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Another sports facility to close in Westfield?

Kingsway West all weather football pitch

Council officials are pressing for the neighbourhoods only Multi User Games Area (MUGA) to be permanently closed

The MUGA is located off Kingsway West and was provided at the same time as the Hob Moor school was rebuilt in 2004. It was hailed as one of the community facilities that the PFI funded new build school would unlock. It proved to be the only causal use facility provided on the campus, with other facilities like the nursery later closing.

Initially the MUGA was to have been located within the school perimeter fence. It would have been secured by caretaking staff when not in use. Following pressure from the PFI contractors the MUGA became a stand-alone facility accessible outside school hours.

It satisfied the demand for “kick about” facilities to the east of Gale Lane.

Initially it was successful with detached youth workers staging events there. However, the then Labour controlled Council shredded the youth service following budget cuts in 2013. The organised use of the MUGA ceased. Calls for the Ward Committee to fund events there failed to get off the ground.

An experiment in leaving the area open resulted in arson damage to the all-weather surface which was never repaired. The service access gate was also damaged and not reinstated by the Council.

It is now little used and often strewn with litter and detritus.

Council consultation card Sept 2018

Yet there is still a demand for play and sports facilities for use by children in the area. The nearest alternative is the Energise (Better) sports centre on Cornlands Road which is run on a commercial basis.

Typically the cost of hiring an all weather pitch for a match is around £50.

Now officials are consulting on replacing the MUGA with other structures. They suggest wooden climbing frames, tree planting and better lighting.

There is a demand for better play facilities in the area but not at the expense of existing sports facilities.

We have already seen the Our Lady’s sports field developed and more recently plans have been approved to build on the football pitch at Lowfields. The Hob Moor school playing field will be reduced in size and an application to build on the Acomb Bowling Green is being considered by the Council.

Officials promised that, as part of the Lowfields scheme, pitches on Chesney’s Field would be levelled and upgraded. But the football season* has started without any sign of improvement.

The Council acknowledge that there is already a deficiency in sports and green space provision in the Westfield area. The Councils own Local Plan identifies the existing shortfalls as 4.98 ha of outdoor sports facilities, 6.02 ha of children’s play and 2.86 ha of young persons facilities.

Life expectancy in the Westfield ward is lower than in other parts of York. This is partly put down to unhealthy lifestyles.

Council run consultation exercises were discredited by the Lowfields fiasco. Rather than asking people to record a vote in favour or in opposition to multiple options, the exercise depended on narrative responses.

These were easy to manipulate by official’s intent on justifying a particular outcome.

This must not happen again.

There is a demand for “off the streets” activities for young people. Facilities like the MUGA – if well maintained and promoted – can make a difference. The plans for the new children’s centre on Ascot Way could also unlock the potential for better play facilities for younger children.

But all age groups need to be catered for.

*NB. The Beagle FC beat Cawood 4-0 in their Chesney Field encounter on Saturday

York Council sports and open space need assessments

Anti social behaviour meeting in Foxwood a success

Cllr Sheena Jackson organised a meeting with Sergeant Danny Leach and Police Constable Andy Pearson at Foxwood Community Centre last night.

10 residents took the opportunity to discuss ongoing issues in Bellhouse Way/Willoughby Drive area re cars and mopeds.

Sheena reports that residents feel a bit more reassured in terms of how incidents are reported and Sergeant Leach is more than happy to attend any other meetings that are organised.

“It is good that he is happy to listen to residents issues and get something done”.

NB On the same eveing the police tweeted to say that two moped riders had been stopped and served with vehicle offence notices in the Westfield area.

 

£35,000 cost of making West Bank Lodge safe

As we reported in February, West Bank Park Lodge is to be made safe.

The building was subject to an arson attack in 2016.

It has now been revealed that the demolition contract will cost £35,503, The contract was awarded to MGL demolition.

The police have still to make any arrests in connection with the arson incident

Something better for Holgate?

With the major parties now being well on their way to selecting candidates for the 15th February Holgate by election, local voters may well be asking “can we do better than the present lot?”

One test of a good local Councillor is how sensitive they are to local opinion and how proactive they are in leading and supporting local campaigns. In Holgate there have been several major issues over the last couple of years which prove a clue to the answer.

York central access route

The preferred access route of the York Central development was decided in 2007. The link would be from Water Lane and would have the advantage of providing a “by pass” for the Leeman Road area. It had the advantage of avoiding the busy Poppleton Road communities. In 2013, the local Councillor James Alexander brokered a deal which saw the council buy land for a route which passed close to Cleveland Street (Chancery Rise) .  This route was approved by the Labour Executive with two, of the Holgate Wards three Councillors, supporting it. It wasn’t until the Council leadership changed in 2015 that the plan was reviewed. Opposition to the Chancery Rise option was led almost entirely by residents. No Leadership was provided by Holgate councillors. The Chancery Rise option has now been dropped.

Severus nature reserve

More recently, a planning application to develop land between Lindsey Avenue and the Water Tower (Severus SRE) was submitted by Yorkshire Housing. The opposition to the proposals was led entirely by residents. 159 letters of objection were tabled at the Planning committee meeting held on 16th November. Many objected to the loss of a natural nature reserve.  Only one Holgate Councillor attended the Planning committee meeting although the application was refused.

Arson attack on Lodge

West Bank Park

An active voluntary group now helps to sustain the West Bank Park. To address anti-social behaviour issues, they have used “crowd funding” arrangements to secure the park at night. Crime concerns peaked last year when the park lodge was set on fire. It remains as a monument to ineffective policing in the area. There is no evidence that local Councillors have prioritised addressing the issue, although they did authorise a Ward Committee* donation of £2000 to the gate locking project

Carlton Tavern planning application

An application to demolish the Carlton Tavern Pub attracted widespread concern. Opposition was led entirely by residents. Only one Holgate Councillor recorded an objection to the plan when a report was presented to the planning committee in December. The demolition proposal was refused although an appeal against the decision is expected.

Closure of Acomb Police Station

Two years ago, North Yorkshire Police announced that they intended to close the Police station on Acomb Road. The plan might see an alternative depot established in Lowfields. However, the present site provides a high-profile hub for community safety activities plus good access to the whole of west York. The Holgate ward Councillors have failed to oppose the closure plan.

The Holgate area is fortunate in having many active voluntary groups. The Holgate Windmill Preservation Society is an inspiration for many while – against the odds – the Poppleton Road Memorial Hall continues to be sustained entirely by volunteers.

Whether these, and other, local groups get the support they deserve is open to question.

We will try to answer that question next week.

*NB. Most of the delegated Holgate  Ward Committee  budget for 2017  remains unused.

What’s on in York; My Minster – make a mural at Dringhouses Library

Nov _3Samuel Parsons Map

Dringhouses Library :

Fri 3 Nov :

3.00pm – 5.00pm :

£2 per child/£5 family ticket

Artist Anna Harding will help you make a mural of the wonderful York Minster, to help decorate Dringhouses Library. Make the Minster, and then make a picture of yourself to go in the mural! Sponsored by York Evening Decorative and Fine Art Society (YEDFAS).

Booking advisable to avoid disappointment.

This event is aimed at 4-12 year old.

For further information please call Dringhouses Library on (01904) 552674 or email dringhouses@exploreyork.org.uk.

Crime levels on rise as residents seek meeting with police

Concerns about arson attacks in run up to “bonfire night”

The Foxwood Residents Association has written to local Police Chiefs asking for a meeting to discuss an increase in anti social behaviour problems in the area.

The requests comes as figures reveal that there has been  a  13% increase in crime nationally over the last year.

However the figures also confirm that North Yorkshire continues to have the lowest crime rate in England.

It shows there were a total of 37,359 crimes in North Yorkshire during the 12-month period, giving a crime rate of 45.9 per 1,000 of the population. This reflects a one percent increase in crime in comparison to the same period the previous year.

Broken down into the main crime categories, the ONS figures for North Yorkshire show:
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Hay bale fire on Askham Lane UPDATED 1500 hrs

It looks like the bales have reignited. Some smoke blowing across the A1237. Fire service in attendance at 1500 hrs today

For the second time this summer arsonists have been accused of setting fire to crops on fields near Askham Lane.

Last night, hay bales were set on fire and it was only this morning – following steady rain – that the fire was completely extinguished.

Police and the Fire service attended the blase.

Fire damage in July

In July a field between Askham Lane and the Ainsty Park estate was set on fire prompting concerns for the safety of residents.

Hopefully the police will make progress in identifying those responsible

Anti social behaviour peaks in Chapelfields

Dispersal order in place from 5:00pm today

Police are warning that robust action will be taken following eight days of high level anti-social behaviour in York’s Chapelfields estate.

There have been more than twenty five incidents of anti-social behaviour in the Chaplefields area between 9 August and 16 August.

The nature of the incidents, have included anti-social use of mopeds and motorcycles, arson, drug use and criminal damage.

The groups of youths, sometimes up to thirty in number, causing this hazardous disruption have also been using threatening and abusive language towards residents and the police.

Circumstances of some of the more serious reports involved a flat window being forced open and fireworks thrown inside, a youth threatening an officer with a piece of wood a group climbing onto the school roof, where the skylight has been previously smashed by a group of the youths.

Bramham Road

The incidents have taken places across various locations in the area including Bramham Road, Bramham Avenue, Chaplefields Road, Westfield Place and Barkston Grove.

A dispersal order is going to be implemented at 5 pm today which will last for 48 hours. The dispersal order will cover an area of Bramham Road which includes the junction of Barkston Grove, and another area of Bramham Road which covers Costcutter and the junctions either side of Bramham avenue.

Inspector Lee Pointon of the York North Neighbourhood Policing Team, said:

The levels of anti-social behaviour this group are committing is just astonishing and they are causing so much misery amongst the community in Chaplefields.

Many residents, including the elderly and vulnerable, have felt intimidated, have been verbally abused, and are scared in their own home. This is totally unacceptable behaviour.
These youths are ruining what should be a respectable community enjoying the summer months and school holidays. Instead, we are seeing this group of defiant individuals who have no intentions other than to be nasty, cause desolation and despair amongst the public.

My team of officers and PCSOs are working hard to identify these youths and exercise the powers we can to deter them from this anti-social behaviour.

A dispersal order will be put in place today that will last for 48 hours. Anyone who breaks the order will be arrested. If the order is deemed successful, it will be continued throughout next week”.

Anyone who witnesses anti-social behaviour or who has any information is asked to contact police. Dial 101, press 1 and speak to the force control room.
Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.

In the recent survey conducted by local Councillors in the Chapelfields estate many residents complained about what they regarded as the low police profile in the area.

  • 39% of respondents described policing in the estate as “poor”
  • Better security was the most requested improvement for the area

June edition of Chapelfields Focus newsletter

What’s on in York: Community Archives Month event with Dringhouses Local History Group

Dringhouses Library :
Tue 23 May :
9.30am – 5.30pm :
Free

May _23Samuel Parsons MaoJoin the Dringhouses Local History Group all day, and look at the best of their archives, as part of Community Archives Month.

Learn more about the local area, from Colonel Wilkinson to the ‘Knares Mire’. Colonel George Alexander Eason Wilkinson, last Lord of the Manor of Dringhouses, was born 25 Feb 1860 and inherited the Manor of Dringhouses in 1881. Fought in South African War and WW1, with distinction. On his death in 1941, he gave Dringhouses Library to the Council and people of Dringhouses in a Deed of Gift.

Bring your local history queries and perhaps buy a copy of the fascinating ‘Discovering Dringhouses 2: More Aspects of a Local History’ or the 1624 Samuel Parson’s map of Dringhouses.

All day session, just drop in.

For more information please call Lucy on (01904) 552674 or dringhouses@exploreyork.org.uk.