Who else is as excited as we are for our BIG MYTHCON Day this Saturday?! It’s FREE and is going to be AMAZING! #SRC14 pic.twitter.com/Dkez6yQ73M
— AcombExplore Library (@acombexplore) August 5, 2014
York residents energy saving option
– and could win a year’s supply of energy!
Following on from hundreds of York residents saving money by signing up to a free service last year, even more York residents can now benefit from big savings on their gas and electricity bills by switching tariffs.
Woodlands play area may reopen this week
Rowntrees promise early action
87% of residents saythat they would like to see the Woodlands play area off Bellhouse Way reopened at least during day light hours at weekends.
The equipment has been unavailable for several months now because of health and safety fears.
However many residents have pointed out that young children trying to climb the 2 metre high railings, which surround the play area, are probably at greater risk
The Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust has now responded to the local Residents Association promising that – following some minor works – the area will be reopened within a couple of weeks.
Elsewhere in the Woodlands estate, survey respondents were critical of the mowing arrangements for verges. They had been left uncut for so long that, after cutting, the area resembled a hayfield.
A site meeting to discuss the problem has taken place.
The Trust also plan to do some maintenance work on their shrub beds.
Lights Out on Monday
Lights will be switched off at the historic Mansion House, the Guildhall and the council’s West Offices and Hazel Court from 10pm to 11pm on Monday 4 August as part of LIGHTS OUT which marks the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War.
Marking the time Britain declared war on Germany at 11pm on 4 August 1914 millions of people are expected to participate in LIGHTS OUT, which invites everyone in the UK to turn off their lights from 10pm to 11pm, leaving on a single light or candle for a shared moment of reflection.
LIGHTS OUT is the headline project of 14-18 NOW, the official cultural programme for the First World War Centenary Commemorations. Iconic buildings such as the Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, York Minster and national organisations such as the BBC and Royal British Legion have all pledged their support.
In York, the Lantern in the Tower above All Saints Pavement will be lit at 10pm. All Saints Pavement is the Guild and Civic Church of York, the Regimental church of the Royal Dragoon Guards and is also known as the Lantern Church and it is this light from its tower which will help mark York’s remembrance.
(more…)
Gulley cleaning halved by York Council
Labour run York Council has confirmed that it has reduced by nearly half the number of times that drainage gulleys are cleaned in the City.
In 2010/11, the last year of Liberal Democrat control of the council, there were 38,000 gulley cleans. In 2013/14, after cuts by Labour in 2012, this was reduced to 20,664. The reduction has been blamed for increasing problems with so-called ponding and minor flooding on some local streets. Labour has cut the budget for gulley cleaning by £100,000 or 40% since coming to power, and reduced frontline staff.
Cllr Ann Reid, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environmental Services who challenged the Labour Cabinet Member responsible at July’s meeting of York’s Full Council, commented:
“The halving of gulley cleaning is another example of Labour’s cuts to basic frontline services in York. The issue is not glamorous and there are few photo opportunities in it for Labour councillors, but it is a basic council service which matters to local residents.
“I know last autumn and winter particularly there were incidents of flooding on local roads as water was not draining away properly. Regular cleaning of the road gullies helps stop this by ensuring that they efficiently drain water off the road surface and minimise the pressure on the drains. This is not happening due to Labour’s cuts.
“Labour should stop wasting money on city-centre vanity projects and restore funding to basic services for residents like street and gulley cleaning, grass cutting, litter bins and tackling potholes.”
NB Problems caused by inadequate gulley cleaning have been blamed for issues across York, including in Fulford last September when a blocked drain outside the ‘Sir John Hunt Memorial Homes’ caused considerable disruption. Please find attached a photo of Fulford Councillor Keith Aspden at the scene.
Cllr Reid asked the following question at July’s Full Council:
(xxii) To the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Planning and Sustainability from Cllr Reid:
“How many Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff did the council have working on gulley cleaning in each of the last 4 years, how many vehicles are used for this purpose, and how many and what proportion of gullies were/are routinely cleaned in each year since 2010?”
Answer:
· 2010-2011, 4 no FTE, approx 38000 scheduled gully cleans
· 2011-2012, 4 no FTE, approx 39000 scheduled gully cleans
· 2012-2013, 4 no FTE, approx 20664 scheduled gully cleans
· 2013 -2014, 2 no FTE on 8 + 8 hour shift system rotation, approx 20664 scheduled gully cleans
Another day, another missed deadline!
Continuing road works, lane closures and car park construction at Poppleton Bar 1st August 2014
Poppleton – Road works continue
Despite absolute guarantees given at the last Council meeting -that the A59/A1237 road works and Park and Ride construction would be finished by the end of July – work is still in full swing today.
There are lane restrictions, big tail backs on the A59 and temporary traffic signals.
Footpaths have still to be completed and there is no sign of the permanent traffic lights which were due to be installed at the Park and Ride site junction.
The Park and Ride site itself is also far from finished.
The Council can’t blame poor weather for a project which is now over 4 months behind its scheduled (final) completion date.
Free compost giveaway on Sunday
City of York Council and Yorwaste Ltd are giving away compost for free again this year.
2014 dates are confirmed as:
- Sunday 3rd August
The site will be open from 8am – 3pm on collection days. Please bring a shovel and suitable container to put the soil improver in.
Location: Harewood Whin (Yorwaste’s waste management site) Tinker Lane, off Wetherby Road, Rufforth
Directions: From Acomb, the site is located on the B1224 on the right hand side, just before you enter Rufforth Village.
If you need any further information please contact us on 01904 551551
Saturday skip programme
| 2nd August 2014 | 8:30am Westfield Place
8:30am Dringfield Close 10:30am Ganton Place 12:30pm Jute Road |
| 9th August 2014 | 8:30am Alcuin Ave 10:30am Tang Hall Lane
12:30pm Fifth Ave |
| 16th August 2014 | 8:30am Sanderson House Bramham Road
12:30am Bramham Road/Grange Lane junction |
| 30th August 2014 | 8:30am Bouthwaite Drive
12:30pm Burnsall Drive |
| 6th Sept 2014 | 8:30am Sanderson House Bramham Road
8:30am Bramham Road/Grange Lane junction 8:30am Don Avenue 8:30am Kingsway West 10:30am North Lane 10:30am Stuart Road |
| 13th Sept 2014 | 12:30pm Corlett Court
12:30 Windsor Garth |
| 20th Sept 2014 | 10:30am Thoresby Road |
- The skips are funded by the local residents association using their Estate Improvement Grant. The skips are removed once they are full so please make sure you arrive in good time if you intend to make use of them.
- Please remember to take your waste to the site only on the dates advertised
- If the skip is full or not on the site, please do not leave your waste. This is classed as fly tipping and is illegal
- Bulky items including furniture, fridges and freezers are not accepted. To arrange disposal of one of these items please ring York (01904) 551551.
Auditors slam flawed York Social Care project
An independent audit report said that Labour run York Council’s plans for multi-million pound super care homes were “flawed” and promised savings had been “double counted”. 
Labour’s Elderly Persons’ Homes (EPH) programme promises to replace existing care facilities in York and build new homes on the former Lowfield and Burnholme school sites.
However, the project has been beset with problems and is currently running years behind schedule.
Now the publication of a report by external auditors Mazars, from July last year, has for the first time revealed their criticism of the project.
The report was revealed last night to the council’s cross-party Audit and Governance Committee.
600,000 of planned savings from EPHs were not delivered because of issues around building new units and assumptions were flawed.
The original estimated savings were too ambitious and members made changes to the project.
There was no effective challenge of the external expert’s assumptions. In addition savings were double counted”.
PCSOs at Dringhouses library tomorrow (Friday)
Tomorrow afternoon, come along and meet your locsl PCSO, say hi and talk about crime prevention. pic.twitter.com/N6GpQmYOge
— Dringhouses library (@dringlibrary) July 31, 2014