North Yorkshire Police have issued the following advice: “More than a third of all burglaries are crimes of opportunity, where the burglar enters through unlocked doors or windows. Keep your home secure.
According to the Home Office, you are ten times more likely to be burgled if you don’t have basic security – even something as simple as putting strong locks on your doors and windows will keep your house much safer.

Nationwide, burglary has fallen by nearly 60% since 1995 – but criminals are opportunists who will take advantage of any chance to steal from you, so you should remain aware.
Securing your home

If you want to be certain your home is as safe as you can make it, here are ten top tips you should follow: (more…)

York NHS has issued the following statement:

“On Tuesday 17 April the Walk-in Centre will close at the Monkgate site and will reopen as part of the urgent care centre at York Hospital (located in the emergency department) from Wednesday 18 April.
A significant amount of work has been undertaken to design an improved service that will best meet patients’ needs, whilst offering the most effective use of the resources available.
The urgent care centre will help patients to access the right care from the right healthcare professional at the right time. They will also be able to access the range of specialist support services available at the hospital if needed. Health services will also benefit from more streamlined patient pathways.

By separating minor illness and injury from the main emergency department, the emergency department staff will be able to focus their efforts on the most seriously ill patients. The development of the Urgent Care Centre is the first stage in a redesign of the whole service offered by the Emergency Department.

The urgent care centre will be managed by a multidisciplinary team of medical and nursing staff with the skills to see and treat minor illness and injury.

There will be a single reception point and patients will be directed to the urgent care centre or the emergency department depending on their needs.

Other services located in the Monkgate building will continue to operate as normal. Only the walk-in centre is affected by this move”.

www.York.NHS.uk

Councillor Keith Hyman, Liberal Democrat spokesman for City Strategy, has joined forces with the two Green Councillors to ‘call-in’ the Labour Cabinet’s decision to scrap a cycle lane.

Labour formally agreed to remove the Clifton Green/Water End cycle lane and reintroduce a left-hand traffic lane this week despite a consultation that saw 106 out of 178 people– together with all three emergency services – say the junction should stay as it is. Council officers have admitted that the changes would make it less safe for cyclists and cost £12,000.

A ‘call-in’ means that the decision can not now be implemented until a further scrutiny debate takes place to look at the reasons why the decision was made.

Cllr Hyman commented:

“To reinstate a left turn lane for motor vehicles puts cyclists and pedestrians at more risk than they are now. The report on the issue shows that the Emergency Services and a Safety Audit of the junction are unanimous in saying that the current layout is the safest.

“I am at a loss as to how the Cabinet can ignore this evidence. I realise they stated in their promises to York that they would alter the junction, but surely having seen the report they should have reconsidered and accepted that the decision they have taken is wrong.

“They should now accept public opinion and expert opinion, swallow their pride, and change their policy.”

It looks like the Council has finally made the choice of a new car for the Lord Mayor. A new Volvo S80 Nilsson Limousine now sports the famous DN1 registration number. The vehicle is normally famous for its gas gulling 3 litre petrol engine but the 2.4 diesel model comes with stop/start and relatively low emissions at 129 g/km.

There is no doubt that a new vehicle was needed. The aging Vauxhall had long passed its sell by date and was increasingly unreliable. The last LibDem led Council had started the process of replacement and was looking at vehicles like the £30,000 Toyota Prius +, a 7 seat MPV with a CO2 rating of less than 100 g/km and fuel consumption of around 68 mpg.

Ironically Volvo produces a S60 plug in diesel hybrid although this is not yet available with a passenger capacity of more than 5.

The Council leases its vehicles so there should not be much difference in annual expenditure, although some may feel that the opportunity to set an example has been lost.

Hybrids run on battery power on local trips reducing pollution levels. And many of the Lord Mayors journeys are – of course – limited to the York area.

It looks like the crunch Council meeting, which will determine the future of the Beckfield Lane recycling centre, will take place on Monday 16th April starting at 6:30pm. The meeting will be held at the Guildhall. Members of the public are able to register to speak at the meeting.

The number of residents “signing” the Epetition on the Councils web site has grown to 274. This is the largest number ever – by a large margin – recorded on a Council web petition.

See http://tinyurl.com/Save-the-recycling-centre to add your support. The petition will be available until 11th April.

The paper petition now has now reached 2736 signatures.

York garages to offer free catalytic converter marking

On Wednesday 11 April, Safer York Partnership is launching Operation Bonafide to tackle increases in catalytic converter theft in the city.

Developed through the Partnership’s vehicle crime task group this is a joint initiative involving City of York Council Trading Standards and North Yorkshire Police. Following a successful pilot event in February, the partnership are now working with a number of local businesses to offer free catalytic converter security marking for York residents and businesses.

Members of the public can now contact any of the participating garages below to arrange a suitable time for them to take their vehicle along. In addition to security marking they will be given a distinctive window sticker indicating that the catalytic converter on their vehicle has been security marked. Participating garages marked with a * will also provide a free ‘health check’ of the vehicle.

Participating garages:
•North Eastern Tyres & Autocare* Centurian Park, Clifton Moor. Tel. 692500 (CARS ONLY)
•Glen Garage*, 12 Hawthorne Grove, Heworth, York. Telephone 425000 (CARS AND VANS)
•A.G. Motors*, Wheldrake Lane, Crockey Hill, York, YO19 4SN. Tel. 625890 (CARS AND VANS)
•Barker’s Garage*, Keswick Way, Huntington, York, YO32 9QP, Tel. 760020 (CARS AND VANS)
•Huntington Garage*, 67 North Moor Road, Huntington, York, YO32 9QN. Tel. 768808 (CARS ONLY)
•Halford’s*, Foss Islands Road, York (CARS ONLY)
•Drydals Garage, Hospital Fields Road, York YO10 4DZ, Tel. 633809 (CARS ONLY)

The garages will join local scrap dealers in working to disrupt catalytic converter theft by ensuring that any stolen catalytic converters attempted to be sold can be clearly identified through distinctive the distinctive security markings.

Between the 1 November 2011 and 9 March 2012, 40 catalytic converters were stolen in York forming part of a general increase in scrap metal theft. The most commonly targeted vehicles are Mercedes Sprinter vans. Owners of these vehicles are particularly encouraged to take this opportunity to get their catalytic converter marked. This project contributes to police activity under Operation Tornado, a national initiative to reduce metal theft.

Any garages interested in joining this initiative are asked to contact Dawn Clarkson, City of York Council Trading Standards on 01904 551827

Companies with multiple vehicles should first contact PCSO Kathryn Bean, Business Adviser, via e-mail: kathryn.bean@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk to arrange a venue and time for their fleet to be marked.

For more information please see www.saferyork.org.uk

1. Tax changes
Starting tomorrow, Friday April 6, the Liberal Democrat-delivered increase in the Personal Allowance of £630 will benefit 25m ordinary working people. And it will lift an extra 250,000 people out of income tax altogether.

Since joining the coalition Liberal Democrats have:
• Removed more than 1m low-paid from paying any income tax altogether
• Given every ordinary worker an annual income tax cut of up to £330
• Paid the largest ever cash rise in the basic state pension – £275 a year from this week for the full basic state pension (+£500 since we joined the coalition)
And thanks to Liberal Democrats most working age benefits are also increasing by 5.2 per cent to help those who’ve fallen on tough times.

And thanks to the budget delivered in March this year, by 2014, Liberal Democrats will have also ensured that those people working full time on the minimum wage will have seen their income tax bill halved.

2. Tax Credits
Labour oversaw a massive expansion in the cost of the tax credit system, where 9 out of ten families were in receipt of means-tested benefits. Labour’s bill rose from £18bn to £31bn.

It is difficult, but it is fair to ask couples to work 24 hours a week to receive tax credits, given that a single person has to work 16 hours. When you ask a single parent, for example, to work two days a week before they get a tax credit, asking a couple to work three days a week between them is reasonable.

Taking account of the up-rating measures to tax credits announced in the Autumn Statement, around 80 per cent of households with children will see their tax credits awards increase, at least in line with earnings this year.

When you look at the overall impact of the tax changes, the burden of that falls most heavily on the top 20% of the population.

And we have stopped the wealthiest in society receiving child tax credit to ensure the money goes to the people who need it. Under Labour, people earning more than £60k, which includes all MPs, were receiving this benefit.

Today’s Royal visit has clearly been a huge success with the highlight for many being a being a meticulously organised service at York Minster. Some Maundy money recipients were visibly moved to tears at the end of the ceremony.

On the streets, excellent weather brought out more than the expected 15,000 onlookers with public transport systems at full stretch in the morning period.

Many streets were choked with visitors by noon.

A memorable day for many and one that should help to boost the City’s tourist economy.

More at

http://tinyurl.com/Queen-in-York

With over 15,000 people expected to visit York tomorrow to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen and The Royal Party visiting the city, motorists are being advised to avoid driving in the city centre and use public transport where possible.

There will be a blanket road closure of the city centre on Thursday 5 April between 10am and 1.30pm. The closure will mean certain areas of the city centre will be closed during this time.
Visitors are being advised to use Park and Ride services, public transport or alternative travel such as cycling into the city centre. All public transport services will be affected and delays are expected throughout the day.

Blue Badge access and accessible parking will be limited. Only accessible parking in Colliergate and King’s Square will be unaffected.

Restrictions will also be in place on the evening of Wednesday 4 April throughout parts of the city centre. Shop deliveries, loading and unloading will be affected on Thursday 5 on Blake St, Duncombe Place and High Petergate, which are closed from 9am.

The City Walls between Baile Hill and Lendal will be closed all morning and will reopen at 11am; and the City Walls between Monk Bar and Bootham Bar will reopen at 1.30pm.
Access to Micklegate will be restricted until 7pm, as residents and retailers hold a street party to celebrate The Queen’s visit.

Further details can be found on the following web site:

http://www.thediamondjubilee.org/royal-maundy-service-york-minster-and-visit-york-5-april-2012

North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Wednesday 4 April and Tuesday 10 April 2012.

•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
•A1039, Filey Road at Flixton
•B1427 Queen Margaret’s Road, Scarborough
•B1249 at Staxton Wold near Staxton, Scarborough
•A165 Reighton by-pass between Sands Road and Hunmanby Road
•Stoney Haggs Road, Scarborough south-bound towards Seamer
•B1249 Foxholes to County Boundary
•A64 east-bound carriageway Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•A64 west-bound carriageway, Bowbridge Farm, Tadcaster
•Millfield Lane, Poppleton, York
•Beckfield Lane, York
•Green Lane, Acomb, York
•Ryecroft Avenue, Acomb, York
•Temple Lane, Copmanthorpe, York
•A1036 Tadcaster Road, York
•A1237 Monks Cross, York
•Strensall Road, Huntington, York
•York Road, Haxby, York

The mobile safety cameras will be in operation at the above sites at various times during the dates stated. Cameras will not be in use on the above routes all day, every day.