York swimming pools usage was increasing

Yearsley still second most popular facility in City

Waterworld - closed by the York Council this month

Waterworld – closed by the York Council this month

Figures released today, by the York Council under Freedom of Information legislation, cast further doubts on the wisdom of jettisoning the Yearsley swimming pool.

The figures reveal that last year Yearsley had 118,611 users compared to 110,231 at Waterworld (which has now been closed by the Council) and the new York Sports Village.

The latter, in its first full year of operation, had 110,218 customers making it the least popular swimming facility in the City.

Swimming pool attendances and subsidy costs Click to enlarge

Swimming pool attendances and subsidy costs Click to enlarge

The new pool does, however, seem to have attracted some additional customers as total swims in the City (excluding private and school based pools) rose from 508,125 in 2012/13 to 522,65 last year.

The figures also reveal that swimming receives a £1/2 million subsidy each year from taxpayers. That is relatively modest comparison to historical investment levels.

While Yearsley is the most expensive pool to operate, it doesn’t enjoy any cross subsidy from other activities – like fitness and studio work – which accounted for most of the income at the other pool sites.

Without the cooperation of Nestle, who own the surrounding land, it would be impossible to increase the range of sports catered for at the Yearsley site.

All in all, closing both Waterworld and Yearsley and replacing the facilities with a single – sports village style clone pool – does increasingly seem to be a major misjudgement by the Council.

Residents are clearly looking for a wider range of water activities and locations in the City.

Find out more about the major refurbishment of Scarborough rail bridge

Residents, businesses and passengers can find out more about the refurbishment of Scarborough rail bridge (York) this week, as the team behind the work holds an open day.

Scarborough Railway Bridge

Scarborough Railway Bridge

On Thursday, 4 December, between 10am and 7pm, at the site offices in Marygate car park, Frederic Street (YO30 7DT), anyone who is interested in the work is encouraged to come along, ask questions and find out more. Attendees can speak to the people running this major project about the plans, the work being undertaken and how long it’s going to take.

The £6m investment is the most significant since the bridge was built in 1875 and, once complete, will mean that the bridge is fit for another 120 years’ service. Work will involve replacing bridge decks, track and installing a new walkway for railway workers. The project is due to complete in April 2015.
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Waste collections over Christmas & New Year

Following the citywide distribution of 2014/15 waste and recycling calendars, City of York Council is reminding residents when collections will take place over the festive period.waste lorry

To prevent a build up of rubbish all households will receive a rubbish collection the week before and the week after Christmas.

However, household recycling and rubbish collections will not take place from 22 December to 26 December.

All households which are due a rubbish or recycling collection on Thursday 1 January will receive a rubbish collection on Saturday 3 January instead, but there will be no recycling collections on this day.
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Bogus calls warning in York

Residents are being alerted to a spate of unsolicited and potentially fraudulent telephone calls from someone purporting to be from City of York Council.

The caller, who withholds their number, claims to be from ‘York City Council’. Most calls appear to be from men who say they are aware that someone in the household has been in an accident or has witnessed an accident and that this could give rise to a claim.
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Christmas cheer with the Lord Mayor tomorrow

Mansion House at Christmas

Mansion House at Christmas

The Civic Party are hosting their annual Christmas Cheer Receptions this week, marking the start of the festive season for many.

The receptions, which are taking place at the Assembly Rooms on Wednesday 3 December from 10am, are for 400 elderly residents, aged over 65, who have been invited to join the Lord Mayor and Civic Party for some festive fun and entertainment.

Guests will be treated to morning and afternoon tea, and will be entertained by local school children, and also the gentlemen of the York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir.

The event has been funded once again through the generosity of local businesses, who have provided the much needed funds to allow the Lord Mayor to stage the event.
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Hopgrove junction to get another upgrade

 

Today’s government announcements on major improvements to the road network will attract mixed reactions in York.Hopgrove roundabout copy

Included is a pledge to “grade separate” the Hopgrove A1237/A64 junction. This means that fly-overs will replace the roundabout (which was itself subject to an £9 million upgrade only 5 years ago).

However, those hoping for the A1237 to be dualled will be disappointed and traffic, at busy times, having avoided the Hopgrove bottleneck, will immediately face continuing congestion on the remainder of the A64 trip to the coast.

Hopes for the A1237 seem to rest on the devolved funding made available to the, increasingly aloof, Leeds based “West Yorkshire Combined Authority”.

Reports last week suggested that funding for larger roundabouts is the extent of their ambitions.

Council Tax freeze in York?

It seems that for the first time since the LibDems were in control of the York Council in 2011, a tax freeze may be applied for the forthcoming year.

Council Tax Dec 2014

The new Leader of the Labour Group on the Council is set to do a 180 degree police about turn. He says that he will freeze Council Tax levels at the present rate irrespective of whether the government provides a subsidy.

The previous regime had planned another 1.8% Council Tax increase bringing in around £1.3 million to the Council’s coffers. A higher increase than this might have required a referendum to find out residents views.

Where the £1.3 million will comes from is anyone’s guess although for the last 4 years the York Council has been offered a government subsidy to freeze tax levels.

The offer for the current year was worth £778,000 and was subsequently rejected by Cllr Alexander. So there is still money to find if the pledge is to be honoured.

Last February the Council agreed a 2 year financial strategy.

Since then pressures on Council spending have continued to increase. As well as inflation, currently running at 1.3%, the number of elderly requiring care continues to rise and the Councils botched performance on waste management means that landfill tax bills are also increasing.

Add in a potential liability of over £1 million for Lendal Bridge (and maybe Coppergate) refunds and the budget looks tight to say the least.

Several of the economies forecast last February have failed to mature most noticeably in the field of social care. There an auditors report found that £3.9 million in savings had not been delivered.

There will be some good news to ease budget decisions for the Council. Fuel prices are falling, it will receive another “new homes bonus” payment from the government and business rates income will increase as the economy continues to improve.

Pretty much every taxpayer will expect that a freeze on new expenditure would be introduced at the same time as any freeze on Council income levels. The Council will need to redirect its resources to improving basic services. It will need to shelve some of its major capital projects, reduce the amount that it is borrowing and thereby cut interest and repayment costs.

“Media centres”, “access bridges” to the York central site and the like, should in future be financed by the private sector..

Over the last 4 years Council Tax increases in York have been:

  • 2011/12 Freeze (last LibDem Council budget. Government subsidy accepted)
  • 2012/13 +2.9 (First Labour budget – Council Tax freeze subsidy rejected by James Alexander)
  • 2013/14 +1.9% (CT freeze subsidy rejected)
  • 2014/15 +1.9% (Ct freeze subsidy rejected)

In all, the average York resident is paying £67 a year more in Council Tax than would have been the case if government subsidies had been accepted during the last 3 years.

The vast majority of Councils did accept the subsidy offers.

Williams is new Labour Leader on York Council

Liberal Democrat spokesman Cllr Keith Aspden has reacted to news that Labour have elected a new Council Group Leader.

Cllr Williams. How long before he waves good-bye?

Cllr Williams. How long before he waves good-bye?

“I welcome Dafydd to his new role. Since 2011 the problems in the Labour Cabinet have gone deeper than the leader. Dafydd Williams has been part of this Cabinet since day one and was directly responsible for the unpopular decision to ignore the views of 2,500 local residents and close Beckfield Lane Tip in 2012.

“I hope that we will see meaningful change in his group’s policies. Key issues such as plans to close Yearsley Pool should be re-examined and the council must start listening and engaging with residents again.

“The new leader must also begin to repair the damage done by the botched Lendal Bridge trial and I urge him to support a Liberal Democrat motion to repay all the fines at December’s Full Council meeting. This will be his first test as leader and will show whether things have really changed in the Labour Group.”

Community archive collections ready to go on show in York

Interesting web site review of the modern records archive service being set up in new accommodation at the central Library.

Already catalogued are 15 collections including

New Archive reading room

New Archive reading room

  • The York Art Society
  • York Rugby League Club
  • York Musical Theatre Society
  • Boy Scouts Association York
  • York Educational Settlement
  • Cundall Family Papers and Photographs

Also available will be some interesting records from the First World War including details of buildings damaged by Zeppelin attacks (some of which are still standing)

The new archive and library is expected to open to the public on Monday 5th January 2015