Agenda item

Following scrutiny, an amendment was put forward. The amended recommendation as set out below was supported to Cabinet.

 

Endorse the proposal to carry out an official pilot to not restrict pedestrian access to the parks and gardens listed in Appendix A for a period of 4 months commencing 1st December 2024, the outcome of the pilot to be reported back and include Public engagement.

Officers made members aware of an error within the financial impacts section of the report, explaining that the cost associated with the installation of bollards to stop vehicle access is £2076 not £1000.

 

Officers explained that if the pilot is supported by members, consultation with the Community Safety Project Board will be undertaken during the trial period to identify if there is any disorder impacts associated with the pilot.

Officers explained that additionally, within the two to three-week period before the trial starts in December, consultation will be done with the stakeholders of parks and gardens such as Friends of Jersey Park.

Members were concerned the report states that officers may have to engage partners around sex workers and drug abuse. They felt this gives the impression that the council is anticipating that these problems could be an issue in the future if the parks are left open with limited lighting and they could become places where people will congregate late at night.

Officers advised that one individual undertakes this task daily, but due to a lack of resource because of sickness, there has already been an unofficial trial of not closing the parks. Members were advised that officers arrange overtime where they can but sometimes it's not always forthcoming.

Members were advised that through their work with the police and the local PCSO’s there hasn't been any information around sex work coming back. Officers feel that the focus has been more on anti-social behaviour. The council has a duty around crime and disorder and the risk associated with that and that is why they have identified it in the report.

Officers will work closely with the Community Safety team to identify potential issues that could arise, but officers aren’t anticipating these to become issues.

Officers stated that they will speak to the Community Safety Team and intend to present at the community safety project board on the 5th of December to tell the other external agencies about the details of the pilot. Officers also explained that towards the end of the trial, there is a project board meeting on the 11th of March, which they want to attend to ask for feedback and identify if there are any impacts associated with the changes. Officers also wish to put an onus on the other external agencies to think about any measures that they could bring forward to mitigate any impacts. Officers will then bring that back in a further report for members to consider.

Members asked about the cost of the installation of the bollards and asked if officers have any indication of how many bollards this funding will cover and how many could possibly be installed at each location? Members gave the example of Tollgate park where they have 3 gates that are left open that could accommodate vehicle access and asked if all three would have a bollard.

Officers advised that there are 12 bollards across the parks needed in total. Officers explained that the price of £170 feet pound each and council staff would go and install them which reduces the cost. Officers can give the exact figures to members.

Members noted that the Gnoll Park gates haven't been shut for approximately 5-6, seven years and although there are some problems there, there aren’t major ones. Members felt that there wasn’t a need to keep the gates shut in the night as if people can get into parks anyway, they would do that with or without the gates.

 

Officers noted that the Gnoll isn’t included in the proposal as it is too porous and there was no way to stop people getting in it out of hours. Officers advised that locking the parks is a way to try stop people getting into the parks out of hours but there are serious difficulties when it comes to the staff who undertake this role and because of the budget available.

Officers advised that there have been numerous occasions where the staff haven't locked them because people or groups have been still in the park. Even though the council policy has been to lock parks, there has been a lot of them which haven't been locked overnight.

 

Officers noted that members have raised the non-locking of parks as a concern, but there is very limited action they can do to resolve that quickly.

 

Members advised that in their past experience of being a police officer, if you lock an area, it's more likely that they will break in as it is more attractive to people that want to conduct antisocial behaviour or drug use want to be in an area where they can't be found, and they will cut through or climb a fence. Members felt that leaving gates open isn't going to increase any antisocial behaviour or any misuse.

 

Members did feel that it was important to make sure that large gates have bollards because illegal scramblers are being wrecked by people getting in and destroying the grounds.

 

Officers said that they will go back and check with the officers that the ballads that have been recommended for installation as part of the trial will stop things vehicles like scramblers from entering the parks as well. If not, they will consider either part of the trial or something that the trial will highlight as a problem.

 

The chair advised there is a park in his ward where not all the gates have been locked fully in some time and there is some low-level antisocial behaviour, however it tends to be because the people congregate around the one gate that isn’t locked.

 

The chair also felt that if you lock the parks, people will still always find a way in if they want to get in. The chair felt that by encouraging legitimate use, people cutting through the park as a shortcut or walking the dog, then you're going to deter the antisocial behaviour.

Members felt that ideally some lighting for the footpaths in the parks would be put in if parks are left open in the evening although they noted the context of budget pressures currently facing the council.

 

Members felt that if there are funding opportunities to put some low-level ballads in areas where there might be a, a well-used cut through in a park, that would probably further deter the anti-social behaviour elements.

 

Officers explained that the trial of the diming and trimming report on the trail that's going on wouldn't impact the parks.

 

Officers explained that there are no recommendations as part of the report to install additional lighting, but it is something they can look at in terms of funding opportunities.

 

Members stated that there are different products around that can be less costly than full Street lighting proposals.

Members felt that if bollards are put in then there is a need to make sure emergency vehicles have access into the parks.

Officers advised that there are different types of ballads but the type they would be putting in will be dropped coffin bollards so that they can be dropped down on the day and they will work with the emergency services. Officers will pick this up as part of the Community Safety Partnership board as well.

The chair asked if there will be public engagement particularly people who live nearby, but also people who may want to use the parks.

 

Officers confirmed that if the trial is endorsed by members, then officers have got a little bit of time between now and the start of the trial period to work with the media team and they can put something out there to inform people what's going on and also to ask for their response as well. Officers will speal to the media team about the best way to do it.

Following scrutiny, an amendment was put forward. The amended recommendation as set out below was supported to Cabinet.

Endorse the proposal to carry out an official pilot to not restrict pedestrian access to the parks and gardens listed in Appendix A for a period of 4 months commencing 1st December 2024, the outcome of the pilot to be reported back and include public engagement.