Crash site

Police are appealing for witnesses following a collision on Rivelin Way, Clifton Moor, York.

The collision occurred on Saturday 20 October at round 1pm when a red Vauxhall Corsa and a black Audi A3 collided.

The driver of the Corsa, a 19-year-old man from York, and the driver of the Audi, a 43-year-old man from York, sustained minor injuries during the collision and were taken to York District Hospital for treatment.

Both vehicles, a brick wall and a lamppost sustained substantial damaged during the collision.

Police are appealing for any witnesses to the collision to contact them, along with anyone saw either vehicle travelling through the Clifton area prior to the collision.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact PC Mark Patterson at Clifton Moor Police station. Please call 101, select option 2 and ask for Mark Patterson. Or you can email him at mark.patterson@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

Chesney's Field

Vandals have damaged the popular “zip wire” play equipment on Foxwood Lane. The wire has now been removed and may take several months to repair.

Chesneys field has been subject to increasing amounts of vandalism over recent months with bins damaged and litter strewn across the grassed area.

Part of the blame for the problems is put down to the lack of Community Ranger patrols over the last couple of years.

The patrols were scrapped by Labour when they cut ward committee budgets and prevented residents from having a say on how the remaining funds were prioritised.

Workers, pupils and residents in York have spent the last three weeks walking enough miles to take them from Land’s End to John O’Groats 19.4 times as part of City of York Council’s i-Travel initiative.

The York Walking Challenge results are in and participants to this popular annual event clocked up an impressive 16,962 miles on foot. This is the equivalent of burning off 2950 muffins and saving 2934 kg of CO2

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The City of York Council has issued a media release saying that it “is asking traders, shoppers and visitors for their initial thoughts on plans to secure a flourishing future for the historic Newgate Market and its contribution to the city’s retail offering.

This preliminary consultation will involve all traders, including businesses inside and adjacent to the market, working groups and shoppers both local and visiting. It also links to city-wide projects such as Reinvigorate York and Smarter York which are focussing on the appearance and quality of the city.

Dependent on the outcome of the consultation, a bid could be made to the council’s Economic Infrastructure Fund (EIF) which aims to kick-start critical economic infrastructure projects that may not otherwise receive external funding support. If successful, and subject to further consultation on a more refined vision, the visibility and overall appearance of the market could be enhanced in line with an ambitious improvement plan.

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With the Chancellor of the Exchequer having to pay to upgrade his ticket to first class on a crowded train – much to the amusement of the media and Labour opposition MPs – we thought that we’d check on the travel preferences of York’s two local MPs.

As we’ve said before, Parliamentary expenses are now much more transparent and can be accessed by anyone by clicking here: http://www.parliamentary-standards.org.uk/

We can only hope that the shambolic register of interests published by the City of York Council can soon achieve the same standards of accuracy.

The latest figures available for MPs travel claims cover the 2011/12 financial year.

They reveal that Hugh Bayley (Labour York Central) claimed for First class rail travel on 23 of the 34 journeys undertook. In total his rail travel claims came to £4439

By contrast Julian Sturdy (Conservative, York Outer) submitted 22 rail claims none of which were for First class travel. In total taxpayers were asked to refund £2276 for Mr Sturdy’s rail travel.

We don’t think that using First class travel is a capital offence but, at times of austerity, taxpayers will expect all public servants to exercise prudence. The refunds claimed – for the same York to London return journey – varied from £89 to £234

Other types of expense claims revealed on the returns include:

• Petrol: Bayley £ 4029 Sturdy £1059

• Car parking: Bayley £864 Sturdy £880

• Congestion charge: Bayley £113 Sturdy 0

• Bus fares: Bayley £2.40 Sturdy: 0

• Taxi: Bayley £76 Sturdy: £58

• Bicycle: £70 Sturdy: 0

• Total Travel: Bayley £11,216* Sturdy £4862

(*includes £513 for “food and drink”)

Poseur table

Our report on Saturday that the council had ordered 19 “poser” tables for its new offices has prompted an enquiry about whether they mean “poseur”* tables.

We think that they do.

The tables can cost from £40 to over £500.

We are also told that the decision to order 63 coffee tables has nothing to do with the new job one Cabinet member is alleged to have taken selling coffee on the market or indeed the tearful claim by the Council Leader that he is paying more tax than Starbucks!

*English dictionary definition: “Poseur – somebody who tries to impress others by behaving in an affected way”

Details of the answers given by a Cabinet member to questions about bus service reliability in York have been released by the Council.

Independent checks – undertaken by “mystery travellers” – have been a valuable source of information over the years as they reflect the actual experience of passengers in the city. Suspicion is growing that the Labour Cabinet may have discontinued the checks when they took office – this seems to be the only explanation for their reluctance to publish the results.

The Council was told though that, in future, reliability statistics on “contracted services” (those subsidised by Council taxpayers) might in future be published. No timescale has been given for the release of this information.

Clearly the Council is also embarrassed by the low take up of their much vaunted “all York” ticket which allows travel on any bus in the City irrespective of operator. Information on ticket sales is not forthcoming although a Freedom of Information request is outstanding.

The Council had expected 5% of passengers to take up this option but it now seems that the actual use is much lower.

Hence the Council is thinking up all sorts of reasons for not releasing the information. The ticket enjoys a £20,000 subsidy from taxpayers and was a stop gap pending the introduction of a cashless “smartcard” payment option.

The secrecy is in marked contrast to the call for openness supported by the Coalition governments Transport Minister Norman Baker (see http://tinyurl.com/York-secrecy-criticised)

The answers to questions tabled at the council meeting on 6th October published by the Council include the following.

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The York Council has ordered 2405 brand new seats and seating units for its new HQ.

Around 1000 staff will be accommodated at the new Toft Green building when it opens next March.

A Freedom of information request has revealed that the Council will spend £2.4 million on furnishings and services of which £917,000 will go on new computers and information technology.

Items already ordered, and being supplied by “Flexiform”, include:

• 2405 seating units
• 1096 desks
• 381 tables
• 551 monitors

Of the seating units, 1186 are “operator chairs”, 148 “ visitor chairs”, 98 café chairs, 678 are described as meeting chairs, 197 as “armchairs” while the rest are made up of modular soft seating & “high stools”.

19 “poser” tables are planned together with 63 coffee tables.

Concerns had been raised earlier in the year about a lack of transparency over decisions on the office move. While the expectation had been that – to make best use of modern open plan office working methods – some new furniture would be required, no Council Cabinet member has publicly authorised the specifications issued to contractors, nor has any scrutiny committee reviewed the plans.

There was an expectation when the project business case was signed off in 2008 that, where possible, existing items of equipment, fixtures and fittings would be reused.

This more cautious approach now seems to have been abandoned.

The Council has not yet tendered for the supply of “white goods”, internal signage or audio visual equipment.

The revelation comes 3 months after the Council Leader refused to answer questions about the management of the move to the new accommodation.

At the Council meeting held on 12th July the Council Leader was asked:

“Would the Council Leader please indicate how – and by whom – the specification for the fittings, fixtures and furnishings required at the new Council HQ is being drawn up and, what is the agreed budget is for each service/activity area? Would he explain how he intends to monitor the prudent use of the budgets that have been provided for this part of the HQ project and how he intends to update Council members and residents on the progress being made?”

The Council Leader responded that it did not fall within his area of responsibility.

Venues across York are preparing to welcome filmgoers from 8 – 11 November when the Aesthetica Short Film Festival takes place as part of the York 800 celebrations.

The festival, supported by City of York Council to celebrate excellence and public involvement in this, the 800th year of self government, will take place in 15 locations which range from Mansion House and the Guildhall to bustling boutique cinemas in bars and shops across the city. The inspiring settings are set to delight visitors who attend this event.

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Sunday 28 October will see the final chapter of City of York Council’s first Children’s Book Awards, when the overall winners will be announced in the company of two leading authors at a Grand Ceremony at York Explore Library Learning Centre.

The awards were launched in March when children under the age of 14 were invited to nominate their favourite story and picture books of all time. Following the nominations, a short list of five in each category was announced, and children had until 16 September to vote for their favourite.

The short-list was:

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