Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting will be agreed and signed.

During the surgery people spoke to the Councillors, the Safer Neighbourhood Team and the Street Environment Officer.

Residents were welcomed to the meeting and the minutes of the previous meeting were agreed and signed.

The team will give an update on their recent activities and the results of the survey about their priorities.

The Safer Neighbourhood Team reported on their recent activities. There has been some anti-social behaviour problems around the Millennium Green area. The team told the meeting that in December there had been 4 arrests. The theft of a bench was reported and that there were sometimes young people outside the shop asking people to buy them alcohol. Residents were advised to call 0845 60 60 247 when they saw any problems or issues.

They were asked about the dispersal orders in Clifton and Acomb and if that had made a difference in Holgate. The response was that the trouble makers weren’t from those areas.

A report of cars racing was mentioned and the resident was asked to phone 0845 60 60 247 and report it and keep the registration number of the vehicles.

Beth Cooper will give an update on the progress for the scheme at Back Park.

Cllr Sonja Crisp presented the information to the meeting as she has been closely involved in the project.

After consultation on the design brief through contact with local people at an event organised by the friends of Back park and a visit by myself to the Urbie session at Garnett Terrace we sent out an invitation to tender for the contract. We received 18 designs for the Back Park Area.

4 council officers evaluated the designs and chose the highest scoring top go into a public consultation. There were 5 short listed designs that were left at Poppleton Road School then St. Barnabas School. An open public consultation event was held where the 5 designs were available to view. Designs were also shown to the young people at the Urbie when it was at Garnett Terrace.

The winning design was by Proludic. It was chosen with an overwhelming majority of votes. We have amended the design as it appears on the visual picture to use wet pour safety surfacing as oppose to the raised bed as originally proposed. This is to improve the accessibility and to ensure that the loose fill wood chippings do not stop the space being used as a bike track or space for running and cycling.

Contracts have been signed and sent.

We are waiting for an official start date for the installation although the equipment has already been ordered by Proludic and is being manufactured now.

Supporting the play area

Whilst in consultation with young people about the design for the play area. They expressed concerns that the alley way is used by vehicles as a fast cut through. There may be some legitimacy in investigating local residents views on the potential solutions to this problem. The transport and safety team are positive about the possibility of supporting possible measures to address this issue. They are keen however that it is done as a result of public consultation.

In addition the local residents were very keen on an alternative design that used the remainder of the free space for the development of planting including herb planting and extension of the green space there.

It may be worthwhile exploring the possibility of extending the development of the green space to support the development of the Playbuilder play area.

This meeting is where the decision is made on how the budget for 2010-11 will be used. If you have any comments this is your chance to let the ward committee know.

A couple of representatives thanked the ward committee for their continued support. The list of proposed schemes was considered and gone through. The meeting endorsed the list of schemes for the year April 2010 to March 2011.

Your chance to ask questions about local issues or concerns.

It was mentioned that there is a lack of activities for young people over 13 years. But that this may change with the development of ‘York Central’.

Paul Hepworth told the meeting about development at the Holgate Windmill. They hope to be grinding flour by the end of the year.

He also mentioned that Poppleton Road Memorial Hall would be available to hire.

A resident asked about the flood barrier. Cllr Crisp mentioned that it was still on the agenda however it wasn’t regarded as a high priority area.

The footpath by the river was mentioned – there is sometimes some localised flooding along it but the sign isn’t moved to indicate it – who’s responsible? Also there is an area near Scarborough Bridge with vertical banks.