Agenda and draft minutes

1.1         Cllr Funnell welcomed everyone to the meeting.  

1.2         The minutes of the last meeting held on 18^th April 2013 were approved as a true record of that meeting.

2.1  Cllr Funnell updated the meeting on the work of the Planning Panel.

2.2  Planning panels are made up of local volunteers (ward residents) who come together to discuss and respond to local planning applications.  Planning Panels meet locally usually every 3 to 4 weeks depending upon the level of local planning applications.  Resident volunteers get involved out of an interest in the built environment and how their area looks and develops into the future.

2.3  Planning panels were established through ward committees (now replaced with residents’ forums) to establish a co-ordinated resident response by ward to planning applications in order to give some sort of parity to parish councils who have the opportunity to co-ordinate a local response to planning applications through parish councils. 

2.4  Membership of a ward planning panel is through an open selection process at the Annual Residents Forum.  Planning panels operate to a terms of reference document, copies of which are available from Claire Taylor.

2.5  Thank you to the planning panel for their efforts over the last year. Standing for selection this year are Gareth Foster and Dennis Shaw (existing members) and Gavin Tully and it was agreed that they continue as the planning panel for the coming year.  Should anyone else be interested in joining the panel please contact Claire Taylor on (01904) 551810 or c.taylor@york.gov.uk

3.1  The ward budget for the 2013/14 financial year was £4860 plus a credit pot of £3354, totalling an amount of £8214.  There was also a small amount of grand funding returned from 2013-14. 

3.2  At the beginning of the financial year applications were invited from local community groups for projects which supported the ward priorities of:

·        A safer, cleaner environment

·        A healthier environment

·        Caring for people in our community

3.3  The budget has been spent in full to support the following community groups and organisations:

Bell Farm Adventure Playground: - £1275 toward the provision of day trips during the school holidays.

Tang Hall Community Centre: 

·        £1000 towards design, print and distribution of a brochure to residents to promote the open day in September 2013 and the range of service provision across Heworth.

·        £3097 towards installing a key fob security system to enable the building to be accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Tang Hall Local History Group:  £1500 for design and creation of a website to share information and photos.

Bell Farm Social Hall Management Committee: £2000 to purchase equipment, improve the facilities available to local people and contribute towards community events and trial activities.

4.1  The budget for this year is £4860 to be awarded to community groups in the ward to run projects which support the ward priorities of:

·        A safer, cleaner environment

·        A healthier environment

·        Caring for people in our community

4.2  This year the decision has been made to spend the money on smaller projects of around £500.   Please contact Claire in the Communities and Equalities Team if you have an idea for a project that requires a higher level of funding.

4.3  Applications invited from local community groups and application packs were available at the meeting.  The deadline for applications is 1^st July 2014.  

5.1 The following questions and comments were noted:

Q1) What is happening to the 68 Centre Club and the 12-16  Club?

A)   Steve Flatley from CYC Youth Service responded to this question.  This is a difficult time, particularly for the Youth Service and there have been job cuts.  We have been looking at a number of options.  The Service has been split into three parts and the part responsible for Youth Services is now being managed by the Communities and Equalities section of the Council and this section will in future take responsibility for the 68 Centre.  Unfortunately, some of the youth support workers who deliver sessions at the 68 Centre have had to be made redundant.   Discussions have taken place with young people about alternative venues i.e. Door 84 in The Groves but it had been decided that this was too far away.

This year the 68 Centre will not close but it will not be open in the same way as it currently is unless we can find other groups who would like to use it.   The 68 Centre is currently used as a hub but in future staff will be based elsewhere.  If local groups of volunteers want to use the building we are happy to work with them to ensure that the building is used in a safe way and therefore we can help with training and support. 

Q2) How will you be able to ensure that new staff are CRB checked

A)   We would ensure that anyone working within the service would be CRB checked.

            Q3)  What about the post 16 year olds?

A)    We would like them to come down to Castlegate, however we can explore how best to support young people locally. 

Q4a) Could I ask what other sessions could be put on to keep us off the streets.

b) Why is our Youth Club getting stopped and others are not.  Many people dislike the Wednesday club.

A)   Di Lambert from the Youth Services responded saying that things are changing.  We do not know what the future will be like but we can work through it together.  The council has received funding to run a three year doorstep sports club in York.  This will be an physical activity based youth club providing traditional activities for young people aged 13 upwards, for example zumba and girl’s football.   There will be 17 football sessions across York for 11 – 25 year olds.     If this is successful it will be extended.  This programme will be delivered through the 68 Centre and a consultation programme is currently underway.

Q5) What about the younger children?

A)   Happy to discuss this at the consultation forum

Cllr Funnell said that different ways of work are being looked at and that community services are to become social enterprises for example Warden Call and the Library.   Should anyone want to set themselves up as a group there is some money available to help groups do this, this may involve paying someone  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.1  Residents had an opportunity to talk informally to their ward councillors,  service providers and local community groups in the ward over a pie and peas supper.