Agenda and minutes

Prior to the formal meeting, members of the public had the opportunity to speak to the Ward Councillors, Councillors Cunningham-Cross, McIlveen and Watt, as well as Kristina Davey, (Neighbourhood Management Officer), Rachel Stewart (Street Environment Officer) and PC Lailah Nijaila and PCSO Mike Holden from North Yorkshire Police.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 2 February 2012.

RESOLVED:       That the minutes of the meeting of the Skelton, Rawcliffe and Clifton Without Ward Committee held on 2 February 2012 be approved and signed as a correct record.

A representative of the Policing Team will talk about and answer questions on their work in the ward.

PC Lailah Nijaila and PCSO Mike Holden attended the meeting to provide an update on the work of the Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team and answer any questions from those attending the meeting.

PC Lailah Nijaila introduced herself and explained that she was the Beat Manager for York North – North (Clifton Moor, Rawcliffe, Skelton, Strensall, Stockton On Forest, Haxby and Wigginton), led by Inspector Jo Brooksbank (York Rural Inspector) and Sergeant Andy Haigh, She introduced PCSO Mike Holden who was one of a team of 8 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) covering York North – North. She explained that she works with the PCSOs as one team to provide 24 hour cover for the area.

She reported a significant reduction in crime over the past year but stressed the importance of crime prevention. She explained that her team undertakes patrols in areas where needed. Furthermore, Neighbourhood Watch Schemes operate on some streets and the  Safer York Website sells discounted crime prevention materials and provides information to the public on crime prevention. She introduced residents to a website called Immobilise.com which residents can use to create an inventory of their valuable items such as bicycles and electrical items etc by recording model and serial numbers. If the items are ever stolen and subsequently found by the police, the police can use this information to return the items to the rightful owner. 

She advised residents that a new national telephone number (101) had been introduced for non emergency calls. Residents can ring this number and ask to speak to a specific officer by asking for their collar number or name. Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously and all information provided is recorded on an intelligence database. She advised residents that summer creates opportunities for burglars with people leaving windows and garage doors open and warned them to be vigilant by closing windows when leaving the room.  She advised that from 1 July, their three month priority would be burglary.

A Skelton resident advised police officers that she had seen people driving around the village obviously observing houses. Another Skelton resident raised concerns about instances of cold calling, even within Cold Calling Controlled Zones. PC Nijaila explained that if residents wanted to set up a cold calling zone, they need to apply to the Council who would then undertake a survey of the residents on the street and if a sufficient proportion of residents want it, they will declare it a Cold Calling Controlled Zone, and a sign is erected in the street and window stickers provided for residents to display.

RESOLVED:       That the update on the work of the Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team  be noted.

REASON:            In order that Ward Members, parish councils and residents are kept informed regarding police work in the ward.

At this point in the meeting you can raise any issues or concerns you may have in respect of the ward.

Residents were given the opportunity to raise any issues or concerns they may have in respect of the ward. 

A resident drew the Ward Members attention to an article which had been published in York Press on 26 June regarding the removal of litter bins in the area. He stated that having undertaken some analysis on the figures, it appeared that Skelton, Rawcliffe and Clifton Without ward had lost 59% of its litter bins whereas some wards had lost less than 10% and one ward had had none removed which raised questions over why this ward had been particularly targeted. He questioned what criteria has been used when deciding which bins to remove and expressed concern that there had been no consultation with parish councils prior to the exercise.

Councillor Cunningham-Cross advised residents that she had spoken to officers and fellow councillors on this issue and had already relayed residents concerns to them. She advised residents that a review of bins had been undertaken as part of the budget saving process and the three criteria for removal of bins were 1) those bins which are underused, 2) those used wrongly for household or commercial waste and 3) those which were very close to other bins. She noted that all three bins located at Rawcliffe Recreation Centre had been removed and accepted residents concerns that the removal of bins generally could lead to an increase in littering. She assured residents that she would continue to pass on their concerns.

Residents raised concerns regarding the standard of bus services in the ward and made the following points regarding the no 19 service.

·        There have been eight changes to the service since August 2011.

·        The first bus does not leave early enough in morning for some people to get to work and there is no evening service.

·        Timetables are not readily available.

·        Buses do not run to time, sometimes running 20-30 late due to delays on Bootham.

·        Parking on narrow residential streets, and problems of rat running, can cause problems of access for buses and creates further delays

·        Service standard has decreased leading to many people abandoning the use of public transport. This makes it very difficult to encourage people to return to it and therefore legitimises further decreases in local bus services.

Ward Members explained that commercial operator Transdev had been brought in to operate this service, at which point City of York Council had to step back. It is only now, that Transdev have found that it is not  financially viable and they cannot run the service commercially, that the Council can step in and look at the service.

Ward Members advised that they had been assured that when future changes to services are due, they will be given advance notice in order that they can filter information to parish councils and residents.

RESOLVED:       That the issues raised be noted.

REASON:            In order that residents concerns are addressed.

To formally agree the schemes to be funded through the Ward Committee for 2012/13 (to view the schemes for the ward go to www.york.gov.uk/wards/)

Ward Members were asked to agree the schemes to be funded through the Ward Committee for 2012/13, details of which had been circulated to residents at the meeting.

The Neighbourhood Management Officer explained that the funding had been split into 3 pots as follows:

·        Ward Budgets: Each ward had an allocation to use as grant funding to commission local voluntary and community organisations to meet identified needs (Ward Budget for Skelton, Rawcliffe and Clifton Without Ward is £5,040 for 2012-13 (£3,700 allocated))

·        Other Voluntary Sector Support:  Funding to support those voluntary sector organisations that provide services to more than one ward and that are currently forced to apply for a plethora of individual ward committee grants.  It was not intended that this fund would be open to Council services such as Street Sport; however, it was proposed that in the first year only, whilst the Ward Credits pot was being established, Council services were allowed to bid.

Your Consortium had won the tender to administer the schemes according to the Council’s criteria and priorities and would provide support to the recipient organisations including accessing additional funding / revenue sources, helping them to become more sustainable.

·        Ward Credits:  A “credits pot” to be allocated to identified wards to be used to commission new services, either from within the Council or from other partners / sectors, to deliver on the Ward priorities. 

Members noted that the schemes which had been put forward were as follows:

·        SK-12-21  Young at heart -  for continued support of the luncheon club for older people and to subsidise coach trips - £1,000

·        SK-12-14  Clifton With Rawcliffe Allotment Association - skip provision throughout the year- £1,200

·        SK-12-27  St Giles Church – A grant to install a handrail for the steps leading from The Green - £1,000

·        SK-12-12  Kool Kids Club - A grant for indoor and outdoor play equipment - £500

Residents voiced their support for the above schemes however expressed disappointment that so few schemes had been deemed eligible for funding this year.

RESOLVED:                That Ward Members agree the allocation of ward funding as detailed above.

REASON:                     To enable ward grant funding to be allocated to local ward schemes for 2012-13.

To help identify issues to be the focus for the next informal meeting.

The Ward Members introduced the ‘Your Ward Forum’ and asked residents for details of issues they would like discussed at future informal meetings.

It was suggested that Andrew Bradley, Sustainable Transport Operations Manager, and Paul Brand, Transport Planner, be invited to attend the next informal ward committee meeting to talk about bus travel in the Ward.

Ward Members noted that a meeting regarding Intelligent Travel York (an initiative to improve sustainable travel in York) had taken place that afternoon. They advised residents that they had spoken to Graham Titchener, Programme Manager for Intelligent Travel York and suggested it would be useful if Ward Members could have access to the minutes of these meetings in order that they can pass on relevant information to residents.

RESOLVED:       That bus travel be put on the agenda for the next informal meeting.

REASON:            To ensure that issues relevant to the ward raised by members and residents at meetings are given due consideration.