It looks like the voluntary sector is struggling to cope with increases in the volumes of second hand goods on offer. Several second hand stores have declared a moratorium on new gifts.
That seems to be true of clothes as well with piles developing at the Acomb car park collection point
The York Councils on line “report it” system was faulty earlier in the week. It working again now.
We’ve taken the opportunity to ask for the remaining leaf detritus to be swept from the Acomb Car park.
Residents will have a lot of sympathy with local highways inspectors who have the unenviable task of allocation very limited resources to road repairs. Poor weather has increased the number of potholes appearing over recent weeks. The poor state of highway surfaces is a reflection of inadequate investment in maintenance by the York Council for nearly a decade.
An additional pothole filling team is promised to be in place from April. Their arrival can’t come soon enough, at least in west York.
The Councils on line “report it” system now monitors highway defect reports. It is possible to see which reports have been read by officials. Several, reported over the last month, are recorded as “solved”. In reality the problems remain. The potholes have simply been judged not to be deep enough to warrant filling.
That is potentially bad news for cyclists.
Councillors receive very little in the way of monthly performance reports on highways activities, so its impossible to know whether the condition of roads and footpaths is getting worse or improving. The number of reports and complaints received is not routinely published.
Complaints about damage to verges, like parking on footpaths, go largely unmonitored. In summer it is a similar situation with highway obstructions like over grown hedges and weeds.
We hope for better in the future.
One frustrations for residents, who try to make an effort to recycle, is finding facilities full or closed.
Today the bottle banks at Acomb car park were full to overflowing. This has happened before during holiday periods. The Council should be aware of the issue and take steps to check that capacity is available for keen recyclers throughout the year.
NB. The Council, says that it intends to use only “green energy” in future. A meeting next week is being asked to move the authority over to the use of energy produced only from sustainable sources. There will be a modest increase in costs for taxpayers of around £6000 a year.
We understand that responsibility for implementing the new graffiti removal process has been reassigned within the York Council.
Those reporting incidents “on line” CLICK receive an immediate reference number which makes any necessary follow up easier.
The jury is still out on the effectiveness of the Council new graffiti policy although the responsible executive member does not seem to have taken any action to highlight concerns to the police, while the Council still no longer routinely takes action to apply anti graffiti coatings at vulnerable locations.
While there has been some improvement in some local public services this week, we’re still finding, and reporting, a lot of local issues that require attention
But vandalism still an issue in parts of the City
Long queue today to get into Hazel Court recycling centre
1/4 mile long queues developed on the route into the Hazel Court recycling centre earlier today.
The post Christmas rush also resulted in the paper banks at Acomb Car park overflowing. There is space in the adjacent bottle banks.
Fly tipping has steadily increased today. The issue has been taken up by Cllr Andrew Waller
We think that the Council needs to do more – perhaps using social media channels – to tell residents where there is spare recycling bank capacity and when the full banks in other locations will be emptied.
Fly tipping at Acomb Car park
Recycling pont in Acomb Car park still needs a “makeover”
Last June, the Council announced a £100,000 boost for the Front Street area.
The mood in the shopping area had been more buoyant as several additional independent shops announced plans to open while more upper floors were to be brought back into use as residential accommodation.
Part of the Council budget was to be spent on bolstering existing activities with the aim of increasing “footfall”. These include additional grants to the ADAM arts festival and an improved Acomb Alive Christmas lights display.
Additional planters were planned for Front Street as were better signposts (wayfinding)
The “Friends of Acomb Green” were allocated £5000 for “recycling area improvements” in the car park although it was unclear precisely what this would involve.
Nothing more was heard about this project with the bins still badly needing at least a coat of paint.
More worrying is the lack of progress in getting the whole of the precinct levelled and paved. This was the top priority identified by residents following a door to door survey.
Consultants were to have been appointed to produce an economic masterplan for the area.
They were expected to report in December 2018.
There is no sign of any report nor is its publication included in the Councils forward programme of decisions.
