Agenda and draft minutes

Cllr Ann Reid welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were given from Cllr Gerard Hodgson, PC Jon Bostwick and Russell Stone.

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a true record.

PCSO Kathryn Dennis introduced herself as a new PCSO for the ward and gave a report.

Assaults done from 23 to 11

Auto crime down from 11 to 7

Burglary up from 11 to 20

Criminal damage down from 17 to 9

The SNT are working closely with victims of crime. Encourage residents to be vigilant and check windows and doors are locked.

Questions were taken and Answers (A) given

Q Experience of ringing 101 has been a negative one, long time waiting to speak to someone. Expensive.

A – yes it is a busy number. Cost is still 15p regardless of how long the call is. It was suggested by the Chair to ask this of the Police and Crime Commissioner later.

Q Can we be told if there has been an overall rise or drop in crimes reported?

In response – information will be available for the next meeting

Q During race meetings there are problems with men urinating on the trees at Albemarle Road. What can the police do?

A – we have carried out Operation Lancelot on race days to target specific hotspots, however we will feed your suggestion into the process.

WRITTEN RESPONSE FOLLOWING THE MEETING FROM DAVE MEIGH REGARDING THE COUNCIL’S INVOLVEMENT: The Council has regular meetings with York Racecourse. There is information on leaving & behaviour in race day programmes. The police are also at these meetings.  It would be handy to know which streets / areas are affected, can you let me know / find out?

Q issue with irresponsible parking at Mayfield Grove for the school. Apparently the gas mains work has reduced on street parking for parents collecting children leading to some dangerous parking. Can an officer be there at the start and finish of the day? Cllr Reid to send through issue to parking enforcement at the Council.

Q Issues/Complaints of cycling practices on Tadcaster Road. Also can the Knavesmire side be put to a cycle path?

A The issue with adaping the Knavesmire side of the road is the bus stops and it was estimated to cost £100k.

JM thanked the meeting for inviting her along. Her focus is listening to residents and passing issues onto the Police. She’s been in post nearly a year. Achievements so far have included launching public consultation on the Police and Crime Plan -approx 4,000 responses. The option to cut Police officer numbers has been reversed and the force will maintain 1,392 officers and 183 PCSOs. There are however £10million of savings to find. There is a good relationship with the Council and lots of innovative projects being discussed. Another success has been the new sex assault referral centre and the multi agency Safer York Hub at West Offices. JM  particularly concerned about mental health support. A new major crime unit opened today in Harrogate dealing with major crime and cold cases.

JM took questions from the floor. Cllr Reid read out questions submitted by residents prior to the meeting:

Q How will the residential 20mph limits for West of York be policed ?

A There are no new resources going into the policing of 20mph limits, will be part of routine enforcement. Focus on catching persistent offenders.

Q Will there be Fixed Penalty notice fines like in Oxford? A No

Q. Will you be encouraging residents to start speed watch groups and be giving them access to speed equipment training to help enforcement?

A Yes we do encourage local communities to help monitor with speedguns etc but residents need to be committed.

Q How does it work regarding enforcement – will you be breaking the law if you are going at 21mph?

A  At the time of being stopped. If its a 20mph limit area then you will be prosecuted if you are travelling between 24-31 mph.

Q does it cover cyclists?  A No 20mph limit doesn’t extend to cyclists.

Q Will NYP adopt the new ACPO guidelines?

A yes including speed awareness courses for officers.

Q Is it Up to the individual police officer to identify ‘persistent offenders’?

A They can deploy a black box to identify areas. Local residents can request a black box in their area. Currently residents need to fill in a paper 95 Alive scheme form.  Police need to review the 95 Alive scheme to be more resident user friendly.

Q Moor Lane is a permanent racetrack.

A In response Cllr Reid said that Moor Lane is on the CYC list for work to be done.

Q which Police division is responsible for applying traffic monitoring?

A Its 95 Alive and the Traffic Management divsion . If there’s a problem the traffic camera van will come and monitor. In some areas PCSO are trained to use speed guns, but not in York.

Q is it possible to find out the number of traffic tickets issued?

A there is information on the website. Will try and bring ot the next meeting because its a very large spreadsheet to view online.

Q Why do we see PCSOs walking along in two’s?

A, if they are in pairs it’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Cllr Ann Reid gave Russell’s apologies (family reasons) and a summary response to some of the issues raised at the last meeting:

i)Litter pickers can be made available at ward meetings for residents. Also litter bags will be given out. If anyone would like some on an individual basis can they let Kay know and he will arrange for them to be dropped off with them.

ii)Community Payback is a suitable option to clearing up the area around Woodthorpe Shops

iii)Tree cutting. There are no plans to chop down any trees unless they are deemed to be at risk of disease or dangerous.

iv)Soil on Little Knavesmire. Not owned by the Council part of the Cricket Club maintenance work.

Any questions around the individual management of the parks managed by CYC and any of the above topics write or email Russell. (Russell.stone@york.gov.uk or 01904 553108)

It was agree to invite Russell to the next meeting with litterpickers for residents .

Kay Bailey updated residents on the current budget position.

Title of Scheme/Organisation:       Tree planting

Amount awarded:                           £1,000

                                                          Offered to FOCP as grant (see below)

Title of Scheme/Organisation:       The Chase Residents’ Association

Amount awarded:                           £1,000

Project:                                          A grant to get seed funding to apply for a larger grant for refurbishment of Nelson’s Lane Playground.

Status:                                             being processed - awaiting signed Grant Agreement form

Title of scheme/organisation:    Friends of Chapman’s Pond

Amount awarded:                         £500

Project:                                           To pay for costs associated with joining the BCTV volunteer communities group.

Status:                                             Being processed

Title of scheme/organisation:    Mayfields Community Trust

Amount awarded:                         £1,000

Project:                                           To pay for setting up costs of the organisation eg room hire, volunteer insurance

Status:                                            Being processed

Title of scheme/organisation:    Woodthorpe Hoppers

Amount awarded:                         £100

Project:                                           To pay for plants to enable the group to plant up the beds outside Woodthorpe Shops.

Status:                                            Grant paid out to Dringhouses RA who are ‘sponsor’

Potential bids:

Title of scheme/organisation:                  Friends of Chapman’s Pond

Amount:                                           £500

Project:                                             To pay for a fishing ‘taster day’

Status:                                              to be approved by Councillors at the next ward team meeting in November

Ward Budget: £4,450

Amount unallocated: £350, with potential for unallocated tree planting grant increasing it to £1,350

Following discussion at the meeting it was clarified that Friends of Chapman’s Pond could sponsor the tree planting grant to plant trees on sites other than Chapman’s Pond. Action : Kay Bailey to process the grant of £1,000 to FOCP.

1.A resident complained about the overhanging bushes and trees on Aintree Court - Cllr Reid will report it.

2.The pavement has sunk on the footpath near Woodthorpe Shops.

Cllr A Reid will report it.

3.Cherry Lane surfacing –

One lady wanted to thank Dave Meigh for the surfacing work. Another resident wants a better surface. Since the Racecourse laid the running safety roadaround the race track many more people, children in particular, are using that route with bikes to get to school.   Cllr Reid will see if she can obtain more info for the next meeting.

WRITTEN RESPONSE FROM DAVE MEIGH FOLLOWING THE MEETING: This would be an issue for Andy Vose – cycle network.   

Some residents said that the gate always used to be closed. Is this possible in order to restrict vehicles using the lane? 

DAVE MEIGH RESPONSE: I am aware of a gate across the track not down the lane.  There would also be a displacement issue which might cause a bigger problem. 

4.Who came up with the timescales of the green bin collections? I didn’t get a letter or a timetable (Moor Lane/Tadcaster Road). Suggestions of the end of November is better for the final bin collection dates.

Kay Bailey to send issue through to the relevant dept.

5.No.12 bus – problem with it not turning up although another resident said it has improved.

6.Lendal Bridge trial closure – why can a taxi taking someone to the hospital not get fined and yet a resident going to hospital is fined?

Another resident asked why the Lendal Bridge decision didn’t go through Full Council.

Cllr Semlyen explained that how Full Council works and the limited time available which means that very few decisions actually go through Full Council apart from the Budget, Council Plan and some salary decisions. She said that the bridge scheme has benefitted public transport and First York have been positive. Residents were given the opportunity at the meeting to complete feedback forms for the Lendal Bridge trial.

7.The damaged railings at the top of St Helen’s Road where a lorry had knocked into them, have not been replaced. Cllr A Reid to report it.

WRITTEN RESPONSE FROM HIGHWAYS FOLLOWING THE MEETING –  the replacement panel is on order with the Blacksmiths, not able to confirm installation date at time of writing.

8. The issue of the bus shelter at Rougier Street was raised at a previous meeting and resident very pleased that its being replaced.

9. A resident asked about the Our Lady's School site.   The site is being sold for housing by the Diocese of Middlesbrough but the resident thought that it was originally part of Hob Moor and therefore is stray land. Cllr Reid to make enquiries.

WRITTEN RESPONSE FROM PROPERTY SERVICES FOLLOWING THE MEETING: The site was purchased separately in May 1945 from the Trustees of Dorothy Barlow - from whom the Council also purchased adjoining land for Housing. The Micklegate Stray Act was 1907, so it  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.