• 19th Apr 2013
• Novelist Lindsey Davis has won the CWA Historical Dagger, Dagger in the Library, and a Sherlock Award. In 2010 the city of Rome gave her the Premio Colosseo, ‘for enhancing the image of Rome’
• Location: Explore York Library Learning Centre
• Time: 13:00
• Cost: £5.00 (drink included)

Historical novelist Lindsey Davis is best known for her mystery series featuring Roman detective, Marcus Didius Falco. She has won the CWA Historical Dagger, Dagger in the Library, and a Sherlock for Falco as Best Detective. In 2010 the city of Rome gave her the Premio Colosseo, awarded ‘for enhancing the image of Rome’.

Her latest novel “The Ides of April” is the first of a new series set in Ancient Rome and featuring Flavia Albia, the adopted daughter of Falco. It takes place on the plebeian Aventine Hill, where we meet Albia’s personal circle – some familiar, some new. We glimpse old haunts and hear of old friends, in the company of Albia, as she fearlessly tackles inhumanity and injustice.

York will host the 2013 men’s and women’s British Cycling National Circuit Race Championships on Sunday 21 July, the day that the 100th Tour de France draws to a close and the baton is passed to Yorkshire ahead of Le Grand Départ 2014, stage 2 of which will start in York.

More here:

New cyle lockers are being provided at the Designer Centre park and ride site. They are similar to those that have been available at the Monks Cross site for the last 5 years.

The initiative aims to encourage commuters to use the car park at the McArthur Glen York Designer Outlet for free and cycle into York’s city centre.

Park & Pedal is made possible by £4.6 million of government funding. The initiative encourages commuters to use dedicated cycle routes from the Designer outlet in to York via Fulford Road and linking up with the York cycle network to access all areas of the city.

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The Minster has issued a statement saying “If you purchased your ticket through the York Minster Box Office you will receive a full refund. We will contact you to process the refund as no financial information is stored on our system. If you have not received your refund by Wednesday 17 April please contact the Box Office”.

More here

We reported last week that pedestrian guard rails had gone missing from outside the Spar store on Acomb Road (near the Fox junction).

There had been no consultation with residents and concerns were raised as the railings had originally been installed specifically to stop children walking out onto what is a busy highway junction.

Latest plans April 2013 Click to enlarge

Later an official said that the removal was part of the City’s “de-cluttering” programme!

Now, as work starts on installing new traffic lights at the junction, a new plan has been unveiled by the Council.

Instead of safety railings, bollards will be installed on the pavement outside the Spar store.

While this might deter pavement parking (and unloading) they are as useless as a chocolate fireguard in channelling pedestrians to safe crossing points.

On the other side of the road between 167 and 171 Holgate Road safety railings will be provided.

& who lives at number 167? None other than council Leader James Alexander!

Meanwhile the Council has issued the following statement about the work going on at the traffic lights
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York police are asking for help to identify vandals after an act of criminal damage in the city.

The appeal follows graffiti being sprayed on the Undercroft next to the library on Museum Street, during the daytime on Wednesday 3 April 2013.

The vandals sprayed two tags, one of which was a diamond and two phrases “think before you ink” and “natural born killer”.

The cost of removing the graffiti was several hundred pounds.

More details click here

A response to a Freedom of Information request has just been published by the Council. It suggests that Labour’s decision to increase Council Tax, and snub the governments offer of money to implement a freeze, is affecting even Councillors!
NB. Members of the York Council have a minimum pay rate of around £7000 a year.

“Could you please tell me how many councillors have fallen into arrears with Council Tax over the past year? And could you tell me the total in arrears in each case?”

“Our records show that one councillor has fallen into arrears for Council Tax over the past year, the amount of arrears was £64 however the arrears have now been cleared. I am unable to comment on any Councillors who pay Council Tax to other Local Authorities”.

More detailed statistics for individual wards in York have now been published by Stream the local information system for North Yorkshire and York. Click here to visit their web site

Westfield Ward profile page 1 click to enlarge

Westfield Ward profile page 2 click to enlarge

We understand that developers and architects will be at Burnholme Working Mens Club on Tues 23rd April 5pm-7pm to discuss the development of the WMC site.

Apparently the plans are to demolish the club and replace it with a smaller one, add a childrens play area, 27 houses and a block of 9 flats!

As this is an early stage of the consultation process residents may wish to attend see how this will affect them (and the local water table!)

Below is the latest list of planning applications received by the York Council. Full details can be found by quoting the application reference on the “planning portal” web site. Click here.

Representations can be made in favour of, or in objection to, any application via the Planning on line web site.

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

Acomb Methodist Church Front Street York YO24 3BX Ref No: 13/00748/FUL Proposal: Replace 3no. windows with 2no. windows and double doors Applicant: Acomb Methodist Church Contact Mr Ben Farrer Consultation Expiry Date 6 May 2013 Case Officer: Elizabeth Potter Expected Decision Level DEL

190 Thoresby Road York YO24 3ER Ref No: 13/00809/FUL Proposal: Single storey rear extension Applicant: Mr Barrie Schofield Contact Mr Keith Wilkinson Consultation Expiry Date 6 May 2013 Case Officer: Elizabeth Potter Expected Decision Level DEL

66 Slessor Road York YO24 3JG Ref No: 13/00812/FUL Proposal: Two storey side extension Applicant: Miss Lisa Swift Consultation Expiry Date 6 May 2013 Case Officer: Heather Fairy (Mon – Wed) Expected Decision Level DEL

48 Wetherby Road Acomb York YO26 5BY Ref No: 13/00824/FUL Proposal: Two storey pitched roof side extension (Application to extend time period for implementation of permission 07/00160/FUL) Applicant: Mr D Jeffrey Contact Mr Paul Butler Consultation Expiry Date 6 May 2013 Case Officer: Heather Fairy (Mon – Wed) Expected Decision Level DEL