Local Democracy Reporting Service

A new school for children who can't stay in mainstream education is set to open next month.

Image source, Google

The building, which is being purposely built on the former site of the Bentley training centre, will originally admit eight pupils by 21 January and expand to accommodate 60 by September.

The independent school will be run by charity Big Picture Learning who operate schools in 11 other countries which deliver "personalised learning" for disengaged students, according to their website.

The total cost for the project totals just under £6.4m over six years with £1.7m from government and £750,000 from a social firm, who will take a percentage return.

A further £4.5m will be provided by the council.

The last surviving member of the Headscarf Revolutionaries received a standing ovation as she was presented with the freedom of Hull this afternoon.

Yvonne Blenkinsop was made an honorary freeman of Hull following her work to reform safety legislation in the fishing industry during the 1960s.

She said she was "very honoured" to be recognised at an event in front of a packed council chamber at the city's Guildhall.

Hull City Council referred to the Headscarf Revolutionaries as "heroes of the community" and posted this video on its Twitter page:

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans for two new colleges at the University of York will go ahead despite residents' fears over parking problems.

Image source, City of York Council

The scheme will provide accommodation for 1,480 students on campus.

But Alan Richards, a Badger Hill resident speaking at a council meeting, said the number of university staff and students parking on streets in the estate is already causing problems.

He said: "I'm not optimistic about 2019 when you add 1,400 more undergraduates on campus - staff and students don't park in the university car parks because they have to pay."

Councillor Keith Aspden said residents in Heslington Village feel the development is too close to their neighbourhood and people have concerns about noise, vandalism and anti-social behaviour as well as parking.

But Stephen Talboys from the University said: "We take action against anyone who causes a nuisance, we take our responsibilities very seriously."

He added that if the development did not go ahead, the students would live in the city in houses in multiple occupation and cause a "much more negative impact on the local community in our view".

Hull is to receive shipping from around the world after a new deal was signed with the world's largest cargo service.

Image source, Reuters

According to Associated British Ports (ABP), the agreement with Maersk will "open a crucial trading link to the Far East and beyond".

The port operator says it will be the first time its Hull container terminal has received "deep-sea shipping" - a term referring to cargo which has crossed oceans.

On Twitter, Matt Jukes, the chief executive of the city council, said: "This is big news and will hopefully lead to even further container volume increases through Hull once the service gets well established."

A risk management plan has been approved by Leeds City Council, almost three years after the Boxing Day 2015 floods.

Image source, Getty Images

The Christmas 2015 flooding saw devastation across West Yorkshire, with up to 3,000 homes flooded in the Calder Valley alone and an estimated cost to the city of £36.8m.

As seen in the picture above, hundreds of businesses on Kirkstall Road in Leeds were also affected.

The strategy, approved by council officials on Wednesday, will plan to reduce threats of flooding across Leeds.

Phase one of the scheme was completed last year, which saw movable weirs built to control the flow of the River Aire.

The second phase proposes a £112.1m for works to protect the Kirkstall Corridor along the River Aire.

More flood prevention schemes are currently in development for Otley, Mickletown and Lin Dike at Garforth and Kippax, say Leeds City Council.

The death of a man whose bones were found by children on farmland near Barnsley remains a mystery, after an inquest heard it was "impossible" to say how he died.

The skull, hip and leg bones of 57-year-old Martin Radford were discovered in a field in Swaithe on 4 February.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Sheffield Coroners' Court heard Mr Radford was identified via a DNA sample but, despite extensive investigation, no cause of death could be determined.

However, coroner Steven Ecclestone there was "no evidence of foul play".

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Retailers, property developers and councillors are getting together next year to try to address problems facing town and city centres in the Wakefield district.

Image source, Google

Several high profile retailers in the area have gone bust in recent years.

Discussing the matter at a full Wakefield Council meeting on Wednesday, authority leader Peter Box said: "The Grimsey Review, external makes the point it's time to reshape our town centres.

"It's not solely about Wakefield city centre, it's about all our town centres right across the district.

He added: "One of the issues we face is because we are a diverse district, so we've got to try to make sure the solutions we come up with are applicable for each of our centres."

It's not yet clear whether or not the summit will be a one-off event or a regular event.

The leader of the Conservative opposition, Nadeem Ahmed, said: "We do look back on certain things in Wakefield with nostalgia, but certain habits that have changed are not going to come back.

"It's important we look to the future of the high street and recognise some of things we currently see will not exist in the next 10 years."

An international fraudster wanted for failed building projects in France has been tracked down and caught by North Yorkshire Police and now faces extradition.

Image source, Google

Joseph Burnside, from Hurworth Moor near Darlington, was the subject of a European Arrest Warrant after he was convicted by a French court.

He worked on more than 200 construction projects in France, using a range of company names which police say brought in a combined income of roughly 900,000 euros in one year.

The 32-year-old was charged with fraud and criminal conspiracy by the French authorities, but failed to appear at court in Rennes, so was convicted in his absence and a warrant was issued for his arrest in June.

North Yorkshire Police say they tracked him down following "specialist intelligence and investigative work".

Police stopped his vehicle in Helmsley marketplace on Tuesday and he was arrested and taken into custody.

An East Yorkshire homeless charity is urging people to use a new mobile phone app to help rough sleepers.

Image source, PA/Yui Mok

Emmaus Hull and East Yorkshire is using smartphone technology so the public can send an alert if they have concerns about someone sleeping on the streets.

This comes as the numbers of homeless people dying on UK streets has been highlighted by a report from the Office for National Statistics.

Missing Martin Radford's remains were found by children in a field but it is not known how he died.

Police officers hunting a Doncaster man who failed to appear in court say members of the public should not approach him.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Nathan Peacock, 19, who has connections to Cantley, Doncaster, is wanted for recall to prison and for not appearing in court for separate burglary and vehicle theft charges.

He is described as white, 5ft 6ins tall and of slim build.

Anybody who sees him is asked to call 101 and to not approach him.

A 54-year-old man who died following an "altercation" in Goole is thought to have suffered a "medical episode", police say.

The man died after spending four days in hospital following the incident on Kingsway.

A 36-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder has now been released on bail.

Further investigations are ongoing to establish the cause of the 54-year-old man's death, but the BBC understands police are no longer treating the death as murder.

Det Ch Insp Al Curtis said: "Following extensive investigations and subsequent forensic tests, we now believe the man who died sadly suffered a serious medical episode at the time of the incident."

Police patrols in Halifax have been increased in an approach to cut down on crime over the Christmas period.

Officers will be working later in the evenings to be on hand to help with festive shoppers and nights out, according to West Yorkshire Police.

Insp Ben Doughty said: "As punters get into the Christmas spirit, people over-indulging in bars and clubs can make themselves more vulnerable to crime."

A flight from New York has been diverted to Doncaster Sheffield Airport following a drone scare at Gatwick airport.

Image source, Claudio Villa - Inter/Inter via Getty Images

The scheduled flight was diverted from Gatwick to the South Yorkshire airport, landing at about 10:10, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, external.

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, operated by Norwegian Air, was due to land in London at about the same time before the diversion took it off its planned course.

Gatwick's runway has been shut since Wednesday night after two devices were seen flying over the perimeter fence.

It's thought at total of 110,000 passengers have been affected by the situation at Gatwick.

Fishermen in North Yorkshire say they've been given an "early Christmas" present after planned changes to regulations on fishing were abandoned.

They claimed their way of life was under threat following new proposals to protect salmon stocks but after thousands signed a petition the Environment Agency has changed its plans.

Rex Harrison, who's been fishing off Filey nearly all his life, says he's delighted at the change of heart.

"We thought it was going to be the end, but we can look now to the future and hopefully we can employ some more young lads who want to come fishing and keep the generations of fishing going in Filey."

Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri says he is putting the struggling Championship club up for sale.

A decision to approve plans to build a new road system through Penny Pie Park in Barnsley has been defended by the leader of the town's council.

Image source, Barnsley Council

Plans for the gyratory system for Dodworth Road between junction 37 of the M1 and Barnsley town centre were approved yesterday.

Campaigners have previously called on the government to rule on the plans instead of having the council rule on its own planning application.

It's not an unusual thing to happen, according to council leader Sir Steve Houghton.

"That happens across the country with a whole range of issues", according to Sir Steve.

"What we do have are checks and balances in the system to make sure that if the council is considering an application on its own that it's done with the planning board separate to the rest of the council."

Wildlife campaigners are holding a working Christmas party today at an ancient York bog they say is at risk from plans to build hundreds of homes nearby.

Image source, Jono Leadley

Members of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust are gathering at Askham Bog for the event.

In September, revised plans were put forward to build more than 500 homes near the nature reserve.

The original plans were rejected in 2016 after warnings from the trust.

Image source, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust/Tom Marshall

Speaking at the time, Sir David Attenborough said building next to the nature reserve would be "like building a car park next to York Minster".

The 120-acre site was left behind by a retreating glacier 15,000 years ago.

It's thought 49 homeless people from the Yorkshire and the Humber died last year, according to latest figures.

Image source, Barcroft Media

In England and Wales, nearly 600 homeless people died - a 24% increase over five years, according to the Office for National Statistics.

More than half of all homeless deaths were due to drug poisoning, liver disease or suicide.

This photo shows a vehicle fire in Hull yesterday which caused a main road in the city to close.

Anlaby Road was closed at the junction with Albert Avenue with diversions put in place while emergency services dealt with the fire

No injuries have been reported and drivers were advised to avoid the area due to travel disruption.