The Council are advertising a budget consultation event which is taking place next week. We think that they are right to try to engage residents in making what are always difficult decisions.

The Council in February decided a “2 year” budget; meaning that they have already committed to the general shape and priorities of the 2013/14 budget. This reduces the flexibility available.

…………..and for events like these to be successful, residents do need access to a lot of background information.

Not least amongst these would be information about government grant levels. For the second year in a row the Coalition government is offering to increase grants to help offset the costs of inflation – meaning that the Council does not have to increase Council Tax rates.

However, the Council leadership have already said that they don’t intend to take up the offer of extra funding.

So residents can’t influence what will be one of the most important decisions to be made in February.

The details of the consultation events are:

City of York Council budget consultation

Come along to either the morning or evening session

10am to 12noon or 6pm to 8pm

Monday 29 October

at the Priory Street Centre, 15 Priory Street, York YO1 6ET

City of York Council is holding a day-long conference on Saturday 10 November at The University of St John, to look at the huge range of archaeological fieldwork and research that has been carried out in York in 2012.

(more…)

As part of City of York Council’s Housing Week from 5-9 November, tours of four of the city’s hostels for homeless people are being offered to the public and professionals.

The tours aim to give people an insight into the council’s services for homeless individuals and to those at risk of homelessness. Besides the hostels the council offers a number of services including general housing advice, assistance to rent from private landlords, information on social housing, sheltered housing and help for those with mortgage difficulties.

(more…)

As expected the Boundary Commission have confirmed that York will continue to have 47 Councillors.

The Commission is now asking residents and interested parties to tell them what ward boundaries should apply.

Details can be found here http://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/yorkshire-and-humberside/north-yorkshire/city-of-york-fer

Representations have to be made by 14th January 2013.

Amongst the issues likely to be considered are the introduction of :

• Single member wards: This could improve accountability as one member will be closely identified with a ward which would contain about 3500 electors (2000 homes). Currently some wards (including Dringhouses) have over 6000 homes and are represented by 3 Councillors.

• Annual Elections with 25% of the Council retiring each year: Again it is argued that this will improve accountability and that electors will be able to giving a rolling verdict on the performance of their representatives. Annual elections were used in York in the period up to 1995.

Young craft-cyclers are being tasked with designing and building either: a hotrod racing car, a plane or an out-of-this-world spaceship, with a twist, in an exciting competition to promote reuse of recycled materials amongst children.

Zero Waste York, in partnership with local publisher,Junkcraft Books , is running the competition for Key Stage 2 children where all entries must be made from recycled items found around the home.

Get building, as the best creations will be in with a chance of winning great construction set prizes by Meccano, plus a Super Construction Set prize for their school.

Children have until February 8th 2013 to submit their entries. To enter upload a digital photograph of the finished creation with a short description to the competition page at www.junkcraft.com.

Full competition details and entry requirements can be found on www.junkcraft.com/york-schools-competition/

North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Wednesday 24 October and Tuesday 30 October 2012.

•A64 west-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•A64 east-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster

(more…)

During the Illuminating York Festival 2012, a short film capturing the stories of York-based or linked armed forces personnel, their families and local communities will be screened in St Helen’s Square.

The film has been produced as part of the York Stories 2012 project which celebrates York 800 by recording and sharing local people’ stories, and has been funded by the Community Covenant Grant and City of York Council with the aim of building bridges between the armed forces and local communities.

The film will be screened every night from October 31 – November 3 between 6:30pm and 9:30pm on a mobile screen.

The award-winning leisure centre “Energise” located on Cornlands Road has doubled the size of its gym.

The gym now accommodates 95 users – previously 56 – at any one time, and has extra space to improve access for disabled users.

(more…)

Dringhouses Library

There is mounting speculation that York’s library service will be outsourced and removed from council ownership after a recent review of council management jobs did not include any discussion on the future role of the ‘Head of Libraries’.

In a related development, the Labour Cabinet Member in charge of libraries has confirmed that current staffing levels can not be guaranteed after planned reforms are completed.

Last month the Lib Dems revealed that Labour was drawing up proposals to take libraries out of council control and ownership. The plans have seen a City of York Council ‘project board’ set-up which is working on how assets could be transferred and how alternative ownership models could work. Despite promising a “full and frank” discussion, the six-week public consultation launched by Labour on the city’s library service, has been criticised as it does not include any questions on future ownership or management changes.

(more…)

Council Officers are processing requests for cold calling controlled zones on Grassholme. Residents need to respond positively to the consultation in order for the zone to be granted.

The Willow tree on Woodthorpe Green has been Crown lifted where it overhung the footpath.

The Grassholme road sign on Moor Lane has been moved across the road to the same side as the junction to avoid the problem of it being obscured by vegetation. The Kinbrace Drive sign on Girvan Close has been replaced.

A request for dropped kerbs to be provided on Moorcroft Rd at the Moor Lane junction has been added to the Council’s list.