Grass cut back from Teal Drive snicket

Grass cutting reported on Sunday

Grass cutting reported on Sunday

Good to report that, following action by Cllrs Stephen Fenton and Sheena Jackson, the grass on the Teal Drive/Carrfield snicket has been cut back

In fact the whole of the Rowntrees playground, park and surrounding area has been tidied up.

Next on the list is to get the cycle barriers painted.

 

Teal Drive - Carrfield snicket grass cut

Teal Drive – Carrfield snicket grass cut

Next up - get the cycle barriers painted!

Next up – get the cycle barriers painted!

Earlier in the week there was a bit of a drama at the Foxwood shops when a drivers foot slipped on the accelerator sending her car into the flower tub.

Fortunately no one was hurt and damage was superficial

Errant driver relocates Beagle Ridge Drive flower bed

Errant driver relocates Beagle Ridge Drive flower bed

Garden maintenance scheme failure angers York tenants

Path overgrown

Path overgrown

Council tenants entitled to free garden maintenance have been angered by delays in cutting back overgrown vegetation this summer.

The Councils housing department offers  a free gardening service for elderly or disabled council tenants who have no-one else to help, cutting grass five times and hedges twice between April and October (weather permitting).

The scheme has run for many years but periodically it seems to fall behind schedule causing substantial inconvenience for some of its vulnerable clients.

This summer we have seen one example where an elderly tenant, living in the Foxwood area, complained on five occasions that her garden was becoming overgrown and unsafe.

Following an admission to hospital, upon her return home a few weeks later, she found that the access path was overgrown – a potential hazard for the less nimble – while weeds had started to overgrow the windows.

Window engulfed by weeds

Window engulfed by weeds

Local councillors have pledged to follow up individual complaints but it seems that basic contract supervision arrangements – and complaint handling systems – have badly let down several vulnerable residents this summer

NB. The garden maintenance contract was awarded to Oakdale NE Ltd in June 2014.  The two year contract was estimated to be worth £140,000.

Foxwood gardeners triumph!

CC garden produce
As part of the Big Community Challenge which was carried out at Foxwood Community Centre last October, three raised beds were constructed.  These were rented out to local people at the modest cost of £20 for the year.

They have proved very productive with onions, lettuce, potatoes, peas and beans all being grown.  Picture shows local resident Shirley Gumley with some of the produce grown.

Apple and pear trees have also been planted.

Anyone interested in taking a raised bed and who lives in the Foxwood area, should contact Sue Galloway on 01904 794111.

In July Foxwood Residents Association held a garden competition and £200 of prizes were awarded.  The judges, led by Nigel Harrison, commented on the high standard of entries and praised the Residents Association for their efforts which had resulted in 20 entries being judged

York Knights Rugby in Westfield over next few weeks as new stadium deal is signed

Knights summer programme
York City Knights sign new Community Stadium deal

Today marks a significant milestone in the Community Stadium project, which has seen the York City Knights officially sign an agreement with the council over a new Community Stadium partnership.

A Council media release says “York City Knights’ Directors joined Cllr Nigel Ayre (Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism), Cllr Chris Steward (Leader of City of York Council) and Tim Atkins (Community Stadium Project Manager) at the council’s West Offices today to formalise the contractual agreement and cement a new chapter in the stadium project”.

The York Community Stadium partners had hoped to provide a new 8,000 seat stadium for football and rugby league, a leisure facility which would include a gym, 25 metre, six-lane swimming pool, a fun pool and training pool, as well as a new sports hall and dance studio. The Community Hub on site would provide bespoke facilities for project partners with a focus on promoting health and well-being for York residents and visitors. The development also included a number of new retail units restaurants and a multi-screen cinema complex.

Concerns about the ability of the Council to fund all aspects of the project were raised earlier today.

It is unclear from the Council’s media release whether the Rugby Club will be given the use of Bootham Crescent in the period leading up to the opening of any new stadium
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