Local Democracy Reporting Service

The demand for a £28m animal rendering factory in Lincolnshire has been questioned by council planners.

Lincoln Proteins has resubmitted its planning application for the facility in Norton Disney after it was refused by the county council in February 2020.

But at a meeting in Sleaford on Tuesday, planners from North Kesteven District Council said they did not believe there was a need for the plant.

Rendering is the process of converting animal remains from the meat industry and turning them into tallow for cosmetics and protein feed for animals.

The original proposals for the Norton Disney facility were rejected last year over location, heritage and wildlife concerns, with the county council receiving 1,105 letters of objection against the planned development on Villa Farm.

The resubmitted proposals include one change, with the height of the chimney flue reduced from 115ft (35m) to 82ft (25m), complying with air quality and odour standards but reducing landscape impact.

However, outlining their objections, North Kesteven District Council planners questioned the need for the factory amid concerns over its possible environmental impact.

Campaigner Richard Parker, from the Witham Valley Park Preservation Group, said Lincoln Proteins had failed to address previous concerns and what he called the "mega-factory" was "simply not needed".

Lincolnshire County Council has yet to reach a decision on the revised plans.

BBC Weather

Today, it will be a dry and mostly cloudy start to the day. In the afternoon, the cloud will break to reveal plenty of sunny spells. It will also become warmer than the previous day.

Tonight will see mostly clear skies to start, with some patches of cloud in places. However, bands of high cloud are expected to drift in from the west towards the end of the night:

A teacher who was suspended after showing children a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad can return to the classroom.

Image source, PA Media

Protests were held outside Batley Grammar School after the teacher showed an image during a religious studies lesson in March.

An independent investigation found the teacher did not intend to cause offence by showing the image.

In an executive summary of the report, the trust said teaching staff "genuinely believed that using the image had an educational purpose and benefit".

But the trust said it recognised that using the image did cause "deep offence" to a number of students, parents and members of the school community, adding that it "deeply regrets the distress" caused.

A spokeswoman for the Batley Multi Academy Trust said: "The findings are clear, that the teaching staff involved did not use the resource with the intention of causing offence, and that the topics covered by the lesson could have been effectively addressed in other ways.

"In the light of those conclusions, the suspensions put in place while the investigation was under way will now be lifted."

The National Education Union said it was "pleased the correct decision has been reached" following the lifting of the suspension."

The boss of Hull-based Arco says if firms were mobilised earlier more lives could have been saved.

People from Indian variant hotspot Kirklees give their reactions to confusing travel advice changes.

Gary Allen tells a court he wanted to "pass off as being criminally minded" to undercover officers.

The worker was making fishcakes in a machine at the seafood firm's Grimsby factory, a court hears.

Two new railway stations are planned for Leeds as part of a multimillion-pound government investment plan, it's been confirmed.

Image source, PA Media

Funding has been approved for a stop at White Rose and another at Thorpe Park.

Money is also being made available for electrification on the Transpennine route.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said a £317m boost would see the TransPennine line electrified between York and Church Fenton and tracks doubled around Leeds and Huddersfield to "improve connectivity".

The project will also see journey times between Sheffield and London cut by up to 30 minutes, the DfT said.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the money would help deliver services "passengers can count on".

Mr Shapps said the aim was to create "a modern, green and innovative railway".

North Kesteven council planners say they do not believe there is a need for the Norton Disney site.

The director of public health for Sheffield has warned the coronavirus infection rate is "likely to rise".

Latest data shows the rate of infection in the city has now fallen to 32 cases per 100,000 people.

But as restrictions ease, Greg Fell said: "I think our rates will go back up in the not too distant future."

Mr Fell added: "I've been wrong before, I hope to be wrong again, but we'll see - but with more mixing indoors I think an increase in rate is likely, but not inevitable."

Earlier this week, following the launch of an investigation into a new Covid variant which caused 49 cases of infection, mostly in Yorkshire and the Humberside region, Mr Fell said: "We want you to continue doing what you have been for the past year.

"Follow the guidance, continue to wash your hands regularly and wear a mask indoors.

"Where cases have been identified, additional follow-up of cases, testing of contacts and targeted case-finding will be used to limit the spread of variants."

A review says the school should close and merge "key areas of strength" with other departments.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A barbershop in York has been closed down by police after failing to follow Covid safe rules, it's been confirmed.

Image source, LDRS

Police and City of York Council officers went to Q Gentlemen’s Barbers on Bishopthorpe Road today.

The council has previously issued two orders to the business to shut temporarily, following claims it was not following Covid safety rules.

Matt Boxall, head of public protection at the council, said: “It has not been able to trade in a Covid-secure way as other businesses in the city do.”

The council has already issued 12 fixed penalty notices to the barbershop, totalling £33,000 in fines.

All-rounder Jordan Thompson signs an extended deal that will see him stay at Yorkshire until the end of the 2023 season.

A man was forced off the road and attacked in a "road rage" incident on the M62 near Leeds, police say.

Image source, Google

The 24-year-old man needed hospital treatment for a deep cut to his forehead after being punched by a man on the slip road at Junction 29 on Monday, according to West Yorkshire Police.

The victim had been driving his orange Ford Fiesta westbound on the M62 "when the suspect’s car joined the motorway at Junction 30 and an altercation took place," police said.

Officers added: "The suspect then tailgated the victim and continuously flashed his headlights before overtaking and forcing him to stop."

The assault then took place.

A police spokesperson said: "We are attempting to identify the driver or vehicle involved and would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident, which occurred between 17:30 and 17:45.

"We are particularly interested in hearing from anyone with relevant dashcam footage."

A £5m project to conserve one of the largest surviving "narrative" stained glass windows in the world has begun.

Image source, PA Media

York Minster's St Cuthbert Window dates from 1440 and tells the story of the life and miracles of one of northern England's most significant saints.

The 152 panes have suffered centuries of erosion and corrosion, experts at the minster said.

They are to be repaired using state-of-the-art protective glazing which is designed to last at least a century.

Experts are currently stabilising any cracked and broken glass and lead, before returning the window with a glazing to help keep the glass dry.

Image source, PA Media

The project is the first piece of "serious conservation" since the immediate post-war period, according to specialists from York Glaziers Trust.

Alex McCallion, director of works and precinct at York Minster, said: "We're downwind of four coal-fired power stations so we're seeing the effect of centuries of erosion and corrosion."

"We work in 100-year scaffold cycles so there won't be scaffolding up here for another 100 years. We will leave stone on the building that we think has 100 years left in it," he added.

Do you recognise this woman? Police want to speak to her following a robbery in which an 88-year-old woman was dragged to the floor.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

The victim was in a car park in Normanton, near Wakefield, when an unknown woman came up to her and grabbed her handbag, according to West Yorkshire Police.

The woman kept hold of her bag, but was pulled to the floor before the suspect left empty-handed, police said.

Officers say the attacker later boarded a train at Normanton which was heading to Leeds.

The incident happened shortly after 15:00 on Thompson Street on Wednesday 9 December last year.

Anyone who recognises the woman in the image, who police believe may have information about the incident, is being urged to contact police.

Hull MP Karl Turner says the fisheries minister has told him there will be no more talks in 2021.

Do you recognise the man in this image? It's been released after a man exposed himself to two teenage girls in South Yorkshire.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

The girls were walking in Saville Road, Wath-Upon-Dearne, when a man exposed himself to them, according to South Yorkshire Police.

The man then fled in the direction of Cutts avenue, officers said.

Anyone who recognises the man is being urged to contact police.

Police say the ambulance was responding to another incident when the crash happened.

A builder in Lincolnshire says he's closed his order book for this year and is having to take deliveries at any time of the day or night due to a nationwide shortage of building materials.

The Construction Leadership Council has warned, external cement, some electrical components, timber, steel and paints are all in short supply. It blamed "unprecedented levels of demand" that are set to continue.

The Federation of Master Builders says smaller builders, like Chris Carr in Grimsby, are being particularly hard hit:

Speaking about the materials shortage on BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Mr Carr said: "We've had a delivery of blocks at 05:30 this morning and that's become a part of it now.

"We have to take any materials we can when they're available, so if it means early mornings or weekends then we'll take the orders."

He added: "We've closed our order book for this year because we can't guarantee price or timescales."

Roland Glancy, managing director of design service Peek Home, advised people to delay home improvement projects until autumn.

"The last thing you want is to knock through a wall and then struggle to get hold of a bag of plaster to complete your vision leaving you living in a building site, just when we should be enjoying our new freedoms," he said.