Number of York jobseekers and people claiming benefits remains stable

unemployment1 Figures released by the Office for National Statistics have shown continued low unemployment rates in York.

The figures show a 24.8 per cent fall in the number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance in the past twelve months.

Preliminary statistics have shown an increase of 17 residents claiming Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) and Universal Credit claimants (out of work) in October compared to last month’s figures meaning there are now 945 claimants in the city.

However this is a decrease of 95 residents from October 2015.

The Jobseekers Allowance claimant count for York represents 0.4 per cent of the working population and contrasts to the regional average which stands at 1.6 per cent. The figures are also much lower than the national average which stands at 1.2 per cent.

Statistics released today by the Department for Work and Pensions have shown that the number of people claiming benefits in York has fallen and shown York to be the third best performing local authority in the region.

As of May 2016 the number of people claiming benefits is 8,990, a figure which represents a fall of 120 from the previous quarter February 2016. The figure represents 6.5 per cent of the working population in York, compared to 13.1 per cent in the region and 11.5 per cent nationally.

Cllr Keith Aspden, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economic Development at City of York Council said: “It is pleasing to see that the number of jobseekers in York is continuing to fall year on year. We are committed to supporting residents, as shown by recent job fairs in the city. We will also continue to work with businesses across York to grow the economy and develop and retain talent.”

Just occasionally a Council goes completely mad

If anyone had suggested over a pint in a public bar that a dozen used sea containers should be allowed to park on a sensitive City centre site in York, for three years, they would have been laughed at.

But in essence the Council’s Executive committee will consider doing just that on the vacant Reynard’s garage site when they meet next week.

Reynards Garage site

A proposal from a group called “Spark” would see affordable space created for “local start-up businesses, social enterprises, community groups and charities for over 20 businesses in 14 fully fitted out shipping containers. The completed scheme would offer street food kiosks, retail, shared workspaces, meeting room, a performance area and public workspace. Although constructed from shipping containers they can be clad and finished in a variety of finishes to fit the locality and create a high quality aesthetic finish”.

A Council official writes that the plan would ” improve the quality of the area and by driving footfall, contribute to uplift in land values”

Sea containers to be parked on Piccadilly?

The use of low quality temporary buildings with transient users has, of course, had just the reverse effect on land values elsewhere.

It is an extension of the post war bomb site “used car dealer” syndrome.

The containers are expected to be available to rent for £300 a week. Many are expected to be street food outlets and will compete with the mobile vans and stalls which already existed in the Shambles market area.

The Council is expected to spend £40,000 connecting utility services to the site. It says it expects to recover this from rent income although how much “Sparks” would actually pay is unclear.

And critically the location is within sight of some of the most important historical buildings in the City. These include the Merchant Adventurers Hall and the Castle complex.

The Council has had plenty of time to come up with with a constructive, low risk, option for the use of this site.

In the run up to Christmas it should be used to supplement the overcrowded Castle car park.

After that there are many unobtrusive leisure and commercial uses that could be considered if the Council really can’t get its “Southern Gateway” major redevelopment project into gear.

We have said for some time that the Council has over-extended itself. It has too many major projects on the go at the same time.

Quality is suffering and short term expedients become straws to be grabbed at.

In this case a whole bale of hay is about to fall on the Council leaderships head.

York Council set to close Willow House elderly persons home

Members of City of York Council’s Executive will consider plans for the next phase of the Older People’s Accommodation Programme on Thursday 24 November, when they receive the results of the consultation at Willow House older persons home and decide if the home should close.

Between Monday 26 September and Friday 4 November residents, relatives, carers and staff at Willow House were invited to take part in a six week consultation on the option to close the home in Spring 2017, as part of plans to modernise accommodation for older people in the city.

If the proposals go ahead, Executive will also be asked to approve that the Willow House site be put up for sale to generate a capital receipt to support the wider Older People’s Accommodation Programme.

The programme seeks to address the needs of York’s fast-growing older population, by providing modern facilities which deliver high quality care and support an improved quality of life. It also aims to make the best use of the city’s existing Extra Care housing, making it more accessible for people with higher care needs by increasing the support available at each location and by replacing the council’s out-dated Older People’s provision, with more modern accommodation.

The consultation on proposals to close Willow House engaged residents, relatives and staff. A number of issues, concerns and queries were raised during the consultation, which have been considered and factored into the Older People’s Accommodation Programme. Everyone affected by the consultation was offered the opportunity to talk on a one-to-one basis about the proposals.

Residents were also able to discuss the options open to them, based on their individual needs, including housing extra care housing or moving to an alternative care home.

The Moving Homes Safely Protocol has also been shared with residents. The protocol was used to support residents and their families through the closure of Oakhaven and Grove House and seeks to minimise any stress for individuals by focusing on the needs of each resident. If Executive approve plans to close Willow House it is advised the protocol is used again so that residents’ moves are carefully planned and managed.

Martin Farran, Director of Adult Social Care, City of York Council, said: “We recognise that this consultation process can be an unsettling and upsetting. Throughout this process we have been working closely with residents, staff and their families, to make sure they have the support and advice they need.

“The focus of the Older People’s Accommodation Programme remains clear: to support independent living at home and equip York with the accommodation and care that it needs for the future. Our residents are of paramount importance and the actions we take now will ensure that they – and future generations – will have the best possible quality of life and ensure that we can meet the needs of York’s ageing population.

“Whatever decision is taken by the Executive, we will continue to support residents, relatives and staff throughout the process.”

Executive will take place on Thursday 24 November at West Offices from 5.30pm and is open to members of the public or is available to watch live online from: www.york.gov.uk/webcasts

To find out more about the report, or to attend, click

Bootham Park Hospital closure – York Council reacts

A report will be presented to City of York Council’s Executive on 24 November, recommending actions to be taken by three health agencies following the closure of Bootham Park Hospital.

The hospital closed in September 2015 after an unannounced inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Following this, the Health & Adult Social Care Policy & Scrutiny Committee agreed to undertake a scrutiny review of the closure utilising the support of an independent expert and NHS England, which was conducting its own review.

The review’s remit was: ‘To understand the circumstances leading to the closure of Bootham Park Hospital, to establish what could have been done to avoid the gap in services in York, particularly for in-patients and their families, and identify any appropriate actions for relevant partners.’

The Committee, independent adviser and a task group carried out an extensive consultation which included all health partners and, via Healthwatch York, mental health service user in the city, their families, carers and staff.

Among the feedback, service users, their carers and families told the consultation that the closure of Bootham Park Hospital was part of a wider capacity and suitability issue for local mental health services and they told of the additional stress caused by having to travel to Darlington, Middlesbrough and beyond, However, most respondents had been happy with staff and the quality of care at Bootham, but expressed concern over the apparent lack of co-operation between agencies delivering services.

The review’s findings led to the following recommendations for Executive to consider:

NHS England – a named individual should be responsible for and report on sustained improvements to mental health services in York, that there is a full list of bodies delivering these services and that proactive engagement takes place with residents and service users.
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) and the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) – should consult robustly and fully ahead of procuring a new mental health unit in York and that details are shared with the committee.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) – should consider how best to transfer services between providers.
The Committee requests that these organisations respond to it within three months.
The Policy and Scrutiny Committee also agreed that the final report and its recommendations should be brought to council’s Executive and the Health and Wellbeing Board, before being presented to NHS England, TEWV, the CCG and CQC.

Cllr Carol Runciman, Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health at City of York Council, said: “This review enabled councillors to investigate the issues around the closure of Bootham Park Hospital and has made recommendations for actions to be taken by the relevant health agencies. Key points included the need for greater co-operation between agencies delivering services and the need for a robust consultation ahead of the opening a new mental health unit.

“York has a longstanding reputation for delivering progressive, high quality mental health services. I hope this review and its recommendations will support multi-agency work to restore them to a high level and I look forward to working with partners to achieve this.”

Executive will take place on Thursday 24 November at West Offices and is open to members of the public or is available to watch live online from: www.york.gov.uk/webcasts

To attend the meeting, or to read the report click

What’s on in York: with Author Wendy Holden at Acomb Explore Library

Acomb Explore Library :

Fri 18 Nov :

2.30pm – 4.00pm :

Free

Nov 18-Wendy Holden Join us for this talk with best-selling author Wendy Holden via Skype about her book “Shell Shock”, companion to a major British television series investigating the psychological effects of war.

In this title, which covers the case histories and painful testimony of numerous veterans and their doctors, individuals tell their own stories of horrors to which they have been exposed, and of events that pushed them to the brink of human endurance.

Shell Shock also relates the history of military psychiatry and the dilemma of those entrusted to balance the demands to ‘cure’ soldiers and return them to battle with the needs of the soldiers themselves, who were struggling to understand their condition

Wendy will also discuss her other work, and latest projects. Author and novelist of thirty books, and a journalist for eighteen years, she has chronicled the lives of many remarkable subjects, from the story of the only woman in the French Foreign Legion to the lives of three babies born in concentration camps Seventy years ago.

Tickets can be booked

In person: call in at any library in York
By phone: 01904 552828 or 01904 552651
Email: york@exploreyork.org.uk

What’s on in York: Explore Your First World War Heroes – Drop In Help-Desk

York Explore Library :

Fri 18 & Sat 19 Nov :

1.30pm – 4.30pm & 10.00am – 12.00pm :

Free

Nov 18 And 19th _WW1 Ancestors Events Are your WW1 ancestors proving to be a challenge? Ken and Linda Haywood will be running their First World War Help Desk. Drop in and see what you can discover!

For more information click here.

What’s on in York: Landscapes of Remembrance

Acomb Explore Library :

Sat 19th Nov :

9.00am – 2.00pm :

Free

Nov 11_landscapes Colour Landscapes of Remembrance is a York Archaeological Trust project funded by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project has explored memorials to the fallen of World War One from an archaeological perspective. We have looked at location, style, symbolism and the background to the creation of these memorials. We have explored records in the archives and gone out into the field to photograph and record details about the monuments.

The Landscape of Remembrance soundscape has been created by Converge students. Inspired by the work of our volunteers they have looked at the records and gone out into the field to consider how we commemorate and how we relate to monuments today.

To find out more about Jorvik Dig please visit our website or call our Reservations Department on 01904 615505

Tickets can be booked

In person: call in at any library in York
By phone: 01904 552828 or 01904 552651
Email: york@exploreyork.org.uk