Plans for Centre of Excellence for Disabled Children revealed.

Ascot Way proposals generally welcomed

The plans to establish a new centre for disabled children on the former Windsor House site on Ascot Way were generally welcomed at a public meeting held on Monday. The plans will now be discussed at a Council Executive meeting next week

The Council says that the new building will be the setting for a range of support services which will enable disabled children to remain in their families and in their community, delivered from a safe, accessible space

  • Flexible short break provision to meet the needs of children and young people with Autism, Learning Disabilities and/or additional health needs.
  • Family Intervention Rapid Support Team (FIRST) and Therapeutic Short Breaks a specialist Clinical Psychology led intensive assessment and intervention service for families with children and young people who have Autism and Learning Disability and challenging behaviour which affects their ability to live in the local community

The facility will be linked to Hob Moor Oaks special school. Disabled children will be able to walk to the new provision after school, instead of being transported across the city on minibuses. Part of the playing field of the school will be used for the project.

The buildig will replace the facilities currently provided at The Glen.

The scheme is imaginative and worthy of support. However, the proposal to retain the front entrance (and therefore vehicular access) via Ascot Way is controversial. There are already congestion and parking problems in the area. An access, with car parking,  via Hob Moor school would address this issue, while offering the opportunity to provide better accessibility for Lincoln Court.

The detailed plans also suggest that an outdoor play area be provided adjacent to Lincoln Court. While many older people like to feel involved in the local community, inevitably playgrounds can be noisy places. We think that the location of this part of the facility should be reconsidered.

Residents will hope that any building work on the project will not take place at the same time as the threatened development of the Newbury Avenue garage site.

Illustrations of what is proposed are reproduced below

Lendal Arch junction upgrade to start on Sunday

 

Major congestion fears

City of York Council is reminding residents, businesses and visitors that work to upgrade the traffic signals at the Lendal Arch gyratory will start on Sunday 21 January.

Lendal Arch gyratory includes the junctions of Station Road, Station Avenue, Station Rise, Rougier Street and Lendal Bridge.

Due to the location and nature of these works, motorists should expect significant disruption. Whilst everything reasonably possible is being done to keep this disruption to a minimum, motorists should expect delays. We are advising motorists that regularly travel through this location to plan an alternative route where possible.

To help the junction function better there will be a full renewal of the traffic signal equipment. Changes will also be made to the pedestrian crossing facilities, including widening and realigning the crossing to make the area safer and better for the thousands of pedestrians who regularly use the crossing.

The pavement in the area will also be brought up to date and widened. Following this work the junction will be resurfaced.
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Haxby Hall care home to be privatised

Councillors will consider the future of Haxby Hall older persons’ home when they meet on Thursday 25 January.

Following a consultation with residents, relatives and staff at Haxby Hall, the council’s Executive will be asked to note the feedback and make a decision on whether to transfer ownership and management of the care home to an independent sector provider, with the aim of securing its future and providing modern, improved facilities.

If the transfer of Haxby Hall is agreed councillors will also be asked to:

  •      Agree to procure a developer to take over Haxby Hall as a going concern with a commitment to delivering improved care facilities on the site.
  •      To dispose of the site of the care home in return for a capital receipt which will reinvested as part of the Older Persons’ Accommodation Programme.
  •      To procure a contract that will allow the council to purchase a specified number of beds at an agreeable rate.

In December 2016, Executive agreed to consult with residents, relatives and families on the option to seek a partner to take over the 49 bed care home, with a commitment to delivering improved care facilities.
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Grants to help keep your home warmer this winter and beyond

As the cold weather continues to bite across the county, householders in York are being reminded that they can apply for up to 100%-funded grants to help insulate energy inefficient homes and reduce heating bills.

Funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Tackling Fuel Poverty Programme, the scheme, which has been running since early 2017, will help pay for the cost of topping up existing loft insulation or installing new cavity wall insulation.

Householders struggling to heat their homes and earning less than £20,000 a year combined income, can apply for 100% funding while 75% grants are available for those households earning between £20,000 and £35,000.

Residents who think they may be eligible should call City of York Council on 019040 552300 or email betterhomes@york.gov.uk.

To qualify, homes should have suitable, un-insulated cavity walls or minimal loft insulation.