Changes to waste and recycling services this Spring… On line “save our bins” petition suspended during April

The petition opposing the introduction of a £35 green bin emptying tax – and opposing any move to 3 or 4 weekly emptying frequencies – has gathered hundreds of signatures on the doorstep in west York.

The on-line version will be available on the Council’s web site until 30th March and will then be suspended during the Council election run up.

click to download

click to download

 

However it will be available again from 8th May. Residents can sign it by clicking here

Meanwhile the City of York Council is reminding residents of a number of changes to the waste and recycling service this Spring.

These include:

  • A reminder that this year’s garden waste collections start from Monday (March 30):
    Residents can look up collections or download a 2015 rubbish and recycling calendar at www.york.gov.uk/refuselookup
  • Residents are asked to ensure their bins are presented by 7am on the day of their collection, but no earlier than 7pm the evening before.
  • Ahead of the new collection season, households with more than one green wheeled bin can subscribe to the additional green bin scheme which operates during the usual garden waste season.   
  • From 1 April, the charge will be £37 per additional green bin that residents would like emptied.  To find out more about the additional bin subscription scheme visit www.york.gov.uk/recycling.
  • To join the additional bin scheme, and have more than one bin emptied, call 01904 551551 or ‘apply for it’ via the secure website at www.york.gov.uk/DoItOnline
  • Changes to the price of disposing of certain items at Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC) from 1 April:
    For items such as bricks/rubble, gas bottles, plasterboard and bonded asbestos, visit the website here for a full list of prices, or ask a member of staff on-site.

FREE compost giveaway 2015 dates announced:

In partnership with Yorwaste, compost is available every Sunday from 19 April to 20 September (except for Bank Holiday weekends) at the Harewood Whin site, which is open from 8am to 1pm.

 

Anyone wishing to take advantage of the giveaway just need to turn up, and bring a shovel and a suitable bag or container to put the soil improver in.

Home composting is also a great way to manage garden waste at home and provide nutrient rich compost for gardens. Visit www.getcomposting.com for further information.

Residents can also recycle their additional garden waste at Hazel Court and Towthorpe Household Waste Recycling Centres free of charge in a car. Residents using larger vehicles or trailers will need to apply for permits to use the sites.

Follow @CYCWaste on Twitter, or like CYCWaste on Facebook.

Smashing Easter tennis courses announced

Some ace tennis sessions are being served up to residents of all ages throughout Easter.

Booking has opened for a number of courses inviting residents to net the chance to sharpen their tennis skills across the city over the next month

Upcoming sessions are at:

• Hull Road Park. This 10-week course, from Wednesday 15 April, is aimed at beginners or adults who haven’t played for a while. The sessions will be led by a fully-qualified LTA coach and held from 10am to 11am at a cost of £3.50 per session or £30 for the whole course. To book or for further information contact Jason May on 07900394788 or jason.may10@gmail.com

• Heworth Tennis Club. A fun tennis camp for children aged 6-16 of all ability levels during the Easter holidays led by a fully qualified LTA coach. Sessions run between 1pm and 4pm and take place on: Tuesday 31 March, Thursday 2 April, Tuesday 7 April and Thursday 9 April. The camp costs £10 for members and £15 for non members. To book or for further information contact Jason May on 07900394788 or  jason.may10@gmail.com

• Strensall Tennis Club. A new adult tennis coaching programme aimed at beginners or adults who haven’t played for while. The course starts on Friday 24 April for 8 weeks between 6pm and 7.30pm at a cost of just £2 per session.To book or for further information contact Matt Ward on 07882 267971, email matt@icanplaytennis.net or visit www.icanplaytennis.net.

• Wheldrake Tennis Club, which is running two 10 week programmes starting in April. Both programmes cost £30, the adult coaching course starts Monday 20 April 6pm to 7.30pm. The Rusty Rackets course for those who want to take up tennis starts on Tuesday 21 April 9.30am to 11am. To book or for further information contact Matt Ward on 07882 267971, email matt@icanplaytennis.net or visit www.icanplaytennis.net.

For information on tennis in the city or other sporting opportunities contact Sport Participation Officer Nick Settle on 01904 553377 or email nick.settle@york.gov.uk .

£159k funding to give domestic abuse victims 24/7 support

Nearly £160,000 of Government funding will  round-the-clock support for people experiencing domestic abuse in York.

The Independent Domestic Abuse Service (IDAS) will use the £159,064 award in York and Harrogate to fund extended and better-quality provision, backed by The North Yorkshire and York Domestic Abuse Partnership, and by Safer York Partnership.

The funding will pay for extending the IDAS helpline for emergency support and advice to a 24-hour, seven days a week service, and it will allow for 24/7 staffing at the refuges. It will also allow for more staff training to better assess the needs of those requesting help and to support them, as well as training for refuge users to build resilience and to prepare for successful resettling.

Sarah Hill, Director of IDAS in York, said: “Domestic violence affects up to one in four women and is not a nine-to-five problem. I’m delighted that this extra funding is going to let us deliver 24-hour services, weekend cover and community provision so that we can provide a better quality and safer service to families when they need it.”

Volunteers help create new bee apiary on Bootham Stray

With expert help from volunteers, City of York Council has opened its first apiary to its first tenant and is inviting more beekeepers to rent space for their hives.

An unused plot at Bootham Stray Allotments has been transformed with help from local beekeepers and volunteers from the allotment, into a site where bees can be kept – and there’s a real buzz to this Smarter York project!

The first hive has been installed with more booked in ready for the bees’ major spring-time awakening, and others are invited to apply.

Numbers of honey bees and other important pollinators have declined in recent years, but a revival in beekeeping means that demand is now rising, according to local apiarists.

The out of town site welcomes new beekeeping tenants, in particular those who have been trained or are in training. York and District Beekeeping Association will work with the council to promote the plot which can accommodate 20 hives with potential for expansion if needed.
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Improvements to the A19 south near Fulford to start in April

Improvements to one of York’s busiest road interchanges, helping to tackle congestion and improve public transport reliability and journey times on the A19 south of York, which over 20,000 vehicles use daily* ,starts next month.

Proposed extra lane for A19 pinch point

Proposed extra lane for A19 pinch point

Full FAQs and plans are available to view at: www.york.gov.uk/A19pinchpoint

The Pinch Point scheme is supported through approximately £2million Department for Transport funding, which City of York Council successfully bid for and secured from a share of a £170 million Government Pinch Point Fund in 2013.

The £2million funding contributes towards the cost of the £4.7m overall project in this area which will help towards supporting local transport schemes that tackle congestion and support growth.

Improvements to the A19 south will benefit up to 10,000 motorists who use this route daily.

Phase one of the scheme will be split into sub-phases with the first starting week commencing 6 April for approximately four-weeks. This is expected to have minimal impact on traffic and is not located within close proximity to residents.
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Care reform begins on 1st April in York …. more rights for carers and clients

Health and social care partners across York are asking people to find out what the new national care reforms will mean for them as the significant reform across social care – the first in over 60 years – comes into effect from 1st April.

The key changes are:

1.   Carers will have expanded rights to assessment and to council support. This change puts carers on the same footing as those they care for, allowing them to get the support they need for themselves. This could be practical support like being able to take a break from caring responsibilities or they may be entitled to a direct payment to spend on things that will make it easier to carry on caring.

2.   The changes will introduce a new national eligibility threshold, providing peace of mind that wherever you live in the country, or plan to move to within England, if your needs meet the threshold, you will be eligible for support. This new eligibility threshold has already been adapted in York.

3.   Deferred payment agreements will become available across the country meaning that people should not have to sell their home in their lifetime to fund their care costs. In York, the new legislation will strengthen the existing arrangements.

Guy Van Dichele, Director of Adult Social Care, City of York Council says: “We are committed to working with partners to support local people with their needs for care and support. We’re confident that the changes we are making will enable more people to get the help they need, whether that’s a carer who needs a break from caring or someone who may be able to move to a care home without having to undergo the stress of selling their home.”

A Department of Health spokesperson says: “Care and support is something that nearly everyone in this country will experience at some point in their lives. These changes – the most significant in over 60 years – will make the system fairer by putting the needs, wishes and goals of people, and their carers, at the heart of every care decision.”

For more information on the Care Act visit www/york.gov.uk/careact

York Community Stadium clears another hurdle… survey boost for Knights fans

The York Planning Committee has today approved the latest plans to build a Community Stadium at Huntington.

The decision comes 5 years after an agreement was reached on how a new stadium could be funded.

Community Stadium Nov 2014

The decision was expected following a recommendation for Council officials that the plans should be approved. Outline planning permission had been granted in 2012 and the full Council had, last October, accepted a new financial package which included the provision of more retail floor-space.

The new plans did, however, lead to the closure of Waterworld with the future of the Yearsley pool also placed in jeopardy.

There were surprisingly few objections from other retailers to the new plans while concerns about traffic and parking arrangements were also muted.

The plans will now be put to the Secretary of State. He could decide to “call in” the plans. With the present Parliament due to be dissolved on Monday prior to the General Election, it is likely to be June before any decision on the referral is made.

History may record that the most difficult times for the project have yet to come.

A deal with rugby is essential if the stadium asset is to be fully exploited (and business plan income achieved). There were also some awkward conditions imposed in the original planning application which have yet to be satisfied.

A solution to the Yearsley pool issue will be one of the first issues on the new Councils agenda when it too meets for the first time in June.

Then there is the ambitious 12 month building timetable. As we have said before, we doubt if a stadium could be completed for the start of the 2016 football season; but we hope we are proved to be wrong.

The less complicated project plan – agreed 5 years ago – would have been implemented by now.

We would have a stadium with both football and rugby being played there.

It remains to be seen whether the delays have been worthwhile.

Boost for Knights

York Knights

In a survey undertaken by Liberal Democrats on thee west of the City residents were asked whether they agreed with following statement

” The Council should ensure that the Knights rugby team are able play matches at the new community stadium”

  • 70% agreed
  • 10% disagreed
  • 20% were undecided.

Boyes Acomb opening date ……as Conlans Bistro announces spring menu

Boyes store to open in 17th April

Boyes store to open in 24th April

Boyes new store on Front Street Acomb is scheduled to open on 24th April. It will bring a further boost to the shopping area and – coupled with the plan to being storage space in the adjacent building back into use as apartments – will reduce the amount of vacant floor-space on the street.

Across the street popular Bistro Conlans has launched a new menu and special offers for customers using the restaurant on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. They are advertising weekly “specials” on Twitter @ConlansAcomb

Conlans launch new spring menu. click to enlarge

Conlans launch new spring menu. click to enlarge

Westfield school receives national recognition for work with ‘disadvantaged’ pupils

Three primary schools in York have received a letter from a Government Minister recognising their work with ‘disadvantaged’ pupils.

Westfield school

Westfield school

Clifton Green Primary, Poppleton Road Primary and Westfield Primary schools all received a congratulatory letter from David Laws, Minister for Schools, following the excellent results of their disadvantaged pupils.

To receive a letter of congratulations, schools had to show:

  • consistent high attainment of their disadvantaged pupils between 2012 and 2014 in reading, writing and maths;
  • that high proportions of their disadvantaged pupils are making the expected progress in reading, writing and maths;
  • consistently high or improving attainment for other pupils;
  • that they got a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ rating in their latest Ofsted inspection.

Schools in York are working with the council, and a wider range of partners, to close the attainment gap between the results of disadvantaged pupils and their peers.

Tracey Ralph, Headteacher at Westfield Primary School, said: “The letter was specifically about Key Stage 2 test results, but we are successful with pupils sustained improvements in standards and it is lovely for the staff to receive recognition for all their hard work, along with our parents, community and governors who have helped our children achieve this. ”
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