Career advice event at racecourse on Tuesday

Steps to Success – start planning your future today

The event supports young people in the city as they consider their options for key stage 4 and post-16 education, training or employment, particularly as all current year 11 pupils now have to remain in training or education until the age of 18.

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Held in the Ebor Stand from 3.30pm until 8.00pm, the event will provide information about the range of education and training opportunities available (including Apprenticeships and other work based training).
Young people will be able to access information from five different information zones at the session; Key Stage 4, Post 16, Progression to Higher Education, Career Pathways and Support Services, as well as the opportunity to hear about the experiences of current learners.

A series of presentations on Options for Key Stage 4 and beyond, Options for post 16 education and training, Apprenticeships and Progression to Higher Education will also run throughout the evening.

City of York Council has worked in partnership with the University of York and York St John University to stage the event, as part of their commitment to widening participation in Higher Education.

For any additional information please contact Beverley Wills, 14-19 Support Adviser, City of York Council, on beverley.wills@york.gov.uk or call 01904 553008.

Street level public service standards – plea to York Council next Thursday.

The York Council at a meeting next week will be asked to jettison its prestige expenditure plans and return to a more sensible economic policy.

Weeds need strimming at end of Ridgeway

Weeds need strimming at end of Ridgeway

A motion being put forward by the Liberal Democrats condemns deteriorating roads, footpaths and increasing litter as well as plans to reduce de icing services in winter.

It says that Labour’s decision to scrap the “York Pride” maintenance programmes means that many areas are now strewn with weeds and detritus.

Carriageway failed in Vesper Drive

Carriageway failed in Vesper Drive

Recent rain highlighted the impact that Labours decision to end the routine cleaning of gullies (road drains) is already having.

Meanwhile a rather disingenuous motion from Labour Cllr Burton, seeks to justify the bill for York staging the start of just one Tour de France stage.

The cost to taxpayers is already in excess of £1.5 million and rising.

The Labour backed motion says that any income to the Council from the event should be allocate to improve basic service standards.

It fails however to say that the income from a few hot dog stands is unlikely to make much difference.

The cost of the repairs back log on the City’s roads and footpaths alone now stands at over £20 million.

The Liberal Democrat motion reads
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Walk to School Week

walking bus 2

Walk to School Week is taking place from 7 -11 October.

27 schools will by vying for the coveted Jack Archer trophy which will be on offer to the school that gets the most pupils walking, cycling and scooting.

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Jack Archer Trophy the council will be matching Age UK’s prize of £200, giving the winning school £400 to spend on sports equipment. The runners up will receive £200 for sports equipment and third place will win hi-viz jackets for their class.

On Wednesday 9 October there will be a bonus prize given to the school with the most people who ride a scooter to school. The prize is a Scooter Pod for the school which is worth £300.

Walking to school has many benefits, helping both the environment and health. Children who walk to school are proven to be more alert in lessons, parents too at work. A 15 minute walk will provide a child with a quarter of the 60 minutes of recommended daily exercise.

To find out more about changing the way you travel in York go to http://www.itravelyork.co.uk/

shop4support York website questioned

Residents accessing a new York web site have questioned the York Councils role in the initiative.

Although available since May, the shop4support site has had little publicity and there is no explanation on the site of the Councils role or the standing of the site.

click to access site

click to access site

It appears to advertise services for disadvantaged people in the City but representatives of some voluntary organisations say they have only just found out about its existence.

It appears that the site is aimed at personal budget holders – residents who have opted to manage their own social care needs from a budget allocated by the local authority. This is a growing number of people in York where the number of direct payment holders has increased from 99 in 2008 to around 300 today. In addition many elderly people also chose now to arrange their own care.

The web page is clearly marked as being a City of York Council supported initiative, but there is no record of the Council having formally discussed its involvement. No Council contact telephone number is advertised on the site. There is no link to the site from the Council’s own web page.

Many of the services offered involve a payment. Although some of the advertisers are voluntary groups, there are others which appear to have a more commercial background.

Elsewhere on the web site, Councils are being offered the chance to get join the network in return for a payment of “from £45,000”.

Questions about the Councils involvement with the web site are likely to be asked at the next Council meeting which is taking place on 10th October.

Social care costs in York click to enlarge

Social care costs in York click to enlarge

York High amongst schools likely to be hit by strike action on Tuesday

Teachers’ unions the NUT and the NASUWT are planning a one-day strike for their members on Tuesday 1 October 2013.

Information about the school closures is detailed below and will be updated regularly. However, if you have any queries, please contact your school directly.

Contact details for schools can be found here.

Click here for up to date list.

click for updated list

click for updated list

Adoption numbers up in York

National data is showing that the number of adoptions in England and Wales increased by almost ten per cent last year compared to 2011.

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Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that there were 5,206 adoptions in 2012 compared to 4,740 in 2011.

The number of children adopted in York has also increased in the same period, with 13 adoptions in 2011/12 and 14 in 2012/13. A total of 20 children are preparing to be placed for adoption during 2013/14, once arrangements with their new families and the courts have been finalised.

The figures from the ONS are made up of adoptions that took place following court orders in England and Wales in 2012 and apply to adoptions by relatives and step-parents as well as adoptions from care. More information is available at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/

For information about how to adopt in York contact the council’s Family Placements Team on 01904 555333 or email adoptionandfostering@york.gov.uk