The centres Trustees say that they don’t have the resources or expertise to run the centre under post COVID restrictions.
That would be a shame. Some of the user groups provide essential support services for the local community. Some of these services are even more important in the post pandemic fragile world that we now live in.
Some users groups may cease to exist if they don’t have at least some earned income.
The Council has postured over the last few mnths about the importance of “community hubs”.
It should now put its money where its spin has been and agree to properly resource centres like the one in Foxwood.
According to the Foxwood Residents Association Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FoxwoodResidentsAssociation the Council has approved the making of an order which should – eventually – see the footpath added to local maps.
“Acomb Moor public right of way – decision
Our application to have the route from Foxwood Lane to Osprey Close – across Acomb Moor – recognised has passed another hurdle.
We understand that at a private meeting held on Tuesday Council officials decided to make a definitive map modification order (DMMO). The order should be made and published within the next few months. This would mean that the Public Right of Way route would be added to footpath maps.
The meeting was held behind closed doors and no agenda was published. This meant that interested parties were not able to make (further) representations. We understand that the background papers may not be published on the Councils website until next week.
We understand that initial consultation and review of the available evidence was completed and it was apparent that there is sufficient evidence to “reasonably allege that a public right of way subsists over the application route”. Under these circumstances the Council is required to make a DMMO by section 53 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
There will be a period of time during which objections to the designation can be made. If any objections are not subsequently withdrawn then the matter is referred to the Secretary of State for determination. This sometimes results in a Public Inquiry.
Footpath line before the field was ploughed
So it could be several months before the issue is entirely resolved.
In the meantime we have asked the Council to take steps to ensure that public access to the path is available for the point on Foxwood Lane where the stile used to be located (currently blocked by a tree trunk).
NB. We hope that the promised extension of the York Strays will include at least part of Acomb Moor. It is already used as an informal “country park”, is an important leisure area for the neighbourhood, it falls within the Green Belt and is on the most accessible side of the A1237. There is considerable scope for promoting conservation of flora and fauna in the area not least through re-establishing hedgerows where they have disappeared”.
The York Council says that it still faces a £20.4 million budget shortfall as a result of the COVID crisis.
The figures will be presented to a meeting next week They vary little from what has previously been published with the bulk of the shortfall (£16 million) being in anticipated reductions in Council Tax and Business Rate income following a rise in unemployment levels. .
The biggest hit is expected during the next financial year when the Councils reserves will hit a low point.
There is still little evidence that the council is controlling its expenditure levels. There has been no freeze on new expenditure commitments.
One encouraging trend is in visitor numbers in the City centre.
Marygate car park full
Officials say that use is now at 80% of car park capacity.
Footfall is at 70% of normal levels. This is higher than in other cities (50%) and bears out our own observations.
Use of public transport is still much reduced.
Despite the obvious increasing demand for car parking there is no mention in the report about the controversial decision to take 40 spaces at Marygate out of use.
Nor is there any acknowledgement that the number of spaces allocated for disabled use at Monk Bar is excessive. Most there are never used.
These spaces could be generating additional income for the Council and, of course, their occupants would be likely to be spending in local shops, restaurants and visitor attractions.
The income loss to the Council from the 70 unused spaces is estimated to be £5000 a week.
The Council says that changed highways layouts have “largely been well received”. They base this claim on the responses to a survey question (“big conversation”) where 62% said that they agreed with the extension of the “foot-streets”.
This may be so, but the council failed to include questions in its survey about individual actions like the reduction in car parking provision. Without such feedback, it is impossible to judge which of the changes enjoys popular support.
There is no acknowledgement that faulty car park ticket machines and unreliable advanced space availability signs remain an issue.
The Council is promising to consult with disabled residents about their transport needs. It will spend £25,000 doing so.
As usual the suburban and secondary shopping areas are ignored by officials.
Front Street needs more shoppers
There is clearly an economic opportunity for areas like Acomb if they can attract those who feel let down by some of the travel restrictions.
Opening Front Street to blue badge holders, on one or two days a week, would cost little but could stimulate footfall in what is another another beleaguered trading area.
We’ve pointed out before, that the York Council is failing to properly maintain existing cycle paths.
Instead it seems preoccupied with launching new initiatives. Recently many of these have been ill considered and subsequently little used (e.g. the Marygate car park route)
The cycle path from Thanet Road to Foxwood is a case in point.
It has been impeded by a “lego” style barrier near Sherringham Drive for over two years. Despite pleas from the local residents association (who want the traditional style barriers restoring as the current set up allows access by motorcycles) there has been no response from the Council.
Nearby the cycle path itself is now cracking while a few metres away the white line markings have all but worn away.
There still doesn’t seem to be any systematic attempt to identify and repair defects.
Cycle path is now cracking upMarkings and white lines have worn away
The many residents who have bought a bicycle during the last few months of lock-down, have their first opportunity to have it security marked on Friday 4th September.
The North Yorkshire police will be visiting the Foxwood Community centre car park between 9:30am and 11:30am at teh invitation of the Foxwood Residnts Association.
There will also be a plant sale while volunteers will be continuing their regular Friday morning distribution of surplus food.
Replacement of existing guttering, downpipes, fascias and soffits with UPVC ones to all areas and replacement and alteration of existing entrance doors.
The latest Council funding bid offers little hope for those wanting to do more walking in the wake of the health crisis. Many had, during the lockdown, made a start by making more use of local Public Rights of Ways.
These include the network of paths which link Acomb Moor to Acomb Wood. Nearby the rural section of Askham Lane was also well used as was the Westfield/Grange Lane Park links.
None of these has received any funding for improvements to access gates, signage or even by putting hard core down on sections liable to flooding. A few hundred pounds invested in paths located in the suburbs would make a lot of difference. A £500,000 budget, intended for walking and cycling improvements, has already been allocated mainly to cycling projects near the City centre.
One claim for a Public Right of Way could apparently take a step forward next week. The Foxwood residents association has been told that the path across the moor (the field which has recently been ploughed) will be considered at a decision meeting taking place on Tuesday. The association applied for heh PROW order on te path as long ago as December 2018
Unfortunately no agenda or report for any such meetings has been published on the Councils web site. This suggests that any discussion will be at one of the Councils, now infamous, “behind closed doors” meetings.
We hope not.
We also expect the Council get a move on and re-establish a safe access onto the moor from Foxwood Lane.
One of the main areas of objection is likely to be traffic generation with additional vehicle movements adding to those being generated by the adjacent “Lowfield Green” development.
Residents wishing to object to the plans can do so at the planning committee meeting (click) which takes place on Thursday 20th August.
Much of the litter we see around the area can be traced to poor storage arrangements. These commercial bins in back Front Street were overloaded to point when rubbish was likely to be blown around the area.Little Green Lane garage area looking overgrown and neglected again
On a more positive note, we were pleased to see that the Ashbourn Place gate access to the Foxwood Park has been repaired, following action by local Councillor Stephen Fenton
Foxwood park gatesWe’ve reported again the weeds growing on footpaths in the Dijon Avenue/Kir Crescent area. The weed treatment programme this summer has been better than happened last year, but some locations have been missed. Also disappointing to see that the Severus Street back lane is subject to dumping and overgrowth. Meanwhile thanks to the efforts of parishioners and volunteers most of the St Stephens churchyard continues to provide an oasis of calm in the heart of Acomb village. The Roseday Avenue end is difficult to keep tidy in the fast growing conditions which we are currently experiencing. No doubt the church would appreciate having more volunteers.
