Latest waste service update from York Council

Tuesday 16th June

All scheduled household waste collections have been made.

We were unable to collect all recycling waste from all properties in the following areas due to operating under COVID-19 restrictions:

Dunnington
Huntington
Osbaldwick
Wheldrake

This will be collected on Wednesday 17 June. Please present your containers for collection by 7.00am.

We were unable to collect all garden waste from some properties in Woodthorpe and Dunnington due to capacity issues: We’ll attempt to collect missed garden waste on the evening of Tuesday 16 June, but may not be able to revisit until later in the week. Please leave your green bin out and we’ll get to you as soon as we can.

We have collected all outstanding missed household waste, recycling and garden waste from Monday 15 June.

Coronvirus York update; 16th June 2020

Deaths and test results

There have been no further Coronavirus deaths recorded at York hospitals

There have been no further positive lab test results in the City. The total figure of 462 has been unchanged now for two weeks.

ONS have now published their updated statistics on causes of death across the country. It can be downloaded by clicking here. It is subject to further refinement.

The tables cover the period up to 5^th June. They reveal a cumulative total of 156 deaths attributed to the virus. There were a total of 1154 deaths in the City during the same period (all causes).

Of the Coronavirus deaths, most occurred in hospital (84) while 62 occurred in care homes. Others took place at home or in a hospice. The highest recorded number of deaths in York care homes in one week was twenty although this had fallen to one during the last recorded week.

Children’s playgrounds – does policy need to be reviewed?

The York Council took steps to secure playgrounds when the health crisis deepened in March.

Where playgrounds couldn’t be secured, some a attempt was made to surround equipment with barriers.

The intention was to stop transmission of the COVID virus through contact with the equipment. Similar campaigns were initiated on street gym equipment while the “wash your hands” message was continually reinforced.

After nearly 4 months, and with some children now returning to school, perhaps not surprisingly the lure of taking a turn on the play equipment is proving too be strong for some.

Children were playing on the climbing frame and on the zip wire on Foxwood Lane yesterday.

The Council needs to review its policies and – if appropriate – make additional efforts to discourage use of communal play equipment.

Barriers down and children playing on equipment in Foxwood

We’ve reported weeds growing out from a planter in the Front Street pedestrian area.

Also reported dumping on the Chesney Field snicket

How did York’s first day of shopping go in the City centre

A lot is riding on the future of the City centre economy this week as most shops are now reopening. Shopper numbers yesterday were modest – broadly comparable to the numbers that you might have seen on the streets on a Monday in February.

This may step up as the week progresses and residents realise the choice that is available and that car parking space is easy to find (the Council have not discounted parking charges yet).

The reopening of pubs, cafes, libraries and hairdressers – and a loosening of public transport restrictions – would also bring a boost to visitor numbers although such changes are still some time away. It may be even longer before some major visitor and cultural attractions open their doors.

It will also be a few days before “footfall” figures are available (assuming that the cameras have been switched back on).

Generally, “social distancing” was being observed well by those visitors who did venture out. The City centre is clean and uncluttered. Buskers are out and about again but it will require the authorities to commission background entertainment if a “buzz” is to return to the pedestrian areas.

The Castle car park – which the Council is threatening to close – was about half full on Monday

Marygate car park was also half full. The social distancing lane – which reduces the car parks capacity – was little used

When cyclists and pedestrians appeared in Marygate they made their own decisions about were to walk and cycle. Ironically, in the photo, a cyclist has dismounted and is using the internal traffic lane of the car park. This could have been shared anyway without reducing the car park capacity.

“Lets be York” placards. From the “be alert” school of public slogans?

Not many queues in evidence. Those that were moved quickly like this one outside Marks and Spencer

There are several empty premises in the City centre. At other shops “closing down” sale notices are displayed.