The government has announced that York will get ultrafast fixed broadband access, and large areas of public wireless connectivity.

They define ultrafast broadband as having a minimum download speed of at least 80Mbps.

The announcement was included in today’s Autumn statement. It is expected to boost business and investor confidence in the City.

(NB. It is not related to the Councils ill judged investment in City centre WiFi access!)

http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/as2012_yorkshire_and_the_humber.htm

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http://tinyurl.com/Tax-threshold-up-for-poorest

Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government have increased the amount of money you can earn tax-free every year. In April it will be raised to £9,440, a total tax cut of £600 a year for more than 20m people.

In 2013, someone working full time on the minimum wage will see their Income Tax bill cut in half compared to what they were paying under Labour.

By April we will have taken more than 2m low-income workers out of paying tax altogether. The MAJORITY will be women.

The Council has decided its policy on the management of tethered horses.

Yesterday it agreed to develop a joint protocol with the Police, RSPCA and landowners and travellers setting out responsibilities of all parties and detailing a course of action to be taken in the following circumstances:

• Where a horse is tethered on a highway verge;

• Where a horse is grazing illegally on CYC land;

• Where a horse is grazing illegally on private land;

• Where a horse is found loose on a public highway.

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The Council plans to introduce a voluntary landlord accreditation scheme shortly.

The suggestion – which has been implemented in other parts of the country – was made several years ago. It is intended to protect landlords, tenants and residents living near privately rented properties.

It arose after complaints about the maintenance arrangements for some properties in the City which were only occupied by students during term time and which could be neglected at other times of the year.

Although voluntary, it is expected that the scheme will prove to be popular with both landlords and potential tenants as it will for the first time document good practice principals.

http://tinyurl.com/York-Landlords

Responsibility for making care grants (basically for furniture) and crisis loans will pass to the York Council in March.

The government is fully funding the change which it is hoped will make the service more sensitive to the needs of those who face a financial crisis.

Around £300,000 a year is made in grants of this type each year in York.

http://tinyurl.com/York-social-fund

The York Council “Cabinet” have agreed a new system of Council Tax benefit which could see some residents paying £5 a week more. There is a wide variance in the extra amounts that people will have to find although pensioners will see no change to their entitlement http://tinyurl.com/York-Tax-losers

Controversially the York Council has once again decided not to accept government subsidies which would have reduced the individual impact that the changes are having. Over £200,000 was made available in transitional grant. The effect of accepting the subsidy would have been to ensure that no one (currently assessed to pay zero) would pay more than 8.5% of their Council Tax liability

It is a similar approach to their refusal of the extra grant that the government have been offering and which would have reduced Council Tax levels by 5% for everyone in the City.

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North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following routes between Wednesday 5 and Tuesday 11 December 2012.

•A64, east-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•The Village, Stockton On Forest, York
•A1036, Malton Road, York
•A1237, Monks Cross, York
•A64, east-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•York Road, Haxby, York (Cycle Shop)
•York Road, Haxby, York
•A1237, Monks Cross, York
•A64, east-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•A64, west-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•Broadway, Fulford, York
•Murton Way, Murton, York
•Fordlands Road, Fulford York
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Officers are warning residents to secure their homes as they begin anti-burglary patrols in the run-up to Christmas.

Officers will be on the look-out for vulnerable properties, including those with unlocked doors, and will leave a calling card if they spot any homes at risk.

Around a third of all burglaries committed in North Yorkshire are carried out at insecure properties where people have left a door or window unlocked.

Officers want to drive home the message that something so simple as locking your door, closing and securing a window – even when you are at home – could help prevent a burglary.

Recent burglaries

York

Overnight on Monday 3 to Tuesday 4 December 2012, three insecure properties were entered in York, with laptops stolen from two student flats in Heworth and jewellery taken from a house in Holgate.

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