John Lewis approach to York Libraries

The Council has now published details of their plan to turn the operation of York’s libraries and archives over to “social enterprise in the form of a community benefit society”. The hand over is likely to start in June 2013.

25th May 11 New Library Square

The change is driven by a wish to cut Council expenditure (library budgets are being cut by £ ¼ million next year) and the service will have an emphasis on the use of “volunteers” to work in the libraries.
By 2010 York libraries were rated amongst the top 10% in the country providing outstanding value for money against a background of major innovation such as the York “Explore” modernisation programme, which almost doubled the numbers visiting libraries in the city.

Over half the population in York uses libraries – the highest rate in the region.

A public consultation exercise found that 81% of respondents wanted to see libraries stay in their current buildings. 72% wanted to keep the opening hours at the current level and 55% wanted more books to be bought.

The report concludes that a “community benefit society” is appropriate to running a libraries and archive service in York.
“This is an industrial and provident society which is regulated by the Financial Services Authority and whose governance is based on the Rules of the society. A key advantage is the ability to give a wide membership, including the community and employees, a stake in the organisation and a say in management and other affairs. Officers have also concluded that obtaining charitable status is essential as it brings a variety of tax relief and other benefits”.

The Council estimates that – if the go ahead is given at a meeting being held on 8th January – setting up costs of over £100,000 will be incurred although this might be deferred by the Cabinet Office.

Although users would be able to become a “member” of the society (for £1) residents would effectively lose any democratic control. Decisions would be made by the Chief Executive and an 11 person “Board”.

So why not?
(more…)

No refuse collections on New Years Day – alternative collection dates

There are NO rubbish or recycling collections on Tuesday 1 January 2013 (New Year’s Day).

The Council have issued a statement saying; “we will be collecting this waste later that week.

If your rubbish or recycling is normally collected on a Tuesday please search here http://tinyurl.com/York-waste-Jan-2012 for your street and check which type(s) of collection you will have and the revised collection date(s)

Streets may appear twice on the list, if collection dates for rubbish and recycling are different, so please check the list carefully

We will make every effort to collect waste on the scheduled day but, due to the amount of rubbish generated at this time of the year, some delays to the schedule may occur

Please make full use of the kerbside recycling service, local bring recycling sites or the recycling facilities at the Household Waste Recycling Centres to prevent unnecessary waste going to landfill

The re-scheduled collection information is also summarised in the table below”.

Area Collection type When we will collect it
Acomb (including Chapelfields) Rubbish Friday 4 January
Askham Bryan Rubbish Friday 4 January
Askham Richard Rubbish Friday 4 January
Dunnington Recycling Wednesday 2 January
Dunnington Rubbish Thursday 3 January
Dunnington – Stamford Bridge Road Recycling Thursday 3 January
Foxwood Recycling Thursday 3 January
Foxwood Rubbish Thursday 3 January
Groves Recycling Friday 4 January
Groves (flats) Rubbish Friday 4 January
Groves Rubbish Thursday 3 and Friday 4 January – check list for your day
Holtby Rubbish Friday 4 January
Holtby Recycling Thursday 3 January
Murton Rubbish Friday 4 January
Murton Recycling Thursday 3 January
Osbaldwick (Beckett Drive, Galligap Lane, Moat Field, Osbaldwick Village, Yew Tree Mews) Rubbish Friday 4 January
Osbaldwick – all other streets Rubbish Wednesday 2 January
Osbaldwick Recycling Wednesday 2 January
Osbaldwick – Derwenthorpe estate only Recycling
Rubbish Friday 4 January
Wednesday 2 January
Tang Hall Rubbish Wednesday 2 January
Woodthorpe Recycling Thursday 3 January
Woodthorpe Rubbish Thursday 3 January

Collections return to normal from Monday 7 January.