Ring Road improvements falter but York Council set to borrow £24 million

A report to a Council meeting later this week details how an £80 million Council investment programme will be funded.

The Council will again borrow heavily to fund schemes which include:

Borrowing costs click to enlarge

Borrowing costs click to enlarge

  • Expansion of Fulford school (£5.8m)
  • Schools maintenance (£4m)
  • Older persons accommodation (£0.5m)
  • Museums plus art gallery gardens (0.85m)
  • LED street lighting replacement (£1.3m)
  • Provision of 20 new Council houses (£8.9m) and modernisation (£2.3m)
  • Local Transport Plan (£4.6m)
  • Community Stadium (£20.7m of which £6.4m will come from taxpayers)*

*It seems highly unlikely that this money will be spent in the current financial year as the contract is not now expected to be let until the spring.

The Council will also invest in better play grounds and more solar powered litter bins.

The programme also includes a (mostly unallocated) £15m sum in the “economic investment fund. This is understood still to include major contributions towards a bridge into the York Central site and funding for a Digital Media Centre.

A1237 northern by pass improvements delayed?

A1237

The 5 year rolling programme – which includes projects which are both directly and indirectly funded – does not identify any money for improvements to the northern by pass.  

The West Yorkshire “Combined Authority” agreed last November to include a £37.6m scheme in their forward programme fro the project.

Following the announcement by the government of an allocation of £1 billion for the “West Yorkshire Plus Transport fund”, the York Council committed £500,000 a year in its revenue budget to progress the ring road project.

The expectation was that the investment would be used to upgrade those roundabouts – such as the one on the Haxby Road – which currently cause bottlenecks on the A1237.

According to the Combined Authorities programme formal approval for improvements at the first junction was due to be given this month (August) with a start on site in March 2016.

No explanation for the delays has been provided in the report to York Councillors.

The funding must be used by 2021.

SUCCESS – STREET LEVEL ISSUES TACKLED IN WOODTHORPE

In our recent FOCUS newsletter we reported back on some of the street-level issues that we had identified for action around Woodthorpe.

We can now provide a more comprehensive update on the status of some of these issues – see below.

There are many more issues that we are pursuing, and we will keep you updated via this website and of course FOCUS.

Separate updates will be published for the Dringhouses and Tadcaster Road areas of the ward.

Reporting back Woodthorpe pg 1 Reporting back Woodthorpe pg 2 Reporting back Woodthorpe pg 3 Reporting back Woodthorpe pg 4 Reporting back Woodthorpe pg 5

Central Library hit by anti social behavior

A York Council committee will consider an update report, from the City recently independent Libraries service, when it meets on 22nd June.

Library quote on anti scoail behavior June 2015

It will here a generally upbeat report from the managers of a service which became a “Community Benefit Society” on 1st May 2014

However there are some emerging issues.

Post its major renovation, the central Explore Library has struggled to achieve historic levels of book lending.

The report says,

“York reopened in January 2015 and looking at last quarter of 2014/15 we can see a small reduction in visits (1.4%) and book issues (8%). We are looking into the reasons for these”.

This is put down partly to an outbreak of anti social behaviour by young people (see right).

This isn’t the first report of issues with personal behaviour which now extend across an apparently widening part of the City.

Generally branch libraries, like those in Acomb and Dringhouses, are performing well with a wide range of activities taking place.

Books borrowed April 2015

Library visits April 2015

Rediscover York with Sky Ride Local

City of York Council is encouraging residents to get out and about on their bikes this summer and explore the local area with Sky Ride Local, a series of free guided bike rides.

Sky-Ride-Cycling-York-2013-5-©-OneOther-345x230

British Cycling and Sky, in partnership with City of York Council, have scheduled a series of themed Sky Ride Local rides in York for 2015. Guided by British Cycling Ride Leaders along scenic local routes and pitched at three different levels, the rides will explore different themes from Wildlife and Wilderness to City Streets and Park Life.
(more…)

York Foster Care Fortnight launches major recruitment shift

 People with experience of health, caring and education or youth work are being recruited to a career in fostering with City of York Council.

Interested individuals, couples or those with families are being invited to meet local need for foster care for older children and young people who are unable to live with their own families.

Also, more experienced carers are being recruited to foster children and young people with additional needs such as learning or physical disabilities, for short breaks or the longer term.

Besides ongoing training and support for carers from the council’s team as well as from local foster carers, a financial package is provided that recognises the foster carer’s commitment and care and the level of need they support.
(more…)

York allotment facts

York allotment classes prize giving 1925

York allotment classes prize giving 1925

How many plots are there on the 16 allotment sites belonging to City of York Council? 1333

How many tenancies are there on these sites? 1271

How many people are currently on a waiting list for a plot? 144

Have there been new allotments created since 2010? Are there any plans to create new allotment space in the near future? Yes

How much revenue is generated to the City of York Council by renting out these plots? Rents £53,807 How much money does it cost the City of York Council to rent these plots(maintenance, water + any other costs involved). Direct costs £27,370, plus management and administrative costs (time) which is not kept as a single figure

Source FOI CFT0148 

For a full list of the allotments run by the City of York Council click here

York Council – Lib Dems to participate in new joint Executive

No reduction in grey bin emptying frequencies. Plans for £35 green bin tax also axed.

Liberal Democrat Councillors have reached a tentative agreement to form a joint administration with the Conservative Group to run City of York Council.

Keith Aspden statement click to enlarge

Keith Aspden statement click to enlarge

Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Keith Aspden will become Deputy Leader of the Council, with Cllr Chris Steward as Council Leader.

The new Executive will be made up of 4 Conservatives and 4 Lib Dems, with appointments due to be agreed at Thursday’s Annual Council meeting.

The Group has published an initial set of joint policy priorities which include redrawing York’s Local Plan, putting greater investment in frontline services and ending so-called “vanity projects”.

They have also published joint governance proposals which introduce new cross-party working arrangements and include a commitment to improve openness and transparency at the Council.