Agenda and draft minutes

Resident drop in to chat informally to Ward Cllrs and Officers

Residents had an opportunity to talk to ward Cllrs and other officers

·        Ward Councillors: Margaret Wells and Danny Myers

·        Christina Chelin Community Officer (Communities and Prevention Team)

·        Cindy Benton Community Officer (Communities and Prevention Team)

·        Jenny Newman (Housing Management Officer)

·        PCSO Ollie Maskell

·        Rob Orr Community Coordinator at Vale of York School

·        Cllr Myers welcomed everyone to the meeting. He stressed its significance as the first in two years due to the pandemic.

·        Apologies for absence of community groups due to ill health and the heat.

Update from RO, Vale of York School

·        Vale of York School continues on an upwards trajectory. Increased pupil numbers have been maintained with marked improvement since 2016.

·        The school was awarded a ‘good’ from Ofsted, thus the area is now being served by three good schools on the path towards ‘outstanding’.

·        Cllr Wells asked about plans for next year to involve the school in community work. As improving cultural capital is a key priority, participation in projects – such as one exploring oral history – represents an important opportunity for pupils in the area.

·        Cllr Myers mentioned the ‘York Unlocked’ plan and the possibility of a group of students from the school having access to buildings in York City Centre in Autumn as part of a school visit.

·        Action: Cllr Myers to send Rob Orr relevant information regarding ‘York Unlocked’.

Update from Marjorie Sharp about the Residents’ Association and St. Luke’s Church

·        Post-pandemic, the Residents’ Association is being rebooted – the first meeting will take place on 26^th September at 6pm. Key roles on the committee (such as treasurer) are yet to be filled.

·        Action: Advertise 26^th September meeting.

·        Cllr Wells emphasised the importance of some form of resident’s association as some funding can only be applied for through formal organisations. 

·        St. Luke’s continues without a vicar; however, this is not required to keep the church open. Weekday groups are going strong, and attendance from all age groups is heartily encouraged.

·        Point raised from the floor about the significance of groups such as Joyful Connections (Fridays 10:30 – 12:30) to combat loneliness and boost community mental well-being.

Update on Crime Data from PCSO Ollie Maskell

·        OM formally introduced himself, having starting the role during the pandemic.

- Mental Health:

·        Large rise in mental-health related calls to the police (133 in June alone) – people turning to this resource for a variety of reasons. OM follows up each call personally, yet stresses that more needs to be done through the NHS, as he is not trained in mental health crisis management.

·        Point about the lack of acknowledgement of the severity of the problem echoed by a resident on the floor.

- Schools and Young People:

·        OM is regularly and casually visiting the schools in the area to improve the negative reputation the police hold among some local people. There exists a considerable distance between some young people and the police.

·        OM had planned to run a ‘Summer Club’ to provide a safe space for young people free of charge over the summer break with organisations from the local area coming in to provide entertainment.

·        Due to staffing issues, this cannot, unfortunately, go ahead this summer, but plans are in the works for half term as a pilot – and beyond if all goes well. MW noted that this could be funded by the council if money is ring-fenced.

·        OM noted that the vast majority of calls received by the police are after 1pm – unclear why this is.

- Antisocial Behaviour:

·        Certain areas are proving problematic. Ashton Park, the old football stadium on Bootham Crescent, Bootham Stray, and the area outside the shops represent particular flashpoints.

·        Cllr Myers noted that Ashton Park represents a problem every year, particularly with glass being smashed for fun.

·        Action: Residents are encouraged to contact the police no matter how small the incident is to ensure resources are channelled to tackle areas of concern.

·        Cllr Myers has received resident complaints regarding incidents at the end of Burton Stone Lane near St. Joseph’s Court – damage to property as residents are fearful in their own homes. OM points out that residents have not been contacting the police about this – they are encouraged to do so.

·        Action: Community Safety Plan being formulated to tackle the problem.

·        The new Housing Estate Officer has not received complaints, but noted there have been difficulties in contacting her.

·        Action: Her contact details are to be put in the newsletter.

·        OM raised resident confidence in the police as a potential barrier to contacting the police directly to report issues.

Ward Budgetfor the Financial Year 2022 – 23

·        Total Budget (Revenue): £33,825 of which £18,365 remains for the next nine months of the fiscal year.

o   Cllr Myers explained that this is a usual state of affairs as groups wait until the beginning of the fiscal year to apply for funding, which is always over-subscribed.

o   Community groups advised to approach councillors or CC to inquire about the possibility of having a project funded.

·        Capital Budget: no funds remaining as over £180,000 already allocated of the four-year budget.

o   All projects already delivered, apart from the last project on Burton Stone Lane, which is underway.

Clifton Planning Panel

·        The Ward does not have a parish, thus a planning panel is important – the city council requires a formal body with which to work within the community. The panel is able to offer comments and objections to planning application, which are then reviewed by decision makers.

·        If anyone is interested in becoming a volunteer, do let Christina know. There are currently three volunteers.

·        Cllr Myers and Cllr Wells wish to express their sincere gratitude to Geoffrey Williams, who was on the Clifton Planning Panel for many years, before passing away recently.

Have your Say: Raise any Issues, Questions or Comments

·        Communication and research issue raised from the floor regarding the felling of the ash tree of The Old Grey Mare.

o   Problem surrounding the original diagnosis of the tree’s condition and the subsequent communication from the council.

o   Resident was unable to reach the relevant authorities before the tree was felled. Question regarding the contractors used to conduct the work.

o   Action: Cllr Myers agreed that it was disappointing; councillors to attempt to contact the relevant parties to investigate.