York Council to repay Lendal Bridge Fines

 

Coppergate fines stand – for now

Lendal bridge notice

In an amazing U turn – before even the results of their appeal against the traffic adjudicator ruling have been revealed – the York Council’s Labour Leadership has announced that they will refund  over £1 million in fines levied against motorists who used Lendal Bridge during the ill fated access restriction trial.

They have yet to submit the proposal to a formal Council decision meeting.

The Council have already spent over £700,000 – of the £1.8 million fine income that it raised from Lendal Bridge and Coppergate – on administering the trial, so taxpayers are in for a hefty hit.

The Council only broke even on its budget during the last financial year because of the ANPR camera bonanza.

The failed experiment ultimately led to the demotion of Labour Councillor Dave Merrett, although he still holds a £20,000 a year Cabinet job.

Residents will now be looking at the future of Council leader James Alexander who bears ultimate responsibility for the financial  and organisational disaster.

The Council have not said how motorists will be able to claim a rebate.

There is a suspicion that visitors – particularly those from overseas – may never hear about the change of heart. They may continue to be out of pocket as a result of the Councils unlawful actions.

Last month Labour Councillor Stephen Burton (Westfield) led an attempt to block plans to have an independent inquiry into the fiasco.

When unveiled a year ago, Liberal Democrats opposed the trial saying that it was badly timed and poorly executed.

In September 2013 (after only a few weeks of the trial) Liberal Democrats called for it to be abandoned against a background of huge enforcement issues.

If the Council had accepted then that they had made a major mistake, taxpayers would not now be facing a £1million bill.

The Council statement comes only 2 days after a Liberal Democrat Councillor tabled the following question for next Thursdays Council meeting.

(xxxiii)             To the Cabinet Member for Transport from CllrAspden: “ Would the Cabinet member confirm the number of Fixed Penalty Notices issued for breaches of the access restrictions on Coppergate since 1st April 2014 and would he confirm that no action is currently being taken to enforce the restrictions?”

The Council was also finally set to discuss a motion submitted 4 months ago by Cllr Ann Reid which read,

To deal with the following Lendal Bridge notice of motion referred back to Council by Cabinet,  from its meeting on 6 May 2014, after consideration of the evaluation of the trial. A copy of the Cabinet report and minute are attached as Annexes 1 and 2 (Annexes A to G of this report are available online only).

(i)        From Cllr Reid

“Council notes the report in The Press on 27th February which revealed important facts about the Lendal Bridge closure.

Council further notes that:

  1. The Labour Cabinet’s six-month trial closure of Lendal Bridge should have finished at the end of February
  2. The closure has brought widespread criticism from local residents, business owners, tourists and tourist groups
  3. Negative media and social media coverage has been generated to the detriment of our city
  4. The closure has failed to significantly improve overall bus journey times
  5. Traffic displaced by the closure has caused increased congestion elsewhere in the city e.g. Foss Islands Road and Water End at Clifton Bridge
  6. Officers have admitted that the trial closure has had little impact on overall air quality
  7. The Labour Cabinet Member responsible has admitted that the signage at the start of the trial was “very confusing”
  8. Around 45,000 motorists have received fines for crossing the bridge.

Council therefore resolves to ask Cabinet to:

  1. immediately end the trial closure of Lendal Bridge
  2. publicly admit that the trial has been botched and to apologise for this
  3. immediately publish the raw data on the trial ahead of their detailed evaluation report
  4. commit to consulting with residents and local businesses before bringing forward any future plans for Lendal Bridge.”

It seems, that with many Labour Councillors now deserting a sinking ship, the Leadership has decided to try to find a lifeboat of its own!

 

 

Community Stadium opening date – York Council to hear latest fantasy league predictions

Huntington Stadium April 2014
Leisure chief Cllr Sonja Crisp will be asked to give a firm opening date for the new Community Stadium at Huntington when the Council meets on Thursday.

Funding for the stadium (£12m) was agreed in 2010 and confirmed when planning permission for the new Monks Cross development was granted in 2011.

That development – which includes the John Lewis store -was finished and opened several months ago.

The Council has been very slow to start work on an alternative athletics facility having dithered over the precise location for the track on the York University campus.

Only an immediate start on the stadium in the autumn (when the athletics season comes to an end) would give some hope that it could be in use for the 2016/17 football stadium (the Football League frowns on Clubs that try to change homes mid season)

"I've still got a job in football. I'm building the Huntington Stadium" click for full interview

“I’ve still got a job in football. I’m building the Huntington Stadium” click for full interview

But the Stadium  has yet  to receive detailed planning permission and Cllr Crisp has been unable to even decide who will manage the stadium.

Cllr Ian Cuthbertson has now tabled the following question for the meeting next week,

“What is the Cabinet Member’s deadline for starting work on the ground at the new Community Stadium at Huntington and what is her current best estimate of its opening date?”

In April, Council Leader James Alexander tweeted to give an absolute guarantee that “construction work on the Stadium would start by March 2015”

Most stadia take at least 18 months to build.

Begging in York

Not before time, authorities in York are moving to deal with the issue of begging on York’s streets.

Disabled busker on Coney Street

Disabled busker on Coney Street

A combination of help for those in genuine need (who themselves may be the subject of exploitation by unscrupulous gangs) coupled with enforcement action against those trying to  intimidate passers by is (rightly) proposed.

The Council says, a joint operation to work with people begging on York’s streets is being launched by City of York Council, North Yorkshire Police and the Salvation Army.

Officers from the police and Salvation Army will be carrying out walks in the city centre at the end of this week and over the weekend to talk to people appearing to beg on the streets.

Officers will also hand out leaflets asking people not to give money to beggars who, if in genuine need, should be eligible for benefits or accommodation.

The Salvation Army is accredited to give housing advice which they can offer individuals found begging, or they can signpost them to appropriate benefits advice.

Officers from the police or council will remind any beggars that it is an offence to beg, that they must stop and if found begging again they will be prosecuted.

Officers will also liaise with the Department for Work and Pensions if any person begging is found to be getting social security benefits too.

Similar operations have been successfully carried out by Humberside police who found numbers of people begging on the streets halved.

Lap Dancing club to open opposite York Council HQ?

Tokyo night club

Tokyo York has made an application for the grant of a Sex Establishment Licence.

They are seeking opening hours of Monday to Sunday 21:00hrs to 03:30hrs, and 18:00hrs to 04:30hrs on York Race Days only.  

The application will apply to the first floor only at the premises which are located at 3-4 Toft Green.

The license application will be considered by the Council on 21st July.

There have been 11 objections to the proposal. Most relate to noise issues although several are from neighbours and hotels who point to a degradation of the area for visiting families.

The Council can either approve, amend (e.g. opening hours) or reject the application. If the application is not approved there is a right of appeal to the Magistrates Court.

The venue is opposite the new Council HQ and any Councillor who is an existing, or potential, patron or employee of the establishment would have to declare an interest before the licensing meeting started.

It is unclear whether the Council plans to video broadcast the meeting which starts at 4:00pm..

 

Police to hold flares and smoke grenade amnesty in York this weekend

flares

North Yorkshire Police’s Football Liaison Officers will be holding a Pyrotechnics Amnesty at Bootham Crescent this Saturday (12 July 2014).

The initiative is being held with the support of York City Football Club to raise awareness of the dangers and the law around flares and smoke grenades which many people believe are harmless.

A red bin will be placed outside the ground where fans can drop off any flares or smoke grenades ahead of Saturday’s game against Sheffield Wednesday.
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York Police warn court fine dodgers to pay up

PoliceYork police are warning people with outstanding court fines that they face being sent to prison if they don’t pay up.

York Magistrates’ Court has issued over 220 non-payment of fines warrants which have still to be enforced, some of which contain orders for immediate prison sentences.

It is normally the job of Civilian Enforcement Officers to conduct the warrants, with the help of North Yorkshire Police if required.

However, York police will be carrying out a number of operations in the coming weeks to round up offenders who haven’t paid their court fines.
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Skips on Saturday

12th July 2014 8:30am Sanderson House, Bramham Road 10:30am Rogers Court
19th July 2014 8:30am Lowfields Drive12:30pm Cornlands Road
26th July 2014 10:30 am Saxon Place Potter Lane end10:30am Fossway
2nd August 2014 8:30am Westfield Place8:30am Dringfield Close

10:30am Ganton Place

12:30pm Jute Road

9th August 2014 8:30am Alcuin Ave10:30am Tang Hall Lane

12:30pm Fifth Ave

  • The skips are funded by the local residents association using their Estate Improvement Grant. The skips are removed once they are full so please make sure you arrive in good time if you intend to make use of them.
  • Please remember to take your waste to the site only on the dates advertised
  • If the skip is full or not on the site, please do not leave your waste. This is classed as fly tipping and is illegal
  • Bulky items including furniture, fridges and freezers are not accepted. To arrange disposal of one of these items please ring York (01904) 551551.