All clear now

http://www.romneytaxplan.com/

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The government has launched a new web based system which allows residents to track the number of crimes committed in their street and neighbourhood.

The site allows residents who input a postcode to see at street level how many incidents had been reported.

The site can be accessed by clicking here police.uk

The site tells us something about the crime trends in the Foxwood/Westfield area. Taking an area within 1 mile of York High school as an example

In August (the most recent stats available) 322 incidents were reported. Of these the vast majority were anti social behaviour (172 incidents) followed by violent crime (38) criminal damage (34) and “other theft” (24). Barkston Road, Chesney’s field and St Stephens Square were problem areas.

In July the equivalent figures had been 292 total incidents of which 156 were complaints about anti social behaviour, 36 about violent crime and 31 about criminal damage. Cornlands Road was the most frequently reported location.

The site also tells us what the outcome was of the police intervention.

In August, 37 suspects were charged with offences. In 4 cases offenders had been sent to prison.

All in all, this is a welcome initiative and one that will improve transparency for residents. It has been welcomed by North Yorkshire Police http://t.co/928vdo4I

It is an approach which contrasts sharply with the attitude of the City of York Council which point blank refuses to provide taxpayers with information which they may find useful (such as bus service reliability data) but which may cast the local authority in a poor light.

Love your cat

Join volunteers from the Cat’s Protection League and York Libraries for a fun, interactive session to learn all about looking after a cat. Find out what a cat needs to be happy and healthy and how you can take care of it. You don’t need to own a cat to come along as everyone is welcome.

Get busy in libraries during the half term holidays

We won’t have any cats at the session so there is no need to worry about allergies.

Everyone who comes will get a free goody bag to take home.

This event is for 5 – 11 year olds. Places are limited so ask for your free tickets for these sessions from the Library holding the event.

Explore Acomb Library Learning Centre: Saturday 27th October
10.30 am – 11.30 am
Tel 01904 552651 E mail. Acomb.library@york.gov.uk

Get Buzzing.

Join author Anneliese Emmans Dean and York Libraries for a session that is all about bugs, bees and all things wriggly. Anneliese is the author of Buzzing, a book combining fascinating information on a variety of insects and poems. This session is for 7 – 12 year olds. Free tickets are available from Haxby Library.

Haxby Library, Thursday 1st November
10.30 a.m – 11.30 a.m.
Tel. 01904 552660, Email Haxby.library@york.gov.uk

Labour maintains its near 50% cut to York’s salt bin provision after Lib Dem attempts to halt the plans failed last night.

Abandoned salt bin

Under Labour’s plans 170 salt bins across the city will not be refilled this winter. The bins, previously funded through City of York Council’s ward committee system, will be left on the streets but without salt pending a future review of winter maintenance. 199 bins financed from the Highways Budget will still be provided along with a few from Parish Councils and Resident Associations.

Liberal Democrat Councillors Ann Reid, Keith Aspden and Nigel Ayre ‘called-in’ the decision for further review. But last night the Council’s Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee decided to stick with the original decision. The Committee, on which Labour holds a majority, voted to support the cuts by 5 to 3.

Cabinet member starts search for salt?

At the meeting Cllr David Levene, Labour Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said that the Ward Committee bins were counted as a “nice to have” rather than a “must have” so they were chopped as part of the Cabinet’s spending plans. The empty bins will only be filled with salt in times of ‘extreme weather’. Lib Dems have questioned this process and argue that the weather might be bad enough to mean salt is needed, but not bad enough to qualify as ‘extreme weather’.

It was confirmed at the meeting that the decision on which bins to cut was based purely on how the bins are funded and not on the provision in the local area – meaning that some areas will be particularly hit such as Foxwood which will lose all its bins and Heworth Without which will lose 9 out of 11 bins.

Salt bins that WILL NOT be filled list click this link http://stevegalloway.mycouncillor.org.uk/2012/10/11/salt-bins-in-york-not-being-filled-%e2%80%93-the-full-list/

Salt Bins that WILL be filled list http://stevegalloway.mycouncillor.org.uk/2012/10/08/list-of-salt-bins-in-york-that-won%e2%80%99t-be-filled-this-winter-%e2%80%93-westfield-area/

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City of York Council is to carry out resurfacing work on Askham Lane from the Foxwood Lane roundabout to Cornlands Road. The works will start at 9:15am on Monday 22nd October and be substantially completed by 4pm on Friday 26th October; weather permitting.

Length of day time closure of Askham Lane

The works will take place under a full road closure between 9:15am and 4pm. A signed diversion route, suitable for all vehicles, will operate during working hours. Outside of the working hours, the road will be open as usual.

The road closure will be supervised at each end to prevent unauthorised access. Access for pedestrians and emergency services will be maintained at all times. Cyclists will be instructed to dismount and use adjacent footways.

Bus services are affected as follows:

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Guildhall dig

A fragment of a comb from Viking times, a wig curler from the 1700s and the wall an even older building than the Guildhall are among the finds from this summer’s York 800 dig to be revealed by Dr Mark Whyman of York Archaeological Trust (YAT) at his lecture during City of York Council’s Local Democracy Week.

The council commissioned the dig from York Archeological Trust as an element of the York 800 celebrations which would literally delve into the foundations of the home of democracy and its civic origins. Few digs had been carried out in this area and they had not been thoroughly documented so this was an excellent opportunity to learn more about the seat of local democracy .
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