The York Council are advertising two new posts to project manage improvements to Front Street and City Centre open spaces. . Applications for the posts are only curently open to existing Council employees.
The Council is trying to recuit:
A Regeneration Project Manager to lead and manage the delivery of a City Spaces Framework and to develop business cases/funding applications for different work packages and schemes that sit within our wider regeneration programmes. This role requires an experienced regeneration practitioner to work proactively and collaboratively with a wide range of Council officers and members, city partners and stakeholders and the new York & North Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.
A Regeneration Project Co-ordinator to provide practical day-to-day support and project co-ordination across our regeneration work programme, including the York ‘Our City Centre’ vision and action plan, and Acomb Front Street regeneration project. This role requires an experienced project administrator to proactively lead tasks such as risk and action monitoring, project planning/reporting and financial tracking, as well as a confident communicator who is comfortable dealing with a wide range of project stakeholders.
In total they will be paid around £77,000 pa. The source of funding is unclear although the Front Street project curently has an improvement budget of £570,000
The Council has so far remained tight lipped about the results of a consultationwhich they undertook on the options for Front Street.
Further details of the new jobs can be found via this link
RISE (Reducing Inequalities, Supporting Employment) is a support programme that offers one-to-one advice and employability support, empowering those involved to overcome both personal and professional challenges.
These include:
unemployment
mental health issues
physical health challenges
autism and neurodivergence
financial struggles
domestic abuse
housing instability
basic skills and training needs
inclusion and diversity concerns
support for self-employment and carers and people in care
Funded by City of York Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, so far this programme has helped 65 people from various backgrounds boost their confidence so they can go to work.
RISE is one of 25 projects taking place in the city, using UK Shared Prosperity Fund money. City of York Council has invested 98% of its UKSPF allocation so far (£1.8 million) to fund initiatives that range from business support, supporting the voluntary sector to helping boost skills and help people into work as well as invest in our high streets.
The average amount of time each individual gets support for is 11 weeks, with every person giving the programme 5 out of 5. The project has proven so successful that the council, using UK Shared Prosperity Funding has agreed to extend the programme for another year.
63% of those the programme has supported so far disclosed themselves as a disabled person or had a work-limiting condition. 54% lived in jobless households and 23% had dependents at home.
The programme combines emotional support with practical employability guidance. The programme has successfully helped participants like Michael, a 30-year-old who, prior to joining RISE, struggled with social anxiety and unemployment:
I was scared to go outside and even look at people.
With 67% of participants disclosing a mental health condition, RISE’s success in addressing such challenges and fostering emotional well-being is evident in Michael’s story.
Ben, Michael’s mentor, played a pivotal role in building trust and fostering Michael’s emotional well-being. Michael highlights:
Ben was warm, kind, and understanding – that made it really easy to be open and reveal my honest thoughts, struggles, and history. After establishing that trust, my emotional well-being was on the rise, which made the prospect of work/employment very attainable.
“Ben has taught me to think in a way that when I do fall in a hole, I have the knowledge and tools to get back up.”
In addition to emotional support, RISE provides much needed employment support, helping individuals set short-term and long-term career goals, as well as creating effective CVs that enhance employment prospects. Michael reflects on his progress:
Having these goals and something to aim for really puts weight and meaning to the centre of my life and has acted as a springboard to my mental wellbeing.
Another person to benefit from the programme is Kate who reached out to RISE after deciding to become a dental health nurse. Her mentor has been helping her get the necessary functional skills as well as providing CV feedback.
The final pair of a family of ‘ticket touts’ have been found guilty at Leeds Crown Court of fraudulently and dishonestly buying and reselling tickets for events such as Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga.
The touts resold tickets – often at vastly inflated prices – for high profile music events such as Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga and Little Mix concerts. The hearing on Tuesday 13 March is the latest in a series of prosecutions against secondary ticketing touts that has been led by investigators at the National Trading Standards eCrime Team based at City of York Council and North Yorkshire Council. This enforcement has already led to landmark prosecutions, jail terms and millions of pounds in proceeds of crime returned to the exchequer.
This week, Leeds crown court heard that husband and wife, Mark Woods (aged 60) and Maria Chenery-Woods (aged 54), along with Maria’s sister Lynda Chenery (aged 51) and Lynda’s former husband Paul Douglas (aged 56), ran TQ Tickets, a multi-million-pound limited company they used to purchase and resell hundreds of tickets at hugely inflated prices for events and concerts such as Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, Gary Barlow, Liam Gallagher, Strictly Come Dancing, Paul Weller and Little Mix.
An investigation by National Trading Standards found that the defendants used several dishonest and fraudulent tactics to purchase multiple tickets from primary ticket sellers such as Ticketmaster, Eventim, SEE Tickets and AXS, circumventing the platforms’ automated systems to block multiple purchases. These techniques – which were designed to exploit fans’ support and passion to line their own pockets – included:
using multiple identities and names to buy tickets, including false identities
using different names, postal addresses; email addresses and IP addresses
concealing their IP address – their internet identity – by using the Insomniac Browser, a specialist software that was designed for use by ticket touts by enabling multiple online identities and proxy IP addresses to purchase tickets at the same time.
Having fraudulently purchased the tickets, the defendants used false identities to resell the tickets at vastly inflated prices – in some cases at 500% more than the face value – on secondary ticketing websites such as Viagogo, Seatwave, Stubhub and Getmein.
The defendants also engaged in fraudulent trading by listing tickets for sale on secondary ticketing websites that they had not purchased and did not own. Known as ‘spec selling’, the idea was to induce consumers to agree to ‘buy’ non-existent tickets – with false information about the seats and row numbers – at an inflated price. Where ticket purchases could not be met, the defendants tried to make it appear that tickets had been sent by giving fake postal trackers and sending empty or torn envelopes.
Ed Sheeran’s manager is Stuart Camp, director of Grumpy Old Management Ltd. Mr Camp said:
“Ed Sheeran’s 2018 summer stadium tour was when we really took a stand against online ticket touts. The low point for me had been one of his earlier Teenage Cancer Trust concerts, where tickets were listed on Viagogo for thousands of pounds, but with none of the money going to charity.
“We want to keep ticket prices accessible for as many people as possible and hope to get everyone a good seat at a fair price. Today’s prosecution will help protect music fans and sets an important precedent in the live entertainment industry that I hope will be celebrated by live music fans.”
The investigation was led by the National Trading Standards eCrime Team, which has prepared a checklist for consumers looking to buy tickets online.
Over 70 recruiting employers, training providers and support services will be offering jobs to residents at The York Jobs and Apprenticeships Fair.
The fair will be held at York Barbican on Wednesday 13 March 2024 from 11am-6pm.
It’s open to everyone and brings together employment and training opportunities for people of all ages. Whether you are looking to start, further or change you career, the fair is a must for anyone looking for a new job.
Organisations offering jobs at the fair will include City of York Council, Motus Commercials, Avon, Claudius Consulting, Aviva, Experience Counts, Mencap, Fortus and Cineworld.
Support services and employers will also be hosting free employability sessions.
Jobseeker sessions will run between 11am-3pm, and will offer support with CV writing and advice on how to apply for jobs
School and college leavers or people changing career sessions will run between 3-6pm and will offer support with apprenticeship training and re-skilling.
There will be opportunities for interviews and job offers on the day, so come prepared with valid photo ID, copies of CV which can be handed to or emailed to employers.
Wendy Mangan, Employer & Partnership Manager for York & North Yorkshire at the Department of Work and Pensions, said:
“This is a great opportunity for those seeking employment and apprenticeships, to meet so many employers in one place and find out more about the roles available. With most applications now on-line, the Jobs and Apprenticeships Fair is a fantastic opportunity to speak to employers direct and put a face to a name.”
• Employment Type: Permanent • Salary: Grade 5 Level 1 to 4 plus potential overtime and standby pay
• Job reference: PLAC004601
• Application closing date: 10/03/2024
• Package: Various shifts – full & part time •
We are looking for enthusiastic, skilled or semi-skilled Ground and Highway workers wanting to further their career and develop into highly qualified Highway workers. In addition to ongoing on the job training there is the opportunity to gain additional qualifications and experience to develop …[more details];
Headteacher Archbishop Holgate school York
• Location: York, England • Employment Type: Permanent • Salary: L33 – L43 (range depending on experience). Relocation package would be considered • Job reference: ARHO004518 • Application closing date: 10/03/2024 • Package: Permanent • Basis: Full time
We are looking for an experienced Headteacher or senior leader with a proven track record of outstanding leadership and management across schools. Above all else, we are seeking a colleague who can lead by example, motivate and inspire both staff and students, and is a highly visible presence, whose values-based leadership promotes positivity, community and excellence in all they do.
Whilst recognising the school’s current strengths and achievements, the successful candidate will also use their knowledge and experience to identify the next steps in the school’s journey and strive to ensure that Archbishop Holgate’s continues to be an outstanding school that serves the entire community.
Our school has an excellent track record for high-quality
teaching and learning; an inclusive and inspiring curriculum; a wide variety of extra-curricular opportunities and outstanding GCSE and Post 16 examination results. The school is currently judged outstanding in all areas by both Ofsted and SIAMS.
You will be an experienced school leader who will:
◼ Lead and model the vision, values and Christian distinctiveness that underpins all aspects of school life.
◼ Continually strive for excellence in all areas whilst understanding the importance of school community.
◼ Work as part of an established team of outstanding school leaders to ensure high standards in all areas.
◼ Be an excellent classroom practitioner and understand the importance of being a highly visible presence each day.
◼ Embrace the opportunity to work in partnership with both the Teaching School Hub and other Pathfinder schools to further enhance our reputation throughout the local and wider community. Integral to this will be the exciting possibilities of close collaboration with Malton School, soon to be the second secondary school in the Trust.
Archbishop Holgate’s is an excellent place to work, a view confirmed by Ofsted in our most recent inspection, “Staff are incredibly proud to work here.” Our staff are friendly and supportive and our students are keen and eager to succeed. This role is ideal for an external colleague looking to share their wealth of experience with an established team.
Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Enhanced DBS check required.
The City of York’s Fostering Service wants to see all children and young people grow and thrive in foster families if they cannot be at home. We are proud to support young people living in their own community and want to build our plans to ensuring every child can live locally. We are looking f…[more details];
Fostering Social Worker – Fostering Team York £ 35,737 to £ 40,230 pro rata,
• Employment Type: Permanent • Salary: Grade 10 Level 1- 4 per annum • Job reference: CHED004599 • Application closing date: 11/03/2024 • Package: 18.5 hours per week • Contractual hours: 18.5 • Basis: Part time
We are seeking applications for a qualified Social Worker to join our service. The Fostering Service are proud to assess, supervise and support foster carers who care for children and young people to remain in their own community and want to build our support to ensuring every child can live locally…[more details];
Teacher (maternity cover) Rufforth Primary School £33,814 to £41,333 reduced pro rata
• Location: York, England • Employment Type: Temporary • Salary: Teachers Main scale M3-M6 £33,814 to M6: £41,333 reduced pro rata • Job reference: RUFF004517 • Application closing date: 26/02/2024 • Package: Maternity cover. Anticipated to be required for a full year. Part time 0.4 (Two days) Working days will be Tuesday and Wednesday • Basis: Part time
We are seeking to appoint an excellent teacher to cover maternity leave. We are looking for a teacher who: Has the highest aspirations for all children and young people, .Collaborates with colleagues to develop and inform best practice…[more details];
Support Worker York, England £29,230 to £31,391 per annum
• Location: • Employment Type: Permanent • Salary: Grade 7 Level 1 – 4 plus enhancements for shift working and evening and weekend working • Job reference: CHED004595 • Application closing date: 17/03/2024 • Package: Up to a maximum of 30 hours per week over a 4 week rota (120 hours per 4 weeks). You will work on a 4-week rolling rota which will include working alternate weekends and bank holidays. • Contractual hours: 30 • Basis: Part time
The short breaks service for children with disabilities within the City of York have an exciting opportunity for support workers to join our short breaks team in York. The service is based within a purpose-built centre for children with disabilities, which ensures services are innovative, flexi…[more details];
Primary Site Operative Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust £17,596 – £17,892
• Location: York, England • Employment Type: Permanent • Salary: Grade E, SCP 6-7 • Job reference: ASAI004516 • Application closing date: 21/03/2024 • Package: Permanent contract. Term Time Only plus 3 weeks • Contractual hours: 30 • Basis: Part time
The successful candidate will be responsible for the completion of all site-based duties including weekly compliance activities, general maintenance, painting and decorating, minor refurbishment works, porterage, key holding, safeguarding and other key associated d…[more details];
59% of investigations of fraud. against the York Council during the present financial year have been successful
This is the proportion of investigations completed which result in a successful outcome (for example payments stopped or amended, sanctions, prosecutions, properties recovered, housing allocations blocked)
In total 285 reports of possible fraud have been received by auditors this year.
The largest number of incidents (32%) involved Council Tax Support Fraud. Twenty council tax support investigations were completed with twenty-two more cases under investigation. Fraud in this area can occur when claimants provide false information when they apply, or fail to declare changes to their circumstances, relating to income or capital. Seven claimants have received formal warnings in 2023/24. Work in this area has resulted in £27k of savings for the council.
Parking fraud accounted for 14% of cases investigated. Parking fraud usually relates to blue badge abuse however, there have been a rising number of investigations of misuse of residential parking permits by owners of holiday lets. Thirty-two investigations have been completed – twenty relating to blue badges and twelve to parking permits. Three people have been successfully prosecuted and nine others have received formal warnings for the misuse of blue badges. Eleven holiday let owners have had their residential permits removed, six of whom were also issued with formal warnings.
Other categories of fraud included
Adult Social Care fraud– The team has completed three investigations in this area and five are ongoing. Fraud in this area relates to deprivation of capital, financial abuse, direct payment fraud, and abuse of position. Investigative work has assisted the council to recover £85k to date.
Housing fraud – There are fourteen investigations ongoing in this area. The majority of cases relate to sub-letting and abandonment of council properties, but the team also investigates false applications to the Housing Register, for Right to Buy purchases, and for Homelessness. Fifteen investigations have been completed to date.
Internal fraud investigations – Four internal fraud investigations have been completed. There are five ongoing.
External (or third party) fraud – Fraud in this area relates to financial scams perpetrated against the council, eg mandate fraud or cybercrime. Four investigations have been completed and one is ongoing.
Council Tax and business rates fraud – Council Tax fraud often involves households falsely claiming single person discount, however other types of discounts can also be abused. Business rate fraud relates to false or incorrect claims for discounts like small business rate relief. Fourteen investigations have been completed this year and ten are ongoing.
For the third year running, York’s businesses are being invited to celebrate the achievements of women in business at an event aimed at supporting female entrepreneurship in the city
Empowering and Inspiring Women in Business in York will take place on Tuesday 5 March from 9.30am to 2.15pm at the Priory Street Centre, 15 Priory Street, York YO1 6ET.
This event, run in partnership with NatWest, will build on a successful series that has taken place over the past three years. This event series has seen female entrepreneurs from across the city gather to share ideas and advice, and learn about free business support available from the council and its partner organisations.
The event will take place during the week of International Women’s Day, which this year is focused on the theme of ‘Inspiring Inclusion’. The theme urges individuals, communities, businesses and organisations to forge a more inclusive, tolerant world, and promotes belonging, relevance and empowerment for women and girls everywhere.
Keynote speaker Louise Toal will reflect on this theme in her talk, ‘If the shoe fits’, which will explore her journey as a female leader in the male-dominated world of tech.
A series of free digital skills training events is being offered to businesses in York throughout Spring 2023.
In partnership with the Google Digital Garage, City of York council has launched an upcoming programme of four digital skills training sessions, taking place between February and May 2023. These hour-long sessions are open to anyone in business in York, or who wants to get started in business. The sessions will help businesses to hone their digital marketing skills, learn how to build social media strategies and discover how to utilise Google Maps to market their business online, reach local customers and drive footfall.
In addition to the training, each business that attends the workshops will be able to sign up to free 1-to-1 online mentoring with Google Digital Experts to access guidance tailored to their specific digital needs – from building your brand on YouTube, Google Search and Maps to creating more ways to bring customers to your business.
Another death reported today at York hospital. This is the second in a week.
At the end of September there were 18 COVID patients being looked after by the Hospital Trust. The NHS do not published daily bulletins giving bed occupancy and discharge numbers at local authority level. We think that – – given the huge surge in local case numbers – they should now do so.
73 (SEVENTY THREE) additional positive test results have been announced today. This brings the total to 1838.
The cumulative 7 day average number of cases, per 100,000 population, peaked at 203.69 on Tuesday. This is significantly higher than the national average.
The worst affected neighbourhoods are currently Heslington, the City centre, the Groves and Tang Hall. All have large numbers of student occupied properties.
According to media reports, 135 people from the University of York have tested positive for Covid-19.
The number of students self-isolating has hit 1,000.
Volunteers are being recruited to help deliver food to the students stuck in uni accommodation. City of York Council has sent out an email to its team of volunteers asking for their help. It says: “The quantity of Covid-19 positive tests at the University of York has doubled. There are 1,000 students on campus socially isolating and the University of York needs support to ensure they can deliver food to them.”
Stricter rules for businesses
We know of, and are incredibly grateful for, the amount of work businesses are undertaking to ensure their premises are COVID secure for staff and customers.
The new measures from the government brought in this week also brought in increased punishment for businesses who aren’t COVID secure.
Businesses and organisations will face stricter rules to make their premises COVID Secure (from 28 September):
A wider range of leisure and entertainment venues, services provided in community centres, and close contact services will be subject to the COVID-19 Secure requirements in law and fines of up to £10,000 for repeated breaches.Employers must not knowingly require or encourage someone who is being required to self-isolate to come to work.Businesses must remind people to wear face coverings where mandated.
New guidance on £9 billion Job Retention Bonus
Further information has been published on how businesses can claim the government’s Job Retention Bonus, with millions set to benefit from the £9 billion package.
the Job Retention Bonus, worth up to £9 billion is set to support millions of employers who have kept on furloughed workersthe bonus will work alongside newly announced Job Support Scheme and could be worth more than 60% of average wages of workers who have been furloughed – and are kept on until the start of February 2021businesses can claim for the Bonus from 15 February until the end of March.
Eligible employees who are required to self-isolate by the Government’s Test and Track scheme, will be eligible for one-off payments to support them through the 14-day quarantine period.
The new Test and Trace Support Payment scheme from the Government is for people on low incomes who are unable to work from home while they are self-isolating. Where earnings are affected by self-isolating, applicants may be entitled to some financial support; a one-off ‘Test and Trace Support Payment’ of £500. Anyone told to self-isolate by the NHS’s scheme must do so or face fines of up to £10,000, and the £500 payment must be returned.
The scheme will also apply to eligible self-employed people who can prove they are unable to work while self-isolating.
Information on how to apply for a self-isolation support payment from 9 October is at www.york.gov.uk/selfisolate
Applications for free peer-to-peer support programme are now open
Peer Networks is a free national peer-to-peer programme for SME leaders that want to grow and develop their organisation for future success.
The York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub are working in partnership with the University of York to create diverse groups of individuals who can collaboratively work through common business issues. Through interactive action learning, participants will be able to discuss their challenges, gain and reflect on valuable feedback, and implement practical solutions to overcome them.
To be eligible, businesses need to have operated for over a year, have five or more employees and an annual turnover of at least £100,000. The scheme will close to applications on 26 October 2020 and places are limited.
Prime Minister’s Announcement: Skills and Training
The Prime Minister has set out plans to transform the training and skills system to help the country recover from coronavirus. The plans include a Lifetime Skills Guarantee to give adults the chance to take free college courses valued by employers and new entitlement to flexible loans to allow courses to be taken in segments, boosting opportunities to retrain.
This included an expansion of the Department for Education’s online learning platform, The Skills Toolkit. There are now more than 70 courses in digital, numeracy and employability or work-readiness available online and free of charge.
We are encouraging more learners to sign up to The Skills Toolkit, in order to help them build up their skills, progress in work and boost their job prospects.
As cases of Coronavirus continue to increase, City of York Council are encouraging residents and businesses to play their part to protect those we love and keep the places we enjoy open.
Stay up to date with York’s response to coronavirus through our upcoming Live Q&As, daily social media and latest government guidance updates.
As many volunteers have returned to work or education, we’re looking for 300 more to support York. We get a wide range of requests for volunteers to help with across the city.Sign up to volunteer so we can match you with suitable requests or needs.
Having friends or family to visit?
We’re asking residents to share their top tips for stopping the spread of Coronavirus when visitors come round. Whether it’s buying or making a fire pit so you can socialise outdoors, or putting kitchen roll in the bathroom so no one shares a hand towel – let us know how you keep people safe.
Current data shows us that social and household contacts and lack of social distancing is the main cause of spreading Coronavirus in York. It’s vital we don’t forget these stay-safe steps when visitors come to your home. Let’s protect those we love and remember ‘Hands, Face, Space’ whether you’re out and about or have visitors to your home.
You can download our Let’s be safe posters and share the helpful reminder of ‘Hands, Face, Space’ in your neighbourhood from the council website.
Going out to eat or drink?
Following Government guidance, hospitality businesses are now required to:
Close at 10pm (not last orders)
Keep tables a safe distance apart or divided with protective screens
Refuse entry to groups of more than six
Require customer and staff to wear face covering, unless sat at their table
Either ask customers to scan the NHS QR code in their premises or record their contact details for the Track and Trace programme
Businesses in York have innovated and adapted to remain safe and welcoming for residents and visitors, but the threat of Coronavirus has not gone away and so we all need to continue to work together to protect our health, our economy and our city.
York businesses will be able to get free advice on how they and their employees can make more sustainable travel choices, thanks to an initiative launched by City of York Council.
Funded by the council’s iTravel programme, in partnership with Get Cycling and Love to Ride, experts will be on-hand to visit businesses across the city to provide tailored travel planning advice and activities as part of the Travel2work scheme.
With a range of incentives, the service will help organisations to work with their staff to make commuting and work travel more sustainable – reducing car use and increasing the uptake of more sustainable travel options.
York News Focus 