The first Saturday since shops reopened in York saw modest numbers of customers returning.
Quiet time for shoppers in York today
Coronavirus York updates; 19th June 2020
Deaths and test results
There have been no more Coronavirus deaths at York Trust Hospitals. The cumulative total remains at 213.
There have also been no more positive lab test results (17/6/20). The last positive result was on 2nd June which saw the cumulative total number of cases rise to 462. This has been the longest sequence of negative results in the City since the pandemic began.
Public Toilets
In addition to reopening existing public toilets, the Council is providing additional trailer facilities at St Sampson Square and Parliament Street.
Tourism recovery plan published
Welcome to Yorkshire has published a plan detailing how it expects the critical visitor economy to revive over the next few months. The plan can be read by clicking here. The proposals include a “Song for Yorkshire project to help celebrate the civic pride in our county”. There will also be a Welcome to Yorkshire Gift Card
Bus Grants
The Council has annouced how it will allocated government bus grants.
City of York Council has been awarded a total grant of £59,970 for the 12-week period commencing 17th March. The grant can only be used to support operators of council-tendered bus services and any unused grant must be returned to the DfT. The grant will be apportioned as follows:
- ConnexionsBuses: £5,210.67
- East Yorkshire Buses: £20,204.35
- First York: £3,096.69
- Transdev: £24,750.91
- York Pullman: £6,707.38
Older residents trial new interactive games technology
Care home residents wanting to keep more active and alert through lockdown are trialling a new interactive light projector.
Those who can’t welcome visitors during the pandemic are enjoying this technology, and trying out new activities to support their physical and emotional health.
Older people, especially those living with dementia, are experiencing the brightly-coloured shapes and games which are projected onto tables, bed coverings, walls or floors. Playing and interacting with them can help improve co-ordination, stimulate responses and raise levels of social and physical activity.
Success!! Museum Gardens to reopen next week.
Our campaign to have the Museum Gardens reopened to the public has been successful.
The Garden will reopen to the public next week on Thursday 25th June.
They will be open 7 days a week but initially with restricted hours (10:30am – 6:00pm)
Our thanks to all who supported our campiagn and to Cllr Simon Daubeney who supported our representations.
A statement from the York Museums Trust reads;
“York Museum Gardens managed by the charity York Museums Trust, will reopen to the public from Thursday 25 June.
Initially the Gardens will reopen seven days a week from 10:30am to 6pm.
The Trust are really looking forward to welcoming people back to enjoy the gardens as they come into full summer bloom. We recognise how important the Gardens are to York and are keen to support the city as it comes out of lockdown. We would like to ask that everyone follows social distancing guidelines to ensure the Gardens are a safe and welcoming space as possible.
“York Museum Gardens are a registered botanical garden, requiring high levels of maintenance, gardening and security because of the special plants and trees, unique Scheduled Monuments and Listed buildings within them. The costs of our Gardens team and keeping the Gardens free to all are met by York Museums Trust as part of our work as a charity. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a loss of 70% of York Museums Trust’s income and we have had to furlough most staff.
As we open York Museum Gardens we ask anyone who enjoys the Gardens to consider donating to the charity, to help York Museums Trust continue to maintain such a fantastic space for generations to come.
To donate, please go to: www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk “
Coronavirus York Updates; 17th June 2020
Deaths and test results
There has been one further death at the York Trust hospitals – the first for 5 days.
There have been no further positive lab rest results (15th June). The cumulative figure has remained at 462 since 2nd June.
Coronvirus York update; 16th June 2020
Deaths and test results
There have been no further Coronavirus deaths recorded at York hospitals
There have been no further positive lab test results in the City. The total figure of 462 has been unchanged now for two weeks.
ONS have now published their updated statistics on causes of death across the country. It can be downloaded by clicking here. It is subject to further refinement.
The tables cover the period up to 5th June. They reveal a cumulative total of 156 deaths attributed to the virus. There were a total of 1154 deaths in the City during the same period (all causes).
Of the Coronavirus deaths, most occurred in hospital (84) while 62 occurred in care homes. Others took place at home or in a hospice. The highest recorded number of deaths in York care homes in one week was twenty although this had fallen to one during the last recorded week.
Children’s playgrounds – does policy need to be reviewed?
The York Council took steps to secure playgrounds when the health crisis deepened in March.
Where playgrounds couldn’t be secured, some a attempt was made to surround equipment with barriers.
The intention was to stop transmission of the COVID virus through contact with the equipment. Similar campaigns were initiated on street gym equipment while the “wash your hands” message was continually reinforced.
After nearly 4 months, and with some children now returning to school, perhaps not surprisingly the lure of taking a turn on the play equipment is proving too be strong for some.
Children were playing on the climbing frame and on the zip wire on Foxwood Lane yesterday.
The Council needs to review its policies and – if appropriate – make additional efforts to discourage use of communal play equipment.
Time to reopen Museum Gardens
It is now over 3 months now since the York Museums Trust decided to close the Museum Gardens to the public.
Their caution was understandable at the beginning of the pandemic. No one knew what to expect or how long would pass before social distancing protocols would allow some resumption of movement.
Now the City centre is coming to terms with the health threat. Shops are reopening. People will be able to access churches. Some children have returned to school.
But people need pleasant, safe outdoor spaces in which to walk and sit. The Minster authorities acted promptly and reopened Dean’s park.
The Museum Gardens is ideally located. It offers a short cut from the shoppers car park at Marygate to the City’s retail centre.
Earlier today, visitors were incredulous when they found that the gardens gates were still locked.
That is not good enough.
The York Council and the Museums Trust should act and make sure that the park is reopened this week.
Coronavirus York updates; 14th June 2020
Deaths and cases
There have been no more coronavirus deaths at York hospitals according to NHS England
There have been no more reported positive lab test results in the City. The total has remained at 462 for the last 11 days.
Coronavirus York updates; 13th June 2020
Deaths
There have been no further deaths at the York Trust hospitals. The total number remains at 212
Special Educational Needs (SEN) action
Following criticism about the way that young people with SEN were being treated in York, a list indicating the improvement actions being taken was agreed last week. Although normally such a report would have attracted some public interest, it was again dealt with “behind closed doors”. The report can be read by clicking here
Outbreak Management Advisory Board
The Government has announced the roll-out of the NHS “Test and Trace” programme across England, The programme will be supervised by an advisory board of 15 members (three of whom will be Councillors), which will meet every three weeks.
As the Council claims that it is still not party to the results of the tests being carried out at the Poppleton testing site, it remains to be seen how relevant this new body will actually be.
The report can be read by clicking here
Cheaper weddings – fee waived
The Government have indicated that the possibility of small weddings recommencing by July 20 is now likely.
In order to marry you need to give ‘notice’ (28 days) before any marriage and pay the appropriate fee (£70).
“As a number of the weddings that have been cancelled by the council at Government direction during the covid crisis will be rebooked in many instances the Notice of Marriage (NOM) has lapsed”.
A repeat fee payment is not being sought by the Council.
It is unclear whether any discounted divorces will be available although, post lock-down, demand may be be high
Public toilets
The York Council has agreed to reopen public toilets click
Multi storey car parks reopening on Monday
The Council has agreed the following changes to parking arrangements with effect from Monday
1. Approved the re-opening of Piccadilly and Foss Bank car parks when Covid_19 based restrictions are eased and non-essential businesses open on the 15th June;
2. Approved implementing a 2 metre line around all Parking payment machines to assist with social distancing;
3. Approved the scaling up the parking enforcement operation from the 8th June (subject to COVID_19 alert stage), with an advisory letter being used for the first week (up to the 15th June) at the parking service’s discretion;
4. Approved the restart of the Abandoned vehicle service from the 15th June;
5. Approved to reinstate car park capacity in the city centre by the 15th June 2020 to reflect the reopening of retail in the city centre on the 15th June (subject to COVID_19 5 stage) and to transition from free parking for key workers in CYC public car parks to dedicated provision for NHS workers in the coach park at Union Terrace car park. This will be reviewed in September 2020 and work will be undertaken with the hospital to support active travel options. Exceptional circumstances will be managed through free passes.
6. Approved the continuation of the Pay on exit project for Marygate and Piccadilly going out to tender in June and exploring the implementation across all viable CYC car parks with decisions on further rollout to be brought back to the Executive in the Autumn 2020
7. Approved the reprovision of free blue badge parking displaced by the extension of footstreets in CYC public car parks with specific additional space provision in Monk Bar car park.
North Yorkshire Leaders Q & A on Tuesday
There will be another on line session on Tuesday. Generally these North Yorkshire run events are more informative than their York counterparts, although they also claim not to know how many positive COVID tests there have been locally!
“Leaders of North Yorkshire’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic will give an update on the work they are doing, and answer questions from residents and businesses.
North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan will lead the live update and will be joined by:
- Chief Constable Lisa Winward – North Yorkshire Police
- Chief Fire Officer Andrew Brodie – North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
- Richard Flinton – Chief Executive of North Yorkshire County Council and Chair of the multi-agency North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum
Members of the public are invited to watch the meeting from 1.00pm on Tuesday on YouTube and submit questions in advance by emailing info@northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk, posting on Twitter using the hashtag #NYscrutiny or commenting on Facebook”.
Coronavirus York updates; 12th June 2020
York Minster reopening its doors
Following the Government’s weekend announcement that places of worship will be permitted to reopen for individual prayer from the week beginning Monday 15th June, York Minster will reopen for individual prayer starting on Tuesday 16th June.
The Minster will be open from 4.30 to 6.30pm, Tuesdays to Saturday and 2.30 to 4.30pm on Sunday for people to come in, light a candle and speak to a member of the Clergy if they need pastoral support and care.
The Minster will be closed on Mondays for the time being.
Social distancing protocols will be in place.
The Minster is expected to announce how it will respond to any further government relaxation of restrictions including the recommencement of services and more general events aimed at the broader local community
In the meantime services are available to view on line and via zoom.
The Minster offers a virtual Sunday Evensong service each week at 4;00pm via Facebook: facebook.com/YorkMinsterOfficial, YouTube: youtube.com/YorkMinsterOfficial or the website: yorkminster.org/whats-on.
Deaths
Sad to report that the York Trust hospitals have recorded their first death of the week. The total local coronavirus hospital deaths are now 212.
There have been no more positive corona virus lab test results.