Agenda and decisions

At this point in the meeting, the Executive Member is asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest, or other registerable interest, they might have in respect of business on this agenda, if they have not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

[Please see attached sheet for further guidance for Members].

To approve and sign the minutes of the Decision Session held on Tuesday 28 May 2024.

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Webcasting of Public Meetings

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This report responds to a petition received via the Ward Councillor on behalf of behalf of the residents of Osbaldwick. The petition requested that the Council deal with the dangerous and inconsiderate University related parking issues that are occurring on Tranby Avenue and Cavendish Grove in Osbaldwick, it also states that the current level of parking is compromising highway safety and residential amenity in the area.

The report reviews the residents request for an amendment to the Traffic Regulation Order to introduce ‘No Waiting Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm’ parking restrictions on Tranby Avenue.

Resolved:          That Option 1 – ‘Advertise a proposal to amend the Traffic Regulation Order to introduce No Waiting parking restrictions on Tranby Avenue between Hull Road and Baysdale’ – be approved.

Reason:              This allows for the views of the residents and local community to be taken into consideration whilst also removing obstructive parking.

This report reviews the initial consultation responses received from the residents/businesses on the potential changes to parking bays on Tadcaster Road between its junctions Royal Chase and Slingsby Grove.  

Resolved:      That Option 1 be approved – Advertise a proposal to amend the Traffic Regulation Order to remove the Loading Bay in the parking bay on the north west side and change the duration of parking on the bays on Tadcaster Road between Royal Chase and Slingsby Grove so the restrictions on the use of the bays are as follows:

·        North west side of Tadcaster Road - 1-hour limit Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm

·        South east side of Tadcaster Road - 3-hour limit Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm

Reason:         This allows for the views of the residents and businesses to be taken into consideration to help provide a more suitable parking arrangement in the vicinity for the residents and businesses.

                        The Executive Member additionally requested consultation with bus companies regarding their use of the road.

This report considers two petitions entitled – ‘Resurface Foxwood Lane’ and ‘Resurface Corlett Court’, the petitions were both presented by Cllr Waller at Full Council on the 21 March 2024 and were signed by 267 and 34 residents respectively.

Resolved:           The Executive Member noted the report within the context of responding to queries raised by the petitions received. No immediate action will be taken in terms of scheduled maintenance, but at some point in the coming months surface dressing will be undertaken.

Reason:              Highways funding is distributed citywide, and while these roads are of concern, there are currently other roads across the city in greater need.

This report presents options to review the Council’s pavement café licensing process and guidance following the commencement of the pavement licensing provisions laid out in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023.

Resolved:          That recommendations a) to d) from paragraph 17 of the report be approved, viz.

a)          That legislative changes to the pavement café licensing regime and the budget decision made by Full Council in February 2024 (concerning the pavement café licence fees and licence duration under the permanent regime) be noted;

b)          That the following changes be made to the CYC local guidance, for approval by the Licensing Committee:

                                                               i.    Continue to implement the local guidance where a minimum available width of 1.5m is generally required on footways (with an exception for level surface streets in the footstreets area, where cafes can be licensed to occupy the full width of a footway during pedestrianised hours);

                                                              ii.    Applications to be treated as new licence applications (£500) where there is a different licence holder, different premises and/or different terms;

                                                             iii.   Update the guidance to state that where internal seating is provided, toilets should be available for customers. Exceptions can be made for premises which serve drinks and food as take away premises, without internal seating and without the ability to provide customer toilets;

c)           That officers will work with businesses to regularise their situation, where cafes and/or other structures have historically been used/built in areas of privately maintained highways without a licence (or without a stopping up order). Where a pavement café has been in use historically and a licence can be issued for the area, the renewal fee will be applied.

d)          That concerns raised by the submitted petition are noted, but the request be declined to reinstate pavement cafes on the corridors where Blue Badge vehicular access is permitted and where the highway space is required for Blue Badge vehicles to access safely and park, as this would conflict with Blue Badge holders’ access requirements.

Reason:              Recommendations a) and b) ensure that the Council’s pavement café licensing guidance is in line with the new legislation and clarifies aspects of the guidance where required.

                             Recommendation c) regularises furniture and structures which have historically been used/built in privately maintained highway areas so that all businesses are treated consistently and in line with the permanent pavement café licensing regime, as well as ensuring that furniture and other objects placed in the highway do not cause an obstruction or hazard to pedestrians and that pavement cafes are set out according to the Council’s guidance to retain the required highway widths for people to be able to walk past, including people using mobility aids and pushchairs.

Recommendation d) ensures that Blue Badge holders can safely access the footstreets using the two designated corridors and that pedestrians on the corridors where Blue Badge access is permitted are able to use the footways to enable authorised vehicles to get past safely.

This report acknowledges and responds to an e-petition entitled “Reopen The Groves Roads”, which was presented to the Council in April 2024.

Resolved:           That Option 1 in paragraph 21 of the report be approved, viz.

That the concerns raised by the Petition be acknowledged and the aims of the Petition considered within the context of York’s emerging Local Transport Plan and wider Council objectives.

Also that the request to reopen the roads closed to through travel by motorised traffic as part of the Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme (which became permanent in January 2022) be declined.

Reason:              The current scheme supports the provision of quality alternative sustainable modes of transport in order to encourage behavioural change and maximise the use of walking, cycling and public transport and continue improving road safety, minimises the emission of harmful pollutants and traffic danger within The Groves, enhances public streets and spaces to improve the quality of life, minimises the impact of motorised traffic in The Groves and encourages economic, social and cultural activity, in line with the Council’s principles and policies of the emerging Local Transport Plan.

This report covers the results of the informal consultation feedback received from residents in response to a proposal to extend Resident Parking (ResPark) zone R23 (Westminster Road) to include properties on Government House Road, and determine what action is appropriate following the results.

Resolved:          That Option 1, outlined in paragraphs 35-36 of the report, be approved; viz.

That an amendment to the Traffic Regulation Order be advertised, to introduce new Residents’ Priority Parking restrictions for Government House Road, operating 24 hours Monday to Sunday, to be an extension of R23.

Also to advertise the introduction of ‘No Waiting at any Time’ restrictions (Double Yellow Lines) on Water End slip road to restrict parking 24 hours a day.

Reason:              This supports the Council’s Local Transport Plan objective to transfer commuting and visitor trips to the Park & Ride services, support residents’ cycle and pedestrian access needs to the cycle route networks and riverside paths, addresses the parking displacement issues which would arise if restrictions were only implemented in one area, and acknowledges the views of the majority of residents on Government House Road.

This report considers an e-petition titled “Fishergate Primary School Road Safety” which was open to signatures in December 2023 and January 2024. The petition received 184 signatures.

Resolved:                That recommendations a)-b) in paragraph 9 of the report be approved, with amendments, viz.

a)   That the petition and the concerns raised by the petitioners with regards to road safety in and around the area of Fishergate School be acknowledged;

b)   That the inclusion of the Fishergate School area, including Kent Street and Blue Bridge Lane, into the Council’s Safe Routes to School programme for 2024/25 be approved to enable a feasibility study to be conducted and officers to report back once the study is completed.

Reason:              To review the issues identified by the petitioners, the Executive Member and CYC officers and identify possible measures to address them and improve road safety in the vicinity of Fishergate School.

This report acknowledges receipt of a petition titled “Improving Cycling facilities on Wentworth Road”, submitted to City of York Council on 11 March 2024 and puts forward potential options to address the issue.

Resolved:          To approve Option B, outlined in paragraph 4 of the report, viz.

To explore a city-wide solution for residential on-street cycle parking as part of a city-wide review of cycle parking.

To move at pace, with agility, and to get this scheme rolled out with a view to prioritising Wentworth Road when considering the pilot.

Reason:                 The provision of public cycle storage would support the following council objectives:

·          Council Plan, One City for all, 2023 to 2027 – Priority D - Transport: Sustainable, accessible transport for all - change the way we move through and around the city, prioritising sustainable transport and discouraging non-essential vehicle journeys.

·          York Climate Change Strategy 2022-2032 – Objective 3.2 – Increase take-up of active travel, reduce overall car usage through alternative modes of transport, public transport and car-sharing.

·          Joint Health & Wellbeing Strategy 2022-2032 – Big Goal 5 – Reverse the rise in the number of children and adults living with an unhealthy weight, Big Goal 9 – Reduce sedentary behaviour, so that 4 in every 5 adults in York are physically active.

·          York Economic Strategy 2022-2032 – a greener economy – increase cycling and active travel to work where appropriate as modes of commuting, along with increased safe cycle parking provision.

·          Emerging Local Transport Strategy – supports the following key themes.

o      Improve walking, wheeling and cycling,

o      Shape healthy places,

o      Safeguard our environment by cutting carbon, air pollution and noise,

o      Manage York's transport networks for Movement and Place,

o      Reduce car dependency.