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York Council set to plunge further into debt

It looks like the York Council will be borrowing more money next year.

Hopes that the new administration would avoid using the £9 million reserved to subsidise the York Central project have been dashed and £900,000 remains in the budget for works to the Guildhall. £15.714 million is earmarked for expenditure on the community stadium project.

How the debts are forecast to increase

Over £40 million of expenditure is being slipped from the current year into 2016/17 according to papers which will be discussed next week

The additional expenditure means that around 13% of the Council taxes that York residents pay will in future be soaked up by capital and interest repayments.

In total Councillors are being asked to add £5.5 million to the City’s debt burden next week.

A full list of expenditure proposals can be viewed by clicking here

click

That was the year that was – 2015 in York

January

As we welcomed the New Year local Tory Councillor Joe Watt announced his resignation from the Council Group. He was to lose his seat in May. It was to be the first of a series of major changes in local government in York during 2015.
There had been capacity problems at the York hospitals A&E departments
York Knights lost their training ground and were effectively homeless.
The York Council was rapped by Local Government Association inspectors in a public report.
The Lendal Bridge “automatic fine repayment” process was announced
Delays in upgrading the Central “Explore” library were set to cost taxpayers an extra £61k

February

The Council decided to “freeze” Council Tax levels.
Lowfields care village 2011 plans – abandoned in 2015
All existing Elderly Care homes in York would close by 2019. There was bad news about the future of the Lowfields school site which had been earmarked as a location for an elderly care village.
A campaign to invest £500,000 more in Council estate regeneration was launched by the LibDems against a background of problems with parking and deteriorating infrastructure.
A proposed York “traffic congestion commission” was shelved

March

Falling fuel prices meant that local taxi and bus fares should be reduced. No action resulted.
Confusing speed restriction signs on Green Lane
The £6 million highways repair budget was divided up at a “behind closed doors” meeting
There had been a 91% increase in car parking charges in York during the previous 4 years
The Council was forced to admit that the introduction of 20 mph speed limits had had little impact. In some streets average speeds had actually increased since the signs were erected

April

The York Council was failing to repair 67% of street lighting faults within target time
Opposition to plans to charge £35 a year for emptying all “green” bins increased with over 1000 signing a petition. The idea was dropped when many of the policies supporters lost their seats at the Council elections in May
The Clifton Moor – Haxby Road cycle track (along the A1237) was finally opened
The Council lost its appeal against having to repay fines imposed on Coppergate.

May

Labour retained the York Central parliamentary seat in the General Election.
However in the Council elections the LibDems swept to victory in both the Westfield and Dringhouses wards. Labour lost 9 seats and the Council was “hung” or “balanced”
Not for the first time St Helen’s Road was closed because of Yorkshire water works
Following the Council election results in York, a new coalition took over the running of the City. More transparency and public engagement wa promised although in reality this was illusive during the rest of the year. Priorities would change with vanity projects banished and more to be spent on basic services. However, by the start of 2016 the City was still committed to spending £10 million on a bridge into the York central site, £9 million on a Guildhall redevelopment plan and £8 million propping up the Community Stadium project.
York was disappointing 11th is a league table of foreign visitor numbers

June

After standing empty for over 2 years the Council decided to sell the Oliver House home. It will become a set of retirement apartments
Tim Farron – who was latter to become Leader of the Liberal Democrats – visited Foxwood
The former airspeed factory and tram dept on Piccadilly was condemned as unsafe. It was later demolished
Developers applied to build houses in a copse of trees on Knapton Lane. The application was later refused planning permission
House prices in York rose strongly
The new Council decided to formally investigate the £187,000 lost on the TdF Grand Departy concert. A report was received 6 months later but most of those responsible for the mistakes had by then left the Council.
Weeds started to overwhelm many public footpaths. The Council blamed its own contractors for failing to apply chemicals at the correct time.
One of York’s new fleet of electric buses caught fire. 6 months later the cause of the fire has still not been explained

July

The Councils ward committee system – which devolves decisions to local communities was revived – with a £1 million potential budget. Community centres were also promised that a support grant would be reinstated.
Housing and benefits advice services in Acomb were discountined despite assurances given when the Acomb office closed
The York Art Gallery reopened and immediately became embroiled in a controversy about discount admission prices for York residents

August

There was a murder in Hamilton Drive
A new Quango “Make it York” got off to a bad start. They threatened to remove the Parliament Street fountain without any consultation. Later they were to ban children s entertainment rides from their annual St Nichols Fair.
Weeds threatened to overgrow Ouse Bridge…..as they had in 2014.
The Community Stadium had already cost £3.9 million. No building work had taken place.

September

York could’t decide between North Yorkshre and West Yorkshire in the devolution debate. In the end they opted for neither.
Micklegate closed for utility works (again)
Another Labour Council Group Leader quit. Janet Looker would be appointed the third Labour Council Group Leader in less than 12 months. Jeremy Corbyn became the party’s national Leader
Road traffic accident numbers increased
With the Huntington Stadium closed, the Council paid out £1/2 million for the Knights match-day and training facilities. The rugby club were not to play any matches at Bootham Crescent during 2015. By the end of 2015 no contracts for the construction of the new stadium had been let.
Acomb Library had its most successful year with record numbers visiting
The Council published new “housing” figures to inform the new Local Plan. It still failed to discuss how big it actually wanted the City to be.
The Council is criticised for continuing to make “behind closed doors” decisions. It struggled to even publish agenda before some matters were decided

October

Homeless numbers in York hit a record low
The Council introduced a new “on line” issue reporting system. It flopped but a better system is promised for later in 2016
The City’s Lord Mayor attracted national attention for the wrong reasons. York City advertised for a new manager.
A new plan for the redevelopment of the Piccadilly area
The Council admitted that it was not measuring its own performance on many key public services

November

Unemployment levels hit a record low in the City. But average earnings were also down.
Concerns about Syrian refugees continued although 4 months after the crisis developed none have yet reached the City. The Press front page plumbed the depths of insensitivity as more details of the bombings in Paris emerged
Delays in the reopening of the Theatre Royal had cost £3/4 million
Crime levels were starting to creep up
It was revealed that the Councils “free” newspaper “Our City” was costing taxpayers £40,000 a year.
Businesses voted to establish a Business Improvement District in York. It will add 1% a year to their rates bills.
A revised bus service map was published

December

Consultation started (again) on the York Central development
The Council launched a consultation on public service priorities and Council Tax levels amidst fears of a 3.9% rise.
Councillors were given a 15% pay increase.
A rat bit an elderly resident in a council care home

…….and then the floods came – the worst since 2000.

The Foss barrier failed, telecoms crashed and even river level gauges stopped working.

The failings had been forecast in a report on the 2012 floodings.

Flooded York. Levels now officially higher than 2012

Flooded York. Levels officially higher than 2012

“Southern Gateway” rebranding for Castle/Piccadilly development

It looks like the York Council may be about to try to revive the Castle/Piccadilly development project.

An item on their forward programme suggests that a rebranded “Southern Gateway” scheme will be considered at a meeting taking place on 24^th September

Cliffords Tower

The project has historically involved an area of land bordered by Piccadilly, Coppergate, Clifford Street and the inner ring road. It includes the former tram depot/airspeed factory, the Castle car park and Piccadilly House. There is some speculation that the area under consideration may be extended further long the banks of the Foss to tap the burgeoning growth now taking place in the Hungate area.

The Council – which owns car parking land in the potential development area – has attempted on two previous occasions to bring forward comprehensive redevelopment proposals for the land. The last failed following a Public Inquiry some 12 years ago. In the main, criticisms reflected the impact that the development might have on Clifford’s Tower.

In the interim much of the property on Piccadilly – and particularly the area facing the Foss – have remained semi derelict. Periodically land owners have tried to get planning permission to develop the area in a piecemeal fashion but this has been resisted. One developer (LaSalle) went bust and any redevelopment stalled when the recession hit in 2008. The absence of an agreed Local Plan has not helped.

With residential property prices in the City Centre now soaring, this may now be a good time to revive the process needed to agree a new comprehensive development plan.

Former airspeed factory (also used as a tram depot and garage)

A mixture of ground floor retail with apartments above may just prove to be attractive to developers. There is likely to be pressure to include a new heritage attraction possibly making use of the historic links to the old airspeed factory (currently being demolished). The retention of adequate car parking will be seen as essential by many retailers and the idea of putting some of it underground may be worth further consideration. A pedestrian bridge over the Foss has been a recurring theme of previous proposals and would help internal circulation around the site.

Whether the York Council now has the capacity to provide a credible lead on such a major project remains to be seen. It is already deeply in debt and the new Executive’s revised budget continues to reflect the increased borrowing assumptions of their predecessors.

There also remains a question about the skills mix and experience of a workforce that has been scaled down over recent years and which is already struggling to deliver major projects like the Community Stadium, Guildhall and York Central.

Still a Masterplan for the future of this very significant site is needed, so we look forward to the publication of the latest set of ideas.

Clearing up the mess – where to start?

York Guildhall

The new York Council’s ruling coalition moved quickly a few days ago to publish a list of policy initiatives that it will take.

In the main they concentrated on reassuring residents that the mistakes of the past would not be repeated. So now know that

The Castlegate centre (or the services that it provides) will be continued – the fifth announcement of a reprieve made during the last 6 months!
The Yearsley Swimming pool would remain open (the fourth reprieve announcement)
There would be no additional green bin emptying charges and grey bin emptying frequencies will remain as they are.
The will be no more “wide area” 20 mph speed limits imposed. (although what happens to the existing ones remains a mystery)
Government money will be used to freeze Council Tax levels (if it is offered)

In other areas the general intent is known but the targets and timetables remain unclear.

We know there will be a new Local Plan but no one has yet set down the preferred economic growth assumptions (if any) or related the latest ONS population forecasts to land use demand.
We know more will be spent on road repairs, “streetlights” (presumably repairs), gulley cleaning and litter bins. But we don’t know how much, where and when.
Ward Committees will (rightly) be reinstated but with how much funding and when?
We know that the Guildhall DMC centre scheme will be revised to “minimise the risk to taxpayers”. But we don’t know how much taxpayer’s money has already been committed to the project. The Arts Barge will get no more public money. It was incorrectly labelled a “vanity” project – the criticism was that it was a low priority project for the use of taxpayers money and that the business case was rocky to say the least.

There is no mention of the “in year” budget deficit which the Council faces. It’s so called “rewiring” project looks fanciful in the extreme, while rescinding Labour’s cuts to key services will require compensatory savings elsewhere.

So, over the next few days, residents will expect to see a proper statement of intent on a range of issues. These should include:

The way that the Council is structured and the way that it interacts with residents
What a revamped 2015/16 budget will look like
Confirmation that the Council has reached an accommodation on the York Knights RLFC participation in the Community Stadium (together with a solution to their interim match day and training requirements)
Confirmation of a start date and milestones for the Council estate regeneration project
Details of a sub-urban shopping area regeneration project
Practical help for those Community Centres in the City which had their Council funding removed by Labour
Coppergate – York Council failure, to win their appeal against unlawful fines issue, could plunge it into a financial crisis
Confirmation that the Coppergate fines will be repaid and the method for so doing
The future of transport in the City
Our relationships with the WestYorkshire combined authority
The future of empty buildings and sites like Oliver House, Lowfields school etc.
Relationships with Trusts like those now running the libraries, museums, tourism, economic development etc
Management structures and appointments.

The clock is ticking

The way we are in 2015

Jan 2015— a refurbished York Explore library reopened. There are delays in dealing with patients at York A & E. Labour Councillors pull back from scrapping subsidised bus services . Relations between the York Council and the Knights Rugby Club break down. The Local Plan hits the political buffers as Labour refused to remove a reneged Tory Councillor from a key committee. Cllr Joe Watt had praised Labours plans to build in the Green Belt. An independent report found the York Council to be dysfunctional. Relationships between Councillors hit an all time low. The builders for the new Community Stadium was announced. They promptly let the cat out of the bag by giving a completion date of autumn 2016 (6 months after the start of the football season). The Green’s backed Labours £9.2 million plan to turn the Guildhall into a “media centre”

Feb 2015— Official figures confirm that some Labour Councillors misled residents about the need for housing growth in the City. The Councils Labour leadership announce borrowing plans which will involve paying an extra £1 million a year in interest charges. Cuts in street lighting leave many parts of the City in darkness. There is a big drop in car parking income for the Council. A plan to establish a “traffic congestion commission” is shelved. Labour finally abandons the plan to establish an elderly care village at Lowfields.

March 2015— Proposals for a £35 a year green bin emptying charge are announced. Council Tax levels are frozen for the first time in 3 years. There is a call for bus and taxi fares to be reduced in the wake of a fall in petrol prices. Acceptance of a £3.2 million top tender for the purchase of the Council’s empty Oliver House building is shelved for 3 months. Candidates for the Council election s on May 7^th are announced. A petition is launched to stop plans to charge for green bin emptying and to reduce grey bin emptying frequencies to 3 weekly. The planning application for the Community Stadium is referred to the Secretary of State for determination. As forecast no decision now seems likely before June.

April 2015— Some bizarre claims are made by election candidates who wish to appear “local” More details of the Lowfields care village fiasco slip out. The project costs taxpayers over £350,000. Questions are raised about some election candidates vested interests. Council scrap plan to modernise the Gale Farm Court elderly person’s accommodation. Council stop rubbish skip visits to several York estates. The Council loses its appeal over the issue of unlawful fines on Coppergate.Refunds are likely to be ordered

May 2015— A General Election and Council elections take place on the same day in York.

May 8th—A new dawn/last one out of the City please switch off the lights*

*Delete as appropriate

Westfield Focus

That was the year that was 2014

Jan 2014— Demolition work starts at the former Beckfield Lane tip site. It was to become a housing development. A huge increase in car parking charges is announced

Feb 2014— Another increase in Council Tax was implemented with a government freeze subsidy snubbed for the second year running. York was to get another lap dancing club. Lack of openness in the Councils approach to public sector appointments was criticised. The Council continued to refuse to publish bus reliability information. £300,000 asking price for a flat in Rougier Street above a bus shelter (it was never built). Waterworld ran into financial difficulties (it was to close later in the year)

March 2014— The (free) Minster parking badge was to be scrapped. A spy camera van would be used to enforce parking restrictions. The Council spent £238,000 on poles for 20 mph signs. £1.6 million was to be spent remodelling Newgate market

April 2014— Lendal Bridge/Coppergate fine income tops £2 million. An adjudicator rules that the fines are unlawful. Labour are forced to switch off the ANPR cameras. The Council releases details of more Green Belt land that they wanted to develop but abandon traveller site proposals

May 2014— Councillors start to desert York Council Labour Group. Controversy looms over Tour de France campsite and “Grand Departy” arrangements.

June 2014— Electric buses arrived in York, four years after initial trials. Labour blocked a Public Inquiry into the Lendal Bridge fiasco. York Social Services decline into financial chaos.

July 2014— Marygate car park got a barrier at a cost of £100,000. Recycling rates are down in York. The Lowfields Care village project falters. The Grand Departy concert is a disaster costing taxpayers £187,000. A two year delay in the Community Stadium project was confirmed.

August 2014— There are continuing delays in bringing the new Poppleton park and ride site into operation. Local Westfield Councillor Lynn Jeffries passes away.

September 2014— York Council labelled a “Rotten Borough” by Private Eye. New gypsy and showman’s sites revealed. The Council is spending £30,000 a year maintaining the empty Oliver House EPH (it is still empty despite an offer of over £3million for the building).

October 2014— “Big City or Our City” Council abandon Local Plan. Yearsley swimming pool threatened. Council leaders force charity workers resignation and 2 more Labour Councillors quit party. LibDem Andrew Waller wins Westfield by election with huge majority.

November 2014— The new balanced Council decides to save the Castlegate youth centre from closure. An extra garden waste collection agreed. Future of Guildhall still in doubt (later Labour agree to spend £9.2 million turning it into a media centre). James Alexander resigns as Council Leader.

December 2014— Fears for subsidised bus services grow. Yearsley pool reprieved. Boyes will open a new store in Front Street. Now a Tory Councillor quits his group on the Council after anti Green Belt comments.

Westfield Focus in 2014

The way we were

That was the year that was – today we look back on events in York during 2011

The new Barbican auditorium opened. It is now run by the private sector with no Council subsidy.
Labour gained an overall majority at the Council elections and promptly changed the Councils budget priorities. They approved proposals to reduce the size of recycling containers.
May 2011-Labour announce plans to sell off the Union Terrace car park to St. Johns University. There is massive public opposition The University later pull out of the deal and the plan is abandoned
Attempted sale of Union Terrace car park
June 2011-Labour give their first indication that they plan to build on the Green Belt
July 2011-The Lowfield care village plans are published. Public consultation is to follow. Four years later the project is to collapse costing taxpayers over £350,000. Labour confirm their plans for a “signed only” 20 mph speed limit Public reaction is overwhelmingly negative.
August 2011-Redevelopment of the British Sugar site stalls
September 2011-The Council announce plans to close their branch office in Acomb. The closure hastens the economic decline of the Front Street area. The local social care budget deficit hits £1.6 million and chaos hits the care homes plan
October 2011–A record fall in bus use in York is revealed as Labour try to force the ftr off roads
November 2011-Labour close the Haymarket car park losing £300,000 a year in income. There are calls for Labour Councillors to be frank about their trades union sponsorship arrangements. The Coalition Government gives the “go ahead” for two new park and ride sites in the City.
December 2011–secret plans for new access routes into the York North West development are leaked. The Council is set to abandon its historic Guildhall home. A spoof obituary goes viral on internet.

How the Westfield Focus saw the year

click to enlarge

No decision on Oliver House sale before June

…as York Council slides further into debt

According to The Press the York Council leadership has now said that the tenders received for the sale of Oliver House will not be considered until a new Council “Cabinet” has its first meeting in June.

The former elderly person’s home has been empty for over 2 years.

We reported last week that an unexpectedly high £3.2 million bid, which would see 30 specialist older persons apartments provided on the site, had been deferred by the Council Leader.

Now it turns out that the sale will be delayed until the new Council, being elected on 7^th May, has had time to sort out its new committees.

How long the offers will remain on the table remains to be seen.

Council debts spiralling

The full impact of the Councils financial management polices is becoming clearer. A freedom of information response has revealed a spiralling mountain of debt.

Capital debts – click to enlarge

The response reveals that, since the Liberal Democrats lost control of the Council in May 2011, the Council has been borrowing heavily.

The debt charges (interest payments) are partly responsible for the cuts that Labour are making to front line services.

Part of the debt increase was due to a transfer of historic housing debt to the City but this was coupled with a decision to allow all rents collected to be retained and used to service the interest payments.

The present Council also has several major projects in the pipeline which could add to the debt burden.

They include the conversion of the Guildhall into a media centre (£9 million) as well as funding a bridge into the York central site (£11 million).

The Council will also have to find several million to fund a replacement elderly care building programme following the abandonment of the care village project last month.

There is no excuse for any further delay in selling Oliver House to the highest bidder.

Legally, the Council has no other option

Residents face £35 a year Green Bin Tax

Liberal Democrats have criticised Green Councillors for backing proposals which will see residents charged £35 a year for all garden waste collections.

Cllr Ann Reid and local LibDem candidate Stephen Fenton with green waste

As previously reported, Green Party councillors last week supported the ruling Labour Group’s Budget along with former Conservative Cllr Joe Watt. The plans will see a charge introduced for all green bin collections alongside increased car parking rates and cuts to community centres, road repairs and street cleaning.

In 2013, Labour was forced to abandon plans to charge for all green bin collections after 1,700 residents signed a Lib Dem petition and concerns were raised that a blanket charge would see recycling rates tumble.

However, Labour did force through a cut to winter collections and introduced a £35 charge for residents with more than one green bin.

This new charge is the equivalent of a 4% increase in Council Tax for most residents

The new plans, part of the council’s ‘Re-wiring’ project, will now see a charge for all garden waste collections in 2015/16 with officers recommending a flat £35 fee per bin.

Plans to reduce the frequency of grey bin collections will also be considered as part of the proposals.

Cllr Ann Reid, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environmental Services, commented:

“It is hugely disappointing that Green councillors supported Labour’s Budget. This decision means further cuts to frontline services, increased fees for car parking and a new charge for all green bin collections.

“Under Labour recycling rates have already fallen and Landfill Tax bills increased to £3.7 million. Making residents pay £35 to recycle their garden waste will do further damage.

“Liberal Democrats worked with residents to defeat these plans in 2013, but Green councillors have now paved the way for a new Green Bin Tax in York as well as the option to reduce grey bin collections.

“The Lib Dem budget proposal was the only one which scrapped these plans. It would also have returned winter green bin collections and increased investment to boost recycling rates.

“The Labour-Green union, which last year blocked a review into the Lendal Bridge trial, has now passed a budget which will see cuts to services and reckless borrowing continue on projects such as the £9million Guildhall Media Hub.

“While I am pleased that Castlegate has been given a short-term reprieve and there is some hope for Yearsley Pool, the Labour-Green budget includes damaging cuts to community centres, road repairs and street cleaning as well as this new Green Bin charge.”

Details of the Green Bin proposals are included in the council’s plans for ‘Place Based Services’ – click here to access a copy

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