£1.2m project to uncover Industrial Revolution’s impact on health
A ground-breaking £1.2 million international research project led by the University of Bradford will investigate how the Industrial Revolution affected human health across Britain and the USA. ‘Dead and Buried: Investigating changes in health during the Industrial Revolution using documentary records and human skeletal remains’, a three-year project between Bradford and SUNY Plattsburgh, the state university…
Drax Community Fund gives Selby Preschool financial boost to help secure its future
Renewable energy company Drax has provided vital financial support to help a much-loved local pre-school continue to provide childcare. The donation, made through Drax’s Community Fund, will help to secure the future of an early years setting that provides essential support to families in one of Selby’s most deprived areas. In addition to the donation,…
Council proposes update to Garden Waste Subscription Scheme for 2026
City of York Council is set to consider an update to its garden waste subscription service at the Executive meeting on 2 December 2025. The proposal includes an increase in the annual subscription fee from £49 to £52 for the 2026 season, in line with North Yorkshire Council and to help cover rising service costs. The garden…
Budget 2025: Housing Association CEO backs two-child benefit cap removal but concerned over cost of living
The chief executive of Bradford-based Manningham Housing Association has welcomed the Chancellor’s decision to abolish the two-child benefit cap in today’s Budget. In a statement, Lee Bloomfield said: “As a housing association which places a special emphasis on providing high quality affordable properties for larger families, the removal of the two-child benefit cap is positive…
York set to boost NHS Health Checks for better health
City of York Council has announced plans to recommission its NHS Health Checks programme, reaffirming its commitment to improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities across the city. The NHS Health Check is a free, nationally recognised programme designed to identify early signs of cardiovascular and metabolic conditions among residents aged 40–74 who do…
Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) – Information for Employers – Please give your views (2 minute survey)
What is Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE)? In a nutshell, and in the context of providing employers with higher skills training packages for employees, LLE consists of Higher Education modules from high value technical courses delivered as standalone training opportunities for employees or individuals. Scheduled to start in 2027, LLE training packages will be fully funded…
Where to invest in Leeds: the city’s best buy-to-let areas for 2025
Leeds as a Buy-to-Let Market Leeds continues to rank among the most dynamic property markets in the North of England, combining affordability, consistent rental demand and strong employment growth. The city attracts a wide tenant base of students, professionals, and families, making it one of the UK’s most resilient regional markets. Over the past five…
Major improvements this Christmas at Mirfield station
Customers travelling over the Christmas period are being encouraged to plan ahead as significant upgrades continue across West Yorkshire to bring faster, more reliable and greener journeys. To allow these improvements to be completed, Mirfield station will be closed from Tuesday 23 December, reopening on Saturday 27 December. When it reopens, customers will benefit from…
Postmasters warned time is running out for compensation claims
Despite widespread publicity and a number of recent high-profile settlements in the Post Office Horizon scandal, a leading lawyer is urging postmasters who have yet to lodge or appeal a claim to take action, as the deadlines rapidly approach. Sir Alan Bates, who led the campaign for justice, and the oldest victim, Betty Brown, have…
Consultation launches on Rougier Route – a better way through York
Proposals to install a new bus priority route through central York have been unveiled today with a focus on making bus journeys more reliable, cutting bus journey times and creating a more people-focused environment in the heart of the city. Residents, businesses, visitors and commuters are encouraged to share their views in an eight-week consultation…
York schools share best practice at Inclusion and Belonging Conference
School and education leaders in York shared best practice at a citywide conference last month to help children and young people feel included and supported at school. Over 100 representatives from each school and multi-academy trust in York attended the Inclusion and Belonging: Building a School System that works for all conference to hear from local and…
Votes at 16: Yorkshire academics and youth workers highlight urgent need for political conversations with young people
York St John University to host webinar to examine the role of youth work in preparing for the extension of voting rights to 16 and 17 year olds across the UK. “Young people are politically socialising themselves via social media – they need other voices in the mix” As today’s current Year 7s (12 and…
Keighley’s new engineering and manufacturing hub is officially opened
Keighley College’s cutting-edge Technical Engineering Centre (TEC) has been officially opened by a stalwart of the local manufacturing industry. Ninety year old Michael Parkinson OBE from Airedale Springs – whose links to the college span more than half a century – joined employers, apprentices and alumni for the event on Wednesday 12 November. The multi-million…
YorEnergy retrofit event to help York and North Yorkshire residents cut bills and make homes warmer
Residents across York and North Yorkshire are invited to discover how to make their homes warmer, greener, and cheaper to run at the YorEnergy Retrofit Futures event on Tuesday 25 November 2025 at York Guildhall. The event also marks the public launch of YorEnergy, a new end-to-end home retrofit service developed through the Retrofit One…
York has cut city-wide emissions by 16% in just two years
City of York Council has confirmed there’s been a 16 per cent reduction in city-wide carbon emissions since 2021, as the council acts to improve health and cut costs, whilst marking significant progress towards the city’s ambition to reach net zero by 2030. The figures, published in the latest City-Wide Emissions Report, show emissions fell from…
New guide for Armed Forces personnel published
In the week of Remembrance Day, a new guide to services for Armed Forces personnel in York and North Yorkshire has been published. The guide has been developed by North Yorkshire and City of York Councils for all veterans, serving members and reservists across our region. A central part of the Armed Forces Covenant agreement…
Project update: Roof conservation project on track – stonemasons add their own message to York’s Historic Walls
Work on York’s historic City Walls continues to progress smoothly as part of the Bootham Bar conservation project. City of York Council’s Ancient Monuments team and in-house stonemasons are carrying out essential works to replace the roof, which is now almost complete. The project remains on schedule to finish by mid-December, as originally planned. The…
Drax strengthens partnership with Selby High School by enabling alternative provision at Skylark Centre
Drax is pleased to announce a further collaboration with Selby High School (SHS), nearby to Drax Power Station, to provide the school with regular access to the Skylark Centre at Barlow Nature Reserve, to deliver a purpose-built alternative provision programme for school students. The initiative will offer a sustainable, high-quality learning environment for students with…
York Walls in Bloom: Celebrating the changing seasons
As part of the York Walls in Bloom initiative, the vibrant wildflowers across the city’s historic walls are carefully managed to reflect the natural rhythm of the seasons. Now the summer blooms are starting to fade, City of York Council and dedicated volunteers, led by St Nicks, are coming together to care for these unique spaces….
Consul General of China welcomed by York partners
Ahead of the tenth anniversary of the sister city relationship between Nanjing in China and York, City of York Council has welcomed a visit by the Consul General of China in Manchester. The relationship was forged in 2016 with a view to developing a mutual understanding and benefits to these two historic and prominent cities….
York celebrates its amazing care leavers as part of National Care Leavers’ Month
City of York Council is celebrating the positive impact young people leaving care have on communities across the city during National Care Leavers’ Month (November). The month-long event aims to raise awareness and celebrate care leavers, with this year’s theme being “Rising as Me: Overcoming challenges, transforming, and finding your identity”. Around 30 young people…
Leeds College of Building to expand North Street Campus with major site acquisition
Leeds College of Building (LCB) has announced the purchase of a large building adjacent to its North Street Campus — a move that will significantly expand facilities and open up new training opportunities. The 5,000 m2 former Vodafone site on Melbourne Street sits next to LCB’s North Street Campus and will effectively increase the size of…
York’s smoking rates drop to one of the lowest in England
York continues to lead the way in public health, with adult smoking rates now at just 6.7 per cent — the 8th lowest in the country, according to the latest data from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. York’s Health Trainer Service has played a key role by offering free, personalised support to help residents quit smoking and improve…
Leeds Beckett University leads research-powered partnership to boost health innovation across West Yorkshire
Leeds Beckett University is spearheading a major new collaboration with universities across West Yorkshire to fast-track innovation in health technologies – supporting businesses to bring new ideas to market and improving health outcomes in the region. The Innovation Pathways (In-Path) programme – led by Leeds Beckett in partnership with the Universities of Huddersfield, Leeds and Bradford – is backed…
Low-carbon dispatchable CfD contract agreement
Drax confirms that it has signed an agreement with the LCCC for a low-carbon dispatchable CfD to cover all four biomass units at DPS over the period April 2027 to March 2031, with a strike price of £109.90/MWh (2012, real). The terms are substantively as announced in the Heads of Terms (February 2025). The strike…
York’s Remembrance Sunday parade and service
The Rt Hon Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Martin Rowley BEM, the Civic Party and City of York Council will pay their respects at York’s official Remembrance Sunday service and parade. On Sunday 9 November, the parade will leave Clifford’s Tower at 10.20am and make its way to the City War Memorial via the Mansion House. The…
York Talk Money fortnight
York residents can access a wealth of information and support that could save them £1000s as part of this autumn’s York Talk Money fortnight (3-16 November). Run by City of York Council and partners across the city, including Citizens Advice, Peasholme Charity, Age UK, York Energy Advice and OCAY, the regular event aims to help…
Dog owner gets £1,000 charge and three-year Criminal Behaviour Order
The owner of an uncontrolled, un-microchipped and aggressive dog has been sentenced by York Magistrates Court. Following a number of incidents of a nine-year-old grey Staffordshire bull terrier called Lola attacking other dogs and straying, its owner Andrew Bartle (aged 53 of Foxwood Lane, York) has now been ordered to pay £1,098 and has been…
‘Tackling poverty today and turning the tide to create lasting change in York
A landmark anti-poverty strategy for York council will be reviewed by City of York Council’s Executive next month [4 November], before being considered for approval by Full Council [6 November]. The strategy – entitled ‘Tackling Poverty Today and Turning the Tide to Create Lasting Change’ – sets out to create a ten-year strategy and action plan to…
Going for growth- an ambitious new plan for York is announced
An ambitious new prospectus laying out York’s plans for growth, with innovation, culture and heritage at the heart of it, aims to attract billions in private and public sector investment to deliver more affordable housing and more better paid jobs will be taken to a public meeting for approval next week (4 November). York’s prospectus…
Ravensthorpe station to be closed as new station is constructed
From Sunday 14 December until summer 2028, Ravensthorpe station will close as the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) build a new, modernised station 200m west of the current site. Rail replacement bus services between Ravensthorpe and Dewsbury stations will be in operation throughout the closure to keep customers on the move. The newly-built Ravensthorpe station will…
Have your say on York’s Local Flood Risk Management Strategy
City of York Council has worked with key partners including the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water to prepare a draft Local Flood Risk Management strategy. The draft opened for consultation on 19 October and will run until the 11 January at www.york.gov.uk/consultations The strategy updates the 2014 strategy version and reflects learnings from major flood events, including those in…
Upcoming works on Tadcaster Road/Copmanthorpe Link Road West
The council will soon be carrying out works to make improvements on Tadcaster Road, between the Askham Bog car park and Askham Bar Park and Ride. This will include updates to the traffic signals at the junction of Tadcaster Road / Copmanthorpe Link Road West between 22 October and 17 November and night-time resurfacing works…
Statements from city leaders: York Knights promotion
Following the announcement that York Knights RLFC have been promoted to the Super League for 2026, city leaders have issued the statements below. Cllr Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council said: “This is absolutely fantastic news for our city. We are all be brimming with pride to be home to one of the…
Rail upgrade work between Leeds and York across Christmas and New Year period
Upgrade work along the route between Leeds and York will continue over the Christmas period and throughout January to help deliver a faster, greener and more reliable railway as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade. Customers are being urged to plan their journeys ahead of time at nationalrail.co.uk or their train operator’s website, if travelling…
York residents can now recycle more at kerbside
For the first time, residents across York can now recycle food and drink cartons and toothpaste tubes in the same container as glass, plastics and tins, thanks to an upgrade to the city’s kerbside recycling service. This change marks a significant step forward in simplifying household recycling and forms part of the UK Government’s new…
Christmas parking arrangements confirmed
In line with the council’s budget setting decision made in February 2025, parking charge rates for York’s Christmas Market are set to be implemented from 13 November. The changes will mean that while the Christmas Market is on, parking charges between Sunday and Thursday are lifted to the current rate for Fridays and Saturdays. This…
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…