Santa switches on Woodthorpe Christmas lights

The Woodthorpe York Community Group organised a successful ‘Merry & Bright’ event at the Moorcroft Road shops on Saturday 1 December.

Entertainment was provided by Lucy’s Pop Choir and Kenny Stamp on the trombone. Local businesses joined in with the festivities, with Cox & Co and Richardson’s butchers providing food and drink.

 

 

UPDATE – Woodthorpe Post Office closure

We have today received a response from Post Office Ltd about the sudden closure of Woodthorpe Post Office:

“Thank you for your recent email about the Woodthorpe Post Office.

The provision of Post Office services to our customers in your community is important to us, and I’m really sorry we weren’t able to provide any advance warning of this closure.

I can confirm that this branch has been closed on a temporary basis due to circumstances outside of Post Office Ltd’s control. We can’t disclose any further details about the closure as this information is private and confidential, and I’m unable to confirm when the branch will re-open, I can however assure you that our internal teams are working to minimise this disruption in service as much as possible.

We are fully aware of the importance the Post Office has for the customers who depend on us, and I want to assure you that we remain committed to ensuring essential services remain accessible for customers in your community.

Our Area Management Team are also aware of the situation at this branch, and are working hard to identify a solution for the short-term and long-term future of Post Office services in this area. Updates will also be circulated locally as soon as possible.

I can appreciate the inconvenience and frustration this closure may have caused yourself and the local community, and in the meantime I’d advise that you use Post Office services at an alternative branch.

You can use our Branch Finder to find your nearest alternative branch and the services that they offer. Just head over to http://www.postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder and enter your address or postcode.

Once again, please accept my apologies for the temporary closure of this branch and any concern caused. If we can be of any further assistance please don’t hesitate to get back in touch with us again by replying to this email or emailing us at customercare@postoffice.co.uk directly.”

Concern over sudden closure of Woodthorpe Post Office counter

Local Lib Dem councillors have asked Post Office Ltd for urgent answers on why the Post Office counter in Woodthorpe has closed, and for how long it will remain shut.

There is a notice on the door stating that it is closed for a ‘routine stock take’, but a number of residents have heard that it may be closed for up to five weeks.

Cllr Ashley Mason at Woodthorpe Post Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Post Office counter is a valuable facility for many local residents, and as Christmas approaches is likely to be particularly busy as residents send parcels to friends and family.

We will post further updates as and when we receive answers from Post Office Ltd.

Summer activity sessions come to an end

A successful series of free activity sessions for young people, run by the York City Knights Foundation, have come to an end.

Skate park sessions and inflatable obstacle courses were some of the activities provided during the easter, spring and summer holidays, paid for from the Dringhouses & Woodthorpe and Westfield ward committee budgets.

Skate park session on the Revival estate

Fun on Woodthorpe Green

Local Lib Dem councillors would like to hear from residents about what they thought went well, and what could be done differently in terms of activity sessions in the future.

Car park ‘deep clean’ needed in Woodthorpe

Local Lib Dem councillors are in discussions with McColls to try to get a much-needed deep clean of the larger of the two car parks to the rear of the Moorcroft Road shops.

The car park, which McColls has responsibility for, is in a very untidy state, with weeds, brambles and overgrown vegetation gradually taking over the perimeter, and major issues with litter and dumping. There is also a black Peugeot car which has been there for sometime, and appears to have been abandoned – the tax expired in April, two of the tyres are flat and one of the headlights is smashed.

Weeds and litter

Abandoned?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cllr Stephen Fenton has met on site with the McColls area manager to discuss a plan of action, starting with McColls instructing their property management team to undertake a thorough deep clean of the car park. Stephen has also approached DVLA about the abandoned car – as it is on private land, there is nothing that the council can do.

Another concern is the seemingly increasing use of the car park as a ‘park & ride’ car park, with people parking up and getting the bus into town. This reduces the parking spaces available to shoppers and those visiting the nearby doctors and dentists surgeries. Stephen discussed with McColls the possibility of erecting some ‘Customer Only Parking’ signs to deter long stay parking.

Summer activities for young people in full swing

Summer holiday activities for young people, funded by the Dringhouses & Woodthorpe ward committee, are in full swing.

Successful skate park sessions, run by York City Knights Foundation, have been held at Moor Lane Youth Centre and on the Revival estate off Tadcaster Road.

On Friday 3 August at 10am the first of three outdoor activity sessions takes place on Woodthorpe Green.

Developers’ leaflet drop to promote Green Belt grab

Leaflets are being delivered across Woodthorpe by developers who are promoting their ambition to build 500 homes on Green Belt land off Moor Lane.

Barwood Land’s Moor Lane flyer states that “the site was included previously within the emerging City of York Local Plan for up to 500 homes.” It fails to mention however that in the Local Plan that is currently with Government inspectors, the site is proposed to get formal Green Belt protection!

The developers state that they are developing a ‘hybrid planning application’ for the site.

A number of residents who live on Moor Lane and on streets off have contacted us to say that they haven’t received the leaflet, but streets much further away, such as St Helens Road, have received it.

Stephen, Ann and Ashley at the proposed development site

Dringhouses & Woodthorpe’s Liberal Democrat councillors will continue to oppose plans to build on this site.