York’s Paralympic Lantern will follow the route of the main flame when it takes a turn at York Racecourse’s winners’ enclosure on the closing day of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival, Saturday 25 August.

It will be in the hands of one of York’s inspirational para-athletes. No stranger to the winner’s podium, the Lantern’s bearer will be Sianagh Gallagher, a 15-year-old gold medal winning paraclimber from York.

The Olympic Torch itself was a visitor to the Racecourse back in June when it was carried the final furlong of the day on horseback by former Olympic show jumper Harvey Smith. (more…)

Ben Fogle

Join celebrity Ben Fogle in York as he talks about his inspiring new book the ‘Accidental Naturalist’.

Explore York, Wednesday September 5 12.30pm.

Ben Fogle is a TV presenter, a writer and an adventurer. Since he first came to fame as part of the BBC Millennium project Castaway he has rarely stood still. He has raced across the Sahara, rowed across the Atlantic and crossed Antartica in a foot race to the South Pole. He has also presented several TV programmes including Animal Park, Countryfile and Crufts as well as making documentaries on Captain Scott, crocodiles and much more. Ben is an ambassador for WWF, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and supports many charities including Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and Tusk.

Ben’s new book is the ‘Accidental Naturalist’ which tells the extraordinary true stories of Ben’s amazing encounters with animals and how they changed his life.

Tickets cost £5 (including a glass of wine) and are available from Explore York on 01904 552828 or exploreyork@york.gov.uk, or call into your local library.

The police have today launched a campaign to promote better understanding of what to do if someone is suspected of having taken a drugs overdose.

Across North Yorkshire and York emergency health services will respond to drug overdose calls for help without routinely notifying the police.

A campaign is being launched between 20 August and 24 August 2012 to raise awareness of the agreed procedure.

The campaign is being led by local Substance Misuse Partnerships and North Yorkshire Police, and includes support from a number of other local organisations, including NHS North Yorkshire and York, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Local Authorities and drug treatment services. (more…)

Traditional jewellery stolen from York woman

York police are appealing for witnesses after a woman had a large amount of jewellery stolen while shopping in the city centre.

The 41-year-old victim, who had just moved to the UK from Brunei, had the items in a black box in her handbag as she shopped on Thursday 2 August 2012.

At some point during the day the jewellery was stolen from her handbag which was hanging from the handle of her child’s pushchair.

The jewellery, which consists of traditional items from Brunei and Nepal, is quite unusual and is valued at between £4000 and £5000. (more…)

The York Council has today announced a report on its work in safeguarding children.

” The role of Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) is to ensure all agencies work effectively together to safeguard children. LSCB’s are required by the Government to produce an Annual Report to report on key issues relating to safeguarding children in their area. (more…)

3 planning applications affecting Dringhouses area have recently been received by the Council. They are:

• Erection of brick wall and fence to rear boundary, Aintree Court York YO24 1EW Ref No: 12/02501/FUL

• Display of 6 no non illuminated entrance and directional signs Tesco Supermarket Askham Bar Tadcaster Road Dringhouses York Ref No: 12/02549/ADV

• Variation of condition 2 of approved application 07/00752/REMM to alter car parking layout for the Phase 1 apartments to provide 5 additional spaces Masters Mews College Court Dringhouses York Ref No: 12/02654/FULM

Details of all planning applications can be viewed on the following web site. http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/

Elsewhere, an application for the Locomotive Inn site in Watson Street (12/02647/FUL) may be a sign of the times. The developers are asking for the removal of a condition requiring the new homes, to be built on the site, to comply with Level 3 of the code for Sustainable Homes. Level 3 is a relatively low set of parameters covering energy and water use as well as the provision of adequate waste storage facilities, surface water drainage provision etc. It would be a shame if a lack of legal backing resulted in new homes being compromised on standards like these. Copies of the code can be found here: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/code_for_sust_homes.pdf

“York Rural West Villages are being targeted for 2 in 1 Burglaries where thieves break into your home, take your keys and steal your car.

Please lock your car, secure your home and hide your keys”.

Elsewhere the CCTV camera coverage in Wains Grove will continue for a further year. The tenants association have agreed to sponsor the camera subscription. It’s future had been under threat following the budget cuts introduced by the Labour Council.

There were 237 children in local authority care of City of York Council of whom 180 were placed with foster carers on 31 March 2012.

Of the 237 children in care on that date, 22 children have returned to live with their birth families.

click to enlarge - latest anti social behaviour figures

Last year there were 12,550 complaints about anti social behaviour in York. Although the numbers are slightly down this year, it remains the single greatest cause of concern for many York residents.
It is surprising therefore that, according to the latest published figures, the York Council has not applied for any Anti –Social Behaviour Orders since 2008.

We understand that the police have sought some CRASBOs (see below for definition), while the use of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABC’s) has also we understand reduced.

Having controversially appointed an additional “Cabinet” member, at a cost of around £15.000 a year, to supervise crime fighting in York, it seems surprising that we have seen no reports on the use of options like these to ease public concerns about anti social behaviour in the City.
(more…)

In response to a freedom of information request the Council has revealed that the value of its property portfolio totals £591,959,577 or about £7000 for each York Council taxpayer.

The value of property currently not in use –and in most cases awaiting disposal – is £9.1m.

Of the £592m about £260m represents the value of the Council Housing stock.

The 10 highest value Council houses range from £250,000 to £400,000. They are currently let at a rental of between £93 and £114 a week.