Labour to jettison Libraries in York?

Reports are emerging that Labour Councillors have decided to abandon the direct management of Library facilities in York.

They are claiming to have persuaded the Cabinet Office Mutuals Support Programme http://mutuals.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ to provide “practical assistance” to establish the Library Service as a “social enterprise” organisation.

The scale of any support has not been revealed nor have the results of the consultation undertaken with residents about the future of library services in York.

Our view has always been that the Library service in York has been an outstanding success in recent years. We would be extremely cautious about making any changes. We recognise that “social enterprise” is very much a “buzz” concept at present but there is little evidence from the rest of the country that it is an appropriate way of managing a public service like libraries.

Some may point to the success of the York Museums and Art Galley since it became a “Trust” independent from the Council. It does, however, continue to receive over £1 million a year in taxpayers subsidies and, of course, depends for some of its income on charges.

Currently charges form only a small part of the income streams of the libraries.

The traditional definition of a social enterprise is “a business that trades for a social and/or environmental purpose. It will have a clear sense of its ‘social mission’: which means it will know what difference it is trying to make, who it aims to help, and how it plans to do it. It will bring in most or all of its income through selling goods or services. And it will also have clear rules about what it does with its profits, reinvesting these to further the ‘social mission’

Time for a full public debate we think before any changes are made to our libraries.

http://www.york.gov.uk/news/latestNews/PR3154

Buddhists on rise at York Council

The York Council has published details of the backgrounds of the people who work for it.

The figures reveal, not surprisingly, that the majority of staff who declare a religion consider themselves to be “Christian”.

However, the next most followed religion by Council workers is “Buddhism”!

This may explain why one prominent Labour Councillor uses the pseudonym “The Great Buddha” when posting on the Press web site.

To find out how many Muslims, Hindus, ect there are at the Guildhall click here: http://tinyurl.com/Council-workers

Contrary to claims, the figures also reveal that the total number of staff working for the council increased from 6462 in 2010 to 6713 in 2012.

£1.6m Lottery grant to fund new home for archive

A £1.6 million Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant will create a new home for the internationally-important city archive.

The ‘Gateway to History’ project will refurbish the first floor of York Explore Library Learning Centre into the new home for York’s archives, including a new archive storage vault built to 21st century conservation standards.

The project will reach out to communities across the city to get them involved in adding their stories to the 850 years of documents already preserved in the archive which records all aspects of the city’s history from complaints about mediaeval prostitutes, the city’s reaction to the death of Richard III, the growing influence of railways and the Rowntree family on the Victorian city to the defence of York in the Second World War.

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Free park and ride services on Boxing Day

In addition to free City centre car parking, 3 of the City’s park and ride sites will be operating on Boxing Day

However there will be no other bus services running in the City on either Christmas Day or Boxing Day. (Details of services running across North Yorkshire during the holiday period ca be found here http://getdown.org.uk/bus/xmas.shtml). It seems more than slightly ironic, less than a month after a Council commissioned report criticised off peak bus services in the City, that the authority should choose to subsidise (to the tune of £10,000) park and ride services at the expense of its own residents. Most of the City centre car parks are half empty on Boxing Day anyway, reducing the need to encourage people to park on the outskirts of the City.

Three Park & Ride services will operate on Boxing Day, including:

• Askham Bar (route 3) – First bus at 7am from the site, last bus back from Tower Street at 6.42pm
• Designer Outlet (route 7) – First bus at 7am from the site, last bus back from Rougier Street at 6.42pm
• Monks Cross (route 9) – First bus at 7am from the site, last bus back from Rougier Street at 6.43pm

All three services will operate at a 15 minute frequency throughout the day and will be FREE for all passengers (and will stop at all usual stops along the route).

For more information about Park & Rides over Christmas and New Year visit www.york.gov.uk/transport or www.itravelyork.info

More arrests as police enforce drink drive message

Police are warning that they are prepared to arrest more motorists than ever before during this year’s festive drink and drug drive campaign as people continue to ignore warnings.

Officers have arrested 43 people since the Christmas crackdown began on 1 December, despite repeated warnings about the potential dangers and possible repercussions linked to drink and drug driving.

Police have been out in force on the roads of North Yorkshire and the City of York since the campaign began and have breathalysed 1597 motorists.

Of the 43 motorists arrested on suspicion of drink or drug driving so far, 21 have been charged and face losing their licences before the year is out.

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North Yorkshire Police mobile safety (speed) camera routes 12 – 18 December 2012

North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Wednesday 12 December and Tuesday 18 December 2012.

•A64 east-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•B1228 Main Street, Elvington, York
•B1228 Dunnington Lodge, Elvington, York
•A1237 Monks Cross, York
•A64 west-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•A64 Malton by-pass Malton east and west-bound
•A64 Seamer by-pass Scarborough
•A64 Seamer Road, Scarborough
•A64 Between Whitwell Hill and Barton Hill
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