An afternoon of family fun awaits residents and visitors at the third annual Acomb Green Summer Fair this Saturday (25 August).

Why not come along for the falconry display showcasing birds of prey including owls and eagles. Or enter your pooch in the ‘Doggy X Factor’ competition which is free to enter with prizes to be won for the community’s most appealing canines.

Not just that, but the fair will include a bouncy castle, the council’s mobile climbing wall, live music, free sports activities, refreshments – including ice-cream, that summer fair essential – henna tattoos, community stalls for fund-raising and information on local groups..

The fair will run from 1pm-3:30pm and admission to the event and many activities are free of charge. Acomb Green is situated on Wetherby Road/York Road near Front Street. There will be no parking available on site.

For more information, contact Jenny Cairns on 07833 436832 or email jennifer.cairns@york.gov.uk

One thing that is apparently uniting Councillors of all parties is the decision (being blamed on the “Invigorating York” project) for the removal of the light which illuminated the steps leading from Lendal Bridge to the Esplanade. (This is a separate issue from the power cable fault which has affected the riverbank walkway in the same area)

The steps are potentially lethal in the dark and when winter arrives ice will add an additional risk.

Time to get the problem sorted out we think.

One of the Labour Councillors for the Westfield Ward has quit Labour. Lynn Jeffries quotes many familiar criticisms of the current Alexander led regime in her resignation statement.

Clearly issues such as the scrapping of support for 184 elderly people in the City, the closure of the Beckfield Lane recycling centre, the removal of litter bins and the attempt to sell off the Union Terrace car park have prompted major disputes in the Labour Council group.

It has emerged that Labour Councillors are told how to vote on important issues and are prevented from developing alternative strategies.

Labour now has 25 Councillors in York – a majority of only three over combined opposition groups. Two further defections would mean that the Council would become “balanced” with decisions then being more likely to be made on a consensus basis.

The fixed penalty notice in York for car parking offenders has been set at £80. Anyone paying the fines within 10 days will see the fine discounted to £50.

The options, set by central government, are that fines should “not be less than £60 or more than £80”.

They go on to say, “A discount can be applied to the fixed penalty if paid within 10 days, after discount the fixed penalty must not be less than £40. Local Authorities can set the amount of the fixed penalty and discount. The default amount of £60 will apply if the Authority does not set the amount”.

York has therefore opted for a fine level at the top of the available range.

Between 1st April and 30th June 2012, a total of 13 appeals relating to CYC decisions were determined by the Inspectorate. Of those, 7 were allowed. At 53.85%, this rate of appeals allowed is significantly higher than the 33% national annual average.

One appeal that was successful recently was for the erection of 3 storey 64 bed care home for older people at Plot 6 Great North Way (York Business Park) . (more…)

Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Wednesday 22 and Tuesday 28 August.
•A56, Thornton-in-Craven
•A65, Clapham by-pass
•A65, Settle by-pass
•A65 Hellifield (more…)

City of York Council Trading Standards has been informed by residents that they are receiving new e-mails, purporting to be from HMRC, offering a tax rebate.

The e-mails state that, in order to process the refund, recipients should confirm their bank details. Residents are advised not to click on the links. The e-mail is not from HMRC. If people receive such e-mails they should forward them to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and then delete the e-mail.

The amount paid by drivers in parking fines in the City has gradually fallen over the years. The most recent published figures show the revenue collected from the penalty charge notices issued by the York Council was:

2006/07 £658,950

2007/08 £606,368

2008/09 £514,741

2009/10 £516,198

2010/11 £581,408

2011/12 £465,866

2012/13 £95,510

In 2011/12 4,021 recipients of tickets disputed them.

Of these, about half led to the notices being withdrawn.

York’s Paralympic Lantern will follow the route of the main flame when it takes a turn at York Racecourse’s winners’ enclosure on the closing day of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival, Saturday 25 August.

It will be in the hands of one of York’s inspirational para-athletes. No stranger to the winner’s podium, the Lantern’s bearer will be Sianagh Gallagher, a 15-year-old gold medal winning paraclimber from York.

The Olympic Torch itself was a visitor to the Racecourse back in June when it was carried the final furlong of the day on horseback by former Olympic show jumper Harvey Smith. (more…)

Ben Fogle

Join celebrity Ben Fogle in York as he talks about his inspiring new book the ‘Accidental Naturalist’.

Explore York, Wednesday September 5 12.30pm.

Ben Fogle is a TV presenter, a writer and an adventurer. Since he first came to fame as part of the BBC Millennium project Castaway he has rarely stood still. He has raced across the Sahara, rowed across the Atlantic and crossed Antartica in a foot race to the South Pole. He has also presented several TV programmes including Animal Park, Countryfile and Crufts as well as making documentaries on Captain Scott, crocodiles and much more. Ben is an ambassador for WWF, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and supports many charities including Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and Tusk.

Ben’s new book is the ‘Accidental Naturalist’ which tells the extraordinary true stories of Ben’s amazing encounters with animals and how they changed his life.

Tickets cost £5 (including a glass of wine) and are available from Explore York on 01904 552828 or exploreyork@york.gov.uk, or call into your local library.