Bomb scare turns out to be an “ornament”.
Roads reopened.
Mortar bomb found on Tadcaster Road, York
@ellyfyork Workers have found an old mortar shell on the new Park&Ride site at Askham Bar. Roads closed, site evacuated, cordon in place.
— North Yorks Police (@NYorksPolice) April 16, 2014
Merrett sacked
Dave Merrett has been sacked from his transport responsibilities in York.
click to enlarge
He has been heavily criticised for poor execution of traffic restrictions on Lendal Bridge and more recently for an email exchange, about the controversial introduction of wide area 20 mph speed limits, in which he abused Opposition Councillors.
He will retain his Cabinet pay as he takes over responsibility for environmental services. He will also be responsible for York’s Local Plan – another shambolic situation.
He is replaced by Cllr Levene who recently was forced to announce a budget overspend on ice clearance last year despite having had the mildest winter on record!
Tracey Simpson Laing is also demoted losing responsibility for health matters.
The Council Leader has said the changes have been made as he “didn’t want to lose control of the Council in the 2015 local election to a LibDem/Tory coalition” (!)
Merrett tried to fix 20 mph publicity – private Emails published
Minster FM have published details of private Emails exchanged by Labour Councillors over plans to introduce 20 mph speed limits across York.
In the Emails he tries to inflame opinion by calling for letters to be sent to the local paper – and to be posted on its web site – labelling opposition Councillors as “Ludites”.
It appears that the Emails were sent using Council facilities which breaches regulations forbidding the use of equipment, paid for by taxpayers, for political purposes.
The Emails reveal that the main road trial 20 mph limits have been ineffective, that accident levels in other City’s which introduced wide area 20 mph levels have increased and that there is a lot of opposition to the idea in York.
In releasing, pre publication, officer reports to Cllr Semleyn – a paid 20’s plenty organiser – he urges her to mobilise support.
The revelations are bound to increase pressure on Cllr Merrett to resign from his Cabinet post.
April figures see York unemployment level down to 1.6%
The latest ONS figures reveal that there are 1430 men and 682 women unemployed and seeking work in York at the end of March.
This represents 1.6% of the working population and compares to the regional average of 3.8%
The total of 2122 represents a reduction from the January total of 2183.
Unemployment in the City has reduced by 931 over the last year.
The improvement can be traced to the general economic recovery underpinned by several specific Coalition government initiatives
Lendal Bridge – Council process blunder?
Council Forward Programme click to enlarge
The Council published late yesterday their decision notice on lifting the Lendal bridge traffic restrictions. It referred to a meeting which had taken place a week earlier.
The notice that the meeting would take place was also published yesterday (which is no help for residents trying to follow the Byzantine meanderings of the Councils processes)
The Council claims that the decision was taken under “delegated powers” by the Council Leader acting alone.
The decision notice does not include any background report (which is in itself highly unusual given that the last Council meeting was prevented from discussing the issue because “all the facts weren’t available”)
The Decision has not been labelled as “key” meaning that it cannot be called in for consideration by an ”all party” committee.
However a decision on the Lendal Bridge issues was, and is, due to be made by the Cabinet on 6th May 2014.
Key decision items have to be included in what is known as the Forward Plan and an entry was made for this policy item.
It confirms that it is a “key” decision.
The Councils Monitoring Officer needs to explain these inconsistencies, and pretty quickly.
No one doubts that officers could have switched off the ANPR cameras at least when their use was found to be unlawful.
But a decision to revoke the traffic order required an approach in line with the published Forward Programme.
It is likely that the Local Government Ombudsman would take a dim view of the Councils manoeuvres.
In the meantime the Council should agree to set up a scrutiny committee to look into the irregularties.
Eggstra-special Easter buns
Date: Thurs 17 Apr
Time: 2pm to 3pm
Venue: Explore Acomb Library Learning Centre
Cost: £1 per session
We are going egg crazy! Design and decorate your own Easter buns, fancy icings, colourful designs and yummy flavours!
Free publicity offer for Tour De France events
Local activity and events organisers in York are being invited by City of York Council to submit their details and become part of the exciting 100 days festival of arts and culture, York: Be part of it.
The festival will complement the Yorkshire Festival 2014 and will welcome the Tour de France Grand Départ to York, building fun and excitement throughout the city up to its arrival on Sunday 6 July.
Anyone wishing to submit an activity or event should go to www.york.gov.uk/tourdefrance and click on York: Be part of it.
Confirmed events which become part of the programme will be included in the online festival listing at www.york.gov.uk/tourdefrance and http://www.yorkfestivals.com/
Mildest winter on record but Labour overspend ice clearance budget in York!
New figures reveal that Labour run York Council overspent this year’s winter maintenance budget despite it being one of the mildest winters on record.
The council’s 2013/14 winter budget, which funds gritting and salt bins, was £107,000 in the red despite the city seeing no significant snowfall or prolonged frosts this winter. This has led to concerns that recent cuts by Labour have left the budget dangerously low and if next winter sees more typical weather there will be major disruption in York.
Labour has cut the winter maintenance budget every year since coming to power in 2011, and last year took 30 miles of road off the priority gritting list while cutting two-thirds of the city’s salt bins.
Cllr Ann Reid, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environmental Services, commented:
“It is extraordinary that despite it being the fifth mildest winter since national records began the Labour Council has still overspent its budget.
“Cuts by Labour have reduced gritting routes and salt bins across York and therefore reduced the city’s capacity to cope with bad weather. If we have a more typical winter next year then the budget is just not there to ensure roads and paths are gritted and residents are kept safe.
“Liberal Democrat budget plans called for an extra £30,000 to be put into winter services and an extra £500,000 to be given to communities for local priorities such as extra salt bins or gritting. This would ensure that the resource was there to cope with bad weather.
“Labour got lucky this winter. However, the policy of spending money on city-centre vanity projects like Kings Square instead of on frontline services like gritting roads will catch-up with them.”
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