Community Stadium opening date announcement needed.

The announcement earlier in the year, that the opening of the City’s new Community Stadium would be delayed until the autumn, surprised few people.

York City Football Club first learned in 2004 that it could face a move away from Bootham Crescent.

The future of the Knights Rugby team subsequently become inextricably intertwined with the stadiums future.

All seemed well in 2010 when a source of funding (S106 planning contributions) for a new stadium was obtained. Planning permission for the Vanguard development was subsequently granted.  

Further delays occurred as the Council agonised about procurement polices and management arrangements.

After many false dawns, the stadium should have been opening this month.

The announcement of another 6 month delay came as a disappointment.

Such information as leaked out about the cause of the delay was neither confirmed nor denied by a Council embroiled in a local election process. The “purdah” period prevented any statements that might have influenced the election result.

It is now over 5 weeks after the election concluded – with another “no overall majority” result. The Green Party, which opposed the stadium development together with some Tories – now shares power with the LibDems who themselves have a long commitment to the stadium.

There is no suggestion that political interference is behind the reason for the delayed announcements.

The Council, Football and Rugby Clubs – together with the builders (Buckingham) and stadium complex managers (Better), have been strangely quiet over the last few weeks.

 The “purdah” period is long over yet no explanation for the delay or, more importantly, a new opening date have been confirmed. The last official statement talked about an October opening date.

More realistically, the clubs may now be hoping that the stadium will be available for the lucrative Christmas /New Year fixture programme.

NB. York City’s National League North fixture list is due to be announced on 3rd July.  The season will kick off on Saturday, August 3rd. The Football Club has already announced its season ticket prices.

Weather warning – Wetherby Road resurfacing re-scheduled!

It looks like the resurfacing (dressing) of Wetherby Road between Ridgeway and Bland Lane has been re-scheduled for 20th June. It was due to be done this week but was postponed following a period of heavy drizzle!
Access to properties only sign at A1237 junction
Access only sign on Knapton Lane

It appears that the signs intended to discourage short cutting through Knapton have remained in place. This is somewhat confusing for motorists.

Meanwhile we’ve reported that the anti slip surface on the approach to the pedestrian crossing on Cornlands Road has disintegrated. The surface is now hazardous for cyclists.

Another police appeal this time concerning an incident on Tudor Road

The police have emailed out the following information,

“On Friday 7th JUNE 2019 at around 20:15 hours a 17 year old female had been walking towards the CLOCK HOUSE PUB on TUDOR ROAD when a black van had been driving slowly behind her. The Driver shouted out the window to the female “YOU GOING TO GET IN THE CAR”, she thought this was strange as he was driving a van. As the female looked around the male said “NO YOU”. The female then said “NO”.

The female then crossed the road to go down the alley that leads onto MIDDLETON ROAD and the male pulls the can into her path, gets out of the van. The male then pushes the females left shoulder so the female hits the male round the head with a umbrella and runs towards the pub. The male then did a U turn in his van and drove back up TUDOR ROAD towards GALE LANE

Driver was described as white, around 55 years old, around 5ft 10 and scrawny build. He had spoken with a Yorkshire accent, had a pale complexion and was wearing a clear/ silver round glasses. He had a long white beard, white receding hair line and was wearing a grey coloured t shirt, black comber rain coat, black jeans and black boots.

No VRM was able to be obtained from the vehicle, however van is described as a small tatty black van, looked a little like a camper van with a side door, blacked out windows and the wheels had no alloys on”. 

If you have any information to assist officers please call 101 and quote incident number 12190103997 for the attention of PC 461.

Urgent appeal for witnesses and dashcam footage after girl seriously injured in collision on Low Poppleton Lane

UPDATE –

UPDATE; Officers investigating a collision involving a 12-year-old girl and a motorcycle in York have arrested a man.

A 29-year-old York man was arrested at 8pm yesterday on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop. He remains in custody at this time.

Police are urgently appealing for witnesses, information and dashcam or CCTV footage following a serious collision in York this afternoon.

At about 5pm on Wednesday 12 June 2019, police received a report of a serious collision on Low Poppleton Lane, York, involving a pedestrian – a 12-year-old girl – and a motorcycle which left the scene.

Part of the road is covered by ANPR cameras which are used to enforce access, at a” pinch point”, to buses only.

Council chiefs, when the access restriction was reintroduced, courted controversy by saying that moped riders should dismount when they reached the “bus gate” and push their machines along the adjacent cycle track.

Low Poppleton Lane

A report on allowing two wheeled machines to use the bus gate has been outstanding for over 6 months.

The pedestrian suffered serious head injuries in the accident and was taken to Leeds General Infirmary for treatment.

The motorcycle, believed to be grey or silver in colour, left in an unknown direction. The rider is described as wearing a black jacket and had a white helmet on.

The scene is closed off and will remain so for several hours while Forensic Collision Investigators examine the scene. Motorists are asked to avoid the area.

The girl’s family are with her at this difficult time.

Officers are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision or the motorcycle leaving the scene, or anyone who may have any dashcam or other CCTV footage of the incident, to contact North Yorkshire Police. Please do so as a matter of urgency, quoting NYP-12062019-0335.

Officers are also appealing to the rider of the motorcycle, or anyone who knows where the rider and motorbike are, to immediately contact North Yorkshire Police directly, or alternatively via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Counter fraud team saves taxpayers £328,275 in York

Counter fraud work by the York Council saved taxpayers over £300,000 in York during the last year.

The figure is revealed in a report which will be considered by a Council committee next week.

The report reveals that it received 345 reports of possible fraudulent activity.

42% of the cases related to fraud in social care. 22% in Council tax/Rates, 18% related to housing fraud and 11 concerned benefit claims.

Officials also investigated the misuse of blue badges for parking. Officials claim that 84% of investigations were successful with two people prosecuted and a further 10 cautioned.

Three false applications for school placements were also halted.

In 2018/19 the team identified over £201,000 of losses to the council, for social care fraud. This was a 19% increase from the previous financial year. Over £137,000 of savings were produced which represents a substantial rise compared to 2017/18 (£38k).

Two people were prosecuted for fraudulently claiming monies, from the York Financial Assistance Scheme, that they did not require.

What’s on in York: Spotlight on Health Archives

Friday June 14th

York Explore Library

10:00 am – 4:00 pm Free

Have you ever wondered what it was like to visit the school dentist in the early 20th century? Or what you could expect from a midwife in the 19th century?

Join us for a drop-in exhibition at York Explore, in partnership with the York Human Rights City, to find out. Uncover what level of healthcare you were (or were not!) entitled to, and what you could expect from the healthcare professionals of the past.

This event is part of the York Festival of Ideas 2019.

Call for compensation after Council confirms that it did not consult on building compound location

In response to a Freedom of Information request the York Council has now confirmed that it did not consult neighbours or local Councillors before issuing a license which allowed a building contractor to occupy the “old allotments” site at the rear of the library car park.

This site has been owned by the Council for over 15 years. The developers of the adjacent bowling Club land (which does have planning permission) had previously said that they did not want to combine the two sites to provide a abetter overall layout.

Work on the site disturbed residents living in South View Terrace and part of Lowfields Drive.

The first that residents knew of the arrangement, was when heavy plant moved onto the site and started to clear it. This prompted complaints about noise, dust and vibrations.

Spoil heap heights reached over 4 metres at one point.

Local fauna and flora on the site were badly affected.

The Council now says that it granted a license to occupy its land on 8th April. There was no consultation undertaken with neighbours.

Residents complained to the Council on 16th May about the problems being caused.

It wasn’t until 28th May that the Council wrote to affected neighbours telling them about the license.

The Council says that working hours on the compound are restricted to 8:00am – 6:00pm, Mon – Fri plus 9:00am – 1:00pm on Saturdays.

The Council says that “The compound licence requires the developer to leave the property in a clean and tidy condition at the end of the licence, including the removal of hardcore”.  

It goes on to say that it expects the compound to be in use for 12 months.

An investigation into whether the developers have the necessary planning permission to use the building compound is still underway.

In our view affected residents have suffered unexpected and unreasonable disruption and should be entitled to compensation.

It is possible that the matter may be referred to the Local Government Ombudsman

Many unfilled job vacancies in York

Latest unemployment figures show only 1.3%  are out of work in York.

This is significantly below the national figure of 2.7%.

There are 676 York job vacancies registered on the governments “find a job” website today. Some have been unfilled for several months now. The number of vacancies exceeds the number of people claiming job seekers allowance (550).

The latest Job Density figures available confirm that there were more jobs available than in other parts of the country

  • York 0.89
  • Yorkshire 0.81
  • Great Britain 0.86

!Density figures represent the ratio of total jobs to population aged 16-65)

Most York jobs these days are in the retail, tourism, education and social care sectors.

The high number of job vacancies is likely to inhibit growth prospects for the York economy

Cost of Ascot Way disabled centre soars by 37%

Council blames the “complexity” of the selected design for the increase.

A Council report published today reveals that the cost of the Centre of Excellence for Disabled Children will increase from the originally budgeted figure of £4.3 million (January 2018) to an estimated £5.9 million.

Demolition works have started at Windsor House

This comes after the Council, In April 2018, had agreed to increase the proportion of the costs which would be funded by borrowing

£1.1 million of the increased costs will come from a Health service grant with the rest being transferred from the education budget.

It appears that some features  of the building are being “value engineered” out of the design.

The centre is being built on the site of the Windsor House elderly persons home. The neighbouring Lincoln Court independent living building is also being modernised and extended at the same time.

While both projects have been welcomed, concerns have been expressed about traffic congestion and parking issues in the area.

The impact of the developments on open space and sports facilities in the neighbourhood have also been criticised.

Details of the new budget allocations are being kept secret by the Council. It is unclear what promised features in the building may now be omitted.

The meeting to consider the budget increase is taking place on 18th June.