The controversial proposal to increase the size of the City was steamrollered through a working group meeting last night (Monday).

Opposition Councillors said that they had no confidence in the chair of the meeting (Cllr Merrett) who had failed to involve other members in drawing up the 1000 page report.

Now the plan has been scheduled for discussion at the (single party) “Cabinet” meeting on Tuesday 30th April.

The agenda for the meeting (click here) was published before the working group meeting had even started!!!

So no opposition is being tolerated.

Tesco – Acomb Wood Drive – has three part time jobs available
Betfred – Gale Lane – two jobs available – all hours available

SCRAP METAL
A scrap metal dealer visits the Foxwood area every other day. If you have items for disposal, these can be left on the path (do not cause an obstruction) or driveway with a note saying that they are for collection. This relates to metal items only and no payment is given.

One aspect of the Councils announcement – that it hoped to see an additional 22,000 homes constructed in the City during the next 15 years – which raised concerns was the effect that such growth would have on transport.

We have been fortunate that traffic levels have been stable in the City for the last 5 years.

Modest improvements to some of the A1237 roundabouts have eased congestion while the Council has invested to encourage people to use buses and cycles when ever possible.

Many of these policies are to be continued in the new plan, but hopes that congestion will ease have been crushed as the Council now admits that growth in traffic of around 2.5% per annum can be expected as a result of the building boom.

It goes on to say that this will mean a substantial increase in congestion levels on most major roads in the urban area.

Dualling of part of the northern by pass (Wetherby Road to Haxby Road) will not start for at least 10 years. It pointedly fails to identify how the £200 million bill for such an upgrade would be funded.

Labours strategy seems to be to reduce still further car parking provision in the City Centre, introduce more road closures and even introduce parking charges at out of City centre retail centres.

Their intention is to force cars off the roads of York.

All in all to looks like a profoundly inadequate approach to catering for a 25% increase in the City’s size.

Good to report that the Council is doing something that might get residents approval.

They say that they “will be joining forces with York and North Yorkshire Probation Trust’s Community Payback team and local residents next month to carry out a city wide spring clean of York.
The council will be working with offenders performing Community Payback, who will be undertaking several ‘spring clean’ tasks throughout the month, such as painting over graffiti, fixing broken fencing, picking litter and clearing overgrown areas.

York residents will also have the opportunity to nominate communal spaces for the team to spruce up and help make a smarter York.

Community Payback is physically demanding work carried out by offenders as part of their community sentence on work that might not otherwise be completed”.

The spring clean will focus on different wards each week throughout May, starting on 7 May in the Westfield ward.

“The overgrown field behind Westfield School has been singled out for the team to work their magic on and transform the space for local residents”. (Hopefully that don’t mean the nature reserve!)

“For the second week the team will be focusing their efforts around the Tang Hall area, then moving on to the Bell Farm area for the third week. For the fourth week the team will be working with volunteers from various parishes and towns across the outer areas of the city.

To follow on from the work the community payback team will be doing there will be Smarter York events in the three wards and outer parishes throughout May and June. At these events residents will be able to sign up to the Smarter Charter and pledge that they will help to keep York clean and tidy.

Children are very welcome at the events where there will be several items of machinery on display and available to sit in, including a refuse truck, mechanical sweeper and a ride on mower”.

The events will be held at –

• •Foxwood Community Centre – Saturday 11 May 12pm-6pm

• •Tang Hall Community Centre – Saturday 18 May 10am-4pm

• •Bell Farm Social Hall – Saturday 25 May 10am-4pm

• •Oaken Grove Community centre, Haxby – Saturday 1 June 10am-2pm

City of York Council will be carrying out essential road resurfacing works on Mill Lane, Acaster Malbis throughout the week of 22 April.

The work will start on Monday 22 April and will last up to a week, with work taking place between the hours of 8am-5pm Monday-Friday.

In order to carry out these works safely a temporary road closure of Mill Lane will be necessary whilst works are taking place.

With improved weather on the cards for this weekend, police are advising residents to secure their property while enjoying the outdoors.

Warmer weather means more people will be out in the garden and are likely to risk leaving doors, windows and outbuildings open.

Sneak-in burglaries increase during the spring and summer months and police are urging residents to keep opportunist thieves at bay by remembering to lock doors and windows at all times.

For detailed crime prevention advice, including a security self assessment, click here

You can also download here the Polices free “Securing your home iBook” for lots more advice or their free mobile phone “app” by clicking here

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