£4m project to provide more extra care at Glen Lodge gets underway

Work to extend a City of York Council sheltered accommodation scheme is starting to deliver a £4 million investment to increase and further improve care services for older people.

llr runciman and apprentice danny langdon at glen lodge webGlen Lodge Housing with Extra Care Scheme is being extended as part of the council’s plans to modernise accommodation for older people in the city with 25 new flats and two new bungalows being built.

As well as the proposed extension, the council is also working to extend the existing help and support available to residents – known as ‘extra care’ – so it is available 24 hrs a day, seven days a week. This will enable even more people with higher care and support needs to live at Glen Lodge.

The work is part of the Older People’s Accommodation Programme which aims to give older people more choice and control about the care and support they receive.

Local contractor William Birch is carrying out the works and will have a number of apprentices working on the project. Danny Langdon, David Hayes and Chris Horsley, all at various stages of their bricklaying apprenticeships with York College, are working under their mentor, Steve Bailey, a highly-skilled bricklayer. They will initially be working on the new bungalows and will then move on to the main building. (more…)

Deadline for York secondary school applications nears

Parents are reminded that applications for secondary schools places for September 2017 should be made before 31 October 2016.

admissionsParents of children currently in Year 6 – the last year of primary school – should apply for a maximum of five schools and we recommend that one preference should be the catchment school

Applications can be made online at www.york.gov.uk/schooladmissions.

All details and answers to frequently asked questions can be found at www.york.gov.uk/guideforparents. This guide, updated for 2017 admissions, contains information on school admissions and appeals processes as well as information on admissions statistics, oversubscription criteria and other information for parents and carers. Also online are details for service families and information on fair access.

Any parents eligible and who may not already have applied for free school meals are urged to do so at the same time. This means that whether or not the meal is taken, the pupil premium of £900 per year per eligible secondary school pupil will follow the young person throughout their time at school to benefit their education.

For more detailed information, please email: education@york.gov.uk or call 01904 551554

York young people in care back Care Leavers Week

New care leavers group launched
 Members of York’s Children in Care Council, Show Me That I Matter, are taking part in a national conference and will launch a care leavers group in York, both as part of Care Leavers Week. The theme of National Care Leavers’ Week 2016 is Leaving Care Around the World and runs from 20-30 October.

The council, known as SMTIM, was approached by The Prince’s Trust to speak at the London conference about the group’s poster and blog project Aspire To More, which highlights the importance of care leavers – including nationally-known authors and York residents – as role models for those in care.  (more…)

A third of letting agents in York failing to comply with law

Nearly a third of letting and property agents are failing to comply with legislation despite being advised of new laws and action is being taken, City of York Council’s Executive Member for Housing was told at a Decision Session yesterday (17th October).

The report was accepted and the update given based on officers checking agents to ensure that they clearly display their fees in their offices and on their websites and that they deal fairly with any complaints by landlords or tenants, as part of a drive to further improve the private rented sector.

Last year, all agents in the city were found to be compliant following advice being shared by the council.

Lettings feesThe Decision Session was told that agents which let out homes on behalf of others were checked by officers by visiting their offices and checking their websites. Of the 47 which fall into this category:

  • 15 were found to be non- compliant (32 per cent)

Of those 15 non-compliant agents:

  • Seven were failing to display their fees in the office
  • Four were failing to display their fees on their website
  • Five were failing to display fees either in their office or on their website.

In line with government guidance, all 15 have been served a notice which allows 28 days to appeal or risk a maximum fine of up to £5,000. To date following the notice of intention stage, we have served final notices to two agents, one at the maximum level and other at a reduced level.

To find out more about the laws visit the council’s website https://www.york.gov.uk/info/20097/private_landlords_and_tenants or ring the Housing Standards and Adaptation team on 01904 552300 or email housing.standards@york.gov.uk