
London Fire Brigade: More flats found to have fire safety defects
Seventy-two people died in the Grenfell fire in north Kensington on 14 June 2017.Since then, the safety of high-rise homes across the capital has been brought into focus, with the LFB checking cladding, fire doors, windows and the compartmentation of flats. The LFB said the number of buildings with simultaneous evacuation guidance in place had risen following its most recent count to 1,448.There are 883 buildings more than 26ft (18m) tall on the evacuation list, and 565 buildings under 26ft (18m) on the list.
'We need to create a legacy'
Mr Daffarn escaped from the 16th floor of Grenfell. He said: "Eight years ago, standing underneath the burning wreckage of Grenfell Tower, I was convinced it would be the catalyst for societal change; that something so awful, which resulted in the horrific loss of 72 lives, could not happen without things changing."And yet we sit here eight years later and people are still going to sleep in buildings that aren't safe."We need to create a legacy for Grenfell that means that people that live in social housing, people that live in high-rise blocks, are treated with respect and live in safe buildings."
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: "[We] have been clear that the pace of remediation has been too slow for too long."That's why we are taking decisive action through our Remediation Acceleration Plan to fix unsafe buildings by 2029 faster, while we continue to support residents and identify buildings at risk."
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BBC News
3 minutes ago
- BBC News
New ride could be built at Landmark rollercoaster accident park
A theme park says it is exploring the possibility of building a new rollercoaster on the site of a ride where two children were injured four years girls, who were from the Scottish Borders and were 12 years old at the time, suffered neck injuries at Landmark Forest Adventure Park in Carrbridge in the girls' families launched legal action last year seeking compensation from the operators of the said its visitor feedback "consistently" identified a new ride as a top request, and said it took its responsibilities around safety "extremely seriously". Police, firefighters and three ambulances were called to the park in August 2021 after a "mechanical failure" affected the Runaway Timber girls continue to be affected by psychological trauma, their families said they hoped there would be "more stringent safety and maintenance checks" around any new ride at the Brown Solicitors in Edinburgh said it was supporting the families with an ongoing claim. 'Exploring options' Landmark Forest Adventure Park has demolished and removed the Runaway Timber said it had taken an an early procedural step through Highland Council's planning system to determine whether an environmental impact assessment would be required for a new concept in the park, which first opened in 1970, is in an area of ancient Scots pine woodland.A spokesperson said it had carried out research into what would most enhance the visitor experience, and support the site's long-term said: "While we've provided an outline concept as part of this process, no final decision has been made - we're still exploring our options and assessing feasibility, including costs, before considering any future steps."On safety, we take our responsibilities extremely seriously. "Landmark fully cooperated with the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) thorough investigation into the 2021 incident, which concluded with no enforcement action against us as the HSE confirmed publicly at the time." Spinning Coaster According to documents submitted to Highland Council, the new ride - called the Spinning Coaster - could involve single vehicles and a series of turns, drops and could reach a maximum height of almost 18m (59ft) - higher than the previous ride's 9m (30ft).The parts for the Spinning Coaster could take up to two years to construct in a factory and then about six months to build at park near Aviemore and currently has more than 20 attractions.


Telegraph
33 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Ucas Clearing 2025: How to get a last-minute university place
A-level results day is a moment of joy and triumph for many as students prepare for life at the university of their choice. But for others, it can be a highly stressful time if their results don't go to plan and they narrowly miss their required grades. While many students still secure places at their insurance choices, there are some who miss the mark altogether and need to enter Ucas's Clearing process to find an alternative institution. Similarly, students who perform better than their predicted grades are also able to use the system to find an alternative university. Here, we detail everything you need to know about the Clearing process and how to gain a place at university no matter the outcome. What is clearing? Clearing is the system of matching up students with spaces on university or college courses. You can enter Clearing to find a course if you have not met the grades outlined in your offers. You can also use the system if you are considering changing to a different course because your grades are better than predicted after declining your original place. Last year saw an increase in the number of 18 year-olds securing a university place through Clearing, including more students declining their original place and using the system to explore other courses and universities. What time does Ucas open? Students will be able to access their university applications through Ucas from around 8am on Thursday Aug 14. At the same time, students will be able to receive the breakdown of every exam result by attending their school or college, or having them emailed or sent in the post. They can also arrange for a relative or friend to pick up their results. Ucas Hub will start updating from around 8.15am for A-level students, and will show the status of their university offers. This could include a confirmed place at their firm choice, a confirmed place at their insurance choice, or neither – making them eligible for Clearing. It may also include more unusual options, such as students being offered a place on a different course at their firm university choice. This normally happens when pupils miss their main offer, and they do not have to accept this. When does Clearing open? Pupils will be able to add a Clearing choice from 1pm on Thursday Aug 14. Applicants should wait until they have any pending exam results before contacting universities and colleges about possible vacancies, according to Ucas. Clearing will remain open until Oct 20, but some courses will close before this deadline depending on their popularity. Which universities are accessible through Clearing? The vast majority of universities in the UK have courses available through Clearing, including some of the top institutions in the country. From July 5, some universities announced whether they have places to allow students the chance to research vacant courses and universities, and prepare for a range of scenarios. Others will wait until pupils receive their A-level grades on Thursday before making courses available. Are any universities unavailable? Oxford and Cambridge do not offer places through Clearing. Are only a limited number of subjects available? No. It used to be unheard of for oversubscribed courses such as medicine to be on offer through Clearing, but this has changed. Extra places on courses that are more competitive are expected to be made available through the system, including courses such as dentistry and nursing. Can you re-apply to a university that rejected you? Clearing allows you to apply to any university with vacancies, even if they rejected you the first time round. If you spot a course you like and meet the entry requirements, call the admissions team and talk to them about your opportunities. What is Clearing Plus? Clearing Plus was introduced in 2020 to offer help to anyone who is unplaced or is applying for the first time through Clearing. If you're in the Clearing system, look for a button marked 'view matches' to see courses that Ucas believes would be good for you, taking into account your original choices, qualifications and grades. Ucas has described it as 'matchmaking' for university courses. If you see a course you like, you can hit 'interested' so that university or college can contact you – you can do this for up to five choices at a time. But remember, courses in Clearing fill up quickly, and you may not always receive a call, so also look for courses in Clearing using the search tool. Saying you're interested in a course through Clearing Plus does not guarantee an offer. How do you make a decision through Clearing? In clearing, you will need to call universities or colleges to try to gain a place, before adding them as a choice in your application. You will need: your Personal ID number your Clearing number your grades/Ucas tariff points information about why you want a place the university name phone number course code and title Find a quiet space to make the call, and be positive and polite while speaking to the university or college representative. Take your time to make an informed decision, and remember to take advice from family members, friends and teachers. Only add a Clearing choice once you have permission from the university or college. You can only add one choice at a time, and any confirmation will come through on Ucas Track and by email.


BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Coventry councillor raises concern over city's archive clear out
A number of items on a disposal list drawn up by Culture Coventry Trust (CCT) should be retained because of their links to the city, a councillor has said. Photographic plates, crockery, bottles and a matchstick model were among things highlighted as important to the heritage of the city by Roger Bailey. Nearly 600 pieces have been earmarked for disposal including vintage camera equipment and old tools from various shops around the Nugent from CCT, which manages the city's art collections and archives, said the body had never had a review into its archive and needed to reduce its collection. Speaking at a Coventry City Council housing and communities meeting Ms Nugent said this type of clear-out was normal. She explained that a review of their collection "had not really been done before". However, Mr Bailey said he wanted to protect "anything with the word Coventry on it."There are reasons why you don't think they are relevant and I get that, but there are a number of plates with the coat of arms on and I think those sorts of things are important," he said. Mr Bailey said it was a "shame" the items would not be used to create a scene of historical Coventry. "If it has the word Coventry on, even if it's not in good condition, I have a problem with it going," he said. "They are hard enough pieces to find, especially bottles and plates."This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.