Agenda and draft minutes

Action points and minutes from the last meeting.

Cllr Sian Wiseman welcomed everyone to the meeting. 

Minutes of the last meeting were approved.

7.00pm – the drop-in surgery will give you the opportunity to talk to the councillors, ward team and visiting speakers informally before the meeting.  Officers from the Library Service will also be there.  Tea and coffee will be served.

Cllr Sian Wiseman

Cllr Paul Doughty

PCSO Dave Ellison

Penny Goff, York Teaching Hospital NHS Trust

Louise King, Yorkshire Water

Ruth Stephenson, Head of CYC Sustainable Transport Service

Iain Dunn, Street Environment Officer

Mora Scaife, Neighbourhood Manager

Ted Schofield, Neighbourhood Support Officer

The above all attended the surgery to discuss local issues with members of the public. 

Louise King from Yorkshire Water will give a presentation on the drainage transfer project.

Louise King spoke about the Private Sewer Transfer, the transfer of private sewers and lateral drains to ownership of Yorkshire Water.

The following points were made:

On 1 October 2011 the transfer took place.  Campaigns had been going on for many years and this was welcomed by many whose sewers ran outside their own property, sometimes under public roads, and could be extremely expensive to repair.  This move is seen to be fairer to all.

Sewers under unadopted roads have also been transferred to Yorkshire Water ownership.

Response was given  that private bodies could still install sewers in public roads as long as these were done to the appropriate standards, and these would probably then be adopted by Yorkshire Water.

Your local police team will give an update on issues in your ward and answer any question you have.

PCSO Dave Ellison spoke about police issues in the ward.

The following points were made:

Crime figures have been very low in the last quarter, with no drugs offences, no fraud, no car theft or theft from cars, and only one burglary.  There were six thefts (mostly cycles), four incidents of criminal damage and thirteen violent incidents recorded.

Stockton on the Forest has been targeted by criminals in the past, so the public should be vigilant.

Operation Bike Light, issuing penalty notices to those without lights, is continuing. 

Farm Watch and Rural Watch are being promoted, along with an increase in Neighbourhood Watch, which is strong in Earswick but needs building in Stockton on the Forest and Strensall.

PCSO Dave Ellison has spoken to pupils in Year 3 at Robert Wilkinson School.

To contact PCSO Dave Ellison, the public should ring the new police non-emergency number, 101, and leave a message, or email him on david.ellison@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

Ruth Stephenson will talk about sustainable transport and transport improvement.

Ruth Stephenson gave a presentation concerning the overall  transport situation in York. 

The following priorities for transport policy in York were identified:

•       Expanding Park & Ride services

•       Improving local bus services

•       Developing York’s cycling and pedestrian network

•       Improving city centre circulation

•       Establishing 20mph speed limits in York’s residential areas

•       Campaigning to encourage less reliance on the car

The following questions were asked;

Will there be improvements to the Northern Ring Road?

The response was given that Transport Services would like to carry out improvements but funds are limited.  The A19 roundabout has been improved  and the A59 roundabout is due to be improved.

The Park and Ride Service now costs 50p to OAPs.  Why is this?

The response was given that this is due to the council withdrawing its subsidy.

Could the 20mph speed limit result in even poorer air quality?

Response was given that this is unknown at present, but the Environmental Protection Unit would be asked to look into the question.

Will there be a cycle crossing at the ring road to enable cyclists from Strensall to reach the city centre safely?  There is a cycle crossing planned at the A59, but there are more residents who live outside the ring road in Strensall than in the vicinity of the A59.

Response was given that though desirable, there were no plans to create this at present.  There is funding available for the crossing at the A59.

Cllr Wiseman pointed out that all school children in Strensall at senior school have to cross the ring road, and as there is no cycle crossing, are generally taken by car.

Would it be possible for the train from Scarborough to York to stop at Strensall?

Response was given that there had been a project to look at additional rail halts.  Haxby had looked more promising than Strensall,  but there was not enough demand to make a service viable.

Iain Dunn will talk about the City of York Council drainage responsibilities and what are resident responsibilities.

Street Environment Officer Iain Dunn spoke about recent issues in the ward.

The following points were made:

With reference to drainage, the Street Environment Officer will clear gullies when necessary.

The Keep Britain Tidy project “Love Where You Live”  is ongoing.  This campaign aims to create groups of people picking up litter and tackling overgrown hedges or other eyesores.   The Street Environment Officer and his team will provide equipment, binbags and expertise, and will get rid of any rubbish collected.

The Street Environment team welcome offers to organise litterpicking events.

The following questions were asked:

What do we do about dog fouling?

Response was given that the Street Environment Officer will refer incidents of dog-fouling to the dog warden, and will actively pursue owners of dogs who break the law if they know their identity.

Who clears up the rubbish on pavements?

Response was given that barrowmen picked up litter, but these had reduced in number.  The Street Environment team will come and pick up waste if contacted by email (iain.dunn@york.gov.uk) or phone (01904 551551) The Street Environment Officer can also arrange for a  Community Payback team to clear waste. 

Can green algae and moss be cleaned off pavements?

Response was given that they could.

Update on the current local improvement schemes.

Cllr Sian Wiseman spoke about the progress of Local Improvement Schemes.

The following points were made:

Most schemes had been completed.

With reference to the feasibility study for a pedestrian crossing on Sherriff Hutton Road, dropped kerbs had been installed.

The vehicle activated speeding sign in Stockton on the Forest will be installed in March.

Salt bins have been well-funded.  If Parish Councils would like a list of their locations, contact the Neighbourhood Management Unit.

A request was made by a member of the public for the white lettering SLOW to be replaced on the bridge.

Response was given that this would be followed up.

Your chance to ask questions about local issues and concerns not covered by the agenda.

There were no contributions to Have Your Say.