Hob Moor cycle track closed
The cycle track across Hob Moor has been closed.
Temporary notices were put up a few days ago
It is the second blockage on the cycle facility in the last 2 months.
Unfortunately the York Travel service has not provided any warning about the closure which is likely to inconvenience both commuter and leisure cyclists.
New Tadcaster Road Focus published
Page 1 click to enlarge
Page 2 click to enlarge
Vacant car parking spaces web links still not working
Still big gaps in Council information
Last year the York Council stopped providing information on its web site about the number of vacant parking spaces at its City Centre car parks.
York Live web site click to access
It promised that the information link would be reinstated by “May”.
2 months later and the information is still not being provided for the most popular car parks like Nunnery Lane and Marygate.
The responsible cabinet member refused to apologies at a recent Council meeting for the delays.
He said people could use social media to find out where to park (actually none of the social media system provided real time parking availability information)
NB. The Council has also been unable to keep many of the on street “Variable Message Signs” in a good state of repair.
New Woodthorpe and Acomb Park Focus published
Page 1 click to enlarge
Page 2 click to enlarge
Victorian school room comes to Dringhouses tomorrow
This Wednesday, Dringhouses Library is transformed into a Victorian schoolroom, wih the wonderful Chris Cade as the Master. Join us 2pm&4pm.
— Dringhouses library (@dringlibrary) July 28, 2014
Further delays to York’s Community Stadium
York’s new Community Stadium will not be ready for the 2016 rugby league season after it was revealed that the project has been delayed another 6 months.
The stadium, which will be the new home of York FC and York City Knights, was originally due to be ready this year. But Labour-run City of York Council announced in January that it would not be operational until February 2016.
Now, in response to questions from the Liberal Democrat Group, Labour’s Cabinet Member in charge of the project has admitted that completion has been put back until July 2016. This is too late for the start of the 2016 rugby league season in March, and leaves just days to the start of the 2016/17 football season in August.
The stadium project has been beset with problems since planning permission was given in 2012. Not only is the project £450,000 over its original budget but there have been growing concerns that key decisions are being made behind-closed-doors after Labour abolished the cross-party Stadium Advisory Group.
Cllr Ian Cuthbertson, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Leisure, Culture and Tourism who challenged the Labour Cabinet Member over the delays at this month’s Full Council, commented:
“Labour inherited a great opportunity to deliver a Community Stadium ontime and onbudget, but their management of this project has been shambolic from the start. The stadium is now over two years behind schedule and it will end-up costing taxpayers far more than planned.
“Despite the promises that Labour made in January, we now know that the stadium won’t be ready for the 2016 rugby league season and it is doubtful whether it will be ready for the 2016-17 football season.
“It is also worrying that key decisions on the stadium and the current financial plans are being made behind-closed-doors and away from proper public scrutiny.”
At this month’s meeting of York’s Full Council Cllr Ian Cuthbertson asked the following question to the Labour Cabinet Member, Cllr Sonja Crisp:
To the Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism from Cllr Cuthbertson:
“What is the Cabinet Member’s deadline for starting work on the ground at the new Community Stadium at Huntington and what is her current best estimate of its opening date?”
Cllr Crisp:
“The current best estimate for the start of work at the new stadium is March 2015 with an estimated completion date of July 2016”.
New Dringhouses Focus published
Page 1 click to enlarge
Page 2 click to enlarge
Marygate car park barriers cost £100,000
Labour back down and agree to fit card reader payment option by “early autumn”
The Council will fit a credit/Charge car payment option at the new Marygate pay on exit machines.
Although they blame a “national issue with chip and pin devices” the reality is that the Council forgot to include the option in the original design specification.
The new system should not have been brought into service until a choice of payment options was available.
Card payments can be made at other City centre car parks like Piccadilly.
NB. Only about 1000 of the new £20 Minster badges have been sold so far.
Each of York’s 80,000 households is entitled to a badge which replaces the current free badge which was issued when the LibDems were in control of the Council.
There are around 30,000 active Minster Badges currently in use in the City.
From September, anyone without a badge will have to pay the full rate to park during the day and will also lose the right to free evening parking.
Don’t know Councillor blames Director for “Grand Departy” flop
Cllr Crisp is trying to blame a senior York Council official for the “Grand Departy” failure.
Sparse crowd for Grand Departy
Despite featuring heavily in the pre publicity for the event – when it was assumed that it would be a success – Cllr Crisp now says the decision to hold the concert was taken under delegated powers by the Director of Communities and Neighbourhoods.
At the last Council meeting the Councillor also said that she didn’t know how much the concert had cost.
However the figures will emerge through a Freedom of Information request unless the Council publishes them voluntarily.