Free compost giveaway

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 4 March
• Sunday 1 April
• Sunday 6 May
• Sunday 3 June
• 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.

Craig Capper, Harewood Whin Site Manager, Yorwaste, said: “Last year the Giveaways were really successful and residents took around 2,320 tonnes of compost. We hope that this year, we will give away even more.”

For further information residents can visit www.york.gov.uk/waste

Council calls on government to provide powers to manage alcohol pricing


City of York Council has called on the government to provide local authorities with powers to manage discounted alcohol promotions.

Councillor James Alexander, Labour Leader of City of York Council, has written to the Minister of State for crime prevention and antisocial behaviour reduction, Lord Henley, asking him to look at strengthening local authorities’ regulatory powers.

In his letter, Councillor Alexander said: “I have become increasingly aware that there are significant problems in the city’s local night time economy resulting from ‘price wars’ between licensed premises (bars and clubs) offering reduced entrance charges and discounted alcohol prices….the damaging effects of this type of promotion on crime and disorder, public safety, and individual health, and the viability of local businesses is undermined by this irresponsible approach to pricing.

“Our experience in challenging such promotions is that venues in York are using a loophole in the regulations and stating that their alcohol prices are not ‘promotional’ but are a policy of the venue. York is not alone in its struggle to contain the damaging and costly effects of the lack of regulatory control in this area. I urge you to strengthen the powers of the local authority to take prompt action.”

Beckfield Lane recycling centre users backing petition

Former Coucnil Leader Andrew Waller joins Richard Hill in collecting signatures on the petition

About half a dozen residents were outside the Beckfield Lane recycling centre today collecting signatures on the “Save Beckfield Lane Recycling Centre” petition.

Around 100 signatures were collected in the first hour with many users taking forms away to collect more support.

Volunteers are required to help collect signatures at the centre on Sunday. Ring Andrew on 337757 or Reuban on 781589 if you can help or if you would like a poster or car sticker to display.

We the undersigned petition the council to keep open Burnholme Community College

Residents have started an “on line” petition aimed at persuading the Council not to close the Burnholme College.

The petition an be found at https://www.york.gov.uk/Doitonline “Have your say”

The petition reads:

“We the undersigned petition the council to keep open Burnholme Community College”

“Burnholme is a small, caring, supportive school in the heart of the community. It has great GCSE results and a Good OFSTED report. The best Value Add(Student improvement) in the city. The school is willing for anyone to visit to see for themselves”.

Please also complete the online consultation at http://www.york.gov.uk/consultation

This ePetition runs from 02/03/2012 to 12/04/2012.

Sport Relief stars in York www.firstnationhome.com

England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will be represented by teams composed of stars from sport and TV undertaking a 1,000 mile challenge – each team running the final mile through the city of York finishing at the Eye of York for an overnight stay.

As part of Sports Relief 2012, four national teams will start the race simultaneously from their home cities of Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh and London and will head off clockwise around the UK and Ireland via the other four capital cities as they battle to be the First Nation Home.

Participants include top TV presenters and celebrities Gethin Jones, celebrity gardener Diarmuid Gavin, presenters Andrea MacLean, Phil Spencer and Craig Doyle, actress and model Gemma Atkinson, Olympians Sonia O’Sullivan, Iwan Thomas and Chris Boardman, Dame Ellen MacArthur and rugby stars Thom Evans, Josh Lewsey and star of Big Brother, Gareth Thomas. Scotland arrive on 10th, Ireland 13th, Wales 15th and England 16th March. Join the Civic Party and give them a good Yorkshire welcome!

Teams wil be expected to finish at the Eye of York at 6pm (any alterations to times will be posted on www.yorkfestivals.com) on Sat 10, Tues 13, Thurs 15 and Fri 16 March