Agenda and minutes

Your chance to meet:

• Cllr Richard Watson
• Cllr Chris Hogg
• Cllr Paul Firth

Representatives from:

• The Safer Neighbourhoods Policing Team
• Street Environment Services
• Young People’s Service
• York Magistrates’ Court
• Independent Complaints Advocacy Service

1.  Surgery

1.1             During the ward committee surgery, residents had the opportunity to talk to ward councillors, the Street Environment Officer, the Neighbourhood Management Officer and Inspector Alistair Dey, PC Alex Dobson and PCSO Tom Laurie of the Safer Neighbourhoods Policing Team.

1.2             Mark Whitehead, City Strategy, CYC, was on hand to answer questions about the proposed Park and Ride at Clifton Moor (B1363)

1.3             Rosemary Stubbs JP was present to talk to residents about York Magistrates’ Court

1.4             Lauren Webb, Team Leader York Office of Independent Complaints Advocacy Service, was available to explain to residents what ICAS has to offer and answer questions  

2.  Welcome and minutes

2.1  The meeting Chair, Cllr Paul Firth, welcomed residents to the meeting and the minutes of the previous meeting were approved and signed.

Your opportunity to let your Safer Neighbourhoods Policing Team know what the most important issues are in your ward.

3.  Police report, police priorities

3.1             PC Alex Dobson reported on police activity over the summer.  Various Operations had taken place, including Adendum, Earthworm and Deflation.  Safer Neighbourhood Team have produced a new policing priority card for residents to complete to help influence policing priorities in their neighbourhood. 

3.2             PC Dobson reported that crime in Haxby/Wigginton is down 10% over the last quarter and autocrime is also down.  The SNT is currently promoting the Light Up, Lock Up initiative to encourage residents to take precautions to prevent burglaries as the autumn and winter months approach.

3.3             Not in my Neighbourhood Day will be taking place on Monday 2 November in Wigginton Recreational Hall, starting at 10am.  There will be various stalls and information available.

3.4             Inspector Dey introduced a discussion on how policing priorities are decided, in addition to the annual consultation in Your Ward newsletter.  SNT want the policing priorities to reflect what concerns people and they use various methods to find out, including, street sweep questionnaire surveys, surgeries and attendance at ward committee meetings.  Currently, the priorities are speeding, anti-social behaviour (including graffiti) and police visibility.  He explained the process for reporting speeding, using the 95 Alive form.  Each form is logged and responded to and the volume of forms does not affect the response as the number and seriousness of injuries are key to the location moving up the list of priorities.  He emphasised that speeding is a priority across the police force and the aim is to reduce casualties.

3.5             Residents asked questions and made comments as follows:

Various locations were referred to with respect to speeding, including Usher Lane (by the roundabout), Oaken Grove and the main road in Wigginton.  Residents were encouraged to use the 95 Alive form.

Q:  Can priority be given to preventing parking on the pavement? Example given of outside West End garage, which has been a long standing problem.

A:  Not everything can be a priority, though if it is not, this does not mean the police do not take it seriously.  If residents report vehicle registration numbers, police will put a ticket on if police matter, though City Council has powers regarding illegal parking.

Comment:  Speeding not main issue in traffic accidents and there are technological solutions to this problem.

Comment:  The council is considering the rolling out the “20’s plenty” with 20mph restrictions in minor roads, following example of Portsmouth City Council.  

Representatives from the Magistrates’ Court will tell the meeting about the role of magistrates, their powers and how they decide on sentences.  They will also wish to listen to your concerns and answer your questions.

4.  York Magistrates’ Court: Magistrates in the Community, increasing community engagement

1.1             Rosemary Stubbs JP gave a lively and entertaining talk about her role as a York Magistrate, including the following points:

1.2             Magistrates are volunteers and she is an ordinary person who responded to an invitation to apply.  Only 8-9% of young people cause trouble.  The Youth Offending Team, with whom the Magistrates Court work closely, can use referral orders to prevent young offenders from getting a criminal record.  A lot of violent crime is alcohol related.  Car crime has reduced partly because cars are more sophisticated.  York is a big shoplifting centre and there are organised teams of thieves who travel from outside the area to York.  This requires a different response from the magistrates.  The Magistrates’ Court is still looking for a better cross section of people to come forward, though it is much better than previously.  In particular, the Black and Minority Ethnic Community is under-represented.

1.3             Residents asked questions and made comments as follows:

Q:  What qualifications are needed?

A:  No formal qualifications as such.  There is a written test and interview during which various questions are asked regarding political affiliation and religion.  Rosemary thought her Quaker faith would be against her but this was not the case.

Q:  Do you have refresher training?

A:  Yes, around 40 hours per year.  Each magistrate is appraised every 3 years.  There is an upper age limit of 70 years.

Q:  How are cases referred to the Crown Court?

A:  The Crown Prosecution Service will ask for custody.  They look at the evidence, the record of bail and make a decision.  Most cases go to the Magistrates Court initially (treason is an exception).

Finally, residents were encouraged to visit the Magistrates’ Court during Inside Justice Week (19 - 23 October), including the Open Evening on Thursday 22 October.     

Have your say on how the ward budget for 2010/11 should be spent and learn more about some of the scheme proposals.

5.  Local Improvement Schemes

1.1             Cllr Firth drew residents’ attention to the insert in Your Ward titled Scheme Suggestions, under the three ward ambitions: reducing anti-social behaviour, increasing road and pedestrian safety and developing pride in our communities.  He invited any residents present to speak to the scheme suggestions, in numerical order.  The following schemes were supported in this way:

1.2             Scheme reference 6: carry out a feasibility study into a pedestrian crossing on York Road south of junction with The Avenue, Haxby.  The proposer had been unable to attend and a neighbour spoke on her behalf.  He referred to the problem of crossing the road and emphasised that there is no other crossing on York Road.  The proximity of two primary schools and the Ethel Ward Memorial Playing Field added to the importance of this proposal.

1.3             Scheme reference 10: feasibility study into provision of footpath/pavement at north end of Usher Lane.  In support of this scheme, it was commented that the footpath is used by a lot of people and is shiny and dangerous in bad weather.

1.4             Scheme reference 15: grant to Wigginton Parish Churchfield Public Open Space Committee for additional equipment.  The Chair of the Committee stated that they had spent the previous 2 years putting through a scheme to change the area and this was almost complete.  The grant would allow them to purchase a final piece of equipment: a cradle swing for smaller and disabled children.

1.5             Scheme reference 17: grant to Wigginton Old School Community Hall Management Committee for repair work to pillars and boundary wall around the old school.  The Chair of the Committee explained that the pillar in the photograph in Your Ward has tilted to the left.  As it is very large and heavy the equipment required to lift and reposition the top of the pillar is quite expensive.

1.6             Scheme reference 19: grant to Wigginton Parochial Church Council for replacement of rotten door to the outside patio.  The church is well used by the community and the patio has been recently developed to provide wheelchair access.

1.7             Scheme reference 20: grant to Street Sport York.  Simon Haddock, Community Leisure Officer, referred to their work in every ward and the need to find alternative funding following expiry of Sport England funding in 2005.  In answer to a question regarding funding, he replied that a grant of £1k would be used to fund 5 sessions in the ward; and that Street Sport would work with one ward if necessary rather than not at all

1.8             Scheme reference 21: move and secure an existing bench in Wigginton about 50 metres to a more suitable location.  This scheme will avoid future maintenance costs.

1.9             Scheme reference 24: grant to Haxby and Wigginton Youth and Community Association.  The Chair summarised the application for the Youth Club, emphasising that a lower grant would mean lower service provision.

1.10        The question was asked how much is the total ward budget? And the answer given was in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Your chance to ask questions about local issues and concerns.

6.  Have your say!

6.1             A resident referred to an item regarding the green belt in an issue of Focus.  The answer given was that Town and Country Planning legislation had lead to medium term schemes and the formation of a green belt around York to protect the countryside.  There had been a draft Green Belt for over 50 years and the idea of developing a Local Plan is to formalise this arrangement.  Land off Usher Lane would come into this category.  The Local Development Framework is new and modular, it will look at specific aspects and available sites and put forward land for development.  The Regional Spatial Strategy requires a minimum of 850 dwellings per year to be available for development in York: the ward committee would continue to fight for the Green Belt.

The meeting closed at 8.50pm