Cycling Escort for Olympic Torch

Wheeling in an extra dimension to the Olympic Torch Relay, City of York Council is selecting some 200 cyclists from the community to escort the Torch on 19 June.

The route includes Tadcaster Road

York is only one of two hosting authorities to be granted permission to add a cycle escort to the relay by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) – the other is Cambridge.

The cycle escort will be stewarded by council cycle trainers, and will pedal behind the main Torch convoy along Tadcaster Road before splitting away from it at Micklegate Bar.

The cyclists will then pedal to the Knavesmire to enjoy the fantastic evening event from 5pm starring singer Katy B which follows an afternoon of free sports and activities from 2pm including sports demonstrations and interactive stands offering tasters of activities such as basketball, cheer-leading, table tennis and equestrian activities.

Working with the police and partners at York College and local cycling groups, this escort promises to add another wow-factor to the relay which aims to reach as many people in the UK as possible. It also means that the Torch’s journey in York will involve bikes, horses and trains: important aspects of the city’s culture.

Members of the escort will be selected from local cycling clubs or groups and will be awarded as prizes for the York Cycle Challenge.

Apparently the York Council’s “Cabinet” are refusing to discuss in public a report on how £200,000 – of the £28 million “Reinvigorate York” slush fund – may be spent.

Originally scheduled for a 15th May meeting discussion, it now appears that the plan to “maintain and improve public spaces including the refurbishment of street lights, floodlights, bollards, bins and street seating together with widening and repaving the footpath on Station Rise” has been withdrawn from the agenda.

Hopes that the money might instead be invested in replacing public services cut by Labour in the Acomb area are probably doomed to be dashed.

The Council is being asked to agree that the private sector design and manage the new Lowfields Care Village in Acomb

A lot of interest was expressed in the plan which was first announced when the Council was under Liberal Democrat control in 2010. The aspiration then was to produce something like the Hartrigg Oaks development on the other side of the City which is run by the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust. (see http://tinyurl.com/Hartrigg-Oaks)

The accommodation and facilities will be designed in such a way as to encourage a two way interaction between the care village and the wider community. Care Village residents will access the wide range of services and facilities nearby (e.g. local shops, Acomb Explore Library, Energise Leisure Centre) and, likewise, while the wider community will be encouraged to access the care village site (e.g. for a community cafe, community garden/allotments).

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The folly of failing to maintain basic items of street furniture is increasingly obvious to those using the Hob Moor cycle path.

While most of the cycle barriers – installed to prevent access by motorcyclists – are galvanised and require little maintenance, some require regular painting.

They include this one near the former Our Lady’s school which is now heavily corroded. A few pounds spent now on paint would mean £100’s saved in a few years time.

Until recently problems like this were picked up by regular inspections and funding for minor improvements was readily available through local street environment budgets. But arbitrary cuts have now left a void that isn’t even being filled by community payback type schemes.

All very short sighted.

Changes to Ward Committee funding threatens salt bin provision in the Ward reports Lib Dem Councillor Ann Reid.

“Ward Committees are no longer able to fund salt bin provision but no one seems to know what will happen to them in the future.” In order to save money the salt bins are being left out all year but no one has made a decision about refilling them with salt come the winter.

“The 180 bins funded by the Highways Department will continue to be filled and Residents Associations can also decide to fund bins” says Ann “but the 25 funded by the Ward Committee in Dringhouses and Woodthorpe might well remain empty because no one thought about the consequences of cutting Ward Budgets.”

City of York Council and Yorwaste have teamed up to give local residents free compost this spring and summer.

Green fingered gardeners will be able to collect their free compost from Yorwaste’s Harewood Whin site, on Tinker Lane, off Wetherby Road on:

• Sunday 6 May
• Sunday 3 June
• Sunday 8 July
• Sunday 5 August
• Sunday 2 September
• Sunday 7 October

The compost will be available from 9.30am until 2.30pm each day and residents are asked to bring a shovel and bags or containers to take the compost home in.

Changes to the way Ward Committees are run, and massive reductions in budgets, will leave residents with few opportunities to become involved in the local community.

Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Ann Reid can reveal that the amount that Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward Committee will have to spend this year has reduced from over £33,000 to just £4455 .

“Not only has the budget been drastically reduced but the Labour administration is telling residents how they can spend this measly amount” says Ann

“It is a disgrace”.

“Residents voted for schemes in good faith and now Labour are telling them that 3 out of the top 10 most popular ones cannot be funded.

The Community Rangers patrols, supporting the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Fire Service, new play equipment and a new pedestrian island on Tadcaster Rodd have all been jettisoned.”

Only bids from voluntary organisations solely based in the ward can be considered and Ward Committees can no longer fund council provided services such as new lamp posts or salt bins.

Only one formal Ward Committee meeting will be held each year with others organised by Ward Councillors and residents “informally”.

The next Dringhouses and Woodthorpe meeting is provisionally set for 11th June but no venue has been arranged yet.

Come along and help decide how the £4455 is spent and find out how these changes affect our community

Residents will have seen that the canopy along the front if the shops has finally been repaired and is now looking smart.

Council Officers have made some progress with the Co-op, who are responsible for most of the forecourt and the car park. They have committed to resurfacing the car park area behind the garage before the summer and then carryout regular litter picks on both part of the car park.

They have agreed to repair the walls around the flower beds, the damaged bollard and the loose paving slabs.

Westthorpe Scouts are keen to undertake a Community Project and the Co-op have agreed that they can improve, plant out and maintain 2 of the flower beds. They are planning to carryout the project in May and have the support of B & Q.

Both the Dick Turpin and the florists are also keen to be involved.

“This area has been an ongoing problem for many years because of the problems with ownership” said Ann Reid. “Hopefully the Co-op will support the community in finally solving some of the ongoing problems”.

Adults across the city are being asked to try something new as part of City of York Council’s York 800 Adult Learners week, starting on 12 May.

The week, which runs alongside national Adult Learners’ Week, will give residents the chance to get involved in a wide range of activities, including how to connect to the internet to view their family history, and a master class in creative digital photography with flowers.

Other courses include

• Landscape painting in 19th century Russia
• Helping you to get a job
• Assembling your personal statement
• Healthier, happier you
• Lunchtime limber (circle dance)

For more information on the York 800 Adult learners week please see www.yortime.org.uk/eCommunityEvents/pictures/adult_learners_week_brochure.pdf

For more information on national Adult Learners Week visit www.alw.org.uk/

York Libraries have confirmed that this year’s Big City Read will be ‘Mystery in the Minster’ by Susanna Gregory, the latest novel in the bestselling Matthew Bartholomew crime series.

In her 17th Chronicle, Susanna brings Matthew to York to sort out a dispute over land. What starts as a legal wrangle ends in murder. From July to September 2012 York Libraries will be running a programme of events, walks, talks and workshops to tie in with the themes in the novel, including an author appearance from Susanna herself.

We recommend “Mystery in the Minster” as an excellent “who done it” set against a background of streets and institutions that many York residents will recognise.

Sunday 20 May – the brochure comes out

On Sunday 20 May the Library team will launch the Big City Read brochure at a special day at Explore York. They say “Come and pick up a brochure from us, have a chat to some of the Big City Read team, and be one of the first to book your tickets for the summer events”.

You could also join in one of the following events:

800 Years of ‘A City Making History’

1.30pm-2.30pm, in the Marriott Room at Explore York. Join Archivist Victoria Hoyle as she explores the forgotten corners of York’s civic archive. Find out about our treasure-trove of thousands of unique documents, each one telling a unique story. A sneak preview of our summer exhibition! Places are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment by contacting (01904) 552828 or exploreyork@york.gov.uk. If you can’t make this date, a similar talk will be taking place on Thursday 17 May.

Palaeography Tasters – How to read old handwriting

Handwriting has changed a lot over the last 800 years. Try your hand at deciphering the writing of a Tudor Mayor and a Georgian lady. Drop in any time on Sunday 20 May to have a go.

Other events begin in July when Susanna herself launches the Big City Read at 7pm on Wednesday 25 July at Explore York Library Learning Centre

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