Community Stadium limps towards goal line

More risk for taxpayers as restaurant providers play hard to get

There is little new in an update report on the Community Stadium which will be considered by the Council next week.

It says final contracts will be signed this month.

We will see.

The report does admit that expected leases for some of the commercial property (restaurants) included in the project have not been completed. This means that, potentially, taxpayers could lose around £1.4 million compared to the figures quoted earlier in the year.

In July the Council admitted it would get a lower price (£10.76m) when it sold the land for the southern block and the lease on the east stand restaurants.

That was £2.6 million less than forecast in March 2016.

It is that sum that is now, potentially, being further eroded 

The Council claims that this might be offset by increases in income later in the life of the complex.

The stadium itself is being paid for by section 106 contributions. It is the neighbouring sports and swimming facilities which have become a financial deadweight.

Too late to make any major changes now though.

The Council claims that the stadium will be ready for use in June 2019.

Willow House elderly persons home site goes for student lets

The York Council is set to pocket nearly £3 million when it sells the site for a new 126 bed student accommodation.

Most of the bids for the site were for student housing although one developer wanted to build a care home on the site which is next to Walmgate and has views of the city walls.

The bids are revealed in a report to a Council Executive meeting

Willow House had 34 beds for elderly people and closed at the beginning of the year.

The Council says it is expecting student numbers in the city to increase by over 4000 during the next 10 years.

Court fines six for offensive and fouling behaviour

York Magistrates found five men guilty yesterday (10 October 2017) of urinating in public in the city during the summer, and another of throwing a can from the City Walls.

All were fined and variously ordered to pay a court surcharge and prosecution costs.

Working in partnership with North Yorkshire Police, City of York Council prosecutes people found fouling the streets to reflect the anti-social nature and health risks this offence presents.

  • Nigel Whiteley, aged 45 of Holmsley Lane, Leeds, was seen urinating on the Knavesmire at 8:20pm on Saturday 1 July 2017. Whiteley pleaded guilty by post and was sentenced to a £120 fine, £30 court surcharge and £100 costs.
  • Patrick McGowan, aged 47 of Cornlands Road, York, was seen by York BID rangers urinating in an alley on Coney Street at 4pm on Saturday 8 July 2017. McGowan did not attend court and was convicted in his absence with a £220 fine, £30 court surcharge and £100 costs.
  • John Alexander, aged 38 of The Causeway, Wolsingham, Bishop Auckland, was seen by police at 7pm on Saturday 15 July 2017 urinating in Albermarle Road. Alexander did not attend court and was convicted in his absence. He was sentenced to a £220 fine, £30 court surcharge and £100 costs.
  • Paul Potter, aged 25, of Monkgate, York, was seen by police at 1:15am on Saturday 15 July 2017 in North Street urinating against a door. He pleaded guilty by post and was sentenced to a £130 fine, £30 court surcharge and £100 costs.
  • Dan Rogers, aged 20 of Pebworth Avenue, Birmingham was seen by police in High Ousegate at 3:50am on Saturday 29 July 2017 urinating in the doorway of a shop. He attended court, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a £70 fine, £30 court surcharge and £100 costs.
  • Raymond Warren of Meanwood, Leeds, was seen by council employees throwing a can of alcoholic drink from the City Walls outside West Offices at 8:45am on Friday 14 July 2017. He was given a fixed penalty of £75 which he failed to pay despite telling the enforcement officer that he had £900. The case was heard in his absence at York Magistrates Court on Tuesday 10 October 2017 where he was found guilty and fined a total of £330.

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York children set to take walk to school week in their stride

 
Twenty five York schools and over 7,000 pupils across the city are set to take part in Walk to School Week from Monday 16 October.

Walk to school week aims to get even more children walking, cycling or scooting to school.

The school that gets the highest number of pupils walking, cycling or scooting throughout the week will win the coveted Jack Archer award and £200 to put towards sports equipment.

It is recommended that children aged five to sixteen do at least sixty  minutes of physical activity that gets their heart beating faster than usual and they need to do it everyday to burn off calories and prevent them storing up excess fat in the body.

Regular activity is also important for adults and it is recommended that adults make sure they’re active for just 30 minutes each day, or 150 minutes a week.

The scheme is also targeted at families who normally take the car, and encourages them to consider walking or cycling to school instead.

Residents can find out more about changing the way they travel in York at: www.itravelyork.info
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York Mansion House work “almost finished” claim Council

As we revealed last week, the restoration of York’s Mansion House is running several months behind schedule. Now the Council has issued a statement saying that it will reopen soon.

We doubt if this will be much before the end of the year.

There has been no explanation for the additional delay (the original timetable – which would have  seen the building finished last year – had to be abandoned when the building contractor went into administration).

The Council statement says, “Moving trucks have arrived, large mahogany tables and priceless silver are being steadily hoisted in and dusted off and George Hudson is looking out from his rightful place in the stairwell.

York Mansion House’s restoration is coming to the final stages as the facade and freshly gilded crest is teasingly revealed with each piece of scaffolding removed and the state room is returned to its former glory.

The kitchen has come together to create something wholly new and old as it recreates a classic Georgian kitchen, with peeking windows into the original flooring and a fantastic interactive display.  (more…)

Delays on refuse collection in parts of York

The York Council has not been able to collect all recycling in Acomb which was missed yesterday (due to vehicle breakdown). They will return on Thursday to collect all recycling which is still not collected from the following streets:

  • Lidget Grove,
  • Church Gate,
  • Wheatlands Grove,
  • Shirley Avenue,
  • Springwood Grove,
  • Almsford Drive,
  • Celtic Close,
  • Cranbrook Avenue,
  • Cranbrook Road.

In addition the Council has not been able to collect recycling today from rural areas in Askham Bryan and Acaster Malbis plus

  • The Garden Village,
  • Earswick Chase,
  • Northlands Avenue,
  • Lock House Lane,

They hope to collect this recycling tomorrow. Please have your recycling ready for 7am.

Total £1,050 costs for ‘man with van’ who fly-tipped

Showing that fly-tipping doesn’t pay, a ‘man with a van’ who dumped domestic waste in a field’s gateway was yesterday (Tuesday 10 October) fined a total £1,057 by York Magistrates.

Adam Winterburn, aged 29 of Kingsmoor Road, Stockton on the Forest, pleaded guilty and was given a £307 fine, a £30 court surcharge and £720.45 prosecution costs.

A resident who posted on Facebook for a ‘man with a van’ to remove some rubbish from an address in Haxby was privately messaged by Winterburn offering to take the waste to the tip for £35. He said he couldn’t do it for any less as the household waste recycling centre would cost him around £15.

He warned the customer to make sure there was nothing in the waste with their name and address on it, claiming that other clearance people would take her waste and fly tip it, and that she would be the one who got the blame. Winterburn collected the waste later that day and was paid £35 in cash.

Days later, the waste was found dumped in the entrance to a field in Dunnington. Evidence was found linking the waste to the address in Haxby and the resident produced screenshots of all the messages from Winterburn.

Although Winterburn telephoned the council moments before his first interview to say that he wouldn’t be attending, a second interview date was arranged with him on the telephone and he failed to attend that too. He also failed to respond to any correspondence from the council.

Cllr Andrew Waller, interim deputy leader and executive member for environment, said: “Being licensed to collect, carry and dispose of waste is a legal requirement. Fly-tipping is unsightly, risks pollution and clearing it up creates costs for local council tax payers. Please check your waste carrier is properly licensed.

For information on commercial waste and residents’ responsibilities go to www.york.gov.uk/waste or visit the Environment Agency at www.gov.uk/guidance/access-the-public-register-for-environmental-information.

Hamilton Drive dog attack owner fined

Owner of dangerous dog to pay £320 for not keeping it under control

  The owner of a bull terrier which was issued a dog control order in May this year, has been given a conditional discharge for 12 months and has been charged £320 by York Magistrates Court.

Leanne Wyrill, aged 27 of James Backhouse Place, York, owns a Staffordshire cross breed which attacked other dogs in a York park and killed a neighbour’s cat. She was given a dog control order on 24 May 2017 with £260 costs.

In court today she pleaded guilty to failing to keep her dog under control. The Magistrate charged her prosecution costs of £300 and a court surcharge of £20. The conditional discharge means that if she is found guilty of the same offence in the next 12 months, she could face further costs and possibly a sentence.

The court order requires Ms Wyrill to keep the dog under proper control at all times, muzzled and wearing a collar whenever it’s outside, and also to be kept on a lead whenever it’s in a public place.

The court heard today that on 28 and 29 May, 13 and 16 June 2017 the dog was seen in its owner’s back garden without a collar or muzzle. After the sightings in May, the council wrote to Ms Wyrill reminding her of the order’s conditions.

On 24 and 25 June 2017, the dog was seen again in the back garden without a muzzle and, in the early hours of the morning of 26 June 2017, it was seen running down the street towards Hamilton Drive, York and later that same day in the garden without a muzzle.

Council neighbourhood enforcement officers visited Ms Wyrill again and asked her to attend an interview to discuss the offences and be given further advice about the order.

Between 27 June and 4 August 2017, Ms Wyrill allowed the dog in the back garden without a muzzle on four further occasions. She failed to attend the interview or answer questions sent by letter.

The Magistrate confirmed that if Ms Wyrill wanted to vary the control order she would have to contact the court to do so.

To report a dog on dog attack in York, residents should call the council on (01904) 551551 or email neo@york.gov.uk. Reports of dog attacks on people should be reported to North Yorkshire Police by dialling 101. (more…)

Officials recommend Carlton Tavern be demolished

Carlton Tavern

Planning officials are recommending that the Carlton Tavern pub on Acomb Road is demolished.

Papers published today in advance of the Planning  committee taking place on 18th October reveal that officials believe that there is no planning reason why the proposal, to replace the building with a new care home, should not be approved.

The content of the papers will come as a blow to dozens of objectors to the plan. The objectors will, however, have an opportunity to register to speak at the meeting before Councillors determine the application.

Councillors are expected to visit the site on the day before the meeting takes place.