Council Leader James Alexander has tweeted to say that he believes that those commenting on The Press web site should use their own names, not pseudonyms.

We agree with him, as long as it includes all the Labour Councillors who regularly turn up there trolling their, sometimes abusive comments!

We have never understood why the publishers of The Press insist on printing the names and locations (not full addresses) of their letters page correspondents, yet appear to embrace secrecy when it comes to web comment.

All users of the site should have to register with their names and locations (e.g. James Alexander, Holgate) appearing against any comment that they make.

It might stimulate a more informed debate on some subjects and would be a contribution towards open debate.

For the local media, it would be a useful bit of self regulation which they could claim was inspired by the Leveson report!

Government Inspectors are allowing more planning appeals in York.

New national guidance (National Planning Policy Framework or NPPF) has led to several major appeals against the refusal of planning permission being successful during the first 6 months of the financial year.

Between 1st April and 31st October 2012, a total of 40 appeals relating to CYC decisions were determined by the Inspectorate. Of those, 20 were allowed. At 50%, the rate of appeals is significantly higher than the 33% national annual average. By comparison, for the same period last year, 8 out of 26 appeals were allowed, i.e. 30.77%

The successful appeals included the replacement of offices with a retail warehouse at Monks Cross and the construction of a 64 bed care home the York Business Park near Poppleton.

Also approved were changes to City centre shop fronts, infill housing, the conversion of houses into flats, home extensions, the installation of balconies/dormers and the conversion of (another) property into a bar on Micklegate

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The Councils West area planning committee are being recommended to extend the use of the car park at Acomb Library for use by the ambulance service as a stand by point.

The car park has been in use by the ambulance service since May 2008. The applicant has submitted information “demonstrating that the site is required to meet national targets, the aim is that ambulances are to be with the patient within 8 minutes for 75% of all call outs. This stand-by point contributes towards meeting this national target”.

The supporting information sets out that the permanent siting of stand-by points is no longer part of the long term plan of the Ambulance Service, “the aim is to provide a series of flexible response locations in order to meet their targets, so the building of a permanent base in this location would not be appropriate”.

The meeting will also consider applications to bring back into use the White Swan building in Piccadilly and to convert part of the former Borders bookstore in Little Stonegate into a bar/restaurant.

http://tinyurl.com/Planning-agenda-5th-Dec-12

The costs to taxpayers of the Vic Reeves inspired Wonderland light show in the Museum Gardens – held in November – was over £85,000.

Nearly £60,000 of this came from the Arts Council, with York Council taxpayers picking up a bill for around £26,000.

Ticket sales generated just over £56,000 towards the £125,000 cost of the event.

The figures do not include the value of the time taken by Council officials to organise the event.

Reactions to the show were very mixed!