December 6, 2016 – York commentary archive site

A new residents action group has written to Executive Councillors asking them to oppose development on a school playing field at a meeting tomorrow.

Residents had been told by the Council that only the built footprint of the old Lowfields school site, would be developed but that promise now seems likely to be broken.

A petition has been sent to the Council.

Residents are threatening to refer the matter to the Ombudsman as officials have not reported the results of a door to door survey of opinion, taken in the autumn, to tomorrows meeting. The survey had revealed strong opposition to the development of the playing field.

Questions have also been raised about to the role of the NHS and Police Commissioner in the plan which involves the relocation of a local GP surgery and the re-siting of Acomb Police station.

A Christmas market was held on Sunday as volunteers tried to raise funds for the centre.

Wednesday’s meeting of the York Council’s Executive is being recommended not to provide Discretionary Rate relief for the, now volunteer run, Foxwood Community Centre.

The Foxwood Community Centre’s Business Rating valuation was recently increased from £6000 to £7000.

Discretionary relief – which reduces the proportion of the bill payable – was routinely granted to the centre when it was Council funded.

The report to tomorrow’s meeting criticises the lack of a “Community Impact Assessment” (CIA) which officials say should have been submitted with the rebate application. Any CIA would be little different from that produced for the Council in previous years.

14 other charitable organisations in the city are also being denied relief. They include the Tang Hall Community Centre and the Theatre Royal.

NB A reduction for the Chapelfields community centre at Sanderson House is recommended for approval. This will be worth £2,592 to the centre.