York Council shifts only 10 shared ownership homes in 3 years

The York Council’s much hyped “shared ownership” programme has provided homes for only 10 families during the last 3 years.

Council marketing campaign

The figures are revealed in a response to a Freedom of Information request.

All the 10 homes were purchased on the open market. The scheme encourages residents to identify a property for sale before asking the Council to purchase it for them. The family then buys part of the property on a mortgage while renting the rest.  

The Council has decided to set the rent well below commercial levels, effectively providing the occupier with a taxpayer subsidy.

The only recorded discussion of the strategy, which will see a large proportion of the 600 new homes being built by the Council over the next few years allocated to shared ownership, came at a private meeting. click for details

The York Council admits that priority for shared ownership homes cannot be given to those on the housing waiting list. Nor can it restrict availability to existing York residents. It blames “Homes England” for these restrictions. These seem perverse restrictions given that the housing list is, and has been for many years, the accepted way of determining housing need and priority in the City.

The Council said that, “A key ambition (of shared ownership) is to support key workers by marketing housing for them. Key workers include teachers, health and social care workers, the police, the fire service and others working in the public sector”. It can only do so through a direct marketing campaign. It is unclear how many of the homes have gone to “key workers”

Slow going on “affordable” housing in York?

 Other social landlords have provided 30 shared ownership properties over the last 3 years. Of these, 29 have been “new build”.

By contrast, only 45 additional homes have been added to the Council housing stock since 2016.

Only 4 of these were purchased on the open market.

The open market purchase of homes, to supplement the rental stock, has been the flagship policy of the Liberal Democrats for over a decade. It only became a practical option 4 years ago when restrictions on the use of income from Council house sales were relaxed.

There are over 1700 applicants on the housing waiting list in York

Meanwhile the Council has taken on extra staff to manage its new build housing programme. They have so far failed to report how many shared ownership deals have been completed by the new team during the current financial year.

We think it is time for the Council to have a candid public debate about the demand for shared ownership and other forms of housing tenure in the City.

Check your hedge!

Council says weed killer being sprayed this week

Some bushes have been cut back from the entrance to the Thanet Road cycle path but tree roots are destroying the surface. The white lines need to be refreshed and the signs on Bellhouse Way also need to be refurbished. (Photos above Thanet Road Cycle track)
Boundary hedge owners are asked to check that, following the recent warm/damp weather, thorn branches are not blocking public paths. The Council says that their contractors have started to spray weed killer on paths but are impeded by the rain. Unfortunately there are now many instances of footpaths and gutters being blocked with weeds. (Photos from top left above, Wordsworth Crescent, Wharfe Drive and Foxwood Lane)

All issues have been reported via the Councils “do it on line” service (click)

Crime levels stable in York

Police security marking event tomorrow (Tuesday)

Overall crime levels in York have remained reasonably stable over the last 12 months.

Usually at this time of year – summer holidays – anti social behaviour issues and vandalism show a peak.

It will be a month before the picture becomes entirely clear but early indications are positive.

In the year up to the end of June, anti social behaviour was the most reported crime across the City. This was followed by violence and criminal damage (vandalism) as the next most reported crimes.

It was a similar picture in Westfield

More information is available on the Police UK web site click

Meanwhile on Tuesday the 13th August 2019 the York City Neighbourhood Policing Team will be holding a cycle registration and marking event in partnership with York BID and Street Rangers. The event will take place in the garden area next to Black Horse Passage on Stonebow, York between 1200PM and 1500PM.

“The service is completely free and your cycle will be recorded on the Immobilise database which is a national property register. Once recorded you will have access to your own account on Immobilise.com allowing you to added / remove property and upload photographs of your recorded property.  We will also be using a Dot Peen machine to mark cycles with your post code to add another layer of security”.
“Please come and speak with officers at the event for further information or visit www.immobilise.com”

Latest planning application for the Westfield Ward

Below is the latest planning application received by the York Council for the Westfield ward. 

Full details can be found by clicking the application reference 

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64 The Green Acomb York YO26 5LR

Proposal              Fell 2 no. Conifers; crown reduce Damson by 30% – tree works in a Conservation Area.

Reference           19/01605/TCA

——

Representations can be made in favour of, or in objection to, any application via the Planning on line web site.  http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/

NB. The Council now no longer routinely consults neighbours by letter when an application is received

£350,000 Council Tax bill for new tourist signs in York

A Council official has agreed, at another “behind closed doors” meeting, to contribute £350,000 towards the provision of new “wayfinding” signs in the City centre.

The total cost of the project is £700,000 with the York Business Improvement District (BID) contributing half.

The plan has prompted a mixed reaction in the past. The new LibDem led Council administration had been expected to review the proposals, along with other expenditure commitments – like the £20 million Guildhall project – which it inherited in May.

However, that hasn’t happened, with the new administration adopting a very low-profile approach to public service reforms.

The decision notice says, “The February 2019 Budget Council meeting included the following …. this scheme will allow the Council and York BID to proceed with full implementation of a new Wayfinding scheme starting in Spring 2019, following a detailed consultation exercise. Works will include the removal of 60 current heritage fingerposts to reduce street clutter, and installation of 36 new totem signs, 14 fingerpost signs, and 13 wall signs. York BID have committed £350k to the full implementation, which will be matched by the Council as part of this scheme”.

Opinions on the design of the new signs – one of which is located outside the Mansion House – have been mixed with same favouring the more traditional “finger” signs.

However, the main area of contention relates to prioritisation at a time when an increasing number of visitors to the City depend on smartphone features like Google Maps to find their way around.

While Visit York has a good website, there is scope for a more specialised smartphone app.

There are several commercial applications available with some depending on advertising revenue. Currently Visit York doesn’t provide a list of approved Apps that are available. Anyone accessing the iTunes store and entering “York” will be offered only 2 options. One of these is currently unavailable.

Visit York should commission an official real time “walking tour” type guide and promote its use via its web site, social media and at entry points to the City.

Meanwhile, many will take the view that £350,000 might be better invested in ensuring that the City is weed and litter free, and that street furniture like bins and seats are kept in good condition.

The Council should also finally deliver a replacement for the real time car parking space availability signs, and “on line” service, which was lost some 8 years ago.

Such a “clean and seen” campaign must include the main road and rail routes into the City which are so important in forming a visitors “first impression” of York.

City of York Council and Jobcentre Plus offering support to SuperBreak staff

City of York Council and Jobcentre Plus are teaming up to help promote the support on offer to York-based SuperBreak employees, made redundant, when the firm went into administration last week.

This includes helping those affected with tailored support, including how to write a great CV and with interviewing skills, while jobseekers are notified of new employment opportunities in the locality.

York remains a highly sought after location for investment and the council has a strong track record of working alongside business to create new employment opportunities that supports a strong and vibrant economy.

City of York Council jobs are advertised at www.york.gov.uk/jobs

“Get a grip” call to local Councillors as footpath weed problem spreads

Residents have called on local Councillors to intervene to ensure that weeds growing on local paths and gutters are cleared. Today’s weather, damp and warm, is likely to see the problem get worse over the weekend.

Weeds are obstructing footpaths, gullies and garage areas in the Westfield Ward

In the little Green Lane garage area grass is now growing through the recently resurfaced forecourt. It is a similar situation in Windsor Garth

The weather also means that hedges will be growing more quickly. We’ve reported this bramble bush which is obstructing the public footpath near the entrance to Hob Moor school
Although the Council says that they have removed litter from the Tithe Close snicket, this doesn’t seem to be the case.
Similar situation on The Reeves snicket
The only thing that the Council seems to be doing quickly this summer is knocking down parts of west York. This is all that is now left of the Windsor House elderly persons home. There is some mud on local roads which needs to be monitored.
Still no sign of the replacement for the children’s games area at Hob Moor. Contractors using the old all weather games area for storage are at least polite!

Weed control contract details revealed

A local Councillor has obtained details of the weed control contract that the York Council has with a Harrogate company.

Many complaints have been lodged about the poor appearance of streets in and around York this summer.

Weed control contract 2019

The contract includes a list of all the streets that should be treated Click here to download. It also specifies the quality standards that should be achieved.

Although it  is a long list, it appears that local Councillors weren’t given any chance to check that it was complete before the contract was tendered early in the spring.

While some weeds have been cleared from the gutters near the A59 junction with Station Road, the nearby underpass has not been treated

The contractor is required to treat car parking areas, back lanes, the City Walls and underpasses on the A1237. Paths should be treated up to the adjacent boundary wall.

One potential area of concern is responsibilities on trunk roads with the A59 a particular issue.

A copy of the contract can be downloaded by clicking here.

Residents have resorted to applying weed killer themselves to one traffic island. They will monitor how quickly the weeds are killed. Elsewhere on Station Road, Poppleton, and on the traffic islands nearby, there is little evidence of treatment by the Council’s contractors.

We hope that Councillors and residents will check their local neighbourhoods and report any weeds that have not been treated.

Before next summer, there should be a review of routes and working practices on this contract.

The Council should make this, and other street level public service contract specifications, available on their “open data” web site.

Rufforth off road cycle track opens

Link to A1237 incorporates bridleway friendly gates.

Gate design allows horses to step through without opening gate.

The long awaited off road cycle track link from Rufforth to the northern by pass has opened. The route finishes opposite the entrance to Main Street Knapton.

The path offers a relatively quiet link for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.

The route was not entirely uncontroversial with some fearing that it might be misused by motorcyclists.

There was also a concern that cyclists would find it hazardous to cross the busy A1237 although this would have been an issue at other possible locations.

NB. One parent, on reaching the cycle path this afternoon, explained to his young son that the dip in the middle of the gate was to allow access for large animals. His son replied, “Large animals? Like horses, elephants and dinosaurs?” An unexpected new hazard for residents of Knapton perhaps!