the Business Association should also have a key. A member asked who was responsible for cleaning and maintaining the Boards. Some expressed the view that the boards were too high to be cleaned by volunteers, and that they were unwieldy to open.  One in particular had been installed upside-down and let in rainwater. The Town Centre Manager stated that she would like to replace the existing boards if a budget was available.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Renewal and Recreation (Councillor Peter Morgan) suggested that enquiries be made to find out the cost of new boards. It was also suggested that the Town Centre Manager control all of the keys. Councillor Wells suggested a move to digital display boards, with the added possibility of revenue generation from advertising space. Mr Goy stated a comparable e-noticeboard in Penge Library was too fleeting to read detailed notices which were only displayed singly-- followed by a long delay to be repeated. He considered them to be worse than standard noticeboards.

 

 

RESOLVED that the Town Centre Manager present a report which investigated the possibility of moving to digital display boards.

 

  

141.

UPDATE ON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Minutes:

It was noted that £6530 was available to fund the Christmas Lights.

 

The contractor would now be booked and an update would be provided at the next meeting.

 

RESOLVED that an update on the Christmas Lights be provided at the next meeting.

142.

TOWN TEAM UPDATE

Minutes:

Ms Chloe Jane-Ross informed that the Town Team recently held their AGM. A bid was being made to the Mayor’s fund to contribute towards the Bowie memorial. The total amount of funding required was £33k.

143.

UPDATE ON BECKENHAM GREEN CANOPY

Minutes:

The Group heard that the dedicated LBB officer for the project was Sylvia Ramos. The LBB budget was £30k. Officers had taken on board the need for a design led approach within budget.  Sylvia was currently working on the project with assistance from Senior Planning Officer Stephen Oliver. A brief was currently being worked on and once this was finalised a small project task and finish group would be set up to progress the work, and this would involve some of the members of the Group that had architectural experience.  

144.

RAISING OF THE PURPLE FLAG CEREMONY

Minutes:

Councillor Wells praised the hard work undertaken to date by Mr Paul Lehane (Head of Food Safety, Occupational Safety and Licensing) that had contributed to the attainment of the Purple Flag for Beckenham, and also for his work in leading the application for renewal for a further year, which had been submitted to the ATCM (Association of Town and City Management) this month.  Cllr Wells stated that he would expect further work on the Purple Flag project to be carried on by Lorraine McQuillan (Town Centre Manager).

145.

RECTORY ROAD-PEDESTRIAN REFUGE AND NEW MINI ROUNDABOUT

Minutes:

An update on this will be received at the next meeting.  

146.

LICENSING HOURS

Minutes:

Councillor Wells commented that the night time economy was vibrant, and that the cumulative impact policy was working well. 

 

He made reference to the licensing sub-committee meeting scheduled for 27th July, when Langtry’s/Bridge Bar application for an extension to 04.00 am would be considered, and that 210 High St Beckenham had also applied to vary their licence and this would be heard on 10th August. The existing licence for 210 High St. was suspended for 2 months following the previous Review Hearing until 12 August. 

147.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS-PREVIOUSLY NOTIFIED

Minutes:

No other business was discussed.

148.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The date of the next meeting will be decided on the evening.

Minutes:

The date of the next meeting was confirmed as September 21st 2017, 7.30pm at Beckenham Library.