To receive any announcements from the Leader.
Minutes:
The Leader gave the following announcements and the latest service updates from various Council departments:
Due to a continued rise in coronavirus cases, Spelthorne has now been placed on the government’s COVID-19 watch list and is officially an ‘area of concern’. Data shows a sustained rise in coronavirus case numbers in Spelthorne that is out of step with the rest of Surrey and residents are being advised that their support is needed to prevent more serious interventions.
A leaflet has been sent to all homes in the Borough setting out Spelthorne’s response to Surrey County Council’s bid to form a single unitary authority. The leaflet includes details regarding the Extraordinary Council Meeting being held on 24 September and gives an email address for residents to share their views on the proposals.
Spelthorne is stepping up its battle against litter with the launch of the #NoRubbishExcuses campaign. The campaign focuses on streets, parks, playgrounds, the river, wildlife and roads and encourages residents to take their litter home with them.
Following concerns about anti-social behaviour, new CCTV cameras have been installed at Orchard Meadow car park in Sunbury. The camera will be monitored 24 hours a day along with cameras in Staines centre and elsewhere in the Borough.
Spelthorne Council’s continued efforts to create a cleaner, greener and more colourful borough were recognised as this year’s South & South East in Bloom Awards where we picked up four gold awards for Sunbury, Ashford and Staines Cemeteries and the ever-popular Sunbury Walled Garden.
The Council’s application for the redevelopment of a car park on Victory Close in Ashford for new affordable homes has been validated. If approved, the development will provide a total of 127 homes comprised of 5 family homes, 8 three-bedroom family flats, 78 two-bedroom flats and 36 one-bedroom flats, all with car parking and amenity spaces. Local key workers will have priority for the new homes.
The Council has been granted a High Court Final Injunction Order against Heathrow Fencing Ltd for various breaches of planning law. The case has been ongoing since 2014, when the Council first advised Heathrow Fencing that they were in breach of planning legislation by unlawfully operating a business and using land to the rear of Gleneagles Close in Stanwell without planning permission. The defendants have been ordered to clear the land within 28 days and pay the Council’s full costs of £18,796.
A consultation has been launched on extending the Council’s powers to tackle dog-related problems. The new powers would require dog owners/walkers to carry the means to collect any faeces and place dogs on a lead in a public area if required to do so by an authorised officer, and also limit the number of dogs that professional dog walkers can look after in public at any one time. The consultation closes on 1 October. In light of the ongoing threat from Covid-19, the Council has taken the difficult decision to cancel public Remembrance parades and wreath laying ceremonies due to be held across the Borough on Sunday 8 November. Plans are being put in place to ensure the occasion is suitably marked with online commemorations.
Spelthorne’s Community Centres are operating socially-distanced outdoor cafés to give members the opportunity to meet up.
Spelthorne is proud to have been awarded the Silver Award as part of the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. The award is for organisations which demonstrate support for the armed forces community and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant. Only one other local authority in Surrey (Woking) has achieved the award.
Spelthorne’s Leisure Centre reopened their doors on 1 August after four months of closure due to the UK wide lockdown. The reopening measures, including one-way systems, enhanced cleaning regimes and structured sessions have been received with great positivity from members. Numbers through the doors show that members were keen to get back in the gym, with over 8,500 fitness suite visits across both centres since the start of August. The team has also seen upwards of 250 new members joining across both venues.
Thanks to the work of the River Thames Task Group, a new jetty for passenger tour boats has been installed on the river in Staines which the Council hopes will bring more visitors to the town.
The Council is the first borough in Surrey to use Community Protection Warnings and Notices as a way of tackling fly-tipping.
Work is underway on a series of improvements to the Council’s visitors’ car park to improve safety and accessibility and provide greener travel options for staff.
Despite the challenging economic climate, the Council has collected 94% of the rents due from its commercial property tenants for the second financial quarter (July – September).
The Council honoured a number of local volunteers at this year’s Spelthorne Civic Trust Awards. The Trust recognises individuals who have given at least 12 years' service to volunteering in the Borough. Between them, this year’s award recipients have given well over 100 years of service to Spelthorne.
The Council’s new administration has undertaken a review of Spelthorne’s working groups to ensure more cross-party cooperation.