Minutes

Local Residents had a opportunity to talk to:

• Local Ward Councillors
• Representatives from local Parish Councils
• Their Street Environment Officer
• PS Andy Haigh and PC Anna Tyldesley from the Rural West Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team
• Graeme Dawson, Neighbourhood Management Officer

There was displays on:

• Youth Opportunities in Rural West
• Local Development Framework Allocations Document land use consultation.

Councillor Ben Hudson welcomed everyone to the meeting.  The minutes of the last meeting were approved.  

PS Haigh and PC Tyldesley stated that crime has reduced in the ward by 14% in the last year.  There has been 71 less victims over the year.  They remarked that they hope the Safer Neighbourhood Team has been an influential factor in this.  There is always going to be crime but burglary, car crime and violence is dropping.

Speeding – PC Tyldesley stated that they are starting to park unmarked vehicles up to help to catch speeding drivers.  A Section 59 warning can be issued for driving antisocially.  A second offence can result in the car being taken away and a fine of £120 to get it back. 

Anti-social behaviour –  This is mainly in Poppleton and Copmanthorpe.

Step 1 – speak to parents

Step 2 – ABC’s.  They are working with the Youth Service for some diversionary activities for example the Urbie Bus.

Alcohol exclusion zones have been set up as a measure to deal with problem drinking.  These are being policed regularly and are going well.

Blue Letter boxes are placed at Poppleton Spar, Copmanthorpe Library and Co-op.  Residents can post anonymous comments about any problems in the area.  This is another way to deal with issues in the area and listen to the views of the residents. 

Q.      Do the police do anything about road users who use the wrong lanes on roundabouts?

A.  All traffic cars now have ANPR.  They will pass this onto Road Policing Group.

Alison Shepherd – Play Development Officer is involved with the play team which caters for 5-13 year olds. 

11 sessions were commissioned by the Ward Committee last year.  They were well attended.  Each workshop was 2 hours long, one took place in the morning and one in the afternoon.  The sort of activities done during the workshops were making pop up cards, collages, drawing pictures and writing.  They also do multi-cultural work with the children.

Manor School was founded in 1812 in Kings Manor as a Secondary Modern School.  The attendance levels at the school has increased massively, it had 350 pupils in 1965 and 668 in 2007.  The school was never DDA compliant.

£17.6 million was granted to build a new school.  The governors of the school had to raise £4 million.  This is the first school in York to be rebuilt in 50 years.

It is to be built on a greenfield site, public consultation is currently ongoing.  The school have received 150 letters of support.  The only question is surrounding the transport links.  There will be no ring road entrance to the school except in emergencies.  They will be looking for early completion. 

The site has perfect sandy soil for the pitches etc.  The school will be looking to buy an extra triangle of land from North Yorkshire County Council for playing fields.  The site is not the perfect shape for a school but the school will be 2 ½ times larger.  The North Yorkshire County Council next door could facilitate ambitions to have a 6^th form college.  There is a strong desire from parents to have a sixth form college.

The community places will be offered to Poppleton, Rufforth and Carr Lane.  City of York Council have asked for the criteria to be changed; who is in the nearest safe walking distance?  Rufforth is not in a safe walking distance to school so they will get the first chance. 

Q.     Are playing fields guaranteed on the new site?

1. Yes.  There is up to 13 acres of land.

Q.     What about transport?  People in Station Road won’t have a bus route.

A.  Discussion are taking place with First York about whether the 10 and 10a buses could take differing routes.  Also, a request has been made to Ripon buses to go through the village.  70% of Manor School children do walk or cycle to school. 

The residents of the parishes were thanked for their support. 

17.  Do Ward Councillors believe that a local list for York should be adopted?

A.     Cllr Ben Hudson stated that this can create more bureaucracy and can be hard to police.

Q.     Is there still a shortage of a Planning Enforcement Officer? 

A.     Cllr Ian Gillies stated that there are only 2 Enforcement Officers for the city.  Builders know the situation. 

It was remarked that litter from Harewood Whin is blowing across onto hedging on the road.  Cllr Gillies stated that Yorwaste are aware of this and are looking into the problem.

Councillors were asked to comment on the cost of the proposed headquarters for the council in Hungate.  They replied that that the new building would be cost effective and environmentally efficient.

It was remarked that the litter has never been as bad on the B1224.   

It was commented that there is a new smell coming from the tip in Knapton/Poppleton.   Cllr Hudson replied that there is a problem with the burners but this is being investigated.