Adoption success in York
Thanks to the efforts of social workers in York and adoptive parents across the country there are currently no children and young people from York waiting for adoption.
Because the council’s area is geographically small, York children needing adoption are placed outside York by City of York Council’s Adoption Team and approved adoptive parents in York are matched with children from across the country. Mary McKelvey, Adoption Service Manager, stressed that this arrangement means that there are still lots of children from outside the city – particularly siblings and children over the age of three – who are looking for loving homes.
She explained: “It’s great news that we don’t have any children from York who are waiting to find permanent loving homes at present. This is down to the hard work of the social work teams in York and adoptive parents across the country with whom we have placed children. However, there are hundreds of children across the country who are still waiting to be adopted and I would urge anyone considering adoption to get in touch to find out more.”
For more information on adopting in York visit www.york.gov.uk/adoption, call 01904 553525 email adoption@york.gov.uk or visit ‘Adoption and Fostering York’ on Facebook
Changes to traffic priorities on Clarence Street
Clarence Street proposals – click to access
Following consultation with residents and businesses a new scheme to improve one of York’s key city centre bus routes is set to go to a Cabinet Member meeting for final approval.
The proposals include introducing a longer lane for vehicles turning left into Lord Mayor’s Walk from Clarence Street, so that straight-through/ right-turning traffic is not held up by queuing vehicles.
Traffic signals will be changed so that the left turn from Clarence Street into Lord Mayor’s Walk gets additional ‘green time’.
The scheme is supported through part of the £3.5 million Better Bus Area Fund (BBAF) awarded to the council from the Government’s Department for Transport in 2012.
The five-week consultation took place in September and October and asked for views on the proposed measures on Clarence Street to help improve the reliability of bus services on the approach to York city centre.
The findings of the consultation will now go before the Cabinet Member for Transport’s public Decision Session on Friday 21 November for final approval.
The improvements will help three of York’s five most frequent bus services, specifically routes 1, 5 and 6 which can experience some delays on Clarence Street, Gillygate and St Leonards Place.
Huntington Road chicanes on way back?
Huntington Road proposals click to access
City of York Council is proposing to reinstate chicanes (traffic calming measures) on Huntington Road, near the former Sessions printers, which were temporarily removed during the development of new homes in the area.
There was a requirement to remove the existing priority give-way measures (chicanes) during the development as they would have caused problems for construction traffic and access onto Huntington Road.
Temporary speed cushions were installed prior to the work commencing, as required under the planning conditions. However, in the long term it was always understood that the chicanes would be restored when most of the construction work was completed and suitable new positions had been agreed.
To help identify where the replacement chicanes would be best positioned, the new street layout was assessed and the proposals were put forward for local consultation with local residents, parish councillors, local businesses, relevant ward councillors and relevant road user organisations.
Following this consultation, it is recommended that the council reinstates the chicanes and cost of installing these will be met by the developer Ben Bailey Ltd.
Local Liberal Democrats have criticised the limited public consultationon plans to reinstate chicanes on Huntington Road.
The plans, which were announced today and are due to be decided on next week, would reinstate chicanes on Huntington Road, near the former Sessions printers. The chicanes were removed during the development of new homes in the area. However, only a limited public consultation took place on the plans despite the number of cars which use the road. Liberal Democrat councillors had requested that consultation letters be sent out to a much wider area than just those properties adjacent to the scheme.
Cllr Keith Orrell, Councillor for Huntington and New Earswick, commented: (more…)