Authorities have been asked to update residents on the number of coronavirus tests conducted at the centre established at Poppleton. The centre has been testing NHS, care staff and other key workers but, after an initial surge, it is understood that demand for the service has reduced.
No figures have been published indicating the number and percentage of those checked who have been found to have the virus.
In other parts of the country, test centres have been moving on to offer the service to other vulnerable groups including the over 65’s.
Covid case numbers up in York
Meanwhile, figures issued ) by Public Health England show that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the City of York Council area has risen by 15, from 300 to 315
UPDATE PM FIVE more patients with coronavirus have died at hospitals run by York Hospital NHS Trust, taking the total number of fatalities to 140.
From Sunday 29th March, the following changes will take effect:
First York is moving all services to a Sunday timetable (bolstered by additional buses during peak times) to ensure key workers, including health service and emergency workers, can get to and from their places of work and those without a car can still collect medical prescriptions or do their essential shopping.
1, 4, 5, 5A, 6, 66 – Will operate a revised timetable operating every 30 minutes during the, with early journeys operating Monday – Friday. Services will operate at hourly intervals during the evening, reduction to hourly intervals earlier on a Saturday and Sunday evening than present. Saturday and Sunday morning services have also been thinned out till approx. 9am.
10 – Will operate a Sunday timetable with additional early journey weekdays. Late journeys will continue to operate Monday to Saturday, to be reviewed dependent on usage.
11 – Will operate a special timetable with early journeys weekdays, service will operate every 70 minutes. Late journeys will continue to operate Monday to Saturday, to be reviewed dependent on usage, and whatever decision is made regards tendered services.
12 – Will operate a special timetable with early journeys weekdays, service will operate every 60 minutes, journeys after 1900 will continue to operate subject to patronage review.
200 – Will operate Monday to Saturday, the final journey will operate 10 minutes later.
HSB – Will operate normal schedule.
York Park & Ride
Service 2 – Will operate every 30 minutes as service 2A, observing all stops. Service will commence at 0700 Monday – Friday, and 0930 Saturday and Sunday. Evening service will operate hourly, these evening journeys terminate at Station Avenue. Return journeys will commence at Station Avenue.
Service 7 – Will operate every 30 minutes, Service will commence at 0700 Monday – Friday, and 0930 Saturday and Sunday. Evening service will operate hourly, these evening journeys will terminate at Rougier Street. Return journeys to Designer Outlet will commence from Clifford Street.
Service 9 Will operate every 30 minutes. Service will commence at 0700 Monday – Friday, and 0930 Saturday and Sunday. Last journey from City Centre 1900.
Services not operating (Grimston/Askham/Poppleton Park & Ride – closed)
66A, UB1, 3, 3A, 8, 59, 11S
At First Bus, your safety is our top priority. In the wake of the evolving impacts of coronavirus, we are working with the Government and wider industry to ensure we are following the latest advice to keep you safe on our buses.
If there any key workers not able to get to work due to the changes, please let us know and we can look to try and make amendments. Contact us at: YorkCommercialTeam@firstgroup.com
The Council, has confirmed that it is establishing neighbourhood “community hubs”. Council staffed they will NOT be open to the public. They are planned to support residents identified as vulnerable or those who have been in touch asking for support, by providing them with essential, non-perishable foods.
What’s App
The UK Government has launched a GOV.UK Coronavirus
Information service on WhatsApp. The new free to use service aims to provide
official, trustworthy and timely information and advice about coronavirus
(COVID-19), and will further reduce the burden on NHS services.
To use the free GOV.UK Coronavirus Information Service on WhatsApp,
simply add 07860 064422 in your phone contacts and then message the word ‘hi’
in a WhatsApp message to get started.
A set of menu options is then presented which the
user can choose from and then be sent relevant guidance from GOV.UK pages as
well as links to GOV.UK
for further information.
Public toilets in the city centre will be closed
until further notice.
Parks and open spaces
All council-run parks in the city will remain open
for exercise but we’re asking visitors to ensure they adhere to social distance
best practice. From this weekend, Rowntree Park will reopen following the
flooding earlier this year.
Play areas will be closed from today and this
includes basketball courts, skateparks, caged five a side areas and tennis
courts. Notices are being placed in all play areas instructing the public of
this decision.
To ensure we follow the government’s guidance on
social distancing the York Bar Walls are closed.
The Authority has now issued the following advice to Councillors;
“We continue to closely monitor the latest national advice and are in regular contact with Public Health England.
Of course, our priority is the health and wellbeing of staff, residents
and visitors to our offices.
As usual, our incredible cleaning teams thoroughly clean council offices
every night with disinfectant which kills germs and is effective against
viruses. As ever, this will continue in line with best practice and public
health advice.
Before you use your desk space and, as an extra precaution, please wipe
your desk, keyboard and phone using the antibacterial wipes provided. Please
also use the gel provided and ensure it and the wipes remain in place for
colleagues to use.
We are continuing to share the national advice with council staff,
partners, care homes, social care settings as well as schools, colleges and
universities.
The health advice from the Government remains the same as yesterday:
We will continue to keep you updated as much as we can, and ask that you
keep looking at and signpost people to www.nhs.uk/coronavirus for the
latest health information and advice.
There has been updated travel advice on school trips. Government guidance advises against
all overseas trips for children under 18. It does not advise against domestic
trips at this stage. We are in close and regular contact with all schools.
It is inevitable that someone you know will follow the latest health advice and self-isolate. We ask that everyone respects their privacy and protects their identity. They are doing the right and responsible thing by following government advice, and it is important we all support them as much as we can”.
The Council have also now produced a more comprehensive briefing which can be downloaded from this link
An investigation carried out by City of York Council has uncovered and successfully prosecuted a case of Blue Badge fraud in York city centre.
Christopher Wilson (aged 46 of Fox Howe, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough) was found misusing a family member’s Blue Badge in York.
Mr Wilson was seen by a Civil Enforcement Officer, parked on Duncombe Place, near York Minster in August 2019.
During the course of the investigation, conducted by Veritau, the council’s fraud investigation service, Mr Wilson was interviewed under caution and admitted that he was the driver of the vehicle displaying the Blue Badge.
He confirmed that the badge holder was not present at any point of the journey and was at home in Middlesbrough. Mr Wilson and his wife had driven to York that day for a social occasion and were running late for a restaurant reservation, when he decided to use the Blue Bade to park on yellow lines.
Mr Wilson was sentenced by York Magistrates on 28 January 2020 after pleading guilty by post and apologising for his actions. He received a fine and was ordered to pay court costs and victim surcharge, totaling £701.
A self seeded tree on the banks of the Ouse near Lendal Bridge is causing concern.
As well as potentially destabilising the paved bank, (the tree seeded through a crack in the surfacing several years ago) there are concerns that the branches could cause a build up of rubbish during periods of flooding.
We have asked the Council to remove it.
NB. There is a major opportunity for additional tree planting between the Ouse and the railway line nearer to Leeman Road
Flood alerts issued for River Ouse. Not expected to reach a warning level.
Just a reminder that a map indicating long term flooding vulnerability in the City can be found by clicking here.
It covers both surface water (drain capacity) issues and also the potential for rivers and streams to overflow.
There are currently no flood alertsin York although their are warnings in place in other parts of Yorkshire. These are likely to impact on travel arrangements,.
Real time water level gauges can be viewed by clicking here
Figures published by ONS last month on wage levels in the city caused a panic with some commentators.
The figures suggested that median wage levels in the City had fallen by 9.4% compared to the previous year.
But had they?
According to ONS gross wages were £384.10. The previous year – on the back of an unlikely 5.6% increase – the median wage had been £423.80?
So had workers really seen a £40 a week drop in earnings?
If so, what went wrong?
Most people seem to have forgotten that the published figures are provisional. The final figures will not be available until later in the year. The figures are based on a sample of returns from employers. The sample size changes. ONS advised caution in using short term figures to demonstrate a trend.
As well as the reduction in wages, the ONS figures also say that the City also saw a drop of 3000 in the number of jobs. Against the background of a record high (and stable) number in employment in the York, that alone suggests a sampling error.
Looking beyond gross pay, a further breakdown indicates that the fall had mainly been down to a reduction in overtime payments. Given the uncertainty in the market as a result of BREXIT, it would not be surprising if there was a slowing down in economic activity. Less overtime would be an obvious symptom of a more cautious approach to investment
However, the most likely explanation for the blip, is that the figures are just plain wrong!
An investigation carried out by City of York Council has uncovered and successfully prosecuted a case of Blue Badge fraud in York city centre.
