Agenda and minutes

·         Talk to your local councillors

·         Find out about community groups active in your area

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

·         Talk to Police Community Support Officers (PCSO’s)

Residents had the opportunity to speak with Councillors Reid, Fenton and Mason in addition to representatives from the York Libraries, York Timebank and local community groups and interests.  PCSOs Court and Hale were also on-hand to provide advice on home security.

Cllr Ann Reid welcomed everyone to the meeting and all Councillors took the opportunity to introduce themselves.

Role of the Panel - The Clerk to the Ward Planning Panel, Mr Dave Munley, explained that the role of the Panel was to provide a common-sense, residents’ point of view on planning applications received by the Council.

Membership of the Panel - Mr Munley outlined the Panel’s current membership of 8 volunteers and explained that further volunteers would be welcome.  No special planning knowledge was required.  It was noted that membership of the Ward Planning Panel required ratification by the Ward Committee.

AGREED: The Ward Committee ratified the current membership of the Ward Planning Panel: Dave Munley (Clerk), Roger Jenkins, Margaret Silcock, Ann Gray, Phil Metcalfe, John Parkinson, Jo Green and Shane Egan.

AGREED: The formal selection of the Planning Panel would be included on the next ward committee agenda

Mr Roger Jenkins, the previous Clerk to the Ward Planning Panel, was formally thanked for all his hard work and dedication.

ACTION: It was agreed that ratification of the Ward Planning Panel membership would be itemised on the agenda at the next Ward Committee meeting. This will be preceded by promotion of the opportunity to be a member of the Planning Panel to encourage further membership from residents across the ward.

Ward councillors will explain the new ward committee / ward team process and outline ward funds available locally.

New Arrangements - Cllr Fenton outlined the new arrangements around neighbourhood working, including the Ward committee, Ward team and Ward budgets.  Such arrangements have been designed to empower local residents and to support Ward members in identifying, developing and delivering on local priorities.  There is also some budgetary devolvement to Wards for allocation to local priorities.

Ward Budget - The Ward budget for 2015/16 is as follows:

Pride in York Fund (One-Off)         £4,260

Pride in York Fund                          £11,193 *   

General Ward Budget                    £8,395

Community Care Fund                            £4,197

Highways Programme                    £13,991

(*reduced pro rata to £5,597 for the remainder of  2015/16)

General Ward Budget - Community groups are welcome to submit applications for grants under the General Ward Budget.

Ward Highway Programme Budget - It was noted that Ward Highway Programme Budget was in addition to the highways services already provided by the Council.  Residents commented that it would be helpful to have a list of the costs for different highways services.  Kristina Davey explained that the Council publish a list of highways schemes in November and that a list of costs could be provided then.  It was further noted that the Ward Highways Programme Budget could be carried forward to fund a more significant scheme if this was deemed appropriate.  Other budgets, with the exception of the ‘One off’ Pride in York fund, would need to be spent during the relevant financial year.

Ground Maintenance – Ward teams are being asked to identify priorities for future expenditure. The Ward Team has been provided with a list of grounds maintenance tasks split into two sections: those which can only be completed by the Council due to health and safety implications, eg. operating machinery or working with hazardous chemicals (highlighted in red), and those which could be picked up within the Ward, perhaps through volunteering (highlighted in green). 

ACTION: It was agreed that the Ward Team need to scrutinise these activities on a line-by-line basis to determine savings and what could be picked up by voluntary and community groups within the Ward. 

Local Ward Priorities - Cllr Fenton explained that four ‘headline’ priorities had been identified by the Ward Team so far:

·        Improving the local environment

·        Increasing community involvement

·        Improving access to services

·        Making your money go further.

AGREED: The Ward Committee agreed the four Ward Priorities identified.

Have your say on the proposed ward priorities worked up by Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward Team members:

·         Breakout session: discuss priorities for different areas in the ward.

Discussion Groups - Councillors and residents then broke-out into residentially based discussion groups to discuss the Ward Priorities and identify projects and initiatives that would address them.

Your ward councillors will announce their decisions on finalised ward priorities for Dringhouses and Woodthorpe.

Cllrs Fenton, Reid and Mason gave feedback on the group discussions.  Headline concerns were as follows:

·               Parking

·               Drainage

·               Road resurfacing & road markings

·               Cycle path resurfacing & safety issues

·               Fly-tipping

·               Dog fouling

·               Engaging young people

·               Better use of community facilities, especially in alleviating social isolation

A more detailed summary of the issues raised is included as Appendix 1.

Next Steps – Thereafter a question and answer session took place during which next steps were discussed.  In summary:

·               Community groups with ideas and suggestions, that contribute to the agreed Ward Priorities, are welcome to complete and submit the Ward Grant Application Forms for consideration.

·               As soon as costing figures are available, and when the Council have published their list of Highways schemes, then potential local schemes can be discussed within the Ward Team and the Ward Committee.

·               AGREED: There was agreement that regular dialogue and feedback need to be part of the ongoing process.  It was suggested that use could be made of the Ward page on the Council website.  The format of meetings, discussion and dialogue may well evolve over time.

Residents were thanked for their contributions to the new process.

Whilst the date of the next meeting is to be confirmed, it is likely to take place in January 2016.  The date will be publicised within the Ward and sent directly to those residents who have provided their contact details.

Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward Committee Meeting

Held on 13^th October 2015

Appendix 1: Items Raised by Residents During Break-Out Discussions

(Item 5)

Dringhouses West Area

·        Improving footpaths: Jervis Road & Don Avenue

o   verges

o   strimming

·        Roads

o   parking problems on Jervis Road

o   lay-by needed on North Lane

o   possible double yellows on one side of Jervis Lane

o   St Helen’s Road resurfacing

·        Litter & dog fouling

o   school campaign re: litter?

o   put back the bins that have been removed

o   more dog bins

o   litter grabbers needed

o   dog fouling: publicity campaign needed

·        Ward needs a proper process for keeping people involved & giving them the opportunity to influence eg. via the website

·        Volunteers to help with the channels of communication eg. ‘street champions’

·        Greater community involvement needed

·        In favour of a Ward directory

·        Improving access to services

o   older residents – consider door knocking

o   make greater use of York Timebank

Woodthorpe Area

·        Local environment

o   overhanging hedges/branches

o   parking on pavements

o   broken glass

o   strimming

·        Speeding:  Moor Lane & Ryecroft – VAS signs which flash actual speeds

·        Double yellow lines on Moor Lane near roundabout

·        Litter

o   bins on Woodthorpe Green

o   primary school campaign

·        Directory and flyers for community groups

·        Community transport: Timebank?

·        LomanGinnel - road markings need repainting

Tadcaster Road Area

·        Disposal of waste where residents are maintaining public areas

·        Social isolation: increase use of church facilities eg. current lunch club to be applauded

·        Use of Knavesmire footpath as a cycle lane?

·        Drainage/flooding

o   Tadcaster Road

o   Ainsty Grove

·        Little Hob Moor

o   path needs resurfacing

o   flooding issues

o   LED lighting inappropriate for wildlife

·        Parking & cycling on footpaths – publicise hotline numbers for reporting these

·        Road surfacing

·        Footpaths

o   overhanging trees/bushes

o   fly-tipping

·        Littering and dog-fouling

·        Clearing up after events on the Knavesmire

·        Engagement

o   format of meetings?  Walkabout/cycling?

o   use of schools/library?

o   street surgery at school?

o   engagement of young people?

·        Young people

o   activities

o   engagement

o   youth work

o   child poverty