News: March 2008 Archives

Read the Chairman's Recent Ramblings - Planning, Parking, Pinfold, Cycle Path, Old School and Dog Poo! on the Parish Council Page.

The cold spell brought snow to Bishopthorpe as seen in the pictures below, taken at eight o'clock.

 

 

This is the first of what I hope to be of many articles I will be writing for bishopthorpe.net so I hope that you find it interesting and informative.  My name is Alex Bishop, I am a sixth form student in my last year at Tadcaster Grammar school, I am hoping to study engineering at Heriot Watt university in October of this year. I have started a scheme to refurbish old computers over my summer holiday. I am doing this by asking people to donate to me old computer hardware which I will then get up and running and distribute  to people who want them. I am doing this all for free (although a donation would always be welcome but never compulsory). So far the response has been incredible as of now I have received over 20 PC and anything up to 30 monitors! I am storing them all in the loft at my parents house (much to my mothers dismay) but I do have some space left... somewhere, so donations are still welcome. I got the idea to do this scheme from introducing my Granddad to the modern world of PCs. Everything I know about computers I have taught myself by making lots of mistakes so if you're new to computers don't be scared and give it a go.

 

We have been warned about space debris falling from the sky. Looks as if a chunk of NASA satellite has landed on a pole on the railway path near Naburn station. 

 

 

 

In February, the vicar of St. Andrew's Church received a letter from Elaine Pearce, Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.  He was informed that the Bishopthorpe War Memorial has been designated a listed structure.  The reasons for the Grade II listing were given as follows: 

* It forms a poignant reminder of the effects of tragic world events on this local community.

* It is a well-designed monument by a well-known architect, Walter Brierley.

* It is made of high-quality materials, executed with excellent craftsmanship.

*  It has group value with the adjacent church, Archbishop's Palace and other designated buildings.

* Its proximity to and historic association with the Archbishop of York's Palace gives it added significance.

The memorial joins several listed buildings and structures in the village.  These include Bishopthorpe Palace, St. Andrew's Church, several houses in Chantry Lane and The Ebor.  English Heritage has recently made its database of listed buildings available online.  To view those in the village key  in "Bishopthorpe" on the Heritage Gateway site here.  (The War Memorial has not yet been added to the site,) 

Linda 

....and a thermos flask .... and some sandwiches -  if you go to attempt to collect a bus pass from the Salvation Army Citadel.

Edith & I went to collect ours this morning.

Dismayed by the numbers waiting on Gillygate, we left to do an errand and returned to find the queue rather shorter. We joined it, and waited a mere hour and a quarter, only 65 minutes of which were spent out in the cold.

Fortunately, we had adequate identification (proof of age and proof of address) with us. 

On reaching the desk we were told that the passes have not yet arrived from the printer! We did pass the entitlement check, and were promised that the passes would be posted to us at a later date.

I write on the basis of considerable experience (I used to be responsible for the annual enrolment of about 2,500 college students) when I say that this was a management shambles. 

First, the premises are too small and are inconveniently located. Second, there was no arrival filter (to fast track the disabled and to weed out those with incomplete documentation).  Thirdly, inadequate staff numbers were provided. (There was no work space for more anyway.) Fourthly,  advance information provision was inadequate. (Not everyone reads the local press, nor even their local website.)

If it is the case that responsibility for the failed delivery of the passes was outside the control of the City Council, no effort seems to have been made beforehand or on the day to warn people of it. At least, the absence of passes ought to have simplified and speeded the process. Those of us who were called in for new photographs a few weeks ago should not have needed to go through today's procedure anyway.

My advice is that people should not attempt to get passes this week. Existing passes will be valid until September in York and North Yorkshire only. Identity checks will be made and (we hope) passes issued at the Guildhall from 1st - 25th April, so it would be better to try then. Just don't make any arrangements which involve use of your new pass until you actually get it. For those who have registered, it may arrive by post before the starting date. (Are those pigs which I see in the evening sky?)  

Ian