Extended Criminal Record checks for York Taxi drivers

The Council has decided to amend its policy to allow Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks to be undertaken for hackney carriage and private hire driver licence applicants, and on existing drivers when CRB renewals are undertaken. The current policy is for applicants to undertake a Standard CRB check.

The follows a recent legislative change by the Home Office to permit local authorities to request Enhanced Checks, announced on 29 February 2012 taking effect from 26 March 2012. (The Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) (Amendment) Regulations 2012).

As part of the licensing process Licensing Authorities have to be satisfied the hackney carriage and private hire driver licence applicants are fit and proper persons before issuing a licence. CRB renewals are carried out on existing drivers to satisfy the Licensing Authority that they are still a fit and proper person to hold a driver licence. By law, the Licensing Authority shall not licence a driver unless they are satisfied of this.

A CRB check on a driver is regarded by the Council as an important safety measure for all drivers.

Katy B at Knavesmire to welcome Olympic Flame – 19th June

Stars set to shine at evening celebration to welcome Olympic Flame

Katy B will be lighting up the Coca Cola stage with former Blue Peter presenter Andy Akinwolere at York Racecourse on 19 June as the climax act for the evening celebration of the Olympic Torch coming to York, it has been announced today (3 May 2012).

Besides Katy B who has released a single with Mark Ronson to mark the Olympic celebrations, the party on York’s Knavesmire will also feature a session with local African drumming groups Umbu and Calabash and also the sensational gospel sounds of the University of York’s choir Zamar.

The celebration will be open to all, unticketed and people who want to join the celebration and throw themselves into the sporting spirit are invited to tell City of York Council that they’re coming to the party by simply clicking onto www.york.gov.uk//yorkgold2012 and following the link.

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York people living longer

The York Council are reporting in a “Health and Wellbeing in York: Joint Strategic Needs Assessment” that York residents are living longer.

” City of York Council, the Primary Care Trust and partners have worked together to produce a report to help inform the future direction of health and wellbeing in the city. As part of the government’s far-reaching health reforms, local authorities will take on more responsibility for public health from April 2013.

The report called the Health and Wellbeing in York: Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2012 (JSNA) brings together information on current and future health and wellbeing needs. It builds on two previous reports and will be used to help make decisions regarding future strategies and plans.

There are four main sections: a snapshot of who lives in York, a look at “wellbeing” in its widest sense, lifestyles and a profile of health in the city.

The JSNA report shows that population is projected to continue increasing. The proportion of the population over the age of 65 years is expected to increase dramatically between now and 2029. Life expectancy has been rising; death rates from cancer have been falling and York scores better than the England average for many health indicators. Work in these areas needs to continue to maintain these successes.

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Backlash against green waste collection charges

Councils are facing a backlash from residents over moves to charge for green waste collection.
Over the past year, more and more local authorities have started charging for green waste collections in order to help plug holes in their budgets

In York, Labour have included a cut of £250,000 over the next 2 years in the costs of collecting green waste. The green bins have been popular in York with most residents in sub urban areas routinely using the service.

The cuts could be made either by discontinuing the service all together (and perhaps providing composting bins to residents) or by charging for the bins as Labour & Conservative Councils are doing elsewhere in the Country (see below).

Either way, when added to the rearrangement of collection rounds (different types of waste will in future be collected on different days of the week) and the closure of Household Waste Sites, it means significant change for many York residents.

If the Council are to go ahead with such a proposal then they should be consulting residents now, not leaving it to the last minute as happened with the Beckfield Lane issue.

Residents in Newcastle, Melton in Leicestershire and Bracknell Forest in Berkshire are the latest to come out against the charges, which they claim are equivalent to a stealth tax.

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