The centres Trustees say that they don’t have the resources or expertise to run the centre under post COVID restrictions.
That would be a shame. Some of the user groups provide essential support services for the local community. Some of these services are even more important in the post pandemic fragile world that we now live in.
Some users groups may cease to exist if they don’t have at least some earned income.
The Council has postured over the last few mnths about the importance of “community hubs”.
It should now put its money where its spin has been and agree to properly resource centres like the one in Foxwood.
Members of Parliament have written to the Sports Minister asking when clubs like York City will be able to reopen their grounds.
MPs letter to Sports MinisterSignatories
The MP’s highlighted the perilous position of many non league clubs finances.
Uncertainty – about when paying customers will be able to attend games – and in what numbers – is putting some clubs under threat of closure.
The MPs pointed to the imminent start of the pre-season “friendly” programme.
Although neither of the local MPs signed the 21st August letter, York Outer MP Julian Sturdy said he supported a more general plea made in a letter sent on 17th August and subsequently backed this up with an Email last Monday. There has been no word from York Central MP Rachel Maskell in whose constituency the present York City/York Knights ground is located.
Currently the expectation is that, when the National Leagues resume in October, around 30% of the seats may be available for supporters.
There is a particular problem for York City FC who will manage the new LNER community stadium at Monks Cross. Before they can take full occupation a “test” event involving 3000 spectators must take place. This would allow a safety certificate for the 8500 seater stadium to be issued.
There has been a suggestion – as a result of the health restrictions on capacity which are likely to apply for a few months at least – that certification for a smaller capacity might be possible.
There has been no word from the stadium owners – the York Council – about how and when this might be achieved.
There are 6 weeks to go until the start of the football season for clubs like York City
Earlier letter re smaller non league clubsSignatories
A response to a Freedom of information enquiry has revealed scale of sub-letting of Council premises.
West Offices
At West Offices the following organisations rent space;
York and District Citizens Advice Bureau – 26 workstations plus associated meeting rooms
NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group – 105 workstations
Public Health England – 40 workstations
Network Rail – 88 workstations
Probation Service – 31 workstations
North Yorkshire Police – 12 workstations
It is unclear how the impeding restructuring of Public Health England services will affect current arrangements.
The Council has refused to reveal how much it receives in rent from the tenants.
The intention when moving to West Offices nearly a decade ago was that the Council would release 16 properties that they occupied at that time.
These included De Grey House, Exhibition Square, Mill House, North Street, 10-12 George Hudson Street, York, 20 George Hudson Street, 18 Back Swinegate, 1A & 1B Swinegate East, 1E Swinegate East, 50 York Road, Acomb, St Leonards Place/2 & 4 Museum Street, 11 Little Stonegate, 1 Blake Street, St. Anthony’s House, Clarence Street, Ashbank, 1 Shipton Road, Clifton, York, YO30 5RE. Holly Croft, Wenlock Terrace, Fulford Road, The Guildhall, St. Helen’s Square, 5-6 King’s Court.
These premises have been vacated although two (Ashbank and the Guildhall) have remained empty incurring continuing costs for taxpayers.
Most staff have not yet returned to work at West Offices following the pandemic.
It remains unclear what proportion of staff will continue to “work from home” in the future. If the number is significant then additional space at West Offices may become available for sub-letting.
According to the Foxwood Residents Association Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FoxwoodResidentsAssociation the Council has approved the making of an order which should – eventually – see the footpath added to local maps.
“Acomb Moor public right of way – decision
Our application to have the route from Foxwood Lane to Osprey Close – across Acomb Moor – recognised has passed another hurdle.
We understand that at a private meeting held on Tuesday Council officials decided to make a definitive map modification order (DMMO). The order should be made and published within the next few months. This would mean that the Public Right of Way route would be added to footpath maps.
The meeting was held behind closed doors and no agenda was published. This meant that interested parties were not able to make (further) representations. We understand that the background papers may not be published on the Councils website until next week.
We understand that initial consultation and review of the available evidence was completed and it was apparent that there is sufficient evidence to “reasonably allege that a public right of way subsists over the application route”. Under these circumstances the Council is required to make a DMMO by section 53 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
There will be a period of time during which objections to the designation can be made. If any objections are not subsequently withdrawn then the matter is referred to the Secretary of State for determination. This sometimes results in a Public Inquiry.
Footpath line before the field was ploughed
So it could be several months before the issue is entirely resolved.
In the meantime we have asked the Council to take steps to ensure that public access to the path is available for the point on Foxwood Lane where the stile used to be located (currently blocked by a tree trunk).
NB. We hope that the promised extension of the York Strays will include at least part of Acomb Moor. It is already used as an informal “country park”, is an important leisure area for the neighbourhood, it falls within the Green Belt and is on the most accessible side of the A1237. There is considerable scope for promoting conservation of flora and fauna in the area not least through re-establishing hedgerows where they have disappeared”.
The York Council says that it still faces a £20.4 million budget shortfall as a result of the COVID crisis.
The figures will be presented to a meeting next week They vary little from what has previously been published with the bulk of the shortfall (£16 million) being in anticipated reductions in Council Tax and Business Rate income following a rise in unemployment levels. .
The biggest hit is expected during the next financial year when the Councils reserves will hit a low point.
There is still little evidence that the council is controlling its expenditure levels. There has been no freeze on new expenditure commitments.
One encouraging trend is in visitor numbers in the City centre.
Marygate car park full
Officials say that use is now at 80% of car park capacity.
Footfall is at 70% of normal levels. This is higher than in other cities (50%) and bears out our own observations.
Use of public transport is still much reduced.
Despite the obvious increasing demand for car parking there is no mention in the report about the controversial decision to take 40 spaces at Marygate out of use.
Nor is there any acknowledgement that the number of spaces allocated for disabled use at Monk Bar is excessive. Most there are never used.
These spaces could be generating additional income for the Council and, of course, their occupants would be likely to be spending in local shops, restaurants and visitor attractions.
The income loss to the Council from the 70 unused spaces is estimated to be £5000 a week.
The Council says that changed highways layouts have “largely been well received”. They base this claim on the responses to a survey question (“big conversation”) where 62% said that they agreed with the extension of the “foot-streets”.
This may be so, but the council failed to include questions in its survey about individual actions like the reduction in car parking provision. Without such feedback, it is impossible to judge which of the changes enjoys popular support.
There is no acknowledgement that faulty car park ticket machines and unreliable advanced space availability signs remain an issue.
The Council is promising to consult with disabled residents about their transport needs. It will spend £25,000 doing so.
As usual the suburban and secondary shopping areas are ignored by officials.
Front Street needs more shoppers
There is clearly an economic opportunity for areas like Acomb if they can attract those who feel let down by some of the travel restrictions.
Opening Front Street to blue badge holders, on one or two days a week, would cost little but could stimulate footfall in what is another another beleaguered trading area.
Council taxpayers are to be asked to provide guarantees of up to £1.95 million in financial support as the York Museums Trust (YMT) project a budget deficit.
Castle Museum
According to figures being considered by the Councilnext week the Trust, – which manages the Yorkshire & Castle Museums as well as the Art Gallery, – faces a £1.54 million deficit this year.
It has already made provision for £200,000 in redundancy costs. A 20% reduction in staffing is planned. The Arts Council have provided an emergency grant of £412,000.
£3.5 million of the Trust’s annual income comes from admission charges. These have largely dried up as a result of the COVID health scare.
The report says;
Covid-19 therefore creates an immediate financial threat to YMT’s continued existence and the trustees have now logged a serious incident report with the Charities Commission reflecting the fact that they will require financial support in order to remain a going concern. Without this they will run out of cash in January 2021.
Furthermore, the ongoing financial position will remain difficult into 21/22 since surveys of visitors undertaken nationally by the Association of Large Visitor Attractions suggest that only 20% of the previous audience numbers will be received on reopening.
If the Trust folds, then the museums – and most liabilities – would revert to the Council. It is estimated that, in such a scenario, the Council would face additional annual expenditure of around £2 million a year.
YMT has requested revenue funding support of £1.35m this year and up to £600k next year in order to keep York’s attractions open and to continue looking after the collections. This request reflects the fact that, as a charity, YMT are required to hold a level of financial reserves.
The York Museums Trust was founded in 2002 by the then Labour controlled Council. It currently receives an annual subsidy of £300,000 from York taxpayers.
The Yorkshire Museum is expected to remain closed until next March. The Art Gallery and Castle Museum (bookings only) have reopened.
NB. The YMT management were criticised during the lock-down period for failing to promptly reopen the Museum Gardens for use by residents. The gardens were one of the few open spaces available for socially distant exercise in the City centre.
Residents with multiple and complex needs could benefit from 53 new units of specialist mental health housing and support in the city.
Housing with the right support is an integral part of the city’s health and social care partners’ commitment to a community approach to mental health and wellbeing. This plan will improve the city’s ability to provide the right housing with the right support at the right time, leading to improved outcomes for those who need it.
Crombie House
It proposes creating two new specialist mental health supported housing schemes developed and delivered by specialist partners. The proposed sites are the council-owned Woolnough House, off Hull Road, and Crombie House in Acomb. Each scheme will have 24/7 on-site staffing to support ten residents, as well as providing support to another six satellite flats near each scheme. A total of 32 specialist mental health supported housing places will be created.
In addition, 21 Housing First places will be created for people with multiple and complex needs. Housing First is an internationally recognised and evidence-based model of housing and support for those with long term housing, health and social care needs. It provides individuals with permanent housing with personalised, intensive wraparound support to help them develop and retain their independence, and maintain a tenancy.
There will be a range of options available to people using these schemes, offering varying levels of independence and support, and allowing them to progress at a pace that’s right for them. Personalised support will be provided to help each individual:
develop their practical skills
engage with their local community
gain confidence to achieve their goal of living independently.
The proposal will be discussed at a meeting next week click
Refuses to reveal location but cost will be £1.65 million!
In one of the most bizarre proposals to come before the York Council, officials are recommending buying agricultural land “within the York boundary” which will subsequently be planted with trees. It says only that it is located in the Green Belt.
The forest scheme is intended to offset a proportion of the CO2 emissions generated within the City.
The Council says it can’t reveal the location of the new forest “for commercial reasons”.
While many residents will support the objective of the initiative, the lack of background information on the scheme is extraordinary.
There is no indication of the grade of the agricultural land in question. At a time when greater food self sufficiency is a high priority for the country, relative priorities must surely be fully evaluated before productive land is lost?
Thereport also says that the new forest – which might be designated as a “stray” – will provide new accessible paths and trails for York residents.
Officials point to the health benefits of greater exercise.
They are right, of course, as we have seen during lock-down. But the Council’s position lacks credibility as it has failed to maintain existing paths and trails, some of which are now inaccessible because of neglect.
The absence of any maintenance and management strategy for any new wood is one of the major omissions from the report.
The Council also quotes (rightly) the need to encourage pollinators (bees and other insects) but again fails to evaluate the effect that planting more woodland would have against providing – for example – wildflower meadows on the land.
In total the Council expects to spend £3 million on establishing new woodland and strays around the City.
It will need to do a lot more work, if taxpayers are to be convinced that this is an effective, and thoroughly thought through, reaction to the global conservation challenge.
NB. In the Westfield area, local Councillors promised 12 months ago to promote the adoption of “stray” status for Acomb Moor. There has been no recent update on the progress that they have made.
The results table has been updated to show the actual date of positive tests in York plus three more positive test results. . This is now available of the government web site click
Case number trends in York
Monk Bar car park shuttle service news
Empty spaces at Monk Bar car park
A Council official has agreed to extend the free taxi service for disabled users which links Monk Bar car park to the City centre. The little used service had been due to end but has now been extended to 6th September.
A behind closed doors meeting held yesterday heard that “the usage thus far has been low but is slowly increasing and it allows that to be monitored, mindful that those shielding have greater freedoms from the 1st of August”.
The opportunity to reduce the number of parking spaces allocated for the service was not taken, so they are likely to remain unused for the remainder of the busy summer period.
Shops busy
The Designer Centre has been busy this week. Typical 15 minutes wait for access. Good news for the local economy.
We are reminding people to have their say on plans to improve York Station Front with the removal of Queen Street Bridge and a reorganisation of the transport interchange in front of the station.
Comments on the new plans can be made until Thursday 20 August. People will still be able to make representations after this date. Following this, a report will be taken to the planning committee later this year.
The revised plans, which have been submitted for consultation, follow comments raised throughout the 2019 Station front planning process. As part of this, an addendum will be included to modify several areas of the original planning application, following further consultation with partners, residents and station users.
The key changes to the scheme include:
A redesigned multi-storey car park. After consulting with Historic England, plans for the car park have been revised to better respect the heritage of the railway and York RI. This will also move all the station parking into one area making it better visually.
The layout of parcel square has been redesigned so it is more in keeping with station heritage, and in consultation with existing parcel square tenants to give them a new location in the remodelled station.
On-street parking spaces removed from Queen Street to allow a safer cycle route to promote active travel, whilst reducing congestion around the station.
We are reminding people to have their say on plans to improve York Station Front with the removal of Queen Street Bridge and a reorganisation of the transport interchange in front of the station.