Agenda item
Public Participation
At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Wednesday 14 November 2018. Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the Executive Member’s remit.
To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officers for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.
Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings
Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be filmed and webcast, or recorded, including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts or, if recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council’s website following the meeting.
Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting. Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officers (contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.
The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present. It can be viewed at
Minutes:
It was reported that there had been 10 registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
Cllr Waller presented two petitions from residents. The first related to Wetherby Road, where residents had requested that the council consider action to control the speed on the road. The second petition related to the Kingsway West area, where a large amount of development was planned and residents requested that the council undertake works to improve access along Kingsway West and Ascot Way prior to any further building work in the area. He asked the Executive Member to encourage officers to provide a timetable so that residents were informed on when work would be undertaken. In relation to agenda item 7 (Street Lighting Policy) he requested that where street lights were obstructed by City of York Council trees, that more work was done to manage that situation.
Peter Sheaf spoke on behalf of York Cycle Campaign on agenda items 3 (Fossgate Public Realm Improvements) and 10 (Walmgate Bar Traffic Signal Refurbishment). A detailed written representation had also been submitted by York Cycle Campaign. With regard to Walmgate Bar Traffic Signal Refurbishment he stated that DfT statistics showed that Walmgate Bar was particularly dangerous for cyclists and therefore cyclist safety should be a priority for any changes to the Bar. However he felt that the proposals failed to prioritise cyclist safety, contravened the safety aspect of the DfT guidance on cycle infrastructure and failed to meet the equalities requirement of the Equalities Act 2010 and he requested that should the scheme be approved, that proposals should be amended accordingly to improve safety for cyclists. With regard to Fossgate Public Realm Improvements, he advised that there was support from the York Cycle Campaign for the implementation of a two way cycle access on Walmgate, Fossgate, possibly Colliergate and High Petergate and he felt that, contrary to officer’s views, Fossgate was wide enough for a contraflow.
Cllr Craghill spoke on agenda items 3 (Fossgate Public Realm Improvements) and 6 (Marygate Car Park Systems). In relation to Fossgate Public Realm Improvements, she addressed the proposed consultation process to pedestrianise Fossgate. She expressed her support for option two but asked that consultation took place as soon as possible, in keeping with the recommendations agreed at the Economy and Place Policy Development pre decision call in committee meeting, that it be carried out in keeping with the people’s street principles; and that further improvements were looked at for provision for pedestrians at the junction of Fossgate, Pavement and Whip Ma Whop Ma Gate. Regarding Marygate Car Park Systems, Cllr Craghill expressed the need for officers to take a strategic look at the future of all City of York Council car parks, in order to provide high quality facilities for everyone including people with disabilities and an appropriate number of spaces to support the Sustainable Transport Policy.
Cllr D’Agorne spoke on agenda items 5 (Changes to Permit Emission Charges) and 3 (Fossgate Public Realm Improvements). With regard to the report on Changes to Permit Emission Charges, he queried the councils parking discount criteria options in the report and felt the proposal for ‘grandfather’ rights could encourage residents to hold on to an older qualified low emission vehicle. He questioned what research had been done to demonstrate the changes proposed would have any overall beneficial impact on air quality. He stated that residents living on terraced streets would have no provision for electric vehicle charging and he queried why anti idling signs had still not been erected at city centre bus stops. With regard to Fossgate Public Realm Improvements, he questioned why the recommendation from the Economy and Place Policy Development Committee at the Pre Decision Call In meeting regarding two way traffic near Merchant House had been rejected.
Mr Alasdair McIntosh, a resident living in a street with no off-street parking, spoke on agenda item 5 (Changes to Permit Emission Charges). He questioned what provision could be made for residents living in areas without off street parking, such as himself, to be able to install electric charging points and be able to access these facilities, as time constraints on using a car park charger made these impractical for him and advice was that the rapid charging option was not recommended by car manufacturers due to the long term damage to batteries.
There were 2 registrations to speak in relation to agenda item 7 (Street Lighting Policy).
Cllr Warters expressed concern that the Streetscape Strategy and Guidance, and statement of intent about the height of columns not exceeding the height of nearby buildings and the British Standard, was being ignored. He advised that there was no policy reference to retention of cast iron columns which were of historic merit and stressed that full and meaningful consultation needed to take place with Parish and Ward Councillors around lighting schemes. He asked that the policy be readdressed by Members, that references to ignoring the Streetscape Strategy and Guidance be removed and that the policy be updated to cover the retention of structurally sound cast iron columns and the British Standard requirements regarding the height of the columns in relation to nearby buildings.
Cllr Brooks spoke as Ward Councillor and Vice Chair of Dunnington Parish Council. She emphasised the desire of Parish Councils and Ward Councils to be consulted on street lighting schemes within their wards and the importance of this.
There were three registrations to speak in relation to agenda item 8 (Haxby Pedestrian Crossing Assessment Results and Proposals):
Ms Dowling, who had submitted the petition asking for improved crossing facilities for pedestrians on York Road between Holly Tree Lane and South Lane, highlighted the importance of having a crossing on York Road. She confirmed that York Road was used by a large volume of school children and that the possibility of a new housing development in the area would increase footfall. She confirmed this had been an issue for some time and that a crossing in the area had generated a large amount of public support.
Cllr Cuthbertson expressed his support for both aspects of the pedestrian crossing proposals, including the dropped kerb crossing on Greenshaw Drive, somewhere between Kirk Croft and Wandhill, if a pedestrian crossing was not formally proposed. In relation to York Road, he expressed his support for the proposals to further investigate the two busiest areas of 4 areas investigated, bearing in mind that a new library located near Calf Close would increase both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. He expressed support for locating a pedestrian crossing to the south of Calf Close and enhancing the pedestrian refuge on the roundabout at the junction of The Village and Station Road.
Cllr Richardson expressed his support for a pedestrian crossing on York Road or Greenshaw Drive and he highlighted the support received for a crossing over the years from residents and the local schools. He questioned why four surveys had been carried out on York Road but that additional surveys which had been requested had not been carried out on. He asked officers to consider the views put forward from residents and ward members.