Military Freedom Parade in York this morning

The Civic Party will attend a special parade taking place in the city on Saturday 22 November.

Following a special Thanksgiving ceremony in York Minster which over 200 medics from 65 units in all three Armed Forces will attend the forces will parade through the city centre.

Among the 65 units recognised will be the 34 Field Hospital from Strensall Barracks who returned from Afghanistan last month where they closed down the field hospital in Camp Bastion.

The parade will go through Duncombe Place at 10.50 am where they will be inspected and 80 Operational Service medals will be presented by Director General of the Army Medical Services, Major General Jeremy Rowan OBE QHS and the Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Ian Gillies.

They will then march down Parliament Street, led by the Band of the Royal Armoured Corps and return via Coney Street where the salute will be taken by Major General Rowan accompanied by the Lord Mayor on the steps of the historic Mansion House.

The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Ian Gillies said: “I am delighted to officially welcome 34 Field Hospital back to York, following their recent deployment, heading up the UK Medical Group in Afghanistan.

“We will join them on Duncombe Place for their Freedom of Entry Parade and medals presentation and hope that many people will join us in welcoming them safely back home.”

Traffic restrictions will be in place between 7am and 1.30pm at Duncombe Place, Blake Street, St Helen’s Square, Davygate, New Street, St Sampson’s Square, High Petergate, Church Street, Parliament Street, High Ousegate, Spurriergate, Market Street, Feasegate and Coney Street.

Consultation on proposed improvements to A19 junction near Designer Outlet

City of York Council is undertaking a targeted consultation on a scheme to improve one of York’s busiest road interchanges.

Proposed extra lane for A19 announced

Proposed extra lane for A19 announced

The consultation on proposed changes to the A19/A64 junction forms the first phase in the A19 Pinch Point Scheme, which York received approximately £2million for from the government’s Department for Transport, aimed at helping support growth and tackle congestion.

The council is now consulting users of the junction on proposed changes which include the addition of an extra inbound lane on the A19 on approach to the Designer Outlet / A64 roundabout.

Plans also include a new additional inbound bus-lane between the two roundabouts which would link into the existing bus-lane on the A19 north of this junction. These works would increase the capacity of this junction and save users time on their journeys through this major interchange.

The council bid for and successfully secured millions in funding from a share of the £170 million government Pinch Point Funding in 2013 to protect the A19 from any future closure.

York received approximately £2million from the Department for Transport towards the cost of the £4.7m project which will help towards supporting local transport schemes that tackle congestion and support growth.

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York’s Local Plan – private briefing meeting

 

The York Council has issued a media release saying that all Councillors are being invited to a (private) briefing session on options for progressing the Local Plan.

Local Plan consultation leafletApparently they will be able to question the consultants who produced the background data that was claimed to underpin Labour’s “Big City” strategy.

It was a tactic which resulted in a  plan which attracted massive public opposition and which was then ditched  at the October Council meeting.

It is unusual for the Council to issue a media release about an internal briefing session.  While any attempt to involve all groups represented on the Council in making important decisions would be a step forward, consultants evidence is often predicated on justifying a given political outcome.

Some fresh thinking, and options, will be expected by opposition councillors

In particular Councillors will be expecting to see robust challenges to both the economic growth assumptions, and resultant housing building plans, which caused so much unrest in the City.

The Council media release reads,
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