Latest news with #JennyKent
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
York city walls wildflowers hailed a success
Wildflower displays planted alongside York's city walls have been hailed a success despite previous opposition to the scheme. City of York Council said the flowers in Station Rise had been "flourishing" even in the dry conditions and said the "response has been overwhelmingly positive". Modelled on the Tower of London's Moat in Bloom, the council said the Walls in Bloom project aims to create a changing display of wildflowers from spring to autumn. However the project attracted some initial criticism when the ground was being prepared last summer, with more than 3,000 people signing a petition calling for the condition of the area to be reinstated. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service sowing wildflower seeds instead of more traditional bedding plants means the area can be managed in a more environmentally and financially-sustainable way. Environment executive member Jenny Kent hit back against critics in April, saying she welcomed people caring about the walls but they should ask questions before stirring up unnecessary anger. She went on to say she had not seen a single bad reaction. "The response has been overwhelmingly positive," she said. "In 2023 we had bedding plants that died off in similar weather and it's not fair to compare this to the 1950s or 1970s because there's no such thing as a normal summer anymore. "We've had several people get in touch with us who are interested in what we've done here and who want to replicate it themselves. "This display is a showcase for what others across York could do." Meanwhile the authority's ancient monuments manager Liam Dennis said the dry conditions had been a challenge. "There's been a lot of hard work going on behind the scenes and we're grateful to volunteers and businesses who've helped us, we've had to water the flowers more than we initially thought," he said. "But the flowers have flourished in a way that traditional bedding plants wouldn't have. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North Local Democracy Reporting Service York City Council York Walls In Bloom Wildflower verges give splash of colour to roads
BBC News
13-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
York city walls wildflowers hailed a success
Wildflower displays planted alongside York's city walls have been hailed a success despite previous opposition to the of York Council said the flowers in Station Rise had been "flourishing" even in the dry conditions and said the "response has been overwhelmingly positive".Modelled on the Tower of London's Moat in Bloom, the council said the Walls in Bloom project aims to create a changing display of wildflowers from spring to the project attracted some initial criticism when the ground was being prepared last summer, with more than 3,000 people signing a petition calling for the condition of the area to be reinstated. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service sowing wildflower seeds instead of more traditional bedding plants means the area can be managed in a more environmentally and financially-sustainable executive member Jenny Kent hit back against critics in April, saying she welcomed people caring about the walls but they should ask questions before stirring up unnecessary went on to say she had not seen a single bad reaction."The response has been overwhelmingly positive," she said."In 2023 we had bedding plants that died off in similar weather and it's not fair to compare this to the 1950s or 1970s because there's no such thing as a normal summer anymore."We've had several people get in touch with us who are interested in what we've done here and who want to replicate it themselves."This display is a showcase for what others across York could do." Meanwhile the authority's ancient monuments manager Liam Dennis said the dry conditions had been a challenge."There's been a lot of hard work going on behind the scenes and we're grateful to volunteers and businesses who've helped us, we've had to water the flowers more than we initially thought," he said."But the flowers have flourished in a way that traditional bedding plants wouldn't have. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Calls for bigger bins outside city centre
The recent rollout of larger litter bins in York should be extended beyond the city centre, as existing ones elsewhere struggle to cope, a local campaigner has said. York Council recently introduced larger 240l litter bins in an attempt to stop them overflowing. Liberal Democrat activist Andrew Mortimer said the council should consider installing these bins outside shops and takeaways by the Hull Road and Melrosegate junction to replace ones that regularly overflow. Jenny Kent, the council's environment spokesperson, said its waste collection teams were working to keep the city as tidy as possible despite being stretched. The new bins have been installed at the southern end of Parliament Street, in Stonebow, Duncolme Place and along Blake Street. A council report stated there were plans to install bins in Station Road, close to York Station by the Cholera Burial Ground, this year. It added other sites could be considered for new bins as and where appropriate. The council has also bought a compact Goupil vehicle designed to pass through narrow spaces in the city centre to collect and clean bins more quickly. Staff will also be working on new shift patterns that cover longer hours and seven days a week from this spring, following a successful trial during the Christmas Market period. An extra road sweeper has also been added to the council's fleet this year. Speaking at the council's Environment Decision Session on April 29, Mortimer said suggestions that the rollout of larger litter bins could take place were welcome, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. He said: "But the report only seems to deal with the city centre, there's a high concentration of takeaways at Hull Road shops and existing bins there are regularly overflowing at the weekend with pizza boxes. "This seems like the ideal location to trial a larger bin." Environment executive member Kent said: "When we've got nine million visitors a year there will be bins overflowing on a hot summer's day but that doesn't mean there isn't a schedule in place. "Those bins will be collected and if they haven't been, there's a good reason for it, it doesn't mean that someone doesn't care or that there isn't a system. "Our teams are stretched as they are in all local authorities, but some of the pictures I see on a daily basis of what they've cleaned up before we've had breakfast is revolting. "They don't give up and they put up with complaints, they're the unsung heroes of our city." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. Wheelie bins set for roll-out to nearly 6,000 homes Fines for urinating in the street and dog fouling Bin workers to switch to four-day weeks York City Council
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Street urination 'due to lack of public toilets'
A lack of public toilets is one of the reasons people are urinating and defecating in York's streets, a report has found. Almost 4,200 reports of street urination were recorded in 2023-2024 and City of York Council is set to review plans to introduce £100 fines. A report to the executive committee, which will meet on 22 April, said the penalty was a more reasonable, proportionate and cost-effective way of punishing offenders than lengthy and expensive court proceedings. Almost half of the people asked about urinating in the street blamed a lack of public toilets, it noted. However, it added the provision of public toilets was an ongoing challenge. "It is expensive and anti-social behaviour creates further difficulties in upholding cleansing and maintenance standards," the report said. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, York's Business Improvement District received 4,194 requests to clean up urine and 2,058 related to human biohazard fluid, such as vomit, in the 12 months to March. There were 280 requests to clean up faeces, including from dogs, from the start of 2024 to November. During a council consultation, 162 out of 346 people blamed the issue on a lack of public toilets and 83% of 1,026 respondents backed the £100 fines. One respondent said: "Urination and defecation in the streets is disgusting. "But it happens mainly in the city centre where the lack of public toilets at certain times of the day lead to people taking desperate measures." The authority has recently spent £65,000 on upgrading public toilets in Silver Street in the city centre and Front Street in Acomb. A further £254,000 had been made available to provide toilet, changing and shower spaces for the severely disabled. The report added: "Councillor Jenny Kent, the council's executive member for environment and climate emergency, is clear that access to clean toilets is an essential hallmark of public health, and the number, location and management of toilets is therefore currently under review." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Fines for urinating in the street and dog fouling Local Democracy Reporting Service City of York Council
BBC News
16-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Lack of public toilets in York blamed for street urination
A lack of public toilets is one of the reasons people are urinating and defecating in York's streets, a report has 4,200 reports of street urination were recorded in 2023-2024 and City of York Council is set to review plans to introduce £100 fines.A report to the executive committee, which will meet on 22 April, said the penalty was a more reasonable, proportionate and cost-effective way of punishing offenders than lengthy and expensive court half of the people asked about urinating in the street blamed a lack of public toilets, it noted. However, it added the provision of public toilets was an ongoing challenge."It is expensive and anti-social behaviour creates further difficulties in upholding cleansing and maintenance standards," the report to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, York's Business Improvement District received 4,194 requests to clean up urine and 2,058 related to human biohazard fluid, such as vomit, in the 12 months to were 280 requests to clean up faeces, including from dogs, from the start of 2024 to a council consultation, 162 out of 346 people blamed the issue on a lack of public toilets and 83% of 1,026 respondents backed the £100 fines. 'Taking desperate measures' One respondent said: "Urination and defecation in the streets is disgusting."But it happens mainly in the city centre where the lack of public toilets at certain times of the day lead to people taking desperate measures."The authority has recently spent £65,000 on upgrading public toilets in Silver Street in the city centre and Front Street in Acomb.A further £254,000 had been made available to provide toilet, changing and shower spaces for the severely report added: "Councillor Jenny Kent, the council's executive member for environment and climate emergency, is clear that access to clean toilets is an essential hallmark of public health, and the number, location and management of toilets is therefore currently under review." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
