Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Musson chaired the ward committee meeting and welcomed everyone who attended.

Find out more about what’s happening in Hull Road. 

Jonathan Dent from St Nicholas Fields will give an update on the work in the beck and answer residents’ questions.

Jonathan Dent updated on the Beck in Hull Road Park

The Environment Agency and the Council are funding this project.

The project has lowered the weirs so that the beck will return to its natural state creating better quality water flow and better habitat for plants and wildlife. However, removing sections of the weirs exposed undisclosed rubbish overnight and raised concerns from residents about this issue.

Volunteers working with the project have removed the rubbish and together with the community, are adding grass and planting making it wildlife rich. The area will flood in winter but will dry out in the summer. Water voles have moved into the stream and it’s already started to change, there are more fish and possibly otters.

The project wants to provide educational sessions and involve schools and community groups. The concrete banking will stay but cover over time as the landscape changes. The Beck is more accessible than it was.

Concerns were raised from residents about their gardens going down to the bank edge, as this area is now exposed and has created easy access for people to get into their gardens. Jonathan shared he is talking to people about their concerns and what can be done.

Councillor Pavlovic asked how the lighting project might impact on the wildlife. Jonathan said it would have some impact, but the lighting will make the park more accessible and make people feel safe. Solar lighting is the best type to put in the park, it will be on sensor and will not be on all the time.

Maria works at St Nicks and links in with the work that Jonathan has done, improving habits that connect to Hull Road and Tang Hall beck. The St Nicks team are holding community engagement sessions.

Update on what’s happening in Hull Road Park

From Dave Meigh, City of York Council:

·        Choose 2 Youth have secured a long-term future of the café

·        St Nicks are now in control of the beck restoration

·        Ward funded noticeboards are due to be delivered to CYC this week

·        The ward has progressed the installation of the new lights. However the installation date is not yet confirmed

·        The ward funded fence has been installed splitting the basketball court from the 5 a side court

·        Basketball goals on order

·        TCV and Probation Service (Community Service) continue to care for the park  

From Rachel Earnshaw, The Conservation Volunteers (TCV):

·        Thursday volunteers still meeting weekly 10am till 1pm looking after the flower beds, litter picking and caring for the park. Average of 12 volunteers come each week.

·        Currently into second phase of Health Tree Foundation bid to support green social prescribing (volunteering in the park) for 2 years. Alternate Wednesdays till end October then second session March till June – food growing group part of the York Mind Wellbeing Programme.

·        We are launching our new Wildlife Coffee Mornings in Hull Road Park Friday 15th October, a chance for people to come together to enjoy some company and find  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

Philip Newton from York Museums Trust will give an update on a community history project taking place in Hull Road Ward from November and how local residents can get involved.

Philip Newton from Yorkshire Museums Trust talked about a local history project starting in the ward in November and how local residents can get involved. Hull Road has been chosen and Philip wants to engage with people living in the area to research the history and capture people’s stories about the past and how we live now in the Hull Road area.

Information about the project will on the website, local press and leaflet drops to some homes.

Hear more about how the projects the ward has funded in 2021-22.  Give your ideas on how the funding could be spent in the ward.

Ward Revenue Budget

Carryover from 2020-21: £17,452

2021-22 allocation: £ 35,106

Total = £52,558

Funding committed to date:

·        £8,623 Hire of Portakabin in Hull Road Park April – August ‘21

·        £2,485 York City Football Club Foundation to run sessions for young people in Hull Road park during the Summer holidays

·        £2,062 Grant to Brightsparks to run an online emotional resilience course for parents of children aged 6-16

·        £2,588 Citizens Advice York for weekly advice sessions

·        £76.99 to Badger Hill Residents’ Association for website fee and printing of AGM leaflets

·        £500 Grant to Lord Deramores School for further planting projects on the school grounds

·        £7,682 Additional fencing in HRP to create a 5-a-side football pitch

·        £1,000 Grant to Heslington Church towards the repair of the South Nave and Chancel

·        £1,954 for 4 new noticeboards in Hull Road Park

·        £940 York Knights to provide 4 sessions for young people in Hull Road Park during the Summer holidays

·        £1,550 TCV for the wildflower project in the ward (2 year project)

·        £4,986 2 Solar lights in Hull Road Park, part of the wider lighting project

·        £98 Hull Road South West Residents’ Association for start-up costs

·        £5,000 Grant to TCV to increase the level of voluntary activity and community engagement in Hull Road Park

Total left to allocate: £13,013

An opportunity for local residents to raise issues or questions about the ward.

Q Hull Road has rough parts and uneven for bike riders?

Councillors said let them know if there is an uneven stretch and they will get highways to inspect this.

Q Drainage in the roads are blocked, why have some been cleaned, and others are still blocked, it has been reported to the council but not been resolved?

Councillors asked for residents to contact them directly and they will follow up on resident’s behalf

Q Residents parking at Newland Park has only been half done, some streets have been excluded?

Councillors replied, a consultation was done by the council, letters sent out to residents. Feedback from the council said that the majority of residents that responded were in opposition to the proposal

Q The signage for the two hour parking restriction at Badger Hill shops is not up, when will this be in place?

Councillors reply. The Traffic Restriction Order is in place but the signage hasn’t arrived yet, it is on order

Q You write to residents about consultation, but never write to us about the outcome?

Councillors reply. The University paid for the consultation to be done, feedback is put on the CYC websites

Q There is a serious lack of lighting in some parts of the ward, Temple Avenue in particular, more lighting is needed on this road and some of the lights are blocked by trees.

Councillors reply.  We will follow up on this

Q Why have wooden posts been up round the new crossing on Green Dykes Lane instead of the railings that were in the original proposal?

Councillors reply. The railings were deemed unsuitable and a risk to the safety of cars turning, posts were the only compromise.

Ward resident Martin Emerson advised the meeting that the newly formed Hull Road South West Residents’ Association would be holding their AGM on Thursday 28^th October, 7pm at Tang Hall Club.