Better Homes opens door to 44 per cent higher energy efficiency and 31 per cent lower bills

Energy improvements that have improved a York home’s energy efficiency rating by 44 per cent and cut heating and hot water costs by 31 per cent, will be on show on 18 August.

energy-efficient-homes-diagramthis-is-redcar-cleveland-your-home-zxa0ifdpBetter Homes York, in partnership with City of York Council, will hold an open day at the programme’s demonstration home between 10:00 and 13:00hrs.

The property at Carnot Street, York is a mid-terrace house which, before a programme of Government-funded improvements, lacked adequate insulation or heating. Its previous tenants had complained that it was cold, damp and expensive to heat.

The show home was selected following a call to all of the city’s private landlords registered on the council’s YorHome scheme. The council allocated funding from Better Homes York and installed internal wall insulation and fitted a new gas central heating system. Because of its solid wall construction, the house’s insulation is fitted to the inside of the wall and so doesn’t affect the house’s external appearance. The house also had rising damp which made its heating inefficient and expensive. Following damp treatment, a type of insulation for the rooms downstairs was chosen which allows the walls to breathe and dry naturally.

The work has increased the house’s energy efficiency rating by 44 per cent and decreased the expected heating and hot water costs by 31 per cent.
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Travellers move off Moor Lane site

The traveller caravans that have been occupying council land on Moor Lane vacated the site on Wednesday evening. The job now begins to clean up the site and make it secure – at council taxpayers’ expense.

Some black bags left by the gate have been collected, but when Stephen walked round the site on Thursday evening it didn’t take long to find black bags and other items that had been dumped in bushes.

Some rubbish has been cleared from the site

Some rubbish has been cleared from the site

But there is still rubbish left to clear

But there is still rubbish left to clear

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is also a large amount of green waste that the travellers have left behind.

Garden waste dumped by the travellers

Garden waste dumped by the travellers

 

 

 

 

 

The immediate priority is for the site to be made secure, and Stephen has asked for this to be done urgently.

Moor Lane layby dumping tackled

Stephen has reported more dumping in the layby off Moor Lane.

Moor Lane layby 2As well as the all too familiar sight of bags of rubbish left hanging from the dog bin, a large number of beer bottles have been dumped.Moor Lane layby 1

If any residents see dumping happening here, please let Stephen, Ann or Ashley know the date and time and any other information, such as vehicle registration number.

Travellers fail to leave Moor Lane site

Caravans remain despite notice to leave

Caravans remain despite notice to leave

Travellers who are occupying council-owned land on Moor Lane have failed to leave the site despite being issued with a ‘Direction to Leave’ notice last week. The notice expired on 10th August.

Legal avenues are now being pursued, beginning with the matter being brought before Magistrates later this week.

We will post further updates as and when they are available.

SUCCESS – STREET LEVEL ISSUES TACKLED IN WOODTHORPE

In our recent FOCUS newsletter we reported back on some of the street-level issues that we had identified for action around Woodthorpe.

We can now provide a more comprehensive update on the status of some of these issues – see below.

There are many more issues that we are pursuing, and we will keep you updated via this website and of course FOCUS.

Separate updates will be published for the Dringhouses and Tadcaster Road areas of the ward.

Reporting back Woodthorpe pg 1 Reporting back Woodthorpe pg 2 Reporting back Woodthorpe pg 3 Reporting back Woodthorpe pg 4 Reporting back Woodthorpe pg 5

Chapman’s pond fish deaths – Latest update

Chapmans Pond 2

The Enviroment Agency has issued the following statement

Fish deaths force Chapman’s Pond, Moor Lane, pond closure.

Chapmans Pond in York has been closed to anglers following reports of several fish deaths.

The mortalities, which have occurred over the last two or three weeks are thought to be predominantly carp.

The alarm was raised by The Friends of Chapmans Pond, who were concerned that the number of deaths had exceeded what might be normally expected for natural causes.

Environment Agency officers advised the precautionary closure of the pond while samples of the water are tested and live fish are taken to the Environment Agency’s fish health laboratory at Brampton and analysed. These tests will aim to establish whether there are water quality issues affecting the fish, or the likelihood of disease or parasites being the cause of mortalities.

Laura Hogg, fisheries and biodiversity officer at the Environment Agency said: “While we carry out our investigations it is important not to stress the remaining fish further, and that is why we have recommended the pond is closed to anglers at this time.

“Until the cause of the deaths is known we are advising anglers to remain vigilant, honour the closure notice and follow the three simple biosecurity steps of check, clean and dry as always to reduce the risk of spreading any potential diseases.”

Check check equipment and clothing including soles of footwear

Clean on leaving the watercourse all mud and dirt must be washed off boots and equipment. If possible with clean hot water and sterilise with disinfectant

Dry dry all kit for 48 hours prior to reuse, preferably in sunlight

If you see fish in distress, please call the Environment Agency’s incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.