Agenda and minutes

Present: Cllr Oldham (CO, Co-Chair), Roger Rumsey (RR, Co-Chair),  Ann Timson (AT Independent), Alice Morgan (AM, NBC), Jacqueline Forrest- Smith (JFS, Independent), Madeline Boyes (MB, Independent), Mike Hill (MH, Independent), Tony Mallard (TM, Independent), Brian Nichols (BN, Independent), John Rawlings (JR, Independent), Andy Leighton (AL, Highways), Jeanette Pidgen (JP, Nene CCG), David Hewitt (DH, Independent), Patricia Haslem (PH, Armend Forces Covenant), Nisha Mejer (NM, NBC), Julie King (JK Planning NBC), Tomomi Negoro (TN, Planning NBC)

Apologies: Maureen Hill, Malcolm Hill, Veronica Male and Christina Owusu- Akuffo

Minutes recorded as true record.

Matters Arising:  

AM: Digital Eagles IT Sessions are bi weekly on Mondays starting 26th September at the One Stop Shop.  Can also organise our own session if the forum wishes to.

TM: Page 4 Item 5 – The Dementia Services has closed at Drayton Walk, Kingsthorpe. Approx 20 people effected.

ACTION: JP will approach Gabriela about this and feedback to the forum at the next meeting.

RR: In Manchester there is pilot scheme where all organisations have to work together.

JP: There are limited finances and all organisations must work together and work smarter.

ACTION:  NM/AM to invite Cabinet Member to talk about this issue.  

RR congratulated for doing an excellent job as Co-Chair.

DH nominated RR and AT seconded RR to stand as Co-Chair for the next year.

AM: In the interest of fairness - email will be sent out asking forum members to stand as Chair.  The deadline is 18th November.  An election will be held at the next meeting if more than one person stands.

Northamptonshire Highways work in partnership with Keir WSP to help maintain highways, traffic lights footpaths amongst other assets.

The budget has declined by 17% over 4 years. 

Cllr O: Your colleague Debbie Taylor Bond gave criteria for repairing Highways. There is a difference between roads and footpaths. It is difficult to obtain the depth of footpath hole. 

AL: Any instances will be looked at.

BN: I reported a street which had pot holes. This was repaired with a service dressing. This was not done satisfactorily. Water has been collected and excessive stones were not collected. Nothing has happened to resolve this. The road service has to be addressed before the dressing.

AL: Service dressing is not popular but cost effective. Roads become waterproof and are 4 times cheaper.

DH: Invited AL to Poets Corner to look at the repairs. Quality repairs are not done and contractors are not monitored.

ACTION: AL to visit Poets Corner.

TM: Some potholes in Spinney Hill have been repaired and others have been left. Why not to repair them together?

AL: The contractors decide which potholes get repaired.

JR: Are the repairs at the Tesco roundabout in Mereway completed?

AL: Not yet. There is an issue with the contractor and will be completed next Half Term school holidays.

Cllr O: Some work is marked. What do the markings mean?

AL: Could be a utility company. White or yellow markings may mean an emergency response is required.

Cllr O: We have a 21st century drainage system feeding into a Victorian system. Is there criteria for hollows?

AL: If inspector deemed as emergency will deal with this. Issues are to be reported to the Street Doctor.

DH: Do the County Council deal with weeds?

AL:  Grass cuttings and hedges are responsibility of CC. Weeds is responsibility of NBC.

Cllr O: Very confusing as to who is responsible for what.

RR: Do Councillors inspect contractors personally?

AL: Small number of staff monitors contractors.

DH: It depends on how contracts are written. These issues need to be included in the contracts. The contract states that roads have to be cleaned to the standard of Environment Protection Act. The roads are not cleaned to these standards then I will get a Court Order from Magistrates Court to enforce this.

MH: Poets Corner was built originally to allow 7 tonnes of weight. However, much more than that is going over the roads now. The White Elephant Junction is in a terrible state.

AL: This will be looked into. Some vehicles can legally ignore weight restrictions. 

MH: Who deals with lights? There are some black spots in various areas.

AL: Alpha Beatty. Money saving exercise was enforced and 40 mph roads are not required to have lights.

PH showed a video portraying the experiences of veterans and family members. The issue of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was highlighted which is suffered by many. Veterans suffer from horrific trauma.  There are services that support PTSD e.g. Military charities. It is envisaged that 1 veteran per week commits suicide. Veterans and families need to be steered to relevant bodies.

It should be stated on doctor records that the patient is a veteran. This will enable the Dr to look out for signs for PTSD. When discharged veterans should have a full medical report.

Referrals are high for veterans who have fought in Afghanistan, Iraq and N Ireland.

Cllr O: Do veterans receive get Housing Priority?

PH:  The Housing rule is waived and a veteran does not need to live in Northampton for a certain number of years to receive a house. However there is still a point system.  There are veterans who are homeless and need support.

MH: Organisations don’t like to pay compensation. Soldiers are getting sued and there is no protection for them.

PH: This is being reviewed.

ACTION: Proposal to write to both MPS about this issue. 

JP: PH has been nominated for Health Service Journal Award in recognition for her hard work. The forum congratulated PH for her dedication to this cause.

Not discussed.

JULIE KING – LOCAL PLAN

The consultation on the Local Plan starts on Wednesday 21 September and runs for 6 weeks until Wednesday 02 November 2016. 

•           The Council is preparing a new Local Plan for Northampton

•           The Local Plan is a statutory document, must be up to date, guides planning application decisions

•           Local Plan sets out: what is intended to happen in the area, where and when, and how it will be delivered

ACTION: NM to send plan out on email. Paper documents available on request.

ACTION: Forum invited to comment.

Hate Crime Week is 8-15th October starting with NBC Inter Forum afternoon tea. The object is to help recruit Hate Crime champions and to discuss Hate Crime.

All forum members invited.

ACTION: NM to invite Northampton Partnership Homes and Cabinet Member for Adult Services.

Patient Charter

PCC

Cllr Bottwood attending next meeting.

Not discussed.

November 24^th 2016. The Guildhall.  2-4pm

November 24th 2 – 4pm.