Green Business Forum focus on Energy bills as they celebrate their second anniversary
With October marking the second anniversary of the formation of the York Green Business Forum the group are celebrating by hosting their upcoming event focussing on energy bills. The event is taking place as part of York Environment Festival 2025, and aims to help businesses across the city tackle their energy bills and learn how…
Don’t miss out on new child benefit repayment option, Azets warns
People in Yorkshire earning more than £60,000 a year have a new way to manage their child benefit repayments following a change in HMRC’s process, according to a senior payroll professional. York-based Julie Gunnell, associate director of payroll growth at UK top 10 accountancy Azets, said those who were eligible could now manage their High…
Halfway mark reached for TRU Community Fund applications
Strong interest has already been shown in this year’s Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) Community Fund, and local community groups, schools and charities are urged to apply now before applications close – or earlier if capacity is reached. With just 12 days remaining until the Monday 27 October deadline, the TRU Community Fund is offering £250,000…
Planned essential maintenance works on Lendal Bridge head to decision session
Plans to carry out essential maintenance works on Lendal Bridge will be discussed at a decision session next week (21 October). These structural repairs are needed to protect the bridge so it can continue to be used for decades to come. The proposed works consist of urgent structural repairs, re-waterproofing the structure and resurfacing the…
Inspiring commitment of York’s longest serving foster carers celebrated by the civic party
The inspiring life-changing work of some of York’s longest serving foster carers has been recognised at a special awards ceremony. Seven fostering households were welcomed to the Mansion House and awarded certificates by the Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Martin Rowley BEM, for completing 20, 30 and 40 years of fostering. Throughout…
Over 2,000 York residents still to claim £100 Household Support Fund payment
Over 2,000 eligible residents who have been contacted directly by the council have not yet claimed their one-off £100 Household Support Fund payment this winter. A total of 2,700 York residents have already responded to the letter sent out by City of York Council last month [September]. The payment is part of the Government’s Household…
Children in the North are losing up to 10 years of life due to inactivity and inequality
Children across the North are facing a health crisis and experts say physical activity must be at the heart of the solution. As part of the national Child of the North #ChildrenFirst campaign, the University of Bradford has joined with universities across the North to call on the Government to adopt a “whole-of-school” approach to…
York mum reaches her running goal and boosts her mental health, thanks to support from York Health Trainers
A York mum is preparing to complete this Sunday’s Yorkshire 10-mile just six months after starting running, thanks to support from City of York Council’s health trainer service. Kirsty Catterson, a domestic assistant at York Hospital’s maternity department, contacted the team back in March on the advice of her GP, when she fell into a…
York secures £479k to help prevent homelessness
Recognising the needs of York residents facing homelessness, £479,438 has been secured to help the Council prevent homelessness and provide accommodation and support where it’s most needed. This Government funding supports the Council’s aim to make rough sleeping rare, brief and non-recurring. A proportion of this funding will be used to support homelessness prevention and…
New community wellbeing hub opens in York
A much-anticipated community wellbeing and mental health hub, based in Acomb Garth, York, is opening its doors to the public on 13 October. A much-anticipated community wellbeing and mental health hub, based in Acomb Garth, York, is opening its doors to the public on 13 October, the week after World Mental Health Day on Friday…
York community shapes new rivers trail at soft launch walk
As part of York Walking Festival and York Environment Festival, York residents joined a creative riverside walk to help shape the new York rivers trail. The trail, co-designed with schools, stakeholders and local communities, will blend art, science and local voices to tell the city’s flood and climate story when it plans to launch in…
Major improvements set for York’s Park and Ride
Overnight parking and a host of other improvements to York’s Park and Ride services will be considered at a meeting next week (7 October). The meeting follows a citywide consultation earlier this year around how government funding through the Bus Service Improvement Plan could be best spent on the Park and Ride. Proposed improvements include:…
New strategy to support York children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and their families
City of York Council’s Executive will be asked to approve a new strategy to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families in York next month [7 October]. The five-year strategy, entitled Inclusion and Belonging, sets out to help every child and family in York feel that they belong…
New 1.5-acre park opens next to 78 new Passivhaus homes
A new green space for all to enjoy has been opened as part of work to build 78 ultra low-energy homes at Burnholme Green. A 1.5-acre park has been opened with play and exercise areas, meadows and coppices of trees, connected to the local communities by a network of paths dotted with benches. Across the…
First passenger train pulls into Huddersfield station following 30 days of major upgrades
This morning, the first passenger train arrived at the newly rebuilt platforms at Huddersfield Station, marking a major milestone in Phase One of the station upgrades. This achievement takes customers one step closer to faster, cleaner, more reliable trains across the North. Over the past month, our TRU West Alliance has been working around the…
Beware QR codes in Council car parks and texted parking fines
City of York Council is warning drivers to stay vigilant after its car parks were targeted by a fake QR code parking scam and as a wider parking ticket scam hits the country. A widespread parking scam involving fake Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) has targeted people across the country in recent weeks. Scammers send text…
Topping out ceremony marks milestone in multi-million-pound Bradford College building project
Bradford College marked a significant milestone as governors and special guests gathered at the £19.3 million Junction Mills development for a commemorative topping-out ceremony. The college event celebrated the highest point of the building’s structure being put in place, signalling the next phase of work to create a cutting-edge training facility for automotive, digital, and…
Huddersfield station set to reopen next week with new temporary layout
Huddersfield station will reopen on Monday 29 September with three rebuilt and extended platforms under new numbering, marking an important step in the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU). From this date, only platforms 1, 2 and 3 will be in use, meaning trains will run to and from different platforms than before and some services will…
SEND CENTRAL York’s new hub for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities launches
SEND CENTRAL, York’s new city hub for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is now open to families across the city [Monday 22 September]. The hub was officially opened by the Deputy Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Margaret Wells on Saturday [20 September]. The new hub is York’s flagship Family…
Statement from the Leader of City of York Council, Cllr Claire Douglas
Below the Council Leader’s statement is a joint statement from Askham Bryan College, York College, York St John University and the University of York. “York is built on its civic pride, history of social justice and strong communities. Each and every day, residents come together and volunteer their time to support one another, care for their…
TRU launches second round of Community Fund with £250,000 for local communities
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is launching the second round of its Community Fund, offering £250,000 to support local community groups, schools and charities along its major railway route. Building on the success of last year’s scheme, the TRU Community Fund will provide grants of £1,000, £5,000, £10,000 or £20,000 to organisations within five miles…
New seat and toilet scheme launches to improve city centre accessibility
As part of work to make York more accessible, City of York Council and 55 city-wide partners are launching a scheme to give more people a seat or toilet. ‘For Your Convenience’ partners display stickers in their windows. These invite customers and visitors who have a disability, a long-term health condition or frailty, to use…
Huntington School becomes first in York to receive Gold Healthy Schools Award
Huntington School has become the first in the city to be awarded a Gold Healthy Schools’ Award. The award is part of City of York Council and North Yorkshire Council’s Healthy Schools Programme. The programme aims to encourage state-funded schools across the county to work towards improving the health and wellbeing of pupils through a…
City of York Council puts pride back into local communities
City of York Council is proud to introduce York’s new Neighbourhood Caretakers – a team that looks at improving public spaces, supporting community-led action, and putting pride in our city. The dedicated team will work closely with residents, councillors, and volunteers to deliver visible improvements in local areas — from removing weeds and street cleaning…
City of York Council reviews options to ease congestion at Hazel Court Recycling Centre
City of York Council is committed to minimising waste and maximising material recycled at the council’s Household Waste Recycling Centre sites (HWRC). A range of options is under review to address growing traffic congestion around the Hazel Court HWRC, following concerns raised by residents, businesses, and service operators. The Hazel Court HWRC, located near James Street,…
Progress on City of York Council’s major investment in parks and green spaces
A report detailing where City of York Council is set to allocate three quarters of a million pounds of investment to revitalise parks, play areas, and public green spaces across the city will be taken to a public meeting for approval next month. The investment was first announced in February as part of setting the…
Batley station car park to temporarily close as part of major rail upgrade
Batley station car park will close from 22 September until Summer 2026 to facilitate major upgrade work as part of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU). The temporary closure will enable essential piling works to take place to build a new accessible station footbridge with lifts. Work will also start to refurbish and extend the…
York welcomes bids for local community schemes supporting council priorities
Applications are now open for funding to support schemes which make a real difference to the lives of local residents in communities across the city. The Ward Budget Citywide Fund supports projects operating citywide in York which support at least one of four key council priorities: Health and wellbeing; Tackling the cost-of-living; Environment and Climate Emergency…
‘Giant’ strides: halfway mark reached in Huddersfield station closure
Two strong teams have come together to mark the halfway point of 30 days of intense rail upgrade works that will give passengers better journeys, with players from Rugby League side Huddersfield Giants joining TRU as the midway point of activity has been reached. Representatives from the Super League club handed over a signed ball…
Resurfacing works set to take place on Hull Road
City of York Council will be carrying out essential resurfacing works on A1079 Hull Road between Tang Hall Lane and the Grimston Bar roundabout. Works will start on Monday 15 September and are expected to last until Tuesday 21 October weather permitting. No weekend working will be required and the road will be open at…
Upcoming changes as Station Gateway project progresses
The area around York Station will see a number of key changes in the coming weeks as the Station Gateway project progresses. Recent work on the project has seen the realignment of traffic on Queen Street and the opening of large areas of public space, as well as less visible work such as drainage and…
Students back for university reunion 25 years on
A married couple from Germany were among a group of former students who returned to the University of Bradford 25 years after studying business. The 15 alumni, from Germany and the UK, held a reunion for Master of Business Administration (MBA) students who graduated in summer 2000 after completing 12 months of studying at the…
Tap and donate to support the conservation of York’s city walls
A new scheme to help generate funds to support the conservation of York’s much loved medieval walls is now underway. City of York Council is custodian to most of the listed buildings in York and is a guardian of York’s heritage. With nearly 2,000 years of history contained in the city walls, they are the…
York organisations invited to apply for Good Place, Warm Place funding
Organisations running Warm Places in York to support local people through the coldest months, are invited to apply for up to £5,000 funding from a £40,000 fund over the next few weeks [until 5 October]. With support from last year’s Good Place, Warm Place grant, 22 Warm Places opened their doors to local residents last winter for…
Stay and Play sessions are a big hit with parents and children in York
With over 10,000 visits in the past year, it’s clear that children and parents are loving York’s Stay and Play sessions. Explore York – the independent organisation which runs libraries and archives in York – delivers the weekly sessions for parents and carers with children aged 0-4 years in partnership with City of York Council….
Savills says Yorkshire retail warehouse market shows resilience and opportunity as 2025 lettings activity builds momentum
The Yorkshire and the Humber out-of-town retail warehouse market is showing strong signs of resilience and opportunity in 2025, according to new research from international real estate advisor Savills. Following a robust performance in 2024 – accounting for 9.6% of all new UK lettings – the region is on track to deliver another solid year,…
Huddersfield station: its heritage and its future
On 6th October 1846, a public bank holiday was declared as the Earl of Fitzwilliam laid Huddersfield station’s foundation stone. Last Saturday (30 August), nearly 180 years on from that momentous day, the station closed for 30 days of intense work, as its grandest transformation in a generation is undertaken as part of the Transpennine Route…
Council’s Passivhaus homes launched
Duncombe Square is the first phase of one of the country’s largest Passivhaus schemes, and sales will begin of shared ownership and open market houses and apartments on 12 September. Duncombe Square is City of York Council’s first Passivhaus development of 34 high quality, zero carbon-in-use homes, built to an award-winning design. It is part…
Sign up to the garden waste scheme, or let us know if you don’t want your bin
You can still sign-up to the Garden Waste Subscription Scheme, if your household is eligible. The easiest way to sign up for the scheme is to complete an online form at www.york.gov.uk/GardenWaste Support is available for anyone who is not able to apply this way by calling 01904 551 551. You can subscribe until 31…
York deepening partnership with Lviv, Ukraine, with a focus on economic development and strategic collaboration
Following a high-level meeting between York City Council and Ukrainian representatives, both cities have identified key areas where shared expertise can bring mutual support. Council Leader Cllr Claire Douglas recently welcomed Mayor Andriy Sadovyi and other Ukrainian delegates to discuss opportunities for joint initiatives. The meeting highlighted York’s strengths in transport, civil engineering, and links…
Details of Council’s first Passivhaus homes for shared ownership released
Details of shared ownership homes at Duncombe Square have been released today (27 August), meaning that the 200 people who have expressed an interest in them can consider taking the next step towards buying a home. Duncombe Square is City of York Council’s first Passivhaus development of 34 high quality, zero carbon-in-use homes, built to…
UN report on AI to launch at global conference in Bradford
A major new United Nations report calling for artificial intelligence (AI) to be used to support people, not take their place, will be launched at a global conference hosted by the University of Bradford. The Human Development Report 2025, produced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will be a key focus of the annual…
Bradford College celebrates 100% pass rate successes
Bradford College students joined the hundreds of thousands opening their GCSE, BTec and Cambridge National results this week (Thurs, 21 August). While the GCSE pass rate has fallen again across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Bradford College is bucking the trend with some exceptional results. Overall, 67 courses for 16-18-year-olds had a 100% pass rate,…
York celebrates Key stage 4 (GCSE) students’ success
City of York Council education leaders have congratulated students across the city on their GCSE results today (Thursday 21 August). Cllr Bob Webb, the council’s Executive Member for Children, Young people and Education, said: “I’d like to congratulate all the students who have received their GCSE and Key Stage 4 results today, and thank the…
71% of GCSEs at The Grammar School at Leeds awarded top 7/8/9 grades
Students at The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) have achieved excellent exam results, with 71% of all GCSEs awarded the top grades of 7, 8 or 9 (A/A*). 49% of entries were awarded grade 8 or above, and 25% awarded grade 9. GSAL’s GCSE Class of 2025 includes a GB swimmer, an international hockey player…
Your future starts here: Explore Foundation Year options at Bradford
Prospective students have been encouraged to enrol on a Foundation Year programme at the University of Bradford from this September. The Foundation Year, available through Clearing, is a pre-degree access programme which provides people with a basis for future full-time undergraduate study at the University of Bradford. This one-year course is designed for students…
TRU wraps up seven consecutive weekends of upgrade work
On Sunday (August 17), engineers completed a series of railway upgrades between Manchester, Huddersfield and Leeds following seven consecutive weekends of work, as part of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade. The work included major structural enhancements to bridges across West Yorkshire with progress made on the reconstruction of the A62 Leeds Road bridge in Deighton…
Pioneering mental health partnership goes from strength to strength
2025 is turning into a landmark year for Converge, the partnership between York St John University and mental health service providers that offers educational opportunities to adults who use mental health services. Now celebrating its 17th year, Converge has: won the Educate North Award for Community Engagement for the first time welcomed its largest intake…