The once endangered Great Crested Newt is threatening to overwhelm the City. The media are reporting that, what was thought to be a small colony of 30 newts living on the site of the new Community Football and Rugby Stadium at Monks Cross, had grown to over 300 in a matter of weeks.

The building project there has been put on hold while the newts are rehoused.

They have been placed on the housing waiting list with a “gold” banding.

Early indications, that the newts could be offered some of the vacant single bedroomed accommodation available in the City,have been jettisoned after experts revealed that colonies liked to “live together”.

New “Houses in Multiple Occupation” rules mean that a new communal home may have to be built. Housing Chief Tra Cee Lang said, “Well at least we’ll be able to build it on the flood plain”.

Cllr D’Green blamed climate change for the population explosion. “Basically we believe that the colony, discovered at another development site at German Beck, have been carried on flood water to Monks Cross. With the gene pool there reinvigorated, heaven knows where the population growth will end. I’m going to agree to rent my spare bedroom to two of them but I’m not sure how I am going to get them out of the bath each morning”.

Environment Chief Leftie Levene said, “Oh no, not bl**dy newts as well”.

The government has allocated £150,000 for five schemes aimed at improving air quality in York.

The funding, which comes from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) puts York at the top of the funding ladder for a single local authority.

The grants see York receive £94,490 which is to be put towards the implementation of Low Emission Strategy measures and £54,490 for assessing the impact of these and other transport measures.

The funding aims to help create guidance and tools for local authorities who want to reduce emissions. Money was also given to authorities who want to develop the way they communicate air quality messages to their local communities.

The grant will allow the city to engage in a public information campaign to raise awareness of the effects of air pollution on health and will also see the promotion of low emission vehicles and taxis. This will include vehicle demonstration days, purchase / lease of a high profile low emission vehicle for use on promotional work and for development of a Low Emission Taxi Incentive Scheme. A study will also take place to ascertain the likely real-life emission reduction of the I-Travel York campaign, using the best available modelling techniques.

A Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling feasibility study for York will also take place alongside a Tackling Idling Vehicle Strategy Feasibility study – which will help the council develop an evidence base to demonstrate the reduction in vehicle emissions achievable through the introduction of anti-idling policies, which encourage drivers to switch off their engines when parked for some time.

The Council are still giving out mixed messages on their web site.

On the one hand they are saying “Please leave your waste out for collection until it gets collected, this may include Saturday 5 January”.

They have also produced a new list of “catch up” collection dates which in some cases says that recycling will not be collected until next Tuesday (the normal collection day).

We think that for the streets affected leaving recycling out for another 4 days will simply add to the litter drift which is already apparent in some streets.

Meanwhile the Foxwood Residents Association have produced a handy guide to the new collection dates in their area. (see right)