Agenda and minutes

Your opportunity to speak informally to Councillors Cuthbertson, Firth and Richardson, your Safer Neighbourhood team, Neighbourhood Management Officer, Street Environment Officer and visiting speakers informally before the meeting.

1.1  Residents had the opportunity to speak informally to Councillors Cuthbertson, Firth and Richardson, Claire Taylor, PC Lailah Nijaila, PCSO Tom Laurie, Ian Dunn, Linda Tester (OCAY) and Sarah Fitsell (York Carers Centre).

The minutes of the last meeting will be agreed and an update given on any action points.

2.1  Councillor Ian Cuthbertson welcomed residents to the meeting.

2.2  The minutes of the last meeting on 5^th October 2011 were agreed by those present and signed by Cllr Ian Cuthbertson.

Officers from your local Safer Neighbourhood Team will give an update on the work they have been doing in the ward and take your questions.

PC Lailah Nijaila and PCSO Tom Laurie gave an overview on recent Crime and Community Safety issues in the ward.  The following points were noted:

3.1  The team have been running Operation Artefact over the winter months, giving crime prevention advice to householders in the form of leaflets and letters and checking buildings to ensure there are no vulnerabilities to the risk of crime.  The team have been offering further advice where any risks have been found. 

3.2  Operation Image is also running which is targeting people cycling without lights.  When someone is stopped without any lights, they are given a notice with a fixed amount of time to report back to the police station with evidence to prove they have had lights fixed to their bike. 

3.3  The team continue to run Operation Spoke where residents can have their bicycles marked with a unique reference number and their details placed on the National Mobile Property Database enabling the police to return any recovered stolen bicycles back to their owner.   The team marked 75 bikes at a recent event held at Headlands School.

3.4  Haxby remains a low crime area.  There has been a slight increase over recent months in thefts from shops such as Sainburys and The Co-op however in the majority of cases an offender has been caught and punished. 

The following questions and comments were noted:

a)     Has there been any significant incidences of metal theft in this area?

Response was given that there has been a rise in the theft of Catalytic Converters recently.  Thieves simply cut the catalytic converters from the exhaust pipe of a parked car and sell them on to scrap metal dealers.  To reduce the risk of theft, residents were advised to garage their car whenever possible, park in well-lit busy areas and be aware of people looking under cars.  The removal of scrap metal from the outside of residents’ properties is also on the increase for example the theft of old washing machines and boilers which residents have placed outside their property to take to the tip at a future date.  The Priority Crime Team is working with scrap metal dealers on this issue.  

Residents should contact the team on 101 for further advice on protecting themselves against metal theft.  

Iain Dunn will talk about the Love Where Your Live campaign and how residents can be involved.

Iain Dunn, Street Environment Officer updated residents on the Love Where You Live campaign.  The following points were noted:

4.1  Love Where You Live is a new three year campaign which was launched in September 2011 that aims to inspire, encourage and enable us to make where we live, work and play the kind of place we really want it to be.  It’s about making a difference ourselves, whether as individuals, groups, local authorities or companies. 

4.2  The campaign is based on six key principles:

·        Encourage personal responsibility and personal action

·        Work in partnership with neighbours to reduce litter

·        Take responsibility for keeping your own immediate area clean

·        Raising awareness and education about the prevention of littering

·        Make it easy for people not to drop litter

·        Become an active ambassador for clean, green spaces throughout England and the UK

4.3 Residents were encouraged to get involved in this campaign by volunteering to take part or suggesting events for example litter picks.  The Street Environment Service can provide the tools needed such as litter pickers, rubbish bags and can arrange to take away the rubbish collected.

4.4  Residents should contact Iain Dunn on (01904) 551551 with any suggestions or for more information.

Find out about the work York Wheels does in your community.

Ruth Potter, Operations Manager for York Wheels gave a brief talk on the service delivered by York Wheels.  The following points were noted:

5.1  York Wheels is a voluntary charitable organisation set up in 1988 which provides a door to door transport service for people who due to age, disability or need find that they cannot access public transport.

5.2  The service operates in two ways: 

·        Minibus hire - two minibuses with wheelchair access which are available for hire by individuals or organisations

·        Volunteer car service – a door to door service which takes people anywhere they want to go, the cost being dependent on the length of the journey

5.3  York Wheels also operates the Dial & Ride service on behalf of City of York Council.  This is a flexible bus service for residents who have difficulty getting around.  This is a door to door service taking people from their homes to major supermarkets and the city centre.  Buses are equipped for people who have difficulty walking and those who use wheelchairs. 

5.4 The drivers for these services are all volunteers who have been both medically and CRB checked. 

5.5  Residents can use taxi cards and tokens to pay for these journeys.

5.6 York Wheels facilitated 11,000 journeys between April and December 2011.

5.7  For more information or to book a journey residents should contact York Wheels on (01904) 630080.

The following questions and comments were noted:

a)    I am aware of a few people who have used your service to travel to Leeds hospital

Response was given that the service regularly takes people through to Leeds for hospital visits. 

Find out about the work York Carers Centre do to support carers in the city.

Sarah Fitsell, Information Development worker for York Carers Centre gave an overview of the work of the centre.  The following points were noted:

6.1  York Carers Centre supports unpaid Carers who are people who provide regular unpaid help to someone close to them such as a friend, a relative or a neighbour.  A lot of carers do not live with the person they care for and may not even recognise themselves as a carer.  If someone relies on you and would struggle without your support, you are a carer. 

6.2  Many unpaid carers can feel socially isolated, struggle financially and don’t realise there is support out there for them.  It is estimated that there are 18,000 unpaid carers in York and York Carers Centre is only in touch with 2000 of them.  The centre sends out email and newletters to carers registered with them arranges social events.  York Carers week takes place annually, the next one being in June 2012. 

6.3  The centre has a full time benefits advisor who can offer advice to carers with regards to benefits and filling forms in and a substance misuse worker specialised to support carers in this area.

6.4  The centre supports a Young Carers group for ages 8-18 with 100 young people currently registered and a Young Adults carers group for ages 18-25.  Part of this support includes organising social events for the young people.

6.5  The centre offers a Carers Emergency Card where carers can register the details of the person they care for so an emergency care plan can be put into operation if the carer is unable to get home for any reason.

6.6  For more information residents should contact the centre on (01904) 715490, email enquiries@yorkcarerscentre.co.uk or visit www.yorkcarerscentre.co.uk

The following questions and comments were noted:

a)     Where does your funding come from?

Response was given that the Carers Centre is funded by both the Primary Care Trust and City of York Council.

A representative of OCAY will give a talk on the services they offer to older people.

Linda Tester, Manager for Older Citizens Advocacy York (OCAY) gave an talk on their service.  The following points were noted:

7.1  OCAY was founded in 2001 and offers free support to people aged 50 and over to express their views and wishes effectively to another person or organisation.  Many older people find it hard to speak out for fear that their voice will not be heard or what the consequences may be.

7.2  The advocates are all volunteers who support the citizens of York with a range of different issues until some sort of conclusion is reached.  The issues covered are varied including benefits / finance matters, carers’ issues, accessing social care, supporting mentally frail people with “best interests” advocacy and consumer issues e.g. problems with utilities suppliers and dissatisfaction with services or goods received.

7.3  Thanks to Haxby and Wigginton ward committee for funding in recent years which has enabled an outreach service to take place in the ward.  Over the last year OCAY has run advocacy/information giving sessions at Ivy Lodge, Rosevale, Over 60’s Clubs and GP surgeries in the ward and has helped 100 residents of the ward. 

7.4  OCAY are always looking for volunteer advocates and anyone interested in more information about this role or the service in general should contact the office on (01904) 676200, email info@ocay.co.uk or visit their website at www.oldercitizensadvocacyyork.co.uk

The following questions and comments were noted:

a)    Do you offer legal advocacy?

Response was given that the service offers social advocacy not legal advocacy.  Advocates can accompany people to the solicitors but cannot offer legal advice.

An update on the projects undertaken in the year 2011-12

The following points were noted:

8.1  Following the success of the York & District Citizens Advice Bureau outreach sessions held at Oaken Grove Community Centre the ward committee has agreed to fund three additional sessions to be held at Wigginton Old School Community Hall.  The first session was held on 26^th January and a further two will be held on 23^rd February and 22^nd March, 9.30am – 12.30pm.  These are drop in sessions and no appointment is necessary. 

8.2  The ward committee has decided not to make a final decision on the  schemes to be funded during 2012-13 until the City of York Council budget has been announced.

Your chance to raise issue or concerns about your ward.

9.1  No matters concerning the ward were raised at this point. 

9.2 Cllr Ian Cuthbertson thanked Wigginton Parish Council for the use of The Old School Community Hall and for providing refreshments.

9.3 There will not be a ward committee in April, the next one will be June 2012, date to be confirmed.