This has been another busy year for City of York Council, with ups, downs and everything in between.
With the New Year on the horizon, here are some of the big council-related developments and decisions of 2025.
Walls in Bloom
Wildflowers planted on the embankments of York’s bar walls sprung for the first time earlier this year.
The Walls in Bloom project, inspired by a similar iniative at the Tower of London, sought to turn the embankment by Station Rise into a natural floral display.
It initially got off to a rocky start, with a petition launched in 2024 calling for the embankment to be restored to its previous condition amid claims it was neglected.
But the results were hailed as overwhelmingly positive by the council’s Labour environment spokesperson Cllr Jenny Kent.
The executive member said in the summer the show-stopping display was well-received despite challenges due to dry weather.
St Nicks volunteers also planted seeds at the Red Tower by Foss Island Road in April and the Walls in Bloom scheme could expand in the coming years.
Parking charge hikes
An increase in parking charges in York sparked a backlash when they came into effect in April.
Charges in council-run car parks rose to £4.85-an-hour for the first two hours from Sundays to Thursdays and to £5.30-an-hour on Fridays, Saturdays and during events.
Council Labour transport spokesperson Cllr Kate Ravilious said the charges were needed to help tackle the congestion throttling York.
But some of the charges were revised following a backlash from residents, businesses and Liberal Democrat and Conservative opposition councillors concerned about the impact on high streets.
The council continues to monitor the impact of the charges.
Independent consultants Arup were commissioned to carry out a review, which remains ongoing of charges in Bishopthorpe Road, Micklegate and The Groves in December following a legal challenge.
Funding gaps
May brought news that two of the biggest ongoing and planned projects in York faced a combined funding shortfall of around £128 million.
The council’s Labour administration warned difficult decisions would have to be taken after gaps worth £18.5 million and almost £100 million opened in the Station Gateway and Outer Ring Road schemes respectively.
Delays, inflation and contracts were blamed for the shortfalls and the council’s executive approved transferring cash to the Station Gateway project, including £5 million from the Outer Ring Road.
The dualling of the Outer Ring Road could be staggered with a first phase focusing on the Clifton Moor roundabout and later ones on works to bring forward housing developments.
The Labour administration has said it remains committed to the full dualling of the ring road from the A19 to the Little Hopgrove roundabout and sourcing funding for it.
But Liberal Democrat and Conservative opposition councillors have condemned the lack of progress as costs continue to rise and called for works to start to avoid further increases.
York Central roads open
The opening of new roads and pedestrian and cycling routes in the York Central site in the summer was hailed as a monumental step in the regeneration project.
The replacement stretch of Leeman Road running from Marble Arch to Salisbury Road and the Hudson Boulevard route opened in July.
Council Labour leader Cllr Claire Douglas said it was a fantastic step and National Railway Museum Director Craig Bentley said it allowed work to begin on its new Central Hall.
Leon Guyett, a regeneration director at Homes England, said it paved the way for plans for a hotel and homes as part of the £2bn York Central scheme.
Those plans, which also include a new Western Entrance to York Station, a public square, an Innovation Hub office block, shops and leisure spaces, were lodged in December.cNeighbourhood Caretakers
New council teams aiming to tackle issues like littering and overgrown hedges in York neighbourhoods launched in September.
The neighbourhood caretakers were set up to work with residents and councillors and team foreperson Chris Ferry said they hoped to visit each of York’s 21 wards twice a year.
Council Labour environment spokesperson Cllr Kent said the seven-strong team was an extra resource created with £150,000 in funding despite budget constraits facing local authorities.
But opposition Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors said they were concerned that the teams were a gimmick that would not result in more work being done.
Christmas Market Blue Badge parking
The run up to this year’s Christmas Market was overshadowed by concerns about the impact of traffic restrictions on city centre Blue Badge parking spaces.
An Anti-Terror Traffic Regulation Order (ATTRO) requested by North Yorkshire Police and approved by the council banned vehicles from streets already subject to hostile vehicle measures.
North Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Tim Forber said measures which included suspending Blue Badge access were needed to deter vehicle attacks which had targetted Christmas markets elsewhere.
But disability groups said it would see people shut out off the city centre during the festive period.
The opening of the market was delayed from 10am to 10.30am and Blue Badge spaces were created in Duncolme Place to ease the impact on pass holders.
Council Labour deputy leader Cllr Pete Kilbane said the restrictions had put future Christmas markets in doubt.
Liberal Democrat opposition leader Cllr Nigel Ayre said the situation resulted from Labour using Blue Badge parking as a political football since they reversed a city centre ban in 2023.
