York Community Stadium clears another hurdle… survey boost for Knights fans

The York Planning Committee has today approved the latest plans to build a Community Stadium at Huntington.

The decision comes 5 years after an agreement was reached on how a new stadium could be funded.

Community Stadium Nov 2014

The decision was expected following a recommendation for Council officials that the plans should be approved. Outline planning permission had been granted in 2012 and the full Council had, last October, accepted a new financial package which included the provision of more retail floor-space.

The new plans did, however, lead to the closure of Waterworld with the future of the Yearsley pool also placed in jeopardy.

There were surprisingly few objections from other retailers to the new plans while concerns about traffic and parking arrangements were also muted.

The plans will now be put to the Secretary of State. He could decide to “call in” the plans. With the present Parliament due to be dissolved on Monday prior to the General Election, it is likely to be June before any decision on the referral is made.

History may record that the most difficult times for the project have yet to come.

A deal with rugby is essential if the stadium asset is to be fully exploited (and business plan income achieved). There were also some awkward conditions imposed in the original planning application which have yet to be satisfied.

A solution to the Yearsley pool issue will be one of the first issues on the new Councils agenda when it too meets for the first time in June.

Then there is the ambitious 12 month building timetable. As we have said before, we doubt if a stadium could be completed for the start of the 2016 football season; but we hope we are proved to be wrong.

The less complicated project plan – agreed 5 years ago – would have been implemented by now.

We would have a stadium with both football and rugby being played there.

It remains to be seen whether the delays have been worthwhile.

Boost for Knights

York Knights

In a survey undertaken by Liberal Democrats on thee west of the City residents were asked whether they agreed with following statement

” The Council should ensure that the Knights rugby team are able play matches at the new community stadium”

  • 70% agreed
  • 10% disagreed
  • 20% were undecided.

Boyes Acomb announce opening date … as Conlans Bistro launches new menu

Boyes store to open in 17th April

Boyes store to open in 24th April

Boyes new store on Front Street Acomb is scheduled to open on 24th April. It will bring a further boost to the shopping area and – coupled with the plan to being storage space in the adjacent building back into use as apartments – will reduce the amount of vacant floor-space on the street.

Across the street popular Bistro Conlans has launched a new menu and special offers for customers using the restaurant on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. They are advertising weekly “specials” on Twitter @ConlansAcomb

Conlans launch new spring menu. click to enlarge

Conlans launch new spring menu. click to enlarge

Latest Planning applications Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward

Big changes planned at Tadcaster Road service station

London Bridge service station

London Bridge service station

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:       London Bridge Filling Station 235 Tadcaster Road Dringhouses York YO23 2UB

Proposal:       Proposed redevelopment of existing petrol filling station including extension to forecourt shop, formation of parking spaces and ancillary changes to forecourt

Ref No: 15/00429/FUL

Applicant:      Rontec Service Station 1A Limited

Contact Miss Isla Longmuir

Consultation Expiry Date        13 April 2015

Case Officer:   Heather Fairy   Expected Decision Level DEL

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Location:       3 Nelsons Lane York YO24 1HD

Proposal:       Prune 2no. trees in a Conservation Area

Ref No: 15/00574/TCA

Applicant:      Miss Roxanne Shipley

Consultation Expiry Date        13 April 2015

Case Officer:   Esther Priestley        Expected Decision Level

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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/

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

Social care payments made easier

City of York Council Adult Social Care customers will find it simpler and easier to pay for their care and support services in the future.

In line with new social care legislation – The Care Act 2014 – which becomes law on 1 April, the council has made some changes to the way that it supports people with the funds they receive for care and support.

Residents who receive direct payments – money from the council that they use to pay for their care and support directly – will have it paid into a prepaid account called Cash Plus from 1 April. They can then use the Cash Plus account like a normal current account to pay for the support they need.

The new arrangements mean that the vast majority of social care customers receiving direct payments will use the Cash Plus account, rationalising previous arrangements, though some flexibility will still be available.

Michael Melvin, Interim Assistant Director of Adult Social Care, City of York Council, said: “Directs Payments help to give people more control over their care and support and the new arrangements will make the system simpler and easier for them to use.”

No decision on Oliver House sale before June

…as York Council slides further into debt

According to The Press the York Council leadership has now said that the tenders received for the sale of Oliver House will not be considered until a new Council “Cabinet” has its first meeting in June.

Oliver House York

The former elderly person’s home has been empty for over 2 years.

We reported last week that an unexpectedly high £3.2 million bid, which would see 30 specialist older persons apartments provided on the site, had been deferred by the Council Leader.

Now it turns out that the sale will be delayed until the new Council, being elected on 7th May, has had time to sort out its new committees.

How long the offers will remain on the table remains to be seen.

Council debts spiralling

The full impact of the Councils financial management polices is becoming clearer. A freedom of information response has revealed a spiralling mountain of debt.

Capital debts - click to enlarge

Capital debts – click to enlarge

The response reveals that, since the Liberal Democrats lost control of the Council in May 2011, the Council has been borrowing heavily.  

The debt charges (interest payments) are partly responsible for the cuts that Labour are making to front line services.

Part of the debt increase was due to a transfer of historic housing debt to the City but this was coupled with a decision to allow all rents collected to be retained and used to service the interest payments.

The present Council also has several major projects in the pipeline which could add to the debt burden.

They include the conversion of the Guildhall into a media centre (£9 million) as well as funding a bridge into the York central site (£11 million).

The Council will also have to find several million to fund a replacement elderly care building programme following the abandonment of the care village project last month.

There is no excuse for any delay in selling Oliver House to the highest bidder.

Legally the Council has no other option

York launches new cycling club for disabled

A new, Inclusive Cycling Club is launching in York which will allow disabled residents who would like to enjoy cycling on specialised bicycles to take up this popular activity.

The club sessions, organised by City of York Council, will take place at York Sports Village and start on Thursday 9 April from 2pm to 4pm. The sessions are suitable for young people and adults over the age of 11 years and will continue three times a week at the following times:

  • Wednesdays from 5pm to 6.30pm
  • Thursdays from 2pm to 4pm
  • Sundays from 3pm to 5pm

A range of different specialised bikes will be on hand to enjoy, including three wheeled bicycles and ‘steer from the rear’ tandems which help improve balance and cycling confidence. Flat bed bikes with platforms for wheelchairs at the front, mountain bikes and road bikes will also be available. The new club welcomes the support of local cycling organisations Get Cycling and Open Country, who are bringing additional bikes and with a fleet of 30 cycles available to the club everyone attending will be able to have a go.  

This new Inclusive Cycling Club is one of the ways in which the council is working to reduce health inequalities in the city, help improve physical and mental health and provide financially sustainable health and wellbeing opportunities for everybody across the city.

The cost for club sessions is £5 per hour (free for carers), payable on the day at the Sports Centre Reception.

For more information on this and other disability sport opportunities call Glyn Newberry on 01904 553377, email glyn.newberry@york.gov.uk or visit www.york.gov.uk/disabilitysport

For more information on cycling in York visit www.itravelyork.info/cycling

New figures paint different picture of York Council finances.

With the final budget of the present York Council now being implemented, it is possible to get an accurate picture of how its financial position has changed since 2011.

Finance stats

A response to a Freedom of Information request reveals that taken together government grant income and Business Rates income has fallen by an average of 2% a year.

 This is very different from the headline grapping 47% cut figure being peddled by the Labour Leadership.

After taking Council Tax income into account, the actual reduction in expenditure on public services in the City over the last 5 years has been 3.5%.

The expenditure per head of population (probably the best measure of a Councils efficiency) has fallen from £626.39 in 2011/12 (the last budget set by the outgoing LibDem administration) to £585.41 in the latest Labour budget.

This is a 6.5% fall over 5 years.

Of course the figure disguises where investment was prioritised. Hence the ongoing criticism of Labour’s vanity project obsession – such as digital media centres, arts barges –  not to mention huge amounts wasted on aborted projects like the Lendal bridge trial and the elderly care village)

Next week we’ll look at York’s relative performance when compared with other Local Authorities and the – much criticised – borrowing polices of the Council.

Anti theft property marking in York City centre tomorrow

Don’t miss out on a chance to get you property registered and marked free of charge

North Yorkshire Police

On  21st March starting at 10 a.m.  there will be a property marking event.

Members of York City Centre Safer Neighbourhood Team will be in attendance.

These will be held at both,  Your Bike Shed on Micklegate and City of York Library Museum Street.

This enables people to bring along one  item such as a cycle, mobile phone, tablets etc. to create their own Immobilise account and further enable them to register anything of value within the family home that has a serial number, totally free of charge.

This helps with any property that is stolen, lost pr recovered and enables property to be returned to their rightful owners. Just bring along one item to create your own account.

Over 34 million items have been registered so far.

Significant planning decision for York Green Belt

Brecks Lane, Strensall  planning application turned down by Secretary of State

click to download full decision

click to download full decision

A proposal to build 102 houses on land next to Brecks Lane in Strensall has been turned down by the Secretary of State,

He “called in” the application after 9 Labour Councillors outvoted 7 Opposition Councillors to approve it at a local Planning committee meeting held on 24th February 2014. At that time the Council still had an overall Labour majority under the leadership of Cllr Alexander.

The Minister said that the refusal was because the site was located in the Green Belt.

This has a major significance for other peripheral sites around the City which were to be taken out of he Green Belt under Labours “Big City” expansion plans.

Now the draft Local Plan – rejected by the Council in October – has received a further blow.

It is good news for threatened sites in Woodthorpe, Foxwood Lane and between Acomb and the A1237, as all are in the currently defined Green Belt

The full decision can be downloaded by clicking here

No decision will be taken on the Local Plan now until after the Council elections on May 7th.

There are around 5000 outstanding planning permissions for new homes outstanding in York. The majority are on “brownfield” previously developed.

Cllr Ann Reid the new Liberal Democrat chair of the Planning Committee commented;

Members of the City of York Council planning committee visit the land at Strensall where Linden Homes want to build 102 homes

Site inspection in 2014

“I am delighted that the Secretary of State has refused planning permission for this site. Crucially, the ruling completely undermines a number of claims made by the Labour Cabinet and further discredits their Draft Local Plan.

 “The ruling recognises that the land is in the Green Belt and development should therefore be blocked in order to protect York’s character and stop unrestricted urban sprawl. It shows that even without a Local Plan in place it will not be open-season for developers in York’s countryside.

 “Crucially, the ruling supports the view that preventing development on this site, and on other Green Belt sites, will encourage development of brownfield land. This is why the Liberal Democrat Group has consistently advocated a brownfield first building policy.

 “The ruling says that only in very special circumstances should Green Belt land be developed. Labour have not demonstrated that those circumstances exist for this or other sites across York.

 “With so many undeveloped brownfield sites it is imperative that these are developed before a further attempt is made to bulldoze the Green Belt. Labour’s housing policy is once again in tatters and a radical rethink is needed.”