“A boards” to be banned from City centre pavements

The council’s new policy proposes a four month transition period, from the date approval is granted, to allow plenty of time to notify and put into practice the new regulations from next year.

If approved, the year-long trial will implement a new ‘Prohibition Zone’ banning all A-Boards (and other advertising materials) on the public highway in this zone located within the inner ring road / Business Improvement District boundary.

The only exception will be Micklegate, which will require businesses to apply for a license to the council to place an A-Board on the highway.

All businesses and retailers affected will be sent information on the new policy before this is introduced.

A number of alternatives to using regular A-Boards will be suggested to businesses and retailers located within the zone, including a new city approved board or shared boards (wall/building mounted).

The development of these will be progressed during the transition period and the council hopes to work with partners including the Business Improvement District, the York Retail Forum, Make It York and the York Civic Trust.
(more…)

Stags, hens, geese and horses to be scrutinised by York Council

But still no sign of a review of basic service standards

The agenda for the Councils environment committee has been published.

After last months revelation that virtually no performance management information is being gathered by the York Council on services as basic as overgrown footpaths, damaged play equipment, fly posting and dog fouling, many would have expected that any so called “scrutiny committee” would promptly investigated the missing data.

It seems not, as the committee continues to sail safely within its comfort zone.

So they will be:

Considering an update on the “horse bailiff” service – 4 horses were seized last year when “fly grazing”. There have been no instances this year. The Council spends £40,000 a year on this service
Receiving a report from the “stag and hen party scrutiny review task group”. Among the, less than earth shattering, conclusions reached by the group were that stags/hens were only a small aspect of the drunken behaviour problem sometimes evident on the City centre, that the number of hens visiting the City outnumbered the stags (!), that lack of late night public toilet facilities is an issue and that work to draft an “alcohol strategy” had stalled.
Getting feedback from the Friends of Rowntree Park on “Goose Management”.

As the horse bailiff doesn’t appear to have much work to do, is it possible he will be used to seize any stags, hens or geese found fly grazing around the City?

The meeting will also consider a report on restrictions in the use of advertising “A” boards.

This has been on the Councils agenda for 15 years or more, but it became a more prominent issue three years ago. The Council is still trying to work out how an “A” board licensing system might be implemented. Progress is not expected until next year.

In the meantime the present free for all will continue.

New A-boards policy proposed for York

Executive will be asked to consider whether the council should prepare and consult on a Draft Policy so that a formal licensing arrangement can be established for A-Boards in accordance with strict criteria. Alternately, Executive will be asked if a blanket policy should be introduced to ban the use of A-boards, or comparable advertising materials, on the public highway.

The recommendation from officers is to develop a new Policy, which would involve consultation with the public, businesses and appropriate bodies such as the RNIB, Guide Dogs and the York Blind and Partially Sighted Society, which would also be subject to a full equalities impact assessment.

(more…)