Crunch Green Belt meeting put back

The Council meeting – which was to have publicly discussed for the first time Labours plans to build in the York Green Belt – has been put back from the 18th September to Monday 22nd September.

The decision has not been publicised and is obviously designed to ensure that only minimum notice is given to residents about the revised plans.

Labour hope that this will frustrate opponents of their original plan which would have seen the size of the City increase by 25% over the next 15 years.

Now it appears that the new plans won’t be made available to the public before 15th September.

The proposals will then be rushed through a – Labour controlled – Cabinet meeting on 25th September.

By election announced for Westfield Ward on 16th October

The Notice of Vacancy in the office of Councillor for the Westfield Ward has been published by the Returning Officer.

This vacancy occurred due to the recent sudden death of Councillor Lynn Jeffries.

An election to fill this vacancy will be held Thursday 16 October.

The Notice of Election will be published Thursday 11 September, with nominations accepted Friday 12 September to Friday 19 September 2014.

The Liberal Democrat candidate for this by election will be selected and announced early next week

Applications to vote by post at the election must be received by the Council by 5:00pm on 1st October 2014

At the last local elections in 2011 only 139 votes separated the successful third placed candidate and runner up Andrew Waller.

A close contest is expected with Labour reeling from the adverse public reaction to its policies on issues like the Lendal bridge closure and wide area 20 mph speed limits.

World Suicide Prevention Day

To raise awareness of World Suicide Prevention Day people are being asked to light a candle near a window at 8pm on 10 September to show support for suicide prevention, to remember a lost loved one and for the survivors of suicide.

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New look bus stop for the city centre

click to see original drawing

Residents and visitors are set to benefit from a “new look bus interchange“* in the heart of York’s city centre, in and around Exhibition Square.

The bus interchange at Exhibition Square is a key location for many bus services for residents, visitors and people living in rural areas to the North of York, handling around 750,000 bus passenger journeys a year.
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