Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

At this point in the meeting Members present were invited to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda. None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last City Strategy Decision Session held on 7 September 2010.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the last Decision Session – Executive Member for City Strategy, held on 7 September 2010 be approved and signed by the Executive Member as a correct record.

It was reported that there had been two registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme. The Executive Member had also granted three requests to speak received from Council Members details of which were set out under the individual agenda items.

This report is in response to a petition received at full Council on 15 July 2010 from Councillor Alexander, on behalf of local residents, regarding a play area behind Kirkdale Road.

RESOLVED:             That the Executive Member approves Option A to undertake planting, as approved by the management company, at the start of the planting season to alleviate the concerns of residents.

REASON:                  To ensure that in addition to the new, higher fencing recently installed that appropriate screen planting is introduced to reduce the impact of the use of the play area and equipment upon residents of Kirkdale Road.

The Executive Member considered a report, which had been prepared in response to a petition received at full Council on 15 July 2010. Councillor Alexander had presented the petition on behalf of local residents expressing their concerns regarding a play area in Kirkdale Road, Osbaldwick.

Representations were received on behalf of Osbaldwick Parish Council who supported Option C in the report, which involved undertaking more extensive work together with the reconfiguration of the play area equipment. Their representative detailed the history of the issue and lack of consultation undertaken with residents. He referred to the impact of the play equipment on local residents, which resulted in their loss of privacy and amenity.

The Local Member confirmed that he had surveyed residents in Kirkdale Road in an effort to find a solution to the reported problems. He confirmed that the new higher fence had now been installed and that he supported the Officers recommendation to undertake additional planting later in the season.

Officers confirmed that evergreen planting would take place at the start of the planting season, which would supplement the recently installed higher fence.

The Executive Member confirmed that he had recently visited the play area, which was aimed at very young children and which could be secured when not in use. He pointed out that he did not feel that the relocation of the equipment in the restricted area would have any material affect on sight lines.

Consideration was then given to the following options:

Option A

Continue the existing measures to alleviate the concerns, i.e. to install the planting as approved by the management company, at the start of the planting season.

Option B

To carry out no further action i.e. not to install the additional planting.

Option C

To seek the approval of the landowners/ managing agentsto carry out more extensive works involving the reconfiguration of equipment within the play area to alleviate the residents’ concerns.

RESOLVED:             That the Executive Member approves Option A to undertake planting, as approved by the management company, at the start of the planting season to alleviate the concerns of residents. ^1.

REASON:                  To ensure that in addition to the new, higher fencing recently installed that appropriate screen planting is introduced to reduce the impact of the use of the play area and equipment upon residents of Kirkdale Road.

This report considers a petition presented to the Council in July 2010 requesting that First York and North Yorkshire continue to operate the route 13/13a bus service which operates between Monks Cross and Copmanthorpe via Heworth/Bell Farm, York College/Askham Bar and Copmanthorpe.

RESOLVED:      That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees to:

i)                    Note the content of the petition;

ii)                  Support Option b to accept the commercially registered service 13 registered by First West and North Yorkshire, namely a daytime service no longer linked to the Monks Cross area of York;

iii)                Propose to First Group that route 13 should be operated in a bi-directional loop around Elmfield Avenue – Dodsworth Avenue;

iv)                Ask Officers to further investigate how best to offer a link between Dodsworth/Elmfield Avenue and Monks Cross as part of the ongoing review of the tendered bus network. Such a link to be established before access, via the number 13, is discontinued and to be subject to further discussions with businesses at Monks Cross, and elsewhere on the route, regarding revenue contributions towards the service (as described in para. 20 of the officer report);

v)                  Instruct Officers to arrange to move the No. 9 bus service stops on Malton Road to a point closer to the Laburnum Garth junction whilst ensuring that they are easily accessible from the Woodlands/Elmfield View residential area;

vi)                Ask Officers to ensure that alternative bus services, including dial and ride, are well publicised in the Woodlands/Elmfield View area before the 13A loop is discontinued;

vii)              Ask Officers to approach Coastliner to investigate whether Route 844 could be diverted via Woodlands Grove.

REASON:      The proposed, subsidised, extensions to the commercial route can be accommodated within the budget for this year. It is highly likely, however, that the public transport budget will require re-evaluation following the Government’s comprehensive spending review and would not be a priority area for expenditure when compared to other supported bus routes. The discontinued section of route (and hours of operation) can be accommodated in the review of subsidised bus services to be undertaken later this year. The bi-directional route is proposed as this is felt to best serve the needs of the Dodsworth Avenue/Elmfield Avenue residents and the commercial needs of First West and North Yorkshire.

The Executive Member considered a report, which had been prepared in response to a petition presented to the Council in July 2010 requesting that First West and North Yorkshire continue to operate the route 13/13A bus service. The service operated between Monks Cross and Copmanthorpe via Heworth/Bell Farm, York College/Askham Bar and Copmanthorpe.

Representations were received from a representative of the Muncaster Residents Association who raised a number of objections to the changes made to these services. She referred to the hardship and inconvenience the changes would make to a number of elderly residents in the area.

Councillor Boyce pointed out that, as Local Member, she did not support the proposed changes, which would make the lives of local residents more difficult. She requested the Executive Member to examine alternatives to ensure residents were adequately catered for.

Councillor Funnell referred to a recent public meeting when local residents had expressed the level of feeling at the service changes. She confirmed that she supported Option d which would retain the connection to Monks Cross and requested the Executive Member to reconsider this option.

Officers confirmed that the majority of residents would still be able to reach Monks Cross and the city centre but that Officers would do all they could to support services.

The Executive Member considered the following options:

a. Reinstate the full service 13/13a timetable as operated prior to First West and North Yorkshire’s decision to de-register certain parts of the route/timetable, supporting the continuation of those elements with Council subsidy but without the elements outlined at paragraph 26 of the report.

b. Accept the commercially registered service registered by First West and North Yorkshire, namely a daytime service no longer linked to the Monks Cross area of York.

c. As per option b) above but adjusting the loop to serve the bottom end of Stockton Lane and Woodlands Grove.

d. Allow the cessation of the journeys as per First West and North Yorkshire’s proposed commercial timetable but retain the connection to Monks Cross at the Council’s cost.

The Executive Member confirmed that this was a complex issue but referred to the high weekly subsidy required to maintain the service, which would not be cost effective. He pointed out that he would be asking Officers to investigate a number of alternative options for services linking the area with Monks Cross. He stated that he would also be asking Officers to examine the location of the No 9 bus stops on Malton Road to assist residents together with the further promotion of the Dial and Ride service.

RESOLVED:                That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees to:

i) Note the content of the petition;

ii) Support Option b to accept the commercially registered service 13 registered by First West and North Yorkshire, namely a daytime service no longer linked to the Monks Cross area of York;

iii)Propose to First Group that route 13 should be operated in a bi-directional loop around Elmfield Avenue – Dodsworth Avenue; ^1.

iv)Ask  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

The Office of Fair Trading issued the above consultation paper in July 2010 inviting responses from interested parties to be submitted on or before 20 October 2010.

[In view of its length Annex A is published online only but a hard copy can be made available by contacting the Democracy Officer, contact details below]

RESOLVED:             That the Executive Member approves Annex B as the City of York Council’s response to the Office of Fair Trading document ‘Public Transport Ticketing Schemes Block Exemption Review’.

REASON:                  To ensure that the views of the City of York Council are considered by the OFT in preparing their recommendations to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to extend the duration of the Public Transport Ticketing Schemes Block Exemption (the PTTS Block Exemption) for a further five years beyond the current date of expiry.

The Executive Member had been asked to comment on the City of York’s draft response to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) consultation document entitled ‘Public Transport Ticketing Schemes Block Exemption Review. 

The document sought the Authorities views on whether the OFT should make a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to extend the duration of the existing PTTS Block Exemption.

RESOLVED:             That the Executive Member approves Annex B of the report as the City of York Council’s response to the Office of Fair Trading document ‘Public Transport Ticketing Schemes Block Exemption Review’.  ^1.

REASON:                  To ensure that the views of the City of York Council are considered by the OFT in preparing their recommendations to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to extend the duration of the Public Transport Ticketing Schemes Block Exemption for a further five years beyond the current date of expiry.

This report presents the Draft ‘Framework’ version of the City of York’s Local Transport Plan for the period 2011 onwards (LTP3), and seeks approval of its release for public consultation in October 2010.

[Please note that the documents referred to under Annex C are available on the Council’s web-page www.york.gov.uk/ltp3. Hard copies of the documents can be obtained by contacting either the report author or the Democracy Officer, contact details below]

RESOLVED:            That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees to:

i)                    Note the content of the report, particularly Annex B which contains the draft Framework LTP3;

ii)                  Approve the Draft Framework LTP3 (including its annexes), as contained at Annex B to the report, for consultation, subject to the following amendments:

·        Page 101 (Improve the Public Realm) – delete “20mph zone/s” and replace with “Review and change, where appropriate, vehicle speed limits”

·        Page 106 (Implement Behavioural Change) – delete “investigate workplace charging”

·        Update the narrative and para. 4.17 (Road accidents: page 84) being updated to include the latest figures. 

iii)                Approve the city wide consultation procedure as contained in paragraph 24 of the report;

iv)                Approve the supporting information to the draft Framework LTP3, as listed under Annex C, which can be found on the Council’s website at  www.york.gov.uk/ltp3 

REASON:      To enable the commencement of consultations on a draft ‘Framework LTP3’ required to prepare the city’s Local Transport Plan 3, before the current LTP expires on 31 March 2011.

Consideration was given to a report, which presented the draft ‘Framework’ version of the City of York’s Local Transport Plan for the period 2011 onwards and sought approval of its release for public consultation in October 2010.

Officers confirmed that all the supporting information to the draft framework LTP3 could now be found on the Council’s website.

The Executive Member reported receipt of additional comments from Cllr Merrett which he confirmed would be passed to Officers for consideration at the appropriate time. He pointed out that the authority was reaching a critical point in the development of the transport strategy, which would guide investment in the City over at least the next decade. He stated that it was important to focus available resources where they could produce best value for money whilst building on the success of the public transport and cycling initiatives and making use of emerging low emission technologies.

The Executive Member referred to a number of slight amendments to the draft Framework which required inclusion in the final document.

RESOLVED:             That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees to:

i)                    Note the content of the report, particularly Annex B which contains the draft Framework LTP3;

ii)Approve the Draft Framework LTP3 (including its annexes), as contained at Annex B to the report, for consultation, subject to the following amendments:

·        Page 101 (Improve the Public Realm) – delete “20mph zone/s” and replace with “Review and change, where appropriate, vehicle speed limits”

·        Page 106 (Implement Behavioural Change) – delete “investigate workplace charging”

·        Update the narrative and para. 4.17 (Road accidents: page 84) to include the latest figures. 

ii)                  Approve the city wide consultation procedure as contained in paragraph 24 of the report;

iv)Approve the supporting information to the draft Framework LTP3, as listed under Annex C, which can be found on the Council’s website at  www.york.gov.uk/ltp3^1.

REASON:                  To enable the commencement of consultations on a draft ‘Framework LTP3’ required to prepare the city’s Local Transport Plan 3, before the current LTP expires on 31 March 2011.