York Council criticised for annual meeting arrangements
The City’s Honorary Aldermen were told yesterday that they would be unable to attend the York Councils annual meeting which takes place today.
Attendance numbers are being restricted with only one place unavailable for the media plus a nominal “member of the public”.
The Councils ceremonial annual meeting would normally attract an attendance of around 200 people.
The Council claims that the decision to limit attendance is in line with COVID regulations.
NB. A sports event held at the Community Stadium last weekend attracted around 1000 spectators.
Council’s consultation confusion
It seems that the York Council is pursuing a policy of overkill with many and various public consultations currently underway.
There is already some scepticism among residents about whether it is even worth responding to the Council’s questions. A recent survey found that the majority of respondents didn’t want to see any major change to traffic signal arrangements at the St Leonard Place/Bootham junction. The views were largely ignored when a decision on changes was shelved until the autumn.
Meanwhile, the ill timed (but well intentioned) Groves experimental traffic scheme is still in operation and attracting comments. It was implemented at the height of the pandemic when streets were virtually free of traffic. It is likely to be 6 months before a “new normal” is established and the true impact of the road closures becomes apparent. In the meantime ambulances and other emergency vehicles are forced use an unnecessarily longer route.
The Council is now trying to promote it’s ” My City Centre” survey.
It says the questions are aimed at shaping “a people-focused, business-friendly city centre where people love to spend time, live and work“. You can complete the survey visit My City Centre York.
There is more than a sneaking suspicion that the questions simply replicate the Castle Gateway approach which started in 2018. There a seemingly endless stream of questions were apparently aimed at wearing down non conformist opposition.
The best test of the voracity of any survey is whether it offers the status quo as an option!
The Council has had little option but to start consultation again on its Local Plan.
Planning inspectors have asked for the six-week consultation period before examining the plan at public hearing sessions later this year.
The consultation will ask for comments on additional evidence and modifications submitted since the ‘Phase 1 hearings in 2019’, including the recent submission of the Green Belt Topic Paper Addendum (2021).
To have your say, visit Local Plan Consultation. The consultation will end at midnight on Wednesday 7 July 2021.
Consultation on “York’s Community Woodland” finished yesterday. It ran for over 6 weeks without managing to answer key questions about how much each of the options would cost and where the funding would come from. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/YorkWoodland
Another consultation which closed on 11th May relates to changes to recycling arrangements. The proposed 3 weekly collection system attracted one of the highest response rates ever seen. Whether the Council decides to go ahead with the changes, despite the concerns raised, may be the defining moment for the present Council. A decision is due on 24th June.
Other current consultation ca be found by clicking this link
Improvements to York – Selby cycle path
The new “White Rose” football pavilion and associated pitches have now been completed. They can’t be brought into use until agreed improvements on the adjacent cycle path – which is a York Council maintenance responsibility – are also completed.
The cycle path upgrade was a condition of the planning approval given on 16th November 2018. (click)
Elsewhere we are waiting to hear whether SUSTRANs was successful in its grant application to the government for funding to resurface the track near Riccall and the A64.
Work on filling and levelling the Escrick sidings site appears to be proceeding more quickly now.
What’s on in York; Foxwood garden contest launched
Money now available for any York business looking to hire apprentices
Starting on May 17th, SMEs and charitable organisations across the city of York will be able to access additional public funds to aid in the hiring of new apprentices or to develop existing employees.
The funding is being made available by City of York Council from unallocated funds from its Apprenticeship Levy*, and comes as part of the council’s continuing efforts to support the creation of apprenticeship opportunities for people of all ages.
The total amount available to local businesses each year could be around £100,000, with individual businesses being able to request a portion to offset the training and assessment costs for new apprenticeship starts. This funding is in addition to the Government’s financial incentives, of up to £4,000** for employers who hire a new apprentice.
York businesses and charitable organisations are being encouraged to come forward if they would like support to provide apprenticeship opportunities for new or existing employees.
Cllr Andrew Waller, Executive Member for the Economy and Strategic Planning, City of York Council said:
“This apprenticeship funding will help small businesses and charities looking to help train their next generation of employees, and underlines the council’s commitment to skills and employment opportunities across the city.
“Apprenticeships provide opportunities for people across our city, from school leavers taking their first steps into the world of work, to those of any age looking for a change of career.”
Businesses and charities looking to take part in the scheme can find out more by visiting the York Apprenticeship Hub at york.gov.uk/HiringAnApprentice.
*All organisations with an annual wage bill of more than £3m legally have to set aside 0.5% of their payroll for apprenticeship training, creating a fund called the Apprenticeship Levy.
Under the government scheme, 20% of any levy not allocated by the authority can be offered to other local SMEs and charitable organisations, under the government scheme. This approach has been approved by City of York Council.
**National apprenticeships grants are currently £3,000 for hiring an apprentice of any age until 30 September 2021, plus the existing £1,000 if the apprentice is aged 16-18 or up to 25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan
£2.67m investment in specialist York schools
Two of York’s specialist schools could benefit from a £2.67m investment if plans are approved by City of York Council’s Executive later this month (20 May).
The Executive will be asked to approve plans for capital works at Applefields Special School, which supports secondary aged students, with a wide range of special educational needs; and Danesgate which is home to York’s Pupil Referral Unit and supports young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.
The proposals recognise the continued rise in pupil numbers at Applefields over the last four years and a need to better support the needs of children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs at Danesgate.
Members will be asked to approve plans to approve works to adapt existing office and break out space into classrooms at Applefields, ready for the September 2021 intake. The proposals would enable the school to support the increasing number of young people with highly complex needs, such as those with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), autism, and those with the highest level of social and emotional need.
Phase 2 of the project would see the creation of essential administrative space and, if approved, would be completed by September 2022. The total value of the works is approximately £765,000. Remodelling and reorganisation of the site at Danesgate is needed to reflect the changing needs of the children and young people using the centre, with increasing numbers of pupils having communication and interaction needs.
The proposals also recognise the rising number of children and young people who are unable to attend school with their peers due to mental health needs and an increasing need to have more bespoke provision for many students who display anxieties, including specific intervention and break out spaces.
The proposed capital works at Danesgate would see the reconfiguration of the current buildings, to create smaller classrooms and breakout spaces, enabling the centre to meet the varied needs of pupils. The total cost of the proposed works is £1.9m.
Cllr Keith Orrell, the council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said:
We know that the number of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, including those with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs, across the city is continuing to increase. As a city committed to supporting all our residents, it’s important that we ensure that we are able to provide the right support to enable all our children and young people to fulfil their individual potential.
Cliffords Tower work set to begin
The Council has agreed that English Heritage can use part of the Castle Car Park as a building compound over then next few months.
The decision comes as a £4.7 million contract starts which will see external works to Clifford’s Tower including improvements to handrails for existing access stair up the motte, introduction of resting places to the sides of the stairs, internal works within the Tower to include the installation of new staircase, tower floor, walkways, balustrade, plaza and roof deck.
£900K will be spent on the public realm.
English Heritage still plan on providing a hard landscaped plaza with street furniture, in front of the steps leading to the Tower. This would result in the loss of 5 car parking spaces.
A small Piaggio vehicle will be parked there and used as a ticket and information guide point,
The work will take until the autumn to complete
Lowfields “public service building” future to be decided
The Council is set to allocate a plot on its Lowfields development for new residential facilities for people with learning difficulties.
The Councils “forward plan” summaries a proposal which would see “specialist accommodation built for 6 adults with a learning disability who have dementia and 6 other adults.
In addition to the 12 units, there will be up to 6 cluster flats for the first steps into independent living. The building of these units will enable a pathway through specialist supported accommodation for adults with a learning disability.
There will be staff on site 24/7.
The proposed site for this specialist accommodation is the Public Service Plot at Lowfield Green”.
The Councils Executive will be asked, at a meeting which is being held on on 24th June, to agree the specialist accommodation, the procurement of a housing provider to build the accommodation and a support provider to deliver the care and support element.
The public building was originally advertised as the location for a health centre and police station. After planning permission was granted, the Council jettisoned both of those proposed uses.
The action group operating in the area is currently concerned about the dust and noise emanating from the site.
They are also anxious that the promised 3 year delivery timetable for the whole project will be extended with disruption continuing for several more years.
At least the plan to provide more specialist housing will remove one of the unknowns from the development plan.
Selby house price rise highest in country
Last year we were sceptical about whether the Council would sell semi’s on its Lowfield development for £295,000.
However, even in Selby – North Yorkshires traditional cheap housing location – prices are now rising by 23% a year.
The average house price nationally has reached £333,000.
So it looks like the Lowfields pricing strategy may not be far off the mark.
We expect the Council to publish an update on how many of the Lowfields homes have now found a purchaser?
Of course, for many, such prices are far beyond what is affordable.
While demand continues to exceed supply, so prices will rise.
Hopefully other, less controversial, developments will now get going. Progress on the Sugar Beet site and at the Barbican would be particularly welcome.
In the meantime, complaints continue to be raised about the impact of the Lowfields development on neighbours.
One, at least, is complaining that the dust raised on the site is affecting their health.
That is something that the Council and their contractors need to address.