We’ve reported a few more hedges in need of attention today https://www.fixmystreet.com/
Hedge Overgrowing Bellwood Drive snicket
Nettles obstructing Greenwood Grove snicket
Litter in Spindle Close amenity area reported
Bushes overgrowing footpath in Bellwood Drive
Performance figures released by the Council confirm that there has been a significant increase in crime levels in the City.
Crime levels up. “Hate” crime increasing
During 2015/16, there were a reported 12,018 crimes for the York area, a total of 1,211 more than those reported during 2014/15.
Increases have been seen in violent crime, criminal damage and the burglary of non-dwelling properties.
Detailed crime figures reveal that the number of complaints about “hate” crimes (such as racially motivated abuse) were on the increase even before the recent referendum result served to highlight the issue even more.
Residents will have to search if they want to find KPI data for public services.
The figures are not being reported to the Executive meeting taking place tomorrow.
However, they are available by clicking here.
Unfortunately many of the tables do not include comprehensive target information and most of the customer satisfaction measures haven’t been updated since 2013.
Despite big overspends on Children’s Services (foster care, adoption and pay) higher than expected refuse collection costs and lower parking income (£233,000) the potential deficit was offset by savings on debt charges as a result of capital investment projects slipping.
Floods cost City £3.3 million
A report to tomorrows Council Executive meeting reveals that the controversial decision to collect “co-mingled” recycling had added £200,000 to processing costs. Last year the Council claimed that dumping recycling materials into one lorry compartment would not affect budgets. It now says the additional processing cost is £70/tonne
Central government is bearing most of the costs of the floods although the Council has allocated £50,000 to be spent by “Make it York” on a publicity campaign while the costs of the post flood public inquiry are set at another £50,000.
The report also revealed that the Council still has £676,000 in the account set up to repay those wrongly fined for using Lendal Bridge and Coppergate during the ill-fated “spy camera” trial.
Council set to make £600,000 “profit” from unlawful fines levied on Lendal Bridge
£1,226m was been reclaimed by drivers before the deadline for applications passed. It remains to be seen what the Council will do with this money (although it must be spent on transport related projects)
The Executive is planning to put some of the surplus into a recycling fund, some into a scheme to appoint visitor welcome staff (“ambassadors”), some into support work to help low achievers at school and some into holding additional “job fairs”.
The rest will be put into reserves.
It is surprising that the continuing problems with street public services (blocked drains, weed chocked gullies, overgrown trees/hedges, potholed roads and footpaths) are not being addressed by using some of the surplus.
The York Council’s Executive is to consider its relationship with agent bodies and companies tomorrow.
The move comes in the wake of criticism of several bodies not least York City Trading where audits revealed that inappropriate payments had been made. Other problems arose in relations with the York Museums Trust over charging arrangements and Make it York where apparently unilateral decisions angered residents
The organisations concerned depend on Council taxpayers for a lot of their income
One common criticism was a lack of transparency shown by the organisations (they are not subject to Freedom of Information legislation).
Concerns were also expressed that performance indicators – where published – were inappropriate or “soft”.
Campaign against secrecy started 5 years ago
The expectation was the new Council would shake up the bodies and inject more democratic accountability.
Instead a disappointing report concentrates only on governance issues. Steps are being taken to separate executive and customer functions but little else. We will still have a bureaucratic muddle with little consistency and no new commitment to openness.
If approved without change, the Council will stand accused of ignoring many of the concerns expressed by taxpayers over the last five of years.
Don will speak about and read from his entertaining and varied collection of short stories, Bugs in Amber. The settings range from a Victorian workhouse to post-war Yorkshire, from pre-war Transylvania to present-day Prague. The protagonists are also diverse, featuring a newborn baby, a Roma girl, a German prisoner of war, a dead English king and a spiteful pit-pony called “Buster”.
The opening and closing stories are set in York, one describing an amusingly alternative outcome to the recent battle between York and Leicester over the reburial of Richard III, the other exploring the impact of folk memory on an important decision by a 94 year old York resident.
“Best for me was The Secret Burial for its topicality, humour and sheer exuberant use of our beautiful English language.”
“Brief Encounters gave me a fascinating insight into life on the other side of the begging bowl.”
“The Funeral Director was a passionate story….Realistically chilling.”
Whimsical, sad and funny, often all at the same time, this collection will appeal to those interested in people and the strange and marvellous things they get up to.
DON RHODES previously worked in community care and the NHS after studying English at Lancaster University and working abroad for some years. He has had several stories published in magazines. Bugs in Amber is his first book.
Tickets cost £3 (£2 with a York Card) and there are a maximum of 50 tickets.
Tickets can be bought online at www.feelinginspired.co.uk or at any York library.
For more information about the event please call York Explore Library on (01904) 552828 or york@exploreyork.org.uk.
