Andrew Waller to fight Westfield by election for LibDems

2011 runner up needs just 139 extra votes to win critical seat

Former Council Leader and long term Westfield Ward representative, Andrew Waller is the Liberal Democrat choice to contest the Westfield ward by election on Thursday 16^th October.

A vacancy was caused by the recent death of Cllr Lynn Jeffries.

The impact of the election is likely to be felt far beyond the boundaries of the Westfield ward with the Council currently tied.

23 Labour Councillors face 23 opposition party representatives since another Councillor quit the Labour Group last week.

Who ever wins the by election will influence whether Labour regain an overall majority or whether opposition groups – when they vote together – will be able to defeat them.

There has been some speculation that a LibDem win would mean the Councils Cabinet being restructured to ensure that all parties have a seat round the table.

In 2011 Andrew Waller came within 140 votes of retaining the seat which had previously been held by the Liberal Democrats.

Andrew, 45, was councillor for the ward until May 2011. Since then he has kept in touch with people issuing a regular FOCUS newsletter. He has kept working for the local community and recently completed a 6000 household doorstep public opinion survey.

Andrew lives in the heart of the ward on Askham Lane, and is Treasurer of Chapelfields Community Association (which runs Sanderson House Community Centre), and a School Governor at both the Westfield Primary and York High Schools.

He has worked for Rowntrees and Great North Eastern Railway in the past.

He jointly set up the Acomb Traders Association (Acomb Alive!) which promotes business in the Front Street shopping area.

He has campaigned on local services, including protecting community centres, and Energise Sports Centre.

A keen cyclist, he is often spotted in his distinctive yellow jacket around the ward recording problems that need sorting out.

A fuller biography is available by clicking here

Fears for childrens safety as service standards wobble

Thorn bush overhanging public footpath

Snickets are often a source of concern to both users and neighbouring property owners.

None less so that that linking Parker Avenue to Grange Lane.

Often problems are reported there with graffiti, litter, weeds and vandalism to boundary fences.

Today we have had to report a badly overgrown rose bush which is almost blocking the footpath. The thorns are a particular hazard for young children who may be wheeled past in prams.

We hope that the Council will act quickly to have the bush cut back

Grange Lane play area

Meanwhile the Grange Lane play area is once again the subject of litter and dog fouling. The swings have also been vandalised.

The playground really does need a fence round it to prevent access by dogs and to stop litter drift.

It should become a “poop scoop” area with proper enforcement.

Again an issue overdue for Council attention.

By election announced for Westfield Ward on 16th October

The Notice of Vacancy in the office of Councillor for the Westfield Ward has been published by the Returning Officer.

This vacancy occurred due to the recent sudden death of Councillor Lynn Jeffries.

An election to fill this vacancy will be held Thursday 16 October.

The Notice of Election will be published Thursday 11 September, with nominations accepted Friday 12 September to Friday 19 September 2014.

The Liberal Democrat candidate for this by election will be selected and announced early next week

Applications to vote by post at the election must be received by the Council by 5:00pm on 1st October 2014

At the last local elections in 2011 only 139 votes separated the successful third placed candidate and runner up Andrew Waller.

A close contest is expected with Labour reeling from the adverse public reaction to its policies on issues like the Lendal bridge closure and wide area 20 mph speed limits.

Chapelfields rallying round Sanderson House Community Centre

There was a good turnout at the annual meeting of Chapelfields Residents group yesterday.

Most discussion focussed on the future of the Community Centre.

Residents are mostly unhappy about the cut in York Council funding, but are determined to keep the centre going at least until May 2015 when a new Council will be elected.

In the meantime, a charity is being formed to run the centre and a new committee has been appointed.

Road repairs

Vesper Drive and York Road

York oad work

The annual safety inspection of Vesper Drive was carried out yesterday. Temporary repairs will be carried to maintain the carriageway safe for the public to use until the full resurfacing scheme is completed later this financial year

Meanwhile work continues to move the Controller (new location) for the pedestrian crossing on York Road/Manor Drive.

The controller box is being moved to a more suitable location away from vehicle’s accidentally reversing into it

York GCSE results

Provisional results show that 64 per cent of young people in York achieved five or more A*-C grades including English and Maths GCSE on first entry.

Results this year are not comparable to previous years because of changes made in the performance tables which report the first entry rather than best entry results for candidates.

There have also been significant changes to the examination system in 2014, with the removal of some GCSE equivalent courses from the performance tables, reductions in coursework and the move away from modular examinations towards end of course examinations.

There was some disappointment at York High where a spokesman commented,

“In spite of the hard work of the students, the support of the families and the commitment of staff our results have dropped to 43 per cent of students gaining 5A* – C including English and Maths.

This is of course disappointing but is an inevitable consequence of an assessment based mainly on longer exams at the end of a two year course.”

Acomb toilets to reopen

The York Council has said that the public toilets in Acomb, closed for over 2 months, will be reopened shortly.

Apparently the refurbishment has been completed and they are now only waiting for a new lock to arrive and be fitted.

The Council has (rightly) been heavily criticised, first for not providing a replacement temporary facility, and more recently for not putting a notice on the toilets saying what progress was being made and when the facility would reopen.

The Council has however warned that repair work to the roof of the building is outstanding and that this may be done in September.

That could involve another closure period!

Acomb Business Rates discount neighbourhood identified

The York Council has now identified the streets that will benefit from the empty property Rates discount scheme

Empty retail properties brought back into use on Front Street, Green Lane, The Green, Wetherby Road and part of York Road will benefit from a 50% reduction in Business Rates.

The government introduced a scheme which gave Rates discounts on commercial properties that were brought into use after being empty for over 12 months.

The Council has extended that scheme to any retail property that becomes empty.

Concerns have been raised that this will benefit national chains that could pay half the Rates of local independent competitors for as long as 18 months.

As a letter to the local newspaper explained, far from helping independent retailers this could signal their death knell.

Figures released last week show that there are now only a handful of properties currently empty in the Acomb Front Street area.

However, with leases now changing hands regularly as the economy improves, it seems that this well intentioned initiative may be both costly to taxpayers and harmful to many existing traders.

Acomb Business Rates discount

Mystery deepens over Council decision as FOI response reveals only 4 empty units may be affected.

11-15 Front Street

The Labour Cabinet came under fire earlier in the month when it nodded through a proposal to give 50% Rates relief to any empty property in the “Acomb” area that was brought back into use.

Now the Councils list of empty retail (and commercial) properties in the YO24 and YO26 area has been published.

The list reveals that the main “problem” property (which is also very prominent) is 11 – 15 Front Street (part of which was formerly occupied by Superdrug). We understand that the property was sold be the Coop Bank a couple of years ago and is now understood to be back on the market.

Many will feel that this site needs redeveloping although what Rates discount would apply to new properties remains unclear.

As we have said before, there is a good case for improving on the government scheme which gives a Rates discount on re-occupied properties which have been empty for more than 12 months.

However if discounts apply from day one then this could rightly be regarded as unfair competition by existing traders.

It was pointed out at the time, that the area of benefit was ill defined and – if it was intended to boost the Front Street area – then it needed to be focussed on longer term empty properties.

With the recession now ending it appeared that most shops had either been occupied or were under offer. Some prime sites are now understood to be changing hands at a premium.

The LibDems submitted the following comments to the meeting earlier in the month

The Liberal Democrat Group was disappointed that the Labour Cabinet did not support a comprehensive regeneration proposal for Front Street at July’s full Council.

This proposal, which uses powers given to Councils by the Coalition Government, seems to have been cobbled together in a rush – as the rewrites in the paper published on the council website indicate. Key details such as which exact area the discount will apply within are missing (the council papers refer only to “Acomb”). The paper does not explain why the scheme is restricted to retail premises (the similar Government scheme refers to all businesses) and it does not explain how temporary ‘pop-up’ units will affect entitlements.

We would also like further information on how the process will work given the September deadline for applications. The concern that the discount could be used by national chains, moving into prime sites immediately as leases become available, is not addressed and no alternative proposals are considered e.g. focusing discounts on properties which have been empty for over 3 months (business rates are not payable on a commercial property for the first 3 months that it is empty).

The Council needs to act promptly to clear u the confusion caused by its decision

Improved path through Acomb Wood set to be approved tomorrow

click for plan

The Councils Planning Committee is set to approve improvements to the footpath which runs through Acomb Wood when it meets tomorrow (Thursday).

A planning application seeks permission to form a new pedestrian footpath through Acomb Wood to link Ashbourne Way and The Quaker Wood PH entrance and to extend the existing path from the Given Close entrance to Lomond Ginnel.

The footpath would be formed of a geotextile membrane which will be laid on top of the existing ground level. Up to 150mm of porous crushed recycled building material will be laid on top and held in place by timber edging. The edging will be held in place by metal or wooden stakes. The surrounding ground level would be re-profiled to the timber edging to prevent a trip hazard.

4.11 At present, whilst the path is established, it is very damp and muddy under foot. The area is extensively used as a cut through and by dog walkers. The raising of the path and the formation of a hard surface would enable the route to be more accessible and easier to negotiate when the weather is inclement.

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Chaloners Road development

The demolition of the Council garages on Chaloners Road is also recommended for approval at the same meeting.

The proposal seeks to demolish the garages and erect a residential development containing 2 no. two bed houses and 6 no. 2 bed apartments.

The application is made by Housing Services and the apartments would all be for social rent (although Housing Services do not know if they will form part of the downsizing provision for the over 55s as yet). 6 no. car parking spaces would be provided.

Amenity space would be provided to the rear; including gardens for the houses and shared amenity space for the apartments.

The sub station would be relocated to the front (south west) corner of the site.