Our Achievements

Support through the pandemic

Our time at the helm of the city was significantly impacted by the unprecedented and devastating Covid-19 pandemic. We are incredibly proud of the response by our communities, frontline workers and health and care staff across the city.

As an administration, we ensured that over £1million extra Council funding was invested in directly supporting the most vulnerable in the city. Pioneering micro and small business support schemes also saw us protect and save hundreds of local businesses and the livelihoods of those running and working at them. Support across the city was coordinated through community hubs, which ensured that those who needed it the most received help, food, and medicines at their homes.

Our time at the helm of the city was significantly impacted by the unprecedented and devastating Covid-19 pandemic. We are incredibly proud of the response by our communities, frontline workers and health and care staff across the city.

As an administration, we ensured that over £1million extra Council funding was invested in directly supporting the most vulnerable in the city. Pioneering micro and small business support schemes also saw us protect and save hundreds of local businesses and the livelihoods of those running and working at them. Support across the city was coordinated through community hubs, which ensured that those who needed it the most received help, food, and medicines at their homes.

Ward investment for local community priorities

Local communities now have more power and funding available to them because of Liberal Democrat Councillors. We have devolved power and budgets to residents by protecting Ward Committees and releasing up to £1 million every year to be spent in local communities.

For example, over the last four years, funding has been used to create new parking laybys, deliver new play parks, upgrade community buildings, and deliver summer activities schemes for young people.

Combating Climate Change

We have delivered the York Climate Change Strategy, “A City Fit for the Future” together with an extensive action plan that sets out our vision to be net zero and provides a framework to both reduce carbon and be more climate resilient by 2030. Much of the work to make this plan a reality is under way, from the new community woodland, the UK’s only voluntary clean air zone, biggest electric P&R bus fleet and major multi-million flood defence projects.

York was recognised as global climate action leader thanks to the city’s vision and action to combat climate change. York is amongst only 122 cities across the world to be awarded an A rating for climate action leadership by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).

Building more affordable and sustainable homes

Work is well under way to deliver more than 600 new homes across the city, as part of our ambitious Housing Delivery Programme, each designed to have a net carbon emissions figure of zero.

224 affordable homes have been delivered in the 2021/22 financial year – the highest number in the last decade. In total 477 affordable homes have been delivered by the Lib Dem led administration over the last 3 years, since 2019. This compares to 464 homes delivered by the Labour administration over their full term of 4 years at the helm of the city.

Protecting and building more libraries

We are not only protecting the future of our library service at a time when so many councils are cutting it but building more services to support our communities. Since 2019, a new community library has been delivered in Haxby and Wigginton and plans for a new major library and community centre in Clifton have been approved.

Investing in play areas

We distributed £175k amongst 30 York play areas, with community partners providing up to £228k in match funding. Communities across the city successfully bid for improvements and new equipment for their local play facilities across the city.

Investment for York’s future

We have worked tirelessly to secure major investment in York’s future. After decades of discussion, it’s the Liberal Democrat led administration which has unlocked a £650m investment pot which is seeing construction works now taking place on the York Central site. The project will deliver more homes, better paid jobs, and new community spaces on the city-centre brownfield site.

New facilities delivered

At the start of 2021, we were proud to open the state of the art 8,500-seater stadium with leisure facilities, a community hub, a library and community offices for the NHS as well as local charities.

In early 2022, the restoration of the Guildhall was completed, with one of York’s historic buildings now ready to support local businesses and drive economic growth.

Sustainable transport

We have worked hard to support York’s transport network. From delivering unprecedented local investment in highway repairs to securing major investment in sustainable travel incentives and major transport schemes.

The project to bring a station back to Haxby for the first time in over 90 years is well under way, with crucial multi-million funding package unlocked, and planning application set to be submitted in 2023.

Plans to dual the city’s outer ring road are moving forward to reduce congestion, moving car journeys out of the city centre, and improving active travel facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.

Keeping York safe

After several years of partnership work across the city, York has been awarded the prestigious Purple flag status in recognition for its diverse, safe and vibrant evening economy.

The achievement of the award, a 2019 York Lib Dem manifesto commitment, recognises the continued collaboration with partners to provide a safe and vibrant night-time economy.