Liberal Democrat Executive Councillor Carol Runciman has pushed for a review of the support for people on council tax benefit and this has been supported by the council’s Executive for a consultation between 2^nd November and 29^th November. People on the lowest incomes have had to pay 30% of their council tax since York, under Labour control in 2013, decided to be one of just 9 councils in the country to limit support to 70% of council tax. A scheme to help people in dire circumstances has been underspent as so few people have applied. Therefore the council’s consultation, which has also come as a result of a campaign by ‘Advice York’ is asking residents for their views in time for the next budget to come into effect on 1^st April 2016.

Residents can comment on the council’s website https://www.york.gov.uk/counciltaxsupport

Your local Westfield Liberal Democrat councillors are supporting the reduction so that the people in most need get the support that they would get automatically if they lived in other council areas.

Westfield residents can get information on this (and check if they can get more support with council tax benefit) at Acomb Explore on 17^th November 2pm-7:30pm

Cllr Keith Aspden, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader of City of York Council, said: “Independent research has raised significant concerns about the current council tax support system. In August, the Executive agreed to review the scheme to see if we could offer more support to residents who are struggling financially. This consultation gives residents the chance to have their say on how we do this. I would encourage everyone to send in their thoughts or attend one of the drop-in sessions to find out more.”

Gateway Centre 13th November 10am-1pm

Severus Social Club, Milner Street, 30th November 1pm-3pm

Property Marking and an opportunity to raise issues with the local policing team.

Dot peen property marking

York Police have invested in the top-of-the-range “dot peen” property marking machines, and are offering the service free to York residents.

Every year, police recover hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of stolen property from the hands of criminals, but all too often there is no way of identifying its rightful owners. Being able to trace the ownership of the property not only helps people get the property back, but it can also provide evidence that is vital in securing convictions.

Dot peen marking involves using a tungsten carbide-tipped pin to indent an object with dots to create a visible, permanent unique number. The unique number will be entered onto the national Immobilise property register database, vastly increasing the chances that it will be reunited with its owner if it is lost or stolen.

The new machines in York can mark at a speed of two characters per second, to an accuracy of 0.006mm, and can be used on everything from steel and aluminium to plastic.

They have been funded by North Yorkshire Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, and Safer York Partnership.

While other methods of property marking, such as UV marker pens or forensically-coded liquid, can also be very effective in reuniting property with its rightful owners, the visual deterrent of a permanently marked serial number alone could be enough to deter would-be thieves.

Dot peen marking is suitable for everything from bikes and garden tools to PlayStations and laptop computers (however mobile phones are likely to be too delicate)

 

The Westfield Lib Dem team has been pressing council officers to have the road resurfaced at the Cornlands Road/Gale Lane roundabout and this is now happening on 9th November. There has been some delay to the timescale that the team had been first told about, and we are investigating what has gone one in this case. However, the issue, which  had also been raised by the local Cornlands and Lowfields Residents Association looks like coming to a conclusion, and the surface made safe for car users, and in particular cyclists.

On the day of the road repairs traffic will be diverted along Gale Lane and Askham Lane.

 

 

Streelights in Westfield are being replaced with LED lights to improve energy efficiency and making sure that light is going where it is needed at street level and not being wasted upwards into the sky. Nearly 5,000 streetlights are being replaced on this programme which was developed as part of the 2008 plans by the then Lib Dem led council to reduce Carbon Emissions.

There will be annual energy savings of over £214,000 each year which means that with borrowing costs being factored in means a saving of around £150,000 a year to council tax payers. There will be reduced ‘light pollution’ and better controls on the operation of the lights.

If there are any issues that have come out of the switch over then please get in touch with your Westfield Lib Dem Team.

At approximately 0710 hours on 19th September 2015 there has been a vehicle window smashed and items taken from a vehicle parked on Milner Street, York.

Between 2300 hours on 17th September 2015 and 0130 hours on 18th September 2015 there has been a shed burglary and items taken at Sanderson Court, Chapelfields, York.

Overnight on the 17th/18th September 2015 there has been a burglary where items have been taken at an address on Green Lane, York.

Police would like to hear from anyone who has sighted anyone acting in suspicious circumstances in these area.

Please contact the Police by telephoning 101 or in an emergency on 999 if you witness any behaviour you believe is suspicious.

(From North Yorkshire Police http://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/15764)

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses and information about an assault that occurred on Front Street in Acomb York on Sunday 2nd August at around 1530hours

It happened on Front Street in Acomb, York at around 1530hours on Sunday 2nd August and involved a 70 year old male who was assaulted by another male. The male responsible for the assault was wearing a red t-shirt, dark coloured shorts and trainers, he was also wearing glasses.

We are conducting enquiries and are requesting the public’s assistance to help determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

In particular, we are appealing for information from anyone who may have witnessed the incident

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should contact us on 101, select option 2, and ask for James Mills. You can also email James.Mills@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12150134134

INCIDENT REFERENCE: 12150134134

Westfield Fen and Bachelor Hill field in the spotlight

There have been some recent works to help local habitats in Westfield. This has been coordinated by Margaret Trigg who is working as a trainee with the council being funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund as part of the Natural Network Programme which runs for 12 months.

In Westfield Ward – Westfield Fen (in the area often called the ‘Mud hills’ in the path between Grange Lane and Westfield Place ) and Bachelor Hill field are areas where specialist habitat produces habitat for rare species such as Trussock Grass https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tussock_(grass)

On 13^th August there was a session to control the vegetation (Willow and Willow Herb) which if left unchecked would dry the marsh out.  Andrew and Sue went along to lend a hand to the Conservation Trust Volunteers.

 

The survey done by the council found that there were residents who were interested in getting involved with wildlife habitats – although there was an acceptance that the lack of prior consultation with residents about the project on Bachelor Hill field had been a poor start for the work done on habitats there under the previous council administration.

Some residents have been concerned about so much of the field (previously grassland) had been given up to large earthworks and long grass. Therefore below is the information sheet to answer some questions.

 

 

1. Why was the new area of grassland created?

The new area of wildflower grassland at Bachelor Hill was created in 2012 to mitigate for the loss of a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) from a development site on York Business Park.

In 2011 Ideal Care Homes made an application for planning permission to build a private 64 bed care home for older people on land at York Business Park (Great North Way).  This application was refused by City of York Council (CYC) principally on the issue of unacceptable loss of employment land, but also regarding the loss of the SINC.  The applicant appealed to the Planning Inspectorate against this decision, which was overturned and permission was granted in April 2012.

A condition of the approved planning permission was to relocate the SINC to mitigate for the loss of biodiversity on the development site and as an opportunity to enhance biodiversity in another area of York.

2. What is a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation?

Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) are local, non-statutory designations.  Whilst they have no direct legal protection, SINCs are considered important enough to receive protection through the planning system. National planning policy requires local authorities to identify and provide for their protection through local policy.  In the City of York area there are 86 sites identified as fulfilling the requirement for designation as a SINC.  These sites have been assessed against a robust set of guidelines developed in partnership across North Yorkshire by local authorities, ecologists and local nature experts.

SINCs provide a network of thousands of areas of natural habitat across the country providing space for wildlife, and people.  They also provide some of the natural services we rely on to maintain a healthy and sustainable environment; such as clean air and water, pollinators and food production, and flood resilience.

3. Why was the grassland from York Business Park moved to Bachelor Hill and not somewhere else?

Bachelor Hill was chosen as the place to move the grassland to because of the type of soil and conditions found here.

Bachelor Hill is a prominent morainic (formed by glaciers) sandy knoll.  The area of open sand on the site, known as the ‘sandpit’ is possibly unique for York, a remnant of the previously much more extensive dry sandy habitat that once characterised the Acomb area.

This type of soil was suitable for the species found on the site at York Business Park.

4. Why wasn’t it put over the ‘sandpit’ area or around the edges of Bachelor Hill?

The ‘sandpit’ area and edges of the field are an existing SINC with its own interest of plants and invertebrates.

Dog walkers like to use the edge of the field as a circular route and so this was left clear.  The Public Right of Way on the site runs through the centre connecting the entrances at Askham Lane and Tennant Road, and it was made sure that this was also left clear.

5. There looks like a lot of stone and rubbish in the soil, why is this?

The grassland at York Business Park developed on ballast that had been left there when a previous development did not go ahead.

To give the translocated plants as best chance as possible the ground at Bachelor Hill was prepared by stripping away the existing top soil and mixing in new Limestone chippings.  Amenity grassland (grass that is regularly mown short) normally has too many nutrients in the soil for wildflowers to be successful; more dominant species like nettles and docks prefer these conditions.

Top soil was then moved from York Business Park to Bachelor Hill to ensure roots and the existing seed bank in the soil was kept.

6. The grassland looks long and dead, why hasn’t it been cut yet?

Management of wildflower grassland involves allowing the plants to naturally grow, flower, and set seed in the summer.  The grassland is then cut in late summer and the plants are left to re-grow again.  The tall vegetation also provides shelter and habitat for invertebrates and small mammals, which in turn benefits birds and animals such as bats.

Some areas, such as the sandy and stoney parts, aren’t regularly cut but allowed to regenerate naturally.  This provides greater diversity in habitats on the site.

7. Why are there lots of bare patches?

Bare areas of earth and exposed sand have been created on purpose to compliment the ‘sandpit’ area on Bachelor Hill. Bare earth is an important habitat in itself particularly for invertebrates and a variety of habitat on a site increases its value for wildlife.

In 2004 an invertebrate survey of Bachelor Hill produced some surprising and remarkable records for sandy and heathy habitats. This included a number of flies that are characteristic of coastal dunes. As such Bachelor Hill is extremely important within the region for its invertebrate interest.

8. Who paid for the work to be done?

All of the site preparation, moving of soil and plants, and additional planting was paid for by the developer of the care home as part of the condition for planning permission.

9. How will this area of wildflower grassland be managed in the future?

Part of the grassland will be cut once each year in late July – September.  After cutting, the clippings will be raked off and removed. If left on, they can smother delicate plants, and increase fertility which encourages rank growth at the expense of wildflowers.  In previous years we have worked with a charity called The Conservation Volunteers to do this.

Other areas of Bachelor Hill will continue to be mown short as amenity grassland.

10. How can I get involved with looking after the site?

Working in partnership with The Conservation Volunteers we recently undertook a consultation on a number of green spaces in York to find out how people used them, what they valued most, and how they thought the sites could be improved.

For a number of years a group of local people called Friends of Bachelor Hill have worked hard to care for the site including regularly picking litter to keep it looking good for everyone to enjoy.

Working with this group, it is planned to explore how we can further enhance this site for people and for wildlife.  The results of the survey made it clear that there are many local people who value this site and within the survey responses, people set out some useful and imaginative suggestions as to how Bachelor Hill could be improved.

A meeting is being organised, together with the Friends group, of all those who care about and are impacted by what happens at this site to start making plans for its future.

If you have supplied your email address within the survey you will be hearing about the meeting soon.  If not please contact Margaret Trigg on Margaret.trigg@york.gov.uk and she will ensure that you are kept informed.

 

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION   We hope this answers the questions you may have about the grassland translocation from York Business Park to Bachelor Hill but if you have any more please contact Nadine Rolls, Countryside & Ecology Officer at City of York Council.   Email:    nadine.rolls@york.gov.uk Tel:         01904 551 662