Investing in York’s future and a UK first for unearthing York’s past

One of the largest single investments in York’s transport infrastructure has taken a major step forward this week, and for the first time in the UK residents are invited to join archaeologists to unearth any secrets that one of the sites may hold.

A selected list of contractors have been asked to provide their best value offer to construct the £21.9m Access York (Phase 1) scheme which will help deliver the enhanced Park & Ride service for the city.

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Following receipt of the tenders in December and an evaluation by the council final approval for the scheme will be sought from the Department of Transport (DfT) in early 2013. The new sites should be open by April 2014.

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TWO hundred of York’s young music pupils will get the chance to hear the masters at York Guildhall Orchestra’s York 800 concert at the Barbican this Saturday 20 October – free of charge!

York Guildhall Orchestra had donated 200 tickets to City of York Council for the special York 800 event which will feature a specially composed piece entitled ‘Fanfare For York’ by local composer Dick Blackford.

The 200 tickets are being offered to young people taking music and performing arts sessions with the authority. Classical orchestral concerts can be expensive and inaccessible to young people and it is hoped the free tickets will encourage a new generation of classical music enthusiasts in the city and help them towards attaining their Arts Awards.

The Orchestra has a long association with the city and the concert on Saturday will celebrate its connections with music, composers and performers all based in the York area. More information is available at www.yorkguildhallorchestra.com

Latest government figures show that crime in North Yorkshire and the City of York has been reduced by 10% – with 4,334 fewer victims – in the past year.

Public confidence in North Yorkshire Police and local authorities’ ability to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour has also risen markedly.

Released today (Thursday 18 October 2012) by the Office of National Statistics, the Crime Statistics in England and Wales for the 12 month period up to June 2012, outline the following results for the North Yorkshire Police area:

•Overall crime reduced by 10% with a total of 37,287 crimes – this equates to 4,334 fewer victims of crime in comparison to the same period last year.

•Violence against the person reduced by 12% – total 7,042 – 945 fewer victims

•Sexual offences reduced by 12% – total 529 – 53 fewer victims

•Robbery reduced by 27% – total 152 – 48 fewer victims

•Burglary reduced by 12% – total 4,787 – 673 fewer victims

•Offences against vehicles reduced by 3% – total 3,251 – 22 fewer victims

•Other theft offences reduced by 11% – total 11,305 – 1,508 fewer victims

•Criminal damage reduced by 12% – total 6,542 – 900 fewer victims

•Other offences reduced by 12% – total 499 -113 fewer victims

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Meanwhile according to The Press a Labour Councillor has said that many salt bins were not used last year.

Maybe so, given that we had a mild winter, but memories are short.

The City virtually came to a halt as recently as January 2010 when many salt bins were emptied as soon as they could be filled.

Christmas 2009

Some even became inaccessible for several days because of the depth of the snow and ice.

Big freeze 2010

Meanwhile the furore over abandoned salt bins has forced a Labour Councillor to promise “a decision will be taken quickly to ensure residents’ safety is given top priority, with action taken on the ground by the time sustained and heavy snowfall arrives”.

Ridiculous, of course, given that many of the bins are now damaged and freezing rain is often the main cause of icy paths.

Acomb Explore Library

The Council are consulting on the future of York’s Libraries. It seems that they may be taken out of direct council control possibly using a similar model to those employed when the Museums and Theatre Royal became independent in the past.

There is bound to be anxiety about the future of a service which has gone from strength to strength over recent years. User numbers have increased in the wake of the “Explore” library modernisation programme.

It would be wrong to put that progress at risk.

York Libraries are one of the few Council services to actually publish performance statistics on their web site. As such they already set a benchmark for others to seek to emulate.

There is a feeling in some quarters that the Council just want to reduce expenditure on this service. For example, short term library closures – because of “staffing issues” – have been introduced this week.

Residents can respond to the Councils consultation at the following web site http://www.york.gov.uk/leisure/Libraries/whatson/consultation/

NB. There is a Craft Fayre at the York Explore Library on Saturday 17th November. Contact them if you want a stall.

Around fifty members of the Special Constabulary worked alongside their regular colleagues in a variety of roles, providing an additional 320 hours of policing.

The Special Constables made five arrests, carried out a range of duties which included foot patrol in the city centre, checks on licensed premises, taking witness statements, searching suspects and carrying out road traffic enforcement patrols.

A highlight of the weekend was when a special constable and traffic officer assisted a new mum after she delivered a baby. SC Chris Hartley and TC Alison Travis were on duty on Fulford Road when a man taking his wife, who was already in labour, to hospital asked for help. They escorted the couple through traffic. However, the mother gave birth in the car as they travelled across the city. Following the birth the officers made sure that both mother and child were safe and well before closing a stretch of the road to give them some privacy when the ambulance arrived.

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The Council Leader has apparently!”Tweeted” to say that last year he paid more tax than Starbucks.

3. He hasn’t yet signed this petition http://www.fairertax.org/starbucks

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See for more details of the Fairer taxes campaign go to http://www.fairertax.org

North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Wednesday 17 October and Tuesday 23 October 2012.

•A64 Malton by-pass Malton east and west-bound
•A64 Seamer by-pass Scarborough
•A64 Seamer Road, Scarborough
•A64 Between Whitwell Hill and Barton Hill
•A64 Between Barton-le-Willows and Jinnah
•A64 Between Barton Hill and Whitwell Hill
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The government has launched a new web based system which allows residents to track the number of crimes committed in their street and neighbourhood. The site allows residents who input a postcode to see at street level how many incidents had been reported.

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The site can be accessed by clicking here police.uk

The site tells us something about the crime trends in the Dringhouses area. Taking the neighbourhood within 1 mile of Dringhouses School as an example.

In August (the most recent stats available) 220 incidents were reported. Of these the vast majority were anti social behaviour (106 incidents) followed by violent crime (28) criminal damage (24) and other theft (20). Moor Lane was one problem area.

In July the equivalent figures had been 197 total incidents of which 102 were complaints about anti social behaviour, 29 about violent crime and 18 about criminal damage. Chaloner’s Crescent was the most frequently reported location.

The site also tells us what the outcome was of the police intervention.

In August 29 suspects were charged with offences. In 1 case an offender had been sent to prison.

All in all this is a welcome initiative and one that will improve transparency for residents. It has been welcomed by North Yorkshire Police http://t.co/928vdo4I

It is an approach which contrasts sharply with the attitude of the City of York Council which point blank refuses to provide taxpayers with information which they may find useful (such as bus service reliability data) but which may cast the local authority in a poor light.

Love your cat

Join volunteers from the Cat’s Protection League and York Libraries for a fun, interactive session to learn all about looking after a cat. Find out what a cat needs to be happy and healthy and how you can take care of it. You don’t need to own a cat to come along as everyone is welcome.

Get busy in libraries during the half term holidays

We won’t have any cats at the session so there is no need to worry about allergies.

Everyone who comes will get a free goody bag to take home.

This event is for 5 – 11 year olds. Places are limited so ask for your free tickets for these sessions from the Library holding the event.

Explore Acomb Library Learning Centre: Saturday 27th October
10.30 am – 11.30 am
Tel 01904 552651 E mail. Acomb.library@york.gov.uk

Get Buzzing.

Join author Anneliese Emmans Dean and York Libraries for a session that is all about bugs, bees and all things wriggly. Anneliese is the author of Buzzing, a book combining fascinating information on a variety of insects and poems. This session is for 7 – 12 year olds. Free tickets are available from Haxby Library.

Haxby Library, Thursday 1st November
10.30 a.m – 11.30 a.m.
Tel. 01904 552660, Email Haxby.library@york.gov.uk