Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at this meeting if they have given notice and provided the text to Daniel Harry of Democratic Services (E – daniel.harry@northyorks.gov.uk or T – 01609 533531) no later than midday on Monday 24 May 2021. 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.
Minutes:
There were two public questions and statements.
1) David Robinson, Chairman, Henry Jenkins Community Pub Ltd – support for community pubs
I have lived in Kirkby Malzeard, a village in North Yorkshire since 1991 and feel I now qualify to speak as a Yorkshireman. For the past 4 years I’ve been the chairman of the Henry Jenkins Community Pub Ltd a community group trying to save a previously well-loved country pub from demolition and replacement by houses. Our Community Benefit Society has over 200 members, £236k pledged in Community Shares and recently, for the first time, the support of our Parish Council.
Our growing population with many new houses built and planned, demand that we stem the tide of lost facilities for residents and visitors too..
160 community pubs have been created and have survived the pandemic and not one has failed – what a record! Demonstrating how the whole country can stop the wanton destruction of local pubs and inject some revitalisation into rural communities.
Saving and redeveloping an ancient well-loved, pub will bring in more trade from tourism for all businesses in our local villages thus regenerating the local economy. It will provide jobs, provide choice & combat social isolation.
Kirkby can hugely capitalise on the huge explosion of sports tourism in North Yorkshire, walking, but especially cycling -as the Tour de Yorkshire has twice been routed up our main street . But it is undermined by a failure of local authorities to understand and support the desires of the local population.
I’d like to say here, that Kirkby is not alone in this situation. There are a large number of pubs in North Yorkshire suffering in the same way and I can provide details of these if requested,
What is completely dispiriting is the sense of being ‘cast adrift’ by our local authorities, both at borough and county level, who apparently have no policy to deal with this widespread and expanding dire situation.
Our example reveals a widespread public perception, rightly or wrongly, that the stance of Harrogate Borough Council management and particularly their Democratic, Governance and Scrutiny office has been more sympathetic towards the site owner-developers than towards our local community group to whom they have a duty of care. In a table of authorities applying ACVs they are close to the bottom and they are strongly opposed to receiving any request for a CPO, both of which are intended for community groups trying to protect threatened community assets.
Strangely, the HBC planners, steadfastly refuse to allow change of use stating quite adamantly that they still regard the whole site as a community asset. One feels obliged to ask – where is the consistency? Where is the hope?
What help can this committee provide to me, the Save the Henry Jenkins campaign and the many other campaigning groups in North Yorkshire that have the same problems? Can a working group be set up to establish a consistent policy to support community groups within the county? Otherwise, many more pubs will go to the wall and many other communities will wither.
And finally will Mr Smith not reconsider what he said when we last met, now that his party has settled in with such a large majority, that he doesn’t feel he can become involved in this issue within the heart of his constituency?
In response, Matt O’Neill, Assistant Director Growth, Planning and Trading Standards, Business and Environmental Services said:
Thank you for your letter of 24 May in respect of your community’s efforts to save the Henry Jenkins Pub in Kirkby Malzeard as a community asset. Your achievements in raising funding and setting up a community group are commendable. Community owned and run public houses can certainly be a valuable asset to a local community.
As a representative of the County Council, I am not able to comment on the specific Assets of Community Value or Planning issues you mention as both the legislation and powers are the responsibility of the District/Borough Councils within North Yorkshire.
I highly respect your fundraising efforts and would like to draw your attention to the Government’s recent announcement of the Community Ownership Fund about to be launched this summer, which offers up to £250,000 of matched funding to help community groups buy or take over local community assets at risk of being lost. When the prospectus is launched I will ask one of my colleagues in our Stronger Communities Team to look at the fund and meet with you to discuss your aspirations for the Henry Jenkins Pub if this is appropriate.
North Yorkshire County Council’s Stronger Communities service already works closely with local groups to support communities and has helped a number of community pubs over the years. Incorporating library services where none exists locally, promote a community space, community use PC, shop, meal delivery service to housebound people – all with a focus on meeting social needs in the local area. Where Stronger Communities has been unable to help it has encouraged pubs to seek help from Pub is the Hub https://www.pubisthehub.org.uk/community-ownership/.
The County Council is keen to support sound community and local business ventures to help themselves and create local solutions for service provision and we can certainly draw on colleagues expertise, both within the County Council and in partnership with local District Council’s to explore further opportunities to support groups such as yours.
David Robinson made a supplementary statement, noting that he was aware of the Community Owenrship Fund and would be looking further into it once it had been released.
2) Jane Aksut – Idling motor vehicle engines
I would like to raise the issue of car idling - cars running while the drivers wait, especially outside schools.
I am surprised that this is still a problem when pollution is such a major topic of discussion everywhere.
But it is a problem.
It would be great if we could create a culture where traffic idling is unacceptable and people who still have retained the habit of sitting and waiting in their running car make a conscious effort to change.
I think two small actions could make a huge difference:
1. Could the council persuade schools to message parents that cars need to be switched off when parents wait outside schools? It would also be nice if buses waiting in the bus park could also switch off their engines.
2. Could the council commission an engaging poster, perhaps with some facts and figures about exhaust pollution, that could be posted on social media or in shop windows? This would be especially useful for cafes with tables outside (then their customers don’t have to sit alongside a car pumping out fumes) and for take away restaurants for which customers wait outside.
It is amazing that so many local vehicle drivers have not got the message from the news or documentaries on TV. For this reason, it would be good if NYCC could give those vehicle drivers a nudge and change some drivers’ habits for the better.
In response, Daniel Harry read out the following that had been prepared by Fiona Ancell, Road Safety Team Leader, Business and Environmental Services:
The County Council is committed to reducing pollution and improving air quality. We have implemented a number of initiatives to support this ambition:-
We are currently consulting on an air quality strategy, due to be adopted later this year.
The Air Quality Strategy is a county wide policy with the aim of protecting and where necessary, improving air quality in North Yorkshire to help reduce the health and environmental impacts of air pollution and ensure the county remains a special place for everyone to live, work and visit.
To achieve the aims set out above we plan to adopt four key objectives:
· Raise the profile of improving air quality in the context of North Yorkshire
· Work in partnership with borough and district councils and other appropriate organisations to protect air quality and address location specific air quality issues
· Ensure that improving or maintaining good air quality is a key consideration when planning and delivering County Council services
· Support the use of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs) in North Yorkshire.
In addition:
· We are developing a climate change strategy, which will incorporate strategies to reduce vehicle pollution.
· We work with district council Environmental Health Teams to monitor pollution levels in key air quality assessment areas.
· During 2017 to 2020, our Road Safety and Active Travel Team, via the Department of Transport (DfT) Access Fund programme implemented a programme of active and sustainable travel initiatives in Skipton, Harrogate and Scarborough. This included engagement with businesses, the public and schools.
· Through the DfT Travel Demand Management programme, we have engaged in an intensive social media campaign, encouraging more active and sustainable travel to and from schools, as they return to school post Covid19 closures.
· NYCC has applied for a grant from the DfT Local Authority Capability Fund to increase our capability to plan good active travel infrastructure, including building more expertise and undertaking more evidence-based planning. This replaces the Access Fund and supports our commitment to the Local Walking and Cycling Plan, together with support for the Bikeability Cycle Training scheme.
· The council is working with the Local Enterprise Partnership to further develop the York and North Yorkshire Routemap to Carbon-Negative to reduction pollution from transport and increase levels of active and sustainable travel.
· In relation to parents leaving their vehicles idling outside schools, colleagues in the Highways and Transportation Department and Children’s and Young Peoples Service will consider a programme of messages from schools to parents on this issue.
· The council will explore potential opportunities to develop and promote a dedicated campaign related to vehicle pollution and idling.
· With regard to buses idling, where there is vehicular access to a school site, then the School should have a traffic management plan for the site. If the vehicle access to the site includes a “bus park” then the school would usually include a requirement for the buses to have their engines turned off when dropping off or picking up.
Transport providers are made aware of the school’s traffic management plans, including switching off engines, at the beginning of the school year. The Council support schools with these messages by issuing reminders to transport providers throughout the year and undertaking checks on school sites.