Dim Council

in the dark

York Council are planning to dim streetlights between midnight and 6:00am.

Residents, in part of Council Leaders James Alexander’s Holgate ward, were used as guinea pigs in a trial earlier in the year.

 In January 2014 the council installed LED lighting in Hamilton Way, Collingwood Avenue, Stewart Road, and Amberley Street in Holgate with several being operated at 50-60 per cent.

The Council Leadership claims that residents did not notice that lights had been dimmed.

Problem is that there was no consultation and residents were kept in the dark (sic) about the trial.

No data on crime levels was reported by the Council who claim that the programme was agreed by the Councils Cabinet on 1st July as part of its (no irony) “rewiring” project.

In reality only passing reference was made to street lighting in a report which ran to over 100 pages.

The Council says, “No comments or complaints were received on the varied levels of lighting throughout the trial”.

Given the flaws in the Councils customer contact system this is hardly surprising. You can’t even report, through the Councils web site, a faulty street lamp let alone a “dim” one.

The Council says,

Behind closed doors logo

“Over 1,500 lanterns in York will be replaced this year with a new ‘white light’ – providing a clearer light, which will help make people feel safer at night.

The LED lantern conversions will be installed over a seven month period until January 2015, predominately in the following areas: Rawcliffe, Clifton, Huntington, New Earswick, Copmanthorpe, Bishopthorpe and Micklegate.

The Wards that have been chosen are areas that house the highest number of 35watt low pressure sodium lanterns (orange light).

The new lighting will also help make significant carbon, energy and cost savings.

 In addition to the new LEDS, lights will also be reduced by up to 50-60 per cent on streets between midnight and 6am when the traffic flow levels can be described as quiet. Although the level of lighting reduces this is still within current lighting level standards”.

It is certainly possible to make some savings – and reduce carbon emissions – using more energy efficient systems and lighting cycles.

Such a programme was started by the Council as long ago as 2008.

However, the cost/benefit figures – produced by the Council – now do need further analysis

And, of course, street lighting has a major role to play in tacking crime with back lanes and snickets likely to be particular problem areas when we get to dark winter evenings.

The Council has been secretive in its approach and has played fast and loose with resident’s safety.

They should be more open with their plans in the future.

School closures in York on Thursday

Westfield school

Westfield school

The Council has published a list of schools which may be closed tomorrow because of  a strike by one of the teachers unions.

Those affected include Hob Moor and Westfield.

York High and Millthorpe will be “partially open”.

Dringhouses and Woodthorpe are expected to remain open.

Click here for an up to date list.

Empty offices at Clifton Moor to become flats?

Clifton Moor office empty

The York Council is to remove restrictive covenants from some commercial properties in Clifton Moor.

This will allow buildings to be converted into residential use.

The Council says that it is doing this because there is little demand for office blocks on the development and a lot of property is empty.

The Council also claims that demand for City centre offices is buoyant.

The covenants were imposed several years ago when the area was first developed.

The area suffers from significant traffic congestion which is unlikely to be sorted until expensive improvements to the northern by pass are completed.

There are some fairly big question to be answered about the quality of residential accommodation that could be provided by converting modern office and commercial buildings.
Huge areas of green field land have been reserved for this purpose – including a nearby site at Westminster Business Park – with many sites being some miles from the City centre.Behind closed doors logo
 It also brings into question (again) the assumptions that the Council has made in its draft Local Plan about the demand for office and commercial development land in the future.

The Councils decision was taken at a “behind closed doors” meeting.

There was no consultation with local residents or businesses about the proposal.