Terry’s development exhibition tomorrow (Tuesday)

Terry’s Development exhibition.

The exhibition will take place tomorrow (2nd July 2014) between 3 and 7.30pm at St Chad’s Church Hall, Campleshon Road, YO23 1EY.

 The next Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward residents Forum (aka Ward Committee) will take place on Thursday 10th July in St Edwards Church Hall, Tadcaster Road commencing with a “drop in” at 6:30pm

Exhibitions  include an update on progress at Chapman’s Pond and proposals to extend St Edwards Church Hall

The meeting agenda (start  7:00pm) includes

  •  Police update,

  • York Yourth Council and

  • information on the new park and ride sites at Askham Bar and Poppleton Bar

 

Lost for words in York

The Council have released their “official” attendance figures for the meetings set up to improve communications between its “Cabinet” and residents.

As expected, the numbers attending the meetings have been low, reflecting a general cynicism about the sincerity of the Council leadership.

The number of residents attending – according to the Council – was:

1. Haxby and Wigginton – 61 (including 20 or so children)
2. Westfield – 15
3. Hull Road – 26
4. Clifton – 16

The meetings replaced the quarterly Ward Committee meetings which had a higher attendance level.

The cost of the “community conversations” so far is put at £772.25.

The new Council, when it is elected in 2015, will need to be much more sensitive to public opinion if it is to regain the trust of York residents.

Dringhouses salt bin petition to be considered next week

Ann Reid with local salt bin

Ann Reid with local salt bin

A petition calling for the salt bins, that wee  removed by the Council in the autumn, to be returned in time for next winter, will be considered next week.

The petition was collected by local Councillor Ann Reid and would also restore West Thorpe and Leeside to the primary gritting rota.

The number of salt bins in the ward was reduced from 35 to 28.

Although, because of the mild winter, there have been no major problems with ice reported recently, a return to more normal winter temperatures is likely to result in considerable inconvenience and hazards on some footpaths.

Under the Liberal Democrats led Council, until 2011, ward budgets were available which could be used to provide additional bins  if local residents voted for them.

This scheme was scrapped when Labour took office.

The meeting takes place in The Snow Room (sic) – Ground Floor, West Offices (G035) on Thursday 20th March starting at 4:00pm. Residents wishing to speak at the meeting must register first by telephoning (01904) 552062 at least 24 hours before the meeting takes place.

Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Resident Forum tomorrow (Monday)

Monday, 3rd March, 2014 7.00 pm

Venue: Woodthorpe Primary School, Summerfield Road, York YO24 2RU

Agenda

1. 7.00pm Drop In Talk to ward councillors, policing team ; pick up information on ward grants 2014-15, have your say on how health services are commissioned in York. York Older People’s Assembly will have a stall.

2. 7.30pm Main Meeting: Welcome and Minutes from the last meeting

3. Police Report

4. JRHT report on play area (Sheringham Ave/Bellhouse Way)

5. Smarter York and environment issues – with Russell Stone CYC

6. Tour de France – a presentation on the arrangements for the event and how communities can get involved

7. 2014-15 Ward Priorities/Ward Budget

8. Annual Planning Panel elections

9. Have Your Say

Poor turn out at Dringhouses “ward forum”

Only about 20 residents (plus a couple of Labour Councillors from other parts of the City) turned up at the Ward Forum last night despite the welcome attendance of Julia Mulligan the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Attendance at Ward meetings has fallen off since the council stopped publicising the meeting dates in ward newsletters.

Julia Mulligan spoke and answered questions for about an hour.

She confirmed that she is maintaining Police and PCSO numbers at the level she inherited – 1392 and 183.

On 20mph limit enforcement she said that the new ACPO guidelines would be adopted in N Yorks. This means that 20mph limits will be subject to the same process as 30mph limits. If a road has persistent speeding problems then it could be subject to enforcement. Residents will have to record their concerns through the 95 Alive forms and the same process will follow.

There will be no new resources to do this so they will just have to take their turn with all the rest. The main difference is that if people are stopped in a 20mph limit then there will be the same options of taking a speed awareness course, instead of a fine and points, as there is now for the 30mph limits.

However the new policy does represent a change of approach from the Conservatives in North Yorkshire, who have previously been as sceptical as we are about wide area 20 mph limits and the wisdom of allocating scares Police resources to roads where there have been no recorded accidents.

If any tickets are issued in the new 20 mph areas during the first year of operation, on roads with a low accident record, then it is likely that the new Council, which will be elected in May 2015, will decide to scrap the new restrictions.