Agenda item

• Mildenhall to Lerwick Drive
• Shaggy Calf Lane to Borderside (Esther Deacon)
• Salt Hill Park Tunnel

Mildenhall to Lerwick Drive

JW advised that Vinay Vyas was unable to attend the meeting and it was agreed that Esther Deacon, Community Safety Project Officer, would circulate and update report to Forum members via Jacqui Wheeler. 

Shaggy Calf Lane to Borderside

Esther Deacon, Community Safety Project Officer, SBC, provided the LAF with an update on the Shaggy Calf Lane Gating Order. She advised that residents living adjacent to the alleyway and in Grasmere Avenue, were placing pressure on the Council to close the alleyway. There had been incidents of criminal damage to properties and anti social behaviour in the area.  In September a woman with a child and a pushchair was attacked by a group of 4 people.

The Officer advised that it was proposed a consultation should be carried out with residents of Shaggy Calf Lane, Borderside and Kendal Drive, to gauge their opinion.

In the ensuing debate, Forum Members raised a number of comments/ questions as follows:

·  Several Members did not feel that closing the alleyway was the solution to the problem.

·  A Member felt that the questionnaires used in the consultation  process were not compiled properly and should not provide a ‘shopping list’ of tick boxes.

·  A Member asked whether the police had submitted crime reports and was advised that this was the case.

·  A Member argued that it was not appropriate to close every alley where there had been an incident.  Crime figures were needed for all alleyways to compare different locations and it was felt that the crime may not have happened purely because of the alleyway location. He pointed out that numerous crimes happened in open locations in the Borough and the closing of the alleyway for this reason was not justified.

The Officer advised that the consultation would be carried out at the end of January. JW confirmed that a Gating Order would be required to close this alleyway as it was a public highway.

Agreed-

a)  That the Forum note the current position.

b)  That a copy of the consultation document be forwarded to the LAF for information (via JW).

Salt Hill Park Tunnel

JW advised that the Salt Hill Tunnel ran from Baylis Road, through to Salt Hill Park and was not in a residential area.  It had been suggested that the tunnel should be closed and gated in hours of darkness for reasons of safety.  The Forum was advised that a bid had been made for the park to achieve green flag status. 

Agreed-   That the current position be noted and that an update report be brought to the next meeting.