Potholes on Beagle Ridge drive

We’ve been out and about in the Foxwood area over the last few days.

Looks like the winter weather has taken its toll on some road surfaces. We reported potholes on Beagle Ridge Drive.

Hopes that essential road and footpath repairs would be carried out in Foxwood next year have been dashed.

2 roads (Foxwood Lane from Otterwood Lane to Forrester’s Walk & Foxwood Lane from Huntsman’s Walk to Gale Lane) were due to be resurfaced as were footpaths in Huntsman’s Walk (Foxwood Lane To Beagle Ridge Drive), Foxwood Lane (from Huntsman’s Walk to Gale Lane), Foxwood Lane (from Otterwood Lane to Forrester’s Walk) & Acomb Wood Drive (from Bellwood Drive to Alness Drive). The cuts imposed by the Labour run Council mean that this work has been shelved.

Elsewhere we’ve asked for litter to be removed from underneath hedges at Acomb Wood Meadow and the Foxwood Park before the growing season starts and for the cycle barriers on the Tedder Road park to be repainted.

Other issues include a “leaning lamppost” near Herman Walk, vandalised and insecure gates at the Foxwood Park and a repeat complaint about the uprooted litter bin on Chesney Field.

No new yet from the “Prince of Darkness” about when the Council will replace the lampposts on Bellhouse Way which were felled last year?

Litter in hedgerow Acomb Wood Meadow

Missing street light Bellhouse Way

Park cycle barriers need a coat of paint

Damaged litter bin Chesney's Field

The campaign now has its own Facebook site http://www.facebook.com/SaveBeckfieldLanetipYork

Window posters have been printed (see right)

Volunteers will be out at the recycling centre on Saturday (and maybe Sunday) collecting signatures on the petition.

Another 3000 leaflets are being delivered to residents in the Acomb and Foxwood areas over the weekend.

The petition should appear on the Council web site shortly for anyone who wants to “sign” electronically.

The intention is to present the petition to the Council meeting on 29th March.

Further details are available from Reuban Mayne on York 781589

Come along to Foxwood Community Centre to help clear up the Foxwood Park. We will also be creating a new vegetable and herb garden at the Centre

Come equipped to garden! – hot dogs, coffee and tea available!

The Gardeners Question Time at Westfield School on Tuesday 17th April at 7pm is open to the public to help with questions about growing your own fruit and vegetables.

This is being organised by BTCV to help with the various projects in the ward to get people growing their own food, and if you need more information then contact Andrew on 337757.

City of York Council is launching the first ever Children’s Book Awards to find York’s favourite children’s picture book and story book of all time.

The council is inviting all children aged 14 years and younger to take part and have their say on what their favourite book is.

A special event to launch the awards will be taking place on 3 March at Explore York Library learning Centre, with well-known children’s author Andy Newbound. The event will take place between 2pm – 3.30pm with lots of activities for children on offer.

Children will be able to nominate their favourite book via the council’s website at www.york.gov.uk/libraries from Saturday 3 March, or they will be able to vote by asking for a form in one of 14 libraries across the city

Nominations will close on Friday 27 April and a shortlist of the five favourite books in each category will be announced in June. Lots of copies of the shortlisted books will be available and children will be encouraged to read and vote for their favourite. Voting closes on 16 September, the same day as the Summer Reading Challenge.

A grand ceremony is set to take place on Sunday 28 October, where prizes will be awarded.

116 residents had signed the “Save the Guildhall” petition when the deadline passed on 24th February.

This makes it the 4 largest ever “on line” petition registered on the Councils web site.

The petition read, “We the undersigned petition the council to ensure that The Guildhall and Mansion House continue to be at the heart of civic and cultural activities in the City, that no attempt be made to downgrade the role, function or public accessibility of the buildings and that any proposals to change the ownership or lease arrangements on any part of the site be subject to full public consultation”.

The petition will now be considered as and when the Councils ruling Labour “cabinet” choose meet to discuss the future of the Guildhall.

A new petition, asking for the Beckfield Lane recycling centre to remain open at least until a replacement has been provided, should be available on the Council’s web site shortly.

http://www.york.gov.uk/ “Have your say”

Crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers is today launching a pilot campaign to tackle the issue of metal theft across Yorkshire & Humberside, which costs the UK economy around £770 million per year.
The campaign is being run across the whole region, as well as the north east, as the charity aims to fight the number of incidents occurring in the respective regions that are disrupting the local community.

Crimes reported across the region include the theft of manhole covers, lead from church roofs and the stealing of war memorials.

The aim of this pilot campaign is to increase the amount of information coming to Crimestoppers from the public about the theft of metal, with the view that further campaigns can be run in the future tackling larger scale metal theft affecting industries such as transport and communication.

Crimestoppers Regional Manager for Yorkshire & Humberside, Dave Hunter, said: “Crimestoppers wants to encourage the public to fight back against the metal thieves who create severe disruption for local communities and cost millions to the UK economy.

“We want to scrap the metal thieves and the local public can help us to do this by passing on any information they might have on those committing this crime anonymously to Crimestoppers. We don’t want to know who you are, only what you know and you might even qualify for a reward.”

To pass on information about a metal theft incident, or any crime, please contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through our secure online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.