Coronavirus York updates; 7th February 2021

Deaths

One hospital death announced today. The fatality occurred on Thursday.

The death rate continues to reduce.

Test Results

THIRTY SIX (36) additional positive test results announced today. Brings cumulative total to 11,381

The rate /100k population has fallen to 164,76. That is the lowest rate recorded since 20th December 2020.

The rate of reduction in cases in the City is now mirroring the drop seen between 17th November and 8th December. Later in December – when restrictions had been relaxed – case numbers started to increase again.

Infection rates are falling at all levels now

Neighbourhoods

The most encouraging set of figures that we have seen this year.

Only 7 areas have above average infection levels with most of them showing steady reductions in case numbers.

Tests

5310 people had PCR tests in York during the week ending 2nd February

They had a positivity rate of 6.9%.

The positivity rate continues to fall

On 6th February, 574 people undertook lateral flow tests.

Vaccinations

Record high number of vaccinations completed yesterday

Bad news for taxpayers as another Community Stadium overspend of £1.2 million is revealed.

The Council has finally admitted that the £46.2 million budget for the York Community Stadium will be overspent by £1.2 million.

Taxpayers had already taken a hit late last year when a payment for the lease of the commercial element of the scheme was reduced by £1.4 million.

*How stadium budget has changed over the last 5 years*

It now looks like the final taxpayers bill will be £17 million.

When the scheme was originally conceived in 2010, it was expected that a contribution of £16.7 million from the developer of the neighbouring Vanguard shopping area, would cover the stadium construction costs. This has proved not to be the cases as costs escalated in the intervening years.

The Council says that part of the cost will be offset by lower management payments this year to the operator (GLL)

A report goes on to say that the opening of the facility has “added internal costs that were not originally budgeted. The facility was originally due to open in Summer 2019 so the council has needed to retain the project team”.

The Council also says that there were changes to the design during the course of construction (additional signage, site boundary issues and cladding) which also added costs totally £458k.

The Council is hoping to get some compensation for the construction delays.

The stadium was 18 months late and has still not, because of COVID-19 regulations – been brought into use,

…and another football scheme gets into £300,000 budget difficulties

The plan to provide football pitches and a clubhouse for use by the Bishopthorpe football team on land off Sim Balk Lane was approved in June 2019.

It was controversial as the Council agreed to contribute £850,000 towards the £1.5 million scheme, claiming that it would compensate for the loss of open space at Lowfields.

Residents were quick to point out the new pitches were 3 miles from Lowfields and that there wasn’t even a public transport link between the two areas.

Others commented that the clubhouse design seemed to be at the luxury end of the market.

One a more positive note, much improvements to the adjacent cycle path were promised as part of the project (they have not yet materialised)

It was agreed that the new facilities would be completed before the first homes at Lowfields were occupied.

Now a Council report says that the delayed Bishopthorpe scheme is running £303,000 over budget. The costs of providing services to the pavilion are blamed for the increase.

The Council is now showing a contribution towards the project of £1,052,000 in its revised budget for this year.

The report says that “£190k of additional funding has been identified to date, but this is not sufficient to cover the entire cost increase and the team is working to identify further funding to cover the remaining £113k overspend”.

No further details, an updated budget or completion timetable have been published.

Transport plan for Lowfields

As reported below, a transport plan for the new Lowfields development has now been published.

Travel Plan extract and parking space layout on new development

In many ways, it is unexceptional.

A commentary on the proposals can be found on the Lowfields residents web site. https://www.facebook.com/LowfieldsActionGroup/posts/1905016099639770

One of the major issues with the development is the length of time that builders will be on the site (and adjacent roads). Residents were assured that 3 years would be the maximum.

That now looks to be very optimistic.

Nothing more has been heard of the Communal housing scheme (Yorspace). It is not even clear whether they have completed the purchase of their plot.

The Council itself is only now seeking tenders for the sheltered elderly persons accommodation. So that element is effectively 18 months behind schedule.

And, of course, there is still no word on the promised community facilities. Residents were delays rightly sceptical about whether the Health Centre and police station would ever materilise. It seems increasingly unlikely that they ever will.

It is significant that the Councils latest capital budget update report makes no direct reference to Lowfields. It simply shows that, of the total £24 million cost of building the houses, £16.5 million will be spent before then end of March 2021.

We think this is highly unlikely.

Latest planning applications for the Westfield Ward

Below are the latest planning applications received by the York Council for the Westfield ward.

Full details can be found by clicking the application reference.

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Former Lowfield School Dijon Avenue York

Conditions 16 and 19 of 17/02428/FULM

Ref. No: AOD/21/00034

NB. This covers the “Sustainable Travel Plan” for Lowfields. Proposals include a car club, better bus stops etc. Click to read plan

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1 Westfield Court Acomb York YO26 5FA

Crown lift all trees at front of the property to 5 metres; crown thin all trees by 10% and remove deadwood – tree works in a Conservation Area

Ref. No: 21/00167/TCA

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18 The Green Acomb York YO26 5LR

Single storey side and rear extension

Ref. No: 21/00094/FUL

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Representations can be made in favour of, or in objection to, any application via the Planning online web site. http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/

The Council now no longer routinely consults neighbours by letter when an application is received.