Agenda and minutes

The drop-in surgery gives you the opportunity to talk to your councillors, street environment officer, safer neighbourhood team, neighbourhood management officer and visiting speakers in an informal setting.

Residents had the opportunity to talk with Cllr Lynn Jeffries, Cllr Stephen Burton, Cllr Dafydd Williams; Mora Scaife, Neighbourhood Manager; Inspector Drummond; PS Sirrell; PC Park; Jackie Armitage, Street Environment Officer; Graham Terry, Assistant Director Adult, Children and Education and Dean Sharp, Street Sport.

The minutes of the previous meeting will be signed.

Cllr Williams welcomed everyone to the meeting.

The minutes from the meeting in February were agreed to be a true record of the meeting and were duly signed.

Cllr Williams asked Inspector Drummond of the Safer neighbourhood Team to give an update on the changes within the team prior to the agenda being worked through.

Inspector Drummond informed the meeting that he has been in post for three weeks with the Police Sergeant for the West area being in post slightly longer.  The new PS is Iain Sirrell.

He encouraged residents to continue to report issues so crime rates will continue to fall.

Currently there has been a reduction in total crime of 26.9% which means there are 170 less victims of crime.  Anti social behaviour is 13% less which is 250 less incidents.

Inspector Drummonds areas of work include Neighbourhood Watch improvements and ensuring it is fit for purpose and improving communication.  This wil include communication to residents, social media and the web site.

The following questions were asked:

Q.        PCSO’s are not as visible as they were

A.        They should still be visible as they are in the wards either on foot or cycle.

Q.        The response times for answering telephone calls recently has been very long (with the phone ringing for 7 or 8 minutes when trying to report and incident)

A.        This is unacceptable and will be taken back.  The system should improve following the current recruitment campaign.  The telephone number is also changing in November with the 0845 60 60 247 number being changed.  There will be a high profile campaign to promote this.

Groups who have applied for ward funding for next year will let us know why they need the funding.

Cllr Williams informed the meeting that three of the last four schemes in Your Ward have been printed with the wrong amounts next to them.

They should read:

Grant to Young People’s Service to provide one extra session for young people each week - £5,860

Grant to Friends of Foxwood to build and plant planters - £500

Funding to train adults to support the Playspace sessions -£485

He then asked if any applicants wanted to elaborate of their suggestion and explain why they need funding.  The following information was given:

Street Sport

These sessions are to encourage children and young people who do not normally participate in sport to participate.  The numbers of children and young people attending these sessions increases every year and funding is required to ensure theses sessions continue.

Safe and Sound Homes

This service used to be called Nightstop.  It provides emergency accommodation for young people through a network of hosts.  The hosts take in a young person for a night giving them a hot meal and breakfast.

During the period between October 2010 and October 2011 260 nights accommodation have been provided for 60 young people.  There are currently three hosts in the ward.

This service has a direct impact on the well being of young people.

Friends of Acomb Green

The summer fare has been running for two years with upwards of 1,000 people attending.

Hopefully 2012 the fare will be bigger and better than ever.

The improvements to the Green it is hopeful will happen are a community notice board and further bulb planting.

ChapelfieldsOutta School club

Being successful in getting a grant would mean that the cost of a place at the Outta school club can be kept affordable. Many of the parents attending are on a low income so keeping costs low is very important.  Funds are also needed for equipment and trips to support the club.

Ark Community theatre

There have been concerns raised at this meeting about older people and about young people. This project is an intergenerational project.  The theatre will be in Foxwood Community Centre and will be for the whole community.  Drama is a fantastic medium for bringing people together.  The Ark Church has part funded this project.

Citizens Advice Bureau

Last year the Citizens Advice Bureau helped 4,700 people in York.  This application will enable more people to be helped near to where they live.

Local sessions have identified more money for residents, to extend this service and make sure more residents are getting all the money they are entitled to this funding is needed.

York Older Peoples Assembly

YOPA was set up 8 years ago to represent older people.  They produce a regular newsletter for 50+ residents which reaches 4,000 people.  Many of the services are centrally based and YOPA recognise the need to take the services out to where people live.  They would like funding to run an information fare in Westfield with the following organisations attending: free nail cutting service:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Find out what community contracts are and how you can be involved.

Kristina Davey, Project Officer gave a presentation regarding area based working and future options.  The following areas were covered:

The neighbourhood Management Unit have been trialling an Area based working pilot and have been updating the Ward priorities.  We are wanting to develop Community Contracts across the city starting in Dringhouses & Woodthorpe, Holgate & Westfield.

A Community Contract is an agreement between a service provider and the community where that service is delivered. We think there could be three stages to the process:

1.   A two way Service Level Agreement

2.   Make it better

3.   Your Choice

A community contract could include the services delivered to residents with an outline of what can be expected and the responsibilities of residents themselves in order to make their neighbourhood a good place to live.

The benefits of a community contract are

•      Are things going to plan?

•      How can I get involved?

•      Building community action

•      Building community spirit

York has a history of developing agreements on service delivery between service providers and residents.

·        Bell Farm in 1995

·        Foxwood Neighbourhood Agreement in 1998

·        Clifton Pride neighbourhood Agreement in 2004

A Ward Action Group could have three keyfunctions:

1.   To monitor service delivery

2.   To identify opportunities for local communities to improve neighbourhoods

3.   To feedback monitoring information to the ward committee

Next Steps:

•      Set up Ward Action Groups

•      Work with Ward Action Groups so that they can operate effectively

•      Publish the first chapter of the Community Contract (Environment Services)

The support a Ward Action Group could expect from the Neighbourhood Management Unit includes:

•      Organise meetings

•      Organise relevant training for members

•      Assist the group to establish how it will work

•      Offer advice and support for ongoing issues

•      Act as central point of contact

•      Liaise between the group and ward committee

•      Organise feedback at ward committees

Have your say on proposals to modernise the council’s care for older people.

Graham Terry, Assistant Director Adults, Children and Education gave a presentation regarding the Care Homes Consultation, highlighting the following areas

The consultation has taken place over recent months with 1,163 questionnaires being completed.  There have been four public consultation meetings, three supermarket sessions, attendance at the 50+ fare and several workshops/meetings with stakeholders.

The consultation focussed on the redirecting of resources from residential care into helping people stay in their own homes longer; specialist residential care and the delivery of day care services in the community.

The consultation also covered the design for a modern care home and the options for the future. With the possibility of a care village on the Lowfields site.

Residents can continue to give their views by emailing carehomes.consultation@york.gov.uk or ringing (01904) 554359 for further information visit www.york.gov.uk/eph.

The following questions were raised:

Q.      What is happening to in house care at Gale Farm Court?

A.      It has been agreed that the care will not be outsourced currently identifying how it can be kept in house.  All residents will be written to very soon.

Q.      Have options around personalisation (more choice) been explored?

A.      Discussions have taken place around flexibility and not keeping routines.  Further discussions are needed as it is obvious they have not gone far enough.

Q.      Is there a plan to close Gale Farm Court?

A.      No, there are no plans to close Gale Farm Court

Q.      In regards to the retirement village what mechanisms will be put in place to ensure it will not create a getto?

A.      The Social hub will be a key part of the village.  Residents who live outside the care village will use the communal spaces so will create a link to the wider community.

Q.      Will there be facilities like shops, post office etc

A.      They could be created in the social hub if they are not in close proximity to the village.  If the Cabinet give the go ahead for this concept these issues will be investigated further.

This is your chance to ask questions about local issues and concerns not covered by the agenda.

A representative of Treemendous gave the following information regarding the project:

·        The project aims to plant 50,000 trees in York over the next three years

·        The first trees were planted on Leeman Road cycle path

·        The project launched today

·        Information leaflets were given out with contact details for those who may wish to be involved.

The following questions and comments were raised

Q.      There appears to be an increase in cycling on footpaths, particularly adults.  There is a maximum fine of £500, if some cyclists are prosecuted it might deter others from doing the same.

A.      passed to the Safer Neighbourhood Team

Q.      The fencing on Tedder Road, although it has solved one issue it has created another issue.  There should be a contingency fund to be used when a scheme needs amending following implementation

A.      The ward Councillors are aware of the situation and will discuss it with the resident following the meeting.

Q.      There is a parking issue outside a residents house.  There is regular parking on yellow lines which then blocks access to the property.

A.      Passed to the Safer Neighbourhood Team

Q.      The playground area of Acomb Green is full of litter, this may be helped if a litter bin could be moved from the main area of Acomb Green to the edge of the play area

A.      Noted

Q.      A concern was raised regarding the number of young people drinking in play areas around York.  This is regularly reported to the Police and City of York Council but it appears that it is not being addressed.  The PCSO’s are never seen in the area

A.      Passed to the Safer Neighbourhood Team

Q.      The humps on Foxwood Lane seem to be too high.  One resident reported that her furniture shakes when a bus or a lorry travel over the hump outside her home.

A.      Councillors will investigate.

Councillor Williams thanked the residents of Gale Farm Court for hosting the meeting and closed the meeting.