Police seek witnesses following reports of aggressive dog in West Bank Park

 

West Bank parkNorth Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses and information about a dog that was reported to be acting aggressively in West Bank Park, Acomb, York.

Police are appealing for information from the public who may have witnessed an incident that happened in West Bank Park, Acomb today (29 December 2016).

Police responded to reports of a dog acting aggressively towards members of the public within the park at around noon.

If anyone witnessed anything or was involved in any way please get in touch with North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Benjamin Stevens. You can also email Benjamin.stevens@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12160233158.

Changes planned to recycling collection days in York

The York Council says that from 1st April there will major changes to recycling collection arrangements in the City.
New refuse collections vehicles have been ordered by the York Council

New refuse collections vehicles have been ordered by the York Council

In approximately half of the City, recycling collections will take place on a different day to Green/Grey bin emptying.

At the moment the Council Is not saying which homes will be affected but a decision on the proposal is set to be taken on 9th January

Clearly some households will be inconvenienced by a change of this sort – particularly if they are expected to put rubbish out before 7:00am on two occasions in a week.

To help improve efficiency the Council is investing in new recycling trucks (left).

Recently the Council has been criticised for “co-mingling” recyclables in one vehicle compartment incurring additional costs when it is sorted later.  “Spy” photos of the practice, circulated on social media, were initially repudiated by officials but it now turns out that the practice was costing taxpayers over £60 a load (equivalent to around £40,000 a year)

There are several good points in the proposals.

  • Enhanced recycling collections will be extended to rural areas like Kexby.
  • During the first 3 months of the new arrangements, a back up vehicle will respond to any teething problems.
  • Residents who need new recycling boxes or nets will be able to collect them free of charge.

The new arrangements are expected to reduce Council expenditure by over £360,000 a year. There are likely to be some  job loses among the refuse collection workforce.

The Council says that it plans to rearrange Grey/Green bin collection arrangements in 2018

NB. Responding to a Councillors survey undertaken in the Westfield ward last summer, 52% rated the refuse collection service as “Good”, 39% said it was satisfactory and only 9% described it as “Poor”.

Equivalent figures for recycling were “Good” – 43%, Satisfactory – 48% and 9% – “Poor”.

These were the two most highly rated public services in the City according to residents.

Spotlight on York NHS finances as Acomb GP surgery looks to extend

Freedom of Information response confirms no discussions held regarding Priory Surgery move to Lowfields site

With the NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (YCCG), which buys services for people in York, heading for a £24 million overspend this year, the spotlight is being turned on some major investment decisions.

The Estates and Technology Tranformation Fund provides investment for General Practices to improve premises and technology.

Grants can be between 30% and 100% of the capital cost.

Part of the purpose of this programme is to “help practices establish infrastructure which enables sufficient routine appointments at evenings and weekends to meet local demand alongside effective access to out of hours and urgent care services”

All schemes have to be implemented by March 2019.

On 2nd June 2016 a local commissioning committee meeting in York decided which projects to bid for. Some have since been added to the approved national list.

The national improvement list for 2016/17 authorises funding for extension work at the Front St (Copmanthorpe), Posterngate and Priory (Cornlands Road) surgeries. The Cornlands Road scheme could cost around £800,000 and would fund an extension for a “new patient lounge” and facilities to “manage long term conditions”.

Four new build schemes are also listed for York.  They are located at Wheldrake, Jorvik/Gillygate South (Terry’s site), Huntington and Priory (Burnholme Health and Well Being campus).

In deciding its priorities, the YCCG had to observe national policies, They are set out here click

The guidance says “It is not anticipated, at this stage, that a further national round of submissions will be offered as it is expected the fund will be fully committed and the pipeline fully populated following this second invitation for schemes”.

The situation at the Priory practice on Cornlands Road came to the fore in the autumn when the York Council agreed to allocate a site at Lowfields for the practice to move into.

Priory had already been working with the Council on providing health facilities at the Burnholme school site on the other side of the City.

Although NHS documents (see below) reveal that the current Cornlands Road premises do require improvement, the local YCCG nodded through the extension scheme in June.

In a response to a Freedom of Information request the YCCG says,

 “The CCG and practice have had no meetings about the relocation” of the surgery to Lowfields.

So, it seems that – with the deadline for funding applications now passed – there is little chance of a health centre being built on the reserved site at Lowfields in the foreseeable future.

…. and there is now even less justification for building on the Lowfields playing fields!

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