Rubbish skips will be available for use by local residents as follows on

8:30pm Oldman Court (behind parking area) & Kingsway West (opposite 70/72)
10:30 Spurr Court (behind flats) & Stuart Road (outside 65)
12:30pm Bellhouse Way (opposite Community Centre) & Windsor Garth (between Beverley Court & Kempton Close)

On Saturday 23rd March there will be a skip on Thoresby Road at 12:30pm

Notes from the Council
1. Please remember to take your waste to the sites only on the dates and times advertised.
2. If the Skip is full or not on site, please DO NOT leave your waste. This is classed as fly tipping and is illegal.
3. Bulky items including furniture, fridges and freezers are not accepted. To arrange disposal of these items please ring York 551551.

The skips are funded by your local residents association using their Estate Improvement Grant. The skips are removed once they are full so please make sure you arrive in good time if you intend to make use of them.

York has had a warden call service for over 25 years. It can be used by elderly, sick or disabled residents who may need urgent help or re-assurance but who are unable to leave their homes.

The service can be operated through a pendant which can be hung round the customers neck and is linked to the increasingly popular telecare service which was pioneered in the City in 2005 by the LibDem led Council.

Mobile wardens visit those registered with the service which is available 24/7. A small charge of £4-10 a weeks is currently payable although those with limited incomes pay a reduced rate.

Now major changes are planned for this popular service.

On the 22nd March Labour Councillors are proposing an increase in charges.

Their aim is to “create a pricing model that is closer to the actual costs of the service and so reduce the current subsidy”. The report also proposes introducing a charge for couples and to levy a fee for lost equipment.

It is likely that a tiered table of charges will be introduced so that customers can opt for a cheaper, less comprehensive, service.

Further major controversy is likely at a meeting of the Council’s Cabinet which is due to take place on 2nd April. Labour Councillors there will be asked to “approve the Integrated Business Plan for the Community Equipment Loan and Telecare Service (CELTAS) to ‘spin-out’ of City of York Council (CYC) and become an independent social enterprise”.

So another “social enterprise” taking over from the Council with the only way to achieve savings being though increased charges and/or lower staffing costs.

Labour say that the change will save £50,000 a year.

The Press reported on the Warden Call system in 2011 click here to see their story.

Despite a rather awkward interface. a number of electronic petitions, being collected via the Councils web site, are gaining relatively large numbers of supporters.

Currently the numbers “signing” each are:

“Protect our Library and Archives Service” – No to cuts, closures or Social Enterprise Respondents 120 Deadline to sign by 21/03/2013

“Stop the Green Bin Tax” Respondents 130 Deadline to sign by 03/04/2013

“(Save) the toy bus” Respondents 40 Deadline to sign by 05/04/2013

Petition to see a “reduction in chlorine used in water treatment” Respondents 15 Deadline to sign by 14/04/2013

“Protect Towthorpe Household Waste Depot” Respondents 208 Deadline to sign by 1/05/2013

Click here to go to the Council’s petition page

Blocked gulley complaints.
Click to enlarge

The Labour Councils decision to reduce the routine cleaning of gullies in much of the City has proved to be a false economy.

During 2012, 649 complaints were received by the Council from residents who were concerned about carriageway and footpath flooding.

Block gullies were blamed.

Special cleans had to be arranged on 201 occasions.

Council leaders hit Paris

In response to a Freedom of Information request the York Council has said that the costs of the trip by the Leader and Chief Executive to Paris recently was £570.92.

Details can be found here

39 drivers in York have had their vehicles wheel clamped by the Council during the last 3 years.

They had to pay £1560 to have the vehicles released.

On 3 occasions the owners did not reclaim their vehicles and they were subsequently crushed.

Taxpayers have footed a £39,000 bill for compensation claims made to school children in the City over the last 5 years.

The claims were for injuries such as cuts, bruising, fractures and chipped bones.

So far during the current financial year the bill has reached £10,000.

In response to a Freedom of Information request, the Council has revealed that “the budget for Christmas lights in 2012/13 was £38,500. This includes the purchase of trees and additional/replacement lights (£10,725), project management fees (£6,000) and the remaining budget (£21,775) relating to installation and maintenance”.

The same Council has refused so far to make any investment in the regeneration of sub-urban areas like Front Street Acomb.

Front Street