Agenda and draft minutes

Andy Kerr (AK) presented an update on the ‘My Castle Gateway Project’ which is running in partnership with City of York Council. He introduced Helen Graham (HG), an academic, and Phil Bixby (PB), an architect. They are independent consultants working with CYC to deliver a new approach to public consultation and involvement in developing the masterplan for the Castle Gateway project.  They displayed slides showing their step by step process and gave a progress update on how to engage with the public. HG stated that the plan is to run fun projects for all ages over the summer in order to ascertain which developments would work for the public living in and using the area and give these ideas to the planners developing the area.  PB asked attendees to write three ideas of what they would like to see in the area on notes and attach them to the redevelopment map of the area. The planners’ visions are as follows:

• Close Castle car park

• Create new high quality public realm

• Explore options for a new building alongside the Foss

• Improve pedestrian and cycle connectivity throughout

• Revitalise Piccadilly

• Explore future options for the Foss Basin and St George’s Field car park.

Questions on the project were invited from residents present:

How can Castle car park be replaced as it is used by residents for access to the theatre and shops?

PB answered that there are other car parks available which are underutilised.  A plan is in place to close the Castle car park for a weekend as a test to see how this will affect the alternative York car parks usage.

When the river floods local residents use the Castle car park at no cost. What will happen in this situation?

PB replied that they do need to look at other options if this arises such as other car parks being made available at no cost.

The Castle car park has a 94% usage with a £1.5 million profit per year and many businesses in York use the Castle car park.  Has this been considered and have the local business’s been consulted?

HG replied that the Castle Mills or Basement carpark have been considered as alternatives and local businesses will all be given the option to give feedback on the development and any issues identified will be worked on.

The Piccadilly area has become more and more derelict whilst planning for this has been considered for 15 years. What has happened to these plans when a large amount of  money has been wasted on this planning?

Previous ideas have given them a good blueprint on what will work in the area and will generate an income.

The following grant recipients displayed a presentation on their progress with questions welcomed from the floor:

Red Tower – Building Improvements

Q

Have they applied for a Heritage grant in order to fund the planned further development?

A

They have but were told that due to the Red Tower being a community project it is not covered by Heritage grants.

Q

Due to the building being very small, have the fund raising committee considered hiring a marquee so that it can be used for private functions?

A

The committee are hoping to landscape the surrounding area so that this is possible, Due to the area being a sensitive archaeological site they do need to be very careful with this.

Yor-Peer and York LGBT Forum mental Health Support Group setup

Kyra Women’s Project – garden equipment

Greenfields School & Community Garden for the creation of a secure storage compound

Friends of Guildhall Gardens Edible York (FOGGEY) Juicing Demos

The Groves Association– lawn mower for the secret garden and notice boards

Door 84 Youth Club for ages16-25

Arts Barge Riverside Festival

OCAY – Outreach work

Q

JF asked how many people have been helped in the ward?

A

Following a recent leaflet drop, 35 have been helped in some way, through signposting or referral to other services and some have got involved in volunteering.

Q

Cllr Denise Craghill (DC) asked what the main problem issues are that they have identified in the ward? 

A full evaluation study of the OCAY service is currently being carried and data will be available per constituency later in the year.

Musical Connections at Willow House – Willow House was closed by City of York Council and so the remaining funding was used to perform to patients and staff at York Hospital.  The music was well received by all and the good feedback from the hospital has made the community music group consider performing there on future occasions.   

JF ran through the budget and encouraged applications from interested parties for ward funding for 2017/2018.  He updated the meeting on the Guildhall priorities below:

• More waste is recycled

• Parks and green spaces in the ward are better maintained

• There is less anti-social behaviour

• Children can play out safely

• Fewer people suffer from loneliness

• People embrace diversity in their communities

JF gave the meeting the options of whether to continue with the current ward priorities, review them all or change the wording on some of them. Residents suggested keeping with the same priorities for the current year.

Q

Ideas were requested from attendees as to how to improve meeting attendance?

A

More notice on dates of meetings were requested by residents. DC suggested that a BBQ planned on the 16^th July at the Red Tower for Guildhall residents could involve the committee.

Q

It was suggested that a main road through the Guildhall residential area (Lowther Street) be closed due to the large amounts of diesel fumes caused by traffic queues.

A

Ward councillors agreed that that this could be a good idea and should be looked in to further.

Q

It was suggested that more cycle racks be made available on the streets in the ward.

A

This could be looked at in a future residents’ meeting, with highways funding a possibility.

The Chair of the planning panel, Chris Edghill, is due to retire from the role and thanks were given for all his work.

8

JF thanked all for attending and closed the meeting at 21:00.