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Brand / Product |
Pack size |
Best Before End |
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TRS Tandoori Masala Barbecue Ground Spice |
100g, 400g and 1kg packs |
All up to and including July 2005 regardless of batch code. |
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TRS Tandoori Masala Ground Spice |
100g, 400g and 1kg packs |
All up to and including July 2005 regardless of batch code. |
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Product / Brand |
Pack size |
Best Before End |
|
TRS Tandoori Masala Natural Clear Powder |
100g, 400g and 1kg packs |
All up to and including July 2005 regardless of batch code |
|
Green Cuisine Ground Chillies |
50g boxes |
15/03/05, 17/04/05 to 26/04/05 inclusive, 30/5/05 to 3/06/05 inclusive, 17/6/05 to2/7/05 inclusive and 23/12/05. |
|
Green Cuisine Cayenne pepper |
50g boxes |
15/3/05, 3/6/05, and 17/6/05 to 2/7/05 inclusive and 23/12/05 |
|
Green Cuisine Hot Curry Powder |
50g boxes |
25/4/05 to 17/6/05 inclusive and 23/12/05. |
|
Green Cuisine Chilli Powder |
60g jars |
23/12/05 and 24/12/05 |
|
Green Cuisine Cayenne Pepper |
60g jars |
12/6/05 |
|
Healthy Weigh Ground Chillies |
25g bags |
15/3/05, 18/4/05, 7/6/05, 5/7/05, 11/7/05, 19/7/05 and 22/12/05 |
|
Healthy Weigh Cayenne |
25g bags |
15/3/05, 18/04/05 and 22/12/05 |
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Healthy Weigh Curry Powder Hot |
25g bags |
25/4/05 and 23/12/05 |
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Creative Cuisine Ground Chillies |
25g bags |
5/6/05 and 28/6/05 |
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Creative Cuisine Cayenne |
25g bags |
28/6/05 |
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Heath and Heather Ground Chillies |
25g bags |
5/7/05, 16/7/05 and 18/12/05 |
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Suma Ground Chillies |
50g boxes |
24/6/05 and 23/12/05 |
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Suma Cayenne Pepper |
50g boxes |
24/6/05 and 23/12/05 |
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Brand / Product |
Pack size |
Best Before End |
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Suma Hot Curry Powder |
50g boxes |
24/6/05 and 23/12/05 |
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Green City Ground Chillies |
25g bags |
24/6/05 |
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Green City Cayenne |
25g bags |
23/12/05 |
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Farmhouse Products Ground Chillies |
2.5g boxes |
12/7/05 |
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Farmhouse Products Cayenne Pepper |
50g boxes |
12/7/05 |
Photographs of the affected product can be found on the FSA website at www.food.gov.uk. Officers will be visiting food premises within the county to ensure these products are removed from sale.
Sudan 1 is not a permitted food colour and is believed to be a genotoxic carcinogen and its presence, at any level, is not permitted in any foodstuffs. These products present a health risk if consumed in sufficient quantity, and do not comply with the food safety requirements specified in the Food Safety Act 1990 due to the contamination.
Martin Wood, Chief Trading Standards Officer of West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service said:
"Although there is no immediate threat of illness, those most at risk would be people eating contaminated products regularly over a long time, anyone who has these products at home should throw them away. Retailers, distributors and caterers should not sell or use them. The products should be destroyed or returned."
Councillor Graham Clarke, Chairman of the West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service added:
"Despite the warnings and action taken so far, there is still more to do to ensure that consumers are not adversely affected. I would like to appeal, via the media, to retailers, distributors and caterers to check their stock and remove all contaminated products and to consumers to check their food cupboards. Anyone with any concerns or who sees any of these product on sale should contact the West Yorkshire Consumer Helpline on 0113 3 848 848".
For further information contact:
Carol Hallett
General Media Contact 0113 383 6407
Graham Hebblethwaite Divisional Manager 0113 289 8218
Andrew Bibby Principal Officer 0113 289 8237
A series of seminars have been held across West Yorkshire hosted by the five local authorities working together to boost their buying power- and at the same time to support small and medium size local businesses. West Yorkshire local authorities have an active procurement network and have already made good progress in developing e-tendering and online ordering of services and goods.
Joint contracts for the supply of library books and audio visual equipment for libraries are proving successful and Wakefield is currently leading on a number of tenders on behalf of other local authorities. The seminars aim to "demystify" working for local authorities in West Yorkshire and give suppliers the opportunity to talk to representatives of the five councils and to register for the electronic tendering system.
Councillor Graham Stokes, Wakefield's Cabinet Member for Resources, said:
"We are very pleased at success of these seminars which have been very well attended. We recognise the importance of small and medium sized businesses to the local economy and we are working closely with other authorities and agencies in the region to engage with local companies. The Council is keen to improve its relationship with local suppliers and to increase opportunities for local companies to do business with the Council."
The seminars, which started in January and finish next month, are supported by West Yorkshire Business Link and have all been well attended. They provide opportunities for local small businesses to work with councils, show how online tendering can benefit businesses, help to remove trade barriers and look at how councils and small businesses can help each other.
Wakefield's Head of Partnering and Procurement Alan Kirkham said:
"The seminars are part of the West Yorkshire Procurement Partnership which is focusing on sharing common systems, developing e-tendering and online ordering and supporting small and medium size businesses. These seminars are way of bringing all the interested parties together so that we can explore business opportunities support small and medium enterprises and at the same time ensure that the Council gets value for money. We look forward to developing the network even further to achieve benefits for all concerned."
Many libraries across the District will open longer on Saturdays from 1st April in to offer improved access for the public.
Colin MacDonald, the Council's Head of Cultural Services, said:
"We have recently invested a lot of money in new facilities in the libraries, particularly in computer technology which provides free Internet access. This has proved to be a big success with people of all ages. We hope that opening longer on Saturdays will be more convenient and that it will provide a greater opportunity for people to visit libraries and make use of the services they have on offer."
Details of the new opening hours and the facilities available at each library can be obtained from the Culture and Leisure section of the Council's website on www.wakefield.gov.uk, from leaflets on display in all libraries or by telephoning library headquarters at Balne Lane, Wakefield, on 01924 302210.
Wakefield Council is leading the way on implementing the Freedom of Information Act by holding a regional Seminar next month for the public sector at the National Coal Mining Museum for England, just outside Wakefield. Speakers include Phil Boyd, Assistant Information Commissioner, Jon Hoare, Policy Adviser, Department for Constitutional Affairs, and Maurice Frankel, Director of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, Stuart Abraham from the National Archives, Ibrahim Hasan, ActNow, and Mike Walsh from BT Open Access are scheduled to attend.
Invitations have been issued to local authorities in the Yorkshire & Humber region via the Regional Assembly to discuss the implications of the Act, which is due to come fully into force in January 2005.
The Act, which was given Royal Assent in November 2000, places a duty on public authorities to adopt and maintain publication schemes which must be approved by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). A survey carried out by the ICO on 52 local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland last September found that many councils needed to step up their action in order to be ready to respond when the Act is fully implemented next year.
Under the new legislation, citizens will have the right to be told if certain information exists and then to have access to that information within 20 working days. This will include e-mails, electronic and hard copy files, plans, and photographs. The FoI also covers information which may have been archived as well as information held before the Act comes fully into force.
Councillor Graham Stokes, Cabinet Member for Resources and Wakefield's FoI Champion, said:
"The FoI Act will have a significant impact on all public bodies. We will use it in Wakefield Council to show our openness and accountability in our work. The Seminar is an ideal opportunity for the Region's local authorities and our public sector partners to find out what they need to do to be ready to comply with the Freedom of Information Act requirements. The speakers we have invited will cover every aspect of the challenges and opportunities of the FoI Act, and we hope therefore that authorities in the Yorkshire and Humber region will respond positively. Places are limited, so we would urge any potential delegates to contact us as soon as possible."
Anyone wanting to attend the seminar can contact Jill Farringdon at Wakefield Council's Reosurces Services, on 01924 305047 or email jfarringdon@wakefield.gov.uk
West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service will be unveiling their Community Safety Strategy on Friday 26th March 2004 at a major summit to be held Wakefield Town Hall. Keynote speakers will include Pudsey MP Mr Paul Truswell, Councillor David Bond and Chief Constable Colin Cramphorn, all of whom have a vested interested in doorstep crime initiatives. This will be the second event to be held in a West Yorkshire authority, more summits will be held in Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale in the coming weeks.
The first summit held at Leeds Civic Hall last week was hailed a great success, and those attending were inspired by the range of initiatives that the Service is in the progress of undertaking. Many contacts were made on the day and this will further enhance the drive to ensure that West Yorkshire residents are educated and protected against Doorstep Crime.
The whole concept of community safety is an issue that the Service believes to be vital in protecting the citizens of West Yorkshire. The strategy covers key areas; these are doorstep crime, distraction burglary, anti-social behaviour, underage sales, consumer product safety and safer roads.
The Wakefield Summit will highlight how the Service works in partnership with private, local and voluntary organisations to ensure that West Yorkshire is a safer place to live. The event is all about alerting and engaging those organisations in Wakefield who are able to support and disseminate information about this initiative. It is also to raise awareness about the way partner organisations, along with the media, can become involved and make a difference.
At the top of the agenda will be the issue of Doorstep Crime, which is of national and local concern. Unfortunately the instances of doorstep crime are on the increase and it is a sad fact that the majority of victims are the most vulnerable members of the community.
Rogue traders and distraction burglars use many guises and excuses to gain entry or obtain work. The introduction of initiatives by the Service and its partner organisations will help to educate the general public on how to protect themselves against becoming a victim. One of the fundamental aims of the summits is to encourage more organisations to become involved, thus enabling the wider community to benefit.
The success of the Summit is pivotal in promoting and encouraging strong partnership links and the Service would like to extend an open invitation to anyone wishing to attend, who believes that the strategy may be of benefit to them or their organisation.
Registration will begin at 9.30am and the event will be opened by the Councillor Graham Clarke, Chairman of West Yorkshire Joint Services. The summit is scheduled to end at approximately 1.00pm. Anyone wishing to attend can register their interest by contacting Angela France on 0113 289 8284 or e-mail afrance@wyjs.org.uk
A new exhibition, all about the world of work, opens at Wakefield Museum on Saturday, 3 April.
Working in Wakefield looks at how employment has changed in the city over the last 200 years.
"In the 1820s Wakefield people worked for local firms and local families" said Senior Keeper, Christine Johnstone. "Today most work for the Council or for multinational firms, or commute to jobs in Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester."
The exhibition covers a wide variety of jobs, past and present.
The work of a shop assistant has changed dramatically. Victorian shop assistants had to weigh and measure almost everything, package it, calculate the price, and work out the change. Most shops today sell pre-packed goods and have electronic tills to work out the change.
More and more people work in more and more offices. 100 years ago the typewriter took over from handwriting, but in the last ten years the computer has replaced the typewriter. E-mail is common, but the paper-less office looks as far away as ever.
"We look at who wears work uniform and why" continued Christine Johnstone. "Is it for trust and recognition, like firefighters and nurses, or for company identity like coach drivers and Coca Cola employees?"
The exhibition includes many interesting facts. Did you know that:
Victorian employers thought that women made better 'typewriters' than men, because playing the piano was supposed to give women nimble fingers.
Until 1944, most children left school and started full time work at the age of 14.
Until 1874, children could start full time work aged 8.
A whitesmith makes things from tin, a blacksmith makes things from iron.
A slaymaker made wooden pegs for the textile mills, a staymaker made corsets.
Walton's Charles Waterton made legal history when he won one of the first court cases against a polluting industry. He forced Hodgson's soap works to move away from his pioneering nature reserve at Walton Hall.
The museum will ask visitors to describe their best job and their most boring job, and all replies will be included in the exhibition.
Working in Wakefield opens on Saturday, 3 April at Wakefield Museum, and runs till 18 July. Wakefield Museum is open 10.30 - 4.30 Monday - Saturday and 2.00 - 4.30 Sundays. Admission is free. The Museum is on Wood Street, next to Wakefield Town Hall.
New help about the home is on hand for elderly and vulnerable people living in the Wakefield District. The Handy Person Scheme provides a range of services that many tradespeople don't provide, usually because the job is too small to be economically viable. Such tasks might include fitting and servicing smoke alarms, moving furniture, fitting grab rails, minor plumbing repairs, changing fuses and putting new plugs on appliances. The Council's Handy Person Scheme is being developed as a partnership between the Council and Care and Repair Wakefield.
All elderly and vulnerable people regardless of whether they are tenants or residents will be entitled to a call from a Handy Person. Initially priority will be given to people who are at risk from falling in the home and those who are being discharged from hospital. The scheme does not cover any repairs to tenants' homes which are the responsibility of the landlord.
Councillor Graham Isherwood, Cabinet Member for Housing, said:
"Not being able to get minor repairs done about the home can be very stressful, and sometimes potentially dangerous. This scheme will provide someone to do those often niggling jobs which, though small, can really spoil people's quality of life."
Councillor Peter Loosemore, Cabinet Member for Social Services and Health said:
"Falls in the home are often caused by carpets coming loose, moving furniture or by slipping when getting in or out of the bath. The Handy Person service should help reduce the number of falls at home, which in turn, will help more people to remain living independently in their own homes."
The service will complement the Adaptation and Disability Unit and Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES) with Care and Repair Wakefield responsible for training and management of the scheme and for providing cover during holidays or sickness.
The service will be implemented from April 19 and full details are available from Bruce and Gryce, Care and Repair, Harrison Street, Wakefield, 01924 290949.
Readers are being urged to visit Drury Lane and Pontefract libraries from now until June to get involved with this year's Orange Prize for Fiction. Readers will find libraries offering some new reading ideas, a chance to join the gender debate, and the opportunity to decide for themselves who should be this year's winner!
Niamh Byrne, Head of Orange UK PR and Sponsorship said
"We are delighted that libraries in Wakefield District are taking part in this year'>s Orange Prize. Libraries working at community level add a new dimension to the Prize, stimulating debate about excellent writing among individuals and readers' groups and ensuring that everyone can have access to the books and join in."
In 2003 thousands of readers discovered writers they had not previously read and said they'd be looking out for the Orange Prize in 2004.
Readers get the chance to win prizes (a mobile phone and copies of the six shortlisted books) by entering a star rating for one of the 20 longlisted books just announced. Book reviews will be posted on the Orange Prize website at www.orangeprize.co.uk to complement those written by Orange's celebrity reviewers.
Wakefield Council's Senior Librarian, Jane Butler said
"Books longlisted and shortlisted for the Orange Prize often include some new and controversial writers. We're really fired up about the chance to introduce readers to quality writers they've never tried.'
The key dates for this year are:
Shortlist announcement: 27th April 2004
Shortlist readings: 6th and 7th June 2004 (at the Hay Festival and the British Library)
Award Ceremony: 8th June 2004
The Orange Prize for Fiction is the UK's largest and richest annual book award for fiction, celebrating excellence, innovation and accessibility in women's writing.
Glasshoughton Pit Banner, which has been missing for the past twenty years, has been found this week in the cellars of Wakefield Town Hall. Town Hall chiefs are currently considering the rightful home for the banner. It was discovered when Mark Jubb, the Mayor's Civic Officer, was searching for a Union Flag in the extensive cellars under the Grade II listed building.
Glasshoughton Colliery, which once employed 4,000 men and produced 1 million tonnes of coal a year, closed in 1986 with the loss of 350 jobs. The pit banner, which showed the Houses of Parliament on one side and a miner on the other, was used at rallies and marches and at present it is not known why or how it came to be in the Town Hall cellars.
Cllr Paul Phelps, speaking on behalf of local members and who worked at the Colliery for twenty years as an electrician, said:
"This is a fantastic find and will bring back lots of memories for everyone in the local community. It is particularly poignant with the twentieth anniversary of the miners' strikes this month. Possible locations include the new Xscape complex which is now built on the old Colliery site, the new Healthy Living Centre built on the former Miners' Welfare Pavilion, or the proposed new Heritage Centre in Castleford. I am sure there will be many more ideas, but we will be talking to relevant parties to decide on where the banner is best placed and in the meantime it will remain in the Town Hall."
Wakefield Council is taking new steps to get tough on litter louts by adopting legislation which paves the way for on-the-spot fines. The Council formally approved adoption of Section 88 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which allows the issue of fixed penalty notices for dropping any kind of litter, including cigarette ends.
Cllr Betty Rhodes, Cabinet Member for Environment Services, told the meeting of full Council the people right across the District wanted to see a cleaner environment
"Neighbourhood Action is already very successful. It has been reinforced this year with Neighbourhood Patrollers. We now want to provide our patrollers and other enforcement officers with the powers to issue fixed penalties to people who drop litter and spoil the environment for everyone. We are sending out a strong message to people that we will not tolerate the dropping of any kind of litter on our streets and in our shopping centres. We hope these powers will be enough of a deterrent without us having to issue any fixed penalties. We will be working with our town and city centre management teams, businesses and our communities to get the message across, encourage responsible behaviour and keep this district clean for everyone."
The new powers are in addition to ongoing enforcement action against fly-tipping, graffiti, dog fouling and other environmental offences which can result in prosecution through the courts. Training and administration systems will be put in place before the new fixed penalty system can be implemented later in this year. It will put Wakefield among the increasing number of local authorities using fixed penalty fines to deter litter louts.
Cllr David Bond, Cabinet Member for Community Issues, said the adoption of the new fixed penalty legislation coincided with Neighbourhood Patrollers being put forward for special accreditation which would give them greater enforcement powers and increase partnership working with West Yorkshire Police. The Chief Constable of West Yorkshire will be considering the application under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme on March 30.
Cllr Bond said:
"This accreditation would means that our patrollers - who have been on the streets for only three months - would be among the first in the county to get these additional powers. This and the powerful legislation on fixed penalties is all about making Wakefield cleaner and safer for all of us."
School Crossing Patrols are to get more recognition from April 1st when they become part of a new dedicated Travel Awareness Team. The move will acknowledge the important role played by 'lollipops' in providing safety for children and carers crossing the roads, by providing extra resources to strengthen the relationship with staff and schoolchildren, and paying them for the time spent in the classroom, which has previously been on a voluntary basis.
In addition to their work out on the road, patrols will be encouraged to use one of the new road safety teaching aids, called Street Feet, which uses two roads, one with a pelican crossing and the other with a zebra crossing where school children can dress up as a car or a pedestrian to act out actual road situations.
Ian Stephenson, Corporate Director, and Environment Services said
"We are pleased to have strengthened the service we provide for Travel Awareness in terms of encouragement, education and training and I am sure that this will bring benefits all round in terms of staff retention and a reinforcement of the road safety messages we give out to children. We want to encourage more people to become School Crossing Patrols and this development will certainly raise the profile of the vital work they do in enforcing road safety in the community and streamline our approach to travel awareness issues generally."
Maureeen Thorpe MBE, Wakefield Council's longest serving School Crossing Patrol, who serves Ackworth Howard J & I School, is looking forward to the closer ties with the Travel Awareness Team:
"It will be more beneficial to the children at my school when I become increasingly involved in Road Safety".
Last month 21 School Crossing Patrols were given certificates for clocking up a total of 260 years loyal service. Anyone interested in becoming a School Crossing Patrol can contact David Blackburn on 01924 305721.
A new recruitment campaign is being launched by Wakefield Council’s Adult Placement team to find more people willing to spend time caring for vulnerable adults.
You may be interested in caring for:
Older People
People with a Learning Disability
People with Mental Health problems.
Adult Placement aims to offer short breaks, where the stay is limited to give the usual carer's some respite, and long stays where the adult lives with the carer sharing their lives and home. Sessional care is also offered where the carer accompanies someone to the theatre, on a shopping trip or other places they may wish to go.
The amount of time offered is very flexible, from 3 nights per month to 3 weeks – whatever the carer feels comfortable with.
Corporate Director of Social Services and Health Elaine McHale said:
"We need more people with patience and understanding to give their time to allow this valuable service to continue. Being a full-time carer requires the involvement of the whole family. Carers are carefully matched to the needs of the person they are caring for and receive training and ongoing support. Payments are made whenever a carer has someone to stay or spends time with a person during the day or evening. Even if someone is at work full-time, just a few hours a week can make a world of difference to giving a carer a break or enabling people to start regaining their independence by learning or re-learning skills. The work can be demanding but it also offers tremendous rewards for anyone who has the right kind of caring commitment to helping others. Adult Placement carers always say this when you talk to them about the service they provide."
Leaflets and posters asking for more Adult Placement Carers are being distributed across the District. Anyone wanting to find out more about the scheme can contact the Adult Placement Team at 82 Batley Road, Wakefield WF2 0AE or talk to Carole, Alison, Paul or Tony on 01924 302681.
Wakefield Council are supporting this year's Take our Daughter's to Work Day on Thursday, 18th March, as part of a national scheme supported by Girlguiding UK. The Take our Daughters to Work scheme which started ten years ago, is not exclusive to people who have children, and is open to anyone with a genuine interest in raising the awareness of career opportunities and the world of work to young women taking part.
Cllr Graham Stokes, Wakefield Council's Cabinet Member for Resources, said:
"Bringing 'your' daughter into work is meant to be a fun way of giving young women the opportunity to experience the wide range of careers they could pursue. It is also about breaking down barriers into what are perceived as male dominated areas, such as engineering, mechanics and IT. "The scheme can help girls in the subject choices they choose at GCSE or A level and can be used as a prelude to work experience. As the largest employer in the District, Wakefield Council has a lot to offer."
Melanie Chan, Wakefield Council's Equality and Diversity Officer, said:
"Wakefield Council is keen to recruit from the widest available pool of local talent. We need to encourage young people to enter the workforce in a variety of occupations and professions. The daughters aged between 10 and 16 who will be taking part in the scheme are potentially our colleagues of the future and it's essential that we do everything possible to show them what the council has to offer".
This is the third year that the scheme has been run by Girlguiding UK and further information is available on their website at www.guides.org.uk.
A report on Improving Environmental Cleanliness has been published by the Council's Public and Landlord Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee and in now available in main public libraries and on the council website.
The report follows the Committee's investigation into issues arising from public concern about litter, dog fouling and illegal rubbish dumping. Many of its recommendations are already being implemented and others to be considered as part of the Council's ongoing service improvement plans.
Chair of the Committee, Councillor Melvyn Taylor said,
"We had a good response from the public to this inquiry and received a lot of information about the problems around the district and the desire for cleaner, safer communities. Since this inquiry began, the improvement of the local environment has become one of the council's top priorities and the Neighbourhood Action clean up and community safety campaign has been set up. It is good to see that many of the issues raised by the committee's inquiry are already being addressed. We hope that these new initiatives will be further developed and strengthened in the light of the recommendations in this report so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of a cleaner environment".
The inquiry focused on four main themes: education, enforcement, community involvement and publicity, and recommends that these issues be tackled in an integrated way to make a real difference. It recommends more work with schools and businesses to tackle litter and other environmental issues, tougher enforcement to stop litter offences and greater use of CCTV, wide publicity for successful prosecution and stronger partnership working with the community to look after neighbourhoods.
The report will be available at eight main libraries: Castleford, Ossett, Balne Lane, Drury Lane, Hemsworth, South Elmsall, Normanton and Pontefract. It can also be obtained via the Council's website www.wakefield.gov.uk (Overview and Scrutiny can be found under Local Democracy) or by contacting the Overview and Scrutiny Office, Room 56, County Hall, Wakefield, WF1 2QW, Tel: 01924 305957
Wakefield's Neighbourhood Patrollers could soon have powers to issue fixed penalty notices for certain offences.
The patrollers have been put forward for accreditation under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) from March 30. This is a national scheme under the Police Reform Act and will give a greater level of authority for the teams and increase the partnership working with West Yorkshire Police.
The CSAS allows a person to issue fixed penalty notices for dog fouling, littering and riding a bicycle on a footpath. This is planned as the next step in the development in the patroller service in Wakefield and will be implemented fully in the Summer.
From March 30 patrollers will be able to request a name and address for fixed penalty notices for offences that cause injury, alarm or distress to a person or loss of property, anti social behaviour, and confiscate alcohol, cigarettes and tobacco from under age people.
Head of Enforcement at Wakefield Council Sam Warmington said:
"Accredited staff under this scheme will contribute to the Community Strategy aims of creating a cleaner and safer environment and reducing crime and anti social behaviour. This work will be developed in close partnership with West Yorkshire Police."
Cabinet Member for Community Issues Councillor David Bond added:
"This further underlines our close working relationship with the police to improve community safety and our desire to make the Wakefield District a safer, cleaner and more attractive environment."
Temporary Superintendent David Young of Wakefield Police said:
"There are already some excellent examples of partnership working throughout this District. We welcome this as yet a further example of the benefits that the community can expect to achieve from such an approach."
Wakefield Council is carrying out a major review of its 22 public parks across the District as part of the authority's commitment to make the most of its open spaces.
The review is being carried out alongside other Council initiatives including the development of the first Green Space Strategy and a study of playing fields and pitches. All the work is in line with the Wakefield District Partnership's drive to create a clean and attractive environment and improve people's quality of life and range of leisure activities.
The parks audit, being undertaken by consultants Scott Wilson of Leeds, is due for completion in April 2004 and will provide the basis for a rolling programme of improvements, subject to successful bids for funding.
Cabinet Member for Environment Services Cllr Betty Rhodes said:
"We are proud of our parks but we do recognise that there is work to be done to return them to their former glory and to make sure that they are providing the sort of amenities which people want and will use. This audit will show us what needs to be done to make the most of what we have both now and for future generations to enjoy."
The audit will look at all aspects of parks, including lakes and ponds, formal and informal gardens, walls, paths and roadways, bowling greens and tennis courts.
Allan Smith, the Council's Public Realm manager, said:
"We are involving the community in the study via our Friends of the Parks groups. Our parks managers and maintenance staff will be also be involved in the audit, contributing their own knowledge and expertise. We look forward to all the information coming together so that we can draw up development plans to protect and improve the district's parks."
Tuesday 8th June 2004, Queens Hotel, Leeds
The Annual Yorkshire Women of Achievement Awards, which is in its 18th Year, continues to be a popular and inspiring event. Former winner of the 'Woman of Courage' award, Jane Tomlinson, whose bravery in the face of Cancer continues to touch our hearts, presented the 2003 'Woman of Courage' award to Lynn Marsden.
Speaking on behalf of Sue Ryder Care Wheatfields, Publicity and Fundraising Manager, Alyson Wort said:
"Every year we are constantly amazed by the courage, bravery and entrepreneurship shown by all the women nominated."
Nominations:
If you would like to nominate someone for the event please do so BEFORE 2nd APRIL 2004.
The winners will be announced at the Women of Achievement Lunch on 8th June 2004 at the Queens Hotel, Leeds, when they will be presented with an award. The results will be announced in the Yorkshire Evening Post on the same day. The judges decision is final.
Guidelines:
Women of any age may be nominated
Nominees must have some connection with Yorkshire eg. Be born or lived in Yorkshire or made an impact on Yorkshire in some way.
Nominees may be an unsung heroine, helped their local community or had success in their careers
They may have excelled at sports or in the arts
Ideally they will be role models and an inspiration to others.
Requirements:
A brief personal biography of nominee is required
Reason for nomination is required
Nominations
and further information should be forwarded to:
Esther Ashman and Melanie Chan
Equality and Diversity Officers (job-share)
Wakefield MDC
Room 134, County Hall
Wakefield WF1 2QW
Tel extn 6733
e-mail Eashman@wakefield.gov.uk
or Mchan@wakefield.gov.uk
Wakefield City Centre is to host its fifth traditional Pot Fair from Monday March 15 to Saturday March 20.
This unique event which tours the country, trading in town and city centre precincts for a week at a time, sells quality china, porcelain, crystal glass, stainless steel kitchenware and figurines from traditional 18-foot square wooden and canvas pot fair stalls.
The Pot Fair is a partnership event from Wakefield Council, Wakefield City Centre Management and New Market Solutions. The stalls will be set out in the Kirkgate precinct in front of the Wakefield Cathedral.
Councillor Graham Stokes, Cabinet member responsible for markets, said:
"We are very keen to attract more people into Wakefield. This specialist event, adds to the attractions that Wakefield already has to offer and we hope it will bring in crowds of extra visitors."
Phil Hemmans, Markets Operations Manager, said:
"I am delighted that this unique show with its special atmosphere is returning to Wakefield. Events like this add vitality and interest for our customers, with a corresponding spin-off for the permanent market and for all city centre retailers."
Wakefield Council's Travel Awareness Team has organised an in car safety seminar to raise awareness about the importance of child car restraints.
The event will be led by John Horsfall, director of the Sitsafe In Car Safety Consultancy, and who is the country's car seat "guru", and will include demonstrations and advice on the correct way to fit child seats and other restraints.
The seminar, to be held at Outwood Grange Technology College on Tuesday 6 April, is open to anyone with an interest in the subject, including health advisers, parents and other members of the public.
The day is split into 2 sessions - morning 9am-12.30 and afternoon 12.45-4pm to allow people to attend which ever is the most convenient.
A crèche will be available for the duration of the event. There is a small charge of £5 for the event to pay for the refreshments and the fee of the consultant.
Places need to be reserved on the seminar, with more information and bookings available by ringing the Traffic and Road Safety Section on 01924 306325/306000.
Anne Wood has joined Wakefield Council as Housing Services' Homelessness Strategy Implementation Manager.
Anne has worked in supported temporary housing for over 20 years, initially with Leeds Housing Concern, formerly Leeds Cyrenians, a well established and major voluntary sector provider of supported accommodation in West Yorkshire, and more recently with Leeds City Council.
Anne's career began with working in a children> '> s home, which led to her particular commitment to supporting young people to live and manage independently. Anne has also managed projects and worked extensively with women's homelessness and the resettlement services.
At Wakefield Council, Anne's role will focus on providing professional support and expertise to other managers working in the Service, and liaising with external partners.
Anne's immediate challenge is the introduction of Wakefield's "Open Door" project, which will offer a one-stop-service for people with housing needs. The specially renovated building is due to open in the Wakefield City Centre in June.
Wakefield Council is continuing to put citizens first in planning its services and deciding on its spending priorities for the coming financial year. This year's Council tax increase of just 2.9% before precepts is the lowest of any increase in Yorkshire and one of the lowest in the country. The increase was approved by today's annual budget meeting of the full council.
Key priorities are a programme of environment and community safety initiatives, improving levels of student achievement and continuing to raise standards in schools, and providing flexible, responsive social services which focus on people's needs.
Wakefield Council Leader Cllr Peter Box said:
"The budget builds on what we did last year. We are continuing to invest in those services which people tell us matter most, while holding down the Council Tax increase to 2.9% - an increase of 32p a week for a Band A property. A Band D property rises £41.35 a year from £990.50 to £1,031.85 when police and fire precepts are added. The cleanliness of the District and the safety of citizens remain key priorities. We successfully introduced Neighbourhood Action last summer and are now developing this to make sure we get the most out of our resources. We are also committed to continuing to improve achievement levels in all our schools and providing quality social services which give people choices in their lives. This year we have had a 4.3% increase in our spending allocation from the Government and will be spending to the limit on education and social services. These services cover three-quarters of our overall budget."
The budget meeting also approved the capital programme for the next financial year which - at £80m - is the highest ever achieved by the authority. It covers the Council's priorities for capital investment in line with the Wakefield District Partnership's Community Strategy.
Deputy Leader Cllr Philip Dobson, who introduced the capital programme, said:
"We are investing in the future of this District. We are spending significant amounts of money on our school buildings, on our housing, roads, traffic management and on making life better for pedestrians, on improving waste and recycling facilities and on upgrading accommodation for people using our social services. The capital programme continues the Council's determination to provide high quality services for the people of the District."
Council Tax for the Wakefield District 2004/5, including precepts from West Yorkshire Police and West Yorkshire fire authorities but excluding parish precepts
|
Band |
2004/5 | 2003/04 | Property Value |
| A | £687.89 | £660.33 | Up to £40,000 |
| B | £802.55 | £770.39 | £40,000 - £52,000 |
| C | £917.20 | £880.45 | £52,001-£68,000 |
| D | £1,031.85 | £990.50 | £68,001-£88,000 |
| E | £1,261.14 | £1,210.61 | £88,001-£120,000 |
| F | £1,490.44 | £1,430.73 | £120,001- £160,000 |
| G | £1,719.75 | £1,650.83 | £160,001-£320,000 |
| H | £2,063.69 | £1,981.00 | Over £320,000 |
Wakefield children who need to be adopted will benefit enormously from the newly established Yorkshire Adoption Consortium, which will improve the service of finding suitable families for these children.
Ten local authorities and three voluntary agencies across Yorkshire and Humberside have joined together and established the Yorkshire Adoption Consortium, which is based in Leeds. MP for Wakefield David Hinchliffe will formally launch the innovative and coordinated approach to adoption on Friday 5th March.
Councils from Hull, Bradford, Leeds, Calderdale, Kirklees, Wakefield, York, North Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, and Barnsley along with Barnardos, NCH and Catholic Care are leading the way in this joint initiative.
The benefits of this combined approach are significant for people contemplating adoption and the commitment to a child waiting for a loving home. They include greater matching of children and families throughout the Yorkshire and Humberside regions, children remaining in the county of their birth, and a better use of resources to improve recruitment and approval of adoptive families.
Councillor Peter Loosemore, Cabinet Member for Health & Social Services, said:
"A partnership such as the newly formed Yorkshire Adoption Consortium is real progress for both of the parties involved - for the children in care waiting for new adoptive families to come forward and for the prospective adopters who can have delays in being matched with the right child".
Wakefield Social Services currently has over 20 children waiting to be adopted.
"We are actively recruiting people from all backgrounds regardless of marital status, ethnicity, culture, age, gender or financial status and would welcome the opportunity to talk with anybody who thinks they may have something to offer a child,"
added Eileen Bower, Wakefield Council's Adoption and Permanence Manager.
If you can give a child a new start in life by providing a loving home through adoption and would like to find out more then contact Wakefield Adoption & Permanence Team on: 01924 302160 or go to www.wakefield.gov.uk
Wakefield Council's award-winning recycling programme has gone right to the top - with a video about its success being commissioned by the Prime Minister's Office.
The three-minute video for the Prime Minister's web-site will showcase the work which has enabled the Council to increase its recycling level to a projected 18% by March - and become recognised for the Best Local Authority Initiative in the country at the national Composting Association Awards.
The Council's Waste Services Technical Manager Julie Greenwood is also the national Recycling Officer of the Year, with the authority only narrowly missing out on an awards hat-trick when it was pipped at the post for most improved recycling performance, coming a close second in a national competition.
Wakefield's achievements have now been noticed by the Prime Minister's Office which is making a video about the work being done in Wakefield as an example of good practice in local government. The film will highlight the household kerbside collection of garden waste and paper and cardboard, as well as other recycling initiatives which are helping to reduce household waste going to landfill.
Cabinet Member for Environment Services Cllr Betty Rhodes said:
"We go from strength to strength with our recycling programme and our success is due to the co-operation and enthusiasm of the people who live in the District. They are the ones who are making it happen by using the schemes we are providing to recycle their waste and reduce the amount of household rubbish going to landfill. The people of the District, like the Council, want a clean and attractive environment and we are all working together to achieve that."
Cllr Rhodes said the video, which will show the work of the Recycling Services, was further national recognition of Wakefield's achievements and would contribute to the Council's determination to go on and increase recycling by even higher levels in the coming year.
The films are a series on the Number 10 website which show the work of local authorities across the country and how they help deliver core services like education, social care, environment services and transport. The Wakefield film will be available by April 2004 on the Prime Minister's website at: www.pm.gov.uk