Minutes – Wednesday 3 June 2015

Forum Members                                         Apologies

• Eddie Brooks                                                   Dean Allen
• Councillor Alan Clark                                 Graham Brooks
• Dave Coates – Chair                                    Caroline Gore-Booth
• Earl Greenwood                                           Bob Grant
• Natalie Hallows                                            Chris Smith
• Andy Lee                                                       Karen Tozer
• Fiona Lee
• Lily Moughton
• Martin Newman
• Councillor Helena Spencer
• Jenni Wilkinson

In Attendance

• Darren Gordon
• Keith Griffiths (HCC Planning Policy and Information)
• Councillor Lynn Petrini

Inclusion of West Park

The main issue of business for this meeting was to discuss the pros and cons of including West Park in the Newington Neighbourhood Plan.

Dave reported that inclusion is fundamental not only to the strategic context of the Governments Localism Act but also to Hull City Council’s Open Space Strategy and Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) to increase opportunities for people to participate in the planning system.

In answer to the Riverside Area Committees concern that a Neighbourhood Plan may undermine previous or planned West Park improvements it was noted that a Neighbourhood Plan cannot conflict with the strategic policies in the Local Plan prepared by Hull City Council or be used to prevent development that is included in the Local Plan.

Councillor Spencer requested clarification about why it was necessary to include West Park in a Neighbourhood Plan when there were other mechanisms for consultation and involvement. Following a passionate discussion the forum members present outlined the following benefits of including the park in the Neighbourhood Plan:

1. The inclusion of West Park in the Neighbourhood Plan represents a positive force for change and will provide a focus for community engagement stimulating a feeling of pride in the area and shaping the aspirations of local people.

2. West Park is a neighbourhood asset central to many people’s memories, needs and concerns. We need to include the park within the Plan to engage with our local community, to help people come together and be stronger and more united for having gone through the process.

3. The local community feels disconnected from the planning process. For example promises were made to the community during the consultation stage of the Stadium which were never met and the former ‘Friends of West Park’ folded because it was excluded from having any meaningful influence.

4. The Neighbourhood Plan would involve widespread consultation and participation in plan production and guide development to be more appropriate to the local context of the neighbourhood.

5. A Neighbourhood Plan would fit strategically with the Local Plan currently being developed and could provide a basis for procuring and determining resource priorities for the area.

6. If adopted, the Newington Neighbourhood Plan will form part of the overall Local Plan for Hull.

7. A Neighbourhood Plan has the ability to generate funds.

Following the discussion councillor Spencer reported that she would support the inclusion of West Park within the Neighbourhood Plan but needed to hear the reasons for inclusion of the park directly from the forum members. Councillor Petrini was also in favour of including the park in the designated area.

Parking Permits

Andy Lee reported that the consultation period for the proposed changes to the Stadium Zone parking permits is now over. The Riverside Area Committee will be considering a report on the consultation exercise at their next meeting on 10 June 2015. The agenda and document pack for the meeting (which includes the report) can be downloaded from the Hull City Council website. https://cmis.hullcc.gov.uk/cmis/Meetings/tabid/70/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/397/Meeting/3456/Committee/29/Default.aspx

Any Other Business

The six week consultation period on the area and forum designation ends on Monday 15^th June 2015. Following this a report will be submitted for comments by the Newington Ward Councillors and the Chair of the Riverside Area Committee and then considered at the next Planning Committee meeting on 21 July, subsequently a decision on whether or not to designate the area and forum will be taken by Cabinet on 27 July 2015.

Date, Time & Venue of Next Meeting

To be confirmed following the Cabinet decision.