“On Line” survey asks what York Police tax should be

With crime levels increasing in parts of York, a consultation survey has begun.

It asks whether the police tax should be increased by 1.99% next year.

Recently the government announced that there would be no reduction in the grant that it gives to Police forces.

The survey can be completed by clicking here

The Crime Commissioners Office only hints at how any extra money raise could be spent although residents have an opportunity to “write in” comments.

There are elections for a new Police and Crime Commissioner on 5th May 2016

More information is available here. The last PCC elections produced the lowest elector turnout ever recorded (15%).

York Council budget and newspaper

The York Council is also conducting a survey of residents views on its new budget. It can be completed here “on line“

The Council is delivering another “Our City” newspaper with a survey form enclosed.

However, they are not giving residents an opportunity to give a verdict on the likely local increase in Council Tax (expected to be 3.99%)

The Council newspaper – which costs residents around £40,000 a year – also has a section devoted to “local news” which appears to be aimed at encouraging participation in how Ward Committee funds are spent.

click to access

Click to access

York St John students join forces with North Yorkshire Police to promote a safer Christmas

York St John University Business Management students have been working with North Yorkshire Police on the force’s Twitter campaign around Christmas safety.

York St John lecturer Mark Dransfield with his Business Management students who have been working with North Yorkshire Police

As part of their Digital Business Communication module students were looking at strategies to develop effective internal and external operational communications. They explored a range of tools, models and strategies and Tom Stirling, Digital Communications Manager at North Yorkshire Police, came into a student session to look at North Yorkshire Police’s use of social media.

Mark Dransfield, Senior Lecturer in Business Management, said: “One of the unique things about this module is that I engage with several partners in industry in order to give more meaning and a direct relevance to the theories we look at. This year I have worked with Portakabin and North Yorkshire Police (NYP).

“I chose NYP because they have a great social media profile, are very active and have won awards for their social media activities.”

Students were asked to develop a campaign for a tweet chat, a live chat – typically an hour long – held on Twitter. Participants use a hash tag to engage with and follow the conversation and tweet chats are often moderated with moderators asking up to six questions to prompt engagement. (more…)

Lifestyle Awards recognise community-spirited North Yorkshire youngsters

The community spirit of youngsters in North Yorkshire has been recognised at a glittering awards ceremony.

The North Yorkshire Police Lifestyle Awards Ceremony took place at York Racecourse on Thursday 19 November. The event rewards those who took part in a competition over the summer holidays which encouraged groups of young people to carry out projects that improve their communities.

Now in its third year, one of the aims behind the Lifestyle Challenge is to give young people a voice in their community and the opportunity to make positive changes. Since 2013 it has seen hundreds of youngsters aged between 10 and 17 take part, with hundreds of hours of work put in to projects as varied as cleaning beaches, clearing the gardens of elderly or housebound residents, organising family fun days, bake sales, sports days and launching anti-crime initiatives.
(more…)

National recognition for police responsible drinking campaign

An innovative campaign which tackles the negative impacts of excessive alcohol consumption has been shortlisted for a national award.

North Yorkshire Police’s Alternate campaign asks people to think carefully about the effects of their drinking, with a series of hard-hitting videos showing the risks and unintended consequences of drinking too much.

The five films were premièred in Selby in September 2015, shown on a large video van at the town’s Market Cross. Posters and credit-card sized ‘app cards’ featuring links to web content were distributed at licensed premises across the town.

All the films are also available to watch on North Yorkshire Police’s YouTube channel, http://tinyurl.com/alternatevid, and on a new website www.alternatedrinking.org. They were most recently used to promote national Alcohol Awareness Week 2015, which ran from Monday 16 November.
(more…)

Police confirm CCTV pictures are of missing man Rory Johnson

Police can confirm that CCTV images of a man, taken at 12.47am Friday 20 November, have been positively identified as Rory Johnson by his family.

The footage shows Rory in the City Mills area of York.

Police are following all lines of enquiry and underwater searches have resumed today (Thursday 26 November) by the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Underwater Search Team based at Humberside Police.

Police are continuing to appeal to anyone who recalls seeing Rory or someone matching his description in York on Thursday evening or Friday to contact them.

Rory is white, aged 29, 5ft 11in tall, slim build, with short blond hair. He was wearing a round-neck black top, blue jeans and white and navy trainers.

Anyone who can help is urged to call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1, and speak to the Force Control Room. Please quote reference number 12150207141.

Spending review – how it may affect York

Policing

There will be no cuts to government funding for the Police. North Yorkshire police however already employ fewer officers than they have budget for, so we hope those vacancies will be filled quickly now. What is less clear is what impact the Chancellors statement, that Police Commissioners would have flexibility to raise the police precept, will have locally.

Tax Credits

The Chancellor has scrapped plans to reduce working tax credits. The move has been welcomed by Local LibDem Cllr Sue Hunter

Jobs & housing

The York central site has been awarded “Enterprise Zone” status. This means all business rates growth generated by the Zone, will be kept by the relevant local enterprise partnership and local authorities for 25 years to reinvest in local economic growth. However, there are fewer planning controls in these Zones. The York Central site is expected to provide 2000 new homes and around 80,000 sq m of office space.

£50 million will be invested in the agri-tech centre at Sandhutton

Elderly care

The Chancellor has said that Council can increase Council Tax by 2% “to help pay for increasing elderly care costs”. This means that the Tories have abandoned their policy of freezing Council Tax. However, income for Council Tax is not hypothecated to individual services, so it remains to be seen whether the government will condition this power by ring-fencing social care expenditure.

The spending statement indicates that there will be increased funding available for the NHS and for Mental Health

Pensions

Basic state pension to rise by £3.35 next year to £119.30 a week

Schools

The statement says that big regional variations in grants to schools would be removed. Historically York schools have been more poorly funded than those in other areas.

Transport

The Chancellor has promised major capital investment including HS2 and electrification of the Trans-Pennine route.

However the revenue budget has seen major cuts so there is likely to be less for public transport subsidies and maybe road repairs.

Council Tax

As well as the proposed 2% increase this year, the proposals imply that York will retain more of its Business Rates (it has always been a net contributor to the national pool) but will continue to see reductions in government support grant.

The way that the York Councils budget has been funded has changed a lot over recent years.

Search continues in York for Rory Johnson…appeal for Clifford Street assault witnesses

Extensive police enquiries are ongoing and river searches have resumed in the effort to find Rory Johnson in York.

The 29-year-old from Skipton was last seen by the friend he travelled to York with at 12.15am on Friday 20 November 2015, when Rory left the York Central Travel Lodge on Piccadilly where they were staying the night.

It has been established that Rory went to a nearby pub with a fellow hotel guest having earlier met him and his father in The Postern Gate Wetherspoon pub at around 11.30pm on Thursday.

Witness appeal following assault in York

Police are appealing for witnesses and information following a serious assault in Clifford Street, York.

The incident happened outside Subway between 2.30am and 2.45am on Sunday 8 November.

A 21 year old man from Selby was assaulted and he sustained serious facial injuries.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has any information, is asked to contact police. Dial 101, press 2 and ask to speak to DC Andrea Robinson in the York Serious Crime Team.

Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Please quote reference number 12150198422 when passing on information.

Police appeal after York man’s nose broken

Police in York are appealing for witnesses following a violent assault on a man in the early hours of Sunday 1 November 2015.

The attack happened outside Society Bar on Rougier Street when a 20-year-old man from York was repeatedly punched to the head and knocked to the ground.

The victim sustained serious injuries to his face including a broken nose, cuts to his head and face, a black eye and muscle damage to his neck.

The area was busy with people celebrating Halloween and officers are appealing to anyone who was in the area of Society Bar between midnight and 1pm to contact them.

They also want to hear from anyone who has any information about who carried out the attack.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for the Safer Neighbourhood Service Desk.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote reference number 12150194046 when passing on information.

Former York police station, occupying a prime site, is being used for storage

The Ministry of Justice has revealed that it is not planning to sell or lease the former Police station on Lower Friargate in York.

In a response to a Freedom of Information request the Ministry confirmed that the Magistrates Court had taken over the whole of the building complex after the Police moved out in April 2014.

The building is now being used for “storage”.

It is linked to the adjacent Magistrates Court building and any redevelopment would require substantial remodeling to ensure that the Court remained secure.

York police station being used for “storage”

It had been hoped that at least part of the site might be incorporated into a comprehensive redevelopment. It would have provided an opportunity to supplement the 14 homes now scheduled to be built on the adjacent former Fire Station site.

The Ministry claims that the gloomy buildings are not “boarded up” but as the photo above shows their appearance reflects poorly on the nearby Conservation area.

The Ministry claims not to be able to separate the annual running costs of the building from those of the adjacent (Listed) Magistrates Court.

The building is managed by the Courts and Tribunals Service which, for over a decade, has fallen outside the local government influence. The service is responsible to a government Minister – currently Shailesh Vara MP.

Suspected dog theft update – new homes found for all 19 dogs

Police investigating the theft of a number of dogs who were found at a property in Kelfield near Selby have thanked members of the public for their response to the appeal.

PC Sarah Ward of Selby police, said: “We have had an overwhelming response to our appeal to find new homes and to try and find their rightful owners.

“Sadly, we have not been able to find any of the original owners of the dogs. This is mainly because most of them were not chipped. A number of people have come forward, believing some of the dogs were theirs, but after checks were carried out, sadly for them, the dogs have turned out not to be theirs.

“However, the good news is that we have found new homes for all 19 dogs. Although, they will not be handed over to their new owners for a week, just in case any further potential owners come forward.

“People have been brilliant and incredibly generous. Many people who were not in a position to adopt a dog, have called at the kennels and donated food for them.

“I would like to thank everyone for their kindness, I honestly did not expect such a huge response to our appeal, but thank you so much.”

To recap, police originally seized 23 dogs, however four ave been returned to their rightful owners leaving 19 homeless. The remaining dogs are being cared for by Woodhaven Kennels in South Milford.

The owner of a property in Kelfield near Riccall contacted the police after the animals were abandoned there.

The dogs have not necessarily been stolen from the North Yorkshire area, they could have been taken from the surrounding areas or anywhere in the country. There is no suggestion that any of the dogs have been mistreated and our investigation relates only to alleged theft and fraud offences. Due to the ongoing investigation, we are only able to release limited information.

A woman aged in her 50s from Howden has been arrested in connection with the investigation and has been released on police bail. A second woman is assisting the police with their enquiries.

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