LibDem survey asks about NHS, police profile and garages
A new survey launched today in west York seeks residents views on the NHS, GP appointments, dentists, Police visibility and council garages
The survey will be delivered to each household in the Westfield area but can be completed “on line” by clicking here http://tinyurl.com/springsur
A similar survey, completed in the autumn in the Chapelfields estate, revealed that:
- Most tenants thought that the Council was doing a good job in managing houses in York. Despite this high rating—which mirrors the Councils own poll results—York is still considering passing Council housing management to a third party.
- Unfortunately no one thought that the police were doing a good job in controlling crime levels in the Chapelfields area. This probably reflects recent problems with anti social behaviour although residents were evenly divided when asked whether vandalism, graffiti and rowdy behaviour had increased during the last year.
- 67% did say that they thought that more should be invested in crime prevention
- No strong views were expressed on a proposal to secure the Grange Lane park boundary with a kissing gate (to stop access by motorcyclists)
That was the week that was in west York 13th Nov 2016
The week got off to a disappointing start with an arson attack at West Bank Park. Pressure mounted on the Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan who was asked to put more policing resources into the City. Meanwhile volunteers have called a PUBLIC MEETING about the West Bank Park Heritage Project for Wednesday 16th November at Holgate Methodist Church starting at 7pm
The Acomb Alive traders group met on Tuesday and heard that the Christmas lights financial appeal had reached 50% of its target. Residents have until 22nd November to reach £6600. You can pledge at http://www.spacehive.com/lightupacombthischristmas. Meanwhile the Christmas trees, which will be fixed to shop fronts, have arrived in the village
The leaves are falling quickly now with Acomb Green gradually turning gold
Council staff are working full time sweeping leaves for gutters like these in Vesper Drive
We’ve reported a broken speed sign on Wetherby Road. A report earlier in the week revealed that there had been a substantial increase in cyclist casualties in York last year.
Poor road surfaces like those in School Street were blamed for increasing number sof accidents.
Andrew Waller reported a pothole in St Stephens Road
A new litter bin was installed in the Lowfields area
…and the largely redundant salt bin at the entrance to the Lowfields school site was topped up! During the last big freeze in 2010 the bin was largely inaccessible and requests were made for it to be relocated onto Dijon Avenue
A new FREE Sunday bus service linking Foxwood with Askham Bar was launched.
The war memorial was given a spruce up – and the surrounding railings repaired – prior to Remembrance Day
Property market still buoyant in west York
According to the Mouseprice web site ( Facebook and Twitter) prices are still buoyant in west York.
Examples include.
Property for sale
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Property for rent
House in Gladstone Street can be rented for £695 pm
The list below shows properties for rent near you – select any property for more information. View more results in your area.
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Chain-free sales
Below are properties nearby that are available ‘chain free’. These include properties where the seller is not buying a new home or has already moved out and could also include repossessions.
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Discounted sales
Flat in Dringfield Close listed for sale at £84,950
Are you interested in snapping up a bargain? Below are properties for sale where the asking prices have been reduced – simply click on any property to find out more.
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44 crimes reported in Front Street area during November 2015
There was a significant increase in the level of crimes reported in the Front Street area (polling district KB) in November 2015 compared to the same month in 2014.
A graph shows a steady increase in crime reports over the last year. The figures have been taken from the Police web site
Most of the reports concern anti-social behaviour – which has increased since the opening of a centralised “hub” in the City centre which appears to have drawn police resources away from the Westfield area.
There have also been a significant number of shoplifting reports.
click to enlarge
The number of crimes reported by type are:
- Anti Social behaviour 13
- Cycle theft 1
- Burglary 3
- Criminal damage and arson 5
- Drugs 1
- Theft 4
- Public order 1
- Shop lifting 11
- Vehicle Crime 1
- Violence and sexual offences 4
This compares with a total of 30 offences reported in November 2014
Crime levels in Acomb remain relatively low compared to most other parts of the country.
The Crime and Policing commissioner Julia Mulligan is consulting on whether to increase the police tax level from April, although no assurances have been given that any extra money raised will be used to increase street level policing resources in west York.
Julia Mulligan faces a re-election ballot on May 5th.
Warning that crime level is increasing in York
Officials are warning that crime in York may rise by 11% this year.
Adverse trends have been evident on the Police real time tracking web site for some months (click to access). The September figures have recently been added.
In West York by far the largest number of incidents reported concern anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences come second and criminal damage/arson third.
A report to a York Council meeting says,
“Significant increases are forecast in violent crime, shoplifting and burglary non-dwelling categories.
Latest benchmarking information show rates of crime at a national level have also risen significantly in Q2, and levels of overall crime in comparable authorities are increasing at greater rates than in York.
Reports of domestic violence are pr
edicted to be 6% greater than those reported during the same time frame in 2014/15”.
Council forced to admit 20 mph zones have had little impact…£600,000 wasted
A Freedom of information response has revealed that vehicle speeds are the same as they were before the limits were lowered.
LibDem candidates Andrew Waller, Sue Hunter and Sheena Jackson with one of the signs which was place at the entrance to a short cul de sac
Introduced in west York late in 2013, supporters claimed that the lower limits would reduce accidents.A response to a Freedom of information request by Westfield Liberal Democrats, has revealed that the Labour Councils flagship “wide area 20 mph speed limits” have had no effect on vehicle speeds.
In reality, 17 accidents have occurred on roads with a 20 mph limit between March 2014 and December 2014.
Two of the accidents were serious and occurred in “signed only” 20 mph streets
In total the Council has spent around £600,000 implementing the new speed limits in the face of massive public opposition.
The Council has provided “before and after” speed figures for 10 roads in west York.
In most of the roads, mean speeds have remained unchanged.
However in 3 streets (Alness Drive, Almsford Road and Wheatlands Grove) speeds have actually increased since the new limits were imposed. This reflects experience in other parts of the country.
Mean speeds click to enlarge
Westfield Liberal Democrat Sheena Jackson – who is seeking election to the York Council on May 7th – said,
“While I support having lower speed limits outside schools and in shopping areas where risks are higher, this project has proved to be a waste of taxpayer’s money.
Many residents viewed with incredulity the arrival of Council workmen to erect 20 mph signs at the entrance to short cul de sacs where it was impossible for any vehicle to accelerate to that speed in the space available.
As we said at the time the money should have been invested on streets with a known poor accident record.
We will never know have many accidents could have been prevented if the Council had taken a more thoughtful and targeted approach”
The new Council will have to decide whether to “throw good money after bad” by revoking the 20 mph traffic orders and removing the signs. Clearly if higher speeds and accident rates on the affected streets are sustained, then that is what they will have to do.
Liberal Democrats continue to believe that the Council should set a speed limit for each road reflecting its characteristics and accident record (e.g. if it runs past a school, shopping centre etc. a lower speed limit may be justified).
Labour have wasted £600,000 implementing wide area 20 mph speed limits.
Summary
The introduction of 20 mph “signed only” speed limits in west York has made no difference to mean speeds.
Before the change to the limit the mean speed was 20.00 mph recorded across the roads surveyed.
It is now 19.32 mph
On some roads speeds are now actually higher than they were before the change.
Where there have been reductions in speeds (e.g. Thoresby Road) this is the result of other known factors (such as increased numbers of vehicles parking on the carriageway).
Top recorded speeds have not been affected. (Some are up and some are down)
NINE accidents occurred on newly “signed only” 20 mph limit roads.
TWO were serious (one in Acomb Ward and one in Holgate ward)
Current Liberal Democrat policy is not to throw” good money after bad”. The 20 mph signs can stay but will be removed if:
- speeds on the roads are consistently higher than they were before the limit was changed
- the number of accidents on a road increases and/or
- there is evidence that Police speed limit enforcement action is being diverted from other roads (30 mph etc limits) which have a poorer accident record
Individual road speed checks. click to enlarge