Local Democracy Reporting Service

More than 600 jobs could be axed as Leeds City Council makes huge cuts to next year's budget.

Image source, Google

Early blueprints for the 2021/22 budget also include the closure of two care homes, a country park visitor centre and a recycling centre.

It follows news the council was facing a £119m budget shortfall for 2021/22, thanks partly to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Its leader warned further cuts would be required without a government bailout.

A report, set to be discussed at an executive board meeting on 21 October, outlined an "overall anticipated reduction in the workforce for 2021/22 of 617 posts".

Leeds City Council said it would "make every effort to avoid any compulsory redundancies being made".

Warrington move into Super League's top four after beating a young Leeds side with an eye on Saturday's Challenge Cup final.

Marc Sneyd kicks a late penalty goal to earn Hull FC victory over Huddersfield Giants in a see-sawing Super League game.

Spearmint Rhino has been on Brown Street in Sheffield for 18 years and closed its doors in March.

Yeovil remain winless in the National League this season after a draw with FC Halifax at The Shay.

A Harrogate pub stripped of its licence for breaking lockdown rules could reopen under the control of a new landlord.

Image source, Google

The Coach and Horses, on West Park, had its licence revoked in July after setting up tables and chairs for customers buying takeaway drinks when lockdown restrictions were much tighter.

Samantha Nelson, the daughter of the previous landlord John Nelson, has now applied to take over the pub that has been in the family for over 30 years, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Her application will be heard by Harrogate Borough Council on October 29.

Broadcaster Harry Gration, the well-known presenter of the BBC Yorkshire news programme Look North, is to leave the corporation after 42 years.

Mr Gration, who joined the BBC in 1978 and Look North in 1982, will present his last show on 21 October, the day before his 70th birthday.

Following his decision to leave, his co-presenter, Amy Garcia, will continue as lead presenter.

He said: "It's been a privilege to meet the people of the county I love."

Mr Gration began filing match reports for the BBC while working as a history teacher in the mid 1970s.

He has covered nine Olympic Games for the BBC and won two Royal Television Society awards for sports documentaries in 1992 and 1997.

He won the prestigious RTS Best Presenter award twice.

He recently became a father for the sixth time, as he and his wife Helen welcomed baby Hamilton to the world.

Harry said: "I've worked with the best of the best and leave Look North in the good hands of Amy and the team, although I don't know how Paul Hudson is going to cope without me checking his forecasts! Seriously though, I'll miss my good old mate.

"I'm looking forward to some new broadcasting adventures and some special time with my family and a certain one year old!"

A £6m camera system has already been installed to monitor traffic for the scheme in Leeds.

Anton Shields violently shook two-month old Cody Shields-Holman while left alone with him.

A huge vulture spotted on the Yorkshire/Derbyshire border and in Lincolnshire was born in the French Alps last year, according to new genetic research.

Image source, Ashley James

The bearded vulture is one of the largest wild birds ever seen in the UK and was seen in the Peak District in July.

Birdwatchers flocked to Howden Moor, near Sheffield, to catch a glimpse and grab a photograph of the rare raptor, which is larger than a golden eagle.

It's thought the vulture was blown off course by bad weather.

Image source, Ashley James

Feathers collected by Yorkshire birder David Ball, and analysed by the Vulture Conservation Foundation, show the female bird was born in the French Alps last year in a wild nest.

The bird, nicknamed Vigo, spent much of her summer in the Peak District, but has also been seen in Lincolnshire.

Image source, Ashley James

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Sheffield City Council has confirmed a long-standing city centre strip club surrendered its sexual entertainment venue licence.

Image source, GEOGRAPH/BASHER EYRE

Spearmint Rhino, which was based on Brown Street in the city centre for 18 years, withdrew its licence renewal application and its alcohol licence was transferred to another operator.

The council said it had not received any further applications from any company operating as Spearmint Rhino.

It was closed due to coronavirus restrictions implemented in March, then in the summer the club dropped its privacy case against campaigners who commissioned secret filming of dancers at work.

The footage was shown to the council in support of calls to have the club’s licence removed last year.

Pro-campaigners later marched through the city calling for the club to stay open, with some supporters comparing the footage to revenge porn.

Following an eight-hour hearing in which both sides gave passionate speaches, the club kept its licence for another year.

Spearmint Rhino were unavailable for comment, following several attempts to contact them.

Independent shops in Leeds say they are struggling due to coronavirus pandemic.

Council leaders in Leeds say the city is on a government watchlist and could be placed under the highest coronavirus alert level.

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Councillors believe the government's preference would be for more regions to follow the Liverpool City Region into Tier 3.

Leeds is currently on Tier 2.

They said discussions with the government were continuing and they wanted extra support for businesses.

The city said the current rate is 422 cases per 100,000 people and rising.

The number of positive cases in hospitals doubled in the last week.

Council chief executive Tom Riordan said: "This is a really pivotal moment for us again and there is a prospect that we could go into Tier 3.

"At the moment, the judgment has been that we should go into Tier 2.

"We support that, but the data changes every day and we need to just look at the epidemiology as well and see where the virus is spreading in settings and whether the extra restrictions in Tier 3 are justified."

A landlady in Filey says some people are not sticking to the rules set out to keep them safe during the coronavirus pandemic when visiting her pub.

Image source, Google

Lynn Nordan runs The Star in Filey and says her staff have to watch out for people trying to get around the guidelines concerning the "rule of six."

Speaking on BBC Radio York she said: "We've had so many people booking two tables within half an hour of each other, using different means of communication, telephone calls or online.

"Then when they arrive at slightly different times from each other, it's soon obvious they're actually all together."

"As soon as we realise the groups are together we move them as far apart as we can."

You can listen to the full interview by clicking this link:

Rotherham United boss Paul Warne enters a period of self-isolation after a family member tests positive for Covid-19.

Images have been released in the search for a woman who went to the aid of a suspected rape victim in Leeds.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

A woman was found in a distressed state on Back Harehills Place shortly before 08:00 on Wednesday 30 September, according to West Yorkshire Police.

Officers now say they want to trace the woman in the images above, who's thought to have been walking a child to school along Ashton Road when she went to the victim’s aid and gave her a coat to wear.

She is described as having dark hair and was wearing a black coat, grey-and-white patterned leggings and white trainers.

Officers from Leeds District Safeguarding Unit say they'd like to speak to the woman as a potential witness or hear from anyone who knows who she is.

A 43-year-old man has since been charged with rape and false imprisonment in connection with the incident, police say.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Street lights across Sheffield will be dimmed to help reduce carbon emissions, it's been confirmed.

The city's old sodium, yellow glow traditional street lights have already been converted to lower energy, bright white LED lights.

In 2013, sodium lights resulted in 17,168 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, but five years later, when all the lights had been converted, this had been reduced to 6,848 tonnes.

A new control system now means the council can adjust the times and intensity of lights on individual lampposts and on different streets.

Following a successful trial in Endcliffe, Meersbrook and Crosspool, street lights will be dimmed across the city, meaning a further 10% reduction in emissions, the council says.

In a report, Gillian Charters, from Sheffield City Council, says: "Historically, street lighting intensity has been set to accommodate the maximum amount of traffic density on a road.

"This density may only occur for short periods of the day, such as morning and evening rush hour.

"As a result, for long periods, streetlights are over-lighting the highway and neighbourhoods and adding to carbon emissions and light pollution as well as wasting money.

"Sheffield highways can be lit to a lower lighting class, but we can still change and increase levels as necessary, such as a planned event or in response to an incident," she adds.

Two firms, including one from West Yorkshire, have been charged with safety breaches after a cinema collapsed during demolition work.

Image source, Lewis Roseby

Masonry and scaffolding from the Odeon in Pilgrim Street, Newcastle, which was built in the 1930s, fell on 3 April 2017, crushing a bus shelter.

All Round Demolition Limited, of Halifax, and Freemont Limited, of Bishopgate, Manchester, have been charged with failing to prevent danger while carrying out demolition work.

A pre-trial review will take place at Newcastle Crown Court on 16 October.

No-one was injured when the building collapsed.

The case is being brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the companies have been charged under the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act.

All Round Demolition and Freemont Limited are accused of failing to reduce danger to employees or members of the public during the demolition work, under the 1974 Act.

A woman's been arrested after the death of a 61-year-old cyclist who was hit by a car in North Yorkshire at the weekend.

Image source, Google

The male cyclist suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead at about midnight on Sunday after being hit on a section of the A1041 near Selby, known locally as Camblesforth Straight, say police.

The driver of the vehicle involved didn't stop following the collision and instead left the scene, according to North Yorkshire Police.

A force spokesperson said: "A short time later, officers on patrol in Selby stopped a vehicle they suspected was involved in the collision.

"A woman arrested in connection with the incident has been released while under investigation."

Officers want to speak to anyone who was in the area between Camblesforth and Selby at around the time of the collision.

They're also appealing for anyone who saw a bike being ridden towards Selby, or a silver vehicle with significant damage to the windscreen being driven in the area, to come forward.

Sheffield's mayor says it was "reckless" to impose extra restrictions without government support.