York’s Labour Council are proposing changes to the Towthorpe Recycling Centre that could include reducing regular opening hours or even closing the site completely over the winter.
York Liberal Democrats believe the current opening hours and service levels should be maintained.
To show your support please sign our petition here
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The government has allocated nearly £17,000 to be spent over the next 4 years on community projects in the Westfield Ward. The “Neighbourhood Grant” is a minimum figure and comes from a £30 million national budget.
A Community Development Foundation (CDF) has been set up to administer the programme although Ministers are keen to maximise the involvement of community organisations. It is expected that local groups will match the grants with money or time.
The programme complements the “Community Organiser” (so called “Big Society”) initiative.
A “Community First” panel will be set up in Westfield and will help to determine priorities and monitor progress. It will be comprised entirely of local residents. The CDF are currently contacting voluntary organisations in the Ward to brief them on the opportunities available.
Steps are already being taken to set up the Westfield Community First Panel which will comprise between 4 & 8 local residents. Expressions of interest are welcome. More details can be found at http://cdf.org.uk/
In the longer term it is hoped to sustain investment in better community facilities by encouraging people and businesses to dedicate endowments to continuing the programme.
A 5.5 metre diameter wind turbine is set to become a feature of the landscape on the A59 Boroughbridge Road following a decision by the York planning committee. The turbine tower is being constructed at the Nairobi Stables and will be 9 metres high. Permission has also been granted for a detached garage which will be used to house equipment and to store vehicles. The power from the turbine will be used to generate electricity for a nearby dwelling and café. It is expected to generate about 9000 KWh per year.
We reported on changes to bus services affecting the west of
York in July. The changes will be implemented from 28th August. Details are now
appearing on websites like
First http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/york/travel_news/service_updates/
Transdev http://www.yorkbus.co.uk/news
Pullman http://www.yorkpullmanbus.co.uk/local-bus-services
The Yorkshire travel planner should be updated shortly http://www.yorkshiretravel.net
The Council has to invite tenders to operate subsidised bus services.
Some of the tenders received were substantially below those
that were eventually accepted.
Arriva in particular decided to withdraw their tenders after
the final deadline. Not necessarily in the best interests of taxpayers or bus users
(if the Council ends up not being able to buy as many services as they had
hoped to)
Transdev seem to have picked up some additional contracts
Parking wardens have stepped up action in the Severus Street/Gladstone Street area over recent days. Several parking tickets have been issued to the owners of vehicles parked on double yellow lines.
The Council meetign held last night heard that Labour will not be able to carry out their threat to scrap the number 4 ftr bus service. Officials told us that the Council has very limited powers to specify vehicle types on commercial services. If a Low Emission Zone was put in place then this may be used to restrict access to certain vehicles including buses. Height/weight/length restrictions can be applied which would limit vehicle types. First could remove the ftr fleet at the end of the current agreement (june) but equally the service may continue unchange or be expanded.
The Council also heard that – against the national trend – use of bus services in York was stable. Total passengers trips in recent years have been:
2009/10 14,774,492
2008/09 15,334,448
2007/08 14,853,143
2006/07 15,144,371
2005/06 14,493,549
Ascot Way
Walking around Westfield in the sunshine over the last few days it is clear that the winter weather has taken its toll. So we’re organising a spring clean and inviting residents to play their part.
The Council are already working flat out to repair the potholes that have appeared in the roads. The first cut of grassed areas is already underway and will be completed before Easter.
We’ve reported areas where there is still some tree detritus to be removed (above photo was in Ascot Way)
The Council are working with the Tidy Britain Group to launch ‘Love Where You Live’, as the introduction to engaging with residents during the coming weeks.
The Brunswick Nursery is producing a planter for Tadcaster Road and 105 trees are to be planted on Saturday by the Foxwood residents. In addition a planting programme has started in Clarence Gardens.
Additional areas are to be allocated to Community Payback and they will start on these areas next week. York Cares will be given some group projects and environmental work and these activities should start just after Easter. The Street Environment Officers are developing schedules with York University where groups of volunteers will go into an area, under Council supervision, and do a ‘clean up’. This work will be aimed primarily at the areas with high numbers of student occupied homes.
Work which can be done on hedge cutting is currently limited, but the Council has carried out work around allotments and known areas where hedges are overhanging the highway. The full service will not start until after the nesting season.
The cleaning of traffic islands starts next week, as we hope, by now, we have seen the last of the gritting. Early morning Sunday work will take place on the main, high traffic roads, complete with the appropriate traffic management. Residents should start to see an improvement by the middle of next week, but the full programme will last around a month.
The Council hopes to get into more ‘hammer heads’, than ever before. However, if there any you would like us to deal with quickly with a specific cul de sac, then please let us know using the form which can be found on this website.
All the roundabouts are currently being re-landscaped using sponsorship money. Full planting of summer flowers is scheduled for May, in readiness for the Britain in Bloom judging. There are 21 organisations working with us towards the ‘In Bloom’ competition. 10 are new this year including organisations such as Friends of Acomb Green.
The scheduled cleans of the terraced streets have been re-planned for the coming year. All will get one clean where parking restrictions will be imposed and gully cleaning, surface repairs and sweeping will take place. The street will be re-visited again after 6 months, requesting residents to move their cars.
In the past the full highways inspection has been done during May and June. This has been brought forward and will start the first week in April. The advantage being that work can be planned in much earlier. All temporary repairs will be checked out and a permanent repair completed as necessary.
Please help with the spring clean by ensuring that gardens are tidy & that hedges and trees cut back from neighbouring properties and from the public footpath.
We will be scheduling shortly the annual rubbish collection day when refuse and recycling vehicles tour the ward removing unwanted items. We will publicise details on this web site shortly.
As we approach the Council elections on May5th , I take a look back at some of the changes that we have seen in the Westfield area since 2007.
So lets start today with a look at 2007.
Spring
Focus reported that a flashing speed sign would be installed on Wetherby Road.
A local MP argued that the Edmund Wilson and Yearsley swimming pools should be closed down and replaced by a large pool at the Barbican. But the Council opted to build a new pool at the Energise sports centre on Cornlands Road and refurbish Yearsley. An 8 lane competition standard pool would be provided on Hull Road near the University.
Lidl were bidding for the land occupied by the library at Front Street but residents backed the alternative new “Explore” library option for the site. A few years later Lidl were to open in Thanet Road. When the new library opened, the number of users was to treble.
Summer
A revolutionary Telecare system was launched by Sue Galloway. It allows elderly residents to live safely in the comfort of their own homes.
The first plans for play provision in the Grange Lane park were announced. Plans for a new development off Chapelfields Road were also announced (now The Burn).
Plans for the new York High school were revealed. The school was to operate from Lowfields while building work took place on Cornlands Road.
Work started on the new Askham Lane/ring road roundabout.
Railings were completed around the Tedder Road play ground and plans to build flats on the site of a Chinese restaurant on Gale Lane were announced. The Council stepped up its provision of dropped kerbs/lay-bys to deal with parking problems in the area.
Autumn
A CCTV security camera would be fitted in Front Street. Flower boxes were provided in the same area as Westfield geared up for the Britain in Bloom competition in which it came second. (York was to win 3 years later). Residents on Askham Lane planted dozens of bulbs on a local amenity area.
Reusable jute bags were distributed from local community centres as a campaign against the use of plastic bags got underway.
A 47% drop in crime in the ward was reported but a planning wrangle threatened the new “Energise” swimming pool when Labour Councillors tried to delay the project.
Discovery of a bat haven prompted a small diversion of the approach road to the new ring road roundabout.
A fun day in Foxwood had been voted a big success while railings around the back of the Acomb Wood Drive shops had improved security. Fencing was also provided to stop access to the rear of the sub station on the Tedder Road to Tithe Close snicket.
A new zebra crossing was provided on Gale Lane near the Cornlands Road junction. The York Cares group undertook a project to improve the garden outside the Windsor House home which was now specialising in helping people suffering from dementia.
A “no ball games” sign is to be erected outside the shops on Cornlands Road following complaints from residents
