Green bin collections start on Easter Monday

Andrew Waller 

City of York Council is reminding residents that garden waste collections start again from Easter Monday (2 April).

The collections from nearly 67000 homes will run fortnightly until late November.

Last year City of York Council collected just under 13000 tonnes of garden waste from York homes. All this waste is turned into compost, with some for sale at Hazel Court household waste recycling centre.

Councillor Andrew Waller, deputy Leader of City of York Council with responsibility for the environment, said:  
“We run the green bin service when residents do most of their gardening, so Easter Monday is a great time to start this year’s collections.

“For those without a green bin, we offer discounted home compost bins and or they can take garden waste to one of our household waste recycling centres.

“We’d also like to remind all residents that, especially after we make a major change like reintroducing garden waste, the times of collections can change. So please put your bins or boxes out before 7am on your collections day.”

Black bin and recycling collections also continue on the bank holidays.

You can check your bin day on your collection calendar, or online at www.york.gov.uk/refuselookup

You can also get free reminders of all your waste and recycling collections to your smartphone or tablet. Just download the One Planet York app for apple or android.

Residents without a green bin are also able to take garden waste to Hazel Court and Towthorpe Household Waste Recycling Centres. Alternatively, the council offers a special discounted rate on home compost bins. Go to www.york.gov.uk/composting

With crime levels on the rise, Crime Commissioner offers to meet residents in Acomb

Residents from Acomb, York and the surrounding area have their chance to their raise concerns about policing or community safety issues when the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, Julia Mulligan, comes to Acomb on Thursday 12 April.

The appointment based surgeries will take place between 3.00pm, and 5.00pm at Acomb Parish Church hall, Front Street, Acomb YO24 3BX, giving residents the opportunity to raise personal or private issues, good or bad, on a one to one basis. Surgeries are by appointment only.

If you would like to book some time with Julia – or for further information about other Surgeries – please call 01423 569 562 or email info@northyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk

 

York’s out of school clubs only ones in UK to be part of 30 Hours programme

 A new study confirms that York was the only local authority in the 30 Hours childcare programme to allow eligible parents to use out of school clubs (OOSCs) to get their full entitlement.

A new study confirms that City of York Council was the only local authority in the 30 Hours childcare programme to allow eligible parents to use out of school clubs (OOSCs) to get their full entitlement.

Involving six OOCS in the programme was enabled by York’s unique partnership of childcare providers – Shared Foundation Partnerships – and has been a key factor of the authority exceeding expected parental take-up of its 30 Hours scheme by 900 places.

The council allowed parents and carers to use a combination of before, after-school and holiday childcare by the OOSCs in conjunction with other providers. This enabled them to achieve their full 30 hours entitlement from September 2016. Some parents chose to place their 3 or 4 year olds at the same OOSC as older siblings while others used them to get their full 30 hours entitlement during school holidays to make up their hours

Complementing a range of other childcare providers, Clifton Moor out of school club, FunFishers out of school club and pre school, St Paul’s out of school club, Haxby Road Primary Academy as well as KOOSH at both Park Grove and Acomb contributed to the scheme.

Early feasibility work indicated that there was enough demand for the scheme and capacity within the childcare sector for the impact of OOSCs offering funded places to have minimal or no impact.

Over a year after the trial started, this latest study shows that 30 Hours funded places at out of school club has actually increased their occupancy levels and is being monitored to ensure primary school-aged children don’t miss out on places.

The study shows too that some parents using out of school clubs have changed their working patterns indicated by them moving their 30 hours across three full days rather than across five.

As a result of this take-up, holiday clubs may choose to introduce an hourly rate charge rather than just daily or half-day session fees. To promote their place in the 30 Hours scheme, they have also increased marketing activity which has helped boost their business.

To find out more about the 30 hours childcare programme, please visit www.yor-ok.org.uk/families/Childcare/free-early-years-education-and-childcare.htm or to check eligibility go to www.childcarechoices.gov.uk .

Parents who already have an eligibility code are reminded to please reconfirm their eligibility for 30 hours every three months – please submit before 31 March ahead of the summer term 2018. (more…)