THE YORK BRIEF ⏰ Tuesday, January 20, 2025

Good morning, York!

Welcome to your Monday morning news fix. Today we’re bringing you everything from council budgets and bin charges to historic FA Cup journeys and library transformations. Plenty happening across our city as we kick off the week - so grab your brew, settle in, and let’s get you up to speed with what matters in York.

🌤️ WEATHER UPDATE
Cloudy with temperatures around 6°C (43°F) today with light winds. Perfect jumper weather for getting out and about in York! (Weather Forecast)

💰 COUNCIL & POLITICS

📊 Council Tax Rising 2.99% as Budget Squeeze Bites; York faces another council tax hike with a proposed 2.99% increase for 2026/27 as City of York Council battles “extremely challenging” finances. Rising inflation, decades of underfunding, and soaring social care demand have created a perfect storm. York’s on track to become the lowest-funded unitary authority per head by 2028-29. (City of York Council, York Press

🗑️ £52 for Your Green Bin - Sign Up by February 13th; York’s 2026 garden waste subscription is officially open. Fork out £52 for the year (£2.60 per collection) or miss the March 2nd restart. Sign up before February 13th to guarantee your sticker arrives in time. Half-price for those on Council Tax Support. Over 70% of councils nationwide now charge for garden waste - York’s just catching up. City of York Council

“We always encourage people to pay for it before the season starts. Although people can pay for a licence during the collection season, they will need to wait for their licence to arrive in the post and display it on the bin before collections can start.”

🅿️ Parking Charge Row Expands to Heworth; The parking charge consultation just got bigger. After East Parade traders challenged last year’s hike, the review of Bishopthorpe Road, Micklegate, and The Groves now includes Heworth too. Independent consultants Arup are running the show - you’ve got until February 27th to make your voice heard. Paper surveys available at libraries and local shops.

📱 York MP: “Let Kids Be Kids” - Ban Social Media for Under-16s; York Outer MP Luke Charters wants Britain to follow Australia’s lead and ban under-16s from social media. With over 800,000 children under 5 already on platforms despite age limits, he’s calling it a safeguarding essential. Grooming, bullying, exploitation- the risks are real. Cross-party pressure’s building, the PM’s softening his stance, and a government consultation’s imminent. Charters is planning a local meeting with constituents on the issue. YorkMix, Gazette & Herald

👥 COMMUNITY

📚 Acomb Explore’s £350k Glow-Up is Changing Lives; Acomb Explore Library has reopened after a stunning £350k refurbishment - and it’s already making a real difference. The upgrade (£250k from Arts Council England, £100k from the council) has created a bigger children’s area, expanded café, quiet study spaces, and better facilities. But it’s the human stories that shine: meet Pauline, who found friendship, purpose, and community through the library’s craft groups and computer classes after losing both parents. This is what libraries are meant to be.

🧘 Find Your Zen at The Harriet Centre; Need some calm in 2026? The Harriet Centre near York Cemetery is hosting a mindfulness and meditation course inspired by Zen teachings. The non-residential Art of Zen runs January 30-February 1, with guided meditation, mindful communication, deep relaxation, and practical tools for daily life. Open to complete beginners and seasoned practitioners alike. (York Press, Gazette & Herald)

🏫 EDUCATION

🎓 St Peter’s School Unveils State-of-the-Art Sixth Form Centre; York’s historic St Peter’s School has transformed its former Wentworth boarding house into a cutting-edge sixth form hub. The first phase features nine modern teaching spaces, study areas, and staff workrooms - 1,400 years of heritage meets 21st-century innovation. The building’s had quite the journey since 1937: sanatorium, junior boarding house, co-ed boarding house, and now this. Full completion by 2027.

🏃 SPORT

⚽ Minsterbelles’ Fairytale FA Cup Run Ends - But What a Journey; York City Ladies’ historic FA Cup adventure ended in Kent on Sunday, losing 3-0 to Chatham Town in the fourth round. But reaching that stage was a club first. As the lowest-ranked team in the competition, Dan Jackson’s fourth-tier side defied the odds, beating four teams including a memorable 3-0 demolition of Altrincham. They broke attendance records, made history, and showed what’s possible. The future’s bright. Yahoo Sports

🎨 ARTS & CULTURE

🖼️ York Open Studios Returns for 24th Year This April; Clear your calendar for April 5-6 and 12-13! York’s longest-running arts festival brings over 160 artists to open their studios, workshops, and homes across two weekends. From traditional painting and ceramics to jewellery, textiles, photography, and installation art - there’s work for every taste and budget. Free to attend, with interactive maps online. Twenty-four years and still going strong.

🎭 Blue Light Theatre Bids Farewell to Acomb After 12 Years; It’s the end of an era. After over a decade of charity pantomimes at Acomb Working Men’s Club, the Blue Light Theatre Company - made up of York Ambulance Service staff - is relocating to New Earswick Folk Hall. The club’s downsizing, but the troupe’s not slowing down. They’ve raised £25,000 for Motor Neurone Disease Association York Group and York Against Cancer. Final Acomb rehearsals wrapped last week; their next panto ‘Owt O’This World!’ launches at the new venue January 28-31.

💼 BUSINESS

💪 Transform York Named Among City’s Best Gyms; Tom Storr’s Lawrence Street gym is celebrating after being shortlisted by York Press readers as one of the city’s top ten fitness spots. Transform York recently underwent a complete rebrand and renovation - new sled track, private podcast station for educational content, fresh decor. The gym focuses on structured coaching, personalised plans, and genuine community (not just equipment). They partner with York Mind for their annual fundraiser too.

📈 Yorkshire Business Activity Hits Growth - York Benefits; Yorkshire and Humber’s business activity index is reporting growth, signaling positive momentum for the regional economy that York businesses operate within. When the wider region thrives, York’s commercial sector benefits from increased trade, confidence, and opportunities.

🤖 Made Smarter Scheme Urges York SMEs to Sign Up

York’s small and medium businesses have a chance to boost productivity through the Made Smarter scheme. The initiative for North Yorkshire SMEs offers support for digital transformation and automation - exactly what local businesses need to stay competitive. Don’t sleep on this one.

📺 WHAT’S ON

🏠 Could Your York Home Be on Channel 4?; Fancy a telly makeover? Channel 4’s searching for York families, couples, or friends to feature in a new home renovation series hosted by architect George Clarke. They want people merging two homes into one through renovation - think parents moving in with adult children, blended families, couples starting life together, or multigenerational households. If you’re selling one property and renovating another to live together, they want to hear from you.

That’s it for today’s York Brief. We’ve covered everything from council budgets and library transformations to FA Cup heartbreak and telly opportunities. Whether you’re signing up for your green bin, having your say on parking charges, or just planning your week ahead - we hope we’ve kept you in the loop with what matters in York.

See you tomorrow with more local news. Until then, enjoy your Tuesday!