Action on problems reported in the Westfield area

A tree in Cedarwood Close has been lopped by the Council following action by Cllr Sheena Jackson. Keeping trees and bushes away from the publc highway has been problematic this summer.

Cedarwood Close tree with Sheena 6th July 2016 Tree Cedarwood Grove

Elsewhere highways staff are to inspect the trees in Burgess Walk which are overgrowing the footpath. The Council claims the trees are in private gardens and it is for the owners of the houses to lop the trees. There are increasing concerns here because of the size of some rotten branches which are falling onto public areas.

Trees on Burgess Walk

Trees on Burgess Walk

On Osprey Close a hedge in now overgrowing the footpath. The street sign has almost disappeared. This is a longstanding problem as the hedge is in  “no mans land”. Apparently it was neither sold to the adjacent land owner when the estate was developed nor transferred to the Council for maintenance purposes.  The hedge really needs to be removed.

Osprey Close Acomb Wood Drive overgrown hedge 27th June 2016

Osprey Close

The second phase of the weed killing programme has started. We have mentioned several areas which need attention including Kitemere Place, Waterman Court and Walton Place.

Kitemere Place weeds

Kitemere Place weeds

Cllr Andrew Waller has reported problems with weed growth on Waterman Court

Cllr Andrew Waller has reported problems with weed growth on Waterman Court

Seems the weed growth on footpaths in Walton Place hasn't received attention yet. We've asked for the weedkilling team to return

Seems the weed growth on footpaths in Walton Place hasn’t received attention yet. We’ve asked for the weedkilling team to return

Andrew has also reported problems with dumping in the Lowfields Drive area

Andrew has also reported problems with dumping in the Lowfields Drive area

A team of volunteers will be out and about in the Lowfields area over the next few days surveying residents views on public service standards in the area.

Homeless households reduce as prevention measures continue

Rough sleeper number up on target in November

Rough-sleeper-London-006A report on homelessness shows that despite the pressures of the Boxing Day Floods, numbers of temporarily homeless people were lower than forecast.

This and other outcomes will be presented to the Executive Member for Housing and Safer Communities on 18 July at 3pm, along with proposed targets and priorities for 2016/17.

In 2015/16 the council exceeded its target and reduced the number in temporary accommodation to 53. Statutory homelessness also continues to reduce with 91 cases in York in 2015/16 (an 11.6 per cent decrease on the previous year) which is in contrast to a national increase of 5.8 per cent. Added to that, 630 homeless prevention cases were successfully handled that year which the report recognises as a vital part of the service and significantly contributes to the reduction in statutory homelessness.

Providing bed and breakfast for families is recognised as a measure of last resort and then for no more than six weeks. As of the end of March 2016, there was only one household accommodated in bed and breakfast and this was not a family.

In addition, the council’s highly-successful Older Persons Housing Specialist exceeded targets by supporting older residents to meet their changing housing needs, and the service has been extended for a further six months.

Despite ongoing work, the commitment of agencies, continued resources and new flexible methods of working, the number of rough sleepers in York rose to 18 in November 2015.

York’s ongoing interventions by the council and partners – including Arc Light and the Salvation Army – means that the city has the resources to accommodate longer-term homeless people meaning that no-one need sleep rough in York. The city’s No Second Night Out scheme also helps rough sleeper in the city to find a place in a hostel.

The advice available to residents include work around mental health and housing to help people at risk to secure and maintain tenancies, while infrastructure improvements are being proposed for the Ordnance Lane temporary accommodation site.

National changes bring new challenges into social housing which could lead to the reduction in available affordable housing for rent which is likely to place additional pressures on the service.

Council to spend £800,000 on rapid chargers for electric vehicles

Many transport investment projects – due to be completed in the last financial year – will now be slipped into the current year.

A council report says that “This high level of underspend was due to delays in progressing some of the larger schemes in the programme; additional DfT funding being received too late in the year to deliver the schemes; and delivery of some schemes under budget”.

In total over £8 million will be spent.

Traffic lights will be moderdenised

Traffic lights will be modernised

  • £1.6 million of this will go on public transport mainly involving bus stop improvements and modifications to reduce emissions.
  • £3.6 million will be spent on traffic management including £1.2 million on easing problems on the A19 near Fulford, £800,000 on “rapid vehicle chargers” and over £400,000 on renewing traffic signals
  • £1.2 million will be spent on pedestrian and cycle schemes with the largest proportion of this going on a new cycle/pedestrian crossing next to Scarborough Bridge
  • £300,000 is allocated to safety schemes including improvements near Hob Moor School (changes to signing & lining), at the Kingsway West/Tudor Road junction and at the Cornlands Road/Gale Lane junction

Following a successful bid to the Government’s Office of Low Emission Vehicles, the council has been awarded £800k funding for the installation of rapid charger hubs around the outer ring road and city centre areas over the next two years. The Council will also complete the installation of electric vehicle rapid charging points at ten businesses in York.

Council report lacks transparency!

Council report lacks transparency!

The Council says that the conversion of tour buses to electric drive was not progressed in 2015/16 due to delays in appointing a contractor to carry out the work. It is proposed to add the £476k grant to the 2016/17 programme to allow the conversion work to be progressed.

Existing "cycle network" click to access

Existing “cycle network” click to access

Although funding has been allocated for the installation of electronic “next bus” real time information screens at sub-urban bus stops it is unclear whether the busy stops in Acomb will finally get the facility.

A full list of the scheme due to be completed this year can be seen by clicking here.

Separately the Council is trying to sort out where it goes next with improvements to the cycle network. The Council currently has 141 separate cycles schemes in the pipeline for implementation.

We think this is too many and that they should concentrate resources on providing direct, off road, links on routes with the highest commuter demand. They are taking a step towards that approach at a meeting next week.

Under a newly prioritised list the most urgent schemes are now judged to be:

  • University Road/Field Lane (near University),
  • Monkgate roundabout,
  • York University internal links (Heslington East)
  • Tower Gardens access gates &
  • a cross City centre route (e.g. High Petergate / Low Petergate / Colliergate / Fossgate / Walmgate)
Extensions of the expensive orbital cycle path around the A1237 – controversially started near Monks Cross – will now have a low priority.

What’s on in York: Tracy Borman – The Private Lives of the Tudors

York Explore Library :

Tue 12 Jul :

7.00pm – 8.30pm :

£4 from Waterstones York only

July 12_Tracy Borman Author ImageTracy  Borman is one of the UK’s leading historians and will be appearing at York Explore to discuss her new book, The Private Lives of Tudors.

Using accounts of eyewitnesses, as well as a rich array of other contemporary sources,  historian Tracy Borman has examined the Tudors more closely than ever before. With new insights and discoveries, The Private Life of the Tudors will reveal previously unexamined details about the characters we think we know so well.

Waterstones will provide a bookstall where Tracy will sign copies.

There are a maximum of 100 tickets available.

For more information or to book tickets

Tel: 01904 620784