Agenda item

This report summarises the issues around the new scrutiny review of the Council-owned land in the Tang Hall area and asks Members to agree their programme of work.

Members considered a report which summarised the issues around the new scrutiny review of the Council-owned land and buildings in the Tang Hall area and asked Members to agree their programme of work.

The topic registration form was submitted by Cllrs Kind, Looker and Potter in December 2003 (see Annex A).  It had the objective of making the best use of council owned land around Tang Hall school including allotments, playing field, family centre site and the former garage on 5^th Avenue.  The intention of the review was to involve local people in a scrutiny review to enable them to influence decisions about their neighbourhood. 

Officers from Property Services attended this meeting to update members on progress with the Area Asset Management Plan and inform the process of drawing up a programme of work for this review.

Officers reported that the purpose of this review was to get an idea of what the needs and priorities were for the people of Tang Hall and particularly to assist with the production of an Asset Management Plan for the area. It was highlighted that Tang Hall covered two wards – Heworth and Hull Road. There had been a meeting in June with the ward councillors to consider the core area of Tang Hall which was shown to Members on a map. Members discussed the following points at the meeting:

• That there would be a need to consult outside of this core area based on concentric circles as people might come in to use the facilities in Tang Hall
• That there were a number of holdings scattered across the area and whether any of these could be combined or reused for a different purpose
• That there was an opportunity to build a new library through the Big Lottery Fund
• That if this was going to be a model for future Area AMPs then it would be worth evaluating what economies of scale could be made.

Members discussed options for consultation and whether it could be linked to existing consultation. Officers reported that information was being collected across York through the Healthy City Board, which was focusing on Tang Hall as an area to consult on Healthy Living. It was highlighted that it could be useful to link up with other consultations so that people weren’t being inundated with different consultations. Members initially suggested a three prong approach:-

1. Simple questionnaire in the area
2. Information posted in significant areas such as schools, libraries,  community centres, and also take to ward committees
3. Drop in session for members of the public to come and talk to committee members

In addition it was agreed that talking to community groups, such as Ward Committee groups, Parish Councils, and ward forums, could be very useful. However it was noted that there was a need to get beyond these and market to those people that did not attend these groups. It was suggested that there were a number of issues coming up, including the integrated children’s centre, the bid for the Big Lottery funding for the library, and the playing field and allotments, that could attract the public’s interest.

The following initial timetable was then agreed by Members:-

1. Establish the boundary for the Tang Hall area through consultation with the ward councillors (to include the core area, southern part of Heworth, northern part of Hull Road and the catchment areas for the school and users of the community centres and libraries).
2. Establish the school catchment area to find out where the parents come from.
3. Combine these two pieces of information to obtain the concentric circles for consultation.
4. Officers to get in touch with ward councillors for a list of all the significant community groups in the area.
5. A user friendly briefing note be prepared to send out to groups and officers to contact Tang Hall Community Centre to check availability.
6. Invite the community groups to a meeting with the scrutiny committee Members and Ward Councillors in January 2007 at the community centre to talk about improving facilities in Tang Hall and ways to effectively communicate with other people living in the area. It was proposed that this could be tied in with the healthy living consultation.
7. Officers to investigate when the ward committee meetings are and explore the possibility of holding a joint meeting.
8. Officers to discuss with Marketing & Communications what options are available to inform and consult the public on the review, such as the wards’ newsletters, leaflets, exhibition stands and questionnaires, and the costs involved for each of these methods.

Members also discussed what options were available to get the information back from the public, including using the council’s freepost for replies, online and through the library.

It was agreed that the committee would meet next at the meeting with representatives from the community groups in January. It was requested that information on the costs for the different options for public consultation be available for members at this meeting for consideration.

RESOLVED:             (i)         That the above timetable and tasks be agreed;

(ii)        That information on the costs of the different options for public consultation be made available to Members prior to the meeting at Tang Hall Community Centre in January.

REASON:                  In order to meet their responsibilities as an Ad Hoc Scrutiny Sub Committee and carry out the responsibilities agreed by SMC.