York Council tackles bus shelter blight

We are pleased to report that the Council has finally cleared the nettles, detritus and litter from the Askham Lane bus shelter. We’d reported the issues on several occasions. The bush that blocks passenger visibility of approaching buses has had a small amount of attention. We are hoping that the, self seeded, bush will be removed altogether when the bird nesting season is over.

bus shelter before and after

We’ve reported several other issues including dumping at the bus stop opposite. Issue are recorded on https://www.fixmystreet.com/

Detritus in Vincent Way hammerhead

Weeds in gutters

Changing citizenship in York

There are a thousand and one implications for people living in this country, as the Tory government now prepares to leave the EU.

Two of the most concerned groups will be UK nationals living in the EU and EU nationals living in York.

Citizenship ceremony in York

Some may choose to apply to change their nationality (citizenship) to the country that they now live in. Some may qualify for dual nationality.

At the moment you can apply for British Citizenship after living in the UK for 5 years or more.

There are arguments for applying. Not least, having a voice in local affairs. At the moment EU nationals can vote in local elections in York and can stand as candidates. At the last York Council elections, at least one EU national was elected to the local Council. That may now change.

Only resident UK citizens, Irish Republic passport holders and those from some Commonwealth countries can vote in UK General Elections. (This may account for the apparent increase in applications to become Irish Citizens over the last couple of days!) How the historic rights of Irish citizens will fare in the current turmoil remains to be seen.

One thing is clear though – there won’t be any European Parliamentary elections for any UK voter in 2019!

We don’t appear to have a functioning UK government at present (or official Opposition for that matter) so we hope that the York Council will move quickly to offer advice and support for non UK citizens living in the City who may be alarmed by recent events.

They contribute to our vibrant and varied local community. We enjoy a greater range of shops, restaurants and entertainments than otherwise might be available. Many migrants are the mainstays of public services like the NHS and social care. Some, if we’re honest, do the jobs that the indigenous population won’t, or can’t, do.

Life would be harder – probably much harder – without them.

New figures reveal 1.2% increase in York population last year

Figures released this week by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) reveal that York’s population rose from 204,439 to 206,856 between mid 2014 and mid 2015.

This represented an increase of 2417 persons (1.2%)

Most of the increase was due to younger people, aged between 18 and 3, moving into the City. They accounted for 1431 of the total. This is unsurprising given the expansion in higher education that there has been in the City in recent years.

More significant may be the make-up of any change.

High growth predictions for the City have so far been based on a widening gap between the number of births and deaths in the City. Although that trend continues, the gap between the two has narrowed (1993 births against 1848 deaths last year).

As the graph (left) shows this new trend towards lower birth rates is also reflected elsewhere in the UK.

There were 637 (net) migrants arriving in York from other parts of the UK.

The biggest growth component were migrants from other parts of the world (1,643 net). Many of these were students.

In some towns, including Harrogate and Scarborough, the population actually reduced last year

It would be wrong to read too much into a single year’s figures. But, with the additional uncertainties about the country’s capacity for economic growth in the wake of the EU referendum result, the York Council might be wise to take a more cautious view about expansion than is currently displayed in its draft Local Plan.