Two teenagers have been arrested in York in connection with the riots that broke out during last week’s student fees demonstration in London.
The two men, both aged 19, live in York, but police have not confirmed which university they attend.
However, a spokeswoman for York St John University confirmed the pair were not their students.
A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said the men were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and have been released on bail pending further inquiries.
During last Wednesday's demonstration, protesters stormed Millbank Tower, the Tory HQ in Westminster.
Windows were smashed, graffiti daubed on walls and missiles, including a fire extinguisher, were thrown from the seventh floor roof.
A four-hour stand-off ended when police brought in more than a hundred extra officers to clear the building and the road outside.
The Metropolitan Police have launched Operation Malone in a bid to trace those responsible for the violence and vandalism and 61 arrests have been made so far.
Thursday, 18 November 2010
450 more jobs to go at City of York Council
THE axe is hanging over up to 650 council jobs in York – more than three times the number originally feared.
Between 400 and 450 posts are set to be lost at City of York Council over the next four years, on top of the 200 positions the authority is already shedding, meaning its workforce could shrink by almost ten per cent.
The council, which employs about 7,000 people, needs to save £50 million by 2015, but trade union chiefs say the news is the realisation of their “worst expectations” and believe compulsory redundancies are inevitable.
Staff at the council were informed of the news yesterday afternoon, and a senior source said the level of savings needed to achieve the council’s More For York target savings would not be possible without compulsory redundancies.
Chief executive Kersten England said: “Previously, we had calculated that to make £15 million of efficiency savings, it was likely there would be a reduction of 200 posts.”
“Now that it looks probable we will have to achieve savings over the next four years of £50 million, we believe the scale of reduction in posts will be in proportion to this larger saving.
“We await the detailed settlement for York in the first week of December and so no accurate figures can be produced at this stage. But it is likely that about 400 to 450 additional posts will need to be deleted to achieve the savings targets between 2011 and 2015.”
In an email to staff, she said compulsory redundancies would be avoided “wherever possible”.
The exact number of job losses will not emerge until next month when the council discovers the size of its Government funding settlement.
Heather McKenzie, the Unison union’s branch secretary at the council, said: “We knew the hit was going to be bad and we’re concerned this could even be an underestimate.
“We have been working with the efficiency programme as it stood, with 200 post reductions being identified, and a lot of this has been mitigated through not filling vacancies or people moving to other jobs.
“But we have reached the point where it will become increasingly difficult to mitigate against compulsory redundancies. With this level of cuts, it’s hard to see how we can avoid that.
“It’s a really grave situation, not only for our members, but also the public and the services they rely on. Morale is low, people are concerned about the future and it is a very stressful time.
“We must also be aware we could end up in an even worse position and guard against this.
“We have a commitment from the authority to work with us to mitigate against job losses to the greatest extent possible, and there is the will to do this. But the scale is so huge that it’s hard to imagine how there will not be a substantial amount of damage.”
The council expects to lose 28 per cent of its Government grant over the next four years, including 10.7 per cent in 2011/12 alone.
Between 400 and 450 posts are set to be lost at City of York Council over the next four years, on top of the 200 positions the authority is already shedding, meaning its workforce could shrink by almost ten per cent.
The council, which employs about 7,000 people, needs to save £50 million by 2015, but trade union chiefs say the news is the realisation of their “worst expectations” and believe compulsory redundancies are inevitable.
Staff at the council were informed of the news yesterday afternoon, and a senior source said the level of savings needed to achieve the council’s More For York target savings would not be possible without compulsory redundancies.
Chief executive Kersten England said: “Previously, we had calculated that to make £15 million of efficiency savings, it was likely there would be a reduction of 200 posts.”
“Now that it looks probable we will have to achieve savings over the next four years of £50 million, we believe the scale of reduction in posts will be in proportion to this larger saving.
“We await the detailed settlement for York in the first week of December and so no accurate figures can be produced at this stage. But it is likely that about 400 to 450 additional posts will need to be deleted to achieve the savings targets between 2011 and 2015.”
In an email to staff, she said compulsory redundancies would be avoided “wherever possible”.
The exact number of job losses will not emerge until next month when the council discovers the size of its Government funding settlement.
Heather McKenzie, the Unison union’s branch secretary at the council, said: “We knew the hit was going to be bad and we’re concerned this could even be an underestimate.
“We have been working with the efficiency programme as it stood, with 200 post reductions being identified, and a lot of this has been mitigated through not filling vacancies or people moving to other jobs.
“But we have reached the point where it will become increasingly difficult to mitigate against compulsory redundancies. With this level of cuts, it’s hard to see how we can avoid that.
“It’s a really grave situation, not only for our members, but also the public and the services they rely on. Morale is low, people are concerned about the future and it is a very stressful time.
“We must also be aware we could end up in an even worse position and guard against this.
“We have a commitment from the authority to work with us to mitigate against job losses to the greatest extent possible, and there is the will to do this. But the scale is so huge that it’s hard to imagine how there will not be a substantial amount of damage.”
The council expects to lose 28 per cent of its Government grant over the next four years, including 10.7 per cent in 2011/12 alone.
City centre post office re-opens
YORK street which lost its post office a year ago now has a new one in a nearby convenience store.
Walmgate Bar post office closed in November 2009 following the death of sub postmaster Brian Fletcher.
Nobody came forward to take on the premises as a post office, but a "post office local" opened today in the One Stop store, a few doors away from the previous premises.
The service is being offered during the same opening hours as the store, seven days a week, from 7am to 10pm.
Walmgate Bar post office closed in November 2009 following the death of sub postmaster Brian Fletcher.
Nobody came forward to take on the premises as a post office, but a "post office local" opened today in the One Stop store, a few doors away from the previous premises.
The service is being offered during the same opening hours as the store, seven days a week, from 7am to 10pm.
Monday, 8 November 2010
York Mystery Plays to return to Museum Gardens after 24-year break
YORK’S civic anniversary celebrations in 2012 are to be marked by the return of its historic Mystery Plays to their spiritual home – the Museum Gardens.
Famous faces who have appeared in plays staged amid the atmospheric ruins of St Mary’s Abbey include Dame Judi Dench, who was the Virgin Mary in 1957, and Christopher Timothy, who played Christ in 1980.
But the plays have not been performed there since 1988, and a Keep York Mystery Plays Alive campaign by The Press in 2003 appeared to have failed.
However, it was announced today that they will return to the gardens in August 2012, with more than 1,000 people able to watch each of 28 performances from covered seating. A small number of “high-profile” actors are expected to take part.
The joint artistic directors for the 2012 production, Paul Burbridge, of the Riding Lights Theatre, and Damian Cruden, of York Theatre Royal, want the plays to be the centrepiece of a rolling programme of community festival events throughout the city.
They said in a joint statement: “Our vision is to create a bold, exhilarating piece of story-telling theatre on an operatic scale, to re-invigorate the tradition and the language and make these plays accessible to a modern audience.”
“We want to stage the Mystery Plays in a way that resonates with both past and present and appeals to those of religious faith or none.
“Above all, we want to bring an extraordinary and passionate performance out of our community, resourced with the highest aesthetic and production values. We want to remind everyone that the ownership of this remarkable tradition rests with the people of York.”
Council leader Andrew Waller said the plays would be a huge draw to the city, and help residents and visitors alike to celebrate its heritage. “The year 2012 will mark 800 years since the city gained its Charter and so is a special year,” he said.
“As someone who has been involved with three sets of Mystery Plays on wagons, I hope that many York residents will get involved in the plays in Museum Gardens and help us celebrate in style”.
Liz Wilson, chief executive of York Theatre Royal, said the plays would be an incredible spectacle.
She said: “The plays have a worldwide reputation as well as a huge York following. We hope to start working with the people of York from today on an event of which we will all be proud.”
Janet Barnes, chief executive of York Museums Trust, said the abbey ruins were the plays’ perfect setting and, with more than a thousand people being able to watch each performance under covered seating, there would be a fantastic atmosphere.
She said: “I am sure it will be one of the highlights of 2012.”
Ruth Ford, who played God in the plays in 1996 and 2006, said they were a wonderful opportunity for the people of York to get together and they embodied the spirit of Christianity.
Organisers said a community producer was being appointed to build links with community groups in and around York to ensure as many residents as possible were involved on stage and behind the scenes.
• To register your interest, visit www.yorkmysteryplays2010.co.uk
Famous faces who have appeared in plays staged amid the atmospheric ruins of St Mary’s Abbey include Dame Judi Dench, who was the Virgin Mary in 1957, and Christopher Timothy, who played Christ in 1980.
But the plays have not been performed there since 1988, and a Keep York Mystery Plays Alive campaign by The Press in 2003 appeared to have failed.
However, it was announced today that they will return to the gardens in August 2012, with more than 1,000 people able to watch each of 28 performances from covered seating. A small number of “high-profile” actors are expected to take part.
The joint artistic directors for the 2012 production, Paul Burbridge, of the Riding Lights Theatre, and Damian Cruden, of York Theatre Royal, want the plays to be the centrepiece of a rolling programme of community festival events throughout the city.
They said in a joint statement: “Our vision is to create a bold, exhilarating piece of story-telling theatre on an operatic scale, to re-invigorate the tradition and the language and make these plays accessible to a modern audience.”
“We want to stage the Mystery Plays in a way that resonates with both past and present and appeals to those of religious faith or none.
“Above all, we want to bring an extraordinary and passionate performance out of our community, resourced with the highest aesthetic and production values. We want to remind everyone that the ownership of this remarkable tradition rests with the people of York.”
Council leader Andrew Waller said the plays would be a huge draw to the city, and help residents and visitors alike to celebrate its heritage. “The year 2012 will mark 800 years since the city gained its Charter and so is a special year,” he said.
“As someone who has been involved with three sets of Mystery Plays on wagons, I hope that many York residents will get involved in the plays in Museum Gardens and help us celebrate in style”.
Liz Wilson, chief executive of York Theatre Royal, said the plays would be an incredible spectacle.
She said: “The plays have a worldwide reputation as well as a huge York following. We hope to start working with the people of York from today on an event of which we will all be proud.”
Janet Barnes, chief executive of York Museums Trust, said the abbey ruins were the plays’ perfect setting and, with more than a thousand people being able to watch each performance under covered seating, there would be a fantastic atmosphere.
She said: “I am sure it will be one of the highlights of 2012.”
Ruth Ford, who played God in the plays in 1996 and 2006, said they were a wonderful opportunity for the people of York to get together and they embodied the spirit of Christianity.
Organisers said a community producer was being appointed to build links with community groups in and around York to ensure as many residents as possible were involved on stage and behind the scenes.
• To register your interest, visit www.yorkmysteryplays2010.co.uk
Thursday, 4 November 2010
Former postal worker Wayne Pike used redundancy cash to set up brothel in Acomb
A BROTHEL owner whose York business netted £635,400 in two years has been ordered to pay back less than one per cent of his ill-gotten gains.
Wayne Roger Pike ran the brothel from his terraced home in Milner Street, Acomb, taking £30 or £40 from each prostitute’s earnings every time they had sex in the house.
But police financial investigators said Pike had significant debts and his only remaining asset was his mortgaged house, which if sold, would give him £1,587.
At York Crown Court, The Recorder, James Hill QC, ordered Pike, a 37-year-old father-of-three, to pay this sum within six months or face 36 days in prison. The confiscation order was made under the Proceeds of Crime Act, which is aimed at preventing criminals from benefiting from money and property obtained through crime.
The Recorder told Pike: “If it turns out in the future that you have hidden assets, you can expect a recall.”
Pike was sentenced for keeping a brothel earlier this year after pleading guilty to the offence.
He was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 150 hours’ unpaid work.
The court heard he had been made redundant from Royal Mail after 17 years of service and used his redundancy money to buy a house and turn it into a brothel.
His defence barrister, Andrew Semple, said Pike had set up the brothel after being approached by local prostitutes and did not coerce anyone into working as a prostitute.
He said the money he made went on child maintenance and loan payments, not high living.
At this week’s confiscation hearing, Mr Semple said although he agreed £635,400 was the sum created by the brothel business, this was not all profit for Pike.
Wayne Roger Pike ran the brothel from his terraced home in Milner Street, Acomb, taking £30 or £40 from each prostitute’s earnings every time they had sex in the house.
But police financial investigators said Pike had significant debts and his only remaining asset was his mortgaged house, which if sold, would give him £1,587.
At York Crown Court, The Recorder, James Hill QC, ordered Pike, a 37-year-old father-of-three, to pay this sum within six months or face 36 days in prison. The confiscation order was made under the Proceeds of Crime Act, which is aimed at preventing criminals from benefiting from money and property obtained through crime.
The Recorder told Pike: “If it turns out in the future that you have hidden assets, you can expect a recall.”
Pike was sentenced for keeping a brothel earlier this year after pleading guilty to the offence.
He was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 150 hours’ unpaid work.
The court heard he had been made redundant from Royal Mail after 17 years of service and used his redundancy money to buy a house and turn it into a brothel.
His defence barrister, Andrew Semple, said Pike had set up the brothel after being approached by local prostitutes and did not coerce anyone into working as a prostitute.
He said the money he made went on child maintenance and loan payments, not high living.
At this week’s confiscation hearing, Mr Semple said although he agreed £635,400 was the sum created by the brothel business, this was not all profit for Pike.
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