Items
No. |
Item |
1. |
Surgery 6.30pm - 7pm
An opportunity to speak to your ward
councillors, council officers and other partners working in the
Fishergate ward on an informal
basis.
Minutes:
Prior to the start of the formal meeting,
residents had the opportunity to speak to the Ward Councillors,
Jackie Armitage, Claire Taylor and
PCSOs Kathryn Bean and Jon Buchanan. A
representative from Libraries and was present to provide
information on the proposal to transfer the libraries and archives
service into a community benefit society.
The formal meeting began at 7.00pm.
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2. |
Main Meeting - Welcome and Minutes of last meeting 7.00pm
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and
introduced the councillors and officers present.
The minutes of the last formal ward committee
meeting, held on 13th June 2012, were agreed as a true
and accurate record and were signed by Councillors D’Agorne and Taylor.
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3. |
Ward Team Updates
Updates from your local Safer Neighbourhood
Team and Street Environment Service
Minutes:
3.1 Safer Neighbourhood Team
- Fishergate continued
to be a low crime ward with figures showing a crime rate reducing
by 7.5% over the whole year (1st April 2012 to
31st March 2013).
- Figures showed a
reduction in crime so far this year (from 1st April
2013) of 30.8% from the previous time last year.
- The Safer
Neighbourhood Team noted that these percentages would change
through the year, but it was hoped that they would continue to
decline.
- No specific issues
were reported, though it was noted that cycle theft was on the rise
again across the city. Residents were encouraged to report any
suspicions to the police by phoning 101 (non-emergency
number).
- It was reported that
an individual had been evicted from a house on Melbourne Street
following a number of serious issues, and police noted that this
was a positive outcome.
- Wenlock Terrace
Children’s Home is currently closed, as it is changing from
council to private control. Police noted that there were likely to
be differences seen as a result, though the home would retain the
same management, who police had developed a good relationship with
already.
Questions were invited from residents, and the
following points were raised:
- A resident noted an
increase in activity around the Millennium Bridge and on the Ings
as a result of the lighter evenings, with some youths starting
bonfires. It was further noted that there was a lot of broken glass
left around also, which was impacting particularly on dog-walking.
The police advised that they would monitor the situation, noting
that it was a hotspot for potential anti-social behaviour which
they were already aware of. Residents were urged to report any
incidents which raised concern, and police advised they would
respond immediately and deal with any situation appropriately.
- Councillor
D’Agorne noted that there seemed to be an increase in
graffiti along some parts of New Walk when the river was in flood.
PCSOs agreed that this would be borne in mind during their
patrols.
The Chair thanked the Safer Neighbourhood Team
representatives for their report.
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3.2 Street Environment Officer
Jackie Armitage gave a verbal report to
residents, and the following points were noted:
- The budget for gulley
cleaning had been removed the previous year, and this had had a
particular effect on smaller terraced streets with onstreet
parking. Jackie advised that she was looking into the cost of
undertaking this work from within the ward enhancement budget, in
order to ensure all streets received the opportunity for a thorough
deep clean. She asked residents to report any specific issues
relating to this.
- The issue of refuse
bins/bags being left on streets continued to be a problem which was
being monitored. Jackie noted that as the student residents tended
to change year on year, there seemed to be uncertainty about
collection days which led to refuse bins being left out
continually.
- With reference to
graffiti along New Walk, it was reported that the Friends of New
Walk undertook to monitor the ... view
the full minutes text for item 3.
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4. |
Fishergate Community Contract and ward priorities for 2013-14
Minutes:
Councillor D’Agorne took the opportunity to ask
residents how they had heard about tonight’s meeting. The
majority of residents noted they had found out about the date and
time through the Greenlight newsletter,
though a number had also read it in the ward supplement of the Your
Voice publication.
It was noted that the new council website made
it very hard to find out any information about the Communities and
Equalities Team. Claire Taylor, Community Involvement Officer,
noted that these comments would be passed on.
Residents noted that it would be helpful to
publicise meetings on the noticeboards
within the ward. Councillors agreed to look into whether this was
possible, and noted that they would undertake to do this themselves
if necessary.
Claire Taylor reported that in future, the meetings would be
renamed Residents Forums.
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FISHERGATE COMMUNITY CONTRACT AND WARD PRIORITIES FOR 2013/14
Claire Taylor then gave an update to residents
on the Fishergate Community Contract.
She noted that a number of wards in the city were developing
individual contracts, to provide both a directory of information
about the ward (e.g. community groups and facilities and general
information about the ward including statistics) and also to set
out challenges in the ward, priorities
for 2013/14 and details of how these will be addressed. A survey of
residents in autumn 2012, The 2012 Big York Survey, 2011 Census
information and information from partners had informed the agreed
priorities:
- A Safer Community,
working together
- Reduce traffic
congestion and increase road safety
- Maintain and enhance
the quality of the environment
Claire advised that the contract was a living
document, which would continue to be updated and developed. Copies
of the contract were available for residents to take away and read,
and included contact details for residents to get in touch with any
feedback, suggestions and information about the ward.
Questions and comments were invited, and the
following points were made:
- Residents noted that
the pledge to work towards increasing the safety around
Fishergate gyratory had already begun.
Councillor D’Agorne gave a brief
update of the proposed works, and noted that funding for this was
being provided in part by the Barbican.
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5. |
Ward Committee funding
Hear more about how the 2012-13 funding was
spent and the arrangements for spending the 2013-14 funding
Minutes:
Councillor D’Agorne gave a verbal update on 2012/13 ward
funding as follows:
- The total budget for
2012/13 had been £3260.
- £800 had been
awarded to the Melbourne Centre to provide health and fitness
classes to Fishergate residents.
- £700 had been
given to YUMI to purchase a polytunnel
for the Fulford Cross allotments.
- £1000 had been
awarded to the Friends of New Walk to commission and install a new
noticeboard. It was noted that this had
not yet been installed, though the funding had been received).
- £250 had been
allocated Broadway Area Good Neighbours and Residents’
Association (BAGNARA) to part-fund the re-surfacing and improvement
of the pedestrian area by Broadway shops. Councillor D’Agorne noted that as this area was outside
of the responsibility of the council, the residents’
association had undertaken the work of sourcing funding for the
work themselves, and had secured agreement from the owners of the
card shop and the post office, that they would pay for the
improvements outside their own establishments.
Councillor D’Agorne then reported that the ward budget
for 2013/14 was £3280, and outlined the criteria for
applications as follows:
- Citywide
organisations are not eligible.
- Any projects already
involving council spending are not eligible.
- The funding is only
available to projects and initiatives from local groups within the
ward, which are intended for the benefit of the residents and/or
environment within the ward.
- Councillors suggested
groups applying for funding consider the priorities listed in the
Community Contract.
- As the funding is
limited, councillors suggested a ceiling of £500 per group,
though this could be subject to review, dependent on the project
involved.
- Anyone wishing to
apply for funding was asked to complete and submit an application
form by 1st July 2013.
Questions were invited from residents, and the
following points were noted:
- Residents asked about
the process for requesting things like the installation of benches
in the ward, which would not be eligible for ward funding, as they
would come under the responsibility of council budget. Councillors
noted there was no process for this, but asked residents to let
them know of any concerns or identified needs, so that they could
lobby the council where appropriate. Councillors emphasised the
importance of having open communication with residents, so they
could act on their behalf on important issues.
- The issue of salt
bins was discussed, as a resident of Kensal Rise noted that there
were none available close to his street, which had proved
problematic over the winter months. Councillors advised that a
decision had been taken some years ago to remove salt bins due to
budget cuts, but that the Ward had agreed to keep three in place,
and fund these from the Ward budget. It was noted that there was no
mechanism in place to request an additional salt bin, and there was
no funding available to provide this.
- Residents discussed
the removal of the bin from the bus stop outside
Iceland/Aldi on Fulford Road, noting that this had led to an
...
view the full minutes text for item 5.
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6. |
Fishergate Planning Panel
An update on the work the panel has done over
the past 12 months and re-selection of panel members for the next
12 months
Minutes:
There was no information to report from the
Fishergate Planning Panel. Councillors asked residents to consider
joining the panel, and noted that a new clerk was needed.
Councillors outlined the work undertaken by
the panel in relation to planning applications in the Ward. The
Clerk receives applications for the area and shares these with
other members of the panel. It was noted that training on planning
law is provided for all volunteer members. Following consideration
of applications, the panel forms a decision as to whether any are
objectionable, and the reasons for this. The Clerk then sends this
information back to the planning officers, to be forwarded to the
Planning Committee when they consider the applications.
It was noted that Ken Corcoran, although not
present at the ward committee, had expressed an interest in being
re-selected and this appointment was confirmed. Residents are encouraged to contact Councillor
D’Agorne (tel: 01904 633526),
Councillor Taylor (tel: 07738 208741)
or Claire Taylor in the Communities and Equalities team
(tel: 01904 551832) if they wished to
get involved.
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7. |
Have Your Say
An opportunity for you discuss any issues in
the ward with your ward councillors
Minutes:
An opportunity was given for residents to
raise any issues or concerns they may have in respect of the ward.
The following issues were raised:
·
A discussion took place about the parking issues in the terraced
streets by the river, in particular with reference to Frances
Street. A resident noted that visitors had noted it was
increasingly difficult to find parking places on the street during
the day due to commuters’ parking. Councillors advised that
they had undertaken a consultation with residents, though
apologised for missing Holly Terrace off the list of those
canvassed, regarding the suggestion of introducing resident parking
permits. The majority of residents in each street had responded
against the introduction of parking permits. Parking was recognised
to be a continuing issue, but as a result of the residents’
survey, there was no intention of introducing a parking permit
scheme in these streets.
Councillor D’Agorne reported that he had met with TSYS to
discuss their employees using the surrounding streets for parking.
He advised they had been very open to looking for solutions to the
problem, and had agreed to get involved with a Park and Cycle
Scheme which was being launched that week.
- Residents asked for
an update on work undertaken by the council to cut down trees in
the area. Councillors noted that little information was available
about the council’s plans, but that they had attended a
briefing about managing parks and open spaces across the city.
Councillors noted that there was no admission that the felling of
trees and cutting down of bushes was in response to the need to cut
maintenance costs, but agreed that it was hard to see the logic in
some of the removals which had taken place.
- Residents asked if
there was any update on the cycling strategy. Councillor
D’Agorne reported that there had been a recent review of the
whole cycling network, and that he had made some comments on a
number of cycling paths which had been marked for removal. He
further reported that as a result of this, they had been put back
onto the list.
- In response to a
question about the monitoring of the 20 mph zone past St Georges
and Fishergate schools, councillors noted that this was ongoing,
and that attitudes were starting to change towards enforcement.
Councillors further reported that 20mph zones were being rolled out
across the city in all residential streets.
- Residents raised the
issue of potholes in the ward, in particular one outside Fishergate
School which had been half filled in but still posed a risk to
cyclists. Councillors noted that they were aware of this, and had
reported the issue to the council.
- A question was raised
about the maintenance of the ward noticeboards. One resident noted
concern that they were used as a commercial space, rather than for
community-focussed, time-specific events. It was noted that two
residents on Grange Garth regularly undertook to keep the
noticeboards updated, and councillors expressed their thanks to
these residents for this. ... view
the full minutes text for item 7.
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