Meetings
Tim is currently planning to attend this meeting if it is a virtual one and he receives an invite, his normal health issues and the Coronavirus permitting.
Coronavirus – In summary, please take care, keep safe and stay home.
Parish Council Meetings Rota – It would be brilliant if a Rota could be approved and shared. Elstow Parish Council is the only official body I’m involved with, that I haven’t received a Rota for with booked meetings until at least May 2021.
Ward-wide Issues
On-Line Advice Surgeries – As Tim can’t do his normal Street Surgeries on the streets like he usually does, he has set up an on-line Advice Surgery every other week using Facebook and Zoom. The next one is at 11.30am-12pm on Saturday 27th June. The details are on the Events List on Tim’s Facebook Group at: https://www.facebook.com/ElstowandStewartbyLD/
Parish Issues
Since his last Parish Council Report, Tim has amongst other local issues progressed the following raised by residents, sometimes with the valued help and support of the Parish Council:
Anti-Social Behaviour in one HMO on the Abbey Fields estate – Residents on the Abbey Fields estate had raised their concerns with Tim about one HMO (House of Multiple Occupation) in Bayham Close. Tim is working hard to address residents’ concerns and see what can be done to address the ASB (Anti-Social Behaviour) of the people living in the property. The nearby residents advised Tim that the HMO was recently bought by a person who has populated it with ex-offenders, referred to her by the Probation Service. Tim checked this with a Borough Officer, and it has been confirmed the Probation Service has had no dealings with the owner of this property. It was originally a 5-bedroom property but has 7 individuals living in it. The nearby residents advised Tim of several recent incidents which led to emergency services vehicles being called out to the property. Tim has encouraged residents to log objections with the HMO Licencing Team at Borough Hall. He has also found that there may be a restrictive covenant on the property that means it can only be a family home. That can only be addressed by the residents taking legal advice. He has also worked with a resident to have a formal complaint lodged against the possible granting of an HMO Licence for no.8. He is also working with the Borough Council’s ASB Officer and residents on collating evidence of the ASB at the property, so the Council’s ASB Officer can take effective action.
Speeding on Elstow’s roads – Residents have raised their concerns with Tim about the speeding vehicles along the A6, on Progress Way and on Abbey Fields. Tim has advised these residents that the local Community Police Sergeant has assured him, some Speed Gun exercises will be done along these roads over the next few weeks to catch the idiots driving far too fast. All those caught will be prosecuted.
Replacement of very old wiring system at Moot Hall – Tim, along with several residents, had been pressing the Borough Council to fund work to completely replace the wiring system in the building. Some of it is over 70 years old! Tim has received confirmation that the budget has been made available by the Estates Management Team to rewire the building. This work will be programmed to start in October of this year.
Wilstead Road Average Speed Cameras – Unsurprisingly, the Average Speed Cameras for Wilstead Road, Elstow have been delayed. They were programmed for March 2020. The Coronavirus lockdown has meant the 2020-21 programme has been put on hold. The manufacturer of the speed cameras and the installation contractor have both shut down for the lockdown.