
Women firefighters in Norfolk set to get showers in £5m spend
The report said Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, which has been encouraging more women to join, was becoming "more diverse".It added that £2.2m had already been allocated towards work, with further assessments due to take place of the fire service's 42 stations.
Councillors are also expected to back plans to spend £13.3m on new vehicles, including 27 new fire engines and two aerial ladder platforms.A report warned that the service had an "ageing fleet" of engines, while its ladder platforms – used to rescue people and douse fires from height – were "approaching the end of life".Last year the service bought a new platform that could reach 45m (148ft) in height, along with 22 fire engines.
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BBC News
14 hours ago
- BBC News
Revamp of Armley Gyratory completed with new footbridges
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South Wales Guardian
2 days ago
- South Wales Guardian
Migration fuels second largest annual jump in population in over 75 years
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It is behind only the rise of 821,210 that took place in the preceding 12 months from mid-2022 to mid-2023. This means the population is estimated to have grown by 1.5 million between June 2022 and June 2024: the largest two-year jump since current records began. Nigel Henretty of the ONS said: 'The population of England and Wales has increased each year since mid-1982. 'The rate of population increase has been higher in recent years, and the rise seen in the year to mid-2024 represents the second largest annual increase in numerical terms in over 75 years. 'Net international migration continues to be the main driver of this growth, continuing the long-term trend seen since the turn of the century.' Population change is mainly determined by international and internal migration, births and deaths. Although estimated net international migration (690,100) was lower in the year to mid-2024 compared with the previous year, it continued to contribute most to population growth. — Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) July 30, 2025 Some 1,142,303 people were estimated to have immigrated to England and Wales in the 12 months to June 2024, while 452,156 were likely to have emigrated, giving a figure of 690,147 for net international migration. This is lower than the equivalent figure for the previous year to June 2023, when net migration is estimated to have been 833,696. The drop is likely due to a fall in 2024 – previously reported by the ONS – in the number of foreign nationals from outside the EU coming to the UK on work and study visas, along with a rise in students leaving at end of their courses. Changes in migration rules introduced in early 2024 by the previous Conservative government included restricting the ability of most international students to bring family members with them to the UK, as well as banning overseas care workers from bringing dependants. There were slightly more births (596,012) than deaths (566,030) in England and Wales in the year to June 2024, which added 29,982 to the population. By contrast, internal migration from the two nations to elsewhere in the UK was higher (at 56,300) than the number of people moving in the other direction (42,693), meaning there was a net decrease in internal migration of 13,607. Overall, the size of the population of England and Wales grew by an estimated 1.2% in the year to June 2024, down slightly from 1.4% in the previous 12 months but above 1.0% in the year to mid-2022. 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London had the highest rates of natural change and net international migration, but these were partially offset by net outward internal migration to other UK countries or regions in England. Across the 10 years from mid-2014 to mid-2024, the East Midlands has seen the highest level of growth at 9.1%, while north-east England has seen the lowest at 5.8%. The total population of England and Wales is estimated to have grown by 7.6% over these 10 years, an increase of nearly 4.4 million people. Conservative shadow Home Office minister Katie Lam said the ONS data showed the population is rising at 'an unsustainable pace', which is 'almost entirely driven by record levels of immigration'. She added: 'This isn't about numbers on a spreadsheet, it's about pressure on housing, NHS waiting lists, school places, wages and it's about community and our culture. Britain simply cannot plan or build fast enough to keep up. 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BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
World War One pillboxes in Norfolk listed by Historic England
A rare semi-circular bunker-like structure is among eight World War One pillboxes in Norfolk that have been granted Grade II listed concrete buildings were built in Norfolk between 1916 and 1918, designed to protect a stretch of English coast from a potential German sea invasion, including the semi-circular one at Bacton still have their original steel doors, gun loop shutters and white-painted interiors, according to Historic East of England regional director Tony Calladine said they were "a reminder of a time when determined communities prepared to defend Britain during the Great War". Listed buildings are buildings of special architectural or historic interest with legal but one of the newly-listed pillboxes are in the North Walsham area and they are: Two defending the Common Road and Bradfield Beck crossing point at Bradfield CommonA rare semi-circular pillbox at Bacton Wood, guarding a canal bridgeTwo circular pillboxes at White Horse Common at the Edbridge Mill crossingTwo either side of Bacton Road, Little London, defending the canal bridgeThe final pillbox is another circular one at Wayford Bridge, near pillboxes were positioned along the River Ant and the North Walsham & Dilham Canal - waterways that could provided further defence in The Broads. They are all slightly inland and were part of a network of pillboxes which were designed to "provide a barrier to invading enemy troops", said Mr Calladine. Pillboxes were generally camouflaged against the landscape to hide the occupants from enemy were installed with small holes in the walls called loopholes where weapons could be fired first pillboxes were built by the German army on the Western Front, but as the threat of invasion increased in Britain, they began appearing along the east coast of."The listing of these pillboxes recognises their historic significance and exceptional durability," Mr Calladine added. Historic England hopes people will add their photographs and drawings of the pillboxes and share their stories to its Missing Pieces Project. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.