Labour back down on Green Bin Tax – but second bins will cost £35 to empty!

The Liberal Democrat campaign to stop Labour introducing a charge for emptying green bins has been successful.

A report to the Councils Cabinet says that there will be no charge for emptying one bin at each property.

Green bin petition

However the service will not be available between November and March (when less than 17% of green waste is collected). The Council hopes to save around £67,000 by discontinuing this part of the service.

A survey undertaken by the Council revealed that only 14.5% support a charge. That compares to 96% who responded to our survey in the Westfield area who were opposed to a charge.

There are over 5000 additional green bins in use at properties with large gardens. The Council hopes that around 3500 residents will pay £35 a year to have these second bins emptied.

The majority of respondents to the Councils survey supported having a combined food and green waste collection. In other parts of the country this has reduced landfill volumes by 15% and officers are to look further at how this could be introduced in York.

The Council is also to close the Towthorpe recycling centre on one day a week. It appears that they have still not learnt the lesson that closing the Beckfield Lane centre should have taught them (inconvenience means increased landfill volumes).

The Council claim that their online/telephone survey attracted about 1000 responses.

It was attacked as misleading as it failed to explain that changes to the current arrangements would have been unnecessary if the Council had decided to scrap some of its more extravagant plans like establishing an “arts barge” on the Ouse.

Indecision grips York Council on Voluntary Sector and Manor School

One of the revealing things about the York Councils list of upcoming decisions relates to the number of issues which keep getting “put off”.

Current record goes to Manor school who have been seeking to lease an additional area of playing field from the Council.

The decision has now been delayed on 6 occasions!

Only slightly less worrying is a plan for developing a “thriving voluntary sector”.

The origins of this item are lost in the mists of time but it was due to be discussed last November then slipped to December and then March.

It is unlikely now to see the light of day before June.

Small wonder then that the Council for Voluntary Service chief in York has recently quit.

Ashbourne Way snicket closure to be discussed

The Council is to consider, on 18th April, a petition which asks for the night time closure of the snickets leading off Ashbourne Way

The snickets are well used during the day, not least by children attending the Woodthorpe School.

Night time closures have been tried before – notably in the nearby Carrfield/Foxton/Chantry Close area – where, in 2009, a similar plan was abandoned following objections by local residents.

Schemes of this sort now tend to rely on mechanisms which automatically lock and unlock a gate at a particular time. None have worked successfully in York other than perhaps that located at the rear entrance to the railway station, from Lowther Terrace, although there the access is part of the cycle network.

Such heavy duty gates are expensive to install and maintain.

Council officials have previously ruled out on cost grounds using staff to lock this type of gate while the use of volunteers has been ruled out on reliability grounds.

The meeting on 18th is likely to be asked only to consider whether the request should be put out for more general consultation.

Complaints about blocked drainage gullies up by 43% in York

Blocked gulley complaints. Click to enlarge

Blocked gulley complaints.
Click to enlarge

The Labour Councils decision to reduce the routine cleaning of gullies in much of the City has proved to be a false economy.

During 2012, 649 complaints were received by the Council from residents who were concerned about carriageway and footpath flooding.

Block gullies were blamed.

Special cleans had to be arranged on 201 occasions.

Historic Local Landmark Set For Facelift Thanks To Ward Committee

The Tyburn, the site which hosted executions in York for more than 400 years is to get a facelift after local Councillors agreed to fund improvements from the local Ward Committee budgets.

The Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward Committee has allocated £1500 of funding to pay for the area to be cleaned up and the bench repaired. The area will also be replanted in the Spring with new flowers to brighten up the area.

If funding allows it is hoped that an extra new bench could be installed at the site along with a new information board to explain the history of the site to visitors.

Executions at the Tyburn took place until 1801 when the events were moved to the castle. Possibly the most famous execution at the Tyburn took place in 1739 when notorious highwayman Dick Turpin was executed for horse theft.

The site is currently marked by a small paved area and a plaque.

The Tyburn is an important part of local history so I am pleased that the Ward Committee is able to fund these improvements.

The site has a fascinating, if gruesome, history so I am pleased that the improvements look set to include a new information board to explain that history to residents and visitors.

Dringhouses has a rich history and is a key gateway to the city so it is important that we invest in restoring the site and promote pride in the area.

You can see The Press coverage of the story here.

Survey Results – Speeding On Tadcaster Road

As part of our ongoing survey around the ward we have been asking residents about problems with speeding on Tadcaster Road and seeking their views on potential measures that could be taken to reduce the problem. The results are below:

Install a Vehicle Activated Sign
Yes 81%
No 19%

Increase the number of Police checks
Yes 49%
No 51%

Install traffic calming measures
Yes 15%
No 85%

Survey Results

Over the past few weeks we have been out surveying areas of the ward and asking residents for their views on issues affecting their streets, as well as issues affecting the whole city. Some of the initial results from the surveys can be found below.

We will be continuing to survey around the ward throughout the summer so keep an eye out for us in your area.

Parking on Middlethorpe Drive

24 hour parking ban on Middlethorpe Drive (from Tadcaster Rd to Lycett Rd) 
Yes 25%
No 75%

Parking restriction 8:00am—6:00pm,  Monday to Friday Middlethorpe Drive (from Tadcaster Rd to Lycett Rd) 
Yes 73%
No 27%

Extend the double yellow lines at the Tadcaster Rd junction.  
Yes 55%
No 45%

Install double yellow lines at the junction with Lycett Rd.
Yes 37%
No 63%

Extend the restrictions into Lycett Rd. 
Yes 48%
No 52%

Leave things as they are. 
Yes 40%
No 60%

Moor Lane Snicket

I have suffered from anti-social behaviour /damage because of the snicket  
Yes 17%
No 83%

I support the permanent closure of this snicket 
Yes 38%
No 62%

I support the closure of snicket between 6pm and 6am 
Yes 74%
No 26%

Leave things as they are  
Yes 67%
No 33%

Parking on Whin, Spinney & Middlethorpe Grove

Whin, Spinney, Middlethorpe Grove 24 hour parking ban 
Yes 14%
No 86%

Whin, Spinney, Middlethorpe Grove No parking  8:00am—6:00pm,  Monday to Friday 
Yes 24%
No 76%

Whin, Spinney, Middlethorpe Grove Extend the double yellow lines at road junctions.
Yes 62%
No 38%

Whin, Spinney, Middlethorpe Grove Waiting limited to 60 minutes, 8:00am—6:00pm,  Monday to Friday 
Yes 16%
No 84%

Whin, Spinney, Middlethorpe Grove Leave things as they are. 
Yes 73%
No 27%

Ward Committee Meeting 21st April 2010

ward-ctte.jpg

The next Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward Committee meeting will take place on Wednesday 21st April from 7pm at Dringhouses Primary School.

Prior to the meeting from 6.15 pm there will be a drop in surgery where you will be able to come along and talk to us as your Ward Councillors, the local Street Environment Officer, the Safer Neighbourhood Team and the Neighbourhood Management Officer about any issue that you want to raise.

At the main meeting itself there will be updates from the Safer Neighbourhood Team and local Trading Standards, who will be talking about the cold calling zones in the ward.

There will also be presentations on the York in Bloom initiative and the local planning panel, along with information about how you can get involvled in both projects.

I hope to see you at the meeting.