Agenda and minutes

Venue: St Barnabas Primary School, Jubilee Terrace, Leeman Road

Contact: Matthew Ward 

Items
No. Item

1.

Drop-in surgery

Minutes:

Surgery 6.45pm – 7.30pm

 

1.1 Residents had the opportunity to speak to Cllr James Alexander, Cllr Denise Bowgett, Cllr Sonja Crisp, Matthew Ward – Neighbourhood Management Officer, Michal Czekajlo – Neighbourhood Management Support Officer, Michelle Watling – Street Environment Officer, Sgt Mike Pickersgill, PCSO Dave Hale, Ed Gray – Community Payback  Manager, Beth Cooper – Playbuilder Project Officer, Paul Bickle – Energise Manager, Penny Goff – NHS Foundation Trust.

2.

Safer Neighbourhood Police Team

The safer neighbourhood team will give an update on police operations in the area and answer any questions you have.

Minutes:

Sgt Mike Pickersgill gave an update on the latest police work in the ward and crime figures for last year.

 

3.1 160 burglaries where reported last year, 70% of that figure were garage and shed burglaries.

 

3.2 Current year crime figures show a total of 115 burglaries reported so far with two months to the end of the financial year, so the reduction of crime is visible.

 

3.3 159 damage offences were recorded last year. The figure for this year with two months remaining is 103 reported offences.

 

3.4 Statistics show a drop in incidents of anti-social behaviour (ASB) compared to the last year. There were 431 incidents of ASB recorded last year with only 305 this year.

 

3.5 Currently a  traffic operation is taking place. With help from DVLA and the road traffic police we are targeting people who drive without valid insurance.

 

3.6 Operation Spoke is continuing. The purpose of the operation is to prevent cycle crime. You can register your bicycle with us free of charge and your details will be added to a locally held North Yorkshire Police database which allows your bicycle to be identified if it is ever stolen or reported missing. 

 

3.7 We are currently providing free of charge shed and garage locks for residents. There is a small fitting charge, but if you are able to fit it yourself there will be no cost. Priority goes to victims of crime but there are no regulations so any resident of the ward are eligible.

 

3.8 The new police structure will be implemented from 21st March 2011. We will now be operating from Acomb Police station. The Safer Neighbourhood Team will change the shift pattern to provide cover seven days a week. The same PCSO’s will remain in Holgate and the service you receive from us will not change.

 

Residents were given opportunity to raise questions.

 

Q – How can I order shed safety equipment?

A – Please notify local Holgate SNT and you will be given the kit. You can either install it yourself, or we can fit it for you at low charge.

3.

Garnet Terrace Playbuilder Development

Representatives from Playbuilder team will come to the meeting to talk about the site at Garnet Terrace.

Minutes:

Beth Cooper, Playbuilder Project Officer gave an update on the planning redevelopment to the Garnet Terrace play area.

 

4.1 The funds for the improvements were initially allocated 2 years ago, York was awarded £1.2million. This was split over two years, we are now in the second year of the project.

 

4.2 The work will start at the end of February and should finish by the end of March. Initial consultations with local residents helped shape the critique given to play equipment suppliers.

 

4.3 Residents had the chance to show their preference at a consultation which took place in December 2010 at St Barnabas School where three designs where proposed.

 

4.4 The existing play equipment will be renovated and relocated to Victoria Park play area.

 

4.3 We are planning to increase the green space across the play area and install zip line along other play facilities. The site will be accessible for mothers with prams. There will be a basket swing, similar to the popular one in Back Park, which is accessible for the youngest children. 

 

Residents were given opportunity to raise questions.

 

Q – Will that redevelopment affect the car park?

A – No, we will not be extending the play area, just better utilising existing space.

 

Q – Will you put the fencing around the play area?

A – No, there is no plan to install the fence. The funding is strictly for providing play equipment to encourage adventurous play.

 

Q – This design looks very flat, would the existing steps remain where they are?

A – The steps will be removed to improve the accessibility for mothers with prams.

 

Q – What type of surface will the play area be layered with?

A – Matting which allows grass to grow through will be used, this is much cheaper than other alternatives so allows the majority of funding to be spent on equipment.

 

Q – If you are planning to relocate existing play equipment to the Victoria Park area. Will the planned work for pumping station at the Water End not affect that?

A – As far as we know there are no issues, as the proposed work has been shelved due to a reduction in funding, but we will carry out a site visit with the environment agency to make sure resources are not wasted.

 

Q – What age group the new play area will be suitable for?

A – The funding is allocated to provide for 8 – 13 years old, but the plan chosen incorporates suitable facilities for younger children also.

4.

Community Payback

Ed Gray, project manager, Community Payback will explain what the service does, how it operates and how it can benefit the area.

Minutes:

Ed Gray introduced himself to the meeting and explained the purpose and workings of Community Payback.

 

4.1 Community Payback can be given to offenders as part of a ‘community sentence’. A ‘community sentence’ means that the offender may have to carry out up to 300 hours of unpaid work. This work benefits the community – and means the offender’s payback the community for their crimes.

 

4.2 The sentence is set by the court at anything between 40 and 300 hours depending on the seriousness of the crime and the offender’s record.  The work takes place on weekdays, weekends and in some cases during the evening.

 

4.3 Community Payback labour force is working an average of 4000 hours per month across the whole city on a wide variety of different projects. Projects can be suggested by anyone, if you have an idea that you would like to put forward please complete a referral leaflet or log onto our website and complete a form online or e-mail us at: communitypayback@north-yorkshire.probation.gsi.gov.uk. 

 

Residents were given opportunity to raise questions.

 

Q – When vandalism occurs, there is a cost to fix the damage, to clean graffiti for example. Who pays?

A- We work in partnership with City of York Council. They will provide materials and we can provide free manpower. We were currently liaising over cleaning the graffiti on Cinder Lane, with Cllr Alexander.

This year we were also involved in clearing pavements off snow around Foss Island and Navigation Road. We are always open to your requests.

 

Q- Have you got experience in clearing ponds?

A – Please forward us the details either by filling the referral leaflet or via our website. We will send a project officer to assess the project, if we are unable to carry out the job we will come back to you with the reason.

 

Q – Are you working for charities also?

A – Yes, between 30%-40% of offenders are working in charity shops. We provide a good number of staff for the British Heart Foundation in Piccadilly.

 

Q – Do you provide supervision for those offenders?

A – Usually charity shops are providing supervision but we are in constant contact with them and check weekly if everything is going well. We do risk assessments with the offender before assigning him/her to work at the charity shop.

 

Q – If someone will request their garden needs digging, will you carry out the job?

A – We will look into all suggestions, however we would be hesitant because of safety reasons. We prefer not to task jobs to individual properties in case it identifies vulnerable people.

5.

Local Improvement Schemes

The list of proposed Local Improvement Schemes will be discussed. This is your chance to influence the decision on how the budget for 2011/2012 will be spent.

Minutes:

The list of proposed schemes is based on estimated budget. If the 2011 – 2012 budget is reduced then some of the schemes may not be going ahead, or all of the proposed schemes will receive a reduced percentage of funding.

Ref:

HO-

Description

Cost:

£

11-13

A grant to Poppleton Road Over 60’s Monday Club to fund activities to help prevent social isolation.

£1,000

11-12

Age Concern York Simple Nail Cutting Service.

£500

11-20

A grant for Safe and Sound Homes for emergency accommodation for young people.

£4,000

11-22

To continue supplying salt bins at identified locations in the ward.

£1,100

11-11

A grant for Active York to support our most promising young sports people.

£300

11-16

A grant to York Youth Council as a contribution to open a city centre space for young people.

£1,000

11-06

A grant to York Rotters for training sessions on how to use compost to grow your own fruit and vegetables in a small space.

£140

11-10

A grant for Street Sport York, to fund 10 sessions of multi-sport, archery, mobile, skate and climbing wall activities.

£2,000

11-01

A grant to York in Transition, for work with the Energy Saving Trust.

£500

11-18

A grant to Friends of West Bank Park, to help fund their annual ‘Party in the Park’.

£1,000

11-05

A grant to Poppleton Road Primary School to continue work on the Jack Archer Memorial Garden.

£2,146

11-19

A grant to York Older People’s Assembly to raise awareness of issues affecting residents aged over 50. Funding would help organise meetings and a sloppy slipper exchange.

£450

11-08

A contribution towards the cost of the Sustrans community ranger.

£500

11-02

A fund for two more benches in West Bank Park around the bowling green.

£1,000

11-09

A grant to Leeman Road Millenium Green Trust for grass cutting and maintenance. Also funding towards website, insurance and equipment/tools.

£3,280

11-04

A grant to Friends of Back Park to fund the production of ¾ newsletters per year, cut a border in the grassed areas to define the path and install a new bench.

£ 1,000

11-15

A grant for Young Peoples Services to continue mobile youth work (URBIE) sessions in the ward.

£5,860

11-14

A fund for more street closures for street parties. To promote community cohesion and get people to know each other better.

£200

11-21

Look into doing up Marble Arch or a proper road crossing outside the arch.

£1,000

11-17

Funding to help arrange a community event with York Housing Trust. Planning for European Neighbours day 2011.

£1,000

 

 

Residents were given opportunity to raise questions regarding the proposed schemes.

 

Q – What will be the cost for installing a salt bin on Chudleigh Road?

A – A new salt bin allocation cost is around £285 and each refill cost £50. We need to check the exact cost for 1-ton salt bag, as these aren’t funded by the ward committee.

 

Q  - Could we have small salt bags on each end of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Have Your Say!

Your chance to ask questions about local issues and concerns.

Minutes:

Have Your Say.

 

Residents were given opportunity to raise issues or concerns in regard to the Holgate Ward

 

Paul Hepworth - Poppleton Road Memorial Hall representative reported that thanks to CVS, volunteers to run the Monday Afternoon Club have been found. He also thanked to everyone involved with Holgate Windmill Preservation Society. The Windmill will hopefully be in working order next year and residents will even have the opportunity to purchase flour milled in their ward.

 

Q – There is an issue with wheelie bins around Leeman Road. The street looks untidy, as the residents keep leaving their bins on the pavements, back alleys and streets. Bins are still left out after collections, the warning information stickers being placed on the bins are being ignored as no action is being taken.

A – The situation here is complicated. The system, which is in place, doesn’t seem to be working at all. Uncertainty about the correct way of leaving bins for the collection means that some residents tend to leave their bins at the front of their property, while others leave them in the back alleys. We went out for couple of rounds with waste collection teams to examine the situation. There is no universal system on one street and that certainly needs to be changed. We will address that with relevant officers and feedback on the issue.

 

Q – Some of the elderly resident may have difficulties with pulling their wheelie bins in and out.

A – An assisted collection can be arranged for each individual. Please contact us (Cllrs) and we will make sure that will happen.

 

Q – The issue with wheelie bin collection, is that only local problem on terraced houses streets?

A – Yes, it seems to be a local problem. Trials were carried out in other areas of York, but the Leeman Road area has mixed collections on a household basis, this seems to be where the confusion lies. Again if you have any specific queries please address them with the ward committee and the issues will be follow up. 

 

Q – Some of the back alleys don’t have alleygates. Are there plans to install the more alleygates?  I think it will make the area saver.

A – According to the Police reports the crime figures have decreased in the ward, compared with last year. In regarding to the alleyway gates we are trying to find the best model for each street.  Alleygating requires substantial fund so decisions can only be made in the new financial year.

 

Q – The alleygates that were installed, which we weren’t consulted on, mean that bins are left in the alleys for weeks and not collected. The bin men don’t enter the alleys and with the number of bins from a street collecting at the collection points it isn’t always possible to get the bins out of the alley, so they aren’t collected. Some bins have been full for six weeks or more.

A – Again this is an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

 

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