Thursday night (27th November) was the full Council Meeting at the Guildhall. The meeting started at 6.30pm and finished at 10.00pm.As usual much hot air was generated with a range of proposals which entailed writing to various Government Ministers on issues ranging from housing to commercial council tax on vacant commercial property. For me the highlight of the meeting was my success in getting a much more robust scrutiny structure agreed by Council, which will be effected in May next year. Scrutiny is a powerful tool in holding the Executive to account, it is also a means of ensuring that the Policies adopted by the Council are working. The process of scrutiny is conducted by those members of the Council who are not members of the Executive, in other words scrutiny is owned by such members and members involved in the scrutiny of any issue are not directed their group to follow a party line. I would hope that as the scrutiny structure is developed a mechanism will be introduced for any resident of York to request an issue to be considered for scrutiny.
November 2008 Archives
This week was the main Planning Committee of which I am a member. The meeting this week was fairly non-controversial. We had three City centre sites that were being re-developed for housing for the elderly, affordable housing and general housing, The sites currently had on the what is known as "Discus Bungalows" which had now come to end of their lives and are to be demolished with existing tenants being re-housed in part of the new build. The thre sites were off Cemetery Road, Heslington Road and on Layerthorpe. A couple of applications for the expansion of the University were also dealt with. All applications were passed. The meeting was on Thursday and it was preceded by site visits on Wednesday which lasted 2 hours, the committee sat for two and a half hours on Thursday. This was one meeting that in general there were no controversial applications unlike most planning meetings.
For some time now Councils have been encouraged to consult their residents on a whole range of issues often at quite some expense. The number of responders is generally quite low and in a number cases those that respond use the opportunity to express their displeasure with the council generally, or to promote an issue other than that on which the consultation is based. It also true that much more information is needed before a considered response can be given.
In my opinion we are becoming a society that is overloading with consultation which in itself does nothing to encourage people to respond.I also think that consultation dilutes the responsibility of decision makers and enables them to avoid criticism should things not go well. It is also true that consultees are disappointed when it appears that their opinion seem not to be acted upon.
The Government is shortly to bring forward legislation to ensure that all Councils must set up a consultation process and use that process more often, this also applies to the NHS who also must consult on there services and on priorities.
This week I attended a working group to discuss consultation and how the City Council can make consultation work by way of encouraging people to respond in greater numbers and respond in a thoughtful and informed way.
Please will you feed back your comments either through this item or via email, acknowledging the fact that discretion to consult is not an option.
In my opinion we are becoming a society that is overloading with consultation which in itself does nothing to encourage people to respond.I also think that consultation dilutes the responsibility of decision makers and enables them to avoid criticism should things not go well. It is also true that consultees are disappointed when it appears that their opinion seem not to be acted upon.
The Government is shortly to bring forward legislation to ensure that all Councils must set up a consultation process and use that process more often, this also applies to the NHS who also must consult on there services and on priorities.
This week I attended a working group to discuss consultation and how the City Council can make consultation work by way of encouraging people to respond in greater numbers and respond in a thoughtful and informed way.
- What would encourage you to respond?
- What is your opinion on consultation?
- How would you like to be consulted?
Please will you feed back your comments either through this item or via email, acknowledging the fact that discretion to consult is not an option.
Following my story about proposed improvements to the piece of land at the junction of Acaster Lane & Main Street I am given to understand that a number of people are opposed to the installation of a new seat and flower beds. I am led to believe that all that is required is for the old seat to be removed (not the seat provided by the Parish Council) and the area re-grassed either with turf or re-seeded. I would welcome any comments on this subject, so please let me have your comments to enable right decision to be made.
As a member of the Scrutiny Committee that is looking at the proposed Cultural Quarter I spent some three hours in the Minster on Tuesday at the "Drop in Session" for members of the public to give their views and learn more about the proposal. In reality the proposal is intended to improve visitor experience when visiting any of the participants within the quarter.
The name "The Cultural Quarter" is a bit of a problem and in many ways I think it is the wrong name and it gives the wrong impression, but what is more important is the reason for the "Quarter" rather than the name!!
Those participating are the National Railway Museum, The Museum Trust - The Yorkshire Museum, the Museum Gardens and Art Gallery, The Library, The Theatre and The Minster. The developers who will ultimately develop St Leonards will also be involved.
The purpose of the Quarter is to enable all to speak with one voice and hopefully attract the necessary funding that these locations need to improve, expand and re-furbish. A big aspiration is for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge to be built over the river linking the National Railway Museum with Museum Gardens.
It is envisaged that with the exception of the Library improvement,all other the funding will come from external funding streams. Such funding of course would be for a specific use.
Remember these are early days and it may take a number of years to come to full fruition but at least a vision is being created and discussed, which is not before time, the City Council is sadly lacking in "Tangible Vision"
The name "The Cultural Quarter" is a bit of a problem and in many ways I think it is the wrong name and it gives the wrong impression, but what is more important is the reason for the "Quarter" rather than the name!!
Those participating are the National Railway Museum, The Museum Trust - The Yorkshire Museum, the Museum Gardens and Art Gallery, The Library, The Theatre and The Minster. The developers who will ultimately develop St Leonards will also be involved.
The purpose of the Quarter is to enable all to speak with one voice and hopefully attract the necessary funding that these locations need to improve, expand and re-furbish. A big aspiration is for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge to be built over the river linking the National Railway Museum with Museum Gardens.
It is envisaged that with the exception of the Library improvement,all other the funding will come from external funding streams. Such funding of course would be for a specific use.
Remember these are early days and it may take a number of years to come to full fruition but at least a vision is being created and discussed, which is not before time, the City Council is sadly lacking in "Tangible Vision"
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