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.

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.

Coronavirus York updates; 6th July 2020

Deaths and test results

The number of positive virus test results in York continues to edge up.

It has now topped 900 cumulative cases.

Better news on deaths where no more have been recorded at York Trust hospitals.

The total remains at 214.

Household waste sites – appointments still needed.

Just a reminder that the York Council is still asking residents to make an appointment if they wish to use the household waste site at Hazel Court. The Council said that they would be phasing out the requirement in the light of low user numbers.

Mansion House reopening to public

The Mansion House will be reopening for guided tours on Wednesday 22^nd July.

The managers say, “From next week, we will be launching an online booking page, where it will be possible to book onto a 45 minute guided tour, which will run throughout the day from Wednesday to Sunday. On each tour we will allow no more than six people, so we can stay in complete control of distancing, and deliver the best experience possible”.

Coronavirus York updates; 4th July 2020

Deaths and test results

There have been no further deaths at York Trust hospitals The total (3/7/20) remains at 214. The last death was recorded on 18th June.

The cumulative total of positive test results (public + private centres) remains at 898 (2/7/20).

Modest increase in visitor numbers today

There appears to have been a small increase in the numbers of people on City centre streets today compared to last Saturday. Some pubs have opened and there are outside cafe tables available on Parliament Street. Most visitors seem to be adopting a cautious approach and are observing social distancing requests. Few are wearing face masks.

There has been come criticism of the Councils “2 hours of free parking” initiative which one trader described as impenetrably complex. The deal doesn’t apply to the main shopper car parks like Castle and Marygate.

Births, deaths and marriages

York Council announces changes at York Register Office and York Crematorium

In line with the easing of government restrictions from 4 July, York Register Office will reopen for weddings and civil partnerships and the Crematorium will welcome more people from this weekend.

Since government restrictions were imposed in March, the council has regularly kept how services at the crematorium can continue under review, with the health and safety of mourners, funeral directors and staff our priority.

Recent government advice means that we are delighted that weddings are able to resume from 4 July the council has been working on plans so that the Register Office can safely hold marriages.

York Crematorium

As part of the updated government advice and taking into account social distancing measures required as well as the ever-present risks relating to the spread of Coronavirus, the Crematorium can now welcome up to eighteen people excluding the funeral director and clergy or celebrant in the main crematorium chapel.

Due to the size of the small chapel and the need to maintain social distancing, the number in the small chapel is being kept at five.

Numerous safety measures remain in place.

The council will also be working with funeral directors and staff to review how the changes to the 2m rule may work in practice to potentially allow higher numbers of mourners to attend.

Once the restrictions have been fully lifted, the council will ensure that services of remembrance at York Crematorium will be offered to all families and a city-wide multi-faith remembrance ceremony will be held, supported by local faith leaders and the Council.

York Minster has also confirmed that a special memorial service to comfort relatives and friends bereaved during the Coronavirus pandemic will take place at the Minster, when such events can take place.

York Register Office

Weddings are returning to York Register Office this weekend.

Initially the Register Office have and will sort bookings for those who booked a wedding or civil partnership before the pandemic struck and will be in touch with all couples to offer them the opportunity to get married.

As with other Register Offices in the region that are able to reopen and in line with government advice, the council is maintaining the 2m social distancing. This means initially 8 guests (excluding the couple and officiants) will be allowed in the large room in use, in addition to the small witness only weddings which remain as two witnesses only as normal.

While it is not possible to safely accommodate higher numbers at the register office the council is actively seeking alternative venues that would allow 30 people to attend and will make further announcements should this be possible.

Six weddings are booked for this weekend and we hope the couples have a fantastic day and happy marriage.

Coronavirus York updates; 2nd July 2020

More information leaks out

This graph, which includes Pillar 2 test results, was apparently leaked by the York Council last night to some local journalists. You won’t find it on the Council web site.

It is shocking that the government suppressed the data for so long. The peaks in late April and in May were matters of public interest.

There is no process in place for publicly updating the information on a daily basis (unlike Pillar 1 test results).

There has been no update on the progress being made in tracing the contacts of those who have recently tested positive.

No information has been provided on the results of Pillar 3 testing (which looks for traces of anti bodies in a victim).

There have been no additional deaths at local hospitals and no additional (Pillar 1) positive lab test results this week.

90 Asylum seekers to be accommodated in York Hotel

A government agency intends to house 90 single asylum seekers in a York hotel. The plan was considered in a “behind closed doors” meeting.

No costs will fall on local taxpayers. It is unclear whether those arriving in the City will be subject to a coronavirus test.

Askham Bar Park and Ride reopening from Sunday

Services linking Askham Bar to the City centre will operate every 15 minutes at weekends and Monday-Friday every 10 minutes during the peak and 15 minutes during the day.

Sunday frequency is also being increased to 15 minutes from the current 30-minute intervals at three other Park & Ride sites: Rawcliffe Bar, Designer Outlet and Monks Cross, with routes to the city centre. This increases further to every 12 minutes on Sundays from July 12.

Coronavirus York updates; 30th June 2020

Deaths and test results

The reintroduction of a lock-down in Leicester has prompted some sections of the media to speculate that York may be next on the governments list.

In reality, and according to the governments own web site, positive test results remain low in York.

There were two positive results during the week ending 26th June but those were the only cases recorded during the last 4 weeks. The figures do not include local test results (pillar 2) which are still not being made available to the public.

By comparison, Leicester has seen over 150 cases during the same period.

Leicester has a larger population (329,000) than York (208,000)

There have been no further deaths recorded at York Trust hospitals this week

Poll boost for local government?

The Local Government Association has published the results of a residents poll which it says is good news for local Councils. Residents views of government have become more positive during the Coronavirus crisis. The results are based on a sample of only 1000 respondents and are not therefore reliable to individual local authority level. The results can be read by clicking here.

Coronavirus York updates; 27th June 2020

Deaths and test results

There have been no further Coronavirus deaths at York Trust hospital (26/6/20). There have also been no more positive lab test results (26/6/20)

The independent COVID 19 monitoring site estimates that 4156 people in York will have had the virus. That represents 0.4% of the population.

The site derives its information from returns regularly submitted by residents from across the country https://covid19.joinzoe.com/

Care home deaths

The government released details earlier in the week of the number of deaths which have occurred in care homes click

At that time, the last death at a York care home had occurred on 12^th June.

In total there were 63 deaths in York homes.

Now the media are reporting that some of the COVID 19 cases occurred at the South Park care home on Gale Lane. Some staff were also affected.

The York authorities have not been prepared to break down the death rate figures to individual homes. We think that they are wrong to withhold that information.

It – like the results of the local COVID tests being undertaken at Poppleton – are matters of public interest.

Coronavirus York updates; 26th June 2020

Deaths and cases

There have been no further deaths from coronavirus at York Trust hospitals. The last fatality – which brought the total to 214 – occurred on 18th June.

There have been no further positive test results (24/6/20). The last positive lab result was reported on 21st June. It brought the cumulative total to 463

Treasure Hunt restarts

York Treasure hunt is operating again.

Details click here Treasure Hunt York

Coronavirus York updates; 25th June 2020

Museum Gardens reopening

The Museum Gardens are due to reopen today (Thursday) at 10:30am. They will close at 6:00pm.

Deaths and test results

The were no additional deaths reported at local hospitals yesterday. There was also no increase in the number of positive test results (23/6/20).

£144 per person York cost

According to the BBC, the York Councils income shortfall in the wake of the health crisis is equivalent to £144 for each person in the City. The Council has already said it faces making cuts of £24 million in services.

The worst hit Council – the Highlands in Scotland – has a £411 shortfall per person, largely as a result of declining visitor numbers. The Leeds Council has a £61 million shortfall and says that it may not be able to balance its budget this year.

Physician, heal thyself?

Reports coming out of West Offices, say some Councillors are to be offered counselling to help them cope with the pressures of lockdown and the COVID crisis.

Welcome to Yorkshire

According to some reports, the Yorkshire tourist organisation could fold shortly. It depends for part of its income on a complex rates pooling arrangement which involves local authorities with a business rates surplus cross funding those with a deficit. The fall in business rates income as a result of the COVID crisis means that there will be no surplus to share, leaving WTY appealing for a direct subsidy from cash strapped local Councils.

Coronavirus York updates; 22nd June 2020

Deaths and test results

It is now 19 days since anyone tested positive for Coronavirus in York. The total of positive tests remains at 462

There have been no further Coronavirus deaths at York hospital

Groves Road closures

The proposal to close through routes in The Groves area was approved today by the Green Party’s transport executive. It remains to be seen whether the decision will be “called in” for review.

Initially we expect that the closures – anticipated to be implemented within 3 weeks – will have little effect other than perhaps inconveniencing some residents who live within the affected zone (They face a longish detour for some journeys).

Some cyclists may also feel less safe when using the narrow streets with two way working also being reintroduced.

However if traffic volumes return to more normal levels in the autumn, there remains concerns about the impacts on congestion and pollution levels in the surrounding area.

Coronavirus York Updates; 21st June 2020

Deaths and cases

Following yesterdays death at a York Hospital Trust hospital there have been no further fatalities

There have also now (19/6/20) been no further positive lab test results. That means there have been no new cases reported in the City since the total reach 462 on 2nd June.

Coronavirus meeting tomorrow

The York Outbreak Management Advisory Board will meet using webcast and is being put in place in order to improve the speed of the response, build on and involve local knowledge and improve co-ordination.

Established as part of the national Test and Trace programme, the meetings will advise and inform the development of City of York Council’s outbreak management plan and a local Test and Trace programme, reflecting the views of different communities and sectors across the city.

The first meeting of the board comes after City of York Council was awarded £733,896 last week by the Government to support the creation of new boards, local outbreak control plans and preventative work designed to protect residents.

The meeting will hear that they have not been given access to the test results (pillar 2) being produced at local privately run testing sites like the one at Poppleton.

The absence of this information has been a source of irritation both for local healthcare professionals and those living in the City.

Details of the meeting and associated briefing papers can be found by clicking here

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