Requires York Council HQ automotive park to be open for public use

Requires York Council HQ automotive park to be open for public use

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Native Inexperienced transport spokesperson Andy D’Agorne mentioned utilizing the West Workplaces automotive park for a marriage fayre at The Grand confirmed its potential for cycle storage and raised equity points.

Council Facilites Supervisor Jane Armstrong mentioned cycle storage would imply placing on further safety whereas Sunday, December 8’s automotive park use was a gesture to assist a neighborhood enterprise.

The Grand declined to touch upon using the automotive park for its Wedding ceremony Fayre after being approached by the Native Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Mr D’Agorne spoke to LDRS after seeing the vehicles at West Workplaces on Sunday.

He mentioned he noticed no motive why the council couldn’t permit individuals to retailer bikes there if it may open it for the occasion.

The Inexperienced Celebration member added he questioned permitting individuals to make use of the automotive park given parking can be charged elsewhere and permitting non-Blue Badge holders to make use of disabled bays.

Mr D’Agorne mentioned: “West Workplaces automotive park is a safe, closed space that might simply be appropriate to make use of for bike storage, there’s people who find themselves having bikes stolen in York in the intervening time.

A car parked in a disabled bay at West Offices, in Station Rise, York. Picture is from Andy D'Agorne
A automotive parked in a disabled bay at West Workplaces, in Station Rise, York. Image is from Andy D’Agorne

“There additionally appears to be an inconsistency with the council proscribing metropolis centre Blue Badge parking through the Christmas Market whereas letting non-Blue Badge holders use disabled areas for an occasion at The Grand.

“The automotive park is often locked all weekend, however on Sunday the council allowed it for use for a luxurious occasion.”

Council Services Supervisor Ms Armstrong mentioned West Workplaces automotive park was made obtainable for companies to unload and cargo earlier than and after the Fayre, not as overflow for guests.

She added no funds had been made and it was opened as a gesture of assist for which the council occassionally did to assist companies and strengthen partnerships within the metropolis.

The amenities supervisor mentioned: “The gates had been quickly unlocked on Sunday to permit exhibitors attending a good at The Grand to park after unloading their supplies.

“As soon as unloading was accomplished, the gates had been relocked and reopened solely when the occasion ended.

“Utilizing West Workplaces’ automotive park for routine, further cycle parking for the general public would imply timetabling further safety measures to correctly handle entry and make sure the security of customers.

“Automotive park safety for this one-off occasion coincided with current safety preparations.

“West Workplaces’ automotive park is normally reserved for disabled guests to the constructing throughout enterprise hours.

“Because the occasion was held outdoors enterprise hours, we had been ready to make use of our discretion and permit exhibitors with out Blue Badges to quickly park in these areas.”




#Calls #York #Council #automotive #park #open #public


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, 2024-12-15 05:00:00

UN Safety Council criticizes Taliban ban on Afghan ladies’s medical schooling

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The U.N. Safety Council stated Friday it was deeply involved concerning the latest resolution by Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to ban ladies from medical schooling, which might depart tens of millions of ladies and ladies with out well being care sooner or later.

The council criticized “the rising erosion” of human rights beneath the Taliban, particularly for girls and ladies who’ve been denied entry to schooling past the sixth grade, financial alternatives, participation in public life, freedom of motion and different fundamentals.

Authorities beforehand had not confirmed reviews that Taliban chief Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered instructional establishments to cease offering medical programs for girls. In Afghanistan, ladies and ladies can solely be handled by feminine medical doctors and well being professionals.

In a decision adopted unanimously Friday, the Safety Council criticized not solely the medical schooling ban however the Taliban’s “vice and advantage” directive issued in August that additional restricts ladies’s rights, together with prohibiting their voices from being heard in public.

The decision additionally extends the mandate of the U.N. professional crew monitoring sanctions in opposition to the Taliban for 14 months.

The Taliban seized energy in Afghanistan in 2021 as U.S. and NATO forces withdrew following twenty years of struggle. No nation formally acknowledges them as Afghanistan’s authorities.

The U.N. has stated that recognition is nearly unimaginable whereas bans on feminine schooling and employment stay in place and girls can’t exit in public and not using a male guardian.

U.N. particular envoy for Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, informed the council this week that girls and ladies are “dealing with progressive erasure from nearly all walks of life.”

She stated the Taliban announcement in early September that feminine college students could be barred from attending medical institutes and courses of upper schooling may have critical penalties.

“If totally applied, this may have lethal implications for girls and ladies particularly, but additionally for males and boys, complete communities and the nation as a complete — by denying Afghans a functioning well being care system that’s open to all.”

“I’ve strongly urged the de facto authorities to rethink,” Otunbayeva stated.


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Edith M. Lederer , 2024-12-13 20:39:00

Kensington and Chelsea Council extends ban on Grenfell contractors from future initiatives

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The choice was finalised throughout a management assembly on December 11


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Adrian Zorzut , 2024-12-13 11:49:00

Lambeth Council to pay £15k after housing mum in flat separating her from disabled youngsters

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The Native Authorities Ombudsman discovered ‘critical failings’ in how the council dealt with the housing wants of Ms X and her disabled youngsters.


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Robert Firth , 2024-12-13 11:00:00

Tourism tax could be a ‘no-brainer’ says York council boss

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York Council’s Economic system Government Member Cllr Pete Kilbane mentioned lobbying to get powers to introduce a tourism tax would proceed after efforts to get companies to enroll voluntarily stalled.

However he added whereas there was an urge for food for the cost together with from the resort commerce, the council needed to make sure it might management how the cash is spent.

The Labour govt member’s assist for a levy follows public backing from council chief Cllr Claire Douglas who offered a petition calling for one to councillors in November.

Cllr Douglas’ backing for the petition at November’s full council assembly comes as residents had been requested whether or not they would assist a cost as a part of the council’s ongoing Price range session.

The council presently has no powers to impose a cost.

A Price range proposal to cost guests to York 10 per cent additional at council-run automotive parks on Saturdays and through occasions has been offered as an instantaneous various.

Cllr Pete Kilbane
Cllr Pete Kilbane (Picture: Workers)

Councillors on the Economic system, Place, Entry and Transport Committee heard on Tuesday, December 10 that officers had been exploring workarounds to get a cost.

Related expenses launched in locations equivalent to Manchester, the place vacationers pay £1 on prime of their resort invoice, have been launched utilizing authorized workarounds.

These have included organising enterprise enchancment districts (BIDs) particularly for native lodges and others in hospitality who collectively agree to use the charge.

However efforts to introduce levies by such means in locations together with Bournemouth have confronted opposition from some companies and authorized challenges have been mounted elsewhere.

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Cllr Kilbane advised councillors on Tuesday the authority had additionally run up in opposition to obstacles in making an attempt to deliver a few levy with the means presently at its disposal.

He added {that a} levy of £2.50 for every vacationer might elevate as much as £5 million-a-year based mostly on York’s annual in a single day keep figures of 1.7 million.

Councillors heard a voluntarily-imposed cost had been unsuccessful as a consequence of issues from some lodges that others together with vacation let house owners would refuse to levy it to undercut the remainder.

Cllr Kilbane mentioned organising a brand new hospitality bid would additionally peel companies of the prevailing York BID and imply the cash raised would keep within the metropolis centre.

The financial system govt member mentioned: “The way in which any cash could be spent could be legally within the present of a brand new BID, however as a council we’d wish to see that cash spent on locations like Haxby and Acomb too.

“A tourism levy is a no brainer, quite a lot of the luxurious lodges say their clients wouldn’t assume twice about it and a few are shocked there isn’t already one.

“The query is how we do it, if the hospitality trade is enthusiastic about doing it voluntarily then we’re open to that however they appear to have pulled away from it.

“So we are going to proceed to foyer the Authorities to present us powers to introduce a levy by proper in order that we will determine the place the cash’s spent.”




#Tourism #tax #nobrainer #York #council #boss


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, 2024-12-13 05:00:00

Lib Dem council seeks document 25% tax rise in ‘true nightmare earlier than Christmas’ | Politics | Information

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A council is looking for a document 25% tax rise in what has been branded a “true nightmare earlier than Christmas”.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, which is managed by the Lib Dems, is pushing for the bumper council tax hike in a bid to keep away from chapter.

The transfer has sparked fears different native authorities may ask for eye-watering will increase if the Labour Authorities provides the inexperienced gentle to the request.

John O’Connell, chief govt of the TaxPayers’ Alliance strain group, mentioned: “Taxpayers might be gobsmacked by this unprecedented tax enhance that would go away family funds in smash.

“Ministers should reassure taxpayers, and ship a message to every other councils which have comparable concepts, that will increase like this is not going to be tolerated and they need to dismiss this request at once.

“In a real nightmare earlier than Christmas, native residents are actually staring down the barrel of a devastating council tax rise.”

The native authority has been on the verge of issuing a Part 114 discover – which successfully declares a council bankrupt – for greater than a 12 months.

Sally Coneron, an opposition Tory councillor, warned that the bounce was “not sensible”.

She mentioned: “In keeping with the present administration, there has simply been a steady too low council tax that has precipitated all these issues. However that is horrible for our residents.

“Twenty-five p.c is simply not sensible for folks to handle. Retaining tax low and permitting our residents to maintain their cash is significant.

“It appears to me that council tax is the best method to get cash in however has essentially the most detriment on the residents.”

If the rise is authorised, council tax would enhance by £320 a 12 months for a mean Band D property. Nevertheless, that might nonetheless go away the cost in Windsor and Maidenhead decrease than in different Berkshire boroughs.

The King would additionally pay £836 extra a 12 months, assuming Windsor Citadel is within the highest council tax band.

Lib Dem council chief Simon Werner blamed the earlier Conservative administration.

He mentioned: “Whereas tough choices have already been made over the past 18 months, it’s clear that we might want to proceed to make robust calls – to repair the mess we inherited and put together a finances for 2025 to 2026 that balances.”


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Katie Harris , 2024-12-12 20:34:00

Haringey Council slashing opening days for libraries in newest bid to chop prices

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The council’s intention is to avoid wasting £675,000 as a part of the cuts it must make for the 2025/26 price range


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Grace Howarth , 2024-12-12 08:11:00

Birmingham council agrees ‘historic consequence’ to equal pay claims with unions | Politics Information

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Birmingham Metropolis Council has reached a deal to settle historic equal pay claims which left it going through a £760m invoice and pushed it into efficient chapter.

The settlement, reached between the native authority and unions GMB and Unison, means round 6,000 principally feminine workers will obtain a payout.

Politics Reside: Chancellor denies return to austerity

The total phrases of the settlement might be saved confidential and the council’s cupboard might be requested to formally approve it subsequent week, on 17 December.

Rhea Wolfson, GMB’s head of commercial relations, described the deal as a “historic consequence” for girls employed by the council.

“This end result wouldn’t have occurred with out their devoted and tireless management of a marketing campaign which has overcome enormous odds,” she mentioned.

Unison West Midlands head of native authorities Claire Campbell added: “It will hopefully be the much-needed turning level for workers, providers and native communities throughout town.”

The dispute pertains to council staff in female-dominated roles, comparable to cleaners and catering workers, traditionally being paid lower than these in male-dominated roles, like waste assortment.

The authority began paying out the claims after a landmark Supreme Courtroom case in 2012, however mentioned final yr that the invoice had spiralled to about £760m.

This was one of many key elements within the council, the most important in Europe, declaring itself successfully bankrupt in September 2023 with a Part 114 discover.

The discover confirmed that every one new spending, apart from defending weak individuals and statutory providers, should cease instantly, whereas £300m of cuts and tax rises have been later authorized in an effort to safe distinctive monetary help (EFS) loans from the earlier authorities.

Protests outside Birmingham City Council as plans in favour of £300m in cuts and council tax hike approved.
Picture:
Protests towards cuts in Bimringham

Learn extra:
Birmingham council to dump athletes’ village at over £300m loss
Why are councils going bankrupt?

In an announcement on Tuesday, the council mentioned the price of the settlement falls throughout the restrict of the EFS package deal agreed with the Tories in January.

Nonetheless it’s not clear if the deal will scale back the extent of cuts wanted to shut the shortfall within the council’s funds, or the extent of property being offered off.

In addition to the equal pay claims, the council’s monetary issues have been additionally blamed on a bungled IT system implementation, enormous will increase in grownup social care demand and the influence of inflation.

Chief of Birmingham Metropolis Council John Cotton acknowledged town is going through “unprecedented challenges”.

“This framework settlement marks the tip of an intense interval of dialogue between the council and its unions,” he mentioned.

“The subsequent part of the equal pay programme might be to ship a brand new pay and grading mannequin and job analysis scheme in order that pay inequality on the metropolis council can finish as soon as and for all.”


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, 2024-12-10 11:39:00

Labour peer Hodge lined as much as lead Arts Council England evaluate | Cash Information

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Baroness Hodge, former chair of one in every of Westminster’s most influential choose committees, is being lined as much as lead a evaluate of Arts Council England’s use of public cash amid a rising backlash within the cultural sector over the path of its funding.

Sky Information has learnt that the Labour peer, who chaired the general public accounts committee and was a minister throughout Gordon Brown‘s premiership, is near being appointed by Lisa Nandy, the tradition secretary.

Sources stated her appointment to go the evaluate of ACE’s use of taxpayers’ cash was more likely to be introduced earlier than Christmas.

It would place Baroness Hodge on the helm of what’s anticipated to be a carefully scrutinised inquiry, with the distribution of ACE’s funding exterior London having develop into a very contentious space.

Many main cultural figures have attacked the federal government’s resolution to divert a piece of the cash away from the capital, the place lots of the most outstanding arts establishments are based mostly.

In March, the Division for Tradition, Media and Sport (DCMS) introduced that Dame Mary Archer, spouse of the novelist Jeffrey, would lead the evaluate, saying it could be the primary such initiative since 2017.

The evaluate was postponed, nonetheless, because of Rishi Sunak’s resolution to name the overall election.

ACE is receiving an annual sum of £445m throughout the 2023-26 funding interval, a rise from £410m within the final spherical.

A DCMS spokesperson stated: “We don’t touch upon hypothesis.

“We’ll announce subsequent steps on the evaluate of Arts Council England in the end.”

Baroness Hodge has been contacted for remark.


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, 2024-12-10 14:15:00

Bankrupt Birmingham Metropolis Council agrees enormous equal pay deal after £760m dispute

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Birmingham Metropolis Council has reached an settlement to settle 1000’s of historic equal pay claims costing thousands and thousands – simply over a yr after going successfully bankrupt.

GMB Union, which introduced the claims alongside Unison, mentioned the settlement meant 4 years after launching its marketing campaign 6,000 low-paid, predominantly girls staff ought to lastly obtain settlement funds from the native authority.

Payouts are anticipated to be as much as 4 occasions increased than these provided to staff in 2021, with settlements anticipated to happen in the midst of 2025, the union mentioned.

The Labour-run council declared itself successfully bankrupt in September final yr after it was going through a £760m invoice to settle the claims, and was mentioned earlier this yr to be on a “slim path to monetary sustainability” depending on price range cuts.

Settlement payouts are expected to be up to four times higher than those offered to workers in 2021
Settlement payouts are anticipated to be as much as 4 occasions increased than these provided to staff in 2021 (PA Archive)

The dispute pertains to employees in female-dominated roles, equivalent to educating assistants, who’ve traditionally been underpaid in relation to these in male-dominated areas of the council, equivalent to waste assortment.

Rhea Wolfson, GMB’s head of commercial relations, described the settlement as a “historic end result” for girls employed by the council.

“This end result wouldn’t have occurred with out their devoted and tireless management of a marketing campaign which has overcome enormous odds,” she mentioned.

“They have been informed there wasn’t sufficient cash, that they have to settle for that ladies staff are paid much less.

“However they confirmed council bosses that the present doesn’t go on with out them. Their bravery on the picket line, within the lecture rooms, care houses, workplaces and workplaces throughout Birmingham has been staggering.

“Pay discrimination is rife and GMB won’t flip a blind eye when girls staff are being shortchanged.”

In a press release issued on Tuesday, the native authority mentioned a framework settlement might be put earlier than its cupboard committee subsequent week to hunt formal approval for the plan.

The complete phrases of the settlement reached with GMB and Unison are confidential, however the council mentioned the price of the settlement falls inside the restrict of an Distinctive Monetary Assist bundle agreed with the earlier authorities in January.

Councillor John Cotton, chief of Birmingham Metropolis Council, mentioned: “This framework settlement marks the tip of an intense interval of dialogue between the council and its unions.

“It is a crucial step on the council’s enchancment journey. I wish to placed on report my because of GMB and Unison for the constructive means wherein they’ve approached these negotiations.

“I used to be appointed as chief to finish the failings inside this council that led to the equal pay legal responsibility, and this framework settlement is meant to mark the beginning of a brand new period of productive and progressive industrial relations constructed on belief and mutual respect.”


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Millie Cooke , 2024-12-10 11:49:00