York – Selby cycle track: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly!

A lot of work is taking place on the Sustrans York – Selby cycle path

Trees and bushes are being cut back from the cycle track

The cycle track surface has been relayed but is still uneven in places.

Trees felled next to Yorkshire Water sewage works,. Providing an uninterrupted view of the filtration units! There is a lot of flooding in that area so more, rather then fewer, trees are needed.

Graffiti still scars the Tadcaster Road entrance to the track

We’ve reported the detritus on the Tadcaster Road cycle track near Tesco.

91.5 per cent of York pupils get their first choice of secondary school

Secondary school admission figures for entry in September 2019 have been published and City of York Council is pleased to announce that 91.5 per cent of York pupils have got their first preference.

The percentage of pupils allocated their first choice this year is 91.5 per cent having fallen slightly from last year’s 92.3 per cent; 97.6 per cent of children have been allocated one of their first three preferences, compared to 98.0 per cent last year.

The number of online applications for secondary school places has continued to increase and this year, 97.8 per cent applied online, that’s 0.8 per cent more than in 2018.

Parents who applied online will be notified of their child’s place by email at 10am today, letters are being posted today to parents and those with online accounts can log in to the council’s parent portal at www.york.gov.uk/parentportal.

With 3.9 per cent more pupils entering secondary schools this year than last year apply for their catchment school and were informed which school this was in writing. Some chose not to follow this advice.

This year’s admissions figures, compared with last year’s are outlined below:

 

2018

2019
 

qty

%

qty

%

1st

1740

92.3%

1794

91.5%

2nd

86

4.6%

97

4.9%

3rd

23

1.2%

21

1.1%

4th

4

0.2%

6

0.3%

5th

4

0.2%

6

0.3%

Other

29

1.5%

36

1.8%

Total

1886

100.0%

1960

100.0%

Applied Online

1829

97.0%

1917

97.8%

Besides parents being advised by letter, the Council will be posting advice and timelines offering advice and support throughout these ten days on social media @School_Services .

Any parent whose children may be eligible for free school meals – one of a number of benefits that come with applying for the pupil premium – should apply through their online account at www.york.gov.uk/parentportal.

Acomb Moor footpath project takes step forward

The Foxwood Residents Association has now served notice on the owners of the land that the Foxwood Lane/Osprey Close Public Right of Way crosses.

This forms part of the proposal to have the path included on the definitive rights of way map.

The York Council will now consider the proposal.

The link has been used by residents for over 30 years.  It starts on Foxwood Lane, near the former kennels site, and finishes at the kissing gate access on Osprey Close.

Many “evidence of use” forms have already been submitted. There is still time to confirm that you have used at least part of the claimed route at some time over the last 20 years. Even a couple of years occasional use helps to build the evidence base.

If you would like to fill in a form please Email Foxwoodra@btinternet.com and they will email a blank one to you.

When the PROW is confirmed it will be possible to seek repairs to the stiles and kissing gate on the route.

The application processes does normally take several months to conclude.

York Council budget should deliver improved road surfaces

The York Council budget agreed last night promises to deliver a major increase its highway resurfacing funding. Most of the funding is earmarked for neighbourhood wide resurfacing programmes.

It remains to be seen in which part of the City this programme will begin.

However, since the Council dramatically cut its maintenance budget 7 years ago, potholes have been on the increase and it will take many years to “catch up” and restore acceptable standards.

Maybe they have a better way of doing things in other countries?

Click

https://youtu.be/sIDGSmv5BJs