YORK’S new councillors have set out their first priorities for the neighbourhoods they serve.

The election results on Friday night and Saturday morning brought 22 newcomers to City of York Council.

Many said they looked forward to serving the city as a whole and tackling its biggest issues, but some also set out their focus for their own wards.

Lars Kramm, newly-elected Green councillor for Micklegate, said: “From our canvassing in the area, we also know that geese droppings in and around Rowntree Park are an issue that we need to look into.

"Litter and antisocial behaviour around Blossom Street and Micklegate needs addressing, and there is an issue with early morning deliveries to corner mini-supermarkets.”

He also said he aimed to support communities, schools and residents around the ward, and try to involve them in planning and property sales decisions that affect neighbourhoods and the city centre.

York Press:

New Greens Denise Craghill and Lars Kramm

Denise Craghill, who was elected for the Greens in Guildhall Ward, said: “We need to follow up on antisocial behaviour issues in The Groves and new orders the council has brought in, which work, but wider orders need to be implemented and the boundaries need careful decisions to decide how that goes forward.

“In the Walmgate area, we have been pushing for 20mph limits to be brought inside the city walls as there have been some issues with buses speeding along. The council agreed to look at that in the new council year, so we’re hoping that will be implemented. People also have been asking for better crossing facilities in Huntington Road for the schools, and traffic issues through The Groves as well.”

She said she aimed to “protect local services as far as possible”, and improve road safety and traffic issues in some areas which had been highlighted during the election campaign.

Stuart Barnes, new councillor for Labour in Acomb, said he was keen to maximise benefits to Acomb from the forthcoming development of the British Sugar site.

York Press:

Stuart Barnes, far left, with fellow Labour newcomers Margaret Wells, Danny Myers and James Flinders

He said he wanted to see around 25 per cent affordable housing on the site and wanted to ensure the community improvements funded by ‘section 106’ payments by the developer helped Acomb as well as Rural West York.

He added: “I also want to see training and apprenticeship opportunities developed for York residents and specifically for Acomb residents. That site is likely to be a ten-year building project so could be a good source of training and skills for people in Acomb.”

Stephen Fenton, new Liberal Democrat councillor in Dringhouses and Woodthorpe, said: “I want to continue the fight to protect local green spaces from development, such as land on Moor Lane adjacent to the Askham Bog nature reserve.

“I also want to take up the many local issues that were raised with me by residents during the campaign. These include parking problems on the Revival housing development on Tadcaster Road, on the old York College site.”

York Press:

Four of the new Liberal Democrats, From left: Stephen Fenton, Chris Cullwick, Sue Hunter and Sheena Jackson

His party colleague Chris Cullwick, in Huntington and New Earswick, said: “One of the key local priorities is dealing with traffic management around the new Vangarde/Community Stadium development where congestion is already proving a real problem.

“We also need to protect the local Green Belt from development as it is clear Huntington has taken its fair share of new housing development. I also want to work with local voluntary groups to help foster a greater feeling of community and increase resident engagement.”

In Westfield, Cllr Sue Hunter said her priority was to help make the Acomb shopping area more vibrant, and to work with landlords to improve its appearance, while Sheena Jackson said: “A key focus will be to improve the youth provision in the area which had been badly hit in recent years, and to work with community centres and residents associations to make sure that local residents views are heard in changing the way that the council works.”

Peter Dew, newly-elected Conservative in Rawcliffe and Clifton Without, said there should be no money wasted. He said he wanted to ensure the focus was on what absolutely needed done, city-wide as well in his ward, such as working to optimise road maintenance and refuse collections. He said he hoped to hear from residents what their priorities were.