Unused area on Ascot Way should be used to ease car parking problems
We’ve reported that repairs are needed to bus stop boarding areas on Hamilton Drive
“Kick about area” needs litter removing
Carriageway is uneven at Queenswood Grove/Hamilton Drive junction
Salt bin on Ascot Way has been vandalised
Cat found
Green and other waste dumped next to Hob Moor beck
Road markings in Stuart Road hammerhead have worn away
Latest Streets Ahead newsletter gives little prominence to Council plans
Hard on the heels of Saturdays revelation, that housing officials in York are scrapping a garden help scheme for disabled tenants, we are now told that the annual garden competition – labeled as “Homegrown” – is also being axed.
Both decisions have been made without any consultation with tenants.
Nor have the moves been discussed publicly by York Councillors at any of their meetings.
They both appear to reflect a new trend in housing policy with the appearance of publicly visible areas having a very low priority.
The department has been under constant pressure for failing to maintain garage areas and suspending – in many estates – the provision of additional car parking facilities. The result has been badly damaged grass verges.
In some areas like Foxwood the local residents association run garden competitions aimed at all residents. These will continue.but without any support from the York Council.
The latest Forward Plan -which indicates when key decisions are scheduled to be taken by the York Council – has been amended to include consideration of a new Draft Local Plan.
The Council has said that it will consider which sites will be allocated for new housing when its Executive meets on 30th June.
Residents were mystified when, last week, Councillors said discussion of the changes was imminent. No item had been placed on the Forward Plan and the Executive’s own agenda – which outlines the issues that will be considered at its subsequent two meetings – was also silent on the issue.
The Council has still not said when its Local Plan Working Group will meet. The all party group has not met since 30th November 2015. It would normally meet to discuss any draft proposals before forwarding them to the Executive for approval.
We understand that Council officials are briefing the owners of major sites in the City this month. They are being told what to expect when the Draft Plan is released next month.
Eyes will be on major sites like Clifton Gate (between Clifton Moor and Skelton) and Whinthorpe (Between Elvington and the A64) both of which have traditionally formed part of York’s Green Belt. If either (or both) were to be slated for development then huge amounts would need to be spend on infrastructure improvements. The former would require a dualled A1237, while the later would require a new access corridor because of existing transport congestion in the area. The source and scale of the funding required must be made clear in any Council decision.
Police in York are appealing for the public’s help to find 22-year-old Michael Daniel Warwick who is wanted for recall to prison.
Mr Warwick was released from prison on licence on 1 April 2016 after serving three months of a six-month prison sentence for burglary.
He has failed to adhere to his licence conditions and is now wanted for recall to prison.
Although he has no fixed address, his last known address was in York and he also has connections to Knottingley in West Yorkshire.
Officers have carried out a number of searches to locate Mr Warwick and as part of their enquiries, are appealing to anyone who has seen him or knows where he is now, to contact them.
Anyone with any information is asked to call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1 and pass information to the Force Control Room.
If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The biggest ever crime prevention campaign York has ever seen has got underway – with more than 3,000 homes already security checked.
Dedicated patrols of police officers and PCSOs, supported by Special Constables, volunteers and Police Cadets, have been out across the city over the last two weeks.
So far, 3,046 households have been physically and visually checked to ensure they were left secure.
Unfortunately, in one particular area of York, 13% of the 500 homes that officers visited were insecure – for example, because a downstairs window had been left open or a front door unlocked.
Operation Joypad sees additional, high-visibility police patrols across York in May, June and July. When an insecure property is found, officers will contact the homeowner and provide suitable home security advice.
Statistically, around one in four burglaries are ‘crimes of opportunity’, where an offender enters a property through an unlocked door or window. Although York is a very safe city, such burglaries tend to increase in the summer months, as homeowners leave windows and doors open, or spend time in the garden.
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