Ward highway improvements list published – nothing for Westfield?

It looks like the Westfield area has been snubbed in the latest highways maintenance budget allocations.

In another “behind closed doors” decision, tens of thousands of pounds, from “delegated” ward budgets, has been allocated for highway and footpath repairs plus some other work like new parking laybys.

Areas benefiting are Bishopthorpe, Clifton, Copmanthorpe, Dringhouses, Fishergate, Guildhall, Heslington, Heworth, Hull Road, Holgate, Huntington, Micklegate and Rural West.

One of the roads omitted from repair programme

The absence of Westfield from the list is doubly surprising.

Some local roads are in an appalling condition.

Local Councillors were given lists of problem locations over 6 months ago.

Poor weather in the intervening period has seen some surfaces – such as those on the Morrell Court access road – deteriorate quite markedly.

The report to the decision meeting gives details of how much money is available for local ward Councillors to manage.

It also explains the assessment process.

“The Ward Highways Capital Scheme is a four-year programme formed from £250k p.a. of capital resources set aside from the main Highways Capital Programme. It is designed to allow wards to bring forward schemes that are important to local residents but would struggle to be prioritised as part of the main capital programme. A nominal allocation is made to each ward on a population basis. Wards are able to aggregate their allocation by carrying over / bringing forward annual allocations in order to undertake more substantial schemes.

The programme was enhanced in 19/20 through the allocation of the following one-off amounts to it:

£500k to use for highways improvements in respect of Roads and Footways
£500k to use for Walking and Cycling improvements

(NB. Details of how the walking and cycling budget is being spent were published a couple of weeks ago. Yet again no projects in the Westfield area were agreed).

The Council says the aim is to use this funding flexibly to meet the needs of wards whilst taking account of all relevant legislation and statutory guidance as highways are heavily regulated environments.

The following process is used to identify schemes:

Community Involvement Officers liaise with ward councillors, residents and key partners to identify potential schemes
The Highways team bring forward condition surveys, customer requests, and safety audits for consideration by wards to help inform their decision-making together with information showing the roads in the ward that are to be repaired through the main capital programme
Ideas are taken to a ward walk-about for initial consideration followed, where appropriate, by detailed feasibility work and any appropriate community / statutory consultation
The Highways team then form the prioritised ideas as far as possible into a coherent capital programme”

Wards not receiving an allocation were Acomb, Haxby, Heworth Without, Hull Road, Holgate and Westfield.

The list of improvements that have been agreed can be viewed by clicking here

York’s Local Plan – Inspectors comments

Government inspectors have written to the York Council highlighting issues with the methodology used to establish the detail of the York Green Belt boundary.

They have however confirmed the general boundaries to be those defined in long standing regional strategies

The main issue – the number of additional homes required in the area – still remains open to criticism. Population growth estimates have gradually reduced in recent years although the Councils plan still seeks to allocate sites for 20,000 additional homes. The impact of the coronavirus scare is expected to further reduce house building demands in the City.

The examination itself has been held up during lock-down and it remains very unclear when, or even if, it will recommence.

The letter, which has been published by City of York Council today, follows examination hearings on several key aspects of the plan, including the duty to co-operate, housing numbers and the spatial strategy and Green Belt issues. The letter invites a response from the Council on aspects of the approach it has taken to define York’s Green Belt boundaries.

The Council says “it has already begun this work and has formally responded to the planning inspectors to thank them for their work so far. To progress the Local Plan, City of York will continue to work with the planning inspectors to justify the approach taken to define York’s greenbelt boundaries”.

“The proposed plan looks to deliver over 20,000 homes over the next 20 years, including up to 4000 more affordable homes, and prioritises development on brownfield sites. The plan will also create around 650 new jobs per year, whilst crucially defining the greenbelt boundaries in planning law for the first time since the 1950s”.

The draft Local Plan was submitted to the Secretary of State on 25 May 2018. Since submission, there has been ongoing correspondence between the Council and the Inspectors.

Phased hearing sessions started in December 2019. This phase focused on legal compliance and in-principle matters relating to York’s housing requirement, spatial distribution and approach to Green Belt.

The full letter can be viewed at www.york.gov.uk/localplan

Taking a pride in local neighbourhoods

As “normality” returns to our streets we are looking to the authorities to demonstrate that they have a plan which will see an increase in social pride in local neighbourhoods.

The Councils much hyped “health hubs” are winding down as the premises they occupy – such as libraries – are made ready for a return to their normal uses.

The longer established neighbourhood hubs have yet to reopen although the extended summer holidays mean that demand for their services is greater than ever. Informal meeting places would provide a welcome relief from social isolation particularly for those who have endured lock-down on their own. They are also a potential valuable resource for families during the extended school break.

Many of the venues for these hubs remain closed with no published plans for them to reopen when social distancing rules allow.

Perhaps surprisingly the York Council has yet to address other tensions which are likely to increase as more people are out and about. There is no room on the agenda for community safety at today’s first COVID “Board” meeting. Yet anti social behaviour is already increasing in some estates as lock-down is eased.

Still too much fly tipping despite amenity sites having reopened

Pleased to see that the unused telephone kiosk at the Foxwood shops has finally been removed. Hopefully the Council will get this prominent empty bungalow repaired and re–let quickly now

Still too much self inflicted grief. Graffiti on local junction boxes needs to be cleaned off

Grass has now established itself on the area near the new Osprey Close land drain.

Still waiting for hardcore to be put down on the path to ensure that it remains useable in wet weather

Continuing battle to get road repaired. It appears that the funding delegated to ward has not been utilised. Carriageway surfaces are likely to disintegrate when icy weather arrives.

Some good news with the cul de sac on Kingsway West now swept of detritus.

Ongoing problems reported on the “Save Lowfields Playing Field” Facebook page. Main issues relate to early morning noise, dust and further damage to verges in the Dijon Avenue area. (The latter thought to be connected with BT “Open World” works).

More trees coming but what about maintaining existing ones?

More trees are set to be planted this year as part of the Councils response to climate change. 50,000 are promised.

Officials say that the programme has been delayed by the heath scare although little progress seems to have been made in securing sites for the “forest”.

Over the last few months, residents have laid informal claims for the use of some unused areas of land on the City outskirts as informal exercise areas. These would be a good place for the Council to start looking for locations for planting although it does own several sites, including some near the river, which could accommodate more trees.

Informal walks through Acomb Wood, and the like, have brought home to more people the value of informal leisure space. Any Council initiative is likely to have popular support if it is pressed through quickly now.

Hopefully they will remedy the mistakes of the past and avoid planting inappropriate species of trees too close to paths and highways.

We have already learned that nearly £500,000 is required to repair part of the York – Selby cycle path which has been badly damaged by tree roots. One lesson is the need in the future to install “root shields” at vulnerable locations.

There are similar problems in the urban area

Root damage on snicket link to Thoresby Road. We’ve reported litter and weeds on the same snicket.

In same cases private hedges are now obstructing footpaths

The Council have now promised to trim the branch which is obstructing a footpath in the Kingsway West area

Weeds on Front Street. The council has treated some weed growth around amenity trees but has missed others. Doesn’t seem to be any consistency in their programme.

Road closures in the Groves – decision tomorrow

Decisions on a whole raft of changes to traffic access arrangements in The Groves area are due to be made at a meeting tomorrow morning.

Details can be found by clicking here

Several objections to the plans have been recorded. Most come from people who live in the affected area.

Some of the objectors have pointed to a lack of clarity on what the objectives of the exercise are and what success measures will be used? The Council is understood to be using some of the money, provided by the government to help with social distancing in the post COVID period, to fund the scheme.

At present, there is very little non local traffic using roads like Penley’s Grove Street.

Little traffic on Penley’s Grove Street this weekend.

The decision will be made by Cllr Andy D’Agorne. The decision can be “called in” for further consideration by any 3 Councillors. It would then be considered by an all party committee.

Separately the York Councils over reliance on “remote” meetings, and the delegation of major decisions to a small cabal of officials and politicians, is attracting increasing criticism.

Other Council are maintaining a more open and iterative process.

Quiet time for shoppers in York today

The first Saturday since shops reopened in York saw modest numbers of customers returning.

Parliament Street was quiet this afternoon with few queues

One sign of a return to “normality”. Gangs of youths cycling the wrong way down footstreets doing “wheelies”.

Some shoppers headed for the out of town centres. The Cr park at Tesco Clifton Moor was about half full.

Coronavirus York updates; 19th June 2020

Deaths and test results

There have been no more Coronavirus deaths at York Trust Hospitals. The cumulative total remains at 213.

There have also been no more positive lab test results (17/6/20). The last positive result was on 2nd June which saw the cumulative total number of cases rise to 462. This has been the longest sequence of negative results in the City since the pandemic began.

Public Toilets

In addition to reopening existing public toilets, the Council is providing additional trailer facilities at St Sampson Square and Parliament Street.

Tourism recovery plan published

Welcome to Yorkshire has published a plan detailing how it expects the critical visitor economy to revive over the next few months. The plan can be read by clicking here. The proposals include a “Song for Yorkshire project to help celebrate the civic pride in our county”. There will also be a Welcome to Yorkshire Gift Card

Bus Grants

The Council has annouced how it will allocated government bus grants.

City of York Council has been awarded a total grant of £59,970 for the 12-week period commencing 17th March. The grant can only be used to support operators of council-tendered bus services and any unused grant must be returned to the DfT. The grant will be apportioned as follows:

ConnexionsBuses: £5,210.67
East Yorkshire Buses: £20,204.35
First York: £3,096.69
Transdev: £24,750.91
York Pullman: £6,707.38

Older residents trial new interactive games technology

Care home residents wanting to keep more active and alert through lockdown are trialling a new interactive light projector.

Those who can’t welcome visitors during the pandemic are enjoying this technology, and trying out new activities to support their physical and emotional health.

Older people, especially those living with dementia, are experiencing the brightly-coloured shapes and games which are projected onto tables, bed coverings, walls or floors. Playing and interacting with them can help improve co-ordination, stimulate responses and raise levels of social and physical activity.

Success!! Museum Gardens to reopen next week.

Our campaign to have the Museum Gardens reopened to the public has been successful.

The Garden will reopen to the public next week on Thursday 25th June.

They will be open 7 days a week but initially with restricted hours (10:30am – 6:00pm)

Our thanks to all who supported our campiagn and to Cllr Simon Daubeney who supported our representations.

A statement from the York Museums Trust reads;

“York Museum Gardens managed by the charity York Museums Trust, will reopen to the public from Thursday 25 June.

Initially the Gardens will reopen seven days a week from 10:30am to 6pm.

The Trust are really looking forward to welcoming people back to enjoy the gardens as they come into full summer bloom. We recognise how important the Gardens are to York and are keen to support the city as it comes out of lockdown. We would like to ask that everyone follows social distancing guidelines to ensure the Gardens are a safe and welcoming space as possible.

“York Museum Gardens are a registered botanical garden, requiring high levels of maintenance, gardening and security because of the special plants and trees, unique Scheduled Monuments and Listed buildings within them. The costs of our Gardens team and keeping the Gardens free to all are met by York Museums Trust as part of our work as a charity. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a loss of 70% of York Museums Trust’s income and we have had to furlough most staff.

As we open York Museum Gardens we ask anyone who enjoys the Gardens to consider donating to the charity, to help York Museums Trust continue to maintain such a fantastic space for generations to come.

To donate, please go to: www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk “

Latest waste service update from York Council

Thursday 18 June

All scheduled household waste has been collected as usual.

We were unable to collect recycling from some areas in Wigginton, Haxby and Strensall due to vehicle breakdowns.

This recycling will be collected on the evening of Thursday 18 June or on Friday 12 June. Please present your containers for collection by 7.00am.

We were unable to collect garden waste from Strensall and Wigginton due to a vehicle breakdown.

This garden waste will be collected on the evening of Thursday 18 June. Please leave your containers out for collection.

We’ve collected outstanding recycling from Acomb and Dringhouses.

Gale Lane reopens to traffic

Yorkshire Water have completed their water mains repair on Gale Lane which has now reopened to traffic.

Tudor Road is still closed and will be for at least another 2 weeks. Still no provision has been made for cyclists. No doubt if this was a street located in the City Centre such neglect would bring a chorus of disapproval!

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