Question from Cllr Whiting to the Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Growth and Economy:
- Will Gedling Borough Council consider allowing the generation of electricity through onshore wind on land owned by the Council, in light of the lifting of the de facto ban by the government?
Question from Cllr Whiting to the Portfolio Holder for Public Protection:
- There have been a number of reports of anti-social on and around Colwick Rec over a long period of time, including suspected drug dealing, anti-social car cruising amongst other activities. Can we please have CCTV installed to cover the car park of the Rec and deter such behaviour?
Minutes:
A question was asked of the Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Growth and Economy by Councillor Whiting as follows:
“Will Gedling Borough Council consider allowing the generation of electricity through onshore wind on land owned by the Council, in light of the lifting of the de facto ban by the government?”
Response from Councillor Hollingworth:
Thank you, Mr Mayor, and thank you Councillor Whiting for the question.
I am sure like me you will welcome the new Labour governments launch of “Great British Energy” this week which puts renewable energy, carbon reduction and energy security at the heart of government. Gedling Borough Council is committed to finding opportunities for renewable energy including wind and utilizing our assets. We have an excellent track record for doing so and in the first term of this labour administration solar panels were installed at the civic centre and other council buildings. The solar panel installation at our green flag award winning county park, which produces energy or around 1500 homes is another key example.
Future projects would align with our carbon management strategy and the emerging Greater Nottingham strategic plan which will promote and encourage low energy. Proposals for onshore wind and other forms of renewable energy generation will still be subject to planning permission to carefully consider the impacts unless they are small scale and benefit from permitted development.
Finally, Mr Mayor, I would direct Councillor Whiting to the council’s carbon management strategy and in particular section 4.3 which looks at expanding local low carbon energy generation in the borough including the investigation of wind generated energy.
A question was asked of the Portfolio Holder for Public Protection by Councillor Whiting as follows:
“There have been a number of reports of anti-social on and around Colwick Rec over a long period of time, including suspected drug dealing, anti-social car cruising amongst other activities. Can we please have CCTV installed to cover the car park of the Rec and deter such behaviour?”
Response by Councillor David Ellis:
Thank you, Mr Mayor.
Before I reply can I just say that I’m pleased that Cllr Whiting’s son has been discharged from hospital this week and is back to his normal self.
Turning to the question.
Members will recall that a Public Space Protection Order has been in place since June 2023 to address nuisance car cruising in Trent Valley. The area covered by the order includes Colwick Recreation Ground and the roads nearby. The PSPO prohibits a range of anti-social behaviours and includes penalties for breaches. Operation Triplefin is the police operation to enforce the PSPO and tackle anti-social behaviour. Since the order was introduced a variety of offences have been prosecuted and everything I have said suggests that it has been a successful initiative.
On CCTV. Last week Cabinet received the report on the annual review of CCTV and approved changes to the CCTV policy. The Council has to have regard to the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice published by the Surveillance Camera Commissioner. Recognising that overt surveillance systems can be intrusive to the privacy of individuals, our policy states that the use of CCTV “must be necessary, proportionate and adequate for the specified purpose they are there to address”. The Council has a robust system for considering the introduction of new CCTV cameras in the Borough to ensure good governance and solid justification for the introduction of new cameras. Any proposals need to be evidence-based and justified.
Until this question, Colwick Recreation Ground has not been identified as a possible site for CCTV. Officers in partnership with the neighbourhood policing team are reviewing the current picture on crime and ASB in Colwick Rec and surrounding areas. If the level of crime and ASB are sufficiently serious a problem-solving approach will be adopted. CCTV could be part of the response but is not necessarily the first action that would or should be taken.
The question refers to suspected drug dealing. The advice on this remains the same – anyone who has suspicions of drug dealing anywhere in the Borough should report this to the Police using 101 or online. I am told that the police take all such reports seriously and even if there is insufficient evidence in one report, it can contribute to the overall intelligence picture.
The Council has an extensive CCTV system which is invaluable for preventing and detecting crime and ASB. Our system is well managed and operated and meets the tests of proportionality and security of data. We intend to keep it this way.
Thank you.