Anorther high profile officer quits York Council

City of York Council has announced that Paul Edmondson-Jones, the Director of Health and Wellbeing, is leaving the council today in order to pursue opportunities and interests elsewhere.

A Council media release says, “Paul joined the council in 2013 as Director of Public Health to support the transfer of this new statutory service back to the council, at a time of significant change across the health sector.

Paul also took on responsibility for Adult Social Care. Working for the local authority and with the NHS and wider partners, Paul has lead on the responsibility for promoting and protecting health and wellbeing, tackling health inequalities and improving health care quality in the city”.

The Council’s social care programme has been hit by delayed projects, controversial plans to cut meals services for some elderly people as well as major budget overspends.

Recently auditors criticised the Council for failing to provide “value for money“.

The responsible Labour Councillor (Simpson-Laing) was sacked earlier in the year but her inexperienced successor seems to be even more out of her depth, as problems escalate.

No speed surveys undertaken in West York

 

The Council has confirmed that no checks on vehicle speeds in West York have been undertaken since the controversial 20 mph speed limit signs were put up.

The lack of monitoring is likely to be raised at the council meeting taking place on 9th October.

It seems strange that, having spent £600,000 on new signs ,the Council has n’tbothered to check whether they have had any effect on driver behaviour

The revelation comes as yet another anomaly with the 20 mph signing has been found.

Drivers coming down Green Lane towards the roundabout are told that the speed limit on one side of the road is 20 mph while on the other it is 30 mph!

Green Lane speed signs 2

Hamilton Drive resurfacing delayed until 27th October

Road closure - click to enlarge

Road closure – click to enlarge

Road to be closed

City of York Council is to reconstruct Hamilton Drive carriageway starting on the 27th October 2014.

This is 3 weeks later than originally planned

The works are programmed to take one week to complete, working Monday to Friday between 09.30am and 5.00pm. The area affected is shown on the plan.

The Council says “To carry out the works safely, the road closure will be in place from 09:30 to 17:00 Monday to Friday, with some accommodation works taking place outside of these times.

Due to the nature of the works and the deep excavations taking place, it will not always be possible for residents to gain vehicular access to their properties. In these circumstances residents should be prepared to use alternative parking.

Pedestrian access will be available at all times. Cyclists will have to dismount and use the footways when travelling through the affected areas”.

£68,000 Big Lottery grant makes musical connections with York’s older people

Hundreds of older people in York will be able to take part in a stimulating and inclusive music project thanks to a £68,252 award from the Big Lottery Fund.

City of York Council has been given the two-year grant to roll out the Musical Connections Project – which currently runs in the authority’s seven elderly person’s homes – to residents living in sheltered housing accommodation, together with their local communities.
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