An anthology detailing York in poetry, artwork and photographs will be published this week as part of the latest chapter of York 800 and York Stories 2012.

‘York: in poetry, artwork and photographs’ will include original artwork and historic photographs from the York City Archives, as well as a selection of poems about the city edited by John Coopey and Sally Guthrie.

The anthology includes the poem composed on twitter by a relay of 20 poets stationed along the route of the Olympic Torch relay in June this year, and features the work of the council’s Poet in Residence, York writer Oz Hardwick whose poem “Relay’ was inspired by the journey of the Olympic Torch as it steamed out of the city aboard the Scots Guardsman locomotive. (more…)

LoveWhereYou LiveYork – Litter Awareness Day

Just a couple fo months after removing over 33% of York’s litter bins the Council have issued this media release:

“On Wednesday 12 September, City of York Council will be asking residents and tourists alike to think about how they dispose of litter and be part of the Love Where You Live York campaign and Smarter York through its annual litter awareness day.

During the day, the council will operate an amnesty on Fixed Penalty Notices for littering to highlight the matter, while members of the council’s Street Environment Team will be in Parliament Street, spreading the message that dropping litter can seriously damage your wealth – with a £75 fine – as well as spoiling the environment in which we live. (more…)

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The Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust has issued a warning notice (see right) about safety issues at its newly refurbished playground on Sherringham Drive.

The playground is not ready for use yet but children have been climbing the 2 metre high railings to gain access.

The playground will be opened later in the autumn.

City of York Council is offering residents an opportunity to take part in an archaeological dig on the site of York’s newest Park & Ride.

Part of the Planning Approval for the construction of the proposed Park & Ride facility off the A59, was that the land should be assessed in detail to understand its archaeological significance.

So, from Monday 24 September experienced and novice community archaeologists will be able to work alongside professionals on the site of Poppleton Bar adjacent to the A59 and Northfields Lane.. (more…)

York Guildhall

Launch of international design competition to influence the future of York’s historic Guildhall and riverside

The Council have provided more details of the “design competition” that they hope will determine the future of the Guildhall when administrative staff leave the building early next year. In a press release they say,

“City of York Council will be launching a competition tomorrow (Tuesday 11 September) seeking nationally and internationally renowned architects to submit their design proposals which clearly demonstrate potential future uses for York’s historic Guildhall and riverside complex.

Registered architects are invited to develop their ideas for the Guildhall, the associated office accommodation, river frontage and boat yard, as part of an ‘Open Ideas’ competition, run by The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Entries will be sought from architects putting forward innovative ideas on how the potential of the Guildhall site and riverside could be maximised for the benefit of the city and its residents”.

Labour’s plan has been criticised for failing to guarantee the buildings future as the civic hub of the City and for glossing over the costs of, and timescales involved in undertaking, a major remodelling project. The concern is that the building – will be empty for a long period of time and will become a blot on the streetscape of a very sensitive part of the City Centre.

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It has now been confirmed by the Council that the Landfill Tax penalties, that will have to be made by Council Taxpayers, are set to increase by nearly £400,000 this year.

More commercial waste is going to landfill and the amount that residents are composting was down in the early part of the year.

The closure of the Beckfield Lane recycling centre in April will save the Council only £40,000 a year (10% of the extra Landfill Tax bill that we now face).

The Council have confirmed that Labour’s Green Bin Tax plan will not be published for consultation until 2013. Instead there will be “a review into working patterns and shifts as well as a move away from same day collections for refuse and recycling”.

Labour have also threatened to privatise the waste collection service next year.

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Residents are working on an ambitious project to establish more bird boxes in the area.

They’ll be welcoming the Lord Mayor to an event which has been scheduled to take place at the Foxwood Community Centre on Wednesday 31st October.

All are welcome

After running for a year, the online service to bid for homes for social rent across North Yorkshire is launching a consultation on Monday 10 September on what should be reviewed and considered in the policy.

Called the North Yorkshire Home Choice Sub Regional Partnership, the scheme allows eligible people who are on council waiting lists, to join a register and bid for council and partner housing association homes across the region at www.northyorkshirehomechoice.org.uk (more…)

City of York Council has teamed up with Sport England and Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) to offer free business support and advice for local Sport and Activity clubs at the Just 30 Fair.

The Club Leaders Learning Bus will be parked at Rowntree Park on Saturday 15 September from 12 noon until 5pm, as part of the Fair’s sport and activity celebrations. The bus is a great opportunity for club leaders to hop aboard, talk to Sport England and business experts PwC, to get free advice on how to manage and develop their organisation. (more…)

Confusion surrounds Labour’s plans to scrap free garden waste collections after a proposed consultation on the changes was delayed.

In July Liberal Democrats revealed that Labour run City of York Council was considering introducing a “subscription-based service” and seasonal garden waste collections in a bid to make budget savings. Under Labour’s timetable consultation with residents was due to take place in August with a decision being taken by the Cabinet Member in September. However, just days after the plans were revealed Cllr Sandy Fraser, then Cabinet Member for Environment Services, resigned and so far no consultation on green bins has happened.

Fresh doubts about the plans emerged last week after it was revealed that the Council missed recycling targets for the April to June period, and the percentage of waste sent to landfill sites was higher than anticipated leading to additional landfill tax for the authority. In April Labour controversially closed the Beckfield Lane Household Waste and Recycling Centre.

Councillor Ann Reid, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environmental Services, commented:

“There appears to be increasing confusion over the plans. Proposed savings in the department were agreed by Labour in February, but no precise details were given. In July plans to reduce or charge for the garden waste service began to emerge and a consultation timetable was agreed. Then the Cabinet Member resigned and now the timetable has been scrapped. It is a mess.

“Labour did not consider how unpopular the plans would be or that any budget savings achieved could be cancelled out by a fall in recycling rates, an increase in waste being landfilled, and an ensuing rise in the landfill tax the Council pays. Recycling and landfill targets are already being missed after the closure of Beckfield Lane and the Council is paying more landfill tax because of this. Ending free green bin collections will only compound the problem.

“It appears that officers need extra time to find solutions to get Labour out of this financial and public relations hole.”