City of York Council is today marking the start of Food Safety Week by encouraging consumers to be thrifty with food, whilst staying safe.

This year Food Safety Week is promoting food safety on a budget. New research published by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) shows that some people are taking more risks with food safety as they try to save money and make their food go further.

The research showed that 97 per cent of those questioned believed the cost of their typical shopping basket has gone up significantly in the last three years, with half of these trying to make better use of leftover food. However, some people are ignoring ‘Use By’ dates more than they used to, while others are keeping leftovers for longer than the recommended limit of two days in the fridge. (more…)

Apprenticeships on offer at York Council.

A number of Apprenticeships are being offered by the City of York Council. Details can be found on the national web site http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/

What are Apprenticeships?
As employees, apprentices earn a wage and work alongside experienced staff to gain job-specific skills. Off the job, usually on a day-release basis, apprentices receive training to work towards nationally recognised qualifications. Anyone living in England, over 16 years-old and not in full-time education can.
Apprenticeships can take between one and four years to complete depending on the level of Apprenticeship, the apprentices’ ability and the industry sector. The minimum salary is £2.60 per hour (from 1st October 2012 will change to £2.65 per hour); however, many apprentices earn significantly more.

Who are they for?
Apprenticeships are open to all age groups above 16years-old whether you are just leaving school, have been working for years or are seeking to start a new career. You just need to be living in England and not taking part in full-time education.
There may be different entry requirements depending on the Apprenticeship and the industry sector. However competition for places with employers can be fierce, so you will need to show that you are committed, and aware of your responsibilities to both yourself and the company who would employ you. You also need to be happy to work as both part of a team and individually, and be able to use your own initiative.

There are some unlikely vacancies being advertised by the York Council.

see list here (more…)

The Council have detailed more plans for the torch relay taking place on 19th June.

The evening event at the Knavesmire – which is now all ticket – is scheduled to end at 7:30pm just 15 minutes before the Ukraine vs England Euro cup match kicks off.

As the excitement of the Olympic Torch in York draws closer, City of York Council is planning to keep expected and significant traffic disruption to a minimum and public safety a priority.

This is York’s moment to shine in the light of the Olympic and Paralympic Torch – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the legendary Flame and be a part of the event. Everyone is invited to line the streets and cheer the inspirational Torchbearers who will carry the Flame through York – but allow plenty of time for the journey to the Torch Route or the Racecourse.
On 19 June, rolling road closures will be activated between 10-15 minutes ahead of the cycling escort which will leave York College at 5:15pm. Once the whole convoy has passed and pedestrians are off the road, it will be removed.

(more…)

North Yorkshire Police are reporting that two men were arrested after police stopped their vehicles in the Tadcaster area and found they contained a large amount of copper cabling.

The men, one aged 23 from Morely near Leeds, and the other aged 29 from the Goole area, were spotted by police on Scarthingwell Lane, Towton near Tadcaster, on 23 May 2012. (more…)

Eyebrows were raised last year when the Council renamed its “Executive” as a “Cabinet”. At the same time they moved from a 2 weekly meeting cycle to a monthly cycle.

Now the Cabinet have cancelled their June meeting leaving an unprecedented 2 month gap in the decision taking process.

Residents may begin to wonder what they are getting for the £20,000 a year salaries now being drawn by Cabinet members?

Their individual monthly decision meeting schedule is also slipping.

The Councillor with responsibility for Corporate Services (basically financial strategy) hasn’t made a decision since December 2011 while the Cabinet Leader hasn’t had a decision meeting since July 2011.

Over the last 12 months the number of decision meetings attended by Cabinet members has varied substantially.
• Leader 2 decision meetings in the last year
• Corporate Services 3 meetings
• Education 4 meetings
• Crime 6 meetings in the last year
• Environmental Services 8 meetings
• Health and Housing 9 meetings
• Leisure 10 meetings
• Transport 10 meetings

There have also been relatively few officer meetings documented where an official has formally taken decisions, following consultation with the appropriate elected member. Lists of these can be found on the Councils web site. http://tinyurl.com/York-Council-officer-decisions

Of course, not all work takes place at formal meetings. But they do form an essential part of the dialogue process that residents expect from a listening Council.

Taxpayers may feel that they are being short changed, while residents may feel they are deliberately being kept in the dark!

With the beginning of Euro 2012 just one week away, North Yorkshire Police are urging the public to enjoy the football tournament in the right spirit.

Pubs, bars and clubs will be packed with fans supporting the national team which could potentially lead to alcohol-related disorder. (more…)

Free tickets released to “allow a bigger Torch celebration event”

City of York Council has issued a statement saying that the Olympic Torch celebrations “at York Racecourse from 2.30pm on 19 July will become ticketed, to allow more people to join in the highly anticipated event”.

Anyone arriving at the Racecourse on “19th July” is likely to be seriously disappointed as the event is, of course, taking place on 19th JUNE

The FREE tickets for the events can be obtained from Visit York’s Visitor Information Centre on the corner of Museum Street and Blake Street, or from any York Explore Library Learning Centre, Acomb Explore on Front Street, Acomb, or Tang Hall Library on Fifth Avenue, Tang Hall. They will be available from 2pm on Friday 8 June.

Tickets will be limited to six tickets per applicant, all young people aged 14 years or under must be accompanied by an adult and admission will be by ticket only. (more…)

A petition is now available on the Council’s web site http://tinyurl.com/No-to-20-mph-limit-in-York which can be “signed” by those opposed to a City-wide 20 mph speed limit.

The new limit was agreed by Labour Cabinet member Dave Merrett at a recent meeting. Initially it is to be rolled out across the west of the city.

The Liberal Democrat Council Group produced a critique of the plans which can be found here http://tinyurl.com/LibDems-20mph-in-York

Warnings from the local Lib Dems and others that money and effort would be better spent on tackling known speeding hot spots have been ignored.

The local media and transport experts have also criticised the plans.

Under Labour’s plans, 20 mph signs would be erected at the entrance to each street with repeater signs every 300 metres. The costs of the scheme are put at £500,000 with an extra £100,000 allocated for more traffic calming.

The proposed blanket limit is being opposed by LibDem and Tory Councillors. Green, and many Labour, Councillors are so far supporting the new limit.

YORK GATEWAY TO HISTORY PROJECT – SURVEY

York Libraries are inviting residents to comment on the access arrangements for the City Archives.

They say, “the aim of the Gateway to History project is to improve the city’s Archive and Local History Service. The project includes the refurbishment of the existing local history library at York Explore, the creation of new spaces to provide additional facilities and services, and the provision of a new programme of activities, both at York Explore and across the city”.

The project will:
• Merge York’s internationally important city archives and local history library and store it in one conservation-grade premises at York Explore
• Provide an extensive programme of activities including exhibitions, displays, walks, group visits and learning sessions tailored to a wide variety of audiences from all backgrounds and interest levels
• Deliver archive and local history services to residents of York in their own community by using the City of York Council’s network of Explore Centres and branch libraries

You can access the survey at http://tinyurl.com/yorkarchive

Students from the York school are going to line the way to the Olympic Opening Ceremony.

That’s a line that maps the route for the athletes as they head to the Olympic Stadium.

School children from 20 Get Set network schools in Yorkshire and Humber will form a Guard of Honour to line the route as athletes make their way through the Olympic Park into the Olympic Stadium, for the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. (more…)