Westfield residents survey results updated to include Cornlands Rd/Gale Lane area

The results, from the Westfield Councillors annual survey of public opinion, have been updated to include the Cornlands Road area.

The summary report can be downloaded by clicking here

Residents said they were satisfied with most public services in the area. The best performing was the bus service, mirroring the similar result obtained in the nearby Chapelfields estate.

Lack of car parking on local roads was the key grievance.

Residents wanted to see the return of a regular skip service.

There were many complaints about overgrown Council owned trees and bushes which are obstructing paths and gardens.

Several policing issues were highlighted with anti social behaviour apparently on the increase.

The top priority for regeneration of the Front Street area was the provision of level forecourts across the whole shopping area.

The future of the Front Street area is due to be discussed at a public meeting taking place tomorrow (Wednesday) at the Gateway Centre starting at 6:30pm.

Busy week in west York – in pictures

The week started with a “Funday” at the Foxwood Community Centre. Here Andrew and Sheena visit the police and fire displays

Andrew and Sheena visit the children’s bouncy castles

Sheena, here with Dringhouses Councillor Stephen Fenton, launched her survey of local youth facilitiers

Sheena, here with Dringhouses Councillor Stephen Fenton, launched her survey of local youth facilities

LibDem Councillors at last Sundays Acomb Green Fair

We reported lots of issues not least this bin on Cheney’s Field which had been overturned

We’ve asked for the full bin on Bellhouse Way to be emptied

We’ve asked for weeds and moss to be cleared from paths in the Otterwood Lane area

The payphone kiosk in Cornlands Road is in poor condition. No sign of cleaning or maintenance by BT

Damaged gulley cover on St Stephens Road

Detritus build up on Tennent Road snicket

We’ve asked for a spring to be fitted to the railings which protects the play area in the Cornlands Road park from dogs

We understand that an application for funding, which would see another parking lay-by constructed in St Stephens Road, has been successful.

The week concluded with volunteers planting a Bluebell wood near the community centre on Bellhouse Way. Here Andrew Waller leads the work. Unfortunately weather conditions meant that an additional planting session will be needed later

ROUNDABOUT RESURFACING AT GALE LANE/CORNLANDS ROAD JUNCTION

The Westfield Lib Dem team has been pressing council officers to have the road resurfaced at the Cornlands Road/Gale Lane roundabout.

This is now happening on 9th November.

There has been some delay to the timescale that the team had been first told about, and we are investigating what has gone one in this case.

However, the issue, which had also been raised by the local Cornlands and Lowfields Residents Association looks like coming to a conclusion, and the surface made safe for car users, and in particular cyclists.

On the day of the road repairs traffic will be diverted along Gale Lane and Askham Lane.

New Cornlands area Focus newsletter published

Crime and policing – weekly York round up

North Yorkshire Police – public view

Although North Yorkshire Police commented on the latest crime figures published by ONS, they didn’t’ respond to the public perception figures published at the same time.

69.8% of residents said that they thought that North Yorkshire Police were doing an excellent or good job. This compared to an average for England and Wales of 61.9%. North Yorkshire didn’t achieve the highest rating though with forces like Dorset, Thames Valley, Surrey, Hertfordshire and Norfolk rated more highly.

Asked whether North Yorkshire Police dealt with local concerns, 64.9% of residents agreed. The national average was 61.5%. Eight other forces were rated more highly than North Yorkshire.

The detailed crime stats for York only, covering a 12 month rolling period, are reproduced in the table. Full data can be found by clicking here

York police step up the fight against burglars

Police in the north of York have launched a new high-visibility operation to protect property and deter burglars.

As part of Operation Joypad, officers from the York North Safer Neighbourhood Team are carrying out high-visibility patrols and physically checking properties to ensure they are secure. The operation is also strongly supported by Special Constables, volunteer police officers with full police powers who give up their own time to protect their communities.

Information appeal following rape near Dunnington

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses and information following a rape that occurred two weeks ago today near York.

The incident occurred in a layby on the A1079 near Dunnington, on the night of Wednesday 1 July.

The victim, a woman in her forties, was attacked in her car whilst sleeping, by a man who is believed to be a lorry driver. The man is described as white, aged about 55 years old, 5ft 10ins tall, of proportionate build and with blond or light hair. He is described as having a tattoo on his upper left arm, possibly an anchor. The vehicle he was believed to have been driving is described as a large lorry similar to an HGV, cream or white in colour, with red lettering on the side including the letters ‘D’, ‘E’.

Bicycle theft – York city centre

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses and information about a cycle theft that occurred in York city centre.

It happened outside of Sainsburys, Piccadilly, York, at 3.15pm on 3 April 2015 and involved a man wearing a grey hooded top and jeans. A black coloured Specialized Jinx ladies bicycle was stolen which had lime green detailing.

We are conducting enquiries and are requesting the public’s assistance to help determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

Appeal following collision on The Mount

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses and information about a minor collision that occurred on The Mount in York.

It happened at approximately 5.20pm on 29 May 2015, and involved a cyclist and a dark-coloured soft top type vehicle.

The cyclist received minor injuries after the vehicle collided with her whilst she was waiting to turn right at the junction.

Unfortunately the driver of the vehicle failed to stop.

Damage to First Bus York

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses after the First York #1 bus service from New Earswick to Wigginton was attacked by two youths. Damage was subsequently caused to a window of the bus and a replacement service had to be called.

The incident occurred when the bus was parked on Haxby Road, York, near the Lime Tree Avenue junction on Sunday 31st May 2015 at 2230 hours.

We are conducting enquiries and are requesting the public’s assistance to help determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident

Police seek driver of Citroen Saxo involved in traffic collision on Cornlands Road

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses and information about a minor collision that occurred on Cornlands Road in York.

It happened around 1pm on 13/06/15 and involved a black, sporty-looking Citroen Saxo, the driver of which is yet to be identified. The vehicle collided with a six-year-old boy on Cornlands Road in York, knocking him off his bike.

The boy sustained minor injuries in the collision. Although the driver stopped at the scene of the collision and spoke to the boy’s father, they did not leave any contact information.

Hanging gardens hit by earthquake as LibDems step up local action in Westfield

The hanging gardens of Foxwood Lane are no more as a team, led by Andrew Waller, has removed the weeds growing out of the bus shelter gutters.

Elsewhere local LibDem Councillors have been out and about identifying and reporting other public services in need of improvement.

Cornlands Park

If you can’t do the job yourself claim credit for someone else’s efforts.

Litter still covers the Cornlands playground

The long saga of the condition of the Cornlands Road Park has taken a bizarre twist. Lowther Street based Labour Councillor Gonefora Burton has issued a leaflet claiming credit for the restoration of the Cornlands Road play area.

This will come as news to the dedicated team of local volunteers and Council officials who have been struggling over the last 12 months to raise money for the scheme.

The plans to improve the Park dates back over 5 years when the, then LibDem led Council, realised that improvement could only be made when access to the park was made more secure.

A programme of installing railings around the perimeter was started (the playground had been fenced off a few years previously but was still subject to vandalism and was a magnet for anti social behaviour).

The opportunity to invest more money in the Park came when the developers of the old White Rose pub site agreed, in 2010, to pay nearly £8000 to improve local leisure facilities.

Labour Councillors were elected in May 2011 and one of the first things that they did was to siphon off this money into improved facilities at, private membership, sports clubs.

With the Ward Committee budget also having been cut, this meant that the improvement project was back to square one.

For a short time the “DIG IN” project tried to establish a communal garden within the playground railings. Unfortunately vandalism, and a lack of consistent support, meant that the project was abandoned and the idea of improving the playground for children was revived.

Dog “poo” bags hung in centre of Park

Progress has been made but a major investment in fencing (metal railings to protect the east end of the Park at least) is still needed. If the present three accesses to the Park are retained, then about 30% could be made available 24/7 for dog walkers.

It is to be hoped that the Council restore the poop scoop bin quickly.

It disappeared sometime ago and now “poo” bags are hung on old bit of play equipment.

Ironically Cllr Burton and Labour MP Huge Bayley had a photo opportunity at the park a couple of weeks ago. The area was covered in litter but neither of them, apparently, did anything about it.

The litter was still there on Thursday. (We’ve reported).

All in all, a pretty shabby and opportunist attempt by Labour to claim credit for something that they have contributed little to. They should apologise to the volunteers who they have insulted.

Work on Cornlands Road footpaths starts on 12th July.

click to enlarge

The City of York Council will start work week commencing 14^th July 2014 to reconstruct the footway shown on the plan leaft.

This scheme is programmed to take 5 weeks, weather permitting.

Residents are being asked to cut back vegetation which may be overhanging the footpath.

New Cornlands Road neighbourhood Focus printed

Pages 1 click to enlarge

Pages 2 and 3 click to enlarge

Page 4 click to enlarge

Litter top complaint in Cornlands Road area poll

Overgrown traffic islands on Gale Lane

42% of residents have named the control of litter and detritus as the public service most in need of improvement in the Cornlands Road area.

Just over 200 responses have so far been analysed for the area bordered by Gale Lane and Tennent Road.

The door to door suvey was undertaken during May.

Residents also listed other services needing improvement

Better ice clearance	37%
More off street parking	32%
Improve drainage	29%
Tidier verges	27%
Improve lighting	24%
Other	5%

In addition 38% said dog fouling was a problem in their street.

20% had had difficulty contacting the Council to report an issue. Housing repairs was the service mentioned most often

Large numbers want to see more off street car parking provided in Tennent Road, Thoresby Road and St Stephens Road.

Litter on snickets

The most requested activity suggested for the nearby Energise leisure centre was for school aged youths closely followed by events aimed at pensioners.

Asked how long it had been since they saw a police officer or PCSO in their street, responses varied from a few days to over a year. Asked how they would like the Police to keep in touch by far the most popular medium was leaflets.

This was followed by visits, telephone calls and meetings.

Finally residents gave their verdict on some topical issues.

The York Council should take up the governments grant offer and freeze Council Tax levels	Agree	89%
	Disagree	0%
	Unde	11%
I support the deployment of more “number plate recognition cameras” in York (A Labour Council plan which could lead to local motorists paying an additional £150,000 in fines)	Agree	25%
	Disagree	50%
	Unde	25%
The Minster Badge residents discount parking scheme should be retained	Agree	85%
	Disagree	1%
	Unde	13%
The Council should spend more on improving sub-urban and residential areas even if this means spending less on paving projects in the City centre	Agree	75%
	Disagree	6%
	Unde	19%

Over 70 individual issues were raised with local LibDem representatives on the doorstep.. These issues are now being taken up with the responsible authorities