Local MEP resigns?

According to European Parliament LibDem Leader Fiona Hall, Yorkshire MEP Diane Wallis has resigned.

There are no “by elections” in the Euro Parliament world, so another candidate – from further down the LibDem party list – would automatically be allocated the seat.

Gremlins in Planning system?

The Council published the agenda for today’s Planning Committee meeting “on line” at around 10:00am this morning.

That’s 17 hours after the registration deadline for residents wishing to speak at the meeting!

There is an important item on the agenda relating to the plans to build a hotel next to the Barbican.

Officials are recommending that the application be refused. They claim the building is too big but apparently choose to forget that a hotel formed an essential part of the original Barbican development brief.

The hotel would provide vital services such as break out rooms and restaurant facilities which would help the Barbican auditorium to attract conference business to the City.

Without it the future of the Barbican would be at risk.

Still there’s little danger of any resident turning up to make representations at today’s meeting … the registration deadline is long gone!

Government to fund at least 158 more homes for rent in York

click to enlarge

Housing Associations will be building more homes for rent over the next 4 years in the City. 158 homes have been approved with the bulk (99) going to the exemplar Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust.

The homes are in addition to those previously approved such as the Derwenthorpe development.

The Government is providing a grant of £22K per home.

The allocations are not for specific sites so the location of the new units will be decided over the next few months

Tenants will be charged an “affordable rent” for the property. This could mean around £420 – £480 per month for a 3 bedroomed home. These are higher than the “social rents” which apply to Council homes and existing Housing Association tenancies.

However, less well of tenants will qualify for housing benefit.

The higher rents produce income which goes towards paying off the money borrowed to finance building costs.

Most Housing Association relets are likely to be at the new “affordable rent “level. This is usually set at between 60% and 80% of the market rent. Only around 60 properties each year will be affected by this change which does not apply to existing tenancies.

The York Council is likely to cap “affordable” rent levels, on 3 bedroomed properties provided under Section 106 agreements, at 55% of the market rent.

Westfield Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team

The team’s latest report is reproduced below

The York West Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) have recently been involved within a number of successful warrants in the Westfield ward to combat theft and drugs. Your continued assistance in providing information to the Police in relation to illegal drug use and stolen property is vital to this continued work.

• Many reported burglaries involve no forced entry, i.e. the burglar gains access via an open window or door. It is obviously important to ensure that all windows/doors are secured when leaving the premises unattended. Opportunist burglars will often take advantage of doors and windows left open by the householder.

The Westfield Safer Neighbourhood Team continues to work hard to reduce Anti Social and Nuisance Behaviour in your area. Anti social behaviour can come in many forms from noise nuisance and Neighbour issues to more serious cases of anti social behaviour such as harassment and drug dealing. Members of your Safer Neighbourhood Team are dedicated to reducing such behaviour.
Anti social behaviour can be detrimental to your quality of life and to those whose live in your community –if you are suffering from any type of Nuisance / Anti social behaviour please contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team who will continue to work together with yourselves and other agencies to combat this behaviour.

What are we doing?

Westfield Safer Neighbourhood Team have engaged in various operations to combat community issues raised by those within our ward over the past few months and will continue to do so. Such operations include;
Operation Image – Aimed at targeting those that ride bikes without lights during hours of darkness and those that choose to cycle without care or consideration for their safety or that of other road (and pavement) users.
Operation Spoke – Aimed at security marking as many cycles in York as possible. Op Spoke is currently run throughout the City of York and will continue to do so. For times, dates and locations of Op Spoke in your area please contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team or e-mail us, snayorkwest@northyorkshire.pnn.po lice.uk

‘Come join us’

Westfield Safer Neighbourhood Team continue to hold police surgeries / dropins, where you can come along and meet and speak to your local team.

Forthcoming surgeries for 2012 will be published on the North Yorkshire Police website at; www.northyorkshire.police.uk

Your Westfield Safer Neighbourhood Team
York West Inspector – Inspector Neil Drummond
York West Problem Solving Sergeant – Iain Sirrell
Westfield Ward Beat Managers – PC Colin Park – PC Mark Antonelli
Westfield Ward PCSOs;
Laura Nunnen – Gale Lane, Cornlands Road, St Stephens Rd.
Stacey Taylor & Ben Hutchinson – Foxwood
Chris Simpson – Chapelfields
Grace Holohan – Front Street, Green Lane.
Louise Scott – Kingsway West
snayorkwest@northyorkshire.

Mobile safety (speed) camera locations

North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Wednesday 18 January and Tuesday 24 January 2012. (York area locations only see Police web site for full list http://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/index.aspx
• A64 east-bound carriageway Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
• A1237 Monks Cross, York
• The Village, Stockton-on-the-Forest, York
• A1036 Malton Road, York
• A1237 Monks Cross, York
• York Road, Haxby, York
• B1222 Naburn lane, York
• B1228 Main Street, Elvington, York
• B1228 Dunnington Lodge, Elvington, York
• A64 west-bound carriageway, Bowbridge Farm, Tadcaster
• Broadway, Fulford, York
• Murton Way, Murton, York
• Fordlands Road, Fulford, York
• A61, Green Lane, Brearton
The mobile safety cameras will be in operation at the above sites at various times during the dates stated. Cameras will not be in use on the above routes all day, every day.