Agenda item

At this point in the meeting, any member of the public who has registered to address the Council on a matter directly relevant to the business on this agenda may do so.  The deadline for registering is 5:00pm on Wednesday, 3 August 2011.

The Lord Mayor reported that a total of eleven members of the public had registered to speak at the meeting in relation to Union Terrace Car and Coach Park, one of whom would be presenting the petition referred to at agenda item 3A.  Each was invited to speak for three minutes, in accordance with the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Dr Catherine Snape voiced the concerns of patients, doctors and staff at the Gillygate surgery that closure of the car park would prevent vulnerable patients from being able to see the doctor when they needed to.  She urged withdrawal of the proposed development or, at the least, a full impact assessment of its effect on local people and access to health care.

Mr Matthew Greenwood expressed the view that the information to be presented to Cabinet was of poor quality and stated that an independent expert on coach safety had advised that none of the proposed consultation options was feasible in terms of coach parking.

Mrs Jill Richards spoke as the co-owner of Wackers on Gillygate and a member of the Save the Union Terrace Car Park group.  She highlighted the importance of tourism to York’s economy and the number of jobs at risk and urged Members to vote for withdrawal of the planned sale.

Mr David Richards, also a co-owner of Wackers, expressed concerns about the five proposed consultation options in terms of their safety and potential to disrupt traffic.  He urged Members to abandon plans to sell any part of the site.

Mr John Cook spoke as the general manager of Barnitts, commenting on the detrimental effect that closure of the car and coach park would have upon Barnitts and other businesses in the city centre, which already had to contend with reduced parking facilities and competition from out of town developments.

Mrs Regina Longjaloux spoke as the proprietor of a tour guide company, highlighting the benefits of Union Terrace for coach tour operators and the effect that closure would have upon York’s reputation as a tourist destination.

Mr Mike Fisher commented that the proposal was based upon two false assumptions; firstly, that YSJU would continue to expand and secondly that it could expand only onto the Union Terrace site.

Mr Dennis Martin spoke in favour of exploring alternative options for the site in an objective manner, highlighting the drawbacks of Union Terrace car park in terms of occupancy, pedestrian safety and toilet facilities.

Mr David Chesser, Pro Vice Chancellor (Resources) at YSJU, gave a statement outlining the university’s reasons for wishing to expand onto the Union Terrace site, the cultural and economic contribution made by YSJU to York, and the work being done to address the concerns expressed by objectors to the sale.

Mr Trevor Fenwick, of the Save the Union Terrace Car Park group, raised concerns that the matter had been discussed at a Labour Group meeting to which objectors had not been invited and stated that the consultation proposals should include an option not to sell the site.

Mrs Anne Braithwaite, also representing the Save the Union Terrace Car Park group, outlined the launch of the campaign and presented a petition, signed by over 22,000 people, protesting against the sale.