Foxwood residents join “Great British Spring Clean” campaign

The Foxwood Residents Association have become the first York based group to announce their plans for the Great British Spring Clean (GBSC) which is scheduled to take place on 4th and 5th March.

The GBSC is a national initiative which encourages local people to tidy up public areas near their homes.

Nationally over 20,000 people have already registered to take part and 700 separate events have been listed. Full details can be found by clicking here

It is hoped that other residents groups and individuals in York will join the campaign. We will publish details of any other events which are copied to us.

poster-2017

York Council launches appeal for “estate champions”

The York Council is seeking volunteers who will check the quality of local public services in their local estate or neighbourhood.

Although in much of the Westfield area,  Residents Associations and local Councillors do routinely inspect the quality of public services we think that the more people who are involved the better.

So we hope that some will volunteer and feedback their experiences of getting problems rectified.

The speed of reaction by the Council to problems with dumping and litter has improved recently although there are still problems with some services such as the maintenance of communal garage areas and trimming hedges and trees.

Problems with road and footpath surfaces are a continuing issue as is dog fouling in some areas.

estate-champion

 

Empty garages costing York Council £25,500 a year in lost rent

489 registered on waiting list for garages in west York

Figures released by the York Council confirm that there is a high level of demand for Council garages in west York.

There are waiting lists at most blocks with the most popular being at (little) Green Lane where 24 residents are seeking a garage. Ironically this is a garage area which the Council have badly neglected. It suffers from an uneven forecourt, overgrown boundaries and occasional fly tipping.

One applicant for a garage in Dijon Avenue has been waiting since 2009! 

Waiting list

Waiting list

Despite this the Council records that there are 67 garages currently vacant.

One garage in The Wandle has been unused since 2005!

empty-garages-jan-2017

Part of the problem has been a moratorium on the letting of garages in blocks which may be redeveloped.

This has affected 15 garages in Chaloners Road, which have been empty since 2014, while 21 garages in Newbury Avenue have suffered a similar fate with most empty since 2012. The development plans for Newbury Avenue are still in a state of flux so the Council is losing £500 a month in rent from that block alone.

Proposed new charges for garages have also been announced by the Council (see below)

garage-rents

We think that the Council should be much more proactive in trying to let empty garages. In many areas “on street” parking space is very limited and some residents resort to parking on verges. In turn this causes damage which is both unsightly and expensive to remedy.

The Council web site should be updated regularly with a list of garages that are empty, while Councillors should ensure that a list of garages, which are available, is displayed on local noticeboards

NB. The figures provided cover the Westfield, Acomb, Dringhouses and Holgate Wards. There are a similar number of Council garages on the east of the City

 

 

 

York Council getting to grips with street cleansing issues.

Some good progress has been made over the last week by the Council when responding to reports of litter and fallen leaves.

The new on line “report it” system seems to be working better now for cleansing issues. Click here to try it out.

Other types of issue are still best reported using “fix my street”

action-taken cleansing-consolidated

 

Police seek witnesses following reports of aggressive dog in West Bank Park

 

West Bank parkNorth Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses and information about a dog that was reported to be acting aggressively in West Bank Park, Acomb, York.

Police are appealing for information from the public who may have witnessed an incident that happened in West Bank Park, Acomb today (29 December 2016).

Police responded to reports of a dog acting aggressively towards members of the public within the park at around noon.

If anyone witnessed anything or was involved in any way please get in touch with North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Benjamin Stevens. You can also email Benjamin.stevens@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12160233158.

Spotlight on York NHS finances as Acomb GP surgery looks to extend

Freedom of Information response confirms no discussions held regarding Priory Surgery move to Lowfields site

With the NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (YCCG), which buys services for people in York, heading for a £24 million overspend this year, the spotlight is being turned on some major investment decisions.

The Estates and Technology Tranformation Fund provides investment for General Practices to improve premises and technology.

Grants can be between 30% and 100% of the capital cost.

Part of the purpose of this programme is to “help practices establish infrastructure which enables sufficient routine appointments at evenings and weekends to meet local demand alongside effective access to out of hours and urgent care services”

All schemes have to be implemented by March 2019.

On 2nd June 2016 a local commissioning committee meeting in York decided which projects to bid for. Some have since been added to the approved national list.

The national improvement list for 2016/17 authorises funding for extension work at the Front St (Copmanthorpe), Posterngate and Priory (Cornlands Road) surgeries. The Cornlands Road scheme could cost around £800,000 and would fund an extension for a “new patient lounge” and facilities to “manage long term conditions”.

Four new build schemes are also listed for York.  They are located at Wheldrake, Jorvik/Gillygate South (Terry’s site), Huntington and Priory (Burnholme Health and Well Being campus).

In deciding its priorities, the YCCG had to observe national policies, They are set out here click

The guidance says “It is not anticipated, at this stage, that a further national round of submissions will be offered as it is expected the fund will be fully committed and the pipeline fully populated following this second invitation for schemes”.

The situation at the Priory practice on Cornlands Road came to the fore in the autumn when the York Council agreed to allocate a site at Lowfields for the practice to move into.

Priory had already been working with the Council on providing health facilities at the Burnholme school site on the other side of the City.

Although NHS documents (see below) reveal that the current Cornlands Road premises do require improvement, the local YCCG nodded through the extension scheme in June.

In a response to a Freedom of Information request the YCCG says,

 “The CCG and practice have had no meetings about the relocation” of the surgery to Lowfields.

So, it seems that – with the deadline for funding applications now passed – there is little chance of a health centre being built on the reserved site at Lowfields in the foreseeable future.

…. and there is now even less justification for building on the Lowfields playing fields!

property-services-report

 

The week that was in pictures 17th Dec 2016

Good work by the Council in clearing leaves fin the Burgess walk and Doherty Walk areas. Still waiting for action in Greenwood Grove

Good work by the Council in clearing leaves fin the Burgess Walk and Doherty Walk areas. Still waiting for action in Greenwood Grove

Locla Coucnillorsd Sheena Jackson and Andrew Waller have reported problems with potholes on Herman Walk and Huntsman's Walk, worn carriageway surfaces in Vincent Way plus fly-tipping in Greenwood Grove and in Woodford Place

Local Councillors Sheena Jackson and Andrew Waller have reported problems with potholes on Herman Walk and Huntsman’s Walk, worn carriageway surfaces in Vincent Way plus fly-tipping in Greenwood Grove and in Woodford Place

The Council have told local residents that the planned site for additional car parking spaces on Spurr Court/Bellhouse Way is unsuitable. A junction box restricts access to the site. Instead the Council are looking to provide more spaces in the Oldman Court area

The Council have told local residents that the planned site for additional car parking spaces on Spurr Court/Bellhouse Way is unsuitable. A junction box restricts access to the site. Instead the Council are looking to provide more spaces in the Oldman Court area

Although we are experiencing mild weather there is likely to be an icy spell sooner or later. Residents are asked to check that salt bins are full (and not filled with litter!)

Although we are experiencing mild weather there is likely to be an icy spell sooner or later. Residents are asked to check that salt bins are full (and not filled with litter!)

Dringhouses Councillor Stephen Fenton was one of those attending a sell out 1868 concert re-enactment at Dringhouses Library

Dringhouses Councillor Stephen Fenton (right) was one of those attending a sell out 1868 concert re-enactment at Dringhouses Library

....and the week ended with the last Acomb Street market for this year. The next is scheduled for 28th January 2017

….and the week ended with the last Acomb Street market for this year. The next is scheduled for 28th January 2017