Agenda and minutes

·         Talk to your local councillors

·         Consultation on York City Centre

·         Give us your views on what is important to you in your community

Local residents were given the opportunity to speak informally with Councillor Fenton and other speakers/representatives prior to the main meeting.  Information relating to ‘My City Centre’ and cold calling was also available.

·         Introductions

·         Selection of the Ward Planning Panel

·         Presentation on the council’s approach to providing accommodation for young people in care – Amanda Hatton, Corporate Director – Children, Education and Communities

·         Cold Calling Controlled Zones – Dawn Clarkson, Project Officer

·         Ward budget – an update on projects funded in 2019

·         Group discussion about ward priorities and use of ward funding in 2020

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

The meeting was chaired by Councillor Fenton who welcomed everyone and set out the agenda for the meeting as well as general housekeeping rules.

SELECTION OF THE WARD PLANNING PANEL

The role of the Ward Planning Panel was explained by Margaret Silcock, one of the five panel members who informed residents of their bi-monthly evening meetings (which also included refreshments).  Panel members have the opportunity to comment on any local applications (ranging from tree preservation orders to house extensions) and their comments are then fed back to the City of York Council.   Although existing members were keen to stand again, new members of the Panel would be very welcome and a request was made for anyone interested to provide their details at the end of the meeting. The current Panel members wishing to carry on are Margaret Silcock, Fiona Barclay, Philip Metcalfe, Ann Gray and Julie Ainsworth.

Councillor Fenton thanked the Panel for their commitment and dedication.  He went on to say that the range of planning applications varied significantly and could range from an application for dormer windows to the proposed construction of several properties. 

PRESENTATION ON CITY OF YORK COUNCIL’S APPROACH TO PROVIDING ACCOMODATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN CARE (Amanda Hatton, Corporate Director – Children, Education and Communities)

Councillor Fenton then introduced Amanda Hatton who gave a presentation on the provision of accommodation for young people in care in York.

She confirmed that there were currently 251 young people in care in York, 90 per cent of whom lived with foster carers with only a small portion living in residential care.  (When residents were asked to guess how many young people were in care in York, the answers ranged between 250- 500).  Amanda Hatton went on to say that City of York Council had legal responsibility for these young people and was considered to be a ‘corporate parent’.  Although there had recently been a significant increase in the number of foster carers recruited, they were still looking to increase the number even further.

Amanda Hatton then asked residents to suggest what they thought young people wanted from parents.  Their responses included:-

•           Calmness

•           Good Food

•           Love

•           Safety

•           Stability

•           Understanding

•           Warmth

She went on to say that according to a survey of young people in care, ‘Love’ came top of the list. 

A six minute video was then shown involving some young adults from the care system in Lancashire who had written poignant, positive and life affirming letters to their younger selves regarding their previous experiences. 

Amanda Hatton emphasised the importance of having local foster carers/residential homes in order to maintain close links with young people’s birth parents and their local community.  She went on to explain the difficulty in finding suitable accommodation for the small numbers of young people in care.  Although there was only one residential home in York, it was not large enough to accommodate six teenagers.  Ideally, City of York Council would like at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.