Government boost for brownfield housing in York

York central site among 29 nationwide to be shortlisted for financial help.

York central site

York central site

Campaigners seeking to protect York’s Green Belt have welcomed a government initiative which could accelerate the development of housing on the York Central site.

Papers released on Friday suggest that it may be designated as a “Housing Zone”

Development of the site (behind the railway station) has been stalled since the start of the recession in 2008.

In 2011 the then LibDem led Council agreed a Local Plan which would have seen 1780 dwellings built on the site which enjoys excellent transport links and a full range of services within walking distance.

Although the Labour led Council has since tried to pare down that number, the government scheme could provide a big boost.

Most housing zones are expected to be big enough for between 750 and 2,000 homes. Successful bids were submitted by councils working with developers> They were invited to bid for a share of £200 million for infrastructure and land remediation to get their ideas off the ground.

Successful zones will  have access to cheaper borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board and priority access to expert planning and technical support from the ATLAS service run by the Homes and Communities Agency.

It remains to be seen whether the York site will be one of the 10 finally chosen to benefit from the additional funding.

Since the announcement was made on 8th January there has only been stony silence from the Councils Labour “leadership”.

More details of the scheme can be read on the government web site (click)

Internet fraud warning in York….. plus Chief Constable webchat date

Detectives in York have issued an urgent warning after three men from the York area have been blackmailed by a woman claiming to be called Cathy Wong.

The woman has befriended them on Facebook and asked them to skype her. She has then enticed them into performing an indecent act which she has recorded on video.

She has then told the men, who are all students, that her grandmother is ill and needs money and has asked them each to send £3,000 via money transfer.

When they refused to send the money, she has threatened them with uploading the video to Youtube.

It is believed that the scam is occurring world wide, however these are the first cases reported in the York area. The men are not known to each other and officers are concerned that there may be other victims. Officers are exploring the possibility that the scam is operated by an organised crime group.

Police are urging internet users, particularly students, to be on their guard and to contact them if they believe they have been targeted. 

Detective Sergeant Rebecca Dyer of York CID, said: “This scam is causing considerable distress to the victims and I urge anyone who uses any kind of social networking site to be very wary of what they are getting into.

“I am concerned that there are other victims of this scam who are too embarrassed to come forward about what has happened. I urge them to please get in touch with the police. Your information will be dealt with in the strictest confidence and with sensitivity. Please do not suffer in silence.”

To report an incident, please contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1 and pass information to the Force Control Room.

Or you can email Rebecca.dyer@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

You can also pass information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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#AskTheChief webchat: your chance to quiz the chief

Chief Constable Dave Jones is hosting a live webchat to give residents in North Yorkshire the opportunity to talk to him about crime and anti-social behaviour in their area.

Computer

Mr Jones will be online between 5pm and 6pm on Monday 12 January 2015,  at www.northyorkshire.police.uk/webchat.

He would like to discuss people’s experiences with North Yorkshire Police and to hear suggestions about how the policing service in the county can be further improved.

New adult education classes launched in York

Chop Chop! It’s time to sign up

Chop chop! Fast and Easy Oriental Cookery is just one of the many new and exciting courses and workshops residents can enjoy as part of the spring programme of Adult Learning opportunities from City of York Council.

This year busy residents can take time out on the largest selection yet of one-off creative workshops which offer a convenient alternative to full courses. These teach skills in a single intensive session and allow the participant to take their project home at the end. Easter workshops in fused glass decorations and felt chicks are both new to the programme and are covered in just a few hours. Residents can also enjoy learning at their own pace, with flexible learning offered in beginners’ and advanced computer courses.

The council’s York Learning team has introduced some fantastic new courses to its new programme which pick up on latest trends, from designing and knitting Fair Isle patterns, introducing i-pad and Android technology, beginners’ Ballet Fit and planting creative herb pots. The programme, Learning 4 Everyone, has also catered for the high demand of traditionally popular interests too, boasting over 29 Pilates courses and 12 different painting and drawing courses.

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Broadband drop in sessions to take place across York

Small businesses and registered charities across York will have the chance to benefit from face to face advice on how they can speed up their broadband, from a £3,000 grant, at a series of road shows taking place across the city.

The drop in sessions, which are taking place throughout January, will showcase the York Connection Voucher Scheme which has been helping small businesses in York increase their broadband speed. At the events advice will be available on how to apply for a £3,000 Connection Voucher* and how it can transform the way businesses and registered charities operate.

Current road show events which have been confirmed are:

  • Elvington Air Museum on Tuesday 13 January 8.30am-10.30am
  • Hilton Hotel, Tower Street on Wednesday 14 January 3.30pm-5.30pm
  • Holiday Inn, Tadcaster Road on Tuesday 20 January 8.30am-10.30am
  • Explore Acomb Library Learning Centre on Tuesday 20 January 12.30pm-2.30pm
  • West Offices Customer Centre Thursday 22 January 8.30am-11.30am

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Services affected due to severe wind in York

Due to severe wind today and safety concerns, 9 January, City of York Council has made the decision to close Shambles Market in Parliament Street.

Recycling and refuse collections are taking place in York today as normal. The high winds mean that although the collection crews are doing their best, there will inevitably be wind blown debris.

The council have redeployed street cleansing and grounds maintenance staff to assist in the clear up operation, they will be doing their best to clear windblown items in the areas affected.

Updates on any closures and affected services will be uploaded on to http://www.york.gov.uk/throughout the day.
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14th January meeting will now get report on A&E from York hospital

Following our story this morning prospective York Central MP Nick Love wrote to the new (Conservative) Chair of the Council’s Health Scrutiny Board suggesting that an urgent item be added to the agenda.

He wanted the meeting to hear first hand about the problems, the causes and the potential remedies.

Credit where it is due, Cllr Paul Doughty acted promptly and has given an assurance that a hospital representative will attend the meeting. 

The meeting takes place on Wednesday, 14th January, 2015 starting at 5.30 pm. The venue is the George Hudson Board Room – 1st Floor West Offices (F045). It is open to the public and residents can register to speak.

Nick in his Email to Cllr Doughty said, 

“Given the ongoing and very public crisis covered extensively in the media regarding A&E at York Hospital, would you please consider putting the matter on the Agenda for the forthcoming Health Scrutiny Committee on 14th January.

 I believe the public interest would be well served by an update on the current situation, including current figures on the “care in community” places available to York Hospital – a lack of which may be exacerbating the problems at York Hospital. As you know – spare beds to enable admissions are created when patients are discharged and care in community places significantly help towards this situation – of which the City of York Council bears partial responsibility.

 It would help if we could know if the City of York Council is meeting its obligations and targets in this respect – so as to be of the most help possible to York Hospital in this time of unprecedented pressure on their services, including A&E.

 Hopefully you could also ensure that a representative from the hospital attends the meeting (I’m sure they would welcome the opportunity) and that they publish a factsheet indicating relative demand levels, comparing this and previous years, together with a root cause analysis of the reasons for the A&E targets not being met.”

York Council set to ignore problems in York hospital A&E department?

Residents and patients, expecting an update on problems at the York Hospital A&E department, will be disappointed when they read the agenda for the Heath Scrutiny committee taking place on 14th January.

With the York hospital performing worse than others in the region in meeting A&E targets recently, residents might have expected the committee – which now has responsibility for providing oversight of NHS issues in the City – to have received an update on the latest position.

York hospital amb

It seems that this will not be the case.

This is all the more surprising  as among the causes identified nationally for the A&E problems are lack of beds.

In turn this is blamed on lack of care in the community places for patients to move to when they can be released from hospital. The York Council bears part of the responsibility for providing such care places.

One report does reveal that the Council is still overspending its Adult Social Care budgets by over £1 million. In the main this is put down to delays in implementing the new care homes project. The Lowfields Care village – as has been reported on many occasions – is running 3 years behind schedule.

The report says, “the performance for delayed transfers of care from hospital is showing a small increase in line with the national trend”

Another report comments on the financial position of the York hospital revealing a surplus of £100,000 in 2013/14 (down on the budget expectation which was £2.4 million).

 The hospitals total budget is around £480 million. The hospital is, however, required to make efficiency savings as revealed in its strategic plan.

Another part of the NHS the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group delivered a £2.12 million surplus last year.

Hopefully the chair of this scrutiny committee will respond to public concerns and ensure that an urgent item is added to the committee agenda.

This will allow an update to be given on the current position at the hospital, the reasons for any failures together with proposals which ensure that standards are achieved in the future.