North Yorkshire Police is issuing a warning and offering advice following the seizure of potentially lethal drugs in York.

Officers have recently seized a quantity of a Class A drug called 4-Methylamphetamine. This is the first time that this drug has been found in the force and has previously been linked to deaths across the United Kingdom and Europe.

The drug was found in paste form which is visually similar to amphetamine, of which it may also have the same taste and smell. It can be white, off white or yellow in appearance.

A man from York has been arrested in connection with this drug seizure and is currently on bail while police enquiries continue. (more…)

click to enlarge

The latest GCSE results for York reveal that girls are still more successful in achieving high grades than boys.

Both groups though improved their success rate in 2011 when compared to 2010.

Also beating the average were pupils from mixed ethnic backgrounds who achieved a 79% success rate in 2011.

As part of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, best-selling author, Peter Robinson will be at Explore York Library on 6 June from 6.30pm.

During the evening Peter will be talking about his own novels and also introducing the audience to New Blood crime writers Steven Dunne and David Mark. (more…)

Liberal Democrats are urging City of York Council to bid for a share of £50million to improve broadband connectivity right across the City. The funding is available as part of the coalition government’s vision for broadband in the UK, which aims to ensure the UK has the best broadband network in Europe by 2015. (more…)

The Council has revealed that it has dealt with over 500 complaints about noise this year already.

With the fair weather arriving, this total seems likely to increase.

Worst affected ward is Westfield where 81 complaints have been received. The large number of flats in the ward may be partly responsible for the trend.

The Council has seized 5 items of equipment (radios, TV’s etc) connected with the complaints.

A “Freedom of Information” request has revealed the number of complaints registered over recent years.
• 2009 = 2557
• 2010 = 2434
• 2011 = 1819 (Recording methods changed so multiple complaints now recorded as one complaint)
• 2012 = 550

Noise complaints. click to enlarge

abatement notices issued. click to enlarge

Residents experiencing problems with noise can complain to the Councils Environmental Protection Unit, make an enquiry or seek advice during normal office hours as follows:
Telephone: (01904) 551555
Email: environmental.protection@york.gov.uk
Write to: EPU, c/o 9 St Leonard’s Place, York YO1 7ET
Call at: 9 St Leonard’s Place, York YO1 7ET

Residents also complain about noise on Friday and Saturday nights, between 9.00pm and 3.00am, by telephoning the Noise Patrol service on tel: (01904) 551555.
They can also investigate complaints outside of the above hours by prior appointment.

A step by step guide to dealing with noise problems can be found here http://tinyurl.com/Noise-in-York

North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Wednesday 30 May and Tuesday 12 June 2012 (two weeks).

•Strensall Road, Huntington, York
•A1237 Monks Cross, York
•The Village, Stockton On Forest, York
•A1036 Malton Road, York
•A64 east-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•A64 west-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•Temple Lane, Copmanthorpe, York
•A1036 Tadcaster Road, Acomb, York
•A63 Milford Hotel Newthorpe
•A1246 Ledsham (more…)

click to enlarge

As reported previously http://tinyurl.com/previous-care-article the Council is planning to withdraw care support from 160 mainly elderly residents living in York.

The latest figures issued by the Council (see right) confirm that the numbers seeking care support actually fell last year.

Despite this, the Councillor responsible for the service has been quoted in the media as saying care costs will increase by £3.7 million next year!

Residents will want to know where that figure has come from?

The Councils budget -agreed in February – forecast that removing care support from people with “moderate” needs would save £270,000 over 2 years.

A year ago the Council had embarked on a project which would have seen the techniques and efficiencies, applied by private sector providers, extended to all users. The effects of this programme (mainly affecting home care and the “enablement” service which helps former hospital patients become self sufficient) have not been reported back to residents.

In York, the majority of care users already choose the private sector to supply their needs (the Council having assessed an individuals needs, provides a budget to cover the costs. The customer can then either choose a Council or independent sector Care provider).

Now a “consultation” on the changes to eligibility criteria has begun. http://tinyurl.com/Eligible-in-York

Unfortunately it seems unlikely that many who are affected will complete an “on line” survey and if they do, with so many unanswered questions, the value of the exercise is questionable.

Police investigate York tree theft

York police are appealing for information following the theft of bonsai trees.

They were stolen from a garden on Willans Grove between 10.30pm on Monday 21 May and 7.30am on Tuesday 22 May 2012. The 15 trees, of various sizes, are valued at around £1,500. (more…)

click to enlarge

As we revealed several weeks ago the Lord Mayor of York has a new limo. http://tinyurl.com/new-limo-York

It was in use at the time of the Queens visit in April.

Now the Council have admitted as much – pretty difficult to hide really – but without revealing how much it is costing to lease.

Nor is there any word about the size, fuel economy or emission levels of the new Nilsson car.

Even more intriguing is the way in which this decision was taken and indeed by whom? There is no record of an “officer” decision which has to be recorded publicly on the Council’s web site.

Seems it will take a Freedom of Information request to extract this information from a Council which seems ever more determined to take behind closed doors decisions, based on a minimum of consultation and an almost complete absence of factual information.

The annual survey of resident’s opinion, which has been undertaken by the York Council for over a decade, is being scaled back this year.

Instead of circulating a copy to each household, the survey will only be available to most residents through the Councils web site.

Residents can access it here http://tinyurl.com/York-Council-survey

This is really the only opportunity for residents to have their say about the swingeing cuts to street level services that have been implemented by Labour since they took office.

One question specifically asks how residents think that the Council is performing (!)

The survey stops short of asking whether residents would prefer to see free “WiFi” access provided or retain facilities like the Beckfield Lane recycling centre.

It also misses the opportunity to look to the future and assess views about Labour’s plans.

So there is no question about charging for emptying green wheelie bins or whether residents think it prudent to add £20 million to the Councils debt burden although it is seeking to prioritise which part of the City centre this money might be spent on (e.g. Duncombe Place or Parliament Street).