Dozens of Westfield residents turned up this morning at Acomb Library to protest at Labours building plans for the area.

It was the only opportunity that residents will have to voice their opinions as Ward Committee meetings have now been scrapped.

Those attending criticised Labour Councillor D Williams who was unable to answer their concerns about a proposed “showman’s” site which Labour hope to locate on Wetherby Road. He also failed to offer any practical support for the “Save the Green Belt “ campaign.

Cllr Williams was sacked from his “Crime and Stronger Communities” post on the Council’s Cabinet last week. He is being shuffled into a role dealing with finance and customer services(!)

Meanwhile more mis-information is being circulated by vested interests.

One correspondent claimed in The Press that the campsite on Wetherby Road was for “Travellers” and urged residents to sign a Council web site petition opposing it.

Fortunately, for Wetherby Road residents, there are very clear legal differences between a Showman’s lay over site and a Traveller camp. It will be much easier to demonstrate that there is little need for the former. The Council is likely to readily agree to the “on line” petition’s request not to site a Traveller camp near Knapton…diverting attending away from the real issue, which is the maintenance of the Green Belt designation for all the land on the Rufforth/Knapton plain.

The land here, and the field at Dunnington which is indeed threatened for use as a caravan site for Travellers, was confirmed as being important “Green Belt” land when the Local Plan was agreed in February 2011.

What the landowners are now trying to do is break that Green Belt designation.

They have no interest in providing campsites which offer a low financial return. Once the land is removed from the Green Belt, they will seek residential or retail use for it.

An acre of agricultural land might have a value of £10,000.

If identified for housing, commercial or retail development, its value could soar to £1 million or more.

That is the long game that some land owners are playing.

By accepting the expression of interest – in providing caravan sites – at face value, the Council have been naïve, bordering on the gullible.

Ironically they are no closer to solving any perceived lack of traveller’s pitches.

A similar attempt to muddy the water can be found in an article in today’s Yorkshire Post.

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Thousands of school children in York are set to take part in this year’s National Walk to School event, taking place across the city from next week (20 -24 May).

Organised by the national charity Living Streets the event aims to encourage children and parents to incorporate walking into their daily routine and support them with tips, advice and motivation.

The week-long event is part of the national Walking Month in May, aiming to bring together nearly one million school children, teachers and parents across the country.

Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Living Streets said: “Whether it’s walking all or part of the journey to work, stepping out of the office for a lunchtime walk, or getting off the bus a few stops earlier on your way home, walking is a free and easy way to work more exercise into your daily routine.

“Logging your walks on http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/ during Walk to Work Week is a great way to get started!”

For further information about Walk to Work Week, schools and parents can contact Christine Packer, School Travel Advisor on 01904 551345.

In York, information on sustainable journeys, including an urban walking route planner, is available from http://www.itravelyork.info/

City of York Council is piloting a project to ensure all children and young people receive a library card so they and their families can enjoy their local libraries and reading.

In York, the Automatic Library Membership Project sends all children who start primary school in September a new library card – which is also a York Card – along with the letter telling parents at which primary school their child has a place. Children who already hold a library card are being asked to use their new card.

As well as being a library card, their free York Card gives free entry to council supported museums and discounted or free entry to a range of leisure facilities in York. The new card features a robot whose design was chosen by children visiting our library reading groups.

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