Tadcaster Road nursery plan set for planning refusal

312 Tadcaster Road

Council officials are recommending that a plan to covert 312 Tadcaster Road into a day nursery be refused.

The proposal – which could have seen as many as 110 children occupying the site – will go before a planning meeting on 6th March.

The main objections relate to transport issues with lack of car parking a key concern.

Officials say that there is the potential for indiscriminate parking on Tadcaster Road with some vehicles likely to reverse onto the busy highway.

Noise from external play activities is also considered likely to cause a nuisance to those occupying the adjacent St Helens Rehabilitation Unit.

The building was formerly occupied by the Yorkshire Tourist Board

Anyone wishing to speak in favour or in opposition to the proposal may register to speak at the meeting which starts at 2:00pm.

York Council Tax bill by email?

The Council says that it can save £30,000 if residents agree to receive their Council Tax bills by Email.

Council taxTo sign up for e-billing, all residents have to do is have their last council tax bill to hand and go to the council’s website at http://www.york.gov.uk/ and

  • ◦Scroll to Do it Online
  • ◦Select Apply for it
  • ◦Scroll to Council Tax
  • ◦Select Council Tax e-billing

Mobile safety camera routes week commencing 26 February 2014

Below are the enforcement locations for North Yorkshire Police’s mobile safety cameras for week commencing Wednesday 26 February 2014.

All safety camera locations are published on the force website along with an explanation of the various route types.

You can view the results of the safety camera enforcement activity on this web page Deployment and results. Up to date data for the previous week is uploaded every Tuesday and can be interrogated by route and date ranges.

More

Lib Dems reveal York Council budget plans

Council Tax would be frozen and £3million of service cuts would be reversed under budget plans revealed by York’s Liberal Democrat Group.

The proposals, which will be tabled at City of York Council’s budget meeting on Thursday, would see a new £500,000 community fund created for residents to spend locally plus extra investment to boost recycling and tackle climate change.

LibDem budget plan would eliminate poor road surfaces in York

LibDem budget plan would eliminate poor road surfaces in York

The Lib Dem plans would see the controversial £3.3million ‘Reinvigorate York’ scheme – which funded the unpopular King’s Square revamp – cancelled and a reduction in funding on a new multi-million pound council IT project. Labour’s new £70,000-a-year ‘Head of Transformation’ would also face the axe and the number of Cabinet Members would be reduced.

Main Points of the Lib Dem amendment:

  • Accept the government’s grant to freeze council tax for all households in York.
  • Reverse £3million of Labour’s cuts to areas including community centres, youth services, children’s centres, social care, support to carers, grants to voluntary groups, litter and salt bins, road gully cleaning and road repairs.
  • Keep the ‘Minster Badge’ discounted parking scheme for residents which Labour plan to scrap.
  • Set-up a new £500,000 community fund for residents to spend on local priorities under a revamped Ward Committee system.
  • Cut borrowing for schemes such as ‘Reinvigorate York’, Labour’s new 5-year £6.1million IT project, and the proposed ‘Digital and Media Hub’.
  • Make savings by scrapping Labour’s ‘Delivery and Innovation Fund’ and ‘Economic Infrastructure Fund’, reducing Cabinet Members by two, and removing the Assistant Director of Transformation and Change post.
  • Extra investment to boost recycling by reviewing facilities at Towthorpe and in the west of York, introduce a new scheme to cut overall council carbon emissions over the next 10 years, and reinstate winter green bin collections.
  • Reduce cuts to youth and children’s services in 2014/15 and restate a commitment to stop Labour’s plans to close children’s centres after 2015.

Continue reading →

Government scheme to see £1 million reduction in York Business Rates

£1000 a year benefit for York businesses

List of qualifying business types. click to enlarge

List of qualifying business types. click to enlarge

The Government announced in its Autumn Statement on 5th December 2013 that it will provide relief of up to ￡1,000 to all occupied retail properties with a rateable value of ￡50,000 or less in each of the years 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Potentially as many as 1700 York businesses could benefit

The purpose of this new relief is to support the ‘high street’ which has been affected by changes in consumer spending preferences such as online shopping. The relief is temporary for two years from April 2014.

A wide range of businesses could qualify for the reduction (see list right)

Areas like Front Street in Acomb are likely to benefit from the scheme.

It will be necessary for any business wishing to claim this relief to make an application to the council and complete a state aid declaration form.

Crime and policing update

Cyclist injured in York hit-and-run collision

Police are appealing for witnesses after a cyclist was injured in a road traffic collision in York.

The cyclist, a 33-year-old woman, sustained a head injury when her bike collided with a car at the traffic lights on the junction of Rougier Street and Station Road at around 6.15pm on Sunday 23 February 2014.

The driver of the car – a small, dark-coloured hatchback – did not stop at the scene of the collision and continued along Rougier Street.

More

————–

Looking for voluntary work? – North Yorkshire Police needs you!

North Yorkshire Police is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join the organisation to help support the delivery of policing services to its communities.

The force already has 120 volunteers working in a number of roles and is looking to recruit another 100 before July 2014.

Volunteers work alongside police officers and police staff, supporting their work to keep the communities a safe place to live and work.

More

Health Lottery funding – 12th March deadline

Peoples Health Trust

The Peoples Health Trust – which allocates lottery funding – has set a 12th March deadline for organisations seeking grant funding.

Grants will be available of between £5 and £50k (over two years). Applications can be submitted by any type of “not for profit” organisation including CIC’s. The projects length will between 9 months and two years (minimum 9 months to allow relationships to be formed ‘create stronger social connections between people’)

The project must be designed and run by local people. It must create stronger social connections between people and create a greater sense of general happiness. “It must help make the local community even better”.

For further information about the scheme and to apply visit www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk

Questions or assistance with completing applications can be obtained from Two Ridings Community Foundation 01759 377400

Latest Planning applications Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward

Below are the latest planning applications received by the York Council for the Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward.

Full details can be found by clicking the application reference

——————-

Location:       20 The Square Dringhouses York YO24 1UR

Proposal:       Horse Chestnut (T1) and Field Maple (T2) Crown lift  to 3m, crown reduce  by 2m, crown clean and thin by 20%,  Norway Maple Group (T4) reduce height and spread by 1m. Trees Protected by Tree Preservation Order CYC 08

Ref No: 14/00073/TPO

Applicant:      Mrs M Edwards   Contact Jonathan Slight Consultation Expiry Date        17 March 2014 Case Officer:   Esther Priestley        Expected Decision Level DEL

—————————

Location:       10 Goodwood Grove York YO24 1ER

Proposal:       First floor side extension

Ref No: 14/00366/FUL

Applicant:      Ms J Scally     Contact Mr Jake Clay    Consultation Expiry Date        17 March 2014 Case Officer:   Carolyn Howarth Expected Decision Level DEL

——————

Representations can be made in favour of, or in objection to, any application via the Planning on line web site.  http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/

NB. The Council now no longer routinely consults neighbours by letter when an application is received.