Coronavirus York updates; 1st August 2020

Deaths and test results

No further hospital deaths or positive test results today in #York.

6 month milestone since first York & UK Coronaviris case

It is 6 months now since the first confirmed #coronavirus case in #York. Also the first in the UK (30/1/20).

Time for government to provide more information about COVID bed & ICU occupancy at local hospitals?

Also on a daily basis what proportion of tests are positive? Ditto anti body results?

National figures can be found here

If you want to influence these decisions then you are too late!

The York Council has revealed a whole raft of decisions taken on Wednesday at “behind closed doors” meetings. Although the Council could have chosen to publish the agendas and supporting papers (such as they are) before the meeting took place, it chose not to.

Even those sympathetic to the current administration are now losing confidence in the leadership and its aversion to transparency.

This is likely to weigh against the status quo when the future of the unitary authority is considered during the next few months.

Wednesday’s seance apparently considered;

 COVID 19 – Business and Planning Act 2020 – Officer Delegation

The Business and Planning Act 2020 came into force w/c 20th July and has
immediate operational impacts associated to the Covid 19 emergency requiring officers to take actions on behalf of the Council in order to comply with new legal obligations. This therefore requires officers to have appropriate delegations to implement this new legislation.

NB. This legislation provides for

  1. A new “Pavement Licence” regime, to be administered by local authorities, designed to make it easier for premises in England serving food and drink such as bars, restaurants and pubs to seat and serve customers outdoors through temporary changes to planning procedures and alcohol licensing.
  2. Alcohol licensing changes that will allow operators with existing alcohol on-sales licences to also serve alcohol for consumption off the premises and to make deliveries. 

So with the Alcohol Restriction Zone/PSPOs  policy still up in the air, we seem likely to have nameless officials nodding though even more alcohol consumption on the streets of central York.

 COVID 19 – Economic Recovery – Blue Badge parking;

Additional blue badge parking spaces on Duncombe Place, Dundas Street, St Saviourgate and Carmelite Street

 COVID 19 – Economic Recovery – Revised Café pavement Licence fee;

The fee for an annual café licence has been set at £100/application, with the option to apply for a shorter, 3 month licence, for a £25 fee “to enable shorter term trials by business who have previously not operated licences and who need to accommodate Covid distancing measures to re open”

Cliffords Tower land ownership

COVID 19 – Granting English Heritage a licence for Land at Clifford’s tower to accommodate Covid 19 mitigation measures

License for English Heritage to expand the area that it occupies at Cliffords Tower for  9 months (see left).

 COVID 19 – Economic Recovery – Castlegate traffic management

To approve a Temporary TRO to change existing access restrictions on Castlegate, implementing the following:
a. No vehicular access between 10:30 and 20:00 seven days a week (no exemptions for cyclists or Blue Badge holders, extended hours in line with extended footstreet hours) – between number 12 and number 28 Castlegate;
b. Loading ban between 10:30 and 20:00 for the whole length of Castlegate; and
c. Enable two way traffic between number 28 Castlegate and the junction with Tower Street 24h/day.

 COVID 19 – Not to Extend the Closure of the Southbound Lane of Bishopthorpe Road Between Darnborough Street and Scarcroft Rd from 4 August 2020

This was the decision publicised on Wednesday. Turns out that the meeting did not receive any statistical analysis or impact assessment. The background is restricted to 13 lines of hand wringing.

Having reviewed the current impacts of the TTRO on Bishopthorpe Road, it is evident as the economy reopens there is increased traffic in the area, in particular there is a negative impact on queue lengths on the inner ring road and the level of traffic on adjacent residential streets e.g. St Benedict’s Road. There will also be additional traffic diversions operating in the area when the Micklegate Bar is closed on 10th August due to gasworks which have already commenced on 24 July. Having considered the latest public health advice and traffic impacts, I confirm the decision to not extend TTRO. This location will be kept under review in light of prevailing Covid 19 advice and further considerations of sustainable traffic interventions at this location will be considered as part of the Local Transport plan development. The feedback collected on the scheme will be reviewed and presented in a future decision session.

Coronavirus York updates; 23rd July 2020

Deaths and test results

The have been no additional hospital deaths or positive test results today

Face coverings

It is already mandatory to wear a face covering when using public transport and from this Friday (24 July), we must also wear one when we’re out shopping.

A face covering is classed as something which safely covers the nose and mouth. You can buy reusable or single-use face coverings, make your own or use a scarf, bandana, religious garment or hand-made cloth covering, but these must securely fit round the side of the face.

A face covering should:

·         cover your nose and mouth while allowing you to breathe comfortably

·         fit comfortably but securely against the side of the face

·         be secured to the head with ties or ear loops

·         be made of a material that you find to be comfortable and breathable

·         ideally include at least two layers of fabric

We also have a video with advice from our Assistant Director for Public Health, Fiona Phillips, available to view on YouTube, which you are welcome to share: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHdcSC9Khfw&feature=emb_title

Some people are exempt from wearing one for medical reasons.

More details on face coverings are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own

Reopening of leisure centres

Better Leisure, the charitable social enterprise that operates leisure facilities on behalf of City Of York Council, has announced its plans for a phased reopening from 25 July 2020.

All customers will have to book online or on the Better App for an hour slot at each centre: https://www.better.org.uk/coronavirus/booking

Burnholme Sports Centre and Energise Leisure Centre will open on 25 July for gym, Swim and group exercise classes. Yearsley Pool will open in August with a date still to be confirmed.

Centre opening times:

·         Burnholme Sports Centre – Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm; Saturday and Sunday 8am -4pm

·         Energise Leisure Centre – Monday to Friday 7am – 8pm; Saturday and Sunday 8am -4pm

Inside centres, signage and floor markings will assist with one-way access and social distancing. Equipment within gym areas will be reduced to ensure that 2 metres social distancing between users is maintained, while some fitness classes will be relocated to sports halls or even, weather permitting, the open air.

Swim customers are requested to arrive with their costume on under their clothes to save time and reduce pressure on change areas. Gym and studio customers will be encouraged to bring their own drinking water (and mat if needed) – and shower and change at home.

Staff will be adopting a new, enhanced cleaning regime, while customers will be asked to wipe down the equipment that they have used. Hand sanitiser will be available throughout leisure centre buildings.

More information is available at https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/york/news/re-opening-of-leisure-facilities-in-york

Coronavirus York updates; 16th July 2020

Deaths and test results

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One further positive test result in York bringing the total number of cases up to 912

There have been no further hospital Trust deaths.

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New rules for household waste sites

The council will be making changes to how our Household Waste and Recycling Centres operate following updated guidance from the government.

Since reopening Household Waste and Recycling Centres across York, the council has operated a ‘click before you tip’ system where residents and businesses booked ahead to avoid queues and ensure social distancing; thousands of slots were being booked.

As with all our services the council has kept this under close review and following changes to restrictions from Government, on Monday 20 July we will no longer ask people to book ahead.

Tips will continue to stay open later. The opening hours of the Household Waste and Recycling Centres will be 8.30am-7pm. Hazel Court is open 7 days a week. Towthorpe will be closed on Wednesdays but open on the other six days.

Social distancing measures will remain in place, with a limited number of vehicles allowed in at any one time.
Health and safety measures on site include:

  • there will be no help to unload waste and place it in the skip. Please ensure you can empty your vehicle yourself – only one person will be permitted outside of the vehicle
  • trailers, vans and pickups will require a permit to visit site as is usual and will be treated as commercial waste and invoiced at the normal rates
  • staff will be on site to ensure social distancing guidelines are maintained
  • commercial users of Hazel Court will need to stop at the weighbridge as per normal site procedure. Invoicing for disposal of this waste will be in place

Bookings are still available for this week and the council is encouraging those who need to use the Household Waste and Recycling Centres to make a booking for this week.

Wherever possible, residents are encouraged to recycle and compost, for more information on this visit www.york.gov.uk/composting or www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=444

Because of the speed that vehicles can travel along Towthorpe Road and the potential for queueing cars wanting turn right against the oncoming traffic to access Towthorpe, the council recommends that visitors to the site do so from the A64 where possible.

Coronavirus York updates; 12th July 2020

Deaths and test results

The government has issued revised statistics for the daily number of positive test results recorded in the City. The revised figures show that there were 3 confirmed cases last Wednesday. Another has been added to the Friday total. This brings the cumulative total of confirmed cases in the City to 908

Council publishes information including track and trace data

The York Council has published background papers for a meeting taking place tomorrow (Monday) which give the first local indications of the success of the “”track and trace” programme.

The papers say that 54 CYC residents with a positive test have been engaged since the end of May and 60 ‘contacts’ have been identified and traced.

Residents will hope that weekly updates will now be published as a minimum.

We know the number of positive test results.

We now need to understand how many contacts have been identified for each case and how many were successfully spoken to.

Vandalism

One of the sanitiser stations in York City centre has been vandalised. Stupidity on so many levels

Coronavirus York updates; 8th July 2020

Deaths and test results

Good news today with no more hospital deaths and no new positive COVID 19 test results.
The number of hospital deaths remains at 214 (7/7/20). It has remained at this figure for over 3 weeks.

The cumulative number of positive tests results remains at 902 (7/7/20). The last positive result was announced on Saturday.

National announcements on housing and hospitality

  • a £1,000 bonus for each worker that companies bring back from furlough and employ through to January next year;
  • a “kickstart scheme” to directly pay firms to create jobs for 16 to 24-year-olds;
  • cash for businesses to take on trainees and apprentices;
  • an eight-month temporary cut in stamp duty, with no charge on property transactions below £500,000;
  • larger grants for improved energy efficiency in homes.
  • a cut in VAT on food, accommodation and attractions from 20% to 5% until 12 January;
  • an “Eat Out to Help Out” discount of up to £10 per head to get Britons back to restaurants, cafes and pubs

Coronavirus York updates 7th July 2020

Deaths and positive test results

One additional positive Coronavirus test result has been added to the government stats. This brings the cumulative total to 902.

There has been one additional Coronavirus related death in a York care home during the last week (26/6/20) according to ONS published figures

There have been no additional deaths at York Hospital Trust sites

Council expenditure on marketing hits £350,000

The Councils expenditure figures for June have now been published. All accounts for amounts exceeding £250 can be viewed by clicking here.

Taxpayers will be taking a particular interest in the amount being spent on COVID-19 related marketing.

The total has now reached £354,326.65 since February.

City centre signs

This includes ££68,659.00 spent in June.

By far the largest supplier was the York based marketing company “Ideas Group” who were responsible for the Councils post pandemic PR strategy. This included some of the signs that can be seen round the City centre. 

They submitted bills for £43,000 in June.

Libraries reopening

Many of York’s libraries and reading cafes have reopened. Those wanting to borrow books must make an appointment before visiting.

Museum opening plans

York Castle Museum and York Art Gallery will both open to the public again on August 1st. According to the York Museums Trust the Yorkshire Museum will remain closed.

The Merchant Adventurers Hall coffee room will be reopening on Thursday 9th July.

Minster School

The authorities have confirmed that the Minster School will close permanently from the end of its summer term.

Hand sanitisers

The York BID has installed hand sanitiser stations on some streets in the city centre

Park and Ride

The Askham Bar park and ride site – which reopened at the weekend – was very quiet today

Better bus services announced by First York from this weekend

First have issued notifications of the following service changes

Askham Bar Park & Ride has now re-opened; services will operate every 15 minutes at weekends, every 10 minutes Monday-Friday during peak times and every 15 minutes throughout the day.

Timetables

From Sunday 12th July, the following changes will take place to help with safe, socially-distanced travel for necessary journeys. Full details of the changes and timetables can be found in the ‘Forthcoming’ section of our timetables page. The changes are being made to help manage continued capacity restrictions on buses due to social distancing as further lockdown measures are eased.

City Services

Service 1 – there will be changes to early evening services, and late evening services will be operating to a revised timetable (up to every 30 minutes). Sunday daytime services will be increased to run up to every 20 minutes during busy periods.

Service 4 – there will be changes to early evening services, and late evening services will be operating to a revised timetable (up to every 30 minutes). Sunday daytime services will be increased to run up to every 20 minutes during busy periods.

Service 5/5A – minor timetable changes will be occuring. The 22:00pm and 23:00pm from Strensall will now operate at 21:50pm and 22:50pm respectively, and the 22:55pm from Acomb will now operate at 22:45pm.

Service 6 – there will be changes to early evening services, and late evening services will be operating to a revised timetable (up to every 30 minutes) for the majority of the late evening period. Services will leave Clifton Moor during the evening at 00/30 minutes past the hour, and from Campus East at 15/45 minutes past the hour. Sunday daytime services will be increased to run up to every 20 minutes during busy periods.

Service 10/10A – service timetable has been updated to reduce the amount of time spent waiting at bus stops, due to the current reduced traffic levels.

Service 11 – these buses will run every 30 minutes for the majority of the day.

Service 11S – this service will not operate.

Service 12 – these buses will run every 30 minutes for the majority of the day.

Service 200 – this service will continue to operate 3 early morning services.

University Services

Service 66 – evening and Sunday services will be increased to every 40 minutes.

66A, 66X – will not operate. Alternative journeys will be provided by Service 10, 10A and 66.

Service N66 – will not operate.

Park and Ride Services

Service 2A – service frequency will be increased to every 10 minutes for the majority of the day Monday – Saturday, and every 12  minutes during Sunday daytime. Evening frequency will be restored to every 30 minutes.

Service 3 – will not operate. Alternative journeys will be provided by service 12 between Askham Bar Tesco and York.

Service 7 – service frequency will be increased to every 10 minutes for the majority of the day Monday – Saturday, and every 12 minutes during Sunday daytime. Evening frequencywill be restored to every 30 minutes.

Service 8, 66A, 66X – will not operate. Alternative journeys will be provided by Service 10, 10A, 66.

Service 9 – service frequency will be increased to every 10 minutes for the majority of the day Monday – Saturday, and every 12 minutes during Sunday daytime.

Service 59 – will not operate.

Please only travel if your journey is necessary.