Wigginton’s turn for bin emptying failure

The Council say today, “Thursday 26 September some properties in the following area(s ) did not have their waste collected as scheduled:

Green Bin: (Wigginton)

◦Kirkcroft
◦Lockey Croft
◦Dealtry Avenue
◦Arenhall Close
◦Minster Close
◦Minster View
◦Churchfield Drive
◦Forest Close
◦Middlebanks
◦Plantation Way
◦Greendike (Part)

Green waste will be collected on Friday 27th September, please remember to present your garden waste bins by 7am.“

Lendal Bridge closure could be open to legal challenge

Labour’s controversial decision to close Lendal Bridge may be open to legal challenge according to opposition councillors.

Liberal Democrat Councillors have revealed that the decision to close the city-centre bridge was taken before an assessment of the impact it would have on disabled residents was completed.

City of York Council’s own guidelines say that ‘Community Impact Assessments’ (CIAs) should be done at the development stage of any policy and before any decision is taken. However, the CIA on the closure of Lendal Bridge was only completed on the 12th September – a full two weeks after the closure started and months after the decision was originally taken in May.

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Council house rent arrears in York

The York Council has published details of the rent arrears owed by its Council house tenants during this year.

• Jan-13 £631,225 (households in arrears 2785)

• Feb-13 £709,637 (3196)

• Mar-13 £491,835 (2142)

• Apr-13 £637,442 (2877)

• May-13 £697,883 (2958)

• Jun-13£741,570 (3090)

• Jul-13 £779,029 (3149)

Although arrears have increased since Labour took control of the Council there is little evidence to suggest that the spare room subsidy (sometimes referred to as the bedroom tax) has had a major effect on levels of rent arrears.

Woodthorpe loses out in today’s bin emptying lottery

Waste bins not emptied today

Green Bin: (Woodthorpe)waste lorry

• Carrfield
• Chantry Close
• Summerfield Road
• Arundel Grove
• Ullswater
• Silverdale Court
• Overdale Close

The Council says, Green waste will be collected on Wednesday 25 September. Please ensure your garden waste bins are out for collection by 7am.

Council service satisfaction levels down as £1.4 million now allocated to pay for Tour De France start,

Public satisfaction with the way that the Labour Council is performing is dropping according to the authorities own figures.

Around 4000 residents responded to a Council survey. The percentage satisfied with the way that the Council runs things dropped from 63% to 54% in just 12 months.

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The results need to be viewed with caution given the volatility of public opinion – and the likely sample bias on a post back survey – but other polls tell a similar story.

The Council could have taken the opportunity to test public opinion on a range of controversial issues such as:

• The proposed cuts to the number of roads being gritted this winter and the planned removal of self help salt bins.

• It’s plans to expand the size of the City by 25% over the next 15 years

• Changes to bus services and its refusal to publish reliability figures

• The bungled changes to refuse collection arrangements.

• Secret “behind closed doors” decision making.

• The introduction of wide area 20 mph speed limits

• The Lendal Bridge and Coppergate traffic restrictions.

Without these figures the Council may find it difficult to understand why its reputation is suffering.

Meanwhile Labour are now admitting that York taxpayers face an enormous £1.4 million bill for hosting the second day start of the Tour De France.

That is over and above the money being taken from existing budgets such as highways resurfacing.

Put in context, the annual repayment costs on the money borrowed to fund this one day event will be over £100,000 or enough to sustain existing winter maintenance (de-icing) standards for the next 20 years.

It is probably not surprising that residents weren’t given the opportunity to comment, in the Council’s survey, on this priority.

Latest Planning applications

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

Fell Silver Birch (T1), Sycamore (T2), Oak (T5), Hawthorn (T6), Prune Sycamores (T3,T4), Trees protected by Tree Preseration Order No 10

17 Acomb Wood Close York YO24 2SN

Ref. No: 13/03141/TPO | Received: Thu 19 Sep 2013 | Validated: Thu 19 Sep 2013 | Status: Pending Consideration

Prune back from building to give 1m clearance Cedar (T1), Tree in the Conservation Area

Holiday Inn Tadcaster Road Dringhouses York YO24 1HF

Ref. No: 13/03142/TCA | Received: Thu 19 Sep 2013 | Validated: Thu 19 Sep 2013 | Status: Pending Consideration

Crown lift and Crown clean by 20% Oak (T10,T11), Trees protected by Tree Preservation Order No 29

66 Ryecroft Avenue York YO24 2SD

Ref. No: 13/03102/TPO | Received: Tue 17 Sep 2013 | Validated: Tue 17 Sep 2013 | Status: Pending Consideration

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.

Dringhouses bins not emptied today

Monday 23 September today’s missed bins! This is the third week of the new bin emptying schedules and still no sign of an improvement.

Green Bin : (Tadcaster Rd)

◦Pulleyn Drive
◦White House Gardens
◦White House Rise
◦White House Drive
◦White House Dale
◦St Georges Place
◦Newington Court
◦Mount Vale Drive
◦Towton Avenue
◦Moorgarth Avenue
◦Mount Vale
◦St Aubyns Place
◦Trentholme Drive
◦The Mount
◦Old Moor Lane
◦Aldersyde
◦The Horseshoe
◦Tadcaster Road (Part)

(Copmanthorpe)◦Wilstrop Farm Road
◦Barnfield Way
◦Paddock Close
◦Holmfield Close
◦School Lane
◦Manor Farm Close
◦Westfield Court
◦Horseman Lane
◦Horseman Avenue
◦Horseman Close
◦Lynwood Avenue
◦Manor Heath
◦Rutland Close
◦Lynwood View
◦Main Street (Part of)

Recycling:

◦St Aubyns Place
◦Tadcaster Road (20 Houses)

The Council say, “Green waste will be collected on Tuesday 24th September, please remember to present your bins/boxes”.

John Lewis job vacancies announced.

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Unemployed residents in York are being offered support to help them apply for jobs at the city’s new John Lewis store, which is due to open next Easter.

Learning City York – York’s Lifelong Learning Partnership – is working with Job Centre Plus, the National Careers Service, the council’s York Learning service and other training providers to support around 70 unemployed residents to apply for sales, stock and catering roles, providing pre-employment training to help them reach and be successful at interviews. Job seekers interested in the positions are encouraged to speak to their JCP advisor.

The new store at Monks Cross will cover 92,000 sq ft, providing fashion, home and electronics, and will create around 300 new jobs. Vacancies for first line management positions are open for online applications from today (Monday 23 September) at http://www.jlpjobs.com/ .

Vacancies for specialist roles, selling and stock management will follow in October and December.