Agenda item

An opportunity for you to tell us what you think before the final decisions on how to spend the 2009/10 budget is made at this meeting.

2008/09 Budget

• RP: Funding for street lighting. 3 schemes proposed, but expenses are high.  Lighting will go up in Chaucer Street and Temple/Lang Avenue.  Scheme on Thief Lane cancelled since the need wasn’t sufficient to warrant funding.

- Where on Thief Lane?

• Hull Road end.

- This is a bad area though.

• If there is enough interest then the issue could be looked into again.

• Grant to Sustrans ranger. Questionable whether or not this is value for money.  Sum should be set aside for maintenance not Sustrans.

No Underspend

2009/10 Budget

o       A need to reduce bids to budget.  Also needed to remove schemes with a net opposition – more no votes than yes votes. Some general scheme adjustment was also necessary.

o       HU-09-04: Fund to tag 50 cycles withdrawn in favour of better locks. Money can be set aside for the time being.

o       HU-09-05: ‘Community ranger’  was put in in error. HU-09-05 actually refers to Sustrans it was labelled correctly on the ballot paper.  No real need to go for it since PCSOs satisfy need, and their operational hours have been extended..

- Over £4000 seems excessive.

o       Cycle track very useful.  As long as it does what it is supposed to do (i.e. keeps area useable, no broken glass, etc.), then  I don’t really mind who gets the money.

- Quality of maintenance has dropped significantly in last year. A man with a broom and bag not really sufficient.

- Can amount be reduced?

o       Seems to be that feeling of the meeting is to look into alternative schemes. Will look for more qualified info and then take it from there.

o       HU-09-12: Have improved disabled access to area, making it much more useable. Just £1500 of £26,000, also enables easier access for prams, etc.

o       HU-09-09: Kids seem to enjoy schemes and they do a good job

- There seems to be an unequal proportion of money allocated for sports facilities and for anti-social youths.

o       Active York only put in a bid for that amount.  Also, £3500 for taking kids who would other wise be hang around on the streets, perhaps causing mischief,  is actually quite good value for money.

- Could we alter the proportions allocated? Put it to vote?

o       We will leave the schemes in. These are just provisional.  We should not rule things out. The amount of funding can be amended in the future.

o       Perhaps we could invite Playspace to do a presentation at the next committee meeting.

- Do children pay to use scheme?

• No, it is free. The funding is to meet the cost of workers.  Kids are better off here than ‘on the street’ causing trouble.
• It seems that there is a general endorsement of schemes except for HU-09-05/09. We will try to get Playspace and Sustrans to talk at the next ward committee meeting

The following schemes were approved:

• 02- Fund to update street lighting in the ward
• 03 – Fund to put out and maintain 3 salt bins
• 11 - Funding to support the St Nicholas Fields Big Recycle Day & Apple Day in 2009
• 08 – Grant to Arts Action York to provide a program of musical entertainment of elderly residents of Woolough House
• 19 – Grant to older citizens advocacy York for elderly residents in the ward
• 16 – Grant to York Playspace to provide free mobile play sessions for 5-13 year olds in the school holidays
• 17 –  Fund to contribute to the Hull Road park in 2009
• 12 – Grant to Friends of St. Nicholas’ Fields to continue a project to improve pathways at the site
• 18 - Grant to Active York to provide financial, coaching, academic and expert support to young athletes in the Hull Road ward
• 10 - Grant to Street Sport York to provide a series of free activity sessions at suitable locations across the ward
• 13 - Grant to York Rotters to encourage children to come together to learn and perform a mini musical about composting to promote learning on the subject
• 14 - Grant to York Credit Union Partnership to run advice sessions in the ward
• 07 - Funding towards installing fitness trails in the ward
• 21 Funding for a biological survey to ascertain the water quality in Tang Hall Beck, Hull Road Park
• 24a Install 2 picnic tables in Hull Road Park
• 24b Fund for new play equipment in Hull Road Park
• 23 Support for Hull Road Planning Panel expenses

Meeting ended. 8.50