So how good are street level public services in York?

Well you’ll not find out from looking at the stats presented to the Council’s Executive committee

Graffiti 2nd September

Those reported on 27th August contain performance measures for only a minority of street level services.

click to enlarge

Many residents would expect that the volume of issues raised on each of the core activity areas of the Local Authority (see left) would be routinely reported to the Councils Executive together with stats showing the speed of response, the results of quality checks and customer satisfaction measures.

In August performance states were only provide for:

Graffiti removal where the Council claimed to have dealt with issues “in less than 3 days” (quicker for obscene graffiti)

Graffiti 26th September

% of roads in poor condition (No results since 2013/14)
YCC % telephone calls answered in 20 secs (45%)

Even in these cases the validity of the claimed performance must be open to doubt.

We reported graffiti on the flood gates on North Street on 2nd September.

25 days later it was still there.

We had similar problems when reporting broken glass in School Street and nettles overhanging a footpath in Bellhouse Way

Residents can report issues using “Fix My Street” they can record progress made in remedying issues on an interactive map (click here)

York Council slow to deal with safety reports

Just a few weeks after we reported that the York Council seemed to be getting on top of a backlog of complaints, further issues have arisen.

Nettles overgrowing footpaths, broken glass, full poop scoop bins, graffiti and litter in back lanes have all been reported but are still awaiting Council attention two weeks later. A confirmation of receipt of the complaints had been sent by the Council on 8th September when the issues were sent on to the responsible department for action.

The problems had been reported through “Fix my Street“. This web site allows progress to be publicly recorded. Some issues logged two weeks ago have been addressed – an abandoned bike on York Road has been removed and a clothes recycling bank emptied – but several remain outstanding.

Local Councillors have been asked to escalate the outstanding issues.

Nettles overgrowing Bellhouse Way – first reported on 6th September and a hazard for passing children

Broken glass on School Street back lane – outstanding for two weeks

Litter in Gladstone Street/Beaconsfield Street area back lanes

Poop scoop bin full on Dijon Avenue . First reported 6th September -may have been emptied but is now full again (and very smelly!)

Clothes bank has been emptied in Acomb car park but rubbish now being piled on top of can bank

York Council catching up with complaints backlog

There seems to have been an improvement over the last few days with complaints, about several problems with street services, having been rectified by the York Council.

Last week we used “Fix My Street” to report problems with dumping, litter and full bins on Chesneys Field.

These issues have now been addressed.

Shame though that parts of the city centre are still blighted by graffiti.

Among the worst instances are the flood barriers on North Street but even as far out as Jubilee Terrace problems are occurring.

It is time that the, so called, Police/Council anti social behavior “hub” addressed this issue. There headquarters is, after all, within throwing distance of North Street!

Graffiti North Street

Graffiti Jubilee Terrace

Post bank holiday clean up needed in York

The school holidays seems to have increased pressure on some public services.

The Fix My Street web site (click) has a map showing all the reports made through their site concerning issues in the York area.

The map does not,of course, show issues which have been reported direct to the Council. However the only way that we will see a sustained improvement in public services in the city is for ordinary citizens to report every issue that they see.

Below are a selection of the issues that we have reported over the last few days.

Dumping on Chesneys Field

Full litter bin

Full poop scoop bin

Weeds on riverside walk

York Council set to abandon “Smarter York” issue reporting system

Following technology problems, the York Council is planning to abandon its “Smarter York” mobile based issue reporting system.

Labour Councillors promoting the Smarter York “App” in London 3 years ago.

About 30 issues a month were being reported using the system.

However, for several months, computer faults prevented users viewing the progress made on the issues that they raised.

Now, lack of confidence in the system, has seen fewer than 1 report a week recently being posted with most seemingly being recorded by Council officials

The system has been heavily criticised over the last couple of years.

The alternative, internet based, “report it” on line system was also abandoned by the Council when it moved offices a couple of years ago

Now the Council is saying that it will discontinue the Smarter York service when a new “customer relationship management system” is introduced.

This is the system that should have been ready in May.

No explanation for the delayed introduction has been provided by the Council and no forecast of when residents will be able to use it has been provided.

We continue to find that proprietary systems like “Fix My Street” are much more user friendly than the alternatives authored by local authorities.

New public service requests via “Fix my Street”

Two more issues that we have reported via “Fix My Street“

Broken branch on Foxwood Lane

Litter on Chesney’s Field

Garden maintenance scheme failure angers York tenants

Path overgrown

Council tenants entitled to free garden maintenance have been angered by delays in cutting back overgrown vegetation this summer.

The Councils housing department offers a free gardening service for elderly or disabled council tenants who have no-one else to help, cutting grass five times and hedges twice between April and October (weather permitting).

The scheme has run for many years but periodically it seems to fall behind schedule causing substantial inconvenience for some of its vulnerable clients.

This summer we have seen one example where an elderly tenant, living in the Foxwood area, complained on five occasions that her garden was becoming overgrown and unsafe.

Following an admission to hospital, upon her return home a few weeks later, she found that the access path was overgrown – a potential hazard for the less nimble – while weeds had started to overgrow the windows.

Window engulfed by weeds

Local councillors have pledged to follow up individual complaints but it seems that basic contract supervision arrangements – and complaint handling systems – have badly let down several vulnerable residents this summer

NB. The garden maintenance contract was awarded to Oakdale NE Ltd in June 2014. The two year contract was estimated to be worth £140,000.

Foxwood gardeners triumph!

As part of the Big Community Challenge which was carried out at Foxwood Community Centre last October, three raised beds were constructed. These were rented out to local people at the modest cost of £20 for the year.

They have proved very productive with onions, lettuce, potatoes, peas and beans all being grown. Picture shows local resident Shirley Gumley with some of the produce grown.

Apple and pear trees have also been planted.

Anyone interested in taking a raised bed and who lives in the Foxwood area, should contact Sue Galloway on 01904 794111.

In July Foxwood Residents Association held a garden competition and £200 of prizes were awarded. The judges, led by Nigel Harrison, commented on the high standard of entries and praised the Residents Association for their efforts which had resulted in 20 entries being judged

Cycle track graffiti cleared

Before the clean-up

We are pleased to report that action by local LibDem Councillors, to get rid of the graffiti which had been daubed on the back of the Lovel House garages, has had a successful outcome.

The garage wall backs onto the well-used cycle and footpath that runs from Thanet Road by the side of the bowls club through to Bellhouse Way.

After the clean-up

Please let us know if you spot any similar problems.

Details of Ward Committee funding revealed

£53,445 boost for Westfield area

Details of how much local communities will have to spend through new Ward Committees have been confirmed as part of plans brought forward by the Liberal Democrat-Conservative Executive.

click to enlarge

The proposals, which are opposed by the Labour Group, will see Ward Committees given an allocation of a £925,000 budget to fund projects such as street clean-ups and offer grants to local voluntary groups.

The process for allocating highway improvements has been partly localised as part of the plans as has some social care funding.

Work will also be undertaken by council officers to identify further budget areas which could be devolved to communities.

Local Councillors are expected to announce shortly how they intend to consult over the use of the different funding streams

. Re-establishing proper Ward Committees was a key part of the Liberal Democrat manifesto

The proposals begin the process of devolving power and budgets to local residents and community groups.

This enhanced pot of money will give wards the opportunity to tackle local priorities and develop community initiatives.

It increases overall funding to nearly £1 million from the £75,000 in grants available under the previous Labour Council.

Westfield Councillor Andrew Waller commented,

“It is disappointing although perhaps not surprising that the Labour Group is opposing the moves. The previous Labour Council removed ward credits, stripped power and budgets away from local communities, and spent four years ignoring local residents.

The new Executive trusts elected ward councillors to work with their communities and make the right decisions – rather than impose everything from West Offices like the previous Labour administration.”

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