
Rotherham Council to sell deputy mayor's car
A car used by a deputy mayor for civic engagements is to be sold.Rotherham Council said the 2004 Volvo S80, which has been used 21 times since 2019, is no longer considered necessary due to its low usage and age.It comes after a review of civic protocol by council officers, which found the mayor and deputy mayor no longer attend civic engagements on the same day, reducing the need for two vehicles.The vehicle is due to be auctioned on 6 March with any funds raised going towards the council's capital funding pot.
The council said although the vehicle no longer incurred direct costs for its purchase, ongoing costs for repairs, maintenance, and fuel, could now be saved - according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.In the event both the mayor and deputy mayor are required to attend engagements on the same day, a hire vehicle will be arranged - but this would be on a rare occasion and no budget allocation had been made.Both civic figures will be able to continue using the main mayoral car, an Audi A8.The disposal of the vehicle is part of an ongoing effort to ensure the effective use of resources within the council's operations, the authority added.
Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds or catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Cadbury confirms its discontinued much-loved biscuit treat
Has your favourite product vanished from shelves? We'd love to hear from you - email us on money@ Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CADBURY has discontinued its Bournville fingers in spite of rave reviews from fans. The crispy biscuits were a popular item within Cadbury's Bournville range, which features dark chocolate products. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Cadbury has discontinued its dark chocolate fingers But manufacturer Cadbury this week confirmed it has ended the treat, having originally launched it in October 2020 as a lockdown treat to share at home. The Fingers were praised for being less sweet than the ordinary Dairy Milk fingers, meaning you could eat more of them at any one time. One fan said on the Asda website: 'I used to enjoy the regular chocolate fingers but since I've tried these I'm a convert! They are soo delicious especially with a cup of tea, and because they aren't as sweet as the usual chocolate fingers, they are also very moreish! 'Would recommend for everyone!' Another added: 'Just delicious. I'm a plain chocolate person, so made up with these.' A third said: 'Can't believe how nice they are. Were sadly gone in minutes.' The product had been particularly popular with vegans, as it did not contain milk, but there was disappointment in 2022 after skimmed milk powder was included in the recipe. Cadbury's owner Mondelēz International said: 'We continuously adapt our product range to ensure it meets changing tastes whilst supporting growth for our customers and our business. "Our Cadbury Bournville Fingers were discontinued this year. However, we still have plenty of other delicious products for consumers to enjoy, such as our Cadbury Bournville Giant Dark Buttons and our classic Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Fingers.' It's not the first time a discontinued product has caused upset. Cadbury has also confirmed it has discontinued its Fry's Coffee Cream bars, while dark chocolate Toberlones have also gone. Walkers confirm they've discontinued fan favourite flavour Meanwhile, Aldi has axed its Dairyfine Blonde chocolate bar, leaving fans upset as they struggle to find their favourite sweet treat. DISCONTINUED DARK CHOCOLATE It comes as Brits have had to wave goodbye to a number of dark chocolate bars. Toblerone axed the dark chocolate version of the bar earlier this year. Mars axed its dark chocolate Bounty in 2023, leaving customers heartbroken. At the time shoppers said the moves was "bad for their mental health". Others were quick to share their pain with one fan saying: "Noooooo. Dark chocolate Bountys beat milk chocolate Bountys hands down. And it's not only dark chocolate fans getting bruised, a number of beloved chocolate bars have vanished from shelves in recent years. Nestlé confirmed two years ago that it had axed the Caramac bar, first launched in the late 1950s, due to "low sales". But the treat has been spotted sporadically at bargain retailers since. However, it's not all bad news sometimes iconic chocolate bars make a return. Milky Way Crispy Rolls returned earlier after they were discontinued three years ago.


Pembrokeshire Herald
a day ago
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Cabinet approves transport strategy wish list
PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL'S Cabinet has endorsed a Regional Transport Strategy that relies on Welsh Government funding of £125m over the next five years. However, the plan also relies on the Council spending other money allocated to it by the Welsh Government to pay for the delivery of Welsh Government as well as local priorities. Based on comparisons between similar projects, the low end of the cost of delivering the Pembrokeshire-only projects will be at least £66m. That suggests that not only will all the projects not come to fruition in the plan period but also indicates that the Welsh Government funding allocation to them underestimates the cost of delivering the majority, if not all, of the projects. If the strategy's budget is fantasy, the prospects of delivering all of it are even more fanciful. The projects in the strategy read like a Guardian reader's wishlist instead of something grounded in local needs. ACTIVE TRAVEL SCHEMES DOMINATE The thirty-plus projects located solely in Pembrokeshire include fifteen schemes solely dedicated to active travel or which incorporate active travel as part of them. In context, and based on the cost of delivering similar schemes, the low-end estimate for 'active travel' schemes alone is around £22m. 'Active Travel' under the Welsh Government's Active Travel Act refers to efforts to reduce the use of cars for everyday journeys, such as commuting and education. Active travel schemes create infrastructure which supports walking, cycling, and wheeling (e.g., wheelchairs, mobility scooters). Those schemes work well in urban areas. However, in rural areas with dispersed working populations, such as Pembrokeshire, their impact is less beneficial. The now-former Welsh Government minister Lee Waters got an earful from Plaid Cymru and fringe environmental groups (mostly funded by the Welsh Government) when he dared say that cars would continue to be the primary mode of transportation in rural Wales. If an MS from Dolgellau can use an e-scooter to get the mile and a half from their taxpayer-funded flat in Cardiff to the Senedd, there's evidently no reason why commuters between Fishguard and Haverfordwest can't do the same. The active travel schemes planned for Pembrokeshire include a Multi-User Route from Narberth to Haverfordwest, an active travel route from Pembroke Dock to Pennar, one from Pembroke to Angle, six schemes in and around Tenby, and an expansion of the County Council's e-bike scheme. BIG TICKET SPENDING The big spending item is the relocation of the A487 at Newgale. That project has been on the cards for fourteen years, if not longer. It forms part of the Welsh Government's regional transport strategy as a permanent solution to the challenge of coastal erosion and the increased risks of tidal and pluvial flooding, standing against less certain and temporary interventions to hold the existing line. As it is part of the Regional Strategy, it will be predominantly funded by the Welsh Government through project-specific grants, in the same way as the preliminary investigations and public engagement. The plan will funnel transport funding towards supporting the Celtic Sea Freeport. Its backers hope the Freeport's economic impact will be positive and spread across the Freeport area. However, the existing transport infrastructure for it is a bad joke. Addressing its shortcomings is a major component of the Regional Transport Strategy. Setting aside projects scheduled for Neath Port Talbot, millions of pounds are projected to be spent on hydrogen fuel infrastructure and green/blue energy grid improvements. However, one project guaranteed to cause controversy seeks to increase road capacity and flow through Pembroke to support increased traffic from the Celtic Freeport development in the Angle Peninsula. Bearing in mind obvious geographical and logistical constraints and its need to cross conservation areas and sensitive landscapes within the National Park, any road expansion (there's also an active travel route planned) will likely cause uproar and cost tens of millions to deliver. That is, however, a long-term project. MORE TRANSPORT HUBS In the medium term, the Regional Strategy looks at a multi-million-pound project to improve roads between Haverfordwest and Milford Haven. That scheme looks to address congestion between the county town and the centre of Freeport operations in Pembrokeshire. Again, geographical and logistical issues suggest that the project will find it difficult to do much more than put lipstick on a pig. If, however, the scheme manages to resolve the congestion hotspots at Cartlett, Salutation Square (subject to a separate congestion-easing plan), Freemen's Way, and Johnston as far as the Sunnycroft Roundabout, it will doubtless be welcomed by commuters. And, if you thought one transport hub was a bad idea, there's more to come – from the Milford Haven transport interchange to one planned for Pembroke Dock, improved access to Fishguard's ferry port, and a host of other projects that will connect Pembrokeshire's public transport network, as the plan puts it poetically 'ensuring better multimodal connectivity'. Given the almost certain budget problems which these projects will encounter and, therefore, cause the County Council when it comes to setting its budgets, ensuring Pembrokeshire gets what it needs to improve the local economy instead of what the Welsh Government thinks it ought to have will be a major source of tension and contention. If half of the plan is delivered on time, on budget, and within the Welsh Government's funding envelope, its effects will be limited – as we will all have pigs to fly around on.


BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Oxford Bus Company welcomes plan to tackle 'devastating' traffic
A bus company has welcomed council plans to develop proposals to tackle Oxford's "devastating" Bus Company previously urged Oxfordshire County Council to find a "Plan B", after the ongoing Botley Road closure delayed the authority's planned introduction of traffic council responded to this by confirming it would be drafting new plans to deal with the city's congestion Marion, the bus company's managing director, said he was "encouraged by the announcement" and "looked forward to engaging" with the council to "improve journeys" for bus users. "A robust bus network is critical in order for the Council to achieve its sustainability targets on the county's roads which we are wholly supportive of," Mr Marion said."To further enhance the appeal of travelling by bus, we need journeys to be faster and more reliable than is currently possible."Present levels of congestion are having a devastating impact on our city which we're keen to help resolve through positive discussion."Oxford Bus Company said journey times on the Abingdon Road had increased by an average of 17% since the Botley Road was closed, with services between Blackbird Leys and Oxford city centre slowing by 33% compared with Mr Marion's correspondence, the council confirmed that potential options to improve travel conditions would be discussed by the council had planned to introduce contentious traffic filters on several major roads in autumn 2024, but they were pushed back for another two years due to the ongoing closure of Botley councillor Brad Baines previously argued argued that the county council plans did "not answer questions about affordability of bus services or routes going where people need to go"."These are key barriers which are yet to be addressed or even considered." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.