NESO Clean Power 2030 report reaction from Will Gardiner, CEO – role of biomass and hydro and BECCS in delivering Government’s 2030 targets
Commenting on the National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) report Clean Power 2030 Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO, said: “NESO couldn’t be any clearer, our power stations and plans to invest billions in renewable flexible electricity and carbon removals have a critical role to play in delivering the Government’s clean power target and wider climate goals. Drax…
Night works completed ahead of schedule
The work to remove parts of Queen Street Bridge has been completed ahead of schedule, meaning the scheduled road closures for tonight (7 November) and tomorrow (8 November) will not happen. Over the course of three nights starting on Monday, intensive work has taken place to remove the remaining parts of Queen Street Bridge, which…
Council welcomes creative industry leaders to York
This week, York will welcome creative industry leaders from around the world as the city celebrates ten years of being a UNESCO City of Media Arts. York is one of 26 cities globally to have won the City of Media Arts designation and the only city in the UK to hold the title. The tenth…
Have your say: Riverside path project takes next steps
City of York Council is inviting residents to have their say on detailed designs to improve the riverside path between Jubilee Terrace and Scarborough Bridge. The designs will see around £1.7m invested on improvements that include creating separate paths for cyclists and pedestrians, raising the path to make it more resilient to flooding as well…
York free school meal pilots could be extended after research suggests improved school attendance
Free school meal pilots in York could be extended to two further schools next year following initial research into the impact of the meals. Pupils in key Stage 2 (years 3-6)* at Westfield Primary Community School and pupils at Burton Green Primary School have been able to get free school lunches, and breakfasts, respectively, since…
Schools out! – First visit of the academic year to Drax Power Station
Drax Power Station has received its first school visit of the academic year, with nearby Howden Church of England Infant School taking advantage of the newly created Drax Transport Fund, established as part of the renewable energy leaders’ community fund. Children from the school’s year two class were given free travel and admission to Drax’s…
Talk Money fortnight is here to help you get more and spend less
The week after the Autumn Budget, City of York Council and partners are holding a fortnight of events and activities from today to help residents with their own finances. Talk Money Fortnight runs from 4-15 November. Drop-in events and advice sessions will be held for any residents facing financial struggles. All are welcome to get…
By election called in Haxby and Wigginton Ward
The statement of persons nominated for election for the Haxby and Wigginton by-election has been published today, Friday 1 November 2024. The details of who is standing are available at www.york.gov.uk/elections-1/haxby-wigginton-election-october-2024. The election will take place on Thursday 28 November with polling hours between 7am and 10pm, and with the count taking place at the close…
Mansion House to undergo restoration works in the new year
To help protect and maintain an important cultural asset for the city, York Mansion House will undergo £1.2m maintenance, accessibility and safety improvements and will reopen in 2025, 300 years after its original construction began. One of the earliest civic buildings to be built in the classical style in England, the Mansion House is the…
York welcomes national children’s leaders to celebrate success
Young people and social workers in York met national children’s leaders last week as part of a visit to find out more about City of York Council’s work to transform services for children and young people. The government minister for Children and Families, Minister Janet Daby; Frances Oram, Children’s Social Care Reform, DfE; and Isabelle…
York care leavers celebrate award nomination during national Care Leavers’ Week
Young care leavers from York’s Care Leavers Forum ‘I Still Matter’ are celebrating being nominated for a prestigious national award this Care Leavers’ Week (28 October-3 November). The group, which represents care leavers across the city, and City of York Council’s Pathway Team, which supports care leavers, have been shortlisted for the National Voice Awards…
Andrew Jackson welcomes solicitor to Private Client Team
Regional law firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP has welcomed solicitor Devon Drakes to its well-regarded private client team. Devon is experienced in assisting clients in relation to the preparation of wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney, and in providing Inheritance Tax advice. She also has experience in advising on the administration of estates following death….
Andrew Jackson advises on Northallerton residential development scheme
Regional law firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP is delighted to have advised North Yorkshire-based James Partnership, which specialises in residential property development and ‘change of use’ schemes, on the purchase of a development site consisting of agricultural barns for conversion into residential dwellings located near Northallerton, North Yorkshire. The land currently comprises an attractive set…
Two RAF veterans join growing Teesside air traffic control team
Two former Royal Air Force controllers with more than 40 years of military experience between them have joined Teesside Airport’s tower team. Matt Westmorland and Chris Plumb have joined Teesside as Trainee Air Traffic Controllers after making the transition from military to civil aviation. Now the pair have settled into the tower – bringing with…
Celebrating three years of transformative social action in York
A landmark anniversary is being celebrated this month, marking three years of social action work that has transformed lives across York, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, a generous anonymous donor gave £1 million to city centre church St Michael le Belfrey (The Belfrey) to establish the Post Pandemic Fund (PPF) and…
Airport boss shortlisted for prestigious global aviation award
A leader who has overseen rising passenger numbers and a raft of new developments at Teesside Airport has been shortlisted for a top global award. Managing Director Phil Forster has reached the final shortlist of the 2024 Airport Leader for the Future Award at The Airport Honour Awards. Run by the International Airport Review, the…
Listening to feedback: changes to York’s sexual health service
A number of changes have now been agreed to the way sexual health services are provided in York, which follows a consultation on proposed changes and listening to respondents’ feedback. The consultation ran between July and September and saw over 100 people respond. The sexual health service in York is delivered through YorSexualHealth, provided by…
C-Kore Systems celebrates 900th subsea tool deployment in Brazil
C-Kore Systems is thrilled to announce the deployment of their 900th subsea testing tool! This significant milestone was reached with a mobilization for a major operator in Brazil, monitoring umbilical installations during a prestigious campaign. C-Kore’s subsea testing units have gained worldwide acceptance with both operators and contractors for the cost-savings the tools provide, the…
Baby Week comes to York
Baby Week is coming to York for the first time this November (14-20 November). The national initiative celebrates services working with young families and raises awareness of the importance of early childhood. As a host city, York will celebrate the work of local maternity and early years services, helping to give every baby the best…
Rick Witter’s namesake gritter unveiled!
City of York Council is introducing its new fleet of gritters ahead of the winter season, with one named as Rick Gritter (after Rick Witter, Shed Seven). The lead singer from the local band Shed Seven has been chosen in recognition of their achievements in the last year. Cllr Pete Kilbane, Deputy Leader of City of York…
Introducing The York Clinic
The York Clinic was launched to address the growing need for menopause support in the workplace. Menopause will impact all women, yet it remains largely unaddressed. Their services are designed to bridge this gap by offering bespoke training that empowers businesses to better understand and support their employees, whilst also ensuring compliance with the latest…
Top comedian highlights the work for foster carers in York
A top stand-up comedian highlighted the life-changing work that foster carers do in a gig in York last week (13 October). Kiri Pritchard McLean has spoken about her own experience as a foster carer for the first time during her current show, Peacock. Better known nationally as the Star of 8 out of 10 Cats…
York taxi passengers to get safer, greener rides
New requirements for York taxis and private hire vehicles are set to make them among the safest in the UK as a new policy incorporates national guidance, making them even safer, with fewer emissions and offering greater choice, especially for disabled passengers. An extensive consultation carried out this summer has helped shape a new Taxi…
Grant applications for Warm Places invited
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 before 10 November. 28 Warm Places opened their doors to local residents last winter – ten more than the previous year – for a minimum two hours a…
NEW Swap 2 Stop with free vapes this Stoptober
Swap 2 Stop is a new nationwide campaign, being offered by the York Health Trainers, which is aimed at encouraging smokers to make the switch from smoking to vaping to improve their health. Smokers are addicted to nicotine, not tobacco. It’s the tar and toxic chemicals produced in tobacco smoke that kill, so switching from…
There’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ family, according to two thirds of Yorkshire folk
This year’s National Adoption Week highlights all kinds of adoption journeys. City of York Council and One Adoption North and Humber, the regional adoption agency for the York, North Yorkshire and the Humber, are supporting this year’s National Adoption Week (21-27 October). This year’s campaign hopes to increase understanding of modern adoption, the diversity of…
Andrew Jackson announces newly qualified and trainee promotions
Regional law firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP is delighted to announce the promotion of seven members of its team. Hayley Neal and Ailish Ward have successfully completed their training contracts and qualified as solicitors. They will continue to assist the property team across a broad range of commercial property transactions, with Ailish utilising her experience…
Queen Street to close for 5 nights in November
City of York Council has published information to support residents and visitors as a key road near York Station closes over 5 nights in November. As an essential part of works to transform the area to the front of York Station, the new Queen Street diversion road will be closed for five consecutive weeknights. The…
Council works with regulator to further housing standards
On 1 April 2024, the Social Housing (Regulations) Act 2023 came into force. Its new regulatory standards require tenant safety and engagement, decent homes and transparency, and landlords to inform the regulator of any non-compliance. The Regulator of Social Housing also requires more frequent surveys of homes and consideration of tenants’ diverse needs and any…
City of York Council named most productive council in country
City of York Council has topped a new list of the most productive English councils, meaning that we achieve the highest value for residents per pound of council spending. Independent consultancy, IMPOWER, analysed 149 councils across eight core areas using their index. These are the areas where councils spend the most money and include: housing…
Innovative start-up cooks up a storm with council support
City of York Council has supported a pioneering food delivery business to get established in York, with the company now looking to launch in cities across the UK. School Kitchen works in partnership with schools, taking over their kitchen facilities during the evenings and over the weekends. From their bases in schools, they run home delivery…
Ghost-inspired York Gin relaunches in ‘Europe’s most haunted city’
A gin inspired by one of York’s most famous ghosts has reappeared in time for Halloween. York Gin Grey Lady takes its name from the Medieval ghost who reportedly haunts the city’s Theatre Royal. The friendly ghost is said to haunt the dress circle of the theatre. Mad Alice, York’s top tour guide, who knows…
Help us make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring
To help us achieve our aim of making homelessness and rough sleeping rare, brief and non-recurring, we’re asking everyone interested to comment on our new draft strategy. Our five-year Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy aims to build on the work of our highly-effective Housing Navigators and our partners. Through it, we plan to offer people…
‘People-powered archaeology’ boosts residents’ wellbeing
A partnership between City of York Council and York Archaeology is helping the city’s residents uncover the hidden history of Walmgate, while improving their health and wellbeing, making social connections and gaining new skills and interests. The award-winning Archaeology on Prescription project is one of the first in the world to apply the social prescribing model to…
‘Very good’ status cements push to become UK’s most accessible airport
A renewed push to make Teesside the country’s most accessible airport has been launched following a glowing report from the UK’s aviation regulator. Teesside received the top “Very Good” rating from the Civil Aviation Authority this year in its annual accessibility report. And now airport chiefs have vowed to build on this to become the…
York Opportunities Event for young people with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities
Approximately 30 employers, education providers and support services from across the region will be exhibiting at the SEND Opportunities Event at Askham Bryan College on Wednesday (16 October) from 3.30-6.30pm. The event is for young people in Year 9 or above, with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities who live in York, Leeds and North Yorkshire, as…
Andrew Jackson announces another key appointment
Private client partner, George Lyall, joins law firm Regional law firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP has welcomed George Lyall, a highly experienced private client specialist, as a partner, marking further growth for its well-regarded practice. With over 40 years’ experience in advising high net worth individuals alongside their private and charitable trusts, George has particular…
Kirk Sandall Junior School installs solar panels with funding from the Drax Foundation
Drax Foundation funding has saved three schools an estimated 14.5 tonnes of combined carbon emissions this year, the equivalent of 24 transatlantic flights between London and New York. The Drax Foundation, the charitable entity of renewable energy company Drax Group (Drax), has funded the installation of solar panels at Kirk Sandall Junior School as part…
Autism Plus expands social enterprise with new Knaresborough site
Empowering Young Adults with Autism and Learning Disabilities through Artisan Chocolate Production and Meaningful Activities Autism Plus has opened a new site in Knaresborough, bringing together its North Yorkshire social enterprises under one roof. This new facility represents a major step forward in providing meaningful training and employment opportunities for young adults with autism and…
Travel agents celebrated at special bingo bonanza event at Teesside
Travel agents across the North East have been celebrated for their outstanding work supporting Teesside Airport at a special bingo bonanza event. More than 140 agents including retail store members, homeworkers, head office staff and business development managers packed out the celebration at the airport on Thursday evening (10 October). The event featured bingo, dance-offs,…
Over £1million extra support secured for York residents
Financial support to help residents cope with the cost of living crisis is being extended until the end of end of March 2025. The Council has been allocated £1,037,906 for the next six months and residents are urged to make sure they claim all benefits that they are eligible for. This Household Support Funding (HSF)…
Major milestone achieved in £5m H2Boost project with opening of biohydrogen production facility
The Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) and its consortium partners have successfully launched a demonstration-scale biohydrogen production and carbon capture facility at The Maltings, a food waste processing facility near Selby, North Yorkshire. This facility is part of the H2Boost project, which secured £5 million in Phase 2 funding last year through the Department for Energy…
Future generation – schools given opportunity to shine with Drax’s 50th anniversary art competition
Schoolchildren are being invited by Drax to submit their designs for a poster that visualises the energy industry workers of the 21st century. Winners will see their designs showcased at the power station’s history display, as part of its golden anniversary celebrations. Renewable energy pioneer, Drax, is offering schoolchildren in communities local to Drax Power…
Veteran Cargo Chief who made Liege a freight giant offers boost to Teesside
A veteran cargo expert who turned Liege into a magnet for global freight will be at the heart of boosting Teesside Airport’s facility. Steven Verhasselt spent 20 years turning Liege Airport from a small regional airport into a cargo juggernaut, handling two-thirds of all European Air Freight. Now the 52-year-old will be helping to steer…
Machines to be removed as most of council parking goes cashless
In the coming weeks a number of parking machines will be removed as the council moves to cashless parking. In February it was agreed at a decision session that the majority of the council’s car parking would go cashless as the council looked to save money by removing the costs of maintaining machines and also…
Night-time road closures planned as Station Gateway project progresses
As work on the Station Gateway project progresses to the next stage, the council is providing an update on upcoming works in the area in October and November. To help them plan ahead, the council is forewarning residents, businesses and commuters that – as part of work to transform the entrance to York Station – contractors…
New energy efficiency grants for homes not heated by mains gas
Eligible households not heated by mains gas in York are being given free energy-efficiency boosts by the Council for greater comfort, lower bills and less carbon output. During this month of environmental action in York (14 September-12 October), residents are being urged to check their eligibility and grab a grant for measures suitable for their…
Andrew Jackson facilitates Casper River’s first barge purchase
Regional law firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP announces that it has recently assisted newco Casper River and Canal Transport (“Casper River”), a subsidiary of Casper Chartering Limited, on its purchase of Off-Roader from MMS Offshore Renewables Services Limited (MMS). Off-Roader is the first vessel in Casper River’s fleet and offers an economic and environmentally friendly…