We were pleased to here that the JoRo housing team have agreed to trim back hedges from Bellhouse Way near their Woodlands estate. The path there is obstructed as it is further round near The Gallops, although the problem there involves a more hazardous thorn hedge.
Some of the hedges to the rear of Foxwood Lane are also obstructing footpaths.
The Council will be dealing with these issues
The Council have cut back the bushes which were impeding the Hob Moor cycle track near Hob Stones. There is still some gardening work to do on littler Hob Moor.
The Council’s PR department is saying that mechanical means may be used in future to remove weeds from footpaths and gullies in the City.
That can’t happen soon enough for most residents following the collapse of his years – chemical – treatment programme.
More of the cycle network is now subject to obstruction from overgrowing vegetation. It is a problem on Bishopthorpe Road near the Racecourse while the Naburn Lane path is impeded by nettles.
Anyone expecting the York Council’s Executive to take decisive action, to address declining public service standards at their meeting yesterday, will have been disappointed.
Despite a plea from Independent Councillor Mark Warters that a team be set up to deal with outstanding complaints, the Councils leadership remained tight lipped.
Cllr Warters was echoing a similar call from a growing number of Liberal Democrat supporters in the City
Many residents may conclude that there is something seriously wrong at West Offices.
Not only is there no timetable for addressing outstanding issues, but communications with residents are poor while many local Councillors (not all) fail to roll their sleeves up and tackle issues directly in their wards.
The York Council is no longer a “can do” organisation. It’s become a “maybe things will get better next year” type authority.
That won’t do. Its the kind of complacent attitude that has prompted a rise in more extreme political ideologies elsewhere in the country and abroad. It needs to be reversed, and quickly.
Not everything is bad, of course. Some individual Council officials are making limited progress in improving our streets as we show here.
Still problems with hedges and trees blocking cycle and footpaths
More hedges have been allowed to overgrow cycle routes in York.
In the main the problems arise from publicly owned hedges although some are the result of uncut domestic boundary hedges.
Another problem area is the York-Selby cycle track which is now obstructed in places.
The issues include thorn bushes overgrowing the tracks at eye height – a major problem this year.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the change in political control of the York Councils affairs has produced an hiatus in decision making. The published forward programme of decisions which need to be made is very thin (click to link)
They new Council Leadership is perhaps wise to be cautious and to avoid the impulsive decision making, in the wake of election euphoria, which has been the undoing of some previous administrations
However, over a month after the polls, residents are little wiser on who now has responsibility for overseeing the different aspects of Council policy and performance. All we have are vague – and seemingly controversial in some quarters – job titles.
The result is a lack of clarity with crucial street level public service standards under pressure. Surprisingly few of the new intake of Councillors have so far communicated direct with the people who elected them. A “thank you for your support” leaflet was de rigueur until recently.
As we reported yesterday, some haven’t even included a contact telephone number on their Council web page yet (click link) NB. Councillors are recompensed for telephone costs through the “basic allowance” that they receive.
Meanwhile there are issues across the whole City which should be resolved quickly. The Councils PR team should be tasked with informing residents what will happen, when and to what quality.
Tree branches dumped from a garden renovation project at a nearby house are causing problems for residents in the Milner Street area.
The alley is used for access by local allotment holders, residents and people using disabled scooters. Scooter access is currently blocked.
The obstructions – which have been reported to the Council – have been there since Friday.
Cllr Andrew Waller has promised to get the alley cleared as quickly as possible.
A meeting on Friday will make a final recommendation on the York Council’s tree management policy.
click to read report
The proposed policy was amended at a meeting last week but still fails to fully recognise the impact that 5 years of neglect have had on the City’s trees and bushes.
There are simply too many paths and roads obstructed by overgrown trees and bushes.
What is needed is a proactive management policy.
…..and where a dispute, between the Council’s staff and local residents cannot be resolved, then there needs to be an appeal process where conflicts can be settled as amiably as possible.
View from Askham Lane bus shelter. Reported two months ago the shelter is still engulfed by nettles and rubbish. It is impossible to see approaching buses from within the shelter.
Rubbish accumulating in the shelter
Detritus and weeds still a problem on Ridgeway
Meanwhile vandalised trees – which should have been replaced several years ago – are just ignored. This one is on the Tedder Road park
We’ve reported an uneven footpath on Ridgeway
