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New constitution is quicker but no better

The first council meeting under the revised constitution was held on Thur Jun 29th - and immediately decended into the usual farce, only even more confusion about what was or wasnt in order. Taking a bit of a breather after the constitution review and dealing with ward issues I hadnt put any motions or questions down. However I put an amendment to a motion only to be told that the motion itself was to be 'referred to the Executive' but the constitution doesnt say how to deal with any amendments when this happens! End result was my amendment disappeared from the agenda! I now have to chase the issue again to find out when (or if) the Executive can be bothered to discuss the issue.

 

Transport Policy in York

 

Well today had been a day on the theme of transport - a day spent at the Public Inquiry where the head of highways (Network Management) Peter Evely was being cross examined on his evidence on what will happen if various combinations of the 3 major developments in the SE of the city go ahead: 540 houses at Derwenthorpe, 700 at Germany Beck and 5000 more students at Heslington East. The most amazing trick this magician has managed is to put forward the notion that the University expansion if approved (at a separate Inquiry) would actually cut traffic associated with the University, thus making more roadspace for cars from the two big housing developments should they be built. He as good as staked his (significant) reputation on the University being held to this by the planning conditions if (or when?) their scheme goes ahead.

We also had explained to us the difference between 'environmental capacity' of a road: 300-600 cars per hour in his view and practical capacity- the maximum number of vehicles that could pass through that road (more like 1000) The former is the level at which residents would consider it intrusive, the latter the maximum possible. Peter tried to suggest that it is only the absolute capacity that a plannig authority could use to say that a road could take no more traffic, but the Inspector contradicted him and said he could decide against an application if it would mean exceeing the environmental capacity... ER are you still with me?? Anyhow I wont bore you with the other detail of road widths, distances from bus stops, routes for construction traffic etc

The other transport event of the day was a consultation on the draft LDF Core strategy Issues and options - a tedious term for the new version of a Local Plan for York. There was a good Green Party representation there (wearing different hats as it were) and we discussed issues such as to what extend Park and Ride reduces traffic or displaces it outside the ring road producing greater car use in the rural hinterland. The 'emperor has no clothes' question was also raised of how we move towards a system that might cope with a world 'peak oil' crisis where in a short space of time we have to adapt to living without the private car, sourcing our food more locally and getting to and from work by bike, walking or an efficient public transport network. We also challenged the wording of one of the objectives ' supporting sustainable economic growth' pointing out that economic growth as we know it today is itself unsustainable! I suggested we re-phrase this to 'sustainable economic development' that would more readily encompass development of eco initiatives and community self reliance.

We also has a bus company rep who stated that much of the 49% growth in bus patronage in the past 7 years in the city has been due to the expansion of Park and Ride rather than the other bus routes -precisely the assertion denied by Peter Evely at the Inquiry earlier in the day. The point was thus well made of the need for some honesty about where the growth in bus use has come from and to what extent car use has been generated rather than contained by park and ride.

Tomorrow is full council where one motion will give us the opportunity to debate the ftr (purple monster) and its problems. Having been on one at least once (with non functioning air conditioning that made it less pleasant than its poor cousins) I can comment from first hand experience. We will be calling for them to keep 'conductors' rather than leaving people to try to work out how to pay for and get on and off the thing unaided! Try www.goftr.com if you want to find out more, but I bet their isnt a facility to leave your comments!

Council transparency at work

 

Residents campaigning to save the wonderful Parkland grounds of Connaught Court from development found that the council has a new solution to irate residents at planning committee meetings and site visits - dont tell them about it!! The Fulford Friends committee had to ring me to find out when the site visit would be, then when they turned up found that the visit by councillors had been cancelled at the last minute because of new information from the developer.

 To make matters worse the council also failed to send ANY letters to the objectors to another major application on the same agenda so two major items have been deferred from that meeting. I have complained to Mike Slater and the press that the planning department needs to get its house in order- as a member of Planning East I know this is by no means the first timethis has happened, though not quite so spectacularly before.

 

National Bike week event at college

On Wed Jun 21st York College will be holding its first event to promote cycling to college. Five of us will be cycling from the Millennium Bridge to college to meet up with some twenty others at 8.30am for a 'cyclists breakfast'. Sadly it doesnt look like we wil have the hot sunny weather of last week, but two lucky people will be winning a bike and lots of people will be getting their bikes security tagged by the police or safety checked by Halfords. Ive organised this pretty much single handed, but if it is a success I hope it will improve the image of cycling and encourage the college to do more to make it attractive to cycle, particularly when we move to the new college in 2007. In the new college there will be cuts in the car parking space available. This is event is the first really practical outcome of the Green Travel Group on which I represent cycle users (staff and students) More controversial debates about parking charges and limited passes are yet to come. It a bit like being a local councillor trying to find solutions that will work but can gain popular support. 

York Freecycle growing rapidly

On the 24th of May, York Freecycle gained its 1000th member. This is a milestone for the group, which has been running since April 2005.
There has been something of a boom in growth, partly down to a good feature on the Jeremy Vine show on BBC Radio 2 recently, but most probably the growth can be traced back to enthusiastic Freecycle members spreading the word!

"No signs of slowing down..."

Despite hitting 1000 members, the local Freecycle group isn't showing any signs of slowing down. The current expansion rate is about 100 members a week. The next "milestone" will be 2000 members, which is about 1% of the population of York, but Freecycle enthusiasts aren't labelling it as a milestone, it's more of an inevitability!

Ben Weaver

Parkland battle continues

The planning application for a major development in the groundsof Connaught Court is finally due to go to committee on June 27th, nearly tree years since I was removed by police in a protest opposing the felling of two magnificent beech trees. The Fulford Friends website will give you the full details (see link), but after all the efforts to compromise the final plan is still such that the officer is recommending refusal. Trying to squeeze a bowling green under a mature tree and not providing any affordable housing are two reasons, as is the impact on the conservation area of pushing in a new access road opposite Fulford Parish Church. Get the date in your diary now...

 Here's what Fulford Friends say about themselves:

We are residents of Fulford who are trying to stop the proposed development plans at Connaught Court. We feel that Fulford has had more than enough inappropriate development and we wish to try and preserve the remaining green and open spaces which are so important for the character and amenity of our village.

Although we have formed "Fulford Friends" specifically to fight the Connaught Court development, we hope to continue our efforts to protect the environment of Fulford in the future.
We are keen to work together with Fulford Parish Council who have given their full support to our campaign to stop this development.

You can read their objection letter in the "news" section or connect to the council web-site by clicking here: * FPC web-site
This has lots of information about the village and useful contacts.

We feel that if residents can work together with the parish councillors and pool our resourses in fighting damaging planning applications, then we stand more chance of making the planning committees listen to the views of local people instead of just ignoring them.Connaught_Court_Planning_Officer_s_Report.pdf

Fenby Field

This evening met with the chap from the Parks Department to double check the drawing for location of goal posts for Fenby Field. The controversial set installedearlier this year on Fulford Ings had been installed at 90 degrees to what they were supposed to be but thankfully quickly put right before any balls were lost in the river!

We also discussed the 'No dogs' sign and the new gate that will hopefully deter youths on mopeds coming into the field, that was a 'surplus' school playing field but is now to be re-designated  at recreational open space for the local community. It is hoped that more young people will use the area for physical exercise rather than under age drinking, but perhaps that pink pig will be flying by again tomorrow!

Bright lights decision deferred

At Planning East Committee on Thursday we had an animated discussion about a retrospective application for lights around the new PFI funded St Oswald's school. Yes, the school being built for the authority had planning permission that excluded any detail of external security lighting, but that had been added and built without permission. Once switched on, local residents began to complain and the developer was forced to apply for permission. The committee included it on its site visits , but on a bright sunny day, rather than at night (rather difficult to arrange this time of year). The officers helpfully suggested that the brightest car park flood lights should be switched off at 10pm but the 44 (yes honestly) lights around the outside of the building would have to stay on all night for security reasons. Suggestions of removing half of them met the response that this would be costly (perhaps might have thought of that before installing without permission?!) to which a councillor suggested removing the bulb from the lamp would be a cheap solution! There was also the suggestion of sensors rather than the lights burning all night. Eventually the chair ruled that the item would be deferred for a report from a lighting engineer on the options.

Verging on People Power

Residents of Barby Avenue in Fulford were celebrating last night at the news that their grass verge is not to disappear under tarmac after all. Thanks to the energetic collection of protest signatures from most of the resident and the action of one Cllr D'Agorne in contacting both council officers and the press, a U turn was made, agreeing that the paving flags would be relaid and verge retained rather than 'black topped' There was even talk of champagne!

Waste strategy adopted

This afternoon the City of York Council Executive formally adopted the Joint Waste Strategy to 2020. Speakers from York against Incineration (YRAIN) spoke of the unambitious recycling targets and the need to avoid getting locked into long term large scale waste treatment contracts with the private sector. Green Party member John Cossham spoke on behalf of York Rotters (composters!) urging that digestion plans and the example of Ludlow be looked at. But the strategy was adopted anyway, with the 'get out' that there is no commitment to any specific technology and a pledge from the Lib Dem leader that there will not be an 'Energy from Waste' plant in the City of York. Clearly the campaign has got them worried that the issue could be a vote loser for them at the 2007 local elections!

Germany Beck and Derwenthorpe inquiry begins

Today was the opening day of the inquiry into plans to build 700 houses in Fulford and 540 near Osbaldwick. In our opening statement Denise Craghill challenged the council on the fact that it had not included the Community Strategy for York to 2020 as a core document and spoke about the vision contained within this to reduce the eco-footprint of the city by 70% by 2033. Much consternation seems to have been caused among the objectors by the developers coming up with amendments to their plans intended to make them sound environmentally and socially desirable. More affordable housing , more frequent buses, home zones for everyone..... The timetable has all been reviewed so everyone who thought they knew when to gettime off work for their slot has got to rearrange things. Traffic. flooding, biodiversity, sustainable design, all will be put under the microscope in the Guildhall over the coming weeks.

 

Peasholme move is putting council convenience before needs of homeless

 

There is a public meeting on Jun 14th 7pm at the Royal Hotel

for local residents.

Here is a policy statement from York Green Party:

The Peasholme Centre is located in a modern low-rise
building in Peasholme Green, where it is happily
accepted by local residents and traders alike.  It was
purpose-built, less than 20 years ago, in 1987.
Significantly, the area occupied by the centre was not
included on any of the plans for the redevelopment of
Hungate that went to public consultation last year.
Rather, it represents an "about face" by the
developers, having initially reduced the amount of
office space to squeeze-in 500 additional flats, and
then suddenly discovering that additional space was
needed to accommodate the relocated Council offices -
so the "only option" was to grab the Peasholme site.

York Green Party believes:

(i)     The Peasholme Centre is a valuable facility
re-homing people into our community and this must be
supported.
(ii)    Considerable nuisance and disruption to the
users may be caused by relocating the centre to
another location, which may well be less suitable for
residents of the Centre and the surrounding area.
(iii)   The only argument for moving the Centre seems
to be the Council's crass incompetence in failing to
control the planning process for the Hungate site,
meaning that it is effectively being shifted out of
the way to accommodate extra flats for wealthy private
buyers who may be put-off at the thought of a facility
for the homeless next door.
(iv)    If the redevelopment of the original site goes
ahead, it is likely that a high-rise building will be
put there, which will overshadow and dominate the
Grade II listed Black Swan public house next door.

We therefore strongly oppose this attempt to evict the
Peasholme Centre from its rightful home, and call on
the Council to withdraw this ill-thought out plan.

Choosing the car free option

Our elderly motor has finally been taken off the road for the last time, after the garage predicted a bill of £500+ to keep it going for another year. Rosamaria to give her her proper name started out being bought new in Belgium in 1987 and imported for my parents to use travelling backwardsand forwards to Spain after their retirement. About 6 years ago she was pensioned off to our household to spend most of her time sat outside our house while I cycled to and from work at the college. It took some timeto get used to driving a left hand drive vehicle, now I will have to get used to right hand driving again! Her final resting place is fittingly at York College where young mechanics can practice changing brake pads, taking the engine apart and finding out how older cars are serviced.

Coincidentally the City Strategy meeting tonight had an agenda item on the development of a city car club, something I have been pushing for for the past 3 years. It feels appropriate to highlight my intention to join as soon as  it is set up! To find out more visit  http://www.whizzgo.co.uk/index.cfm  or to sign up email register@whizzgo.co.uk

Here's the press release:

Green Party councillor Andy D'Agorne has welcomed the news that a city car club could soon be started in York, and is hoping to be among the first in line to join.

Creating a car club was part of the Council’s Local Transport Plan, and the City Strategy panel will today be considering whether to set aside free parking for car club vehicles in Council owned car parks.

“I have been sending council officers information about car clubs for the past three years and pushing for them to be a feature of new developments such as Hungate.” said Cllr D'Agorne.

Councillor D’Agorne has recently become car-free, having donated his ageing car to York College for the use of trainee mechanics. With the car club in the pipeline, he doesn’t intend to replace it. He says: “Keeping my own car for the few occasions when I need one doesn’t make financial sense. A car club is a great way for people to cut their car use and only pay for the use of a car when they need one.”
 
Car clubs elsewhere in the UK have proved that they can help cut car ownership. They enable two-car households to reduce to one, as well as freeing occasional drivers from having to own their own car, such as Councillor D’Agorne. Compared to normal car-owners, car club members are more likely to use public transport or taxis, or to walk or cycle, for short journeys. And since the vehicles are used more efficiently it is a more environmentally friendly transport arrangement. In other European countries such as Germany they are far more common, and reduce the level of parking provision needed in areas where they operate.

“Cutting car ownership is very important,” says Cllr D’Agorne. “More pollution is produced by the manufacture of a car than during its whole running life.”

“Joining a car club is a good value, community-based and green ticket to ride.”

 [ENDS]

 

ftr rethink needed

Venice

Holiday snaps! 

A few days away from it all in Venice have given me the opportunity to see how some other European tourist cities tackle sustainability issues. Travelling by train through Paris then overnight to Venice is certainly one way to appreciate different approaches to public transport. Getting onto Eurostar is much like catching a plane with all the security checks, except you keep all your luggage with you. Crossing Paris by metro allowed us time to surface for a short while and view the Seine and the busy Paris traffic before continuing to Gare de Beccy for the train to Venice. What a contrast on arriving in Venice - everything moves by boat or on foot. Imagine not seeing a motor vehicle for days! The police, ambulance, post, supplies for restaurants all move about by boat, and where that is not appropriate large hand carts are a regular feature, in spite of the steps up each canal bridge! The last stretch of our journey was by waterbus then a fairly short walk to a wonderful small B+B .

Apart from visiting the usual sites, we made a boat trip out to the islands of Murano and Burano, with its brightly coloured houses and traffic free streets (apart from a few cycles). It was a useful reminder that for some living without a car is a natural part of their way of life, it all depends on what you are used to.

 

Current mood: Sad