The Press in York today writes about 'York's filthiest streets', with statistics indicating Hull Road as having one of the highest rates in York of call-outs of the council's street cleaning teams.
This could be seen as a positive or a negative - depending on whether you choose to look at it as residents taking pride in their streets and making more calls to the council, or whether a higher rate of clean-up indicates higher amounts of clean-up needed in the first place.
We're keeping an open mind! But we do know, and have met, residents in the Hull Road Ward who take a huge amount of pride in the areas where they live - from residents who display beautiful front gardens to residents who regularly pick up litter and other rubbish from their streets.
We're also working with the council's neighbourhood management team, street environment officers and other people, to make sure high standards are maintained. This includes weekly walkabouts of the ward in which councillors often take part.
Fiona commented in the Press article: “We’re working very closely with the street cleansing team and we have been going out on walks they do every Thursday.
“We are disappointed but we are new councillors and we are quite positive and are determined things will improve.”
The full article can be found at: http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9224506.York___s_filthiest_streets_revealed/
Wednesday 31 August 2011
Monday 15 August 2011
A Saturday double-bill
Last week's rain held off on Saturday to allow us to spend most of the day in Hull Road Ward talking to residents. Okay, we don't presume to have the power to control the weather, but there was definitely an uplift in our mood as the sun poked out through dark clouds overhead.
It's no secret that Hull Road has a number of complex issues, which makes being Councillors for the ward both challenging and immensely rewarding.
We spent the morning doing a street surgery for half of Badger Hill (Crossways, Sussex Road, Eastfield Crescent and the smaller streets). This was a new experience for us as new Councillors and, judging by the response from residents, well appreciated by the locals too.
There are several ways a street surgery can be conducted. Our street surgery consisted of delivering leaflets around the chosen roads roughly a week before, stating our intention to visit. Residents could put these leaflets prominently in their windows in order to ask us to call round on the day itself. This proved hugely successful and we were able to speak to quite a few residents about issues that were important to them. We'll now work on those and keep in touch with the residents who raised them.
Badger Hill is often on the 'front-line' of the Heslington East development and many issues are typically University-related, which showed us the importance of keeping open dialogue with the University management themselves.
The street surgery also showed us the obvious benefits over 'static' drop-in surgeries where one waits for residents to come to them. We think it's important to get out there and meet residents in their homes where they feel most comfortable.
In the afternoon, we made the short trip to Hull Road Park where a family fun day was in full swing. We were pleasantly surprised by the large number of locals who had come out to take part in activities, go on the climbing wall, watch the falconry display or just to get an ice-cream. Well in excess of 500 locals were there.
The surrounding areas are home to many lower-income families and we spoke to people who lived in Etty Avenue, Alcuin Avenue and Burlington Avenue. The family fun day was a cheap and affordable way for them to get out of the house for a bit.
With the community spirit we saw clearly demonstrated in both Tang Hall and Badger Hill, we're proud to be Councillors of Hull Road Ward.
It's no secret that Hull Road has a number of complex issues, which makes being Councillors for the ward both challenging and immensely rewarding.
We spent the morning doing a street surgery for half of Badger Hill (Crossways, Sussex Road, Eastfield Crescent and the smaller streets). This was a new experience for us as new Councillors and, judging by the response from residents, well appreciated by the locals too.
There are several ways a street surgery can be conducted. Our street surgery consisted of delivering leaflets around the chosen roads roughly a week before, stating our intention to visit. Residents could put these leaflets prominently in their windows in order to ask us to call round on the day itself. This proved hugely successful and we were able to speak to quite a few residents about issues that were important to them. We'll now work on those and keep in touch with the residents who raised them.
Badger Hill is often on the 'front-line' of the Heslington East development and many issues are typically University-related, which showed us the importance of keeping open dialogue with the University management themselves.
The street surgery also showed us the obvious benefits over 'static' drop-in surgeries where one waits for residents to come to them. We think it's important to get out there and meet residents in their homes where they feel most comfortable.
In the afternoon, we made the short trip to Hull Road Park where a family fun day was in full swing. We were pleasantly surprised by the large number of locals who had come out to take part in activities, go on the climbing wall, watch the falconry display or just to get an ice-cream. Well in excess of 500 locals were there.
The surrounding areas are home to many lower-income families and we spoke to people who lived in Etty Avenue, Alcuin Avenue and Burlington Avenue. The family fun day was a cheap and affordable way for them to get out of the house for a bit.
With the community spirit we saw clearly demonstrated in both Tang Hall and Badger Hill, we're proud to be Councillors of Hull Road Ward.
Monday 8 August 2011
Hull Road Park Summer Park - Sat 13th August
Come along to the Hull Road Park Summer Fair this Saturday (13th August) from 1pm to 3pm.
A FREE family event with a range of activities including falconry display, bouncy castles, street sports, community stalls, music and more.
Not to be missed!
A FREE family event with a range of activities including falconry display, bouncy castles, street sports, community stalls, music and more.
Not to be missed!
Monday 1 August 2011
Remembering York student David Kato
[photo of Neil (far left) and Fiona (second from right) with Labour Leader of the Council James Alexander (second from left) and our neighbouring Heworth councillors Barbara Boyce and Ruth Potter]
The blog has been quiet lately, we know, but that’s hopefully good news for residents as it means we’re too busy working for residents to be able to spend time blogging!
So – we take a short break in order to tell you about some campaigning of a different sort that Fiona and Neil did on Saturday.
Whilst neither of us define as LGBT, we both believe strongly in combating discrimination of any kind. Our empathy with the gay rights movement comes from our own experiences – for Neil as a disabled person and Fiona as a woman – although we would never presume to say the experiences are the same.
So we packed up our gazebo and Labour leaflets and headed to Rowntree Park for 2011’s York Pride Event.
This year’s event was special as the event commemorated the life of David Kato – a Ugandan gay rights activist who studied at the University of York.
David Kato was murdered back in his home country earlier this year after a Ugandan newspaper called for his execution – on grounds of his sexuality.
York Central Labour MP, Hugh Bayley, released balloons in David’s memory and a minute’s silence was held. The rest of the day was a celebration of music and fun was had by all. The event was led by this year's York Pride chair, Dan Sidley - a Fishergate Labour campaigner.
Read the York Press write-up here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)