York Councillors pay hike approved

A huge pay rise for Councillors was agreed at a meeting last night.

On average it is worth an extra 18% although some will get more. It will also be backdated. The cost to taxpayers will be around £770,000 a year.

The increases were justified by a series of, largely bogus, claims that work volumes had increased since the previous review. In reality the time commitment for Councillors is broadly in line with levels experienced since local government reorganisation in the late 1990’s. Councillors also now benefit from new technology and casework support facilities.

While Independent Councillor Mark Warters has consistently criticised the increases, two Tory Councillors – who had both attended “behind close doors” consultation meetings with the review panel during the Autumn – got cold feet at the last minute and opposed the hike.

The notes from the autumn meetings, at which Councillors made their case for an inflation busting increase, are being circulated on social media. They are quite a revelation.

Councillors don’t of course have to accept the increase. They can choose to draw down less that the maximum allowed.

We will publish the actual amounts claimed by each individual next year

Other York Council news

  • Cllr Chris Culwick from Huntington will be next year’s Lord Mayor. His Sheriff will be Cllr Ashley Mason from Dringhouses & Woodthorpe
  • The Autism motion was supported by the Council yesterday as were pleas for more trees to be planted in the City.
  • The Council will look again at the Labour plan to ban cars from within the City Walls. 

 

Autism-Friendly City

The York Council will be discussing Autism at its meeting tonight. It is surprising, and disappointing, that the motion has attracted no public comment in the media as it seeks to address a valid issue and one that all residents in the City should be aware of.

Around 2,000 people in York have Autism.

There is a local Autism Strategy click to download

The York Council has its own Autism team.  Their contact details are Telephone: 01904 555143 Email: SENdept@york.gov.uk 

There are a number of local support groups Click.

here are also several useful web sites Click

 

York Celebrates Autism event

To help people learn more and talk more about autism, partners across York are welcoming everyone to the city’s first ever York Celebrates Autism event.

The drop-in event will be held on Saturday 6 April from 10am-1:30pm, at Spark:York CIC, (17-21 Piccadilly, York YO1 9PB) during World Autism Week.

Co-created by partners including United Response, City of York Council, the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), The Retreat and Creased Puddle, this is an event for everyone.

People living with autism, as well as academics and artists will be giving talks and performances covering everything related to autism:

10.15 – Jo Jo Hall will be performing her theatre piece ‘In my shoes’ about being a woman with autism

10.40 -The Prehistory of Autism – Callum Scott from the University of York’s archaeology department

11.05 – Women and autism – Dr Katja Oswald

11:30 – Lived experience of autism – Rose Anne

11.55 – Transitions project – Dr Lorna Hamilton

12.20 – Sleep and children with autism – Dr Victoria Knowland from the SleepSmart project at the University of York

12.45 – Riding Lights theatre group performance.

An activity space will be available for the children of people attending the event, and parents will be responsible for their own children.

£25,000 initiative to raise awareness of Autism

An £25,000 project will see 50 York people become Autism Awareness Champions in York.

will Department of Health funding to help raise public awareness of what life is like in York for people with autism. The initiative will see the council and Living Autism train professionals and members of the public to become Autism Awareness Champions, as well as enabling 150 people to attend a free two-hour Autism Awareness Course.

It’s hoped the Champions will deliver further awareness training to community groups, schools and professionals in the future, ensuring that understanding and awareness of the condition spreads across the city.

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World Autism Awareness Day to be marked in York

City of York Council is marking the seventh World Autism Awareness Day (Wednesday, 2 April) with an information drop-in event at the Customer Entrance to West Offices, Station Rise, from 11-1pm.

Several local organisations working with people with autism* and Asperger’s will be present to give out information about the services they run locally, including peer support group Aspire, United Response, and Living Autism. Artwork by people with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder will also be on display.

The council is currently working with partners in the NHS to deliver its new Autism Strategy for Adults: Fulfilling and rewarding lives for adults with Autistic Spectrum Conditions living in York.

The strategy has five key aims, to:

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