York Council got Freedom of Information costs wrong

A media report, claiming that responding to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests made to the York Council cost on average £700 each, was wrong the authority has admitted.

Ironically it took another FOI request to reveal the real figure of £137.

Behind closed doors logo

The Council claims that the mistake was due to an error in a press release that it issued.

£715 was the maximum cost for processing a request.

The Councils FOI web page is poor lacking even an on line form on which to record requests.

 Since it was under LibDem control in 2010, the Council has, however, routinely published on its web site the answers to the FOI requests that it has processed.

The Council’s Audit committee is due to consider the FOI processes next Wednesday.

It will hear that the number of FOI requests has escalated since Labour took control of the Council and adopted a “behind closed doors” decision making regime. The number of requests increased from 804 in 11/12 to 1384 in 13/14 (72%).

81% of the requests were responded to within the 20 day deadline.

98 dissatisfied residents asked for their requests to be reviewed and 93 went as far as complaining to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).

In 40 cases the ICO found against the Council.

The types of information requested from the Council varies a lot.

  • Some is commercially motivated with potential tenderers seeking information on upcoming contracts.
  • Others are routine trawls for information from vested interests. These would include companies flowing up “no next of kin” deaths as well as unclaimed Business rates.

In both these cases the Council should routinely publish on its web site the information that is available. That would be much cheaper than responding to individual request for information.

Many of the requests though reflect the interest that residents have in the way that the Council is being managed.

It would take a sea change in attitude from the present Council if the information needs of residents were to be anticipated and built into monitoring systems rather than have to be dragged from a reluctant, obstructive Leadership.

Council choir tours residential homes

City of York Council’s staff choir will be touring council residential homes in York to celebrate the Grand Départ with a good sing with residents.

Cansing! is make up of council staff who enjoy making music, and some 20 choir members will give their time to visit City of York Council’s residential homes at Willow House, Woolnough House and Grove House on Saturday 28 June. They’ll sing a variety of songs to give residents a taste of the build-up to the Tour de France coming to York on 6 July.

Ted Schofield, chair of the choir, said: “We sang at Willow House before Christmas which went down really well with the residents. It gave us the idea of taking part in York: Be Part of It and bringing old favourites like ‘Daisy, Daisy’ and other cycle-themed songs to bring a flavour of the tour to these communities.”

Cansing! was founded in 2010 and has sung in York Minster, on BBC Radio York, at York Carnival as well as in their own concerts.The choir can be heard rehearsing every Thursday lunchtime in St Helen’s Church, St Helen’s Square, York.

York Social Services – auditors critical comments published

Following yesterdays revelations, that senior officials have left York Social Services Department, an Auditors report has provided further information on the background to the developing crisis.

Auditors Mazars, in a report to the Councils Audit and Governance committee next week, include the following paragraph

Risks in relation to Adult Social Care services
Description of the risksAdult social care is identified as one of the highest priorities within the Council’s service transformation programme. During the audit, we have become concerned at the lack of progress in making improvements to budget management and other aspects of adult social care services.

The development of the Better Care Fund provides a major challenge but also a significant opportunity for the Council and CCG to work together to increase investment in much needed intermediate and preventative care.

We are concerned that the lack of progress in delivering service improvement, together with the challenges of the Better Care Fund and the new Care Act, mean that the Council is at risk of failing to deliver good value for money in adult social care services and the best outcomes for local people.

They go on to say “We are working closely with officers to understand the barriers to progress and how they can best be addressed. The Chief Executive has recognised that insufficient progress has been made and has instituted an accelerated recovery and improvement process, working closely with the Director of Health and Wellbeing. We continue to review the Council’s arrangements to secure VFM in its use of resources. This has included reviewing the Council’s key plans and the delivery of those plans, and its financial arrangements, as well as considering the data in VFM profiles”.

scandal-23879094 Social care costs account  for the major part of Council budget expenditure.

If good value for money is not being achieved – and it appears that it isn’t with an overspend last year and a similar situation developing this year – then the whole Council budget is in jeopardy.

That could have a knock on effect on the quality of a wide range of public services provided in the City and on the level of Council Tax which will be levied in future years.

No doubt the Audit Committee will be requiring the attendance of the Cabinet members (Simpson Laing & Cunningham Cross), who have presided over this crisis, to attend their meeting and account for their actions.

Council tax leaflet

In its Tax demand – sent ot all households in the City in March – the Council said

“The city’s demand for adult social care services is increasing at such a rate that by 2019/20 adult care costs are expected to account for 50 per cent of the council’s net budget. The council is investing a further £2.5m for adult care services in 2014/15, to ensure York’s most vulnerable residents are taken care of.

In 2014/15 the council will pay for approximately half the adult care cost increases through an increase in Council Tax, of 1.9 per cent, an average of 37 pence  per household, per week”.

 A full and frank explanation is now required from the Council Leadership

NB. The Council is being criticised in todays media for paying an interim Director £700 a day.

The Council has yet to reveal the costs of the two temporary appointments that it has made to cover the staff who have left the Social Services Department (or the costs of any severance package agreed for those leaving)

York Council admits democratic governance failings

 

An internal review has identified several failings in the way that the York Council takes decisions and makes information available to members of the public.

The report is being presented to a meeting next week. Curiously – given the nature of the subject – the full report has not been published

The audit revealed that “that there is not a consistent understanding across the organisation as to who can take key decisions”.

The audit noted that “the forward plan did not make it clear whether a Cabinet Member intended to hold a public decision making session”.

“A number of Ward meeting minutes were not available on modgov (a Council web site system) when the audit was undertaken”.

The report concludes by saying

“The remaining recommendations related to the wider Council’s use of technology and social media and the use of the website to ensure openness and transparency. Those issues are being explored within the rewiring programme and recently the city’s residents have been invited to participate in the development of a new website and the creation of an open data web portal”.

Can you help unearth the Guildhall’s past?

AOC Archaeology Group, which has been appointed to undertake an archaeological dig close to the medieval Guildhall site, are encouraging residents and visitors to help unearth the Guildhall’s past.

please credit the york past and present photographic groupCredit:York past and present photographic group

In partnership with City of York Council, the unique dig is set to begin later this year to give a better understanding of the site’s history and significance, which will help to move forwards with the development of emerging plans for the new-look Guildhall complex.

However, before the digging begins, AOC Archaeology would like to uncover more of the history of the site and the old timber buildings itself (aka the hutments).
(more…)

Call for statement on Barbican development.

Barbican development site June 2014

Barbican development site June 2014

The next Council meeting is likely to debate why a start on building work, on the derelict site next to the Barbican, has been delayed.

Planning permission for a 165 bedroomed hotel was granted in January 2012 with the aim being to provide facilities which would complement the use of the adjacent Barbican auditorium as a conference centre.

Property firm Broadhall was granted permission to build a Hilton Garden Inn on the land. The development was expected to bring at least 200 additional jobs to the City. 

Plans to erect nearly 200 flats on another part of the vacant site were submitted last year

A recent major conference held at the Barbican centre was criticised for lack of “break out” space.

Now the site – which used to accommodate a swimming pool – has been derelict for 2 years with gaps in the hoardings affecting the view from the City Walls and blighting one of he key routes around the City.

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Walmgate Bar June 2014

Walmgate Bar June 2014

The Council has also been criticised for not starting a permanent repair on nearby Walmgate Bar. 

The Bar was shored up following a collision four years ago.

Two years ago the media reported that a start on refurbishment work was imminent.

With the City having a “showcase” opportunity provided by the Tour de France event next month, many had expected the Council to act on unsightly buildings and sites.

 

 

York’s City centre shame

The York Council has been criticised for losing control of the City centre.

Disabled busker on Coney Street

Disabled busker on Coney Street

Residents have been dismayed by the sight of severely disabled buskers taking up pitches on Coney Street. The scenes are more reminiscent of post Napoleonic war Britain than would be expected in a modern, relatively wealthy, City.

There was no sign of any Council official taking any action to address the problem.

"Carnival" lacked samba beat

“Carnival” lacked samba beat

No fewer than 4 buskers were operating in the Coney Street area on Saturday with one “Silverman” seeking to emulate the famous “Purpleman” by sitting on a bicycle albeit looking bored.

Busking used to be regulated in York but the new Labour Council decided in 2011 to make the restrictions only advisory.

Similarly the “pedlar” situation seems to be getting out of control.  Pedlars are coming into the city selling their goods on “pedlar’s licences” but they are not actually adhering to the conditions of the licence which require them to keep moving unless making a sale.

They are selling from huge stalls on wheels but staying in one “spot” all day long. They need to apply for a street trading consent.

Cars in conflict with pedestrians on St Sampsons Square

Cars in conflict with pedestrians on St Sampsons Square

The City centre decline can be traced back to the removal of an effective City Centre manager nearly 2 years ago. The Council may have realised their mistake as they announced last month a further major shake up in the remaining members of the team.

£160,000 is being cut off the budget, staff are being sacked and it seems likely that the management will shortly fall into the hands of an independent agency.

The Council’s decision was – of course – taken behind closed doors.

Whatever the structure the new managers will need to make progress quickly.

Not only do we have the problem of weed growth blighting the appearance of public structures – Ouse Bridge is still heaving under the burden of vegetation – but also poor forward planning is leading to police and civil enforcement staff being over whelmed.

Yesterday (Saturday) the Council had scheduled a (Samba lite) Carnival in the City centre on the same day as a Race meeting and a major football match.

Weeds still growing on Ouse Bridge - still no Council statement

Weeds still growing on Ouse Bridge – still no Council statement

So not only were buskers out in numbers, but there were obvious safety conflicts between the crowds in St Sampson’s Square and vehicles that had strayed into the area.

Even the number of A boards on the public highway, in areas like Church Street, seems to be on the increase.

The Council staff who work in the City centre deserve more support than they are getting,

The Councils Labour Leadership also need to spend more time reviewing the consequences of the decisions that they have taken.

Hob Moor tunnel closure badly signed

Footpath closed. Queue forms

Footpath closed. Queue forms

The Hob Moor to Tadcaster Road cycle/pedestrian route under the East Coast Railway line is now closed.

The closure is poorly signed from the Gale Lane and Windsor Garth access points onto the cycle path.

There is a diversion signed from Hob Moor Terrace but not using a route that visitors would find easy to follow.

 

 

 

 

 

Our Lady’s school site – now developers want to pull down railings

click for larger map

click for larger map

Developers plan to tear down Our Lady’s housing site railings.

They say it will improve “permeability”

Retention of the railings was considered to be important by local residents, and supporters of the Hob Moor conservation area, as it provided some guarantee that domestic use would not creep onto the moor.

The railings will also provide good quality security for the gardens of the residents of the new homes.

The railings are relatively new and have a longer life than the proposed close boarded wooden alternative.

Details can be found by clicking here

The Council have not given a date by which residents objections must be received although they hope to determine the new planning application (using delegated powers) on 25th June.