More apprentices sought in York

City of York Council is making a final call out to creative and cultural businesses who would like to access funding to create Apprenticeships and paid internships.

City of York Council will be applying for the Creative Employment Programme funding in August on behalf on a consortium of creative and cultural organisations in York and the surrounding area.

This is a £15m fund from Arts Council England, which is administered by Creative & Cultural Skills and designed to support the creation of traineeships, Apprenticeships and paid internship opportunities for young people aged 16-24. The programme provides part-wage grants to put towards the costs of a new apprentice or paid intern.

This can cover wage subsidies of between £1500 – £3000 for entry level roles in music, dance, theatre, literature, visual arts, contemporary craft, combined arts, galleries, circus, carnival arts, museums and libraries. This includes all sizes and types of employers, supporting technical and sector specific roles as well as support roles in areas such as marketing, business administration, finance and HR.

The consortium currently consists of 17 employers including libraries, galleries, theatre groups, museums and festivals who are looking to create around 20 internships and Apprenticeships for young people wanting to get into the creative and cultural sector. Any other businesses who would like to be involved should get in contact by Thursday 24 July, however, there may be the option to be part of the consortium at a later date if an interest has been expressed.

Those who wish to find out more can contact Julia Massey on 07769640241 or by email julia.massey@york.gov.uk.

House sales increasing in west York

Following the national pattern house sales have increased on the Acomb side of the City during the last 3 months. Sales have included:

Address Sold price Sold date Type
2, Beechwood Glade, YO24 3JT £245,000 21 May 2014 4 bed detached
19, Beagle Ridge Drive, YO24 3JH £179,500 25 Apr 2014 3 bed semi-D
2, Willoughby Way, YO24 3NS £160,000 25 Apr 2014 3 bed semi-D
119, Foxwood Lane, YO24 3LQ £173,000 04 Apr 2014 3 bed semi-D
42, The Reeves, YO24 3ES £135,000 30 Apr 2014 2 bed semi-D
13, The Reeves, YO24 3ES £125,000 02 May 2014 2 bed semi-D
8, Huntsmans Walk, YO24 3LE £160,000 15 May 2014 2 bed semi-D
170, St Stephens Road, YO24 3EF £160,000 14 Apr 2014 5 bed semi-D
27, Troutbeck, YO24 2RE £135,000 06 May 2014 2 bed semi-D
12 Ascot Court, Gale Lane, YO24 3AE £113,500 31 Mar 2014 1 bed flat

Property for sale The list below shows some of the properties for sale

Salmond Road £189,950 3 bed Terrace
Tedder Road £175,000 3 bed Semi-D
Tedder Road £159,950 2 bed Semi-D
Lydham Court £105,000 1 bed Terrace

 

Property for rent The list below shows properties for rent

Moor Lane £1,295 4 bed Detached
Dijon Avenue £400
Gladstone Street £650 2 bed
St Pauls Mews £725 2 bed Terrace

Chain-free sales Below are properties nearby that are available ‘chain free’. These include properties where the seller is not buying a new home or has already moved out and could also include repossessions.

Tedder Road, Acomb, York, YO24 £175,000 3 bed Semi-D
Lydham Court, Acomb, York £105,000 1 bed Terrace
Alness Drive, Woodthorpe, York £299,950 4 bed Detached
Lerecroft Road, York £165,000 2 bed Semi-D

Discounted sales Are you interested in snapping up a bargain? Below are properties for sale where the asking prices have been reduced

St Stephens Road £100,000 -13% 2 bed Flat
Collingwood Avenue £215,000 -6% 4 bed Semi-D
Farndale Street £200,000 -4% 3 bed Terrace
Highcliffe Court £150,000 -6% 2 bed Semi-D

Information from Mouseprice

 

 

 

Big Community Challenge may renovate Foxwood Park

A large number of volunteers are likely to descend on Foxwood in the autumn.

Their aim will be to complete the renovation of the Foxwood Park and regenerate the area to the rear of the Foxwood Community Centre.

Community centre playground

Community centre playground


The volunteers will be part of the “Big Community Challenge” team which has been set up by York Cares. Click here for more information.

Currently a survey is being conducted aimed at finding out residents priorities for the area. In particular residents are being asked whether a small part of the Foxwood Park should become a dog walking area (with dogs banned from the rest of the park).

There is also a suggestion that the, little used, playground to the rear of the community centre should be converted into a garden and/or allotments. The playground has to be maintained by volunteers and is currently only open when an event is taking place at the Centre.

The Centre itself is under some financial pressure because of Council cuts but is confident that the “make over” will help to encourage more volunteers to support the facilities

Details of the Centres activities can be found by clicking

Tenant satisfaction with Council estates in York tumbles

Dog fouling, lack of parking, rubbish and litter top concerns

Most York Council tenants continue to be satisfied with the quality of their home and the repairs and maintenance service.

Estates increasingly neglected

Estates increasingly neglected

However many remain dissatisfied with the opportunities available to influence management decisions.

And only 44% were satisfied with the final outcome of complaints that they had made.

However, the most significant result to be revealed, by the Councils annual survey of tenant’s views, comes on satisfaction levels with conditions on local estates.

The satisfaction level is down by 5%.

This comes as little surprise with many estates beginning to look neglected.

Weed growth, potholed bitmac, damaged verges and neglected communal areas all add up to an increasingly depressing environment.

The report on the survey results was taken to another behind closed doors meeting last week.
Behind closed doors logo

The report candidly admits,

“Customers have delivered a clear message that their estate services require attention. As well as a decrease in those very satisfied or fairly satisfied, there has a 5% increase in those very dissatisfied or fairly dissatisfied (10% 2012: 15% 2013)”.

The Labour Councillor with responsibility for Housing (Simpson Laing) failed to order any action which might stop the decline.

Tenant satisfaction results click to enlarge

Tenant satisfaction results click to enlarge

 

 

York cycle rides announced

If the Tour has inspired you to dust off your bike and go for a ride British Cycling is running a series of free bike rides to get you pedalling this summer.

Sky ride

This summer is all about cycling, as the Tour de France came to York, and yellow fever has well and truly griped Yorkshire.

There are rides for everyone with three different levels on offer – you certainly don’t need to be a pro rider to take part! There’s something for everyone – whether you’re building your confidence or looking to stretch your legs on a cycling challenge.
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Labour unite behind Cabinet flops

……as Labour vote down Acomb regeneration proposal

Labour managed to get enough of their members into the Council chamber tonight to avoid the ignominy of having two Council members sacked from their Cabinet positions.

Cllrs Alexander and Merrett had been widely blamed for the failure of the Lendal Bridge trial with the latter having promised to resign if the Councils action had been proven to be unlawful.

Opposition members pointed out that the withdrawal of the Councils appeal against the traffic adjudicators judgement was an admission of guilt.

Labour were however forced to admit that no decision on refunding fines had actually been taken and their spokesman would only say that a meeting to discuss the proposals would take place “shortly”.

Both the responsible Council member (Levene) in a TV interview, and an official Council Press release issued on Tuesday, had claimed that the “Council had decided to refund the Lendal Bridge fines”.

Both those claims have now been proved to be untrue.

Cllr Levene also said that he didn’t know how much it would cost to refund the Lendal Bridge fines.

Labour went on to vote down proposals to introduce an ambitious regeneration programme for the Acomb Front Street area.

LibDems aim to change spare room subsidy/bedroom tax benefit rules

In line with representations made by many in York, the government is being asked to change the rules on housing benefit.Empty bedroom

The proposed change would mean that tenants in existing social housing – who are under-occupying – would only lose entitlement to benefit if they had been offered smaller accommodation and turned it down.

In many areas a lack of 1 bedroomed properties is preventing people for downsizing (around 1000 single people are registered on the housing waiting/transfer list in York)

The party’s statement reads

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