Job vacancies with the Police in York

Force Control Room webchat

North Yorkshire Police is hosting a webchat this week with a focus on the nerve-centre of policing activity in the county – the Force Control Room.

People with an interest in working in the York-based facility are urged to take part in the webchat with Jane Larkin, the Force Control Room Manager, from 6pm to 7pm on Thursday 12 July 2012 – just go to www.northyorkshire.police.uk and send your questions.
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Electric vehicle boost for York

City of York Council’s commitment to lead the way in tackling emissions from road vehicles has taken a step forward with a successful bid to take part in the Energy Saving Trust’s Plugged-in Fleets initiative in partnership with EDF Energy.

City of York Council is one of only three local authorities in the country to be awarded this funding and the only one outside London. The authority has joined 19 other organisations across England in the scheme – which is funded by Transport for London (TfL) and Department for Transport (DfT) – and will receive free guidance on how electric vehicles can add value to its organisation, and a strategic plan for the introduction of the vehicles into their fleet.

Experts from Energy Saving Trust and EDF Energy will analyse the council’s fleet to identify where electric vehicles could best be used and will provide advice on vehicle recharging.

Transport Minister Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) said: “Electric vehicles are an essential part of the low-carbon revolution and I am pleased that we have been able to work with the Energy Saving Trust’s on its new ‘plugged-in’ electric vehicles scheme.

“The number of electric vehicles on the market is growing all the time and fleets are already leading the way with adoption of these new technologies – this scheme will make that easier by giving fleet managers the information they need to pick the right vehicle for their business.”

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New Sports Village almost ready for opening

Sports Village new swimming pool

York Sports Village will revolutionise sporting facilities in the City, according to the councillor who was responsible for securing the agreement to fund the project.

The £9 million state-of-the-art facility at the University of York’s Heslington East campus, which is due to open next month, will feature an eight-lane swimming pool, a full size 3G Astroturf pitch, three five-a-side pitches, a 100-station computerised fitness suite plus sauna and steam rooms.

Agreement for the Sports Village was secured under the Liberal Democrat administration on City of York Council in 2010 and was originally opposed by Labour Councillors. The Council agreed to contribute £3 million to the project with the University contributing £5 million and the remainder being allocated through sporting grants.

Councillor Nigel Ayre, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Member for Leisure when the Sports Village was agreed, toured the site last week to check on progress. After his visit, he commented:

“Securing funding for new pools and facilities, in the face of opposition from Labour, was one of the finest achievements of last Liberal Democrat administration and will provide a lasting legacy for the residents of York. In 2003 York had 3 crumbling pools with one facing closure, thanks to long-term vision we will now have two brand new pools and over £1 million invested in the other. For the first time ever York will have an 8 lane swimming pool suitable for competition. All of this has been achieved while reducing the annual cost to the council. The Sports Village, along with the new Community Stadium, means that our residents, sport teams and student clubs will now get the world class facilities that they deserve”

With only a few weeks to go before the Leisure village is opened residents can find out more details on their web site. http://www.york-sport.com/york_sport_village.php

Cycling offer

City of York Council is wheeling out new, free cycling training sessions for adult beginners.

There will be two levels of training, one for absolute beginners who have never ridden before, and another for people who want to brush up on their cycling skills or gain more confidence.

Training sessions for both abilities will take place on Saturday 14 July for adults, and on Tuesday 17 July, for people over 50. All lessons take place at Rowntree Park, lasting an hour, with a maximum of 10 places per session. (more…)

Big increase in road deaths in York

Accident figures from the Department of Transport

The number of people killed on York’s roads almost doubled last year.

The figures have been released by the Department of Transport (http://tinyurl.com/Road-accidents) and show that there were 7 fatalities on York’s roads in 2011 compared to only 4 in 2010.

The overall number of killed and seriously injured (KSI) shows a small increase although the total number of injury accidents (including “slight”) did reduce from 559 to 552.

Surprisingly the York Council has so far failed to debate the new figures which suggest that a fresh initiative is required if the downward trend in accident numbers (KSI stood at 160 in 2006) is to be sustained.

There is no item in the Council forward programme which would allow the issue to be debated during the next 4 months.

The DpT report also makes gloomy reading for those who believe that 20 mph speed limits may be the solution to the problem. The biggest increase in accident numbers nationally occurred in 20 mph zones where there were 25% more accidents than in 2010.

All other built up areas – with speed limits of 30 and 40 mph – showed a small fall in accident rates.

Free compost on Sunday 9.30am until 2.30pm Harewood Whin

City of York Council and Yorwaste have teamed up to give local residents free compost this spring and summer.

Green fingered gardeners will be able to collect their free compost from Yorwaste’s Harewood Whin site, on Tinker Lane, off Wetherby Road on:
• Sunday 8 July
• Sunday 5 August
• Sunday 2 September
• Sunday 7 October

The compost will be available from 9.30am until 2.30pm each day and residents are asked to bring a shovel and bags or containers to take the compost home in.

York 800: Some things never change?

In 1200, King John became involved in a long-drawn out war with France. This war was expensive and John was forced to introduce new taxes to pay for his army. This created a great deal of resentment in England, and John’s position was not helped when, in 1205, the king’s army lost control of Normandy, Brittany, Anjou and Maine.

Today we face a referendum on our continued participation in the EU.

In 1215, King John made another desperate attempt to gain control of his lost territory in France. Once again he was defeated and was forced to pay £40,000 to obtain a truce. When John tried to obtain this money by imposing yet another tax, the barons rebelled.

Today we complain about a North South divide in the way that our taxes are spent.

The king was obliged to sign a Magna Carta. In this charter the king made a long list of promises, including no new taxes without the support of his barons, a reduction in the power of his sheriffs and the right of a fair trial for all freemen.

Today everyone enjoys the right to a fair trial (other, possibly , than bankers, politicians and failed football club managers).

It was King John himself who gave York the chance of self-government. The disastrous and expensive military campaigns left him sorely in need of funds, and one way to raise them was to allow a town’s citizens to buy the right to rule themselves. York’s charter came in 1212, when King John allowed York’s citizens, rather than the Sheriff, to collect and pay the annual tax to the Crown, to hold their own courts and to appoint a mayor.

From then on, until local government reorganisation in 1974, York was a self-governing city under its own mayors.

In 1996 it threw off he yoke of Northallerton and once again became a prosperous and independent City.