There will be a range of City of York Council services which will be affected by industrial action today, Wednesday 17th July.

Residents will be kept informed as more details are available and residents are being encouraged to listen to local radio - BBC Radio York and Minster FM - for information during the day as the services affected may change. The message to residents is to check before they leave, that the service they are going to use, will be available. The council's switchboard will be operating a limited service and emergency numbers will be available.

Parents are also being kept informed of any disruption that affects their children. The council and the unions have worked together to ensure vital services to vulnerable people will be maintained and there are plans in place to deal with any emergencies. Some exemptions have been agreed which will mean that a number of staff who provide essential services, such as key social services staff and some commercial services staff, will be providing services.

David Atkinson, chief executive, said: "We obviously regret any inconvenience caused to residents by the disruption of these services and we will be doing our utmost to maintain the provision of City of York Council services."

The specific services affected are:

Schools - the following schools will be closed:

Burton Green Infant School Carr Infant School Carr Junior School Fishergate Primary School Fulford Cross School (Special School) Fulford Secondary School Galtres School (Special School) Haxby Road, Foundation and Nursery School Lidgett Grove School (Special School) St Paul's Nursery School Tang Hall Primary School - Early Years Unit

Libraries - the central library and mobile library will be closed, although some branch libraries will be open.

Museums - the Castle Museum, the Yorkshire Museum and the City Art Gallery will be closed.

Leisure facilities - the Barbican centre will be open as usual between 7am and 10pm however Edmund Wilson swimming pool, Yearsley swimming pool and Oaklands Sports Centre will be closed.

Car parks - only the Shambles car park will be closed; all other council-run car parks will be open.

Refuse collection - refuse will not be collected from residential properties on Wednesday and, as soon as alternative arrangements are in place, residents will be advised. From Friday, residents can call the refuse hotline on 01904 636000, who will be able to advise them of the alternative collection day.

Toilets - it is unlikely that there will be any public toilets available within the city. This is to ensure there is no risk to public health, as the council cannot guarantee that they will be properly serviced. However the council has been working closely with the Chamber of Commerce, the Tourism Bureau and retailers in the city centre to make sure that everything possible will be done to make sure toilet facilities will be available for visitors and shoppers to use.

The council has had a very positive response from retailers who want to be as helpful as possible to shoppers and visitors particularly from M&S, BHS, Allders, Fenwicks and Mulberry Hall, while our toilets are temporarily closed.

Social services - essential services to vulnerable people will be maintained (the list of exemptions gives further details). The customer advice centres at 10-12 George Hudson Street and in Acomb will be closed, although emergencies will be dealt with on the telephone, with housing repairs being dealt with on 01904 554141 and other emergencies on 551900.

Day centres for adults will not be available, although the council did attempt to negotiate exemptions with the unions for these staff. Therefore Yearsley Bridge, Hebden Rise, Huntingdon Road and Sycamore House will be closed, along with three family centres and the centre on Ordnance Lane.

City Finance Centre - the centre will be closed to the public however anyone with queries relating to housing benefit, council tax benefit and council tax can contact officers on 01904 551178 between 8.30am and 5.00pm.

Ward committees - the ward committees in Strensall and Clifton Central & Bootham West have been re-arranged to the 25th July and 22nd July respectively.

Further information will be provided, as it becomes available.

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