New signposts could cost £200,000 !

Signpost in York

Further to yesterdays story, we are told that the new signposts, planned for the City centre, could cost £200,000.

The plan has been disguised in the Councils published budget as a “wayfinding” project.

Pedestrian signs are less important these days as more and more visitors rely on mobile phone “apps” to find their way around the City.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Keith Aspden comments;

“With frontline services being cut and council tax going up residents will be shocked that Labour is choosing to spend £200,000 on a report into signposts in the city-centre.

The lessons from Lendal Bridge and Kings Square are clearly not being learnt.

Labour need to cut the vanity projects and focus spending on things that actually matter to local residents.”

Budgeting tips to help your money go further

A free booklet ‘Making the Most of Your Money’ is now available for anyone who wants to manage their money better, cut back on spending or get help to pay off debts.

The booklet is available now from York CAB – based at West Offices– and from all York libraries. It can also be downloaded from the council’s website at http://www.york.gov.uk/small_changes and from CAB and York Advice Partnership websites.

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“Retain Minster Badge petition” – only 1 week left to sign

Residents only have until 18th April to “sign” a petition on the Councils web site asking for the retention of the Minster badge.

parking-charges-car-park-ticket-machine-149887544

The badge entitles York taxpayers to discount car parking during the day and free parking in the evening.

It is due to be scrapped under a Labour proposal which would see a new badge introduced which anyone would be able to buy.
The petition can be accessed by clicking here

The petition reads,

We the undersigned petition the council to continue to supply Minster car parking badges to York residents free of charge. As one of the few councils in the country who have suffered council tax rises every year under the Labour council while the rest of the country hasn’t. We propose that residents have already paid for this right.

The many businesses that rely on local trade within the city centre are already dwindling. Also many businesses like restaurants and cafes rely on local trade throughout the winter months when there are few tourists. A further reduction in the number of residents visiting the town centre could prove fatal.

Skip locations on Saturday

Although the Council has cut back on the number of amenity skips it provides, several residents associations continue to run programmes aimed at making it easier for tenants to get rid of unwanted items.

The skips are only in place for a few minutes and residents must ensure that they put any rubbish into the skips and do not leave it on the path or highway.

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

Merrett refuses to resign – gets £4,500 (20%) pay rise?

Press headline Merrett appointment

Cllr Dave Merrett, held by many York residents to be responsible for the Lendal Bridge and Coppergate debacle, has refused to resign.

Rather than sacking him, Council leader James Alexander has promoted him and he will now also sit on committees that will decide the transport plans for the whole of the York and West Yorkshire area.

He will serve, technically as an “observer”, on the “West Yorkshire Joint Authority Transport Committee” but  also as a full member of the “West Yorkshire & York Investment Committee”.

The latter will determine how much, where and on what money is invested in transport and economic regeneration schemes across York and West Yorkshire

The new authority agreed at its annual meeting last week that members of its committees will be able to claim £4500 a year in allowances.

This is in addition to the sums claimed from local Councils like York.

A full list of appointments can be found here

The York Council has only appointed Labour Councillors to the West Yorkshire Joint Authority.

None of the appointments has been through any kind of democratic process at the Guildhall/West Offices.

Lendal Bridge – no retrospective fines

The Council have now confirmed that no fines will be issued to drivers who disobeyed the Lendal Bridge access restrictions in the period since 1st April 2014.

“Following the statement issued by Cllr Alexander on 8 April 2014, we can confirm that we will not be issuing Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) to drivers of vehicles who have travelled over Lendal Bridge as of 1 April”.

They, however, also say that they will continue to enforce the Coppergate restrictions.

This may mean an expensive court battle is still in prospect.

Acomb market plans take step forward

Acomb Alive, the voluntary committee which is driving the regeneration of the Front Street area, have published a new newsletter.

Page 1 click to enlarge

Page 1 click to enlarge

Page 2 click to enlarge

Page 2 click to enlarge

In it they reveal plans which could lead to a street market being established in part of the (pedestrianised) section of Front Street.

This was the idea put forward a year ago by the Liberal Democrats, residents and traders but which received only half hearted support from the Council.

The present Council’s continuing antipathy towards Acomb is evident from the latest plans which show only a handful of stall spaces being made available.

Front Street market plan click to enlarge

Front Street market plan click to enlarge

What the area needs is a sustained boost to “footfall” figures if it is to benefit for the current improvement in the economy.

NB. An Easter Fair will take place on Saturday 19th April between 9:00am and 4:00pm at the Working Mens Club.

The fair will include an Easter bonnet competition.

York speed camera locations

Mobile safety camera routes week commencing 9 April 2014

Below are the enforcement locations for North Yorkshire Police’s mobile safety cameras for week commencing Wednesday 9 April 2014.

Safety camera van

The safety cameras are now more visible then ever before with each of the three vehicles bearing the same hi-vis livery as North Yorkshire Police’s marked vehicle fleet.

All safety camera locations are published on the force website along with an explanation of the various route types.

You can view the results of the safety camera enforcement activity on our web page Deployment and results. Up to date data for the previous  week is uploaded every Tuesday and can be interrogated by route and date ranges.

The mobile safety cameras will be in operation at the following sites at various times over the coming week. Cameras will not be in use all day, every day. The locations were accurate when this news release was produced.

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Free compost

The Council have published the following information on their web site.

We think that  the event on 6th July will be postponed for a week as it coincides with the Tour De France start.

“Compost Giveaway dates  2014

City of York Council and Yorwaste Ltd are giving away compost for free again this year.

2014 dates are confirmed as:

  • Sunday 1st June
  • Sunday 6th July (possibly postponed until 13th July)
  • Sunday 3rd August

The site will be open from 8am – 3pm on collection days. Please bring a shovel and suitable container to put the soil improver in.

Location: Harewood Whin (Yorwaste’s waste management site) Tinker Lane, off Wetherby Road, Rufforth

Directions: From Acomb, the site is located on the B1224 on the right hand side, just before you enter Rufforth Village.

If you need any further information please contact us on 01904 551551″

NB. The Council has been asked to confirm whether everyone who is supposed to have a green bins sticker has now received one. Some Council officials are saying that the stickers are only required  for “paid for” second bins while other say that every green bin needs a sticker if it is to be emptied. Apparently bins without a sticker won’t be emptied after the beginning of May.

So far 750 residents have paid £35 to have a second green bin placed on the emptying list.

Enjoy Farm Visits Safely

City of York Council’s Public Health Team has worked with Public Health England (PHE) to produce a factsheet that is being sent to all schools and Children’s Centres in York offering advice on good hand hygiene when visiting farm attractions.

All of the bacteria that can cause illnesses, including Salmonella and E. coli, live in the gut of the animals so people can get infected within the farm setting mainly in two ways – either by touching animals in the petting and feeding areas or by coming into contact with animal droppings on contaminated surfaces around the farm.

These harmful bacteria can get accidentally passed to your mouth by putting hands on faces or fingers in mouths before washing them thoroughly.

It only takes a small number of the bacteria to cause infection.

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