York Apprenticeship Graduation and Awards Ceremony: final call to graduate

Apprentices from across York will be graduating at the eighth York Apprenticeship Graduation and Awards Ceremony on 27 November 2018) co-ordinated by City of York Council’s Skills Team.

The event will celebrate the achievements of young people and adults who have successfully completed their apprenticeship qualification and training. They will all receive a certificate presented by The York Guilds.

A total of 23 young people, adults and employers are also in the running for the 2018 York Apprenticeship Awards, which will be presented on the same night at the Grand Opera House.

A panel of independent judges have whittled down the shortlist for five categories:

  • Apprentice of the Year Under 25 (Small Employer).
  • Apprentice of the Year Under 25 (Large Employer).
  • Apprentice of the Year Over 25.
  • Assessor of the Year
  • Employer of the Year

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Councillor calls for meeting on York’s last tax office

Following the recent news that the HMRC will be closing York’s last tax office and relocating staff to Leeds, Cllr Andrew Waller, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader of the Council, has requested a meeting with the HMRC to discuss the possibility of retaining a base in the city.

In a letter to HMRC’s First Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive, Cllr Waller has asked the HMRC to explore further options in retaining the York tax office and the associated jobs.

Should the HMRC continue as planned, Cllr Waller has also sought reassurances of support to those staff that might be unable to transfer to Leeds, should the office close as planned.

Cllr Andrew Waller, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader of the Council, commented:

“It is disappointing to see that HMRC will be closing the last tax office in York and that public sector jobs will be transferred away from the city”

“That is why I have written to the First Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive of HMRC to ask that they reconsider these proposals and explore further options to retain a tax office here in York for the benefit of local residents and businesses.”

“The staff affected should be supported should they be unable to transfer to Leeds and I have sought assurances to this effect.”

New Channel 4 HQ to be in Leeds City Region (maybe just Leeds)

Local politicians estimate that siting the HQ in Leeds “will bring 1,285 jobs and £1.2bn to the area over 10 years”.

Channel 4 announced its 4 All the UK strategy in March 2018, “the biggest change to the structure of the organisation in its 35-year history. At the heart of it is a significant increase in the organisation’s Nations and Regions content spend – from 35% to 50% of main channel UK commissions by 2023, worth up to £250m more in total. 

This increase in Channel 4’s spend will benefit all areas of the UK, not just the specific locations and will support up to 3,000 production jobs in the Nations and Regions economy.

The new National HQ and Creative Hubs will be home to 300 Channel 4 jobs when fully established, including key creative decision makers – responsible for commissioning Channel 4 content and programmes from producers right across the UK.

“Naked Attraction” from Channel 4

The new bases are at the heart of a new plan ‘4 All the UK’ to ensure that Channel 4 better represents all the UK, on and off-screen – and they will help catalyse the increased Nations and Regions production spend”.

Channel 4 programmes have attracted controversy in the past with some saying that they are dumbing down TV content. Currently they’re screening “Naked Attraction” a show where contestants select a potential partner based solely on their nude appearance.

The York Councils Chief Executive has said today, “The possibilities this will bring to York and the surrounding region ……are surely endless.”

In fairness Channel 4 also has a reputation for cutting edge film, drama and documentary work.

Quite how much of the promised economic growth will reach York – which already has full employment levels – remains to be seen.

A Tale of Two Cities

York Council says, “Recycle old Christmas lights to Acomb”

The York Council is planning to offer its old Christmas decoration lights, no longer required for the City centre, to Acomb and Haxby.

Front Street Christmas lights

The lights have become surplus to requirements following the decision by the York Business Improvement District (BID) to invest heavily in their own displays. These have already been reinstalled on the Bar Walls in preparation for this year’s festivities.

Christmas lighting in Front Street has improved significantly in recent years thanks to the efforts of local traders and residents.

Acomb Front Street is changing rapidly as the effects of the recession wear off and the efforts of the local trader’s organisation Acomb Alive bear fruits. There are few empty premises in the area while some independent traders may also be set to benefit from budget changes announced on Monday.

City centre lights

But there may be a feeling that the “hand me down” lights proposal once again fails to recognise what is needed to give Front Street a major lift. Residents, in survey after survey, have criticised the uneven surface in the pedestrian area and have called for a holistic solution.

This would involve the owners of the private forecourts, which would have to be incorporated into any paving scheme, cooperating. In turn this could only happen if a full time precinct manager were to be appointed and funded by the Council.

That initiative doesn’t seem to be any closer.

Meanwhile the Council is considering commissioning more reports into the ailing City Centre retail economy. They have been shocked by the decline of Coney Street as a shopping destination, although they claim that the “high street decline” is less pronounced in York than in other City’s.

Visitor numbers – who are not necessarily shoppers – have increased over the last 5 years.

Nevertheless parts of the City, including the Councils own Guildhall building, are looking shabby and need urgent attention.

 

Acomb Jobs Fair set to host up to 25 local employers and agencies

City of York Council is offering local people job opportunities, information and advice at Acomb Job Fair, in partnership with Job Centre Plus.

The event, which is funded by 4 Community Growth, will see around 25 local employers, employment agencies and training providers offer assistance with job searches and arrange further training and support into employment.

Employers in attendance will include Tesco, The Grand Hotel & Spa, Gear4Music and Benenden Health, as well as agencies such as Work With York, who will be available at the Parish Church Hall on Front Street, Acomb, from 10am to 2pm, on Wednesday 7 November 2018.

City of York Council’s York Learning will also be at the job fair to offer educational and employment support, and help people to find the relevant training to pursue the right career path.

York had a five per cent growth in employment in 2017, with an increase of 5,000 new jobs – from 101,000 to 106,000.

For more information, please visit: https://www.york.gov.uk/YorkJobsFair

New employment figures show York has highest number of jobs ever seen

Newly published statistics from the ONS reveal that York now has the highest number of jobs ever seen in the city.

It was revealed that York had a 5% growth in its employment over 2017, leading to an increase of 5,000 new jobs, leaping from 101,000, to 106,000.

Across the region, employment increased on average by 2%, with York seeing the largest increase with 5%.  These figures put York in the top 10% performing local authorities in England for employment growth.  For example, the city’s employment growth was stronger than Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds and Cambridge.

Om review, 500 jobs were created in the manufacturing sector, 1,000 in professional scientific and technical businesses and 1,000 in food and drink businesses.

Cllr Keith Aspden, Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Economic Development and Community Engagement, said:

“I am delighted to see that York’s economy is continuing to grow, despite the economic pressures felt elsewhere in the UK.”

“With such an impressive growth in the city’s employment, our residents will continue to benefit from a range of opportunities here in the city.”

“We will continue to work with partners to ensure that York remains a fantastic place to live, work and visit.  The ONS figures are a testament to the progress we have made.”

To view the ONS data, please visit: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/la/1946157112/report.aspx#tabidbr. 

Liberal Democrats support Love Yor-k High Street

The Liberal Democrats are encouraging local residents to get behind the ‘Love Yor-k High Street’ campaign; a celebration of local retail in York.

Love Your High Street initiative in YorkThe Love Yor-k High Street campaign aims to encourage shoppers to buy locally, in an effort to support York’s local high streets.  The campaign has also launched a petition to call for business rate reform and help for the UK’s high streets.  You can read more and sign the petition here.

On Saturday 22nd September, a roadshow will be held in Kings Square, as part of the campaign, with local retailers and the York BID to promote local high street shops. On the day, participating businesses will be offering extra treats for customers, such as free gifts, discounts and special offers.

Recently, the national Liberal Democrats published a comprehensive blueprint for replacing the broken business rates system, cutting taxes for businesses by 5% in York.  The report calls for the abolition of business rates and its replacement with a tax on land values, the Commercial Landowner Levy (CLL).  The levy would remove buildings and machinery from calculations and tax only the land value of commercial sites, boosting investment and cutting taxes for businesses.

Cllr Keith Aspden, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, commented:

“It is so important that we continue to maintain York’s rich and vibrant high street, particularly at a time where high streets nationally are facing challenges. The Love Yor-k High Street campaign does exactly this and I would like to thank the organisers.

“I hope that as many people as possible can attend the roadshow on the 22nd September and turn out to support their local high street.”

“I would also encourage everyone to add their name to the Love Yor-k High Street petition and join the calls for business rate reform. Business rates were a badly designed policy to begin with and have become an unacceptable drag on our economy.”

York Jobs Fair Wednesday 26th September

Anyone looking for work or some support into training or employment is welcome at the York Jobs Fair on Wednesday 26 September.

From 10am to 2pm at the York Railway Institute (RI), Queen Street, over 70 employers and training providers including John Lewis, Hiscox, Gear4Music and the North Yorkshire Police are expected along with some 800 visitors.

Funded and organised by City of York Council in partnership with Job Centre Plus, this latest job fair brings together employers, employment support agencies, and education and training providers to offer local people job opportunities, information and advice

Cllr Keith Aspden, executive member for economic development and community engagement, said: “The fair is aimed at those looking for employment, people considering a change of job or career and those who would like to develop new skills and gain new qualifications.

“These events are always hugely popular, both with employers and prospective employees, so I’d encourage anyone who’s looking to further their career to go along.”