York Leeman Road murder investigation latest

Detectives investigating a murder and an attempted murder in York have reassured residents that there is no threat to their safety.

It occurred at a property on Phoenix Boulevard, off Leeman Road, at around 8pm on Sunday 20 October 2013.

Officers and paramedics located a woman at the address who was declared dead at the scene. We are not in a position to release her details as formal identification has yet to take place, but we can confirm she is aged 32 and from the local area.

A second local woman, aged 23, suffered serious injuries. She was taken by ambulance to York District Hospital where she remains in a stable condition.

A 25-year-old man was arrested at an address at Popes Head Court, in the Peter Lane area, at 2.20am today in connection with the investigation. He remains in police custody for questioning.

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Council refuses to test market on surplus land sales.

The worrying trend, where the York Council fails to put surplus assets (mainly land and property) on the open market, looks set to continue.

There were a lot of raised eyebrows last year when the Council chose to sell land at Hungate for a knock down price. They claimed that this was necessary in order to attract Hiscox insurers to the City.

The trend continued earlier this year when they decided to deal direct with a leaseholder in Redness Street while the adjacent landowner is being given first refusal of the vacated St Anthony’s House office site.

Now we understand that Oliver House may also be sold (or leased) in December without ever reaching the open market.

The Councillor responsible for these decisions was questioned at the Council meeting recently.

Oliver House

Oliver House

He accepted that professional valuations placed on Council assets in the past had substantially under-estimated their real value. This had become apparent on properties such as the Bonding Warehouse and the Edmund Wilson pool site when open market bids greatly exceeded expectations.

However he wouldn’t give an assurance that open market bids would be invited for all upcoming property sales.

The question asked was:

Question: In the light of the new buoyancy in the York development market place, will the Cabinet Member agree that all sales of Council property and land will be subject to a competitive process which maximises the receipt that is available for the taxpayer?”

Cllr Williams responded, “Of course the default position should be to go to the open market. However, there will always be some situations where it makes financial and economic sense not to stick to that default position and not to have a competitive process. This should be if it is felt that one organisation has a special interest in a site and would pay a premium above the going market rate to obtain the site. An example of this would be a sitting leaseholder who wishes to buy the freehold. To have a blanket policy would simply expose the council to potentially not maximising the use of assets.”

Councils have a legal duty to get the best value that they can in their financial dealings.

If they don’t then the District Auditor can be asked to investigate.

Latest Planning applications for Acomb and Westfield Wards

Below are the latest planning applications received by the York Council for the Acomb and Westfield wards.

Full details can be found by clicking the application reference

Acomb
Location: 22 Cranbrook Road York YO26 5JA

Proposal: Single storey side and rear extension

Ref No: 13/03330/FUL
Applicant: Mrs Heather Vind Consultation Expiry Date: 11 November 2013 Case Officer: Carolyn Howarth Expected Decision Level: DEL
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Westfield

Location: 11 The Knoll York YO24 3EB

Proposal: Erection of single storey extension extending 4.5 metres beyond the rear wall of the original house, with a height to the eaves of 2.1 metres and a total height of 3 metres

Ref No: 13/03148/LHE

Applicant: Mrs Curtis Contact Mr Neil Wakeman Consultation Expiry Date 11 November 2013Case Officer: Carolyn Howarth Expected Decision Level DEL
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Location: 82 Bramham Avenue York YO26 5DE

Proposal: Conversion of garage to habitable room with extension to front and rear

Ref No: 13/03261/FUL

Applicant: Mrs C Walters Contact Mr Mike Punchard Consultation Expiry Date 11 November 2013 Case Officer: Carolyn Howarth Expected Decision Level DEL
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Location: 23 Askham Lane York YO24 3HB

Proposal: Erection of single storey extension extending 4 metres beyond the rear wall of the original house, with a height to the eaves of 2.9 metres and a total height of 3.8 metres

Ref No: 13/03315/LHE

Applicant: Mrs M Taylor Consultation Expiry Date 11 November 2013 Case Officer: Elizabeth Potter Expected Decision Level DEL
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Representations can be made in favour of, or in objection to, any application via the Planning on line web site. http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/

NB. The Council now no longer routinely consults neighbours by letter when an application is received.

Salt Bin Petition tops 1,000 ahead of this evenings crunch meeting

Yorkshire and Humber MEP Rebecca Taylor has backed calls to reverse cuts to salt bins and gritting routes in York after 1,000 residents signed a petition against the proposals.

Rebecca, Keith and residents

Rebecca, Keith and residents

The Labour run City of York Council plans to cut two-thirds of salt bins and remove nearly 30 miles of roads from priority gritting routes, including on bus routes.

Lib Dem Councillors Ann Reid, Nigel Ayre and Keith Aspden have ‘called-in’ the decision for further review and the proposals are now set to be reconsidered at a special meeting of York’s Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee later today.

The plans have met with fierce opposition from residents and Kingsway Area Residents’ Association recently said that the cuts could see elderly and disabled people trapped in their homes this winter.

Speaking on a visit to Fulford at the weekend Rebecca Taylor, Lib Dem MEP for Yorkshire & the Humber, commented:

“The fact that 1,000 residents have signed the Lib Dem petition shows the strength of local opposition to Labour’s plans. The Council needs to consider the impact the cuts will have on elderly and vulnerable in places like here in Fulford. I would urge the Labour Council to listen to local residents and reconsider their plans to cut salt bins and gritting routes in York”.

Councillor Keith Aspden, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on City of York Council, commented:

“Local residents in Fulford and Heslington tell me they want the Labour Council to focus on delivering basic frontline services like gritting and salt bins. This is also what the Lib Dem Group has consistently called for including in our motion at last week’s Full Council. However, while Labour is finding money to buy an Arts Barge and increase the pay of senior staff they are still cutting basic services for taxpayers”.

The Lib Dem petition against the plans. It can still be found here: http://yorklibdems.org.uk/en/petition/save-our-salt

Labour add £1 million to York’s annual debt repayment levels in just 24 months

The Council has admitted that increased borrowing means that Council taxpayers are now paying £1m a year more in debt charges than in 2011.

Kings Square work

Kings Square work

Most has been used to bolster what the Council describes as its Economic Development Fund.

£18 million has been committed to this fund already which is being used to pay for projects such as:

• Refurbishment of Kings Square

• Acquisition of an “Arts Barge”

• Tour de France start

• Newgate market refurbishment

• New City centre bus stops

Of the annual additional payments around £0.5 million goes on interest charges while £0.5 makes staged repayments of the principal.

It will take over 20 years to fully repay the borrowing