The Council’s bill for fueling its 350 vehicle fleet now tops £1 million a year.

• 2009/10 £915,710 for 1045198 litres

• 2010/11 £1,012,155 for 1027464

• 2011/12 £1,050,496 for 955096

• 2012/13 £1,064,810 for 958002

Funding for a shared citywide system to make access to advice and information on money management, benefits, employment and housing far easier for residents through a ‘one stop advice service’, has been announced.

The service is being funded by nearly £250,000 from the joint Cabinet Office and Big Lottery Advice Service Transition Fund, awarded to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau in York, and £80,000 from City of York Council.
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Two concerts will showcase the” amazing musical talent of young people from across the city” at the annual York Music Hub Festival.

This musical celebration is open to the public and this year the festival’s concerts will take place at the Grand Opera House, on Saturday 22 June at 2pm and at 7.30pm. They will feature groups from City of York schools, York Arts Academy and the Wider Opportunities scheme where whole classes learn musical instruments together.

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Bailiffs have been active on behalf of the York Council recently.

In the main the Council has used the companies to collect Housing rent (771 cases), Council Tax (4769) and Non Domestic (Business) Rates (544)

Significant sums were collected by the bailiffs

• £21,646.21 (Housing rent),

• £183,455.11 (Council Tax),

• £125,456.34 (Non Domestic Rates)

The news comes after it was revealed, by the Department for Communities and Local Government, that York is owed £5.3 million (equivalent to £63 per household) in unpaid Council Tax.

York comes well down the league table of outstanding debts although it is bettered by Harrogate (£32 per household outstanding) and Hambleton (£32). The worst in Yorkshire is Sheffield where £146 per household is owed.

NB. Around 20 tenants are evicted each year for rent arrears.

• 2009-10 – 3 Anti Social Behaviour (ASB), 20 Rent Arrears and 1 for both ASB and Rent Arrears

• 2010-11 – 9 ASB, 15 Rent Arrears and 1 for both ASB and Rent Arrears

• 2011-12 – 3 ASB, 22 Rent Arrears and 1 for both ASB and Rent Arrears

In response to a Freedom of Information request the council have said that the value of the current repair backlog for City of York schools and nurseries (not including academies) stands at £37,991,504.43.

Two men from the west of York have banned from football matches for three years

Lewis James Myers, 19, of Ouseburn Avenue, York and Huseyn Akdag, 18, of Girvan Close, York, pleaded guilty to using threatening words and behaviour during a violent disturbance in Gillygate.

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Another Council decision has been taken behind closed doors. This time the Council has reviewed arrangements for “volunteering”.

Read the report here.

The Press are today reporting on a decision by some York Council officials not to publish a key Local Plan report.

The information was contained in a study undertaken by consultants ARUP.

It was designed to undermine the forecasts of population growth in the City provided by other organisations such as the Office of National Statistics. Those reports confirmed that the City needs to build around 600 additional homes each year to satisfy demand and to accommodate those who work in York’s successful economy.

The Arup report was referenced extensively by the Labour Leadership as they tried to justify their high growth strategy which would lead to the City increasing in size by 25% over the next 15 years.

In turn this meant space for 22,000 additional homes would be required. Most would be occupied by migrants.

Officials have now apparently claimed that the ARUP report, which informed the decision meeting on 22nd April, was a “draft”. It is apparently now being rewritten.

A list of all relevant background documents has been published click here

A sanitised version of the ARUP report will apparently be published on the Council’s web site on 5th June.

As the rules governing Council meetings confirm, the Council has no option but to release the contents of any report which influenced a Cabinet decision.

Earlier papers can be found on the Council’s web site here and here

It is the Council preventing access to the updated figures that is causing controversy

Although the Council has cut back on the number of amenity skips it provides, several residents associations continue to run programmes aimed at making it easier for tenants to get rid of unwanted items.

The skips are only in place for a few minutes and residents must ensure that they put any rubbish into the skips and not leave it on the path or highway.

Site Del Collect Comments
1 Bramham Rd 08:30 09:30 Outside Community House
2 Ganton Place 10:30 11:30
3 Dringfield Close 12:30 13:30
4 Bouthwaite Drive 08:30 09:30
5 Bramham Rd 08:30 09:30 Grange Lane Junction

£70,000 is to be invested over the next two years for new alley gating schemes to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour across the city and help residents feel safe and secure in their homes.

Alley gates are placed on alleyways to the rear of houses to deter burglars from gaining access to homes.

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