THERE was mixed news for residents in several York neighbourhoods, as a range of improvements and action plans went before city councillors.

Members of City of York Council's city strategy panel waded through a mammoth agenda at their meeting this week, tackling issues such as antisocial behaviour, traffic problems, and poor footpath surfaces.

In Fulford, a campaign for an upgrade of Chapel Alley won support.

The lane links Main Street with School Lane, but is badly lit and the surface needs to be improved.

Work has been held up by uncertainty over whether it is a right of way, but the council has agreed to fast-track moves to get it formally adopted, and in the meantime has approved a survey of what work needs to be done.

Local councillor Keith Aspden said: "It really does need to be improved, both the pathway itself and the lighting." Coun Andy D'Agorne of the Green Party, said: "Hundreds of thousands of pounds is to be spent on Tarmac for motor vehicles. This is a measure which would address some transport needs much higher up our transport hierarchy."

Labour's David Scott said: "This is an alley that clearly needs to be adopted and tidied up."

Meanwhile, councillors confirmed that work is progressing to install CCTV at the car park on the corner of Bishopthorpe Road and Scarcroft Road, where there have been problems with antisocial behaviour.

Local councillor Dave Merrett complained about how long it had taken to address the problems, which he said were made worse by underage drinking, but council officers are now working on installing cameras.

Petitioners in Rawcliffe spoke out about antisocial behaviour, and said a proposed action plan failed to address their concerns.

One speaker, who asked not to be named in The Press, said she was "angered, bewildered and bemused" by suggestions that the problems were being addressed.

She said the situation, which had prompted 88 residents to sign a petition, were continuing and called for the local skateboard park to be moved to another site, further from homes.

Jane Mowat, of the Safer York Partnership, said problems had continued since the action plan was compiled but said it would take a while to gauge its success.

Coun Ann Reid called for an update to come back to councillors in due course, which was agreed.

At Highcliffe Court, in Clifton, the council is to put up a new sign advising motorists that it is a dead-end, to try to reduce the number of drivers turning into it mistakenly.

Another petition claimed that buses travelling over speed bumps in Bramham Avenue, Chapelfields, were causing damage to local residents' ceilings.

Council officers disputed this, but councillors agreed that the street would be placed on the list for resurfacing work. Local councillor Steve Galloway said he and his fellow ward councillors supported the work, and neighbouring councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing said she also supported the officers' recommendation.