Fresh controversy over plans for Monk Stray

York Council is using a “planning loophole” from the 1960s to host camping on Monk Stray for July’s Tour De France just weeks after its original proposals for the site were rejected.

Monk Stray

Monk Stray

In March Labour run York Council was forced to scale back its plans for Monk Stray. Nearly 300 residents had opposed proposals to stage events serving alcohol on the Stray on 14 days in any year. The council’s cross-party Licensing Committee decided to grant a one day only licence for July’s Tour De France and said that there could be no camping allowed on the licensable area as part of this.

However, council officers have confirmed that a deal has now been agreed withthe Caravan Club to manage camping on the site for the Tour De France. Planning legislation from the 1960s allows the Caravan Club to organise the camping without a planning application. York Council has also submitted a planning application for a new gate to access Monk Stray (from Stockton Lane) after the authority was told that it could not use an access gate on a nearby private road.

Local residents have consistently raised concerns over plans to turn Monk Stray into a ‘Spectator Hub’ for July’s Grand Départ amid worries over access to the site, parking, traffic, noise, litter, surface water and anti-social behaviour.

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New £1.6 million York market look revealed

Market will look much the same as it does now

new York market plan

new York market plan

City of York Council has presented designs for the refurbishment of Newgate market to market stall holders and will shortly be revealing prototype stalls.

The project is costing Council taxpayers £1.6 million

The Council claims that research conducted in autumn last year showed all those consulted agreed that the market is in need of ‘sprucing up’ and that the new designs should complement the distinctive York character.

All those consulted agreed that the south-eastern end of the market needed to become more vibrant and that music and entertainment and more food on offer would enhance the market atmosphere.

In addition, improved signage, promotion and information about the market was needed for traders and city centre users.

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Police move to close three Indian restaurants in York

A police application to close down 3 Indian restaurants located in York will be considered by the Council on 19th May.

Indian Ocean restaurant and take away on The Green in Acomb

Indian Ocean restaurant and take away on The Green in Acomb

The 3 restaurants under threat are:

The removal of the premises license (Indian Oceans reproduced below) would effectively close the premises as the activities authorised are:

Licensable Current Days & Hours
Recorded Music(Indoors & Outdoors) Monday to Sunday11:00 – 01:00
Late Night Refreshment(Indoors & Outdoors) Monday to Sunday23:00 – 01:30
Supply of Alcohol(On & Off sales) Monday to Sunday11:00 – 01:30
Opening Hours Monday to Sunday11:00 – 01:30
New Year’s Eve All activities to continue until 04:00

If the committee approves the Police application then the license holders can appeal to the Magistrates Court.

The move arises from illegal workers who were found at the restaurants when police and UK Border Agency officials raided them.

West Yorkshire Joint Authority – where is York’s money going?

The first meeting of the Joint Authorities investment committee takes place next week. Although an agenda has been published for the meeting which will take place in Leeds, we doubt if many York residents know of its existence.

We believe that the York Council should publicise details of this organisations meetings in the same way that it does its own

closed doorsThe committee will for example discuss a Strategic Economic Plan

Residents, looking for an assurance that the money being invested by York in the regional transport fund will bring early benefits to York, will be disappointed. A report makes little reference to York concentrating on West Yorkshire projects.

A further report on the introduction of superfast Broadband access to York says,

“In York the situation is slightly different in that the current programme is being delivered by North Yorkshire County Council by its wholly owned company NYNET which has ownership of the delivery contract with BDUK. The NYNET contract together with BT’s own commercial investment is forecast to achieve 96% coverage in York by the end of 2014. However, as set out below, the proposal going forward is for York to be part of a joint new programme in collaboration with West Yorkshire”

The report is largely opaque failing to identify communities which do have superfast broadband access and the timetable for those that will be added over the coming months (and years).

With York lagging behind the rest of the Leeds City Region in gaining access to 4G mobile phone networks, there will be a fear that the City will not get value for money from its broadband budget.

All the members of this committee are Labour. York is represented by Cllr “Leftie” Levene, the well known Republican, who allegedly needs a Sat. Nav. to find the bathroom.

Meanwhile there has been some speculation in the media that York’s bid for the HS2 rail college could be  unsuccessful with others in the “Leeds City Region” touting for the project. The Joint Authority has not discussed the issue although its transport chair issued a media release in April

Real time maps of York – weather and traffic congestion

Residents can now access a radar map showing current weather conditions across the county. Click map for access. http://preview.wunderground.com/wundermap

click to access

click to access

And a reminder that a real time map is also available showing congestion levels, current and planned road works http://roadworks.org/

click to access

click to access

York Council website visitor numbers

The York Council has relased details of the number of unique visitors it has had to its website over the last year.

  • March 2013 – 139,196
  • April 2013 – 142,311
  • May 2013 – 142,312
  • June 2013 – 132,066
  • July 2013 – 143,071
  • August 2013 – 140,733
  • September 2013 – 144,254
  • October 2013 – 154,055
  • November 2013 – 141,635
  • December 2013 – 124,385
  • January 2014 – 154,711
  • February 2014 – 143,221

The Councils spends around £5000 a year on hosting and maintenance fees for its website.

Senior Council officials to be paid 52p an hour to be “on call”

On callChanges to the working conditions of senior managers at the York Council are set to be implemented.

They include the introduction of performance related pay.  Instead of gaining “increments” automatically during their first four years in post, pay increases will be made based on the achievement of targets.

What the targets will be, and who will decide whether they have been achieved, is unclear.

Their annual leave entitlement will be reduced to 35 days a year (from 39) although this is still much higher than is common in the private sector – or indeed amongst more junior ranks at the Council.

Chief Officers will be required to join a standby rota and will be paid 52p an hour to be “on call”. If “called out” to deal with an emergency  they will be paid at their hourly rate.

We think that the performance related pay plan is right.

However there needs to be more transparency when goals are being set.

Large amounts of taxpayer’s money are involved.

The proposals are being discussed at a meeting being held on 12th May.