Agenda and draft minutes

Your chance to meet your Ward Councillors and visiting speakers informally.

Residents had the opportunity to talk to Cllr Gillies; Cllr Steward; Cllr Healey; Mora Scaife, Neighbourhood Manager, Rachel Stewart, Street Environment Officer, Sue Houghton, Major Development Projects & Initiatives; Tony Clarke, City Strategy Capital Programme Manager, Ricky Watson, Street Lighting Officer and Julie Hood, Neighbourhood Management Officer.

Cllr Healey welcomed everyone to the meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 19^th October 2011 were agreed and signed by Cllr Healey.

The Safer Neighbourhood Team will update on policing in the ward.

No representative from the Safer Neighbourhood Team attended.

Ricky Watson, Street Lighting Engineer will let us know about any projects in the ward

Ricky Watson, Street Lighting Engineer presented information regarding the removal of lamp posts in Rural West.

These lamp posts have been removed following being safety tested. Although the posts looked solid and safe the inspection uncovered some serious safety issues which could have proved to be very hazardous.  Some of the lamp posts which do not need removing immediately will be tested again after either one year or three years depending on the results of the recent test.

The budget has now been identified to replace all the lamp posts removed.  There will be a programme of work to start in April.  Specialist teams will install the new lamp posts in 3 days.

The replacements will be steel with plastic/powder coating which will last for 20 years.

The posts will be 6m high and will be dark sky compliant.  The light will be very controlled so will be focussed down, forward and sideways. The light will be white light which improves visibility.  They will use less energy and will need less maintenance.

The following questions were raised:

Q. Rural West is rural and semi rural so urban lamp posts are not always appropriate.  Is it possible to have lamp heads which would fit with the remaining lamp posts e.g. swan necks.

A. As the work is to be undertaken quickly this might not be possible in the first instance, the heads can be changed at a later date should there be funding available.

Q. As there was the possibility that some of the lamps would be dangerous the funding should have been available to replace them immediately.

A. There was some funding identified to replace some posts, unfortunately many more were dangerous than expected so the funding available was very quickly spent. Enough funding has now been identified to replace all the lamp post which have been removed.

Q. Street lights were requested two years ago on Westfield Lane, Upper Poppleton although the design received was for Westfield Close.

A. Recently several residents have requested better street lighting of Westfield Lane, the funding has not been identified but is being investigated.

An update from Sue Houghton, Senior Officer, Major Development Projects and Initiatives

Sue Houghton, Major Development Projects and Initiatives gave an update presentation around the British Sugar site.

The Local Development Framework core strategy planning submission will go to planning inspectorate on 14^th February.  There will then be an examination in public in May/June.  Hopefully York will then have a document adopted.  The British Sugar Site has a strategic allocation in the document.

A report, based on previous consultation (more than 1,000 comments were received) will be presented to the LDF working group on Marhc 5^th and will go to Planning Committee on March 22^nd.

A revised report will be taken to Cabinet on 3^rd April which will set the guidance for master planning.

The master planners have an agreement with City of York Council and Associated British Foods to produce a comprehensive scheme for the British Sugar and former Manor School sites.

The timescale and programme is still to be agreed

There is a desire to set up a Community Forum based on the Forum for the Terry’s and Nestle sites which will be tailored to the needs of the community.

Jacquie Dale, Director of Housing and Community Services, Joseph Rowntee Foundation has agreed to be the independent chair.  She has lots of experience of working with communities, particularly around sustainability and sustainable communities.

An ideal number for the forum would be 20 people.  The focus may need to be those living directly adjacent to the site and those who might be directly affected by the development.  There would also be representatives from local organisations.

The suggestions proposed were: Global; Carr Junior School; Upper Poppleton Parish council; Nether Poppleton Parish Council; Manor School; Trenchard Residents Association.

People with a particular interest could also be invited when appropriate.

The group would have an agreed Terms of Reference which would include a responsibility for representatives to feedback to their organisation.

The following questions were raised

Q.        How big is the site?

A         42 Hectares, approx. 1,200 properties

Q.        What are the access routes?

A.        Access is currently Millfield Lane and a small access via Plantation Drive.  There will be another access route identified.

Following the recent government approval to support funding for the “Access York” plans, Tony Clarke, City Strategy, Capital Programme Manager will give an update.

Tony Clarke, City Strategy Capital Programme Manager presented information on the Park and Ride proposals.  The proposal is for two new Park & Ride sites, one at Poppleton and one at Askham Bar.  The consultation period will run through February with construction in early 2013.

The Askham Bar site will be relocated nearer tot he A64, will have 1100 parking spaces, have a new bus only link, retain the existing bus stops and have new Park & Ride access.

The consultation for the Askham Bar Highway works will be undertaken through a staffed exhibition at Park & Ride on 14^th February between 8.00am and 7.00pm and displays in libraries, Tesco and York College.

Comments need to be received by 24 February 2012 and a final design will be presented to April 2012 Decision Session for approval.

The consultation for the Poppleton Bar Highway Works is taking place between 6^th February and 2^nd March.  It will take the  form of a Special Rural West Ward Committee Meeting at the Poppleton Centre on Thursday 16^th February, 7.00pm, a staffed exhibition at All Saints Church Hall on 10^th February, 8.00am to 7.00pm with displays in Poppleton Library and Garden Centre.

There are two websites for more information

www.york.gov.uk/askhambar

 www.york.gov.uk/poppletonbar

or email accessyork@york.gov.uk

The following questions were raised:

Q. The Askham Bar Site, is this a relocation or an addition

A.This is a relocation of the existing site.  The current site is due to be sold   when the relocation is complete.

Q.Has there been any traffic modelling to assess the impact of traffic flow from the A64

A. It has been modelled to ensure maximum flow of traffic

Q. Multiple traffic lights would increase congestion and delays throughout most of the day, travelling ion or out of the City

A. The roundabout approach has changed as stacking capacity for traffic travelling out of the City could not be achieved.

The traffic lights will be adjusted to take into account traffic flow (peak times)

Q. Have the racecourse and other special events been taken into account?

A. There will be more capacity than currently which should ease any problem rather than making it worse.

Q. In the traffic modelling were the tailbacks on the A64 taken into account?

A. The junction capacity will accommodate the traffic

Q.  There is a concern that traffic will back up onto the main duel carriageway

A. The junction will allow better traffic flow than the existing junction

Q. Has there been an Environmental Impact Assessment?

A.These are undertaken as part of the application, it showed a reduction in Carbon Dioxide emissions and a benefit to air quality in York.

Q. What will be the impact when the vacant site is sold?

A.Any impact will be assessed when a planning application is submitted after the land is sold.

Q.Is it absolutely necessary?

A.The junction is necessary to enable cars to access the Park & Ride.  The Park & Ride will have the capacity to expand in future the existing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Find out about this very new initiative which is a local project to help people save energy and money by offering practical guidance and tips

Graham Auton, Chair of Village Green gave the following information to the meeting.

This is  a group of residents from Askham Bryan, Askham Richard and Copmanthorpe to give energy advice and guidance to residents.

There is to be an exhibition on February 25^th in Copmanthorpe Methodist Church to raise awareness of energy conservation in day to day living.

17 stall holders have been invited to hold stalls at the exhibition to provide information these include insulation. Bike stamping, York Rotters, Brunswick Nursery etc.

The ward funding of £500 has contributed to the publicity costs and buying some ‘how to’ books e.g. composting, growing vegetables.

The exhibition will be a blue print for future events.

The next steps for this group are to gauge areas of interest and to  form a series of sub committees to take these areas forward.

Your opportunity to let us know what you think about issues in the ward

There was a short discussion around the Ward budget including:

The proposal that the ward budget is cut by approx. 50%; current available budgets are frozen until after the budgetary decisions.

A proposal to abolish discretionary rate relief and double taxation in 2013/14.