Government scheme to see £1 million reduction in York Business Rates

£1000 a year benefit for York businesses

List of qualifying business types. click to enlarge

List of qualifying business types. click to enlarge

The Government announced in its Autumn Statement on 5th December 2013 that it will provide relief of up to ￡1,000 to all occupied retail properties with a rateable value of ￡50,000 or less in each of the years 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Potentially as many as 1700 York businesses could benefit

The purpose of this new relief is to support the ‘high street’ which has been affected by changes in consumer spending preferences such as online shopping. The relief is temporary for two years from April 2014.

A wide range of businesses could qualify for the reduction (see list right)

Areas like Front Street in Acomb are likely to benefit from the scheme.

It will be necessary for any business wishing to claim this relief to make an application to the council and complete a state aid declaration form.

Health Lottery funding – 12th March deadline

Peoples Health Trust

The Peoples Health Trust – which allocates lottery funding – has set a 12th March deadline for organisations seeking grant funding.

Grants will be available of between £5 and £50k (over two years). Applications can be submitted by any type of “not for profit” organisation including CIC’s.  The projects length will between 9 months and two years (minimum 9 months to allow relationships to be formed ‘create stronger social connections between people’)

The project must be designed and run by local people. It must create stronger social connections between people and create a greater sense of general happiness. “It must help make the local community even better”.

For further information about the scheme and to apply visit www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk

Questions or assistance with completing applications can be obtained from Two Ridings Community Foundation 01759 377400

“Get street level services right” say York budget campaigners

When the York Council meets on Thursday to set its budget, Liberal Democrats will be demanding that it “gets back to basics”.

The Council needs to switch its resources to ensure that the public services, used by residents each day, are up to standard.

It will mean postponing some of the Council Labour Leaderships “vanity projects”

These are some of the issues that we have reported this week.

Illuminated bollard missing

Illuminated bollard missing

Damaged verge

Damaged verge

Damaged verges

Damaged verges

Blocked drains in Chapelfields

Blocked drains in Chapelfields

Litter bins missing

Litter bins missing

Gutters not swept for months

Gutters not swept for months

York Policing update

Vital witnesses to York pasty shop burglary urged to come forward

Detectives investigating a burglary at a shop in York city centre are appealing for some potentially vital witnesses to come forward.

Sometime between 5.50am and 6am on Tuesday 18 February 2014, thieves broke into the Cornish Pasty Bakery on Colliergate and stole a safe containing a quantity of cash.

Following extensive enquiries officers have established that the suspects were loitering outside the shop prior to the incident.

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Genetically modified food tops mis-selling list in York

“Home made” foods that weren’t

The York Council, has published a list of the cons some food retailers attempted during last year.

red strawberry

The Council says, “During food standards inspections and sampling exercises carried out between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2013 the following incidents of mis-description have been found:

  • Use of  undeclared genetically modified foods (vegetable oil) 9
  • Homemade/home  cooked foods that weren’t 7
  • Parmesan & Feta cheese 6
  • Scampi/Crab containing white fish/Surimi 5
  • Meat products containing additional types of undeclared meat 5
  • Cheaper brands of food/drink being used 4
  • Cheese analogue/substitute used instead of cheese 4
  • Spring water used instead “mineral water” 3
  • Incorrect origin or other claim 3
  • Turkey ham being used instead of ham (ie pork) 2
  • Margarine used instead of butter 2
  • Cod substituted with haddock/Pangasius 2
  • Substitution of dairy cream with non-dairy product 1
  • Frozen food described as “fresh” 1

There were also 18 incidences of under strength spirits found during inspections/sampling. However these may not be “deliberate” as they appeared to be due to the use of open top pourers on bottles, which led to evaporation of the alcohol rather than eg “watering” of spirits”.

£1 million York cycling velodrome scheme set for approval tomorrow

velodrome

The much delayed outdoor velodrome at the University of York is set to gain approval at a Planning meeting which is taking place tomorrow.

York Council taxpayers are contributing £200,000 towards the project which is described in Council budget papers as a “closed cycle circuit”.

The application is for the construction of a 250m-long, 7m-wide, tarmac surfaced, outdoor “velodrome”.

The track would be oval-shaped and banked at each end. The base of the track and the central oval would be at existing ground level.

The banking at each end would rise to 4m above existing ground level and have a gradient of approximately 18%. The track profile would be achieved by creating earth banking to support the track.

The bank would be topped by a 2m-wide footpath for spectator viewing. A handrail and fence along the top of the bank would provide protection for spectators.

The centre of the oval would be partly hard surfaced and partly grassed.

York Council cuts: West Bank park next to be jettisoned?

West Bank parkThe Council is to consider handing over control and management of the West Bank Park to a residents group.

A largely impenetrable report is to be considered on 24th February which will recommend that the Council seeks grant funding from an organisation known as NESTA*.

This  will  “support changes to parks management and maintenance systems – including potential changes to maintenance regimes, restructuring contracts and maximising the productivity of particular landscapes”.

The NESTA project gives the example of holding concerts in the parks as a way of increasing income.

The report later talks of

”exploring what community use and income generating possibilities 14 New Lane offers, either in its current form, or if rebuilt and extended, and using this  to fund the future care and development of the whole site”.

This is pretty much now standard  “Labour speak” for the withdrawal of Council funding, with residents left to pick up the burden.

A similar project led to the semi privatisation of the Libraries Service.

The newly independent “social enterprise” York Library service now finds that its Council funding is being cut by £200,000 over the next 2 years raising fears that several smaller facilities could close.

Parks – including West Bank – are also set for cuts in this years budget with £122,000 being lopped off.

Parks will be left unlocked with minimal maintenance “unless local groups step in to help”.

York has few formal parks and West Bank is the only one in the Acomb area.

It seems that a laudable initiative from some local residents – who wanted to set up a heritage centre at 14 New Lane to explain the history of the site – is now being used as a smokescreen to cover major changes to the use of the park.

There has ben no consultation with most residents who live in the area and who use the parks facilities.

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*NESTA is short for the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts. It has apparently obtained access to National Lottery funding.  It is viewed with suspicion by some residents who see it as a cover for the advance of the techno bureaucrat movement. Senior Council managers are understood to be involved with the organisation.