North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Wednesday12 and Tuesday 18 September 2012.

•A64 east-bound, Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•Strensall Road, Huntington, York
•A1237 Monks Cross, York
•A64 east-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•The Village, Stockton On Forest, York
•4A1036 Malton Road, York
•A1237 Monks Cross, York (more…)

The council is overseeing the movement of turf containing rare grassland from parts of York Business Park at Poppleton, which is being built on, to Bachelor Hill. This is being done at the expense of developers. The council’s habitat officer hopes that this will lead to an “even more varied flowers and wildlife in the area”.

 Unfortunately once again activities in the Bachelor Hill area were not communicated well by the Council, with some residents fearing that building work was about to take place. Others thought that this was the next phase of the perimeter fencing (which sadly will not happen as the current Council has slashed the ‘target hardening fund’ which paid for community safety schemes).
Therefore we are responding to requests for information from the public.

 Some  of the large open grass space to provide an additional small sand pit at the top of the hill. The transplanted grassland will cover the middle section of the field, leaving the worn path in the middle for users cutting through the field between Askham Lane and Tennent Road. The Council will also be keeping a clear path around the field perimeter.

 Current flowers on Bachelor Hill include evening primrose, Haresfoot Clover, Great Burnett, Soft Restharrow and many more. These encourage many insects and butterflies including some uncommon long headed and sand flies usually only recorded on coastal sand dunes. Flowers you might spot in future include Bee orchids, Kidney Vetch, Birds Foot Trefoil, Yellowort, Blue Fleabane. The transplanted soil and turf will contain grasses, flowers, their seeds and roots.

 The grassland will eventually grow to around 0.75m in height (29”). The council will continue to cut areas of the field on schedule to maintain some open areas and pathways, but the natural grassland will be cut and the grass removed once a year.

The process will not be completed until January 2013.

Getting involved
There is an opportunity for the local community to help the grassland adapt to its new home, by taking seeds and planting plugs of wild flowers in the new grasslands.
 If you would like to get involved, or have questions you would like to ask, please get in touch

 For more information at: <a http://tinyurl.com/Bachelor-Hill or  Telephone Bob Missin  01904 551662/ email conservation@york.gov.uk

York residents are being urged to sign up for free home insulation before the offer expires in December.

The Wrapping up York scheme, which entitles all residents to free loft and cavity wall insulation, is tackling fuel poverty by keeping houses warmer and helping householders save up to £310* on their fuel bills. People on certain income-related benefits can also claim a £100 ‘cash back’ incentive for insulating. (more…)

Locations across York are being hung with the work of some of the finest quilters in the UK, as 30 contemporary artworks are threaded across 30 different public locations to help celebrate York 800.

From 14 September to 16 November, Quilt City celebrates 800 years of the city of York with a time-honoured traditional skill which today’s needleworkers are reinterpreting for the future. The city-wide exhibition has been funded by City of York Council, the National Lottery through Arts Council England and The Quilters’ Guild. (more…)

First have confirmed that the number 4 and 5 services are to be combined from 7th October. The result will be a 7 minute frequency with residents having the option of which direction they take to get into the City.

Details of this and other bus changes are now displayed on the First web site. http://tinyurl.com/Bus-changes-York-7th-Oct-12

On the face of it the service should increase capacity on the number 4 route through Westfield and may reduce the danger of people being left at bus stops at busy times. How popular the change will prove to be in the Acomb area remains to be seen.

In future the number 4 will not penetrate the new University campus but will turn at Heslington Hall (as it used to) which may also improve reliability.

Also affected are the number 12, which is now confirmed as routing to Monks Cross, and the 16 which will link Green Lane to the City via Hamilton Drive (and combines with a new number 14).

The full statement from First reads: (more…)

A planning application has now been made to provide an athletics track and closed road racing cycle circuit with ancillary parking, lighting and fencing, and includes re-routing of public right of way on the part of the University Campus lying between Field Lane and Low Lane, the A64 and Hull Road York.

The scheme will form part of the recently opened Sports Village complex and is intended to replace the athletics track at the Huntington stadium. The facilities would be delivered as a joint venture between the University of York, City of York Council and British Cycling and forms part of the “Community Stadium” project which was agreed in 2010.

The new athletics track will have 8 lanes rather than the current 6 and will have long jump pits outside the track, which will allow throwing events to take place at the same time as jumps.

The cycling track will allow off road cycling for beginners, disabled participants and competition. It has the backing of local cycling clubs and accessible bike providers. A track in this region has been identified as a priority in British Cycling’s facilities development plan.

A combined grandstand and pavilion building would be provided but is not included in the current planning application. Whilst the design and specification have yet to be agreed the pavilion is expected to be single-storey and provide a reception, changing rooms, toilets, showers and a multi-function room. The pavilion would also provide facilities for the closed road racing circuit, including a cycle store, workshop and use of the showers, toilets and multi-function room. The grandstand would be provided alongside the pavilion, facing the athletics track.

Officials are recommending approval of the application. Details can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/York-Athletics-Sept-2012

City of York Council’s leisure centre Energise and its fitness equipment supplier, American company Cybex, are raising money for a cancer charity during October.

For every mile gym users log on a new pink Cybex treadmill at Energise gym on Cornlands Road, the American company will donate 10 cents to local charity, York against Cancer.

Monthly members and registered casual users at Energise are being invited to keep this pink treadmill busy at all times and raise as much money as possible. The gym instructors will also be reminding people to ensure that the treadmill is in constant use throughout the whole period. The machine will be located in the main fitness suite making it easy to use and very visible to all those working out. (more…)

Following our story yesterday we have been asked where residents can find their MPs register of interests. This contains details of any gifts & hospitality received. It can be accessed here http://tinyurl.com/MP-hospitality. Compared to the local councils register it seems to be commendably up to date although this may be a legacy of the MPs expenses scandal which enveloped Parliament a few years ago.

Local Tory MP Julian Sturdy’s entry is unexceptional. He declares only income received from the family farm.

It turns out that Hugh Bayley York’s Labour MP came only in Bronze medal position in the Olympics hospitality stakes. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2200483/Chris-Heaton-Harris-Tory-MP-tops-freebie-table-11-750-Olympic-tickets.html
His £4500 package was eclipsed by Tory MPs Chris Harris and John Stevenson.

Meanwhile confusion grows on the York Council as the Leader and his chief hospitality scout continue to remember events that they attended but failed to record on the interests register.

There are obvious discrepancies between the York Council’s “gifts” register and the”interests” register which need to be reconciled quickly.

The only way that public confidence is likely to be restored would if an independent enquiry into the anomalies is undertaken.

Councillor James Alexander, Labour Leader for City of York Council, has recently visited the city’s licensing inspection team.

Cllr Alexander went out with the team on a licensing inspection to witness first hand the work taken on everyday. He also had the opportunity to meet with a landlord and staff and listen to concerns.

Whilst out on the visit the landlord brought to light an issue affecting several pubs across York: that due to the conditions of their license, some pubs are not allowed to accept international ID.
Cllr Alexander said: “We have a large amount of both international students and visitors, and this issue needs to be looked at in order to ensure their time in York is as welcoming as possible – as well as helping local businesses.” (more…)

We reported around 20 issues in the Foxwood area over the weekend.

They included problems with:
* overhanging trees,
* overgrown hedges,
* weeds growing in gutters and on paved areas,
* detritous in snickets,
* damaged footpath service covers,
* full “poop scoop” bins and
* litter (in many locations).

The Council tells us that most of the litter issues were dealt with on Monday.

It is possible to report issues like these “24/7” on the internet via this link http://tinyurl.com/York-Report-it-on-line

Chesneys Field was disgraceful see http://tinyurl.com/Chesney-litter The nearby litter bin was not full.

NB. The Foxwood Residents Association have published a newsletter. It can be read here http://tinyurl.com/FoxRes-Sept-2012.

However, we understand that the date of the “estate walkabout” has changed to 27th September (10:00am).