AOC Archaeology Group are about to begin the ‘Hidden Guildhall’ archaeology project, an exciting summer of community archaeological investigations adjacent to the Guildhall on behalf of the council
AOC Archaeology Group are about to begin the ‘Hidden Guildhall’ archaeology project, an exciting summer of community archaeological investigations adjacent to the Guildhall in York on behalf of City of York Council.
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Marking the time Britain declared war on Germany at 11pm on 4 August 1914 millions of people are expected to participate in LIGHTS OUT, which invites everyone in the UK to turn off their lights from 10pm to 11pm, leaving on a single light or candle for a shared moment of reflection.
LIGHTS OUT is the headline project of 14-18 NOW, the official cultural programme for the First World War Centenary Commemorations. Iconic buildings such as the Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, York Minster and national organisations such as the BBC and Royal British Legion have all pledged their support.
In York, the Lantern in the Tower above All Saints Pavement will be lit at 10pm. All Saints Pavement is the Guild and Civic Church of York, the Regimental church of the Royal Dragoon Guards and is also known as the Lantern Church and it is this light from its tower which will help mark York’s remembrance.
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In 2012 Labour’s £13million Elderly Persons’ Homes (EPH) Modernisation Programme promised to replace existing care facilities in York with 200 specialist residential beds at Fordlands, Lowfield Care Village and Haxby Hall.
Since then the programme has been hit with budget and timetable problems as the Haxby proposals were dropped and the Fordlands plans moved to the Burnholme School site.
The Labour Cabinet Member responsible, Cllr Tracey Simpson-Laing, lost responsibility for the project in a reshuffle earlier this year.
Lowfield Care Village, in Acomb on the former Lowfield School site, was due to open in April 2014.
It is scheduled to provide a 90-bed care home alongside independent living bungalows. However, local residents say they have heard little from the council about the delays and no updated timetable has been given. There are also concerns that the council will try to develop the former school playing field – the original intention had been to restrict building to the school ”footprint”.
Cllr Lynn Jeffries, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Adult Social Care and Councillor for Westfield who will question Labour about the delays at this week’s Full Council, commented:
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Residents with an eye for the bigger picture are invited to book to join in the community painting collaboration called the “Road Through York”. The project aims to create an enormous painting in which hundreds of local people have had a hand and which “will help welcome the Tour de France to York”.
A painting by local artist and art tutor Karen Winship features York landmarks and will be scaled up and broken down into 320 panels. Each metre-squared panel will be painted by individuals joining in the project, who will see their work laid out when the completed montage, totalling 320 square metres, is exhibited on the Knavesmire on 6 July for the aerial cameras to film and relay to the world.
Any individual or any organisation who wants to join in and make its mark on the Road Through York must email theroad@york.gov.uk or call 07990 774 420 to secure a place at a number of painting day s organised throughout the coming weeks. Find out more at http://www.experiencetherace.com/ .
In the face of bitter opposition from local residents the Council is now saying that the proposed spectator hub will “be sited at the northern end of the Monk stray near to the A64, away from the majority of residents, with access from Malton Road. It will have a temporary infrastructure of toilet, washing and water facilities and it’s likely to have a food tent offering breakfasts and camping supplies.”
On Thursday 10 April, from 5.30pm at the Rowntree Park Reading Café, there will be a second dedicated TdF information meeting. There, people can expect to find out more about routes and traffic management, about camping and caravanning, plus information on the cultural festival called York: Be Part of It, and plans for the exciting spectator hubs where people can enjoy the celebrations.
Acomb branch office closed by Labour in 2012
Liberal Democrat Councillor Lynn Jeffries is calling on Labour run York Council to guarantee that housing advice sessions in West York will continue despite funding cuts.
When Labour closed Acomb Housing Office in February 2012 they were forced to set-up alternative advice sessions at Foxwood and Chapelfields community centres. The weekly sessions offer residents help on housing, housing benefits and Council Tax support as well as on issues such as anti-social behaviour.
However, after Labour slashed funding to community centres the sessions are now in doubt. Cuts mean caretakers at the centres have been made redundant and therefore there is no longer a second member of staff on hand to ensure that the sessions can continue – a second staff member is needed due to lone worker regulations.
Bonding Warehouse
Media reports suggest that the Bonding warehouse is no longer being considered as a possible “media and creative centre”.
Taxpayers will be relieved.
It had been sold by the Council at the height of the property boom 5 years ago but had failed to find a new use. Access during high water levels in the Ouse makes the building inaccessible in its present form.
In total around £3.6 million of taxpayers’ money was earmarked for the project. No convincing business plan has yet been published with earlier estimates suggesting that the private sector would contribute only around 20% of the investment costs.
In the autumn even Labour Councillors began to challenge the wisdom of the project.
It was revealed that taxpayers had already footed a £25,000 bill for the – now abandoned – Bonding Warehouse project.
It seems that the focus of attention for this project is now switching to the Guildhall which has been empty now for 3 months.
There is likely to be more widespread support for the use of the modern office next at the Guildhall as some sort of business centre. Whether the financial figures can be made to stack up remains to be seen.
If the Council is now beginning to jettison some of its more harebrained schemes then they could look again at their proposed £100,000 investment in an “Arts Barge”.
We remain sceptical about the need for any additional arts venue in the City, but it would be better to site any such facility on dry land. The Guildhall might just allow 2 birds to be killed with one stone …. But taxpayers will want to see more convincing evidence that the projects can be self funding.
NB. The owners of the Bonding Warehouse are understood to be pursuing its possible use as a restaurant, offices and flats.
Yorkshire and Humber MEPs Edward McMillan-Scott and Rebecca Taylor have helped launched York Liberal Democrats’ ‘Six to Fix’ mini-manifesto.
The document highlights the key issues Lib Dem councillors and campaigners will be focusing on in the coming months and will form the basis of the Group’s 2015 Manifesto. The MEPs joined new Group Leader Keith Aspden plus fellow councillors and campaigners to announce the proposals.
£19,000 was allocated to be spent during the last financial year by the Council in “deprived” wards.
The Council’s web site described the fund as being “designed to be used to commission new services, either from within the Council or from other partners / sectors, to deliver on priorities identified in wards with the highest levels of deprivation. In line with the Financial Inclusion Strategy the credits pot has been distributed to Acomb, Clifton, Heworth, Hull Road and Westfield to supplement the ward budgets”.
The move came in the wake of a decision to reduce Ward committee funding by 90%. This was money that had been allocated to deal with local problems.
It was prioritised through a popular ballot each year.
The Council have now published a list of how they claim the £19,000 pot was used last year.
Tang Hall Community Centre
Heworth ward – credit pot allocation was £4255 + Hull Road ward – credit pot allocation was £3310 –
• These two pots of money were combined to create confidential meeting spaces within Tang Hall Community Centre to support the delivery of services to support local people with a particular focus on financial inclusion.
Clifton ward – credit pot allocation was £4200 – allocated is a series of grants as follows:
• £1500 to Treemendous in partnership with Clifton RA to plant trees in the ward
• £100 to pay for started costs for a group of parents to meet about volunteering their time to improve Ashton Park
Ashton Park
• £1100 to Clifton Parish Church for their Hope Community Cafe
• £1500 to Greenfields Community Garden to promote healthy eating initiatives
Guildhall ward – credit pot allocation was £2791 –
• this was given as a grant to Door 84 to improve accessibility and promotion of opportunities within the community space to local people
Westfield ward – credit pot allocation was £4219 – allocated in a series of grants as follows:
• £1200 to Foxwood Management Committee – Gazebos and storage facilities to enable more community events to take place outdoors and ensure more use of the Foxwood Field.
• £1000 to Chapelfields Community Association – help new groups get established at the centre and help with advertising and equipment
• £1000 to support the ADAM festival, £500 of this money must be spent on young peoples activities
• £500 to Acomb Bowling Club – to help with green maintenance and to produce a newsletter for residents and open for all to try
• £500 to Gateway Church – for a 14 week course for 14-16 year olds helping them to make informed decisions about sex and relationships
There will be some eyebrow raising grants in that list. Essential projects such as servicing salt bins and providing improved parking arrangements seemed to have been abandoned in favour of cosmetic improvements and schemes the success of which will be impossible to measure.
The Council says that the responsible portfolio holder is Councillor D Williams. Funding for the 2013/14 year will be allocated through a decision to be taken by the Director of Communities and Neighbourhoods.
Yet there is no record on the council web site of any decision meeting for the 2012/13 programme of works.
It remains unclear how ordinary residents can influence the use of the funds available in their ward
• Made in Yorkshire 3rd Mar 15th Dec Merchant Adventurers Hall A fresh and funky new shopping event in the heart of York, showcasing the county’s very best designer makers and vintage homewares
• Hairy Bikers 3rd Mar Sun Grand Opera House
• Let’s hear it for the girls 3rd Mar Sun 1:00pm Explore Library Celebrate International Women’s Week with Naomi Beeley, Womens Land Army Community Outreach Officer, to explore the history of the Women’s Land Army
• Pack a punch 4th Mar Mon 11:00am Explore Library
• Pack a punch 5th Mar Tues 10:00am Explore Acomb Come along to discover what inspired Nicola Adams to win gold at the London Oympics.
• Oliver 5th 16th Mar Theatre Royal
• Yamato Drummers 5th Mar Tues Royal Opera House
• Ebor Lectures 6th Mar Minster with Revd Dr Giles Fraser Priest in charge St Mary’s Newington/The Guardian Columnist
• John Shuttleworth 6th Mar Wed Grand Opera House
• WOW Kate Bush 7th Mar Thurs Grand Opera House
• Super circuits 7th Mar Thurs 5:30pm York RI & every Thursday Improve your fitness, stamina and strength and have some fun during this body conditioning class
• Writing your story 7th Mar Thur 2:30pm Dringhouses Library Join us for a friendly writing workshop led by Pauline Kirk for both beginners and experienced writers
• Bootleg Beatles 8th Mar Fri 8:00pm Barbican
• Abba For the music 8th Mar Fri 7:30pm Grand Opera House /
• Bach’s St Matthew Passion 9th Mar Minster (YMS)
• Listen to the chamber secrets 9th Mar Sat 1:00pm Early Music centre Take some time out from your busy day and enjoy performances by choirs, guitar groups, a string quartet and the Minster Minstrels
• The Festival of the Passions 9th – 24th Mar Minster
• Richard Herring 9th Mar Sat Grand Opera House
• Scottish Fiddle Orchestra 9th Mar Sat 7:30m Barbican
• Rugby League Knights v Workington 10th Mar Sun 3:00pm Huntington Stadium
• Football City v Rochdale 12th Mar Tues Bootham Cres
• Baroque soloists 13th Mar Wed 7:30pm Minster
• Get ready for Le Tour 13th Mar Wed 10:00am Dunnington Sports Club Cycle training for adults who are both complete beginners and those who wish to improve their skills and confidence when riding.
• The circus is coming to town 13th – 17th Mar Knavesmire Planet Circus are coming to town with a guarantee of a fun packed couple of hours for all the family
• The Way of the Drum 14th March Early music centre (sold out)
• Blues Brothers 14th/16th March Grand Opera House
• Smokie 15th Mar Fri 7:30pm Barbican
• An evening with Freddie Flintoff 15th March Racecourse (Cancelled)
• Football City v Port Vale 16th Mar Sat Bootham Cres
• Abba Mania 16th Mar Sat 7:30pm Barbican
• Monteverdi 1610 Vespers 16th Mar Sat &:30pm St Michael le Belfrey
• Passiontide Splendours 16th Mar Sat 7:30pm Minster
• Symphony for spring 16th Mar Sat 7:00pm Early music centre A concert presenting string ensembles from York Arts Academy, together with the York Arts Academy Symphony Orchestra. Come along and hear music by Schubert, Vivaldi, Mozart and many more!
• Bring York alive stories 18th Mar onwards Explore York Explore some of the 1000 stories collected for York Stories 2012 community project from people across York and beyond, which bring York alive
• Martin Carthy 19th March Early music centre
• The Odyssey 19th – 20th Mar Theatre Royal
• The Winters Tale – RSC 19th/23rd March Grand Opera House
• Stabat Mater 20th Mar Minster
• June Tabor 21st March Early music centre
• White caps 21st Mar 7:30m Theatre Royal
• York literature festival 19th/24th Mar Various
• How to read minds 22nd Mar 8:00pm Theatre Royal
• Comedy Night 22nd Mar Fri Racecourse
•<strong> St John Passion 23rd Mar Minster
• Car boot sale 23rd Mar Sat Racecourse
• Take over 13 comedy night 23rd Mar Sat Theatre Royal
• Palm Sunday Procession 24th Mar Sun 10:00am Minster
• Messing about on the river 24th Mar Sun 12:00 noon Rowntree Park Now the weather is turning and we look forward to Spring and Summer, the members of the York Model Boat Club will be holding their first Regatta of the season
• Boogie Nights 24th Mar Sun 7:30pm Barbican
• Carol Ann Duffy 24th Mar 5:00pm Theatre Royal
• Mother Africa 26th Mar Tues Grand Opera House
• The 39 Steps 26th /30th Mar Theatre Royal
• Sally Morgan 27th Mar Wed Grand Opera House
• Stand up York 28th Mar Thu 6:30pm Barbican
• Jake Bugg 29th Mar Fri 7:00pm Barbican (sold out)
• Rugby Knights v Featherstone 29th Mar Sun 1:00pm Huntington Stadium
• Chocolate Festival 29th Mar – 1st April York cocoa house
• Joe Brown in concert 30th Mar Sat Grand Opera House
• Model Railway show 30th Mar – 1st Apr York Racecourse
Not content with a spring holiday in Cannes, members of the York Council Cabinet are now set to buy themselves a pleasure boat.
£100,000 is being reserved to fund a project which would see a redundant barge converted into a floating arts centre.
While many might question whether there is a shortage of arts venues in the City (many secondary schools now have performance space, as do the Higher Education establishments), what must be beyond argument is that anything in York City centre that can float is likely to do so (if only temporarily).
It is difficult to think of a more vulnerable location than a barge given the impact that climate change is having on flooding patterns in the city. Many houseboats have already been cut off for over 3 weeks this autumn and one narrow-boat sank in September; hardly the basis for a dependable entertainment venue.
If there is a need for more space, then the soon to be vacated Guildhall annex or the Bonding Warehouse are more likely venues. The latter at least – although likely to be inaccessible for a couple of weeks a year – won’t sink!
The proposal is that a venue will be created from a reclaimed river barge and will “integrate a café bar with performance and exhibition space as well as retail and workshop activities”. The cost of the renovation project is put at £275,000.
The Council report fails to indentify the income streams necessary to sustain what would be, potentially, a very expensive venue to run and maintain (the last – non floating – arts centre in the City went bust 20 years go)
The money is coming from the “Economic Infrastructure Fund”. Already £12.12 million of this has been spent with most of it being borrowed.
The repayments on the additional debt have already added nearly £1 million a year to the amount that Council Taxpayers will have to find.
It seems that huge increases in the fees for Council services are planned, together with cuts to public services, to help to pay for the new debts.
NB. The Council is also considering using £338,000 from the fund to increase Council wages to the minimum “living wage”.
573 Council employees would have their pay increased to £7-45p an hour. Most are cleaners and mid day supervisors in schools.
This would mean borrowing money to fund ongoing day to day expenditure.
That is halfway down the greasy pole to bankruptcy and a proposal that the District Auditor should be taking an interest in.
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