The West area planning committee decided on Wednesday not to approve an application to provide an additional 21 car parking spaces on land next to Morrisons store in Acomb. Several objections to the plan were made by local residents who were particularly concerned about the impact that the extension would have on neighbouring properties.
Instead the application was deferred with a request that the store look at:
1. Ways of reducing anti social activity in the car park area
2. Restricting (to 8:00am – 6:00pm) use of the new car park & possibly restricting its use to staff.
3. Improvements to the safety of the car park entrance at the Front Street junction
4. The introduction of a “green” travel plan for store employees.
Crime down in Westfield for third year running
Crime levels in Westfield
Thanks to close working between all agencies in the ward, crime levels dropped again last year. The Police teams are now headquartered at Acomb Police station – where there is an enquiry desk manned by volunteers – and bringing law enforcement closer to the community. I would put on record my thanks to the Neighbourhood Policing team of Phil Cain, Lindsey Stamp, Mark Antonelli, Colin Park, Chris Simpson, Grace Holohan, Laura Nunnen, Chris Upton, Richard Tempest and Stacey Gibson for their untiring efforts.
There was a small increase in burglary levels. I know that the Police are always willing to offer advice to residents about how to make their properties more secure. In particular. garages and sheds can be a targeted so some sort of alarm system should be fitted if possible.
Acomb Green Summer Fair
The Westfield Ward committee have agreed to donate £900 towards the costs of staging a repeat of last years successful Acomb Green summer fair together with other improvements to the area.
The Fair will take place on August 27th.
A bench seat is being provided on The Green
2011 summer fair on The Green
Youth Club at Sanderson Court in Bramham Road
York Young People’s Services currently runs two youth clubs at Sanderson Court. One session is for young people up to age 16 on Monday evenings from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. This session is open access to any children and young people age 11 to 16 who live in the area. They also provide a “drop in” for young people age 16 and above each Wednesday from 4.00pm to 6.00pm particularly to help with job search and advice about entry into education, employment and training.
20 mph zone close to completion
Steve, Andrew and Mark with one of the new 20 mph signs
Work on erecting 20 mph speed limit signs in the Beaconsfield Street area will recommence after Easter.
The one way system signs for the Gladstone Street/Milner Street loop are also almost ready to be unveiled.
Council services over Easter
Bus services
Good Friday (22 April) and the Royal wedding day (29 April)
A Saturday service will operate on routes 14, 20, 21, 22 and 36. A bank holiday service will operate on routes 24 and 26. Park & Ride routes will operate to a weekday holiday schedule. A Sunday service will operate on all other local bus routes.
Easter Sunday (24 April)
A Sunday service will operate on all routes including Park & Ride, with the following exceptions:
• A special timetable will be in operation on route 5 (details available from First York)
• No service on routes 10, 11,12 13A, 20 and 22
Easter Monday (25 April) and Early May Bank Holiday (2 May)
A Sunday service will operate on all local bus services and a normal Monday service will operate on Park & Ride routes.
Council offices
Council offices are closed for bank holidays. York Customer centre is open 8am to 7pm as usual on normal working days.
Waste and recycling collections
All of the household waste recycling centres are open as normal and there are no changes to the refuse, recycling and garden waste collection services over the bank holidays.
May rubbish skip programme
Skips are being provided for use by local residents as follows during the month of May
Skip programme
Bogus highways claim by Labour
Labour would have spent over £600,000 less on road repairs
Labour election promise proved to be “bogus”
Official figures have shattered a Labour claim that they would invest more in road repairs in York.
The figures, compiled by Council officials, show that had Labour budget amendments been successful over the last 4 years, then £608,000 less would have been spent on carriageway and footpath resurfacing.
Commenting LibDem Strategy spokesman Steve Galloway said, “Although the Labour amendments were all defeated, the figures do demonstrate quite conclusively that investing in safe highways is not a Labour priority.
They have a nerve claiming otherwise in their election manifesto.
Even the small increase that they proposed for the current year was at the expense of potentially life saving work on providing anti skid surfaces and in repairing York’s car parks”.
The figures show that the Liberal Democrat Council has invested £52 million over the last 6 years in keeping highways and footpaths in good condition.
“We have made progress in dealing with the backlog of repairs inherited from the Labour Council in 2003. The very bad winter hasn’t helped, but we are on target to clear the potholes before the autumn”
Labour election promise proved to be “bogus”
Official figures have shattered a Labour claim that they would invest more in road repairs in York.
The figures, compiled by Council officials, show that had Labour budget amendments been successful over the last 4 years, then £608,000 less would have been spent on carriageway and footpath resurfacing.
Commenting LibDem Strategy spokesman Steve Galloway said, “Although the Labour amendments were all defeated, the figures do demonstrate quite conclusively that investing in safe highways is not a Labour priority.
They have a nerve claiming otherwise in their election manifesto.
Even the small increase that they proposed for the current year was at the expense of potentially life saving work on providing anti skid surfaces and in repairing York’s car parks”.
The figures show that the Liberal Democrat Council has invested £52 million over the last 6 years in keeping highways and footpaths in good condition.
“We have made progress in dealing with the backlog of repairs inherited from the Labour Council in 2003. The very bad winter hasn’t helped, but we are on target to clear the potholes before the autumn”
Highways spend by York Council
Easter break for roadworks
City of York Council is reminding residents and visitors that work to improve the A19/1237 roundabout will stop over the Easter weekend and forthcoming bank holidays.
Work to increase the capacity of Rawcliffe Roundabout will stop from Friday 22 April to Monday 2 May inclusive, to reduce congestion over the holiday period.
Night-time road resurfacing is programmed to start later in May
Westfield school childrens centre
Building work on the new Childrens Centre at Westfield school has been completed. An official opening of the facility – which is currently providing services in other buildings in the community – is scheduled for Tuesday 24th May.