Local Democracy Reporting Service

Over 17,000 privately rented homes in Leeds need urgent improvements to reach acceptable living standards, a new report claims.

Excessive cold, damp, disrepair and fire safety issues are some of the problems faced by one in four of the city’s 70,000 privately-owned tenanted homes, the report by housing bosses adds.

They say more is being done to punish “rogue or criminal landlords” in Leeds while helping to support good landlords.

Laws introduced in 2016 give councils powers to fine landlords up to £30,000 for failing to improve living standards.

The Leeds City Council report adds that since March 2020 the authority has undertaken 1,032 inspections, served 795 notices and removed 815 hazards in privately-rented accommodation.

Beeston and Harehills are areas where the council says it has introduced “selective licensing”, meaning all private landlords operating rental property in those areas are must have a licence.

This, it says, will eventually mean property visits from council officers to ensure the standards are acceptable.

BBC Weather

This morning will be dry with decent sunny spells.

Broken cloud and a scattering of showers will develop this afternoon, but still with intermittent sunny spells. Still mild for the time of year.

Dry and mostly clear tonight, allowing temperatures to drop away, making it much less mild compared to recent nights.

Under the calm conditions, some mist and fog patches may develop in places:

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans for a new Roman Quarter development in York have been turned down by councillors.

Image source, Vincent and Brown

The development was set to see a Roman visitor attraction, plus a 10-storey development of 211 apartments, offices and retail space, built in Rougier Street as well as a two-year archaeological dig on site.

Developers had said the new visitor attraction examining York's Roman past could play a "key role" in the city's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

York Archaelogical Trust had said the development could draw in up to 500,000 visitors and £20m to the city every year.

However, councillors on the city's planning committee on Wednesday said they had worries about the size of the building, the impact on nearby landmarks, affordable housing and whether it could bring high quality jobs to the city.

They voted by a majority to refuse the plans - largely on the grounds that the planned building was too large and would have an impact on nearby heritage sites.

Councillor Mark Warters proposed refusing the plans, saying: “If we don’t protect the skyline, we’ll be responsible for turning York into Chicago. This could become one of York’s most hated buildings.”

But Councillor James Barker said he was in favour of approving the plans, saying the building was now designed to be lower than those surrounding it and that council planning officers supported approval of the scheme.

He said turning it down was likely to deter other developers from considering building in York.

However, a total of 11 councillors voted to refuse the plans, three voted against refusal and one abstained.

Muhammad Azhar Shabbir and Ali Athar Shabbir were swept away while paddling, an inquest hears.

Just under £15,000 has so far been raised by a fundraising campaign for a 100-year-old war veteran who had thousands of pounds stolen from his home while having cancer treatment in hospital.

Image source, Google

Former RAF pilot Len Parry, from Skipton, in North Yorkshire, was in hospital earlier this month when thieves took a safe containing almost £4,000 from his house, police said.

A small brown digital safe about a cubic foot in size was taken from an address on Long Meadow (pictured above) at some point between 4 and 12 February, according to North Yorkshire Police.

A journalist at the Yorkshire Post created an online fundraising campaign, external for Mr Parry and set a target of £3,000.

That appeal has so far raised over £14,790.

Anyone who has found the stolen safe, or knows its whereabouts, is also being asked to contact police.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A 1960s mural will remain on display in Bradford after plans to permanently cover it up were amended following a large number of objections.

Image source, LDRS

The work, at the entrance to the University of Bradford's Richmond Building, was designed by artist Joseph Mayo in 1964 and is thought to be his last surviving mural in the UK.

The university recently submitted an application to add cladding to large areas of its buildings to help conserve energy, including at the Richmond Building.

The original plans would have seen the Mayo mural covered up, but these proposals attracted many objections, including from the artist’s son and from the 20th Century Society.

In light of the objections, the university has since amended the application to retain the mural, which will now be set in sandstone.

The amended plans have now been approved by Bradford Council, with planning officers saying the mural is considered a "heritage asset".

A cyclist has died after the bike he was riding was involved in a collision with a car in South Yorkshire, police have confirmed.

The crash happened at about 21:15 on Tuesday when the bike, being ridden by a 20-year-old man from Barnsley, was in collision with a black BMW X5 on the A6195.

Both vehicles were travelling from the Broomhill roundabout towards the Cathill roundabout.

The cyclist suffered serious injuries and died shortly afterwards in hospital, according to South Yorkshire Police.

The driver of the BMW, a 30-year-old man from Barnsley, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, being unfit through drink or drugs, being over the prescribed limit and driving with no insurance, officers said.

A 30-year-old woman, also from Barnsley, who was a passenger in the car, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, they added.

Both remain in custody.

Anyone with dash camera footage of the collision, or who saw the car or bike prior to the crash, is being asked to contact South Yorkshire Police.

The licensee of a West Yorkshire pub who broke Covid rules by allowing people to gather and watch football on TV during lockdown should be removed, police have said.

Image source, Andy Catchpool

Following an anonymous tip-off, police visited The Woodman pub in Dewsbury on 10 January and found 11 people watching a Leeds United match - five of whom did not live at the site.

Bottles and glasses were found on the bar; foam was found in the drip tray; no-one was wearing PPE; and social distancing was not in place, footage from police body cameras shows.

The licensee was served with a £1,000 fine for breaking Covid lockdown laws.

Police officers' footage is expected to be shown at Kirklees Council's licensing panel on 3 March as they call for the licensee's removal.

In May 2020, during the first coronavirus lockdown, police discovered the pub's licensee receiving a haircut from a friend who did not live at the address. Both received a warning.

In October 2020, when pubs had reopened after the first lockdown, The Woodman was threatened with closure if it did not improve its adherence to Covid guidelines.

The Tadcaster Pub Company, which runs the Woodman, has described it as "a quality establishment" and the licensee as a "hard-working and valued member of the community".

PA Media

Reading and Leeds music festivals will go ahead this summer following the government's announcement of a road map out of lockdown, organisers have said.

The sister events - known for their mix of rap, rock and pop - are due to take place between 27 and 29 August at Bramham Park in West Yorkshire and Richfield Avenue in Reading.

Both were cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to plans announced on Monday, the government hopes to lift all remaining restrictions on social contact by 21 June at the earliest.

This would mean larger events can go ahead and nightclubs can reopen.

Confirming their 2021 events would go ahead, the official Reading and Leeds Twitter account posted, external: "Following the government's recent announcement, we can't wait to get back to the fields this summer."

Stormzy, Liam Gallagher, Post Malone, Catfish And The Bottlemen, Disclosure and Queens Of The Stone Age are all scheduled to headline across the weekend.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A leading North Yorkshire councillor has called for an inquiry into why the NHS Nightingale Hospital in Harrogate hasn't been used to treat coronavirus patients.

Image source, NHS England/Simon Dewhurst

Jim Clark, the chairman of North Yorkshire County Council, who is also a Harrogate councillor, has asked the West Yorkshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee to support him in calls for a probe into why the 500-bed hospital hasn't been used to treat Covid patients.

He's also asked whether the site, at Harrogate's convention centre, would have had enough NHS staff to be able to operate.

Councillor Clark, who represents the Harrogate Harlow ward, said building the £27m hospital in just a matter of weeks last year was a “tremendous success”, but he questioned: “If we had needed it, could we have used it?

“We need a public inquiry into why we have never used the Nightingale hospital,” he told the committee on Tuesday.

The temporary hospital was opened by Capt Sir Tom Moore 10 months ago and a contract for its use is due to expire on 31 March.

While the hospital has not treated any coronavirus patients, it has been used to carry out non-coronavirus diagnostic tests and outpatient appointments.

Anthony Kealy, NHS England director in West Yorkshire, described the facility as a “really valuable resource” and said it was a “success” that it had not been used to treat Covid-19 patients.

A decision on whether to pursue a public inquiry will be taken by the West Yorkshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee next month.

The film tells the story of former paratrooper Christopher Alder who died in a Hull police station.

A former teacher at a North Yorkshire preparatory school faces multiple sex crime allegations.

A dog taken during a burglary last year in a South Yorkshire village has been reunited with her owner after being spotted by an eagle-eyed policeman.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Two dogs, including Peggy, a black Patterdale Terrier (pictured), were stolen in the theft at a property on College Terrace in Darfield, near Barnsley, last November, police said.

But during recent police inquiries, Peggy was spotted by an officer who thought she looked familiar.

Sgt Rebecca Fleming said: “Our officer spotted Peggy, recognising her from photos provided by the family, and with a little encouragement managed to get her into the back of the police car.

“The officer took Peggy back to Darfield where her owner was able to identify her straight away.

"A little shaken from the ordeal Peggy eventually relaxed and realised she was back home where she was loved."

A 22-year-old man has been charged with burglary in connection with this incident.

Meanwhile, the South Yorkshire force is warning dog owners to be extra vigilant about their animals' safety during the coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesperson said: "During the Covid-19 pandemic, dog thefts have increased across the UK. We are urging everyone with a dog to be vigilant to ensure their dog’s safety.

"Dog thefts can often be linked to organised crime groups as a way of making money as the demand for dogs has significantly increased."

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Last week saw the highest number of fines being issued in North Yorkshire so far during the current coronavirus lockdown, according to police.

Image source, Reuters/John Sibley

A total of 192 fixed penalty notices for breaches of Covid regulations were issued, with 67 of them being issued in Scarborough alone, North Yorkshire Police said.

Ch Insp Charlotte Bloxham told North Yorkshire's Local Resilience Forum: “It is really important we don’t get too far ahead of ourselves at the moment and through irresponsible actions jeopardise the progress we have been making."

She added that the current lockdown restrictions will remain in place until 29 March "and we will continue to police them and take enforcement action against any breaches".

Meanwhile, Scarborough’s coronavirus infection rate remains the lowest in North Yorkshire following another slight drop overnight, latest figures show.

The borough’s seven day infection rate per 100,000 people now stands at 56, down one onthe previous day.

The number of Covid-19 patients in Scarborough Hospital has fallen to 14, down four on last week.

Men wielding bats and bars have attacked a man in a house in Bradford during what police believe was an attempted robbery.

Image source, Google

Three suspects forced their way into the house in Pelham Road, Idle, at about 18:30 on Tuesday, according to West Yorkshire Police.

They assaulted a man in his 50s, leaving him with serious injuries, officers add.

It's not thought anything was taken by the man's attackers.

Anyone with information about the incident is being asked to contact West Yorkshire Police.

A city-wide "zero tolerance" campaign to crack down on fly-tippers has been launched in Hull.

The council says it deals with around 600 cases a month and the problem's increased during the coronavirus pandemic.

Doug Sharp, from the council, says: "We've seen an increase of between 10% and 20% in terms of the amount of fly-tipping we're having to clear up so it's a significant issue.

"We normally spend something like half a million pounds a year on fly-tipping, so it's a financial problem as well as a blight on the environment."

Mr Sharp added: "It's a selfish act blighting a shared environment and is something people shouldn't have to put up with - which is why we have a zero tolerance approach."

He warned prospective fly-tippers: "Just be careful because we have cameras about. We're determined to crack down on this problem and if we catch you you'll get a nasty surprise."

Leeds City Council is one of a group of eight councils to have a legal claim against Barclays over bank loans they alleged were affected by the Libor rigging scandal thrown out.

Image source, Google

The local authorities took out long-term loans with the bank between September 2006 and November 2008.

They had argued the loans were "tainted" by the bank's representations concerning Libor interest when they were offered.

But a High Court judge has concluded they would not be successful at a trial.

Leeds, Greater Manchester, Newcastle, North East Lincolnshire, Nottingham, Oldham, Sheffield and Newham councils all launched action to cancel the loans in 2018.

On Monday, Mrs Justice Cockerill struck out the claims, saying they had "no real prospect of success", following an application by Barclays.

Libor, the London Interbank Offered Rate, is the benchmark interest rate that tracks the cost of borrowing cash.

The judge said it had been "of fundamental importance to global financial markets" as it helps to assess the overall health of the banking sector and is widely used by financial institutions for various purposes, including setting rates for their products.

It was "common ground (and public knowledge) that Barclays did in fact engage in Libor manipulation, but that the precise nature and extent of the banks involvement in it is "very much in issue", the judge added.

More than 600 cannabis plants have been seized and one man arrested during simultaneous raids in Doncaster, police say.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Nine raids took place on Tuesday in Edlington at properties on Staveley Street, Victoria Road and Princes Crescent, according to South Yorkshire Police.

Det Insp Steve Smith said: “We've listened to the concerns raised by our communities in Edlington and have taken action to put a significant dent in drug supply and dealing activities in Doncaster."

At one property on Staveley Street, 55 mature plants and 115 smaller plants were found in three rooms of the house. In another, around 200 mature plants were found in three rooms, police said.

At a property on Victoria Road, about 60 plants were seized from three rooms, and at a property on Princes Crescent, 60 smaller cannabis plants were recovered from a single room, officers added.

A 20-year-old Doncaster man has been arrested on suspicion of production of cannabis and possession of drugs and is currently in police custody, the force confirmed.

Det Insp Smith said: “I hope the Edlington community is reassured by the highly visible, targeted strike action and I want the rest of Doncaster to understand this isn’t a singular event."

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans for a new Roman Quarter development in York city centre are set to be decided at a planning meeting today.

Image source, Vincent and Brown

The new visitor attraction examining York's Roman past could play a "key role" in the city's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, according to developers.

York Archaeological Trust (YAT) said the proposed attraction in Rougier Street could draw up to 500,000 visitors and £20m per year.

The Roman Quarter development is also expected to create up to 450 jobs.

YAT chief executive David Jennings said if approved it would help York bounce back from the impact of Covid-19.

The plan, first revealed in 2019, would see developer North Star demolish three buildings, Northern House, Rougier House and Society Bar, to make way for a 10-storey development including apartments, offices and the Roman visitor attraction,

York Civic Trust, which had previously objected to the proposals on the grounds that the building was too big and could increase poor air quality by creating a “canyon effect”, said it had withdrawn its objection.

BBC Weather

A very mild day with outbreaks of rain and blustery winds.

Tonight, rain and blustery winds will continue, becoming dry later in the night.

Winds easing towards morning: