The Councils Executive discussed the planned extension of the Lincoln Court independent living building yesterday. They agreed to progress the scheme and included a requirement for an alternative all weather games area to be provided in the ward.
It will be up to the planning committee at its meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) to include a condition requiring that the new facility is provided before the existing MUGA is demolished.
Windsor House is already being vandalised
It emerged at the meeting that 14 of the remaining 19 tenants have now accepted offers of alternative accommodation. When the remaining 5 will be offered, and accept, a suitable alternative remains in doubt. The adjacent Windsor House building, which is empty, is already suffering vandalism and there is a concern that the whole site could become a magnet for anti social behaviour.
Large delivery lorries are ruining roads in Lowfields. Similar concerns about Ascot Way
The Council is negotiating with the school to allow builders plant to access the site from the school side. There have been major problems getting large items of plant into the Lowfields site where roads are of a similar width to Ascot Way.
It has yet to be confirmed whether an (pedestrian) access will be retained from the school site when the redevelopment has been completed. This is considered to be essential to provide overflow parking capacity given that only 16 spaces are being provided on the Ascot Way frontage.
Large plant on Lowfields site. Working hours planning condition being breached?
Sadly members of the executive failed to probe why the new apartments have been described, in successive Planning Committee reports, as “extra care” units.
No doubt residents will get more clarification tomorrow
The Make it York organisation, which is partly funded by York
taxpayers, is reporting that it has made a £140,714 profit so far this year. That is £71,900 above budget expectations
They currently have a balance sheet surplus of £330,000
The organisation reports that it had a successful Christmas
and claims “continuing strong performance from Shambles Market, City Centre
Activities and Visit York Membership”
No detail is provided on the Shambles market performance.
Thebrief reportto a “shareholder “ meeting also says that the “York Pass” initiative has been less successful than hoped.
Looking to the future the report says, “MIY currently runs or facilitates a range of events which animate the
public realm and make the city vibrant and interesting for visitors and
residents. There is scope though to use the “stage” provided to do, and to
facilitate, a great deal more, the ultimate objective being to ensure a daily
“wow” factor”
Anyone looking for work or wanting support into training or employment are welcome to York Jobs Fair on Wednesday 20 March 2019.
From 10am to 2pm at the York Railway Institute (RI), Queen Street, around 70 employers, training providers and career advisors including John Lewis, Hiscox and Work With York are expected along with some 700 visitors.
Funded and organised by City of York Council in partnership with Job Centre Plus, this free event brings together employers, employment support agencies, and education and training providers to offer local people over 4000 job opportunities, career information and advice.
The York Council is reporting that 917 (93.2%) of York Taxi drivers
have successfully completed their Disclosure and Barring (DBS) checks. The
checks were introduced to reassure passengers that drivers were “fit and proper”
to hold a licence. A committee report
goes on to say;
“There are 14 (1.4%) drivers with checks in
progress with the DBS.
There are 22 (2.2%) drivers with whom we are
checking ‘positive’ results. Please note that the DBS process flags all
previous convictions and other matters which we may already be aware of.
Some 18 (1.8%) of drivers have indicated their
intention to surrender their licence as they are no longer driving.
There are ten (1.0%) drivers who we have been
unable to contact or begin the process for good reason (for example because
they have a long-term illness) &
three (0.3%) drivers are refusing to
co-operate”.
A report to the same meeting – which is taking place tomorrow (Monday) attempts to deal with the issue of UBER drivers operating in York. Last year the Council refused to grant a licence to UBER to operate locally. The issue now concerns UBER drivers, with licences are issued by other authorities, are still serving the City .
UBER
The report says that the Council is satisfied that having regard to the independent Legal Opinion, the settled legal position remains as follows:
“Provided the three licences required in relation to a private hire vehicle (operator, vehicle and driver) have all been issued by the same authority, then the private hire vehicle (PHV) can undertake journeys anywhere in England and Wales. That is irrespective of where the journey commences, areas through which the journey passes and, ultimately, the area where the journey ends”.
The largest proposal concerns the land to the rear of the railway station. Known as “York Central” redevelopment of the area has been on the cards for nearly two decades. It has finally reached the planning application stage. The report recommends that the plans be forwarded to the Secretary of State for endorsement. The plans have attracted some opposition, but the economic and social welfare of the City depends on making some progress on the site now. Hopefully some of the ill judged ideas such as having only one-way traffic through the Marble Arch tunnel can be changed at a later stage.
Lowfields
‘dozer wrecks playing field
There is already a lot of local disquiet about the way that the Council are implementing their plans for this area. Many of the comments on the “Save Lowfields Playing Field” Facebook pageare from disgruntled local residents who, even at this early stage, point to conflicts between lorries and parked cars, muddy roads and the ripping out of trees and hedges.
They are asking that the new parking spacespromised for Tudor Road be constructed before the existing parking lay-by is lost as an access road is constructed.
Yorspace proposed development plan, Lowfields
Further along the road, the “Yorspace” applicationhas been heavily criticised by local residents. The main concerns related to the lack of affordable units proposed on the site, the impact on the natural environment including inappropriate boundary treatments, security concerns relating to the adjacent public snicket access to little Tudor Road, the proposal to remove the railings which protect adjacent properties, inadequate car parking provision and the impact that overspill parking by residents, families and visitors could have on neighbouring streets and the height of the buildings.
Council officials have revealed that they have approved 5 outstanding conditions, for activities on the building site, despite several objections.
Lincoln Court
Lincoln Court.
The Council has made an embarrassing series of mistakes on the proposal to extend this independent living building. Even now they have published papers which imply (wrongly) that the new apartments will be classified as “Extra Care” units. It has had plenty of time to clarify that issue.
There is some hope now that the future of the adjacent games area will be secured. Local Councillors are understood to have taken the initiative to discuss moving the facility to the local rugby club ground. If so, that would be a good solution to a problem which has also raised concerns from Sport England, and the resident’s association.
NB.
This relates to health and safety conditions attached to the use of machinery on
the site. It has been approved by Council officials using their delegated powers
Condition 3 Notwithstanding
any proposed materials specified on the approved drawings or in the application
form submitted with the application, samples of the external materials to be
used shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning
Authority prior to the commencement of the construction of above ground works.
The development shall be carried out using the approved materials.
Condition 6 Prior to first occupation a detailed landscaping scheme
which shall illustrate the number, species, height and position of trees and
shrubs shall be submitted and approved in writing by the Local Planning
Authority. This scheme shall be implemented within a period of six months of
the completion of the development.
Condition 7 Prior to the commencement of any service or utilities
works that would impact on Hob Moor Local Nature Reserve, a derogation from the
Higher Level Stewardship agreement must be obtained from Natural England, and a
method statement for construction works and reinstatement approved in writing
with the Local Planning Authority
Condition 10 A detailed method of works statement
Condition 12 Prior to construction details of the proposed means of
foul and surface water drainage, including details of any balancing works and
off site works, shall submitted to and approved in writing by the Local
Planning Authority
Condition 14 Prior to their construction, full engineering,
drainage, street lighting and constructional details of the streets proposed
for adoption shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local
Planning Authority.
The owners of a dog found to be dangerously out of control have been handed a five year dog ownership ban by York Magistrates today [15 March 2019].
City of York Council, in a joint operation with North Yorkshire Police, seized the dog on the 27 July 2018, to prevent continued aggression towards people and other animals.
Scott Berkley (aged 42, of no fixed abode) and Katie Bradley (aged 41 also of no fixed abode), owned the Staffordshire bull terrier. The dog was not micro chipped and would frequently escape their former home at Dale Street and attack smaller dogs.
One attack left a resident visiting hospital due to injuries received when they tried to intervene as their pet was attacked. Their Jack RussellxCorgi required surgery to save its hearing.
Mr Berkley and Ms Bradley were charged with an aggravated offence of owning a dog which was dangerously out of control and injured a person.
They had previously pleaded guilty to failing to microchip a dog. This is the first time that City of York Council has brought a case of failing to microchip a dog.
Today [15 March 2019], Mr Berkley and Ms Bradley pleaded guilty to the outstanding charge and were each issued a five year ban on owning a dog by York Magistrates. They were also ordered to pay the victim a total of £468.
