Time for York Council to get out the pruning knife

A meeting on Friday will make a final recommendation on the York Council’s tree management policy.

click to read report

click to read report

The proposed policy was amended at a meeting last week but still fails to fully recognise the impact that 5 years of neglect have had on the City’s trees and bushes.

There are simply too many paths and roads obstructed by overgrown trees and bushes.

What is needed is a proactive management policy.

…..and where a dispute, between the Council’s staff and local residents cannot be resolved, then there needs to be an appeal process where conflicts can be settled as amiably as possible.

In the meantime the Council needs to get on and resolve some long standing issues
View from Askham Lane bus shelter. Reported two months ago the shelter is still engulfed by nettles and rubbish. It is impossible to see approaching busses from within the shelter.

View from Askham Lane bus shelter. Reported two months ago the shelter is still engulfed by nettles and rubbish. It is impossible to see approaching buses from within the shelter.

Rubbish accumulating in the shelter

Rubbish accumulating in the shelter

Detritus and weeds still a problem and Ridgeway

Detritus and weeds still a problem on Ridgeway

Meanwhile vandalised trees - which should have been replaced several years ago - are just ignored. This one is on the Tedder Road park

Meanwhile vandalised trees – which should have been replaced several years ago – are just ignored. This one is on the Tedder Road park

We've reported an uneven footpath on Ridgeway

We’ve reported an uneven footpath on Ridgeway

What’s on in York: Sky Ride Local Bike Rides in Acomb

Energise Sports Centre : Sun 19 Jun : 10.00am – 11.00am : Free

Jun 19_Sky Ride Local LogoThe Sky Ride Local programme offers free guided cycle rides around York.

The Acomb programme of rides begins on Sunday 19th June and then occurs every Sunday until 21st August.

The programme is provided by the City of York Council Sport and Active Leisure team, in partnership with British Cycling and will be delivered by qualified ride leaders.

These rides will increase in difficulty as the programme progresses, aiding local residents to become more active on their bicycles, whilst improving their fitness over the duration of this programme.

Further details of each ride can be found by visiting the Go Sky Ride website

w http://www.goskyride.com/  f https://www.facebook.com/just30york t https://twitter.com/Just30York

Acomb Green booze ban takes step forward

The Council is set to confirm new restrictions on the use of Acomb Green at a meeting taking place on 20th June.

Acomb Green Play area group in 2011

Acomb Green

On Acomb Green during 2015, North Yorkshire Police were called to 49 incidents, 44 of which were ASB and there were 5 criminal incidents.

The proposed ban, first announced in March, covers:

  • Banning the drinking of alcohol
  • The ability to remove large groups of 3 or more people who are causing anti-social behaviour (ASB)
  • Banning under 16’s from the possession of lighters in the play area
  • Setting the amount of any Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) at £100, which would be reduced to £75 if paid within the first 14 days.

The proposals received the support of over 90% of residents who responded to a Council consultation on the issue. This is similar to the number who responded to a separate survey included in the last issue of the local Focus newsletter. Ward Councillors and local Police also supported the restrictions.

Many residents wrote to highlight the problems that they had witnessed on The Green.

Asked whether there were any other improvement s that they would like to see, residents said a CCTV camera should be installed and they also felt that more enforcement action should be taken against dog fouling.

The “Public Space Protection Order” is likely to become effective later in the year

West Bank Park

Separately the Council is set to go ahead with similar restrictions in West Bank Park.

Here the Executive member is being recommended to impose a requirement that dogs should be kept on a lead between 8:00am and 6:00pm. Residents, in a consultation poll, had opposed this idea by 101 votes to 32.

Latest planning applications for the Westfield Ward

Below are the latest planning applications received by the York Council for the Westfield ward.

Full details can be found by clicking the words highlighted in blue

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58 St Stephens Road York YO24 3EF

Proposal              Two storey side and single storey front extensions

Reference           16/01228/FUL

—

2 Bramham Avenue York YO26 5BE

Two storey side extension following demolition of existing side extension

Ref. No: 16/01301/FUL 

—-

133 Cornlands Road York YO24 3ED

Single storey front and side extensions, first floor rear extension and dormer to rear (resubmission)

Ref. No: 16/01260/FUL 

—

 Representations can be made in favour of, or in objection to, any application via the Planning on line web site.  http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/

The Council now no longer routinely consults neighbours by letter when an application is received

LibDems take action as vandals strike west York

As we reported yesterday, crime levels are becoming an increasing concern in York.

Over the weekend a telephone kiosk on Thanet Road and a litter bin on Woodthorpe Green were both damaged.

Burnt out bin on Woodthorpe Green

Burnt out bin on Woodthorpe Green

Vandalised phone box

Vandalised phone box

Another unusual hazard has arisen on St Stephens Road. Bees are swarming in a tree there. We hope to get a bee keeper to take them away.

Bees swarming in a tree in St Stephens Road

Bees swarming in a tree in St Stephens Road

Elsewhere more mundane issues have been reported by Andrew Waller following one of his periodic inspection tours.

Speed cushion on Kingsway West is breakign up

Speed cushion on Kingsway West is breaking up

a speed cushion on Danesfort Avenue requires attention

A speed cushion on Danesfort Avenue requires attention

Dumping on Middleton Road has been reported

Dumping on Middleton Road has been reported

A pothole on Windsor Garth has been reprted

A pothole on Windsor Garth has been reported

Full poop scoop bin on the Foxwood Park has been reported for emptying

Full poop scoop bin on the Foxwood Park has been reported for emptying

Finally some good news with the flower tubs on Beagle Ridge Drive – which are sponsored by the residents association – having been planted out by volunteers

Volunteers have planted out the tubs on Beagle Ridge Drive which are beginnign to look good.

Volunteers have planted out the tubs on Beagle Ridge Drive which are beginning to look good.

Crime levels almost double in Westfield over 5 month period

Call for local policing shake up
Crime incidents in Westfield April 2016

Crime incidents in Westfield April 2016

The latest crime figures for York – which cover the period up to April 2016 – have revealed spiraling problems with anti-social behaviour and criminal damage incidents in some neighbourhoods.

In Westfield crime levels increased from 117 incidents, reported in December 2015, to 201 reported in April.  Although crime levels are seasonal – the summer usually sees higher levels – recent trends are worrying.

During the last year there were 926 reports of anti-social behaviour. This represented half of all crime reported in the Westfield area. Other problem categories included violence and sexual offences 285 reports (15% of the total) and criminal damage 215 reports (11.5%)

Of the reports, the Police decided to take no further action in 63% of cases. In only 15% of cases was an offender actually taken to court.

We have said before that the centralisation of anti-social behaviour resources into a “hub” in Toft Green does not appear to have been in the best interests of sub-urban areas. The important link between named “community constables”, painstakingly built up during the last decade, has been lost.

Crime trends in Westfield area

Crime trends in Westfield area

In a survey, currently being conducted in the Westfield ward by local Councillors, only 30% of respondents have so farsaid that they know the name of a local police or community support officer.

The police rarely advertise local surgeries although to some extent the property marking programme fulfils this need. The West Neighbourhood policing team also “tweet” quite a lot which is helpful for those that use that channel.

On the other hand the relaunched Community Messaging Service has so far generated few warnings and little advice on local York matters.

We feel that the Police must make more use of community noticeboards, local newsletters and various web sites.

The York Councils news page for Westfield contains no information about crime and policing activities at all.

 It also would be nice to see a crime reporting and advice desk established at the Acomb Explore Library. It is a building which is genuinely becoming a local information hub in the best sense of the word.

These, and other ideas for dealing with crime, need to be part of an ongoing public discussion involving the police, Councillors and residents.