City of York Council is calling all children to sign up to this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, which launches at Rowntree Park on 14 July at 2pm.

The library service will be at the park’s 91st birthday party, signing people up to the annual challenge, which this year has the Storylab theme.

The Storylab theme aims to be a celebration of story and the imagination, with all books, including joke books and poetry books, counting as part of the challenge.

The Summer Reading Challenge sets out to challenge children to read up to six books over the summer holidays. For each book read they will receive prizes and incentives, and those who complete the challenge will receive a medal and certificate.

The challenge coincides with the launch of York’s first ever Children’s Book Awards, where children under the age of 14 are being invited to vote for their favourite book of all time, with both ending on 16 September. For ideas on books to read, children can look at the shortlist for the awards.

Children can sign up at any of York’s 14 libraries and Explore Centres or at the launch at Rowntree Park. For more information visit: www.york.gov.uk/leisure/Libraries/

The Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Keith Hyman will take part in the parade and ceremony when 1st Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment exercise their Freedom of Entry to the city on Friday 13 July

The Lord Mayor will welcome the regiment and grant them permission to exercise their right of freedom of entry to the city. He will review the parade with The Sheriff, Councillor Paul Firth.

The Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Keith Hyman said: “I am looking forward to taking part in this parade, and joining residents and tourists in celebrating the service that they provide.”

The regiment will be formed up on Duncombe Place from 11.30am, for the arrival of the civic party, before marching through the city centre on Blake Street, Davygate, Parliament Street, High Ousegate, and Coney Street. The Lord Mayor will then take the salute from the steps of The Mansion House.

Freedom of entry to the city, gives the regiment the right, privilege, honour and distinction to march through the streets on all ceremonial occasions with colours flying, swords drawn and bayonets fixed, drums beating, bugles sounding and bands playing.

Join Harry’s Game author and former TV journalist Gerald Seymour as he chats about his extraordinary life and work at 7pm on Wednesday 18 July at York Explore Library Learning Centre.

Gerald Seymour was a reporter at ITN for fifteen years where his first assignment was covering the Great Train Robbery in 1963. He later moved on to reporting international events in Vietnam, Borneo, Aden, the Munich Olympics, Israel and Northern Ireland.

A full-time writer since 1978, Seymour’s first novel was the acclaimed thriller Harry’s Game, set in Belfast and which became an instant bestseller and later a television series. Six of his thrillers have now been adapted and filmed for television in the UK and United States.

On 18 July, he will be in conversation with Gillian Holmes about his life, his work and his latest novel, The Outsiders, a pacy thriller set in the Costa Del Sol.

Tickets are priced £5 and can be collected from York Explore or ordered on (01904) 552828.

North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Wednesday 11 and Tuesday 17 July 2012.

•A64 Malton by-pass Malton east and west-bound
•A64 Seamer Road, Scarborough
•A64 Between Whitwell Hill and Barton Hill
•A64 Between Barton-le-Willows and Jinnah
•A64 Seamer by-pass Scarborough
•A64 west-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster

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It’s a blooming exciting forecast for York on Wednesday 11 July when the Yorkshire in Bloom Judges arrive to assess the city as part of the RHS Britain in Bloom competition.

Yorkshire in Bloom Judges Chris Beard and David Elcock will tour the city to decide whether York meets the Gold standard in terms of floral displays, green spaces, the look of our local neighbourhoods and street environment as well as levels of community involvement in ongoing plans.

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Force Control Room webchat

North Yorkshire Police is hosting a webchat this week with a focus on the nerve-centre of policing activity in the county – the Force Control Room.

People with an interest in working in the York-based facility are urged to take part in the webchat with Jane Larkin, the Force Control Room Manager, from 6pm to 7pm on Thursday 12 July 2012 – just go to www.northyorkshire.police.uk and send your questions.
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City of York Council’s commitment to lead the way in tackling emissions from road vehicles has taken a step forward with a successful bid to take part in the Energy Saving Trust’s Plugged-in Fleets initiative in partnership with EDF Energy.

City of York Council is one of only three local authorities in the country to be awarded this funding and the only one outside London. The authority has joined 19 other organisations across England in the scheme – which is funded by Transport for London (TfL) and Department for Transport (DfT) – and will receive free guidance on how electric vehicles can add value to its organisation, and a strategic plan for the introduction of the vehicles into their fleet.

Experts from Energy Saving Trust and EDF Energy will analyse the council’s fleet to identify where electric vehicles could best be used and will provide advice on vehicle recharging.

Transport Minister Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) said: “Electric vehicles are an essential part of the low-carbon revolution and I am pleased that we have been able to work with the Energy Saving Trust’s on its new ‘plugged-in’ electric vehicles scheme.

“The number of electric vehicles on the market is growing all the time and fleets are already leading the way with adoption of these new technologies – this scheme will make that easier by giving fleet managers the information they need to pick the right vehicle for their business.”

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Sports Village new swimming pool

York Sports Village will revolutionise sporting facilities in the City, according to the councillor who was responsible for securing the agreement to fund the project.

The £9 million state-of-the-art facility at the University of York’s Heslington East campus, which is due to open next month, will feature an eight-lane swimming pool, a full size 3G Astroturf pitch, three five-a-side pitches, a 100-station computerised fitness suite plus sauna and steam rooms.

Agreement for the Sports Village was secured under the Liberal Democrat administration on City of York Council in 2010 and was originally opposed by Labour Councillors. The Council agreed to contribute £3 million to the project with the University contributing £5 million and the remainder being allocated through sporting grants.

Councillor Nigel Ayre, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Member for Leisure when the Sports Village was agreed, toured the site last week to check on progress. After his visit, he commented:

“Securing funding for new pools and facilities, in the face of opposition from Labour, was one of the finest achievements of last Liberal Democrat administration and will provide a lasting legacy for the residents of York. In 2003 York had 3 crumbling pools with one facing closure, thanks to long-term vision we will now have two brand new pools and over £1 million invested in the other. For the first time ever York will have an 8 lane swimming pool suitable for competition. All of this has been achieved while reducing the annual cost to the council. The Sports Village, along with the new Community Stadium, means that our residents, sport teams and student clubs will now get the world class facilities that they deserve”

With only a few weeks to go before the Leisure village is opened residents can find out more details on their web site. http://www.york-sport.com/york_sport_village.php

City of York Council is wheeling out new, free cycling training sessions for adult beginners.

There will be two levels of training, one for absolute beginners who have never ridden before, and another for people who want to brush up on their cycling skills or gain more confidence.

Training sessions for both abilities will take place on Saturday 14 July for adults, and on Tuesday 17 July, for people over 50. All lessons take place at Rowntree Park, lasting an hour, with a maximum of 10 places per session. (more…)

The Council have received a planning application seeking permission to provide a 415m crushed stone/brick path to create a walkway around Chapmans pond ( Ref No: 12/02340/FUL)

Details can be fond here: http://tinyurl.com/Chapmans-Pond