York Council paid operators £500,000 to keep Waterworld open during 2014

Pool closed in December despite huge subsidy to contractors GLL

The scale of the problems facing the York Council, as it agonises over whether to include a new swimming pool at the Community Stadium, have become apparent with up to date pool usage figures having now been published.

Swimming pool useage 12 15

The figures confirm that only around 80,000 people had passed through the turn-styles at the Waterworld facility in the 9 months leading to its closure in December 2014. Both Energise (180,000 visitors) and Yearsley (121,843)visitors) were more popular, as was the Sports Village pool which is run without a Council Taxpayers subsidy (although part of the costs of building the pool were covered from the money received from the sale of the Barbican site).

There are many other pools at private sports clubs like Roko in Clifton which are run as commercial operations. It is possible that these facilities have gradually, over the years, drawn customers from the public pools.

The figures confirm a demand for about 500,000 visits per year to civic swimming pools in York.

What is obvious now is that, to spread that demand across four pools, would not be financially viable fro a cash strapped Council.

It also raises question marks about GLL and their ability to manage facilities without a taxpayers subsidy.  In theory Waterworld plus the adjacent gym should have been profitable. That it apparently wasn’t – even when the costs of the adjacent stadium had been removed – will lead to some challenging questions when the next Community Stadium project is considered by the Council on 27th August

GLL were appointed, by the last Council, as the preferred bidder to run all leisure facilities on the City earlier in the year

Delay in Knights use of Bootham Crescent?

Holes for rugby posts may be round………or possibly square

A couple of weeks ago the Knights signed an agreement with the York Council which not only confirmed that the Community Stadium would be their new home when it opens in 2017 but that, in the interim, they would have the use of Bootham Crescent.

The original planning permission for the new stadium had required that an alternative rugby ground be made available before the old Huntington Stadium was closed.

click for update

click for update

The move to Bootham Crescent seems to have run into two problems.

Claims have been made on social media that the owners of the stadium have not yet submitted an application for a new safety certificate. Apparently this is needed to allow rugby matches to be staged there (although why rugby should raise different spectator safety concerns from a football match will be a mystery to most casual observers).

This is separate from the licensing application for the ground which is being considered today and which we understand is not directly linked to the rugby clubs move.

Once a safety certificate has been sought there no reason why the Council should not issue it in a matter of a few days.

It appears also the four holes, into which rugby posts will be inserted on match days (they are grass covered at other times), have not yet been dug. Some sources say that this may take around two weeks to resolve. Contractor Bernard Cribbins is apparently expected on site shortly.

The Rugby season finishes at the end of September when the play offs are scheduled to take place. Some Knights fans – with the team playing well and currently in second place in their division – are keen to ensure that the larger crowds expected for the run in can be accommodated.

Planning condition

Planning condition

Use of Bootham Crescent seems to be the only local option available to satisfy this reasonable wish.

The Council signed off in January as “complete” the planning condition for the new Community Stadium (see right) which required an alternative venue to be made available for rugby fixtures.

NB An update report on progress with the Community Stadium is due to be considered by the Council’s Executive on 27th August

UPDATE Art Gallery to press ahead with plans to charge everyone £7-50 entry charge

50% discount on season ticket agreed for YorkCard holders

UPDATE: A trust spokesman has now said that “people with an existing York Card -including one bought today – would still be able to gain free admission to the Castle Museum and Yorkshire Museum tomorrow and until the card expired. Cards bought after today will not give the same benefits”.

Art gallery charges

 

A Press Release has confirmed that the YMT plans to charge residents £7.50 for entry to the Art Gallery from tomorrow, but they will offer all York Card holders 50% off the standard price of the annual “YMT Card”. That means that a YMT card will cost residents  £11 (£10 with a direct debit)

Children under 16 continue to have free entry. There is also a discount (to £4) for some claimants*.

In doing so the YMT will be in breech of the terms of the lease they hold on the Art Gallery and Castle Museum.

In our view they would have been wiser to continue to offer YorkCard holders free entry at least until the Council had considered the matter further at their September meeting (see UPDATE above) 

The YMT has not said whether it will make refunds to those YorkCard holders who had purchased season tickets before the latest discount was announced.

* Access tickets: up to 50% discount for visitors aged 17-24 or in receipt of Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance, Income–based Job seeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit or Income Support. Evidence may be required.

The York Council has not yet said when, or even if, it will commence legal proceedings to enforce the lease restriction

Cllr Nigel Ayre comments:

“It is surprising that the York Museums Trust has pushed on with its proposals. On Wednesday there was cross-party support for the charging plans to be halted ahead of further discussions taking place.

“However, I am pleased to see that following my decision last night the Trust has at least offered a 50% discount to York Card holders for the annual pass. This is a step in the right direction and an example of the further concessions we have been pushing for. It hopefully does give us a platform for further dialogue going forward.”

NB. The York Museums Trust is also seeking to appoint new Trustees. However intersted individuals only have until tomorrow (1st August) to submit their CVs

Return of democratic debate in York?

Today sees the York Council take a faltering step back towards the kind of all party consideration of proposals not seen since 2008, when the Executive Advisory system was scrapped.

An all party meeting will consider whether to relax an agreement with the York Museums Trust (YMT) which gives Yorkcard holders free access to their galleries.

YMT charging report extract July 2015

As we said, when the report was published, we believe that important background information has been omitted from the report. Not least this would include estimates of the numbers of customers who might be effected by any changed arrangements together with the business plan assumptions being made by the Trust.

However this may simply reflect the dangers of outsourcing public services to quasi independent trusts and social enterprise bodies. Such bodies are able to source additional funding streams but transparency suffers. These may be similar problems with the arrangements now in place for the management of the libraries and economic development in the City (Make it York).

At the moment, the YMT provides an annual report to the Council and is subject to public questioning about their performance and plans. The last session took place on 22nd June

Today the proposal is that the Council clarify with the YMT that they can charge a discounted admission price to YorkCard holders. This would not require an amendment to the lease of the museum buildings (and consequently is not a “key” decision in Council terms). Any decision on charging levels would effectively be made by the YMT.

If the Council committee recommends that an estimated additional £400,000 subsidy be provided to “buy off” the charging plans (by reinstating historic levels of financial support) the Executive member does not have the powers to endorse such a proposal. It would become a “key” decision requiring a budget amendment and would have to be referred, via the Councils Executive, to the next full Council meeting (on 8th October).

Whether the YMT could sustain its operations in the interim might be a matter of conjecture. The new Art Gallery is due to open at the weekend. They would no doubt point out that 9 months had elapsed between the (then Labour controlled) Council making a decision to cut the subsidy and the Council addressing the consequences of its actions.

NB. When the Art Gallery was under direct Council control (until the middle of the last decade) an entry charge was levied. Admission numbers were low.

Community Stadium opening slips to 2017, cost pressures mounting

While no one really believed that the new Community stadium would be completed by July 2016, it now seems likely that the project will slip by a further 12 months.

There are two problems:

Issues with the Rugby Club also rumble on in the background.08-27-2014-08-48-27-555

Since 2010, when funding for a replacement stadium was secured, progress has been slow. Essential planning permissions for the enabling development were secured in 2012  but, rather than getting on with building the stadium on the “Chesterfield” model, the then Labour controlled Council decided to outsource all building based leisure facilities (including the Monks Cross complex) as part of a single contract.

This involved a laborious 24 month tendering process which was needed to meet EU regulations.

Ironically it was this delay that appears to have scuppered the deal.

The £12 million available in 2012  for the project would have bought a good quality stadium and to a design which would have guaranteed some non match day income. No taxpayer’s subsidy would have been required although the Council had allocated a £4 million fund which – if drawn down – would have been repaid from stadium income

There was little building activity taking place in 2012 when the country was still in the grips of the recession. Work was scarce so tender prices were keen

In the end GLL were declared the preferred bidder in 2014. GLL had been running the Huntington Stadium, Waterworld and the adjacent fitness facilities for several years.

However they had sought interim subsidies to keep the facilities going. No usage figures for Waterworld were published by the Council at the time although these are now expected to emerge into the pubic arena.

Despite the exiting stadium being abandoned and Waterworld closing last year, financial issues continued.
(more…)

York Council – Weekly news round up

York City seek mature players?

walking-football-engage-day-2015

Aged 70, I’m at last playing football”- and you can too!

Following a successful pilot scheme between the council and York City Football Club Foundation a new opportunity is available to anyone aged over 50 who would like to step up to walking football.

Walking football is a popular, slower-paced version of the game where running is treated as a foul. This ruling makes it suitable for older people who would like to return to sport or take up a new challenge.

More

Have your say on the council’s key priorities for the next four-years

Whether it’s focussing resources on providing more housing, good quality jobs or ensuring that there is a focus on delivering key frontline services, the council feels it’s important that everyone has the opportunity to contribute towards these priorities and feedback their views.

York residents and businesses have until Wednesday 26 August to feedback on the draft proposals, which are based on the new administration’s priorities and the council’s statutory responsibilities.

The plan is built around three key priorities, including:

  • A prosperous city for all – where local businesses can thrive and residents have good quality jobs, housing and opportunities
  • A focus on frontline services – to ensure all residents, particularly the least advantaged, can access reliable services and community facilities
  • A council that listens to residents -to ensure it delivers the services you want and works in partnership with local communities.

Feedback can be made via a number of ways below, which will be bought back to an Executive meeting in September for final approval:

  • Online: www.york.gov.uk/councilplan
  • In person: drop by and see officers at West Offices on Wednesday 12 or Thursday 14 August
  • Drop-off points:  at libraries or Explore Centres until 26 August.
  • Social media: ‘tag us’ @CityofYork on Twitter or @CityofYorkCouncil on Facbeook using #councilplan
  • By post: send feedback to FREEPOST RTEG-TYYU-KLTZ, Business Intelligence Team, City of York Council, West Offices, York YO1 6GA.

Number of York jobseekers falls again

National statistics released today have revealed the number of residents claiming Job Seekers Allowance in York has fallen for the fourth consecutive month.

The number of claimants in York has fallen by 49.8 percent in the last year. There are now 791 claimants in York, a fall of 98 from last month and of 1,577 from June 2014. Today’s figures also showed a 58.2 per cent fall in the Youth unemployment count since June 2014.

The claimant count represents 0.6 per cent of the working population and contrasts to the regional average which stands at 2.4 per cent. The figures are also much lower than the national average which stands at 1.7 per cent.

Spinach

Spin bowler

Councillor Keith Aspden, Deputy Leader of City of York Council said: “It is pleasing to see that partnership working across the city is helping to keep unemployment low and defy the national trend which has seen the number of jobseekers increase in the last quarter. The new Executive is committed to building on this and as part of our Emergency Budget we are boosting support for small local businesses. I am also working with officers to increase the number of apprenticeships in the council and across York.

Adult learners offered more than ever before

York Learning is offering its widest range of adult learning opportunities ever with its new Learning 4 Everyone programme which is being rolled out across the city.

On offer for the first time too is the widest ever selection of courses from learning partners across the city, such as the University of York and York College. The WEA which features in the brochure has reported an enormous amount of interest following their inclusion in the brochure.

The new programme can be picked up from libraries across the city and holds information on over 300 courses taking place over the coming months.

More

Vote proposed for Business Improvement District

Plans for a ballot to take place in November to allow city centre businesses to decide on a proposed Business Improvement District (BID) will be put to the cross-party Economic Development and Transport Policy and Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday 22 July.

Then, on Thursday 30 July, Executive will consider the report which recommends approval of the continuing development of a Business Development District as well as approve a ballot in November 2015 when city centre businesses will be asked to vote on whether they would like to form a BID.

The initiative, led by City Team York, a group of local businesses chaired by Adam Sinclair, would see businesses predominantly within the inner ring road come together to form a BID company to decide how they pool resources to benefit the local economy.

More

Public Health report on Dementia Published

City of York Council has published the latest monthly chapter of its Director of Public Health annual report for 2015 which focuses on dementia.

The council’s Director of Public Health is legally required to produce an annual report on the health of the local population.

More

Low awareness of ‘non-lump’ breast cancer symptoms puts over 70s’ health at risk in York

City of York Council is supporting Public Health England’s ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign launched today which is aimed at women aged 70 and over.

  • just under a half of women aged 70 and over were able to name a symptom aside from a lump
    • latest annual figures show 15 women aged 70 and over died from breast cancer in York in 2013

More

Parliament Street fountain demolition to be reviewed

Parliament Street fountainYork’s Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Leisure, Culture & Tourism has called for a review of the plan to demolish the fountain on Parliament Street.

 Make It York, the city’s new destination management organisation, said earlier this month that the fountain should go in order to create a more attractive open space which could be used by festivals. It is understood that the previous Labour Cabinet Member had given the green-light to demolition, but since last week residents have said that they want the fountain to stay and an online petition has been launched. This petition runs until August.

The fountain was originally installed 25 years ago, but the power supply was switched off in 2012 when the Parliament Street toilets were demolished.

Cllr Nigel Ayre, Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Leisure, Culture & Tourism, has now said that there should be a cross-party look at the options. He commented:

“The previous Labour administration wasted millions on vanity schemes in the city-centre that had no cross-party or public support such as the controversial King’s Square redevelopment. We are taking a different approach and therefore, when the petition closes, I will ask the council’s cross-party Learning & Culture policy committee to undertake a review.

“This review will allow councillors and residents to have their say and decide how they want the space in Parliament Street to be used within the budget constraints which currently exist. It should be a short review which will also involve proper consultation with market traders and with Make it York.”

 

NB Cllr Ayre aims to initiate the short review at September’s cross-party Learning & Culture Policy and Scrutiny Committee and no formal decision on the fountain will be taken before

Community centres to get funding back

The revised York Council budget, to be discussed at the Council meeting on 16th July, allocates £70,000 to York’s 4 Community Centres.

The money is expected to be used to employ part time caretakers with the intention of increasing opening hours.

The move comes after the Council abandoned the centres in April and asked volunteers to take them over.

Foxwood Community Centre

Foxwood Community Centre

The Housing department has been criticised for failing to support community centres on the west of the City.

It was revealed that 75% of money offered by Jewson’s for improvements to the 5 centres in the City was allocated to Tang Hall.

Burton Stoned?

Burton Stone community centre future unclear

Burton Stone community centre future unclear

Another Labour project seems to have gone belly up.

Plans to turn the Burton Stone community centre into a self funding operation appear to have stalled.

The Council said last year that it hoped to use the centre to provide specialist day activities for adults with learning disabilities. The transformation of BSCC into a “Learning Disability Activity Centre and Inclusive Community Centre” was expected to start October.

The specialist use meant that some long term users would have had to find alternative premises.

One group collected a PETITION containing nearly 3000 signatures and handed it to City of York Council.

York Coronary Support Group was spearheading a campaign to persuade City of York Council to continue to fund the Burton Stone Lane Community Centre.

The group had provided fitness exercise classes for three days a week at the Burton Stone Lane community centre for the previous 24 years but has been told plans to change its use will mean its work could no longer continue.

Since the change in Council control in May, there have been no further statements about the future of the centre.

There are 4 other community centres in York which have lost their council support this year (Bell Farm, Tang Hall, Foxwood and Chapelfields). Most are hoping that the promised Council budget review on 16th July will see at least a small grant reinstated.