York College to take redundant Moor Lane car parking spaces

The Moor Lane Car Park (former Park & Ride site next to Tesco) is now a pay and display car park with 500 spaces run by the York Council.

With the larger and free park and ride site nearby, not surprisingly the car park is little used.

The Council has been approached by the Principal at York College to help facilitate their parking arrangements during the summer period while building works are undertaken on site.

Council officials have agreed that 50 spaces will be provided at a flat rate of £2 per day for use by York College during the period 7 July to 31 August 2014.

A review will take place at the end of this period.

Semlyen quits Dringhouses as York Labour disarray grows

Dringhouses Labour Councillor Ann Semlyen has announced that she is quiting the York Council next May.Backstabbing

The Fishergate based representative has endured a troubled term of office and has been blamed by many for the introduction of the  controversial wide area 20 mph speed limits.

The Labour Party in York is currently in disarray with a total of 6 Councillors now saying that they will stand down from the Council next year, while a further  two have quit the Labour Group altogether (Cllrs Jeffries – who joined the LibDems – and Watson who now sits as an Independent).

Last week 3 other Labour Councillors were not re-selected to contest their seats in Clifton. They were replaced by a party hack from Hugh Bayleys office and an unknown “businessman”.

The Dringhouses ward is highly marginal with the area being represented by one LibDem and two Labour Councillors at present .

The fate of the other Dringhouses  Labour Councillor (Hodgson) is unknown.

Flash Read to A-maze city’s book lovers

To launch this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, people across the city are being invited to join in a flash read and show their support for children’s reading!

Dringhouses Library

Dringhouses Library

This reading equivalent of a flash mob, aims to inspire more children and their parents to take a few minutes to share the pleasures of a good book, which is a key component of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.

The flash read will take place on Friday 11 July at 11am when Explore is urging everyone to stop what they’re doing for a few minutes, pick up a good book and read. It only needs to take a few minutes but it will be a city-wide, fun event to remind everyone of the pleasures of reading. To spread the word, readers are invited to take a reading selfie and tweet it at #yorkflashread, or simply tell us what or where they are reading and join in.

All libraries will be taking part as well as schools and other organisations in the city. A class from Burton Green will visit Waterstones book shop and Big City Read author Tom Harper will be joining in.

The flash read not only launches but highlights an element of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge. Called the Mythical Maze, children across the city are being challenged to read six books in two months which will win them a prize for every book read, plus a medal and certificate if the whole, six-book challenge is completed. Even the busiest children who manage a quick read a few times each day will soon find they’ve finished a whole book in no time!

The challenge will run in every Explore York Library between Saturday 12 July and Sunday 14 September 2014 and everyone who completes it will also be put into a draw to win a Hudl.

The challenge is aimed at children aged 4 – 11 years but anyone younger can also take part and win stickers for any books which are read to them. They can also get a certificate for collecting six stickers.

And that’s not all that is happening. As well as the challenge there will be lots of events and activities happening in libraries over the summer holidays when the creatures from the Mythical Maze will emerge. Meet our A-mazing magician who’ll be pulling some top tricks out of a hat at Explore Acomb, Dunnington, Fulford and Poppleton or come to discover Greek Myths at Explore Acomb and much more. Pick up a brochure from your local libraries, look in Shine magazine or go to http://www.exploreyork.org.uk/ for more details.

Frances Postlethwaite, Explore York’s Children and Young People’s Librarian, said “Just over 4,000 children took part in the challenge last year and had a great time and we would love even more to take part this year.

“Reading is so important for children at all stages of their lives, and it should always be fun and enjoyable. It would be wonderful if everyone in York could show they support children’s reading by taking just five minutes to be a part of Flash Read.”

Latest Planning applications Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward

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

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Location:       41 Orrin Close York YO24 2RA

Proposal:       Single storey rear extension

Ref No: 14/01484/FUL

Applicant:      Mr & Mrs Stephen Vickers  Contact Mrs Elaine Graham       Consultation Expiry Date        25 July 2014Case Officer:   Carolyn Howarth Expected Decision Level DEL

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Location:       145 Tadcaster Road Dringhouses York YO24 1QJ

Proposal:       Single storey rear extension and dormer window to rear

Ref No: 14/01485/FUL

Applicant:      Mr & Mrs paul hay       Contact Mr Howard Berry Consultation Expiry Date        25 July 2014Case Officer:   Sandra Duffill  Expected Decision Level DEL

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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.

Time to Departy!

Sparse crowd for Grand Departy

Sparse crowd for Grand Departy

Around 1000 spectators turned up for last nights concert at the Huntington Stadium.

The event was hit by wet weather early in the evening.

However ticket sales had been disappointing for the “10,000” capacity event and there are now concerns about who will pick up the bill for, what is sure to be a 5 figure financial shortfall on, income.

The event had been described as a planning “afterthought” with the Council unable to allocate enough resources to its organisation.

The event was never discussed publicly through the Councils decision making structures.

The responsible Cabinet member (Cllr Crisp) has yet to issue a statement on what many people are labelling as a flop.

Meanwhile media reports have revealed that many who bought “seated” tickets for the event were forced to stand in the rain.

Concerns over Marygate Car Park

Marygate car park equipment

 

Liberal Democrats have raised concerns over changes made to a city-centre car park ahead of this weekend’s Tour De France.

 owned car park on Marygate.

More surprisingly there is no option to pay by debit or credit card with only cash payments accepted.

Liberal Democrats say the move is a step backwards and has not been properly advertised. The changes are believed to have cost £100,000 with the installation of new ticket barriers.

 The move follows the unpopular introduction of anew charge which means residents will have to pay £20 for a Minster Badge parking pass.

 Cllr Ann Reid, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Transport, commented:

 “The poorly advertised changes at Marygate represent a step-backwards for car parks in York as the pay by phone option will no longer be available meaning that motorists will no longer be able to use their cards to pay. As more and more services become cashless, it seems that Labour run York Council is going the opposite way.

 “There are some serious questions to be answered about spending £100,000 on the changes at the same time as asking residents to pay £20 for their discount Minster Badge. I don’t think local people will believe this represents value for money.

 “I am also concerned that these changes have been poorly advertised and many drivers will turn-up at Marygate expecting to be able to pay by card, but will instead have to trudge to a cash machine. Introducing the scheme just days before the busy Tour De France weekend is also questionable.”

Foreign language instructions clearly still visible state that credit card payments can be made.

Yesterday several bewildered  visitors were wandering around the car park asking for help with “change”.

Serious accident levels up on 20mph limit roads

New government statistics say there were 521 accidents on York’s road during 2013.

There were no fatalities although there were 58 serious and 463 minor accidents.
20 mph sign
Although the wide area 20 mph speed limit was introduced towards the end of the year and will have little impact on the numbers, elsewhere in the country serious accident levels in 20 mph limit area increased by 29 per cent while slight casualties went up by 19 per cent.

This confirms a trend form previous years.

In the same year, there was a decrease in the number of serious and slight accidents on 30mph roads and 40 mph roads.

Serious accidents went down nine per cent on 30mph roads and seven per cent on 40 mph roads.

There was a five per cent reduction in slight accidents on 30 mph roads and a three per cent decrease on 40 mph roads.

The York council has always claimed that the main aim of the new 20 mph speed limits – which are widely ignored by drivers – was not to reduce accidents.

They have always failed to explain why they think the £0.6 million cost of the schemes could not be more usefully spent at accident blackspots.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists chief executive Simon Best commented:
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