York Council amnesty on Lendal bridge fines?

The media is reporting that the Council will waive the fines due from motorists who have used Lendal Bridge during the last 10 days.

No indication has been given of the number of penalty notices this would affect.

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The Council is saying that it will the number plate recognition cameras (ANPR) to enforce the access restrictions from tomorrow (Wednesday).

The amnesty statement has not apparently been issued by Cllr Merrett who is responsible for the closure.

No statement has been made about any amnesty for those who have fallen foul over the last month of the extended restrictions on Coppergate.

The restrictions there are also being enforced through the use of ANPR technology.

Meanwhile the City centre is very quiet today raising fears that shoppers are being discouraged by the controversy surrounding the Lendal bridge closure trial.

The Council are being asked to publish daily data from their footfall cameras.

Although most City centre traders and visitor attractions have reported a buoyant summer, the period leading up to Christmas is the most critical time of the year for City centre shops.

If shoppers shun the City centre then it could be the death knell for some small traders.

York Council now spending £1/4 million each year clearing fly tipping

Dumping and litter on Tithe Close snicket1400 hours 23rd Aug 2013

The York Council has admitted that it is costing taxpayers £250,000 a year to clear fly tipping in the City.

7 people are employed full time on the task.

They use 3 specialist vehicles.

The Council was heavily criticised last year when it closed the recycling centre in Beckfield Lane.

Residents forecast that fly tipping would increase.

The Council claimed then that the closure would “save” £40,000 a year.

Other contributory factors to the problem with fly tipping can be traced to the decision to stop the provision of mobile skips in some neighbourhoods.

Many litter bins have also been removed, while this winter there will be no green bin collections over a period of nearly 6 months.

The Council has also claimed that it no longer gets any income from the sale of materials returned to Hazel Court for recycling.

Latest Planning applications

Below are the latest planning applications received by the York Council for the Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward. Full details can be found by clicking the application reference

Ref No: 13/02888/LHE

Location: 23 Middlethorpe Drive York YO24 1NG

Proposal: Erection of single storey extension extending 4.1 metres beyond the rear wall of the original house, with a height to the eaves of 2.3 metres and a total height of 3.4 metres

Applicant: Mr And Mrs Bullock Contact Kate Macneill Consultation Expiry Date 23 September 2013 Case Officer: Elizabeth Potter Expected Decision Level DEL

Ref No: 13/02944/LHE

Location: 2 Alness Drive York YO24 2XZ

Proposal: Erection of single storey extension extending 4.825 metres beyond the rear wall of the original house, with a height to the eaves of 2.5 metres and a total height of 3.575 metres

Applicant: D Poole Consultation Expiry Date 23 September 2013 Case Officer: Carolyn Howarth Expected Decision Level DEL

Representations can be made in favour of, or in objection to, any application via the Planning on line web site. http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/

NB.The Council now no longer routinely consults neighbours by letter when an application is received.

Look like a winner with Sky Ride – Saturday 14 September

click for more details

click for more details

York cyclists may not have the speed or stamina of winning professional athletes but those signing up to York’s Sky Ride soon will at least have the chance of looking like one.

The first 1000 participants to sign up for the event will be entered into a free prize draw to win a Team Sky jersey signed by 2013 Tour de France winner Chris Froome and his supporting team. The Sky Ride takes place on Saturday 14 September and numbers are increasing quickly.

The festival takes place on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September from 10.30am, finishing at 5pm Saturday and 4pm Sunday. More information can be found at http://www.festivalofcycling.org.uk/

Anyone wanting to sign up for Sky Ride York should go to www.goskyride.com/York

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Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon 20th Oct 2013

Click for more details

Click for more details

The most exciting new running event to hit the UK in 2013 arrives in Yorkshire! The Yorkshire Marathon takes runners through the City of York and its countryside in the countries biggest marathon
Location: York, Yorkshire

Details http://www.theyorkshiremarathon.com/

The most exciting new running event to hit the UK in 2013 arrives in Yorkshire!

The highly-anticipated Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon takes runners through the City of York and its picture perfect countryside in the county’s biggest marathon to date for this year.

Council House rent arrears up 20% – number of evictions up

The value of Council tenants rent arrears has increased over the last 2 years.

Freedom of information response click to enlarge

Freedom of information response click to enlarge

The amount owed has risen from £622,763 in June 2011 to £741,570 this year.

3159 tenants are now in arrears

The number of evictions for arrears has also doubled (but only to a relatively modest 14)

42 people presented themselves to the Council last year as “homeless”.

23 of them were subsequently accepted by the Council as homeless.

The figures were revealed through a Freedom of Information request.

There is no record of the council having discussed these worrying trends