York’s community centres are losing their Council financial support so local residents in Clifton can expect some disappointing news.
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Currently they have 23 of the 47 seats with one vacancy to be filled in the Westfield by election on 16th October.
At least two other Labour Councillors may also resign the party whip, so the Council will be looking for a new way of doing things at least until May 2015 when “all out” elections take place.
It is not surprising that councillors, who have lived in the City for many years, have been alienated by a secretive and authoritarian style of leadership.
Couple this with some rank bad decisions (Lendal Bridge, 20 mph zones, a “Big City” Local Plan, neglect of residential areas, reckless borrowing etc. ) and you had the formulae for failure.
The York Council faces a difficult few months.
It must set a budget for an election year, try to find a consensus on a new Local Plan and deal with endemic failure in service areas such as social care.
It is difficult not to conclude that a new Leader is required.
It needs someone with experience who is untainted by the failures of the present administration but who has the skills to find a consensus.
He or she will need to establish a new structure where decisions are taken after proper consultation, where there is open discussion and where conclusions have as widely based support as possible.
It is probably not practical to return to a “committee” system for the remainder of this Council but a step forward would be for all groups to be represented on the Councils Cabinet and for “scrutiny committees” to have real power and the ability to change decisions.
The Council meeting – which was to have publicly discussed for the first time Labours plans to build in the York Green Belt – has been put back from the 18th September to Monday 22nd September.
The decision has not been publicised and is obviously designed to ensure that only minimum notice is given to residents about the revised plans.
Labour hope that this will frustrate opponents of their original plan which would have seen the size of the City increase by 25% over the next 15 years.
Now it appears that the new plans won’t be made available to the public before 15th September.
The proposals will then be rushed through a – Labour controlled – Cabinet meeting on 25th September.
click to see original drawing
The bus interchange at Exhibition Square is a key location for many bus services for residents, visitors and people living in rural areas to the North of York, handling around 750,000 bus passenger journeys a year.
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First have confirmed that pensioners with a valid pass joining the Park and Ride bus at the Moor Lane car park stop WILL be entitled to travel free of charge.
At present pensioners with a pass joining Park and Ride services are charged 80p a journey.
Ann Reid says,
“I fought hard to retain this stop to allow residents who live within walking distance to still use the P& R service and avoid driving to the new site but the increased fares might well see increased car use”
The skips below are funded by your 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.
1. Please remember to take your waste to the site only on the dates advertised
2. 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
3. Bulky items including furniture, fridges and freezers are not accepted. To arrange disposal of Bulky items including furniture, fridges and freezers are not accepted. To arrange disposal of one of these items please ring York (01904) 551551.
| 13 September 2014 | |
| Viking Road | 8:30am |
| Woodlea Ave | 10:30am |
| Corlett Court | 12:30pm |
| Windsor Garth | 12:30pm |
| 20 September 2014 | |
| Thoresby Road | 10:30am |
| 04 October 2014 | |
| Cornlands Road | 12:30pm |
| Dringfield Close | 8:30am |
| Ganton Place | 10:30 AM |
| 11 October 2014 | |
| Ostman Road | 10:30am |
| Community House Bramham Road | 8:30am |
Date: Sept 2014 – Dec 2014
Time: Various
Venue: Across the city
Cost: From free
From Counselling and Crocheting to Pilates and Painting, we have a course for you. They’re so good our learners keep coming back.
Keep in touch on facebook https://www.facebook.com/York.Learning.CYC
and twitter https://twitter.com/yorklearning .
The York Council has said that drivers can apply for a refund of unlawful Lendal Bridge fines from Monday.
Private Eye 5th Sept 2014 click
However they will only be able to do so “on line” and a deadline of the 31st December has been set for applications.
The Council has become the subject of national derision following its decision to pay refunds ……….but not to tell driver that they were available.
Even the national satirical magazine Private Eye has labelled the Council as a “Rotten Borough” putting it in the same category as the likes of Rotherham and Doncaster
With Council elections scheduled for next May, it is highly likely that Labour will lose control and either an incoming LibDem or Tory administration will restart the refund process.
But in the meantime it seems that the only option for those not on the internet will be a trip to the local library or West Offices itself.
Clearly the Council are banking on the inconvenience putting many motorists off bothering.
The Council, statement reads:
Six of York’s nine Children Centres could close under options put forward by the Labour Council.
Council consultation leaflet click to enlarge
Current users were surveyed during August on their preferred future for the centres.
The options on offer were
The Consultation closed on 26th August but so far Council officials have declined to reveal the results of the consultation.
Sadly this process is all too familiar to York residents with decisions being taken behind closed doors and little opportunity for the community at large to express their views.
Hob Moor Children’s Centre future unclear
No doubt the Councils panacea for all problems – ditch services and hope that “volunteers” will take on the burden – will emerge as the favoured option.
With millions of pounds having been invested in Sure Start (which originally enjoyed Labour Government support) it is little short of tragic that the programme is now in jeopardy.
The York Childrens Centres gained a national award for excellence only last year.
The 9 Sure Start children’s centres are (click for details):
The Adult Single fare to the City Centre will remain at £2, but Park & Ride return fares won’t be available and MinsterCards won’t be valid to/from this stop.
For customers making a return journey, the FirstDay ticket is priced at £3.70 can be used across the whole York network.
This compares to the £2 – 70 standard return Park and Ride fare (which will remain available for anyone willing and able to walk the extra 600 yards along Tadcaster Road to the new car park).
It seems that although this bus stop is now being treated as part of the normal “stage carriage” network, pensioners will also not enjoy free travel. We understand that they will have to continue to pay the standard 80p per journey.
It seems irrational that passengers joining the service at this stop – and using what would otherwise be vacant seats – will be charged more for what will be a shorter journey than those who joined the service at Askham Bar!