ASB Working Party Update 17.11.20
Published: 17 November 2020
Earlswood ASB and Traffic Issues working party update Nov 2020
PSPO- We have been advised that this is still a work in progress. Apparently, work on it is to commence in November and the intention is to have it in place by Christmas. That was dated 21 October and we have heard nothing since that date. From what we were told at the beginning, this was a “rubber stamp” job due to all the issues around Malthouse Lane and The Lakes but that doesn’t now seem to be the case.
work in progress. Apparently, work on it is to commence in November and the intention is to have it in place by Christmas. That was dated 21 October and we have heard nothing since that date. From what we were told at the beginning, this was a “rubber stamp” job due to all the issues around Malthouse Lane and The Lakes but that doesn’t now seem to be the case.
Malthouse Park – We understand that the contract for the gates has been agreed and that the PC is awaiting the contractor to start. We cannot seal off the public footpath between Malthouse Lane and the Park car park until the PSPO is in place. There is evidence that acts of ASB are still taking place in and around the car park;
The Causeway – We have a small amount of correspondence from WCC. For some reason, they seem convinced that the WP has decided that the Causeway should be closed. On that basis, they have costed a closure at somewhere in the order of £17k. We have no idea where this misinformation came from but we have subsequently written to WCC explaining that full closure of the Causeway is not an option currently and our preferred options currently would be to look at the logistics of providing ANPR operated barriers/gates on the Causeway and also to look to close the Causeway temporarily next April / May time when CRT is performing its maintenance work on the dam wall. This would keep any costs down in keep additional inconvenience to a minimum as well as giving us some meaningful data to work with.
CCTV cameras – WCC appear to be waiting for SDC to give them the specification of the new lamppost on Malthouse Lane, which was last noted on 25 September. At that notification, it was also indicated to us that SDC are considering a second camera, with a preferred location on Valley Road, covering the Causeway.
SDC contacted us on 9th November with the request to have a meeting with them.
We had two meetings with SDC on 11 November 2020 to discuss the requirements for the CCTV cameras that we believe are necessary – one at the bottom of Malthouse Lane (MHL) and one at the car park at Valley road. SDC has done quite a lot of work on our behalf regarding this and, for that, we thank them. The detail reported below is important.
Meeting #1 11/11/2020 @09.30 – 11.00
SDC had some proposals and costings for us:
We had previously been told that a temporary camera could be mounted at the bottom of MHL for 3 to 6 months at no cost to us and without planning approval. Now, we have been advised that neither of these facts are correct and that planning permission is required and we will be charged. So, a temporary camera is throwing money away.
Installing the cameras will require some form of 24/7 digital contact with the control centre in Stratford. This can be by either 4G or by BT Fibre. We have no knowledge as to the 4G reception in the two locations and this may prove to be a deciding factor in our ultimate decision.
Costs – shown for both 4G and Fibre:
Installation of a high spec zoom and tilt camera, plus a fixed camera on the pole at Valley Road (which solely observes the parking area) will have cost variances depending upon which end of the car park it is situated due to differing service installation costs. Looking from the Causeway, the costs will be:
Located at the right-hand side, the cost will be £40k£42k;
Located at the left-hand side, the cost will be £32k£34k.
Option to fibre is 4G£1,000
Camera maintenance £600
Control Room Management£1,000
Totaldepending on connection either £2,600 or £2,660 PA per camera
In summary, the capital costs of implementing our perceived requirements are from £54k to £70k for installation, with annual revenue costs of £2.7k (Fibre preferred).
SDC then advised us that they had negotiated a budget on our behalf on £18k to assist in the project. This leaves us having to find from £
We discussed this and determined that we couldn’t afford the cameras and support based on costs alone. We also questioned why we, as ratepayers, subsidised the CCTV system in Stratford, paid for in full by SDC and that, as we, uncomplainingly, receive far less value from our rates than town dwellers, we can’t get SDC to bear the capital costs of something that we deem to be absolutely necessary for our safety and protection, when we are in desperate need. The only response was that SDC is looking to cost cut everywhere.
The meeting closed with our advising SDC that we need to have meetings between ourselves to discuss the costs and politics of this situation but, on the promise that we needed to get things started quickly and would get back to them asap.
In the mid-afternoon, we were contacted again by SDC to call another meeting and we accepted
Meeting #2 11/11/2020 @16.30 – 17.30
SDC called the meeting because they had been reviewing cost, in light of what we had said during the morning meeting and had some revised costs to run past us.
They investigated using different cameras that, they indicated, provided very similar results.
Revised costs – shown for both 4G and Fibre:
Installation of a high spec zoom and tilt camera, plus a fixed camera on the pole at Valley Road (which solely observes the parking area) will have cost variances depending upon which end of the car park it is situated due to differing service installation costs. Looking from the Causeway, the costs will be:
Located at the right-hand side, the cost will be £41k£41k;
Located at the left-hand side, the cost will be £32k£34k. Note: (this is with reduced power)
Fibre line – one for each location£1,060 or
Option to fibre is 4G£1,000
Camera maintenance £600
Control Room Management£1,000
Total depending on connection either £2,600 or £2,660 PA per camera
The SDC allocated budget of £18k does not change.
CRT – We have not been in contact with CRT, apart from reporting overflowing bins and the point mentioned below. However, CC John Horner has been discussing, with Adnan Saif, the possibility of setting up a Lakes Land Trust. The WP had similar discussions with Adnan in mid-September and he promised to get back to us with proposals. He hasn’t responded yet. However, discussion withing the RA has concluded that there is little appetite for this at present and that we need to maintain pressure on CRT to perform their legal and social responsibilities to a suitable level.
General - We understand that there are a couple of fake news items being perpetrated and causing angst:
That CRT will be charging £3 for access to the Lakes – totally untrue and confirmed to be unfounded with CRT management!
That it has been decided that the Causeway will be permanently closed – completely untrue! Neither the Working Party nor the PC has made any decisions yet as the causeway review, which is still in progress is not sufficiently complete to make that decision.