Agenda and minutes

In the absence of Councillor Nigel Knapton Councillor, Caroline Goodrick (Vice Chair) took the Chair and welcomed everyone to the meeting and confirmed there were no updates to provide.

Resolved

That the Minutes of the previous meeting of the Thirsk and Malton Area Constituency Committee held on 14 June 2024, be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Voting record

11 For

2 Abstentions

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Joy Andrews, Nigel Knapton and Annabel Wilkinson.

Councillor Alyson Baker declared a personal non-pecuniary interest in Item 7 as a volunteer at the Tourist Information Centre and in Item 8 as a family member worked for Yorkshire Water.

Councillor Lindsay Burr declared a personal non-pecuniary interest in Item 7 as she has business interests in Thirsk.

Councillor Sam Cross declared a personal non-pecuniary interest as the owner of Filey’s “Little Bus”.

Councillor Gareth Dadd declared a personal non-pecuniary interest in Item 7 as he provided consultancy services to business in Thirsk.

Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at this meeting if they have given notice and provided the text to Democratic Services (contact details below) no later than midday on 24 September 2024. Each speaker should limit themselves to 3 minutes on any item.  Members of the public who have given notice will be invited to speak:

·         at this point in the meeting if their questions/statements relate to matters which are not otherwise on the Agenda (subject to an overall time limit of 30 minutes);

·          when the relevant Agenda item is being considered if they wish to speak on a matter which is on the Agenda for this meeting.

If you are exercising your right to speak at this meeting, but do not wish to be recorded, please inform the Chairman who will instruct those taking a recording to cease whilst you speak.

Question from Ms Jo Shaw

Context

The following bullet points are to illustrate the current risk that users of Station Road users face:

·        The 40 mph relates to around 350 m of highway only on Station Road.

·        The whole of Station Road is in an extremely poor state of repair.

·        Increased housing (112 new homes at Furlong Park) and the new Europark has increased usage of the road. We are aware that planning permission is being sought for a further 30 houses on Station Road. This will increase the number of vehicles turning into drives and onto the new roads leading off Station Road.

·        We have ongoing issues with vehicles using excessive speed on the road – this includes HGVs and other vehicles. There are also slow-moving agricultural vehicles and carts and horses using this road.

·        There is a new children’s playpark in Furlong Park around 10m from Station Road 40mpm section.

·        Increased pedestrian footfall from the Station and on Race Days. Increased cycle users having to make use of a cycle path in extremely poor condition.

The Ask

This question comes in two parts and is supported by those residents* who live on Station Road, Thirsk.

The residents of Station Road request:

·        A commitment and plan to remove the 40 MPH section of Station Road, thereby making the entirety of this road subject to a 30 MPH limit.

·        A commitment and plan from the Council to re-surface both the road and cycle path

Through actively committing to these requests today the Council Members will meet the resident’s concerns around the safety of this road, support their wellbeing by reducing the noise, reduce air pollution and enable a better user experience for all those motorists, cyclists and pedestrians that use this route in and out of Thirsk.

Note - *I have a signed petition to support this request from those impacted on the 40MPH part of Station Road. Currently this stands at 44 residents and is increasing daily. The residents are now displaying posters asking for a 30mph limit.

Response from the Area Manager, Highways and Transportation

The residents of Station Road request:

·        A commitment and plan to remove the 40mph section of Station Road, thereby making the entirety of this road subject to a 30mph speed limit.

NYC response: This matter has been raised previously, but North Yorkshire Police were not supportive of the proposed change in speed limit at that time. However, given that there has been further development along this route – as has been pointed out, NYC highways officers now intend to re-visit this matter.

Whilst there is no objection in principle to this proposal from NYC, a formal consultation is required prior to making the necessary amendments to the Traffic Regulation Order, as well as alterations to the infrastructure on the ground (i.e. signage and road markings). The plan is to combine this consultation with an additional proposal seeking to change the existing 40mph speed limit on another section of the A61 to the west  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The Rt Hon Kevin Hollinrake MP attended the meeting and highlighted the following issues that were of concern in the area.

·        The potential local impacts of the changes to the Winter Fuel Allowance.

·        The increased numbers of bank closures in the area and the impact on residents’ access to cash and issues for businesses who needed to bank significant amounts of cash, the limits of the service provided at Post Offices and the provision of banking hubs.

·        A64 – the continued campaign to dual the A64 to Barton Hill.

·        The provision of a town bus service in Filey and the work with partners to identify a solution.

·        Issues with the planning process, particularly with reference to retrospective applications.

·        Concerns regarding some locally provided medical procedures and dentistry.

·        Housing targets for the area.

·        Solar farms on agricultural land and the balance between energy and food security.

·        Proposed changes in workplace regulations and their impacts on business.

Councillors discussed the subjects raised, the main points of which were:

·        The planning process, with particular reference to sites used by the gypsy and traveller community where planning permission may be sought retrospectively.

·        Work with partners including the mayor’s office, Filey Town Council, Age UK and others to identify funding and a practical solution to the provision of a replacement service for Filey town bus. This may include support from the Council’s Stronger Communities team to develop a business plan and identify sources of funding.

·        A local application for the development of a solar farm.

Members requested that the MP for Wetherby and Easingwold be invited to future meetings of the Committee.

The Chair thanked the Rt Hon Kevin Hollinrake for attending the meeting.

The meeting paused from 11.13am to 11.19am.

To consider project proposals under the Economic, Regeneration, Tourism and Transport Project Development Fund.

Considered – report of the Corporate Director (Community Development).

Members were requested to consider project proposals under the Economic, Regeneration, Tourism and Transport Project Development Fund; to approve the process for endorsement of proposals and endorse proposals that could meet the objectives of the fund and be completed within the required timescales.

Presenting the report, the Principal Regeneration Officer explained the proposed process for endorsing the suggested projects, given the tight timescales to deliver outcomes within the current financial year.

Rather than seeking Committee approval for a list of projects for which Scoping Reports are subsequently completed and reported to the next Committee in three months' time, Officers were seeking endorsement of project proposals by the Committee based on the outline scoping reports (see appendices 1 – 7 of the report).

Each of the projects endorsed by the Committee would then be subject to the following process:

·        Finalise scoping report

·        Complete Climate Change and Equalities Impact Assessments

·        Evaluation of proposal

·        Discuss with Executive Member for Open to Business

·        Final approval and sign-off by the Director of Community Development

Following initial discussion of the proposals, Councillor Dadd proposed and Councillor Baker seconded that the proposal to conduct traffic and parking surveys in Easingwold (see appendix 5 of the report) be removed due to the risks associated with the project.

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried unanimously.

Members considered the best method of prioritising the remaining proposals and it was proposed by Councillor Sladden and seconded by Councillor Cross that officers take forward the remaining projects and progress those that are deliverable up to the remaining value of the Fund.

Councillor Jabbour suggested that Division Members may wish to consider contributing additional funds from their Locality Budgets if appropriate.

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

Resolved

That officers take forward the remaining projects and, following the revised process above, progress those that are deliverable up to the remaining value of the Fund.

Voting record

12 For

1 Abstention

To inform and appraise Members of the current position regarding the condition of the pavements around Thirsk Market Place.

Considered – report of the Corporate Director – Environment

The Area Manager Area 1 and Area 2, Highways and Transportation, presented a report to appraise Members of the current position regarding the condition of the pavements around Thirsk Market Place, what was being done to mitigate the state and advise Members of future plans.

Councillors were appraised of the available budget for the works and the plan for phased completion of works around the market place. The plan had been devised looking at evidence of footfall, ongoing maintenance costs and insurance claims.

Councillors discussed the report and asked for:

·        Clarification of the proposed materials to be used to complement the heritage of the market place. Councillors were reassured that suitable materials would be used.

·        The timing of the works to minimise the impact on businesses on the market place. The officer advised that works were planned to take place in the evening.

Councillors requested that an update report be brought to a future meeting of the Committee.

Resolved

That the report be noted and that an update report be brought to a future meeting of the Committee.

Councillor Dan Sladden left the meeting at 12:15pm.

The Senior Engineer, Flood Risk Management introduced an update on flooding in Malton, Norton and Old Malton.

Officers from the Council, Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency guided the Committee through the roles and responsibilities of their respective agencies.

The presentation guided Members through the various schemes that had been implemented, the detail of the most recent year’s weather conditions, the geology and hydrology of the area and the latest data for 2023/24 on river and groundwater levels and the revenue and capital investments that had taken place.

During the discussion Councillors considered and questioned the officers on:

·        The local sewerage system and its capacity

·        Storage and management of groundwater drainage

·        The local pumping plan

·        Flood diversion and water storage methods including the use of agricultural land for storage

·        Engagement with the local community

·        The applicable legislation

The Chair thanked the officers and representatives from partner organisations for the presentation.

To consider and develop the Work Programme for 2024/25 for the Area Committee.

Members considered a report by the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services) which contained the Committee’s current work programme for the remainder of the municipal year (2024/25). 

A representative from NYNET was due to attend the next meeting to update on broadband and mobile phone coverage. Councillor Sanderson suggested that, as NYNET were undertaking a project on vaping in schools, it would helpful if this was included in the update and the Committee agreed.

The Democratic Services Officer advised the Committee:

·        That it was hoped that the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire and/or his representatives would be attending the meeting of the Committee in March 2025 and

·        That the second and third point in the recommendation had been included in error.

Resolved

That the work programme for the remainder of 2024/25 be noted.

There were no items of urgent business.