Huge reduction in York population forecast

Latest government figures forecast that the population in York will grow to 221,200 in 2031. This is a substantial drop in the forecast included in the Local Plan which provided for a population of 231,374.

The current population (2016 figures) is 206,900.

It means that over the next 15 years the natural demand for additional homes will be around 433 p.a. compared to the Local Plan assumption of 686 (2.2 people per property).

The Local Plan provides for 923 dwellings per year to be built although this assumed some “catching up” on the numbers not completed in recent years.

The rest is down to growth with highly ambitious job creation figures included in the Local Plan.

The Local Plan is due to be “examined in public” by an Inspector shortly.

However, the constantly changing background figures and government guidance, increasingly make planning a lottery.

The officer reprt on the latest changes can be read by clicking here

What’s on in York: Michael Arditti – Of Men and Angels

Sep 13_Michael

York Explore Library :

Thu 13th Sep :

6.30pm – 7.45pm :

£5

God’s vengeance on the wicked city of Sodom is a perennial source of fascination and horror.  Michael Arditti’s passionate and enthralling new novel explores the enduring power of the myth in five momentous epochs.   A young Judean exile transcribes the Acts of Abraham and Lot in ancient Babylon; the Guild of Salters presents a mystery play of Lot’s Wife in medieval York;   Botticelli paints the Destruction of Sodom for a court in Renaissance Florence;  a bereaved rector searches for the Cities of the Plain in nineteenth century Palestine;  a closeted gay movie star portrays Lot in a controversial biblical epic in 1980s Hollywood.

Author’s Biography:
Michael Arditti is the prize-winning author of ten works of fiction. Easter won the Waterstones Award and was longlisted for the Costa Award. Unity was shortlisted for the Wingate Award and Pagan and her Parents was shortlisted for the Lambda Award in the US. Widows and Orphans, Arditti’s last novel, was published to great critical acclaim in 2014.

He is currently the theatre critic for the Sunday Express. He lives in North London.

This event will take place in the Marriott Room.

To book tickets please click here.

Liberal Democrats support Love Yor-k High Street

The Liberal Democrats are encouraging local residents to get behind the ‘Love Yor-k High Street’ campaign; a celebration of local retail in York.

Love Your High Street initiative in YorkThe Love Yor-k High Street campaign aims to encourage shoppers to buy locally, in an effort to support York’s local high streets.  The campaign has also launched a petition to call for business rate reform and help for the UK’s high streets.  You can read more and sign the petition here.

On Saturday 22nd September, a roadshow will be held in Kings Square, as part of the campaign, with local retailers and the York BID to promote local high street shops. On the day, participating businesses will be offering extra treats for customers, such as free gifts, discounts and special offers.

Recently, the national Liberal Democrats published a comprehensive blueprint for replacing the broken business rates system, cutting taxes for businesses by 5% in York.  The report calls for the abolition of business rates and its replacement with a tax on land values, the Commercial Landowner Levy (CLL).  The levy would remove buildings and machinery from calculations and tax only the land value of commercial sites, boosting investment and cutting taxes for businesses.

Cllr Keith Aspden, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, commented:

“It is so important that we continue to maintain York’s rich and vibrant high street, particularly at a time where high streets nationally are facing challenges. The Love Yor-k High Street campaign does exactly this and I would like to thank the organisers.

“I hope that as many people as possible can attend the roadshow on the 22nd September and turn out to support their local high street.”

“I would also encourage everyone to add their name to the Love Yor-k High Street petition and join the calls for business rate reform. Business rates were a badly designed policy to begin with and have become an unacceptable drag on our economy.”

Council tenants in York face additional charges

Some housing repairs to attract fees

The Council says that the reason that garage 11 on Bramham Road has been boarded up for over 6 months is because if contains potentially hazardous asbestos. They have now agreed to have the garage cleared.

The Council is revising its policies on charging for housing repairs. It could mean that tenants will have to pay “upfront” for repairs although emergency attention to blocked drains, broken windows and power failures will continue to be given priority. Tenants may be charged (£145) future if they are “locked out” and call for Council assistance. Replacing a gate will cost £161 while an internal door will be charged at £79.85.

Window repairs will cost between £33.00 and £190.00 depending on size.

A new bath will cost £311.35 and an electric fire £291.27

The new policy – which can be read by clicking here  – is likely to cause some controversy. Post and wire is confirmed as the standard boundary fence. This type of fencing is unsightly and often ineffective.

The Council is, however, committing to removing asbestos when found in council homes.

Garden sheds will not be repaired by the Council.

The proposals have not been subject to consultation with tenants associations.

There is a growing list of grievances that many tenants have with the Councils housing department.

In recent months we have seen the “good tenant” scheme dropped while poor management of the Council’s garage stock is an ongoing issue. A new Housing Estate Improvement Programme process, introduced 2 years ago, has been widely criticised with delays in both agreeing and the implemention of improvements.

NB. The Council makes a profit on its housing revenue account of over £4 million each year.