York’s Labour Council are proposing changes to the Towthorpe Recycling Centre that could include reducing regular opening hours or even closing the site completely over the winter.
York Liberal Democrats believe the current opening hours and service levels should be maintained.
To show your support please sign our petition here
York Liberal Democrats have launched a petition against Labour’s plans to introduce charging for green bin collections. It can be found here
The Council is asking residents to complete an “on line” questionaire. Click here to find it.
Remember though that it is the Labour Council that has decided to “save” £250,000 from the waste collection budget. They could – and in our view should – have looked to make the savings from other budgets such as abandoning the provision of “free” WiFi services in the City centre and cancelling the the introduction of the unnecessary 20 city wide speed limit
The background information papers pointedly fail to tell residents how much additional Landfill Tax the Authority will have to pay if, as expected, the amount of green waste put in grey bins increases. Any increased landfill payments would be passed on to all Council Taxpayers – not just those with gardens.
At last week’s Cabinet meeting the ruling Labour Group agreed to bring forward plans that could involve charging for garden waste collections (either all year round or between March and November), charges for additional garden bins, or stopping all winter collections.
City of York Council has refused to confirm how much the fees will be or what the impact will be on recycling rates and Landfill Tax. After the controversial closure of Beckfield Lane Tip last year, the Council is missing recycling targets and a report last week admitted that the authority was “underperforming” slipping to 260th in recent recycling performance tables for England. Meanwhile, missed targets mean Landfill Tax is due to reach a record £3 million this year.
In Derby, the Labour run Council are planning to charge residents £40 per year to have a garden waste bin and £20 for each additional bin, while in Newcastle 40,000 residents returned their bins after the Council introduced fees.
Cllr Ann Reid, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environmental Services, commented:
“We fear that introducing a charge for green bins will further increase Landfill Tax charges and fly-tipping while recycling rates will fall. Labour are focussed on the short-term income generated from charging residents, but have made no budget provision for paying more Landfill Tax or for clearing up more fly-tipping.
“The move also breaks a promise to residents. When alternate weekly collections were rolled out the Council entered into a contract with residents. In exchange for a reduced grey waste collection residents would be encouraged to recycle and provided with a suitable collection regime and containers to do so. This meant that under the Lib Dem administration recycling rates increased from 12% to 43%. Charging for green waste breaks this contract and is effectively an extra tax on residents who want to do the right thing and recycle.”
NB. The Council is also planning to reduce the operating hours of the Towthorpe recycling centre and to ask all those using the Hazel Court and Towthorpe facilities to produce proof of being a York resident before being allowed free access to the sites!
As part of the new York Minster Revealed (YMR) Undercroft interpretation scheme, the Minster is looking for photos/images to be used in this permanent exhibition.
“Do you have any photos or images of weddings, christenings, events or other ceremonies that have taken place in York Minster?
If so, please send through digital high-resolution photos/ images to marketing@yorkminster.org by Tuesday 25 February 2013.
By supplying any photos/images, you are agreeing that they are your images and can be used in a permanent exhibition on public display, and that you as the supplier have sought permissions from any persons within the photos/images for their use in this way”.
North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Wednesday 20 and Tuesday 26 February 2013.
•A64 east-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•B1228 Main Street, Elvington, York
•B1228 Dunnington Lodge, Elvington, York
•A1237 Monks Cross, York
•A64 west-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•A64 east-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
North Yorkshire Police are warning people across York and North Yorkshire to be on their guard against cold callers claiming to be carrying out roof repairs.
Members of the public in Selby, and now Haxby in York, have reported incidents of elderly residents being targeted by two men claiming to have seen a bird fly into their roof.
On two occasions the men have offered to go into the loft to get the bird out and check for damage. The men then offer to repair the damage – caused by themselves – at an inflated price.
In other incidents, the men have approached the elderly residents with the same story about a bird flying into their eaves. They go up their ladders to check it out and come back down within in few minutes claiming to have moved the bird and then demand a fee from the elderly person.
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As Labour prepare to introduce charges for green recycling bins, I outline why proper public consultation on the issue is vital:
Dear Editor,
Labour appear to have confirmed their plans to introduce charging for green bins (Press 17/01) . No details have emerged, but the intention is clear with their much-delayed report finally going to Cabinet next month.
I just hope they have learnt from other parts of the country. In Newcastle, 40,000 residents boycotted plans to introduce a new £20 fee and returned their recycling bins. This and similar examples elsewhere tell us that where residents have received a ‘free’ service (albeit funded by council tax), charging risks being unpopular and detrimental to recycling rates.
Already, after the closure of Beckfield Lane HWRC, the council is missing its recycling targets and is on track to pay £3.3 million in landfill tax this year. At a time when we should be tackling this by encouraging residents to recycle and exploring options such as food recycling, introducing new charges is risky.
This is why proper consultation is so important. Whatever the final plans involve, it is crucial residents are consulted, listened to, and the council is prepared to change its policy as a result. On issues such as litter bin cuts and library sell-offs, Labour didn’t listen. I just hope on this one they do.
Councillor Ann Reid
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environmental Services
The Council have received an application for listed building consent to alter a roof for a balcony at 36 Acomb Wood Drive.
Details of the application can be found here http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/
Ref No: 13/00059/FUL
City of York Council is advising pedestrians and cyclists that there will be restricted access alongside York Minster from Monday, as part of the South Piazza works.
In partnership with City of York Council, the works are part of the York Minster Revealed restoration and conservation project. Restricted access will be in place in the vicinity of the South Transept/Minster Gates from 28 January 2013 for approximately 10-weeks.
Working on behalf of York Minster, contractors William Anelay Ltd will be constructing the new carriageway as part of the new Piazza in natural stone setts and continuing the works around the South Transept and the associated paved areas.
The council is supporting the South Piazza restoration works, which is part of the York Minster Revealed project, the largest restoration and conservation project of its kind in the UK. The project will transform York Minster as a visitor attraction whilst conserving its world-class stonework and stained glass for generations to come.
York Minster Revealed is a five-year project generously supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and is scheduled for completion in 2016. The City of York Council agreed in 2009 to provide a £500,000 investment for the works to the South Piazza area.
For more information click here
Government figures released on Thursday show that crime in North Yorkshire and the City of York has been reduced by 9% during the past year.
This confirms the area as having the joint lowest crime rate in England, with 46 crimes per thousand population.
Public confidence in North Yorkshire Police and local authorities’ ability to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour has also increased.
The Office of National Statistics report, “Crime in England and Wales, year ending September 2012”, includes the following results for the North Yorkshire Police area:
• Overall crime reduced by 9% with a total of 36,791 crimes – this equates to 3,500 fewer victims of crime in comparison to the same period last year.
• Violence against the person reduced by 8% – total 7,109
• Sexual offences reduced by 7% – total 555
• Robbery reduced by 32% – total 134
• Burglary reduced by 11% – total 4,615
• Offences against vehicles reduced by 2% – total 3,182
• Other theft offences reduced by 10% – total 11,138
• Criminal damage reduced by 11% – total 6,355
• Drug offences reduced by 11% – total 1,980
This weekend, residents have their first opportunity to step inside City of York Council’s new offices and customer centre, created from York’s first railway station. When it opens to the public in March this year, the sympathetically and creatively restored Grade II* listed building will provide a modern and welcoming new customer centre and offices for the council and partner organisations.
On Saturday 26 January, residents can call in from 10am – 4pm and on Sunday 27 January, it’s open for viewing from 11am – 3pm.
They can also view the surviving section of glass and steel canopy which once stretched out from the hotel building and has now been carefully restored and relocated. Besides being able to visit the ground floor, there will be information on the rainwater harvesting, solar panels, bio fuels for heating and natural daylight and ventilation.
Moving to West Offices will enable the council to reduce its office accommodation from 17 buildings to just two (West Offices and Hazel Court) and save around £17 million over the next 25 years, while giving residents and visitors a much-improved customer experience. No pre-booking required.
The customer centre at West Offices will open in March 2013.
The Mansion House doors are also being thrown open to residents for free as well on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 January from 11am – 4pm. From the simplicity of the kitchens to the largest collection of civic silver outside London, to memories of former Mayors and staff, this home of the Lord Mayor is a living treasure trove. No pre-booking required.