An award-winning Global Village Market is set to bring a real international flavour to Parliament Street in York.

Opening on Thursday 6 June, traders from around the world will be resident for four days bringing an array of their regional products for a taste sensation that’s not to be missed.

The Global Village market will be bring a variety of new tastes to the city. Island Spice Grill will showing their skill with spices used to create tasty jerk chicken, veggie wraps and lamb dishes.

Complementing this are Meats of the World will be offering a range of exotic cuts from ostrich, impala, crocodile and wild boar.

Italian traders will be bringing a tempting array of biscotti, cakes and soft nougat while Jimmy Bean will display a wide selection of rich-flavoured coffee beans – ground to your liking – alongside a selection of loose leaf teas.

The traditional German Schwenkgrill will be sizzling tasty Bratwurst sausage alongside Crepes Temptation with their French pancakes, galettes and some tasty Brussels waffles.

(more…)

York will be honouring the UK’s Armed Forces with a city centre event thanks to funding received from the Ministry of Defence Ceremonial Events and Commemorations team.

The City has been awarded a grant of £6,500.

The day will begin with a service for the Ex-Services Association at All Saints, Pavement, which will be followed by a parade from the service along Coney Street, through St Helen’s Square and into Parliament Street.

The activities in Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square will start at 12 noon, and will include a marquee with a variety of entertainment headlined by The Military Wives’ Choir, one of a group of choirs formed by TV’s Gareth Malone; a weapons display; climbing wall; an army field kitchen demonstration; paintballing and a display from Field Hospital Regiment. Residents will also be able to find out more information about the Armed Forces and recruitment whilst enjoying music from the band of the Yorkshire Regiment.

(more…)

Work on constructing the new Park and Ride site near Tesco on Tadcaster Road begins on 22nd May 2013.

The contractor for the works will be Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering Ltd.

A new web site has been made available for residents to follow progress.

Click www.york.gov.uk/askhambar for detailed drawing and latest congestion warnings.

With the Councils still intending to close Lendal Bridge to private vehicles halfway though the construction contract (which also includes works at the A59 junction) we anticipate more late afternoon congestion throughout west York together with similar problems during the day at weekends.

New road layout click to enlarge

Dozens of residents turned up this morning at Acomb Library to protest at Labours building plans for the area.

It was the only opportunity that residents will have to voice their opinions as Ward Committee meetings are being scrapped.

Meanwhile more mis-information is being circulated by vested interests.

One Correspondent claimed in The Press that the campsite on Wetherby Road was for “Travellers” and urged residents to sign a Council web site petition opposing it.

Fortunately, for Wetherby Road residents, there are very clear legal differences between a Showman’s lay over site and a Traveller camp. It will be much easier to demonstrate that there is little need for the former. The Council is likely to readily agree to the “on line” petition’s request not to site a Traveller camp near Knapton…diverting attending away from the real issue, which is the maintenance of the Green Belt designation for all the land on the Rufforth/Knapton plain.

Showman’s site Wetherby Road Knapton

The land here, and the field at Dunnington which is indeed threatened for use as a caravan site for Travellers, was confirmed as being important “Green Belt” land when the Local Plan was agreed in February 2011.

What the landowners are now trying to do is break that Green Belt designation.

They have no interest in providing campsites which offer a low financial return. Once the land is removed from the Green Belt, they will seek residential or retail use for it.

An acre of agricultural land might have a value of £10,000.

If identified for housing development, its value would soar to £1 million or more.

That is the long game that some land owners are playing.

That is one of the reasons why the owners are so keen to develop the land south of Moor Lane near Woodthorpe

By accepting the expression of interest, in providing caravan sites, at face value the Council have been naïve bordering on the gullible.

Ironically they are no closer to solving any perceived lack of traveller’s pitches.

A similar attempt to muddy the water can be found in an article in today’s Yorkshire Post.

(more…)

City of York Council is piloting a project to ensure all children and young people receive a library card so they and their families can enjoy their local libraries and reading.

In York, the Automatic Library Membership Project sends all children who start primary school in September a new library card – which is also a York Card – along with the letter telling parents at which primary school their child has a place. Children who already hold a library card are being asked to use their new card.

As well as being a library card, their free York Card gives free entry to council supported museums and discounted or free entry to a range of leisure facilities in York. The new card features a robot whose design was chosen by children visiting our library reading groups.
(more…)

Thousands of school children in York are set to take part in this year’s National Walk to School event, taking place across the city from next week (20 -24 May).

Organised by the national charity Living Streets the event aims to encourage children and parents to incorporate walking into their daily routine and support them with tips, advice and motivation.

The week-long event is part of the national Walking Month in May, aiming to bring together nearly one million school children, teachers and parents across the country.

Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Living Streets said: “Whether it’s walking all or part of the journey to work, stepping out of the office for a lunchtime walk, or getting off the bus a few stops earlier on your way home, walking is a free and easy way to work more exercise into your daily routine.

“Logging your walks on http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/ during Walk to Work Week is a great way to get started!”

For further information about Walk to Work Week, schools and parents can contact Christine Packer, School Travel Advisor on 01904 551345.

In York, information on sustainable journeys, including an urban walking route planner, is available from http://www.itravelyork.info/

Ipad

Acomb Explore Library Tuesday 21 May 2pm – 4pm

We have a variety of devices for you try – get hands-on experience without any pressure to buy and ask some basic questions to get you started.

We can also offer advice on how to get online if you don’t already use a computer, and explain how to get started with our exciting range of eBooks.

Part of Adult Learning Week 2013.

These are drop-in sessions, no need to book.

Councillor Lynn Jeffries, who resigned from the Labour Party last year, has announced she is joining the Liberal Democrat Group on City of York Council.

Lynn, who currently represents Westfield Ward as an Independent, said she was delighted to join the Lib Dems who were offering the “real alternative to Labour in York”. She resigned from the Labour Group last August saying she was disillusioned with the way they were running the city, opposed their cuts to social care and the lack of genuine consultation, and said that Council Leader James Alexander was more interested in his public profile than representing residents.

Councillor Lynn Jeffries’ commented:

“I have chosen to join the Liberal Democrat Group because I feel they are the real alternative to Labour in York. When Labour closed Beckfield Lane and Burnholme School and when they cut adult social care it was the Lib Dem Group who actually listened to residents and led the opposition. It is also the Lib Dems that are leading the fight against Labour’s plans to rip-up the Green Belt.

“Lib Dem campaigners in Westfield and elsewhere are the ones who are actually working hard for local residents. I feel that joining the Group is the best way for me to represent the people of Westfield and to be able to stand-up for the rights of vulnerable people in York who are suffering the impact of Labour’s cuts.

“I have worked very closely with Keith Aspden on a number of issues and I know he will be an excellent Leader of the Lib Dems.”

Councillor Keith Aspden, who was elected Liberal Democrat Group Leader in York last week, commented:

“I am thrilled that Lynn will be joining the Liberal Democrat Group. She took a brave and principled stand on Labour’s handling of the cuts to social care last year and she has a proven track record as a diligent campaigner on equality issues. She is Chair of York Independent Living Network and her experience and insight on these matters will be invaluable to the Group. We have worked closely with her on many issues in the past few months and she does an excellent job representing Westfield residents. I am looking forward to working with her.”

Lynn will lead on equality issues for the Group and will be nominated to sit on the Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee.

Residents in York can get a fright at York Dungeon, go for a cut price swim at Yearsley or Energise and come face-to-face with Vikings at the Jorvic Centre – all for less with a York Card.

The current York Card is available for renewal at a cost of £3. The card also doubles up as a library card, which allows residents to borrow books, audiobooks, DVDs, CDs, large print books and language courses.

Residents on disability living allowance, carers allowance, housing benefit, council tax support, employment support allowance widowed parents allowance or working tax credit will be able to get the card for free . A letter from the awarding body will be needed.

To apply for a York Card go to any York library. Please bring proof of identity and York residency.

Despite assurances, many residents remain convinced that serviceable office equipment and furniture taken from the old Council offices has been land filled.

A Freedom of Information request has revealed that “Any monies received by the clearance contractors for the sale of goods is offset against the invoiced costs of labour, transport, skip hire, and recycling costs”.

This suggests that there is very little incentive for the contractors to reuse or recycle equipment.

Asked how much (%) of the equipment from the old office premises has been either a) reused, b) sold, c) recycled or d) scrapped? the Council responded with the following information:

“No furniture has been sold directly by the council.

• Hazel Court (Desks, Chairs, Soft furnishing, and Cupboards);

The Council has struggled to convince passers by that equipment apparently dumped into skips outside the St Leonards Place office earlier in the year “was being sorted for recycling”.