News and entertainment worth sharing – York and North Yorkshire Another key road in York has been hit by a water main burst The closure is in place between The Garden Village and Earswick Chase The road is expected to reopen on Thursday morning Yorkshire Water has completed a repair to the burst water main But the road surface on both sides of the road has been damaged and will need to be reinstated before the road can be safely reopened A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: “We experienced a burst water main on Strensall Road “The main has been repaired but the burst caused consequential damage to both sides of the carriageway which needs to be repaired “The repairs will be carried out on Wednesday (30 April) and we expect the road to reopen early on Thursday morning We apologise for any inconvenience while this repair is being carried out.” It is the latest of a series of road closures because of pipe failures Fishergate and the junction of James Street and Lawrence Street were all closed after main bursts Email YorkMix » 5-6 King's CourtShamblesYork  YO1 7LD You can listen to YorkMix Radio using your DAB+ radio Click here to listen to YorkMix Radio » YorkMix is a trading name of York Sound Ltd Registered in EnglandCompany no: 12831940VAT no: GB289462452 YorkMix Radio public file Copyright © 2025 YorkMix Andy Powell Content Editor Horse Racing stats man Andy has contributed to OLBG for 18 years - An Ipswich fan and F1 fanatic he also contributes EFL football and Motor Sport opinion so it first featured at the festival in 2009 with the race taking place on the final day of the festival The Group 3 Strensall Stakes is open to runners who are aged three or older and is run over one mile and one hundred and seventy-seven yards How competitive is the Strensall Stakes market When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals the most competitive market was in 2022 when the race had an over-round of 109% The race in 2011 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 122% whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Strensall Stakes which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £114 which is bet Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? From the past 20 if you had followed the winner of the Strensall Stakes next time out then you would have backed a total of 7 winners. Backing all 18 runners who have been out since to win at SP next time out, would have returned an LSP of +8.06. Remember to bookmark the racing tips page to easily access the OLBG racing picks daily trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick who set the fastest winning time in the Strensall Stakes the runner won the race in a time of 1:46.61 when winning the race in 2016 it was the combination of trainer Sir Michael Stoute and jockey Kevin Darley with Red Bloom who set the slowest winning time the race-winning time was 1:54.74 in the 2004 renewal These are the top three quickest-run Strensall Stakes over the last 20 renewals: Here are the Strensall Stakes' past winners for the last 10 renewals the horse which won along with the age & weight of the horse Also detailed is the stall where the horse came from and the total number of runners in the race The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Strensall Stakes are also displayed along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Strensall Stakes have been based: The leading trainer in the Strensall Stakes over the last 20 renewals is Saeed bin Suroor who has won the race four times with those four winners coming from Echo Of Light (2006 & 2007) Rio De La Plata (2010) and Real World (2021) Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Strensall Stakes are Sir Michael Stoute (3 wins) David O'Meara (3 wins) and Charlie Appleby (2 wins) Here are some of the top Strensall Stakes trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place): The leading jockey in the Strensall Stakes over the last 20 renewals is Frankie Dettori who has won the race four times with those four winners coming from Echo Of Light (2006 & 2007) Rio De La Plata (2010) and Dubai Prince (2012) Other jockeys who have recorded multiple wins in the Strensall Stakes are Daniel Tudhope (3 wins) and Jim Crowley (2 wins) Here are some of the top Strensall Stakes jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 1 The percentage shown is the percentage of the total number of runners who fell under that factor High percentages are less appealing than lower ones as you would expect them to do well Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, It is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Strensall Stakes by adding a tip on the race here The trend factor which had produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP an LSP of +23.75 is when runners had 4 season starts The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had a USA-bred dam when backing these the trend shows a record of 0-26 Here are the most recent winning draws along with the further placings in brackets: The race is open to both sexes with the Male runners having produced a total of 18 winners from a total of 140 runners whilst the Female runners have produced 2 winners from a total of 11 runners these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Strensall Stakes: These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the Strensall Stakes despite multiple attempts: Remember to head over to the York predictions page to see which runner the racing tipsters support in the Strensall Stakes Below are the other principal races that we cover during the Ebor Festival with links to each race blog and information for last year's winners The highlight on the opening day of the Ebor Festival is the Juddmonte International, a Group 1 race with a purse of £1.25m which is part of the British Champion Series The fillies and mares take centre stage on Thursday at the festival in the Yorkshire Oaks another Group 1 which is part of the British Champion Series The British Champion Series race for Friday at the Ebor Festival is the 500k Nunthrope over the sprint distance of five furlongs The Lonsdale Cup is also part of the British Champion Series on Friday The highlight on the final day of the Ebor Festival is the Ebor Handicap itself a stamina testing class two handicap which carries a purse of 500k Here are some other notable races at the York racecourse throughout the racing season that you may be interested in © 2002-2024 OLBG, part of Invendium Ltd We use some essential cookies to make this website work We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK remember your settings and improve government services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports The Ministry of Defence is working with partners to save the moth from extinction while continuing to use the site to conduct essential training to keep Britain safe The Ministry of Defence owns most of the moth’s English habitat which is a 570-hectare area of open heathland designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest Lying east of the North Yorkshire village of Strensall with some areas managed by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Forestry England The small but striking moth is a priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan Numbers of the dark bordered beauty moth have declined by over 90% since recording first began at Strensall Common with as little as 50 to 100 believed to remain at the site The moth’s presence has been recorded at the common since 1894 The moth favours sheltered locations at the woodland’s edges where its sole foodplant Creeping willow habitats are threatened by factors such as wildfires and sheep grazing – leading to a steep decline in the moth’s population since systematic monitoring began in 2007 Grazing of cattle and sheep on Strensall Common is essential to prevent the growth of trees and shrubs and maintain the site’s internationally important lowland heath habitats grazing has caused the loss of creeping willow plants meaning fewer good sites for the moth caterpillars to feed and reduced opportunities for the moths to lay eggs in the summer To help save the moth from extinction in England Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has provided funding and materials through its Conservation Stewardship Fund to create fenced enclosures around areas of low-growing creeping willow across the training area Additional funding has been provided by Yorventure an independent not-for-profit initiative supporting community and environmental projects in the City of York and North Yorkshire The first duty of any government is protecting our citizens and I commend these conservation efforts to protect the wildlife that call our estate home and have no impact on our essential training activity It’s brilliant to see the work we’re doing with partners to safeguard the survival of this wonderful moth while conducting training at the same site to keep Britain secure The work has been carried out by the Butterfly Conservation charity with the support of ecologists working for DIO volunteers from the MOD Strensall Conservation Group and experts from the University of York’s Department of Biology Volunteers have also planted creeping willows grown from local seeds across Strensall Common to bolster habitats for the moth While these efforts have been instrumental in preventing the loss of the dark bordered beauty moth from Strensall Common its population remains low and under threat Conservationists are therefore considering trialling a captive breeding scheme to establish new populations of the moth in surrounding regions of York This follows a recent project which saw the release of 160 dark bordered beauty moth caterpillars into a site in Scotland’s Cairngorm mountains where the only other surviving populations of the moth in Britain can be found it is hoped that the continuing work to protect habitats for the dark bordered beauty moth at Strensall Common will ensure the site remains a stronghold for the species The Defence estate is home to some of the most valuable sites for nature and wildlife in the UK While the primary use of the land is to enable our military to train we are equally committed to supporting nature recovery by balancing the conservation of species and their habitats with military training requirements The determined efforts of the MOD Strensall Conservation Group Butterfly Conservation and local experts and volunteers have been key to preventing the dark bordered beauty from becoming extinct at its last known site in England but unfortunately its numbers are still in decline Continued collaboration will be essential in giving the moth the best chance of recovering its population Despite ongoing conservation work by Butterfly Conservation the dark bordered beauty remains at risk of extinction in England It is crucial that our work to protect it at Strensall continues; at the same time we need to restore suitable habitat elsewhere and enable the spread of the moth if its chances of survival are to be enhanced The dark bordered beauty population at Strensall Common is of enormous cultural importance as it was the population where the moth was first discovered in the UK and has been most frequently visited by entomologists interested in finding the moth The moth has only survived thanks to the protection of the heathland provided by the military training area Seeing the moth fly on a sunny morning is a never-to-be-forgotten experience which future generations deserve to enjoy The work being undertaken to protect the moth’s habitats is in line with the Government’s commitment to protect and restore nature and deliver the Environment Act targets Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details Police today released this new picture of Fraser to jog the memories of anyone who may be able to help find him They have focused of search activity on the common Officers have brought in the police helicopter drones and the force underwater search team in their efforts to find him Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue volunteers have also been assisting Police believe that Fraser set out for a walk wearing the same hat and coat that is seen in the top image and that he also had a walking stick with him is described as light build and approximately 5ft 8in tall Inspector Ben Hutchinson from North Yorkshire Police said: “Since Fraser was reported missing to us we have had officers working tirelessly to try and locate him “I would urge anyone who is out walking in the Strensall Common area today or this weekend to be vigilant and to report significant information on 999 and anything else on 101 “Fraser’s family are understandably extremely concerned for his welfare and we are doing all that we can to support them at this difficult time as well as keep them updated on our daily searches.” If you believe that you have seen Fraser or have any information that could assist police If you know his immediate whereabouts please call 999 Email YorkMix » Police searching for a missing 91-year-old York man are trying to trace the movements of his car As we reported yesterday Fraser Tuddenham from Huntington has not been seen since Friday (14 February) North Yorkshire Police are back out trying to find Fraser and said today: “We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who has used the Strensall Common car park in the last four days do you have any dash-cam footage that could help us pinpoint a timeframe for Fraser’s vehicle arrival?” Fraser is known to regularly walk in the Strensall area He is often seen wearing a dark green winter coat and a Russian-style fur hat when out walking Scarborough & Ryedale Mountain Rescue Team are helping with the search today If you believe you have seen Fraser or have any information that could assist police Quote reference 12250030132 when providing any information Email YorkMix » It looks like JavaScript is not enabled in your browser The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response 6 SEP 2024BookmarkGoldsborough Manor is just a short drive from York City Centre and nearby amenities (Image: Crown Care Group)Enquiries are now open for a new luxury care home coming soon to York Located in the charming village of Strensall Goldsborough Manor will offer luxury living with bespoke care packages setting a new standard for healthcare and social activity facilities The home is conveniently situated near local transport links just a short drive from York City Centre and nearby amenities This prime location blends natural beauty with convenience making it an ideal choice for those seeking a fulfilling lifestyle in their later years Goldsborough Manor will offer all the luxury and comfort of home with the assurance that the highest standards of healthcare are always available welcoming atmosphere that promotes wellbeing Residents can enjoy a drink at Little Betty's Tea Room which leads to a Rooftop Bar & Terrace where residents can indulge in a bit of pampering a well-established operator and developer of 22 luxury care homes Goldsborough Manor will take a holistic approach to care A team of experienced of qualified senior carers will create personalised care plans ensuring that each resident receives the attention and support they deserve the team will ensure that residents can participate in a vibrant and varied range of activities This focus on a well-rounded lifestyle is central to Goldsborough Manor's mission to help residents live fulfilling regardless of changes in their health or advancing age Crown Care Group is now taking enquiries and booking personalised tours of this stunning new facility So don't miss your chance to secure a place in York's newest care home For further information, tour reservations, and room enquiries, call 07842 030552, email enquiries@crowncaregroup.co.uk, or complete the form on the website Police want to trace a driver who left the scene following a two-vehicle crash in a York village It happened between 4pm and 4.30pm on Saturday 28 December on Sheriff Hutton Road near Strensall A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “Two vehicles collided on the humpback bridge which caused both vehicles to sustain damage “One of the drivers left the scene without leaving details “We’re appealing for any witnesses to the collision or anyone with relevant dashcam footage to contact us.” Email YorkMix » charleshutchpress YORK artist Ric Liptrot is launching his 2025 calendar freelance illustrator Ric is “obsessed with York’s architecture” and is in high demand for projects relating to buildings Next year’s calendar is a “gift of nostalgia” exploring forgotten shops such as Fossgate Books and Ken Spelman’s Booksellers Dave Dee’s Banana Warehouse and Bootham Crescent from The Cat’s Whiskers café to the York Nut Centre in Market Street St Michael le Belfrey and The Pig & Pastry café who include the Guardian and The Big Issue was a celebration of York’s buildings and was so popular that he decided to launch a 2025 follow-up but this time focusing more on the hidden past of York’s popular shops and Ken Spelman’s treasure trove of old wooden panels housing all sorts of historic secrets,” says Ric How would you describe your artistic style using drawings made from studying buildings in York I like to create textures using collage and stencils “I use these techniques to bring out the characterful elements of shop windows I draw outside and study the windows and the building Passers-by take an interest and I love to talk about what I’m doing.” What makes York such a hot spot for artists to represent in paint/street art/whatever “I think it’s a mixture of characterful buildings with their wonky rooftops and intricate brickwork The city is packed full of historic importance and stories This helps artists to give more life to the artwork.” what makes York so ideal to be represented in a calendar “We are lucky in York to have so many inspiring scenes to paint and draw As well as fantastic independent businesses that I believe are very important to the local community and economy There are not many places like York left in the UK York is one of few which still attracts a large number of visitors.”  You describe yourself as “obsessed with York’s architecture” In a city that hosts such events as York Residents Festival and York Unlocked is one of the joys behind that obsession finding new architectural gems to depict I’m still finding parts of York I’ve never noticed before I find myself looking up at buildings and noticing the intricate detail Has any other city struck you in the same way maybe it’s because I grew up near Liverpool and Manchester. Edinburgh stands out as one of my favourites It is such a beautiful city with its castle high up on the rock and the grand Georgian buildings of the New Town.” which attracts a lot of tourists year on year I hear so many stories of their fond memories of shops and places that no longer exist that armoured figure standing outside the door “A life-long York City FC fan got in touch with me to ask if I could draw Bootham Crescent before the club moved to their new stadium outside of York city centre [York Community Stadium It’s been such a popular illustration of mine as it evokes so many memories for fans I love hearing their stories and seeing how much it means to them.” Did it have an impact on your artistic work “I was born in Chester and grew up in Runcorn During my foundation year on the outskirts of Liverpool we would go and sit outside around the city quietly sitting and taking in the cityscape “I moved to York two years after finishing my illustration degree at UCLAN [University of Central Lancashire] in Preston My circumstances at the time brought me to the city but I’ve now lived here for 15 years “York was the perfect place for me to develop my drawing I began by drawing a lot of the traditional pubs in York which developed into drawing the independent shops and cafés too.”  You are serving as York Conservation Trust’s artist in residence this year.  When does the work go on show They wanted some artwork to be displayed in the entrance hall of their new offices at De Grey House.  “We met a few times and developed an idea of painting on to five large plywood panels Each panel depicts a quarter of central York – North South and West – with a fifth concentrating on the central/cultural quarter “Each panel is a montage of the Trust’s buildings alongside other significant and iconic buildings and elements in those areas I tried to used colour and texture to help represent the different periods of architecture in the city “I’ve been working on this exciting piece for six months totally inspired by the history and stories of York I’ve noticed so much more detail in the city stone The King’s Manor has the smallest window in York and that image has entered into this commission “The final boards will be hung at the beginning of November 2024 and will be available for the public to see We’ll be releasing limited-edition prints very soon.” You have taken part in York Open Studios in the past “Unfortunately I haven’t been selected for 2025 I will be taking part in North Yorkshire Open Studios on June 7 We’ll be holding our annual festive open studio at PICA Studios [7 Grape Lane How did you decide on the triptych of shields cats and Bars for this year’s Last Drop Inn commission?  “I had never painted such a large mural before but the landlord was keen for me to give it a go The brief was to create a blend of York’s iconic buildings I then filled in the areas with other buildings and landmarks such as the crossed keys badge and cat figure as those on important parts of the city and add character and intrigue. The design was inspired by an illustration of London by Edward Bawden.”   Do you have a “day job” too “I work part-time on an organic vegetable farm in Strensall as well as harvest vegetables for packing into bags Ric Liptrot’s York Past & Present 2025 calendar will be available from www.ricliptrot.bigcartel.com. Pre-order now, to be delivered/ready to collect by mid-end October 2024. “Yorkies can either collect from central York or I can deliver for free,” advises Ric. “Beyond York is £3 p&p.” All content copyright of Charles Hutchinson, unless otherwise stated. Win HappyPremiumSearch Rayogreatest hitsyork north yorkshirenewsSearches continue for missing 91-year-old man in North YorkshireFraser Tuddenham is from York and was last seen on Friday 14th February Police have released a new image of a missing man to jog the memories of anyone who may have information which will support the efforts to find him is from the Huntington area of York and was last seen on Friday 14th February in Strensall Common car park which has been the focus of where the main search activity is taking place Extensive resource has been allocated in the search which has included the use of the police helicopter (NPAS) police search officers and the police under water search team Officers have also been assisted by Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue Police believe that Fraser set out for a walk wearing the same hat and coat that is seen in the image and that he also had a walking stick with him If you have believe that you have seen Fraser or have any information that could assist us Please quote reference number 12250030132 when providing any information Inspector Ben Hutchinson from North Yorkshire Police said: “Fraser’s family are understandably extremely concerned for his welfare and we are doing all that we can to support them at this difficult time as well as keep them updated on our daily searches” Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app. Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern London NW1 2PL All registered in England and Wales VAT no 918 5617 01H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) Army barracks in York are to be upgraded by the government In her spring statement Chancellor Rachel Reeves pledged to “secure better homes for thousands of military families” in areas including York Outer York Outer MP Luke Charters welcomed the investment saying that some of the military accommodation he had seen in his constituency was “not good enough” He told YorkMix that he had been campaigning for increased defence spending both to protect national security and grow the economy “I’ve also been campaigning for better military housing and I’m really pleased that the Chancellor made a reference to securing better military accommodation in York Outer,” he said “I recently visited Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Strensall I’ve been meeting some of the families directly that live in some of the military accommodation “We’ve got to do much better for our military heroes and I’m so glad the Chancellor has set out on that additional investment that we all want to see.” He said he was in positive talks with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation but couldn’t say more about the specifics as yet “It’s not only those who serve but it’s those families that they will often leave behind when they’re on an overseas operational deployment “It’s not good enough for those families I’ve heard lots of different horror stories “A lot of those homes were effectively privatised years and years ago We brought them back into the MOD’s direct ownership and it will mean that we can come in and actually invest properly in those houses.” Email YorkMix » An historic York Army barracks which has been earmarked for closure for the last eight years will now stay active A letter from to York Outer MP Jeremy Sturdy from James Cartlidge Mr Cartlidge wrote: “I have today approved an update to the Defence Disposal Database that will confirm the military retention of Queen Elizabeth Barracks and Towthorpe Lines within your constituency “As you will be aware the Ministry of Defence announced in 2021 that 2 Med Group and the two Multi-Role Regiments working to it would be based in Yorkshire in its current hub in Strensall with future options for basing in Catterick being reviewed “You may therefore not be surprised that the sites will no longer be sold but I wanted to confirm that all options have now been assessed and Strensall continues to be the preferred option for the Army “I am of course happy to meet with you to discuss this in more detail as the decision to remain at Strensall will naturally bring requirements to further invest in the sites.” the Ministry of Defence announced that the site would close in 2021 The MOD wanted to build 500 homes on the site but it was removed from the Local Plan over fears that the development could harm nearby Strensall Common Mr Sturdy said: “It has been tough having to sit on this announcement since I first heard last month but great news that Queen Elizabeth Barracks Strensall is no longer earmarked for closure with further investment expected as 2 Med Group will remain based in York.” was formed by the War Office in 1884 for training troops The barracks were renamed Queen Elizabeth II Barracks in the 1950s and went on to become the regional centre for infantry training as the Yorkshire Brigade Depot in 1960 The barracks then became the depot of the King’s Division in 1968 the Provisional Irish Republican Army planted and exploded devices at the camp Email YorkMix » This weekends Grassroots fixture took us to Strensall for an all girls game as Strensall Tigresses welcomed Rawcliffe Ravens for this U13s match and for results elsewhere to go in their favour in order to secure a second place finish in the league.  that wasn’t to be as Rawcliffe ran out 0-2 winners thanks to a goal in each half from their No7 Toni who was subsequently awarded the Player of the Match award by Leeds United Women’s Captain Bekki Bass who was watching from the sidelines with me.  It was a brilliant game of football to watch Just sad that a team had to lose on the day as both would have been deserving of points.  gave both teams some solid advice before we left the ground that day I’m sure we’ll see one or two of those girls wearing an England shirt before you know it.  both sets of players and the parents and staff that made both Bekki and I feel we welcome and we wish you the very best of luck for next season!  Email YorkMix » A new family-run coffee shop has opened in York Strensall Coffee House is at 22 Barley Rise The building was previously home to a D&Y Taylor Butchers The family-run coffee shop is owned by Hazal Hazar who was inspired to open her own coffee shop from other family members who run their own hospitality businesses it also serves a wide food menu with hot and cold options Homemade treats on offer include rocky road toasted tea cake and a cake of the day – all priced at £3.95 with fruit scones and cheese scones available The menu also has breakfast options like a full English breakfast (£9.45) and waffles with bacon and syrup (£7.45) and lunch and lighter meal options such as burgers (from £6) “The community have always wanted a cafe in Strensall,” said family friend “So when it was announced people were very pleased “People’s reactions have been really positive – the support has exceeded all expectations.” Strensall Coffee House is open Wednesday to Monday To keep updated with the Strensall Coffee House, visit their Facebook and Instagram pages Email YorkMix » Fire crews have been called to an incident on Strensall Common tonight (Wednesday 27 October) North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue confirmed that they sent six vehicles to the common to deal with a fire on an area of open heath around 500m x 50m he’d been in York and he said that he’d had to ring the fire brigade because Strensall common was on fire and then while they were speaking to him somebody else apparently had run to say the same and obviously when he got back we looked out the windows to see if we could see anything “In the distance you could see a glow and we went to have look “When we got to the first cattle grid and you could see that there was quite a large patch of common on fire with lots of smoke “You could see torches of the firemen heading towards the blaze too and it was really windy which wasn’t helping” A short video of the fire front on Strensall common. @theyorkmix @yorkpress pic.twitter.com/YAngznYjtT Email YorkMix » Welcome to your residents' newsletter This is where we can share essential information with you about housing services and update you about the things you need to know In this edition of Open Door we’ve got information on: From 6 May 2024, Hazel Court HWRC will be closed on Wednesdays In addition, both Hazel Court HWRC and Towthorpe and Strensall HWRC sites will close at 6.00pm between April and September 2024 You’re invited to a special day to view a range of kitchen bathroom and flooring suppliers’ products Drop-in on Thursday 18 April to Foxwood Community Hall Come and see 6 suppliers’ products for bathrooms Your feedback will influence which might be offered as part of your Home Improvement Programme you can also get advice from a range of experts on how to help prevent damp and mould in your home and how using your heating in an energy-efficient way can help You can also chat about maximising your income with benefits you might be eligible for. This could include free school meals or Pension Credit We’re looking forward to welcoming you With cost of living support due to end later this year now is the time to make sure that you're getting all the income and benefits you’re entitled to An independent, free benefits calculator can help you check what financial support you could be entitled to Pension Credit can help if you’re State Pension age and on a lower income It can unlock other help with housing costs and or responsible for a child or young person you might get more Free school meals are for children in lower-income families, which can unlock extra help with school uniform and holiday activities. Telephone: 01904 551554 or email: education@york.gov.uk if you have any questions Find out more about reducing the cost of childcare. Alternatively, telephone: 01904 554444 or email: fis@york.gov.uk Find benefits advice or read more about help with the cost of living. If you have any questions, telephone: 01904 552044 or email: incomeservices@york.gov.uk We need to relet empty homes quickly to households waiting to move in Help us do this by making sure the home you’re leaving is completely empty of your belongings and as clean as possible Our Moving Out Standard requires you to: we'll charge you for it and you may not be allowed to move until the property meets the standard On Thursday 2 May 2024 you can vote for York and North Yorkshire’s first mayor. The mayor will lead the new combined authority and work alongside local leaders in the region please make sure you’re registered before Tuesday 16 April at midnight To vote by post or vote postal proxy If you can’t vote in person or by post, apply for a proxy vote so someone you choose can vote for you To vote in person at the polling station, you'll need photographic ID - a passport or driving licence, for example. If you need to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate Read more about elections in York. If you have any questions, telephone: 01904 551007 or email: electoral.services@york.gov.uk Blue Badge holders’ access into the city centre has been fully restored Holders of valid Blue Badges and their drivers can now drive into the city centre Access via Blake Street opened on Friday 1 March and access via Goodramgate opened on Thursday 4 January 2024 The moveable barriers at Blake Street will be closed and staffed daily between 10.30am and 5.00pm valid Blue Badges must be presented by the driver or passenger holders can drive into the city centre and can park or be dropped off they must leave their name with the barrier staff so their driver can get back in turn right through St Helen’s Square and turn right again to exit via Lendal and the CCTV-controlled bollards they can drive to King’s Square and exit through Colliergate They can also drive down and back Church Street Blue Badge holders can park on the double yellow lines on these routes for up to 3 hours Read more about city centre access for Blue Badge holders We want to help keep your home in good order It’s our duty and the right thing to do Some tenants are choosing to make claims against us for not carrying out a repair or not doing it properly This means there is less and less money for much-needed repairs and improvements to homes like yours If you’ve been approached and are thinking of making a claim against us contact us first so we can fix any outstanding repairs issues you're likely to be left with a very small percent of money paid in damages There are significant risks involved - including the stress of going to court and court costs One case brought against the council left the tenant having to pay over £10,000 in court costs which is open 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday To report an emergency repair outside normal office hours call Housing Repairs Out of Hours on: 01904 630405 or 01904 427699 Read more about how to report a repair to your council home If you’re unhappy about how we have responded to a request for a repair, or how we have carried out a repair, tell us first. Your concern will be assessed and treated impartially. Read more about raising a comment, compliment, complaint or concern and if you have any questions, email: haveyoursay@york.gov.uk every few years an extra week has to be added to the rent year This is to align with the calendar year and its odd number of days the coming financial year will have 53 rent weeks This means that you will need to pay one extra week of rent between 6 April 2025 and 31 March 2025 You'll have received a letter in the last month letting you know about this year’s rent increase which has increased 7.7% from 2023 to 2024 If you would like support with budgeting or other money advice, contact your Housing Management Officer on telephone: 01904 551550. In addition, find benefits advice online We understand that this isn’t a usual situation: we’re here to help you The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) calculates your housing rent payment based on a 52-week year The DWP has confirmed it won’t give out any extra Universal Credit to cover this week in 2024 to 2025 You’ll need to pay the extra week’s rent to avoid getting into arrears Your housing costs may be paid directly to us from your Universal Credit you’ll need to pay an extra week’s rent yourself to cover the 53rd week You pay us the extra week’s rent in one go you can spread the cost of this extra week’s rent in a manageable way over the financial year Call your Housing Management Officer to discuss this on telephone: 01904 551550 We'll work out and adjust your payments automatically to spread the cost of the 53rd week over the financial year speak to your Housing Management Officer on telephone: 01904 551550 You’ll need to adjust your monthly payments from 1 April 2024 until 31 March 2025 then divide it by 12 to get the new monthly figure if your new rent for 2024 to 2025 is £100 per week the calculation would be: £100 x 53 = £5,300 ÷ 12 = £441.67 (the new monthly payment) If you have arrears or a Court Order (for example £10 per week) add the agreed amount to the weekly rent before multiplying it The calculation would be: £100 + £10 = £110 x 53 = £5,830 ÷ 12 = £485.83 Once you’ve calculated your new monthly payment please update your standing order with your bank They will need our bank details and your rent account number starting in 60 or 1900 You’ll need to adjust your monthly payments Use the same calculation as those who pay by standing order (weekly rent x 53 ÷ 12) remember to factor these into your monthly payments Carry on paying your new weekly rent from 1 April in advance This will be covered automatically for you