Increase in visitor numbers in York City Centre
“Freedom of information” response reveals 24% more walked down Parliament Street in 2014 than in the previous year.
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The number of visitors to the York City centre is now comparable with pre recession levels.
The area seems to have recovered from the reduction seen during the summer and autumn of 2013 when the Lendal bridge closure resulted in adverse publicity for the City across a wide part of the UK and indeed Europe.
The recovery seems to have extended into 2015 with 24% more pedestrian movements logged in January 2015 compared to 2014, with 10% more recorded during February
A complete day by day footfall monitor for cameras in Parliament Street, Coney Street, Church Street, Micklegate and Stonegate can be downloaded by clicking here. The latter 4 camera sites have been operating for less than a year, making comparisons difficult
Some caution should be used when looking at the footfall numbers.
The cameras may have been relocated in the past while special events and market stall locations, can “channel” greater or lesser numbers of people into range of the cameras.
The data is not of course a measure of how much people are spending in the City centre.
Skip locations in March
Lib Dems to call-in Labour’s Lowfields Care Village U-turn for further scrutiny
Liberal Democrats say Labour run City of York Council should consult local residents on the future of the Lowfields site in Acomb.
Lowfields school site derelict for 4 years
A new Care Village was due to be built on the site, but last month it was confirmed that the multi-million pound scheme had collapsed. A new plan for housing on the former school site was backed by the Labour Cabinet last night. However, Lib Dems are calling-in the proposals for review saying local residents should be consulted and a range of proposals put forward.
The Lib Dems are also asking for further information on why Labour’s original projects at Lowfield and Burnholme collapsed, how much the overall scheme has cost to date, and a full explanation for an internal report which said that the council could consider “fudging” the financial case for the project.
Cllr Ann Reid, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, criticised Labour’s handling of the care homes project at last night’s Cabinet:
“To have spent four years developing proposals that have come to nothing defies belief. At various meetings the Labour Cabinet Member has said that progress was being made, but this was clearly not the case.
“Unfortunately, it has become symptomatic of this Labour administration that no details are provided (in the report) as to how residents’ money has been spent. The lack of accountability on such a large and important project is astonishing. We need transparency on the project and a full explanation of what has gone wrong.”
Cllr Andrew Waller, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Westfield, commented:
“Local residents have generally welcomed the proposals to use the former Lowfield School site for a Care Village. However, despite the embarrassing collapse of this project, Labour has given very few details on what went wrong or why housing is now their preferred option for the site.
“We are calling for answers and a proper consultation with local residents. A full range of options should then be presented, including whether a different provider could deliver a Care Village at Lowfields.”
Liberal Democrat Councillors Keith Aspden, Carol Runciman and Andrew Waller are calling in the Labour Cabinet’s decision from last night for the following reasons:
The report from Cabinet should provide:
- A full assessment of the reasons for the failure of the EPH project, the decision-making timeline, and a detailed analysis of the costs incurred.
- A comprehensive explanation for why the Lowfield Care Village proposal has been abandoned.
- A commitment to investigate and publish a report on the governance and management of the overall project, including the suggestion that finances be “fudged”.
- A commitment to carry out a full consultation with local residents on the future of the Lowfields site (including the playing fields).
- Following this, a commitment to present to members a range of options (with business cases) for the future of the site including an assessment of whether a different provider could deliver a Care Village at Lowfields.
Further details of Labour’s plans can be found here: http://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=733&MId=8334
Latest Planning application 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: 36 Moor Grove York YO24 2NP
Proposal: Conversion of outbuilding to habitable room
Ref No: 15/00290/FUL
Applicant: Miss Joanne Mordne Contact Mr Keith Wilkinson Consultation Expiry Date 24 March 2015 Case Officer: Carolyn Howarth 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/
The Council now no longer routinely consults neighbours by letter when an application is received.
Apprentice recruitment event to be held in York
Employers from across the city will be showcasing high quality Apprenticeship vacancies at City of York Council’s third Apprenticeship Recruitment Event.
As part of National Apprenticeship Week, which seeks to promote Apprenticeships to both young people and businesses, City of York Council will host an event to promote the wide range of Apprenticeship vacancies across the city.
The event, held on Thursday 12 March between 4.30pm and 7.30pm at West Offices, will see young people aged 16-24 and their parents have the chance to meet with recruiting employers and existing apprenticesas well as find out about alternative routes to Level 3 qualifications and university.
A range of employers and training providers will be promoting over 200 Apprenticeship vacancies covering business and finance, construction, digital marketing, engineering, I.T, health, childcare and more. Employers at the event include City of York Council, the NHS, Nestlé, PureNet, the Armed Services, Portakabin, Volkswagen, Hyder, Network Rail, York Medical Group and many more.
Connexions advisors will be also be available at the event to offer support with next level options, including Apprenticeships, plus 1:1 CV and Job Application sessions.
For more information on the event click
Liberal Democrats in government are proud to have delivered more than two million apprenticeships in this Parliament.
Parliamentary candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon, Layla Moran visited apprentices and employers to hear about how apprenticeships are helping young people and businesses in Kidlington.
Watch the video below to hear from Adam Marsh of ACE Training and Paige McConville, the two millionth apprentice.
Labour/Greens implementing £35 a year bin emptying tax
Liberal Democrats have criticised Green Councillors for backing proposals which will see residents charged £35 a year for all garden waste collections.
Cllr Ann Reid and local LibDem candidate Stephen Fenton with green waste
As previously reported, Green Party councillors last week supported the ruling Labour Group’s Budget along with former Conservative Cllr Joe Watt. The plans will see a charge introduced for all green bin collections alongside increased car parking rates and cuts to community centres, road repairs and street cleaning.
In 2013, Labour was forced to abandon plans to charge for all green bin collections after 1,700 residents signed a Lib Dem petition and concerns were raised that a blanket charge would see recycling rates tumble.
However, Labour did force through a cut to winter collections and introduced a £35 charge for residents with more than one green bin.
This new charge is the equivalent of a 4% increase in Council Tax for most residents
The new plans, part of the council’s ‘Re-wiring’ project, will now see a charge for all garden waste collections in 2015/16 with officers recommending a flat £35 fee per bin.
Plans to reduce the frequency of grey bin collections will also be considered as part of the proposals.
Cllr Ann Reid, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environmental Services, commented:
“It is hugely disappointing that Green councillors supported Labour’s Budget. This decision means further cuts to frontline services, increased fees for car parking and a new charge for all green bin collections.
“Under Labour recycling rates have already fallen and Landfill Tax bills increased to £3.7 million. Making residents pay £35 to recycle their garden waste will do further damage.
“Liberal Democrats worked with residents to defeat these plans in 2013, but Green councillors have now paved the way for a new Green Bin Tax in York as well as the option to reduce grey bin collections.
“The Lib Dem budget proposal was the only one which scrapped these plans. It would also have returned winter green bin collections and increased investment to boost recycling rates.
“The Labour-Green union, which last year blocked a review into the Lendal Bridge trial, has now passed a budget which will see cuts to services and reckless borrowing continue on projects such as the £9million Guildhall Media Hub.
“While I am pleased that Castlegate has been given a short-term reprieve and there is some hope for Yearsley Pool, the Labour-Green budget includes damaging cuts to community centres, road repairs and street cleaning as well as this new Green Bin charge.”
Details of the Green Bin proposals are included in the council’s plans for ‘Place Based Services’ – click here to access a copy
Public service in York getting worse this year – official
Little attention has been given to a report to tomorrows Cabinet meeting which shows a marked decline in the quality of some public services in York
Graffiti taking longer to remove
It is taking the Council between 2 and 3 days to clean graffiti now – almost double the time taken two years ago
The number of York residents on the housing waiting list has increase from 1344 to 1439 over recent months It is still low compared to historical levels (because many applicants were struck off the list last year by the Council)
Only 62% of tenants are satisfied now with the Council as a landlord. To a degree this reflects the lack of investment in the Council estates across the City (a LibDem regeneration plan was voted down last week by the Labour/Green coalition)
Customer satisfaction with the quality of streets and public places has slipped below 50% as has satisfaction with green spaces.
Only 48% think that the Council is tackling anti social behaviour well.
Fewer residents (12%) are now “volunteering”
The number of people aged over 65 admitted to residential and nursing care homes had risen to 767 (per 100k population) by the end of last year. Numbers are increasing again this year.
By December 27 residents were victims of delayed discharges from hospital. Of these 15 were down to York Council care failings.
Waste going to landfill increasing
The Council is failing its waste management targets. Consequently taxpayers will foot an increased £3.7million landfill tax bill.
Stage carriage bus use in the City is stable. The Council refuses to publish monthly figures indicating the number of buses running on time (was 84% last year according to DoT figures)
York Business Improvement District – last chance
The Council’s Cabinet will tomorrow agree to spend £25,000 on a second attempt to establish a “business improvement district” (BID) in the central part of York.
It is 10 years since the first attempt was made. BIDs require the support of the majority of businesses in an area if they are to be able to use supplementary rate income to fund economic regeneration initiatives.
A decade ago, a similar scheme failed to gain widespread support and was abandoned.
At the time, several of the national chains (who exercise a large number of votes in any ballot) refused to participate in the scheme, while the Council had taken steps to freeze (and at Fossgate reduce) parking charges – so there was less incentive for change.
In addition the City centre was generally trading well – as it is today. There are relatively few empty shops in the core area and the latest footfall figures show number increasing (which is what you would expect as the country emerges from recession)
The imitative has come in the wake of the 3 “free” parking morning’s initiative which was funded through S106 contributions from a development at Monks Cross. That funding ends soon and the Council last week agreed to a Green party proposal to a general increase in car parking charges. The background, therefore, maybe one of the “perfect storm” with several marginal businesses in the City centre likely to feel the pinch.
In 2007, the BID project was led by an experienced manager who had done similar schemes successfully elsewhere.
This time the former editor of The Press newspaper is likely to be in charge.
The business case is unconvincing at least in so far as it fails to debate what has changed, over the last 10 years, which could result in the majority of business now voting for an initiative which would increase the amount they pay in Business Rates.
The Council says that, if successful, the BID would expect to generate an additional £800,000 a year which would be spent on “an improved city centre environment in terms of public realm, security, increased footfall, events and cleanliness”
Chance to register your property to discourage theft
