Following strong interest from across York, our survey about the popularity of Labours cuts programme is now available “on line”
Click here to take survey

City of York Council has announced today that it will be offering another five apprenticeships.

This comes in addition to the 30 apprenticeships already offered, for which a staggering 200 applications were received, bringing the total number of apprenticeships on offer to 35.

The council is now on the hunt for two road workers and blacksmith (deadlines 8 July), a heating engineer and an electrician (deadlines 15 July) to join their group of apprentices starting in September.

The additional apprenticeships are advertised on the National Apprentice Service (NAS) website, details can be found on www.apprenticeships.org.uk

How much has been spent by your council area on maintaining roads in 2010/11 and 2011/2012 (per financial year)? How much was your budget in 2010/11, 2011/12 and 2012/13 for
maintaining roads per financial year?

Answers
I can confirm that the budget and spend for each of the years are similar:
2010/11 £3,334,200 (LibDem Budget)
2011/12 £3,892,350 (LibDem budget)
2012/13 £2,357,650 (Labour budget)
The figures above include programmed and reactive maintenance,anti-skid and road markings.

Whether your budget for maintaining roads is at an emergency level for 2012 (this financial year)?
No – although our budgets have been reduced, we are able to carry out limited programmed works.

How many claims for compensation were lodged by drivers as aresult of damage to their car due to the poor state of the roads in2010/11 and 2011/12?
2010/11 – 111;
2011/12 – 27

The total cost your council area has paid out to drivers in compensation due to the poor state of the roads in 2010/11 and 2011/12.
2010/11 – £11,607.20;
2011/12 – £0.00

Crime rates: Click to enlarge

With anti social behaviour and vandalism in the Westfield area above the average for the City, residents are calling for a re-think on Council priorities.

The scrapping of the Community Ranger security patrols coupled with cuts to Ward Committees, York Pride, litter bins and other “street level” budgets, have been cited as contributors to the decline in standards.

A few days ago it emerged that local Councillors and officials were no longer routinely liaising with neighbourhood policing teams under the “Capable Guardian“ banner.

A modest grant of £50 to the Community (Neighbourhood) Watch scheme to cover the cost of producing crime advice leaflets – although well supported in a ballot of residents – was also turned down by local Labour Councillors.

York remains a Safe City. It has a good Police Force with low crime rates compared to many other parts of the country.

………….But it won’t remain that way without a proactive and coordinated approach from all sections of the community.