It’s not just the York City centre that needs some weed killer!

We do increasingly wonder whether either Councillors or officials actually routinely check the quality of public services in some parts of the City?

Take the cycle/footpath which links Water Lane to Hazelnut Grove and Rawcliffe beyond.

It is obstructed with nettles, brambles and weeds. It has clearly not been swept for months?

We hope that even if the York Council ignores issues like these, residents will report them using the Fix My Street web site (as we have done today). Regular maintenance can make a big difference to the local environment

Detritus on Water Lane cycle path

Nettles impede Water Lane cycle path

Annual Council bridge weed growing contest – latest results

Weeds have been growing on the parapets of Ouse Bridge in York for over four years now.

Suggestions that the timely treatment with weed killer in the Spring might made the key route into the City a little smarter, have been ignored by the York Council. We fear that the weeds are gradually undermining the strength of the bridge joints.

This is how the bridge has looked over recent years.

September 2016

Ouse Bridge 2015

Ouse Bridge 2014

No historical evidence of horticulture on Ouse Bridge

New Cornlands area Focus newsletter published

Cornlands Focus Sept 2016 page 1

Busy week in west York – in pictures

The week started with a “Funday” at the Foxwood Community Centre. Here Andrew and Sheena visit the police and fire displays

Andrew and Sheena visit the children’s bouncy castles

Sheena, here with Dringhouses Councillor Stephen Fenton, launched her survey of local youth facilitiers

Sheena, here with Dringhouses Councillor Stephen Fenton, launched her survey of local youth facilities

LibDem Councillors at last Sundays Acomb Green Fair

We reported lots of issues not least this bin on Cheney’s Field which had been overturned

We’ve asked for the full bin on Bellhouse Way to be emptied

We’ve asked for weeds and moss to be cleared from paths in the Otterwood Lane area

The payphone kiosk in Cornlands Road is in poor condition. No sign of cleaning or maintenance by BT

Damaged gulley cover on St Stephens Road

Detritus build up on Tennent Road snicket

We’ve asked for a spring to be fitted to the railings which protects the play area in the Cornlands Road park from dogs

We understand that an application for funding, which would see another parking lay-by constructed in St Stephens Road, has been successful.

The week concluded with volunteers planting a Bluebell wood near the community centre on Bellhouse Way. Here Andrew Waller leads the work. Unfortunately weather conditions meant that an additional planting session will be needed later

Damage to grass verges – York Council response published

A group set up to consider what can be done to prevent damage to grass verges in York caused by indiscriminate parking has produced a draft report.

Damaged verges

The lengthy tome can be read by clicking here

It concludes that it is a difficult problem for which there is no easy answer (surprise, surprise!)

The Council is being recommend to take action against drivers who cause the damage with an electronic warning system being developed using the authorities new web based systems.

The report is weak in several areas not least in failing to identify the need to include surface hardening (matrix protection) as a requirement in any new developments. The system allows water to pass through the surface and therefore avoids drainage issues. It can also be retro-fitted to verges where parking space is obviously inadequate to meet modern needs.

There is a lack of management performance information included in the papers. Taxpayers should be told how many reports of damaged verges have been received each year by the Council and what the response has been and to what timescales. It remains unclear whether the problem is getting worse

There is no detailed response to the technology based solutions offered by the private sector.

Matrix protection for grassed areas.

There needs to be a programme for the provision of off street parking spaces (for example near blocks of flats), new lay-bys and subsidised dropped kerbs/verge crossovers. Good progress was being made on the latter programme during the last decade but the work has since tailed off.

It seems that the Council will continue to spend £35 per sq metre having damaged verges repaired and will use “community payback” labour to do some of the work.

That was the week that was: west York in pictures

Out and about taking action during the week ending 27th August 2016

Cllr Sheena Jackson has asked for a mattress dumped in Hatfield Walk to be removed and has reported dog fouling problems on Walker Drive

BT kiodk in Kingsway West looking shabby

BT kiosk in Kingsway West looking shabby

We’ve asked for the gutters in the cul de sacs in Kingsway West to be deep cleaned

Problems with day burning lights and inoperative door entry systems have been reported

& the Acomb Market in now open!

A report earlier in the week blamed localised flooding on blocked or damaged gullies Please make sure that you report for cleaning any that you find in your local area

Blocked gully on Gale Lane recently reported by us

We report all issues using https://www.fixmystreet.com/

Blocked gulleys blamed for recent flooding in east York

We warned about false economies 4 years ago. click to access

A report into flash flooding in York has blamed it partly on lack of gulley cleaning.

This will come as little surprise to readers of these pages.

We said in 2012, when the then Labour controlled Council decided to end routine gully cleaning, that it was a false economy.

So it has proved to be.

Credit the present Council who have acted to increase the cleaning regime but not quickly enough to prevent flooding in some areas in June.

The Council report reveals that as many as 50% of drains that have been inspected have been found to be blocked. A number of Yorkshire Water maintained drainage and sewer pipes are also blocked.

£125k in capital funding, for “drainage hotspots”, has been made available by the Council.

New Hob Moor Focus Newsletter published

Hob Moor Focus August 2016 page 1

That was the week that was in pictures

Work started on resurfacing Front Street. The road will be closed again tomorrow (Sunday) to permit the completion of the work

Cllr Sheena Jackson has started a survey aimed at finding out what improved leisure facilities youngsters in the Foxwood area would like to see.

Cllr Sheena Jackson has been meeting with the Local Police Community Support Officer to discuss anti social behaviour issues in the area

Cllr Sheena Jackson has been meeting with the Local Police Community Support Officers to discuss anti social behaviour issues in the area

& a quick litter pick by Sheena in the Tedder Road park

Lack of parking space on Windsor Garth is now a major issue. No sign of much needed matrix protection

Lack of parking space on Windsor Garth is now a major issue. No sign yet of much needed matrix protection

Developers will take down a section of the railings around part of the Hob Stones devleiopemtn in teh authumn. It is beign replaced with an ugly close boarded fence (which is 4 metres high on the north side)

Developers will take down a section of the railings around part of the Hob Stones development in the autumn. It is being replaced with an (ugly) close boarded fence (which is 4 metres high on the north side)

Unfortunately the Council has not updated the notices displayed on public noticeboards in the Kingsway area. There is a lot going on so this is a missed opportunity.

Road works starting on Windsor Garth link road upgrade on 30th August. Plan shows that speed tables will be repaired.

Deep clean needed on Windsor Garth

Recurrence of litter problems on Kingsway West/Green Lane snicket & kick about area

Bus stop paving on Hamilton Drive West disappearing under verge. Reported by Cllr Sue Hunter.

Bus stop paving on Hamilton Drive West disappearing under verge. Litter reported by Cllr Sue Hunter.

Damaged Gully cover Danesfort Ave to be re-aligned to avoid flooding

Weeds and detritus reported on Gale Lane lay-by. We've asked for road markings on the adjacent Stuart Road hamnmerhead to be repaited

Weeds and detritus reported on Gale Lane lay-by. We’ve asked for road markings on the adjacent Stuart Road hammerhead to be repainted

Cllr Andrew Waller has reported an overhanging tree Thanet Road

Litter and detritus on Chesney’s Field snicket

All issues have been reported via https://www.fixmystreet.com/

“A boards” to be banned from City centre pavements

The council’s new policy proposes a four month transition period, from the date approval is granted, to allow plenty of time to notify and put into practice the new regulations from next year.

If approved, the year-long trial will implement a new ‘Prohibition Zone’ banning all A-Boards (and other advertising materials) on the public highway in this zone located within the inner ring road / Business Improvement District boundary.

The only exception will be Micklegate, which will require businesses to apply for a license to the council to place an A-Board on the highway.

All businesses and retailers affected will be sent information on the new policy before this is introduced.

A number of alternatives to using regular A-Boards will be suggested to businesses and retailers located within the zone, including a new city approved board or shared boards (wall/building mounted).

The development of these will be progressed during the transition period and the council hopes to work with partners including the Business Improvement District, the York Retail Forum, Make It York and the York Civic Trust.
(more…)

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