City of York Council is launching tomorrow (11 October 2012) a consultation on a single Designated Public Place Order (DPPO) which will widen the area in which the police are able to seize alcohol. There are currently 19 DPPOs in operation across the city at locations where anti-social behaviour is linked to alcohol and which have proved to be a successful means of tackling the problem.

However, designating an area as a DPPO often has the effect of displacing the problem to where the legislation does not apply and this results in agencies simply chasing the issues from one area to another.

Last year Safer York Partnership carried out some detailed analysis of the displacement effect of DPPOs and put forward proposals to create a single order covering a wider area of the city. Last year, City of York Council approved a proposal to consult on options for the creation of a single DPPO for the city.

These options included extending the number of DPPOs on an ad hoc basis when requested, creating a single DPPO within the Bar Walls or creating a single DPPO within either the inner or outer ring road. These options were designed to minimise the likelihood of displacement of anti-social behaviour, particularly into residential areas.

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The Coalition government has allocated £123,000 to York for a scheme to trial insulation for solid walls as part of its commitment to tackling fuel poverty and climate change.

The three main target areas for the pilot will be around Leeman Road, Lawrence Street and Tang Hall in traditional solid brick terraced homes and former council-owned properties in a variety of construction types, known to be difficult and costly to insulate and expensive to heat.

Householders in these areas will be approached, given expert advice in conjunction with Yorkshire Energy Partnership and other agencies, and up to 50 properties will be fitted with solid wall insulation for the pilot.

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At tomorrow’s Full Council meeting Liberal Democrat Councillors will push Labour for answers over their plans for the library service in York.

Last month the Lib Dems revealed that Labour was drawing up proposals to take libraries out of council control and ownership. The plans have seen a City of York Council ‘project board’ set-up which is working on how assets could be transferred and how alternative ownership models could work.

Despite promising a “full and frank” discussion, the six-week public consultation Labour launched last week on the city’s library service, does not include any questions on future ownership or management changes. Liberal Democrats are asking Labour to withdraw the consultation and start a “proper debate”. They are also seeking guarantees that any move away from council control would not see a reduction in staff or services. (more…)

The York Council has admitted, in response to a Freedom of Information request, that there is no guarantee that any new social housing will be provided in the City over the next 3 years.

The Council has failed to follow up on the initiative by the former Liberal Democrat led Council which started work on new Council homes in the Lilbourn Drive area in 2010. The last of the 19 units there has now been completed, but the Council is refusing to build any more.

Labour Councillors claim that this is because the homes would have to be let at a rent set at 80% of the private sector rate (known as “affordable rents”) and that this would be “too high”.

Rather ironic really, with many of the families on the waiting list currently having no option but to rent on the open market while at least one local Labour Councillor is profiting from her booming “buy to let” property portfolio.

So the only hope, for the 4000 on the housing waiting list, are the 59 or so units that Housing Associations are due to build plus any that private developers contribute as S106 contributions.

There is some optimism on the latter as developments like Derwenthorpe are now underway.

The question asked under FOI was;

“How many homes for affordable rent (not including social rent), which have received all necessary approvals, and with financing in place, will be started in each of the next three years in the geographical area under your remit? This includes those being built directly or by housing associations.

The Councils response was;

“there are no schemes with approvals and finance in place that will commence with certainty over the next three years.

On planning gain (s106) sites, the council’s policy remains that these are delivered with no public subsidy and that rents are set at target social rents and not the new ‘Affordable Rents

North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Wednesday 10 October and Tuesday 16 October 2012.

•A64 west-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•Skipwith Road, Escrick
•A63 Hull Road, Hemingbrough
•Church Lane, Wheldrake
•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
•A64 Between Barton-le-Willows and Jinnah
•A64 Between Barton Hill and Whitwell Hill
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The new Autumn leaflets for City of York Council’s guided walks, part of the i-Travel programme, are now available to view online or from pick-up points around the city.

Volunteer led walks will take place across York on a regular basis, with walks ranging from 30 minutes to two hours offering up a suitable walk for everyone.

Tasters in Nordic Walking – which uses special poles to enhance walking style, with an upper body technique similar to that of cross country ski-ing – courses and groups are also available. Details can be found in the led walks information leaflets from local libraries, leisure centres, doctor’s surgeries and the Visit York office on the corner of Lendal and Blake Street.

More details about the walks and rides can be found by contacting Sarah Prescott by email on sarah.prescott@york.gov.uk by phone on 01904 553377 or by going to www.york.gov.uk/healthwalks

North Yorkshire Police is urging residents to be vigilant and follow basic home security advice after a series of burglary incidents in the York and Selby areas in recent days.

Homes have been targeted while people are away on holiday, property has been stolen while the owners were at home but have left doors insecure, and an elderly man was targeted by suspected offenders who tricked their way into his house.

As part of Operation Haven, the force’s ongoing burglary reduction campaign which has seen an 18% drop in houses being targeted between April and September 2012 (168 fewer crimes – from 937 incidents in the same period in 2011 to 769 in 2012), police are emphasising the importance for residents to play their part by taking extra measures to secure their homes.

In York, officers are urging residents to lock-up after three burglaries in the city in the past two days.

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City of York Council has teamed up with York St John University and Sport England to offer young people across the city new, subsidised football sessions this autumn.

This new programme will kick off on Thursday 18 October at York St John’s all-weather pitch in Heworth, from 6-7pm. Aimed at young people aged 14 – 25 years old, it includes both boys and girls of all abilities and costs just 30p per session. Run by City of York Council, volunteer coaches are a much-valued part of the sessions.

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Witness appeal following collision near York

Police are appealing for a vital witness to come forward following a road traffic collision near Whixley, York.

It occurred at approximately 6pm on Saturday 6 October 2012, on the B6265 just north of the junction with Station Lane. The collision involved a green Audi TT and a blue Renault Clio, which were both travelling towards Boroughbridge at the time.

As a result of the incident the Clio left the road and ended up in a field upside down. The 38-year-old woman driving the car and a 47-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl who were passengers in the Clio were taken to hospital, where they were treated before being released.

The 21-year-old man driving the Audi was not injured.

Traffic Constable Steve James, of North Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Group, said: “I am asking anyone who witnessed the collision to come forward and contact the police as soon as possible.
“I am particularly keen to speak with the driver of a small car, believed to be a Honda Jazz which was in the area at the time of the collision.”

Anyone who can help with this enquiry is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, press option 2 and ask for Steve James. Alternatively information can be emailed to steve.james@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk quoting reference number 12120168392.

Police looking for wanted woman

Samantha Barr

York police are appealing for the public’s help to trace a wanted woman.

Samantha Barr, aged 40, who is from the Tang Hall area of the city, is wanted after failing to attend York Crown Court in May after breaching a suspended sentence order.
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