Lib Dems force windows U-Turn at Gale Farm Court

Gale Farm Court sheltered accommodation

Gale Farm Court sheltered accommodation

Residents at a sheltered housing scheme in Acomb will see old windows replaced after a Liberal Democrat campaign led to a U-turn from Labour run City of York Council.

Gale Farm Court, on Front Street in Acomb, looked set to miss out on the drafty window replacement programme – which was orginally brought in by the Liberal Democrats in February 2011. When Labour took power in May 2011 they continued the scheme, but in June 2013 it was confirmed by council officers that Gale Fram Court would not be included and any upgrades there would be a “wasting money”.

However, after complaints from residents and a campign from Lib Dem Westfield Councillor Lynn Jeffries, council staff have confirmed that work could start to install replacement windows at the site as early as this summer.

Cllr Jeffries commented:

“I am delighted that sheltered housing tenants at Gale Farm Court will now get the replacement windows. Many of the exisitng windows are in a poor state – letting in too much noise, cold and wet and letting out too much heat. I even know residents who have had slugs coming into their flat as a result of the old windows.

“Given this it was hugely disappointing that Gale Farm Court was not on the programme for window replacements last year. However, I have repeatedly raised the issue with council officers and at public meetings and I am pleased to see that action is going to be taken hopefully as early as this summer. Residents at Gale Farm should certainly not be expected to endure another winter with the existing windows.”

NB The February 2011 Lib Dem budget included £700,000 for investment in insulation and replacement of draughty windows in council owned properties. The programme aimed to ensure that residents benefited from warmer homes and lower fuel bills.

More information on the scheme can be found here: http://www.york.gov.uk/info/200486/council_tenant_repairs_and_modernisation/1075/major_improvements_and_maintenance/8

Cornlands Estates – residents rally behind “tidy up” campaign

The campaign to have the Thoresby, St Stephens, Cornlands and Tennent Road estate given a “make over” has gained substantial support from residents.

The main areas for improvement so far identified include:

Gulleys need clearing

Gulleys need clearing

Gates and fences need repairing

Gates and fences need repairing

Garage areas need cleaning and resurfacing

Garage areas need cleaning and resurfacing

Snickets need resurfacing

Snickets need resurfacing

Pathways blocked

Pathways blocked

Vandalism at parks

Vandalism at parks

Dumping on snickets

Dumping on snickets

Damaged verges

Damaged verges

1. Repairs to verges and protective posts (or selective bitmacing)

2. Verge trimming

3. More car parking.

4. Weed removal.

5. Repairs to gates and fencing.

6. Snicket and other resurfacing

7. Gulley cleaning

8. A major spring clean of communal areas, garages, snickets, forecourts including painting street furniture, replacing notices etc etc.

9. Trees/hedges cutting back from paths and boundaries.

Housing is the one area where there haven’t been any cuts.

Over £13 million is held by the Council in reserves(!)

Yet this decline happens?

More off road car parking needed

More off road car parking needed

639 York Council tenants affected by removal of spare room subsidy

639, of York’s 7803 Council tenants, were affected last year when the “spare room subsidy” was removed.

New figures reveal  that 267 of them now have new rent arrears.

None have been issued with eviction notices.

To deal with hardship cases, the Council has a budget of £300,000 for the current financial year.

Only £207,272 (72.4%) had been allocated by the end of January.

The Council had previously said that it had 1347 people on its housing list waiting for one bedroomed accommodation.  Many of these are currently occupying larger properties which would be released for families if under-occupation could be eliminated.

Despite there being numerous one bedroomed properties available on the open market in York, the Council has so far declined to use its £13 million housing surplus to purchase some of them.

A one bedroomed flat on Green Lane in Acomb has a guide price of £80,000

The policy is likely to be challenged at a Council  meeting taking place at the end of the month.

LibDems taking action in Lowfields area

Damaged verges. W're asking he Council to s[end some of its £13 million housing profit on verge cross overs and/or lay bys

Damaged verges. We’re asking the Council to spend some of its £13 million housing profit on verge cross overs and/or lay bys

Litter drift on Lowfields amenity area reported. The fence-line of the Acomb Car park has accumulated large amounts of litter over the last 3 months.

Litter drift on Lowfields amenity area reported. The fence-line of the Acomb Car park has accumulated large amounts of litter over the last 3 months.

The Council should ensure that garage areas are kept clear of rubbish and weeds. Too many of them never get any maintenance attention despite high rent levels.

The Council should ensure that garage areas are kept clear of rubbish and weeds. Too many of them never get any maintenance attention despite high rent levels.

The Council is being asked to intervene following fears expressed by some residents about the safety of large trees in the area. Large branches fell off during recent high winds.

The Council is being asked to intervene following fears expressed by some residents about the safety of large trees in the area. Large branches fell off during recent high winds.

Long delays on York Council house building programme

Newbury Avenue garage block where labour plan to builds flats

Newbury Avenue garage block where labour plan to builds flats

The York Council has slipped its Council house building programme by 12 months.

It had originally intended to build around 50 new homes before the end of 2014 with much of the work being completed before March.

The schemes are now being delayed with only the Beckfield Lane site likely to start in the late spring.

Having obtained planning permission for the former recycling centre site the Council is now seeking tenders for the work.

Another 5 schemes, including the controversial Newbury Avenue garage development, may be put before the planning committee next month.

There are over 2000 people on the waiting list for Council homes in the City

York social housing waiting list details

The York Council has released details of the make up of the social housing waiting list.

The list consists of mainly younger people.

2333 applicants  

Ages:

16-17

5

18-24

383

25-31

468

32-38

388

39-45

299

46-52

255

53-59

214

60-64

87

65-69

97

70-74

58

75-79

35

80+

44

Not surprisingly the vast majority describe themselves as “white British”. No doubt UKIP will be disappointed to find that only one Rumanian national has registered on the list!

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£300,000 for Rougier Street flat

Roman House

The prices, of the flats being converted from the bus shelter office block on Rougier Street, have been announced.

The penthouse will cost a whopping £300,000 which is a lot given the somewhat noisy neighbourhood.

There is no parking with the flats but theya re being sold with the latest electronic gadgets including an iPad mini that is interfaced “to allow you to control your home, mood and style in seconds. keep cosy or cool with the ability to pre-set thermostats and adjust heating, make your space light and bright or dark and homely with dimmable LeD lights, and enjoy your favourite music or TV on demand with a cutting edge aV system featuring built-in speakers and cabling for wall mounted LeD TVs”.

The development will have a 24 hour concierge service.

More details can be found by clicking here

Shameful lack of maintenance on Chapelfields garage areas

Marston Avenue garage area

Marston Avenue garage area

Labour Councillors plan to spend Thursday siting in a room on Front Street hoping that residents will come along and “tell them what is wrong”.

If they want to know. all they have to do is take a walk round the area.

On Chapelfields, for example, despite the Council having a record high surplus on its rent account (£13 million!), garage areas have been abandoned and are now overgrown and pothole riddled while some have become dumping grounds.

York deserves much better.

York Council house rents up 5% despite record surplus

Despite having a record high £13 million surplus on the housing account, Labour plan to increase rent levels by 5%.in April.

Bramham Road flats

The Council have stubbornly refused to use the surplus to buy additional homes on the open market.

Meanwhile new figures released by the Council confirm that most of the 2333 people registered on the housing waiting list are single and are seeking one bedroomed accommodation.

856 of these are aged under 30.

Tenancy fraud clampdown in York

Council’s and social landlords in the region are encouraging people to report tenancy fraud as part of a regional Tenancy Fraud Awareness Week 2014.

Council’s and social landlords in the region are encouraging people to report tenancy fraud as part of a regional Tenancy Fraud Awareness Week 2014.

Tenancy Fraud Awareness Week 2014 runs between Monday 3 and Sunday 9 February, and social housing providers and fraud busting-agencies across the region are encouraging members of the public to report any suspicions of tenancy fraud.

With tenancy fraud now a criminal offence following the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013, this latest campaign builds on an anti-Housing Fraud campaign launched in August 2013 by City of York Council and its counter fraud specialist partner Veritau.

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