The York Council has run into further problems today with household waste, recycling and green bin emptying. There were issues on both sides of the City
Latest waste service update -Tuesday 26 May
We were unable to collect household waste from some areas in Dunnington due to capacity issues.
This household waste will be collected on Wednesday 27 May. Please present your containers for collection by 7.00am.
We have been unable to collect recycling waste from a number of properties due to service levels.
Our crews are still out collecting and a further update regarding recycling collections for 26 May will be issued tomorrow.
We were unable to collect garden waste from a number of properties in the following areas due to capacity issues:
Chapelfields
Foxwood
Tang Hall
We’ll attempt to collect missed garden waste by Wednesday 27 May, but may not be able to revisit until later in the week. Please leave greens bin out and we’ll get to you as soon as we can.
We have been able to recollect all outstanding garden waste from Monday 25 May.
Previous waste service updates – Monday 25 May
All scheduled household waste collections have been made.
We were unable to collect recycling waste from a number of properties in Fulford as a result of restrictions on operations due to coronavirus.
We’ll attempt to collect this recycling on Tuesday 26 May. Please present your containers for collection by 7.00am.
We’ve been unable to collect garden waste from a number of properties in the following areas due to capacity issues:
Badger Hill
Heslington
We will attempt to collect missed garden waste on Tuesday 26 May, but may not be able to revisit until later in the week. Please leave greens bin out and we’ll get to you as soon as we can.
It isn’t just the Lowfields building site which is causing concerns for local residents. People living near a site on Windmill Lane – ironically also being built on playing fields – have also raised concerns about work going on during unauthorised hours.
All planning permissions list the permitted hours of work and these usually exclude Sundays while weekday working may be limited to 8:00am – 6:00pm.
Windmill Lane residents say that workers were on site from 7:30am on Sunday. There are also issues with heavy plant trying to access the site via unauthorised routes and well as concerns about wildlife conservation.
The problems will sound familiar to residents in the Lowfields area where more details of the Tudor Road closure- effective from 13th June – have been published.
Tudor Road entrance to Lowfields building site
“Normal working hours will be Monday to Saturday 8am to 5pm. It would only be in exceptional circumstances or in case of emergencies that we would work any later or on Sunday’s. It is highly unlikely that there would be any overnight work.”
“For the first 2 weeks the road will be closed entirely in both directions but pedestrian access will be maintained. Vehicular access will be available for residents and deliveries in Tudor Road up to the point of where our works will be.”
“Access to the garages between 77 and 87 Tudor Road will not be obstructed as they are not directly in our working area. Any customers who will be impacted have been contacted by Barhale and will be consulted whilst the scheme is taking place to tray and minimise disruption.”
“Access will still be available to the homes near Gale lane from the Gale Lane side of Tudor Road. The works will only be in the vicinity of 59 to 69 Tudor Road.”
Dijon Avenue access to building site
“Equipment that will be used will include a 20 tonne excavator, 9 tonne dumper, hydraulic breaker, compaction and cutting equipment.”
“The compound will have a generator on site and will usually be off overnight. However, if there is wet and inclement weather it may be required to dry the teams clothing.”
HGVs seen accessing building site via Dijon Ave
Local Councillors say they’re pressing for improvements for pedestrians and cyclists in the area.
Local residents in Dijon Avenue are, however, already seeing large vehicles using the street even though the authorised access for Tudor Road is still currently open.
It is the time of year when drainage ditches and becks can become overgrown. When water volumes are generally low, it is important that the opportunity is taken to clear vegetation and debris from the channels.
That is particularly challenging at present because of coronavirus restrictions.
We were pleased to see that local Councillor Andrew Waller is pressing the Marston Moor IDB to ensure that maintenance work continues.
Failure to do so could lead to flooding when wet weather returns.
Good work by volunteers has seen attractive flower beds established at the Foxwood Community Centre. The beds are “bee friendly”. Residents are being urged to recognise the needs of pollinators when selecting their border plants this year. Lists can be found on the RHS wen site and can be downloaded from these links;
Most garden centres have now reopened. In addition the Poppleton Community Railway Nursery charity is continuing to offer a service click for their catalogue There will be someone on the nursery at these times Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9.30 to 3.30. and Thursday 9.30 to 1.00. To avoid disappointment you can ring the nursery mobile 07800 501382 or the land line 01904 797623
Flower beds at the Foxwood Community Centre
The Bad
Less impressive has been the response in dealing with obstructions to foot and cycle paths. The Tadcaster Road cycle path has been reported on several occasions. As a result of weed and hedge overgrowth, it has now been reduced to less than 1 metre wide in some places (making “social distancing” more difficult).
Tadcaster Road cycle track obstructed.Similar problem on another main access route into the City. The path on the A59 near Poppleton is obstructed forcing users to walk or cycle on the highway.
The Ugly
Sadly there has been an increase in fly tipping. Below is a country lane near Tadcaster photographed today (Monday). The tipping has been reported to the Selby District Council.
The York Council leadership has written to the government asking for restrictions on borrowing to be eased.
The request comes in the wake of claims that the City faces a £24 million black hole in its finances. The Council was urged last week to provide more details of the deficit but has so far failed to do so.
The only information available to the public was published prior to the last executive committee meeting at the beginning of May. This showed that much of the deficit as made up of Council Tax and Rates income defaults although £10.9million was the assumed cost of extra social care.
Council budget deficit as at 7th May 2020
No savings for reduced travel, energy and materials costs were included.
Now Council Leader Keith Aspden has written to Local Government Minister Robert Jenrick making a case for government support.
Perhaps surprisingly the letter concentrates on the Councils borrowing powers. The present Council leadership committed to a £560 million investment programme only a few weeks ago and is now agonising about how much it can actually deliver in the new financial climate.
It has separately said that it will press on with the York Central development although many will feel that some of the basic assumptions about office and retail growth are now redundant. It seems the best – most fanciful – hope is that the government will agree to move the House of Lords to the site.
The Council leadership also says that it wants a 2 year moratorium on making a “minimum revenue provision” in its budget. This is the funding set aside to repay interest and principal repayments on borrowing. The implication of not paying off this debt (most is borrowed over a 20 year period) could be to push a bow wave of debt onto future generations.
Council letter to government 18th May 2020
This tactical approach is also exposed by another request in the letter.
The Council wants to borrow to cover revenue expenditure – a bit like taking out a bank loan to buy a jar of jam.
The Council goes on to ask for the suspension of S114 “so that struggling Councils don’t have to deliver a balanced budget in the medium term”.
Section 114 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 requires the Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the council’s monitoring officer, to report to all the authority’s members if there is, or is likely to be, an unbalanced budget. In practice, this is most likely to be required in a situation in which reserves have become depleted and it is forecast that the council will not have the resources to meet its expenditure in a particular financial year. A full council meeting must then take place within 21 days to consider the notice. In the meantime, no new agreements involving spending can be entered into.
Many will feel that issues like these do require full and public debate. That will involve ensuring that all Councillors and taxpayers are alerted to [problems at the earliest opportunity.
The Council could make a start by providing a candid and full disclosure of its financial position.
It should then go on to review its financial strategy and options in a way that promotes understanding by local residents.
The Council says that it has made fewer than 800 grants as part of its support scheme for small and “micro” businesses launched nearly 2 months ago.
The Council is not saying what is causing the delays to the grants which were intended to provide £1000 for up to 1000 York businesses.
Despite this slow progress, the Council has now said that it is extending the scheme to take advantage of an additional £2.2 million in government support funding.
“Top up” grants could be available to a total value of up to £10,000 for those who have already received help as well as to new applicants.
In a statement the Council says,
“Council Coronavirus scheme upgraded to provide support to more of York’s businesses
Local businesses which have so far missed out on government support could benefit from grants of up to £10,000, as the council extends its scheme for small and micro businesses in the City.
The grants aim to benefit small businesses including those in shared offices and flexible work spaces, science parks and incubators. Regular market traders without a business rates assessment. Nurseries, B&Bs paying council tax instead of business rates, and charity properties which all missed out under previous schemes will also be eligible.
Shortly after lockdown was implemented, City of York Council acted quickly to create its own £1m grant scheme for businesses which do not qualify for government support. To date, this scheme has helped nearly 800 local businesses.
Following lobbying efforts, the government has recognised the additional need for financial support and has provided a discretionary fund to local authorities. City of York Council received £2.21m of this funding and has agreed to use it to deliver more grants to the city’s small and micro businesses.
The grants will be staggered between £2500 and £10000, depending on the size and nature of the business, with the following available:
Small business and childcare nurseries set to receive: £10000
Micro business: £5000
B&Bs and market traders who live in York able to apply for: £2,500
Businesses must have been trading before 11 March 2020; have a rateable value or annual mortgage of below £51,000; demonstrate an ongoing fixed property cost and significant financial impact of the coronavirus. It is not available to any business eligible for any other government COVID grant.
The council will open applications for the enhanced grants from Monday 1 June and in the meantime, the Council will continue to process applications for the existing scheme, in order to ensure no business misses out on any funding, unless they do not meet the criteria. All outstanding applicants and previous grantees will be contacted by the council next week, as many will be eligible for a top-up under the enhanced scheme.
Councillor Keith Aspden, Leader of City of York Council, said:
This is an exceptionally tough time for so many businesses, especially the small and micro enterprises that characterise York’s creative and independent economy.
“From the very beginning of this crisis, we have worked to ensure our local businesses received swift support from the Council, particularly those who did not meet the criteria for government support.
I am pleased that City of York Council has been recognized as one of the fastest local authorities in the country to distribute grants and rates relief, totaling £110m. We want to go further to support our business community and that is why we have set up this fund to give vital cash injections to small and micro businesses in the city.”
Councillor Andrew Waller, executive member for the economy and strategic planning, said:
I’m extremely proud that we acted quickly to provide a lifeline to many who fell through the cracks of the government support, with nearly 800 small businesses receiving grants so far. Now the government has recognised this need, we can use the funds to give more support to help our businesses survive and adapt.
“We know there are still many York businesses who need more support, and we will continue to press government for more action on their behalf while looking at the local support we can offer.”
The council acted quickly to distribute £110m of grants and rates relief to over 3000 York businesses, and created its own £1m grant scheme to benefit around 800 more which did not qualify for government support.
Under the discretionary fund, local authorities have been given an additional 5% of the total value of grants already distributed in York, and some outline guidance on which businesses should benefit. However, this means councils have to use local knowledge to decide how to fairly distribute the money to benefit as many businesses as possible.
Depending on the volume of applications and the amount of additional checking and verification required, the council aims to make weekly batches of payments starting on 8 June, and hope to pay all grants within four weeks
The Council has issued a statement saying that the current Lord Mayor Janet Looker will continue in office for an additional year. There was no consultation on the proposal which was made at a “behind closed doors” meeting.
The statement reads,
Lord Mayoralty to be extended due to Coronavirus
For the first time in over 80 years The Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Janet Looker and her consort, will stay in office for an extended term.
Following the unprecedented Coronavirus pandemic, group leaders, The Lord Mayor, and Cllr Chris Cullwick (who was due to become the Lord Mayor this month), have agreed that Cllr Looker will continue as Lord Mayor for another year.
The Government’s emergency legislation for local authorities removed the requirement to hold Annual Council this year, meaning the next Annual Council will be held in 2021“
There has been no announcement on the position of Sheriff of the City. The position has been shared by two individuals during the last 12 months.
The vast majority of the events normally attended by the Civic Party were suspended at the beginning of March. It is unclear when they will recommence although it is not thought likely that many will take place before the autumn.
The current Lord Mayor is understood to be observing strict social distancing conventions and has had a low profile in recent months.
NB. It is the first time since 1933-35, when Herbert Edward Harrowell was Lord Mayor, that a Lord Mayor will serve a term of two years. Since WWII, only one Lord Mayor has served over a continuous 12 months when the date of Mayor making was changed from November to May, Therefore the Mayor inaugurated in November 1945 stayed in office until May 1947.
The Council says that it will work today to try to clear the backlog of waste collection in the City.
The backlog has developed due to “social distancing” issues while garden waste volumes have been very high following the recent suspension of collections.
The Council web site says, “
Latest waste service update
Friday 15 May
All scheduled household waste collections have been made, including outstanding collections from Thursday 21 May.
We were unable to collect recycling from a number of areas due to operational restrictions to do with Covid-19.
Strensall
New Earswick
Haxby
Wigginton
Clifton
Rawcliffe
Nether Poppleton
Upper Poppleton
Guildhall
This recycling will be collected on Saturday 23 May. Please present your containers for collection by 7.00am.
We were unable to collect garden waste from a number of areas due to the large amount to be collected and capacity issues.
Acomb
Poppleton
Clifton Without
Rawcliffe
We’ll attempt to return for these collections as follows:
Poppleton on the evening of Friday 22 May or Saturday 23 May
Acomb, Clifton Without and Rawcliffe on Saturday 23 May
Please present your containers for collection by 7.00am.
All outstanding garden waste from Thursday 21 May has been collected”.
The Council, has decided to remove 100 car parking spaces from the Marygate car park. The spaces are those located near to the railway line.
The Council says that, by removing this row of parked cars, pedestrians and cyclists will be able to “social distance” more easily.
That may be so but there are other “pinch points” on this route not least the relatively narrow tunnel under the railway line which links to Bootham Terrace.
What is surprising about this and other ideas aimed at countering virus risks is that it has taken the authority as long as 10 weeks to bring them forward.
It then makes a unheralded announcement without any consultation.
The car park is likely to become progressively busier as shoppers and workers return to the beleaguered City centre.
The lack of an holistic plan to sustain the local economy is becoming a real worry for some businesses.
The Council are struggling to catch up wiht householdwaste, reccyling and green bin emptying in various aprts of the City. Thye workede on into teh eveing yesterday and promise to continue into Satuirday if necessasry. Their latest update says,
“Latest waste service update
Thursday 21 May
We were unable to collect household waste from Old Orchard, Cherry Tree Lane, and Holly Tree Lane in Haxby due to a vehicle breakdown
This household waste will be collected on Friday 22 May. Please present your containers for collection by 7.00am.
We were unable to collect recycling from a number of areas due to operational restrictions to do with Covid-19.
Strensall
New Earswick
Haxby
Wigginton
This recycling waste will be collected on Friday 22 May. Please present your containers for collection by 7.00am.
We were unable to collect garden waste from a number of areas due to the large amount to be collected and capacity issues.
Strensall
New Earswick
Haxby
Wigginton
This garden waste will be collected on Friday 22 May. Please present your containers for collection by 7.00am.
We were able to return and collect missed waste from Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 May”.
