Agenda and minutes

An opportunity to raise issues informally with your Ward Councillors, Street Environment Officer, members of your Safer Neighbourhood Polcing Team, Neighbourhood Management Officer and visiting speakers

1.1          Residents had the opportunity to speak with Cllr. Siân Wiseman, Iain Dunn (Street Environment), PC Alex Dobson and PCSO Hannon (Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team), Ed Gray (Community Payback York) and Mora Scaife and Virginia Shaw (Neighbourhood Management Unit).

Signing of the January minutes and an update on action points

2.1             Cllr. Siân Wiseman welcomed residents to the meeting, drew their attention to the housekeeping arrangements and requested that they turn off their mobile phones and complete the feedback forms.

2.2             Cllr. Wiseman asked if there were any questions regarding the minutes of the previous meeting, available on the table at the door of the meeting room.

2.3             The minutes of the previous meeting, held on 25 January 2010, were approved and signed as an accurate record.

Hear from your Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team and give them feedback about your concerns

3.1             PC Alex Dobson reported that crime in the ward is down 12% for 2009-10 compared with 2008-09 and crime in Earswick is virtually non-existent.  Tackling anti-social behaviour is the Team’s number 1 priority, through Operation Caboose. 

3.2             There are problems with graffiti and damage to vehicles in Strensall and burglaries in Stockton on the Forest, where violent crime is up 25% (all at Stockton hospital); and some evidence of underage drinking at the BMX track in Earswick.

3.3             Operation Spoke is continuing, with the objective of helping to tackle cycle theft and making other valuables more secure.  A UV pen is used to mark possessions with a unique reference number.  The number is then recorded centrally on the immobilise database so that if it is stolen and recovered it can be traced back to its rightful owner.

3.4             The request was made for the Team to visit Lock House Lane car park around 9pm.  This was noted.    

Ed Gray, Manager of Community Payback in York will explain how the scheme works, what type of work offenders do and how you can put forward ideas for projects

4.1             Ed Gray, Manager of Community Payback York, described the work of the Team, now part of York and North Yorkshire Probation Trust.  Offenders are given a community order to do unpaid work, which may also lead to them gaining new skills and qualifications: for some offenders this is for the first time.  Four hundred hours of work are done every month in York.  Local examples include work in Strensall Woods and on the Scented Garden in Earswick.  Generally, the work carried out improves the city’s environment, though other examples include redecoration work to York Housing Association’s properties prior to re-letting.

4.2             In response to questions, the following points were made:

Offenders are closely supervised in a ratio of 1 to 6.  They sign a contract which, if broken, entails a return to court.

Offenders are expected to complete their service within a specified period, usually within a calendar year, though they are supported to complete in a realistic timeframe and not to stop and start.  They may do a smaller number of hours more frequently if it suits the individual.

Community Payback only supply the labour.  CYC can provide materials so work is done that would not otherwise be done: for example, metal fences that had not been painted for 25 – 30 years.

There can be resistance from communities like Earswick, though generally offenders have usually committed less serious crimes.    

Michael Watkins will give an overview of the council’s highways maintenance responsibilities

5.1              Michael Watkins, Maintenance Engineer with CYC Highways, provided a presentation with an overview of the council’s highways’ maintenance responsibilities, including such items as basic maintenance, the street lighting carbon reduction programme, blacksmiths, warping (washing off the mud from walkways following receding of flood waters), verge maintenance and winter maintenance.  Approximately twice the amount of grit compared with the previous year had been used.

5.2             In response to questions, the following points were made:

The footpath on Cloisters Walk has been put forward to include in future gritting.  It is a problem of prioritising use of resources and the current review of the winter maintenance programme includes such issues as the funding of salt bins (half are funded by Highways, remainder by ward committee and residents’ associations), which footpaths are gritted (some secondary routes may be if there is a similarly severe winter next year: Barley Rise is an example), gritting of cycle paths and repair of potholes (a national problem CYC hopes to have under control by end of May).

The winter maintenance policy has been in place for 10 years and had been sufficient to deal with previous winters to 2010.

Never been a court case where someone clearing the path in front of their home had been prosecuted.  As long as take reasonable care, unlikely to be a problem and it is helpful to everyone if householders get involved in this way.

Gradually getting around the city to clear away the salt and sand mix left behind after the snow and ice had gone.

The York stone flags on Lendal Bridge that were damaged by frost lift are being replaced.

CYC cannot pay for all the salt bins in the city as the cost would be prohibitive.

It was agreed it would be helpful for a list of parish council salt bins to be sent to Highways.

Every year, inspections are carried out to rate every carriageway and footpath as either 1 (good), 2 (average) or 3 (poor).

Michael Watkins was thanked for the information provided.      

Your chance to ask questions of your councillors

6.1             Cllr. Wiseman drew attention to the Your Voice insert in the April Your Ward and asked residents to encourage any young people they know to complete the feedback form and return it.

6.2             There being no further points raised, Cllr Wiseman closed the meeting with thanks to all present for their attendance.