Local Plan consultation flop – leaflets not delivered in Chapelfields… at least!

Local Plan consultation leaflet

Reports are coming in the that the “Local Plan” consultation leaflet hasn’t yet been delivered in parts of York.

Several Chapelfields residents apparently only found out about the plans – which include a controversial proposal to build a Showman’s Yard on nearby Wetherby Road – when the Residents Association delivered a public meeting invitation last week.

It is unclear whether any other areas have also been excluded from the delivery which was made with a “Local Link” magazine in early June.

More details of the Council’s plans can be found on their web site www.york.gov.uk/localplan and a public exhibition is taking place at Acomb Library tomorrow (Thursday) between 2:30pm and 7:00pm

Home exchanges to be easier in York

The York Council is easing its regulations on the mutual exchange of socially rented homes (sometimes referred to as “Direct exchanges”)

City of York Council currently uses the Homeswapper service to bring customers wanting to exchange together. This is a web based service which is free to tenants.

Customers can also find others wanting to exchange using less formal means such as adverts in shop windows and word of mouth.

Housing Services currently have 823 (at 07.05.13) tenants registered on Homeswapper with 104 of these under occupying with 155 being overcrowded.

There have been 141 exchanges in the last 12 months, 26 of which were previously under occupied and 50 previously overcrowded. Homeswapper indicates that this is above the national average of sites that use this software.

803 tenants now having their housing benefit entitlements reduced because they have unused bedrooms. Around 200 of these are actively seeking to “downsize”

The main changes seem to be that, non rent, debts may be disregarded when officials assess a tenant’s suitability to exchange.
This looks to be positive response as not only will those under-occupying homes have to pay a lower rent on a smaller property, but also overcrowded families will get a property which better meets their needs.

The decision was taken behind closed doors earlier this week.

Record number of speeders caught in York area. 280 offenders trigger cameras in one week. A1237 and Beckfield Lane are major problem areas.

The largest total of speeders ever to be caught by mobile speed cameras in York were recorded last week (9th – 15th June)

A total of 280 offences were recorded. Of these 250 drivers were invited to attend speed awareness courses although 30 faced more severe penalties.

Once again the road with the worst record was the A1237 near Monks Cross where 62 offenders were identified.

Other roads with a poor record included Beckfield Lane (44), York Road Haxby (32), Strensall Road Huntington (30) and Towthorpe Road Haxby.

The full details can be found by clicking here

North Yorkshire Police mobile safety camera routes 19 to 25 June 2013

Below are enforcement locations for North Yorkshire Police’s mobile safety cameras for week commencing Wednesday 19 June 2013.

• Beckfield Lane Acomb York

• Main Street Askham Richard

• Millfield lane Poppleton York

• Tadcaster Road Dringhouses York

• Temple Lane Copmanthorpe York

• Greenshaw Drive Haxby

• Towthorpe Road Haxby

• York Road Haxby York

• Church Lane Wheldrake
• Grange Farm, Wheldrake Lane, Elvington
• Malton Road York
• Murton Way Murton York
• Strensall Road Huntington York
• The village Stockton-on-the-Forest York
• (more…)