Council Watcher

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  • in reply to: Wrexham's Poorest Criminalised – Beggar Belief #149095

    Council Watcher
    Participant

    This really is an intolerable situation which is not unique to Wrexham -here is the response to the same issue from another Council- one solution Fixed Penalty Notices – come on Kingdom you are being paid to deal with litter – without going into the technicality but what is left in doorways must fall into the same category

    Urinating and defecating in the street
    Reported in the Public toilet category anonymously at 16:13, Thu 19 February 2015

    Sent to Hammersmith And Fulham 2 minutes later

    This section of Galena Road is effectively a cobbled alley-way and every day people visit this section of the road to most often urinate in it or, as has happened twice more recently, defecate in broad daylight in public. The most recent occasion this actually happened next to my car in a private car parking space. It is like living a third world country and something should be done to either educate, prosecute or stop this type of unacceptable behaviour. I understood it was against the law so why are the CCTV cameras present in our street not used, or better signage put up to stop people using our environment as a public toilet?

    Dear Ms. Campbell,

    Thank you for your report regarding Galena Road. The following information relates to your query.

    Urinating and defecating in public are not offences in themselves. Clearly if perpetrators expose themselves, are belligerent and abusive or drunk and incapable they may fall foul of existing legislation and be dealt with accordingly by a police officer at the time. If you witness any such further behaviour, please do call the police on 101 or the LBHF Cleaner Greener line on 020 8753 1100 to report the need for street cleansing. Some Councils (e.g. Westminster City Council) have existing bylaws prohibiting this behaviour – Hammersmith and Fulham does not, but we are currently considering using a new piece of legislation available to us in the form of a Public Space Protection Order which could state that such behaviour was prohibited. There is currently some consultation being carried out in Shepherds Bush Green ward, and it may be rolled out to other areas of the borough in due course. If this is decided for Galena Road, then signs would be put up in the area to advise people, and enforcement officers would then be able to issue Fixed Penalty Notices of £100 for a breach of this order.

    LBHF does have CCTV cameras that monitors the area in and around Galena Road, but operators cannot see directly into the area where you park your car. If an offence occurs, we are more than happy to give access to the footage to officers such as the local police or Street Scene Enforcement it they think that it would be useful in their investigations, should offences dealt with by them be reported. The CCTV operators are on duty 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week and can utilise the cameras as soon as they are advised of an issue, either through the police taking a relevant call, or through a tasking to monitor a specific area at peak times. We are also able to look back at footage retrospectively for a period of one month to assist investigations or to gather evidence.

    I am aware that you have also submitted a recent MP enquiry on these issues, and a full response has also been sent back to Mr Slaughter covering all the matters raised. If you would like any further information, please feel free to call the Community Safety Unit on 020 8753 2816.

    Regards

    Chris Reynolds Community Safety Manager Community Safety Unit Safer Neighbourhoods’ Division Environment, Leisure and Residents’ Services Ext: 2459 Mob: 07901 660 776

    in reply to: Wrexham's Poorest Criminalised – Beggar Belief #148927

    Council Watcher
    Participant

    A Lottery win and an escape from Wrexham may be a solution for you to the local issue but tell us which town or city are you going to move to that does not have the issue of street beggars- this has become as common these days as it was in Victorian Britain. In Victorian times they developed the workhouse to clear the streets – is that what we need to go back to- I’m sure not.

    There are two clear issues re the beggers that need to be addressed 1) What services do you have in place to support these people off the street into a substance-free lifestyle (not all beggers are substance users through) suitable accommodation and training and a job. If you actually talk to many of the beggars that is something they would aspire to. the 2nd point to address is what are the causes of someone ending up on the street and is there anything that can be done to stop it happening again. Without the root causes being tackled beggers and street drug use will remain.

    in reply to: Litter Patrol Chased off Anglesey – Kingdom Come? #148926

    Council Watcher
    Participant

    Bubble fully agree – but part of the issue is the insensitive and heavy-handed way in which KIngdom will pounce on someone for a supermarket receipt that blows out of a trolley or a sweet wrapper that blows from a car as a door is opened.

    Common sense is not in the mindset of Kingdom as they are totally driven by profits

    in reply to: Guildhall Car Park #148925

    Council Watcher
    Participant

    All that this BBC story is saying that South Wales is catching up with Wrexham- the Maelor has had free car parking for about 3 years and was one of the early adopters.

    in reply to: Ty Pawb – success #148924

    Council Watcher
    Participant

    Marmoset– few facts that you could check with the Council
    Advisory Group — a number of applications were submitted but the Council have not selected a number of the people who put themselves forward and they have failed to create an Advisory Group. The Council have not readvertised or changed the voluntary job roles.

    Volunteers- there has been no promotion of any volunteering opportunities at TY Pawb.

    Businesses- the Council are having to reduce the rent and offer rebates to stall holders based on non-completion of the building works and lack of projected footfall.

    Other Markets – Traders in the other markets are currently talking between each other about their own future if the all markets income ends up going to subsidise Ty Pawb as the Council create a combined markets budgeting strategy to cover maintenence and marketing.

    Negativity – on the basis that the thread has more negativity than positivity — is that because there are no keyboard warriors that actually support TY Pawb. If this is not the case then why aren’t more people putting out a positive message. Why have the Council not put out statements about incorrect information? The Council at present are totally absent from any forms of media to promote Ty Paweb — is it because they accept they have nothing positive to say.

    We all need to give new things time to bed in but when £4.5 million of funds are invested in a project without a structured management and promotional plan in place from day one then how can anyone see this as being credible with a life beyond the first 12 months (without a massive subsidy from the population of Wrexham through their rates).


    Council Watcher
    Participant

    Interesting that the officer who has dared to write a section in the Strategy that criticises the Council Executive Board about not having allocated funds available as a match for large funding bid. It is clearly a factual statement but it has actually gone against the Executive Board who actually cut the budget to zero.
    It is quite surprising that the Council, on one hand, talk about the economic benefits of tourism in the area yet don’t have the budget to attract tourist — “Oh silly me I forgot Ty Pawb is now mopping up any funding that will be designated for Arts, Tourism and any other slush pots that the Council can generate.”

    in reply to: Ty Pawb – success #148664

    Council Watcher
    Participant

    Anybody know if anything is on at Ty Pawb today – Twitter says it is open 10.00am – 4.00pm but nothing ‘extra’ seems to be going on?
    If anything is on can you share the details..

    in reply to: Ty Pawb – success #148659

    Council Watcher
    Participant

    Unless I’m mistaken I don’t think Ty Pawb is open on Sundays – so no matter what the weather they are missing out. The two attractions that will keep people hanging around an area when we have the hot weather like this weekend will be somewhere to sit outside, a river/lake/ pond/grass area- none of which appear at Ty Pawb.

    The only thing Ty Pawb has to offer in hot weather is a place to cool down! or of course someone could just go and sit under a tree!!

    in reply to: Ty Pawb – success #148656

    Council Watcher
    Participant

    Rooftop garden and cinema screen scraped at an early stage due to cost and limited nice weather!

    in reply to: Independent OR ? #148632

    Council Watcher
    Participant

    You only need to see the body language at some meetings to realise that the two Independent Group Leaders personally apper to retract from each other like the poles of a magnet. Cllrs Pritchard and Bithell are known to have their personal power spates.
    Two Groups equals two Leaders and two Deputies — it is a way of making sure that more Cllrs get roles.
    There may be an Executive that always (except for the recent Bill Baldwin opt-out) vote the same but to get to this point often has a lot of behind closed door meetings between the two Leaders

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