Rigg Memorial
The crowdfunding appeal for £15,000 to restore York’s Rigg Memorial has achieved its target.
Rigg Memorial restoration appeal achieves target
Four months after the big York floods
Independent chair and flood panel announced
City of York Council has today announced the independent chair and panel members who will lead on the inquiry into the recent flooding in York.
The Inquiry was called by the council’s leadership in January and subsequently agreed at the Executive in March to look at how the city coped with the recent floods and issues such as the information given to residents, the response of key organisations and the failure of the Foss Barrier on Boxing Day.
A budget of £50k has been set aside for the costs of the inquiry.
It is expected that representatives from key organisations will be asked to give their account of the floods to the inquiry team but that there will be a wider call for evidence from those who were affected and others who can assist the inquiry reaching its conclusion.
The lengthy delay in setting up the Inquiry means that some evidence may have been lost. Memories can fade quickly.
While the team selected do appear to have the necessary technical expertise to challenge the activities of the Environment Agency and other organisations most of the criticism on 26th and 27 December was directed at the Council’s leadership and various voluntary organisations who seemed to react slowly to the emerging crisis. Having an Inquiry team apparently selected by the four group Leaders – who themselves were noticeable by their absence on 26th December – may lead to some scepticism about the likely outcomes.
The Leaders of all four political groups at City of York Council have said: “It’s important that as a local council we do everything we can to answer residents’ questions and ensure lessons can be learned for the future. This review will help us to get a much clearer picture of what happened and what steps need to be taken to try to prevent flooding like this in the future. We thank Ms Davies, Mr Waterhouse and Mr Toole for applying to lead on the inquiry and we look forward to working with them on this independent review.”
The independent chair and panel members include:
Firearms training taking place in Oakhaven former elderly persons home
Council “forgets” to mention Lowfields school site in new social care report
All residents have now been moved out of the Oakhaven elderly people’s home in York Road. The Council says that there will be a “delay” before work starts on building a specialist Extra Care facility on the site.
A report to a meeting next week says
Bunholme “hub” layout. click to enlarge
“we have closed down Oakhaven: shutting off water and gas so that all is safe (but leaving on the electricity so that the fire and security systems continue to operate) and moving out equipment for reuse elsewhere, if in reasonable condition, or for disposal.
The building will then stand empty while we procure a partner to redevelop it as an Extra Care facility. While it is empty we have offered its use as a temporary kitchen while Poppleton Road school kitchens are refurbished and for fire arms and dog training by North Yorkshire Police [no live ammunition]”.
Residents may be sceptical about just how long the site will remain derelict. The Oliver House saga dragged on for three years (and counting) while the former Lowfields school site – ideal as a location for accommodation for elderly residents because it is close to amenities – hasn’t even been put on the market yet.
Another elderly person’s home (Grove House) is being sold off.
The Council seems to be concentrating all its resource son the east of the City with the Burnholme school site set to be turned into a well-being hub. (see above right)
The Council is now consulting on the closure of Morrell House (Burton Stone Lane), Willow House (Long Close Lane), Windsor House (Ascot Way) and Woolnough House (Woolnough Ave)
Latest planning applications for the Westfield Ward
Below are the latest planning applications received by the York Council for the Westfield ward.
Full details can be found by clicking the words highlighted in blue
Westfield
50 Tudor Road York YO24 3AZ
Two storey side and single storey rear and front extensions
Ref. No: 16/00903/FUL
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Representations can be made in favour of, or in objection to, any application via the Planning on line web site. http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/
NB The Council now no longer routinely consults neighbours by letter when an application is received