Scarborough volunteers wanted to decide how £20m should be spent
Volunteers are being sought for a board to help decide how almost £20m of funding will be spent.Scarborough is set to receive the cash from the Government's Plan for Neighbourhoods scheme.In order to allocate the funds a series of neighbourhood boards are being set up to bring together residents and businesses to decide how to spend the money.The board will decide how to use the funding, including on options such as repairs to pavements and high streets, setting up low-cost community grocers, and providing low-cost alternatives when shopping for essentials, to co-operatives or even neighbourhood watches.
Roles include chair of the board as well as regular board members and residents have until 18:00 BST on 9 May to submit their applications.The roles are unpaid, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.North Yorkshire Council said: "We aim to refresh the board by seeking applications for a new Chair to lead the Neighbourhood Board forward."Additionally, we are inviting individuals with expertise and experience in the Plan for Neighbourhoods themes to join as new board members."The new Plan for Neighbourhoods aims to deliver on the commitments made to deprived communities by the previous Conservative government's Long-Term Plan for Towns, which committed long-term investment in 55 towns including Scarborough.
Town 'champion'
The council said the ideal candidate for the board would be an "independent individual who already holds a prominent role within the town and has a genuine passion for Scarborough".They will work closely with and under the guidance of the head of the Scarborough Town Board David Kerfoot."Acting as a champion for Scarborough, the Chair will provide leadership for the Neighbourhood Board, ensuring it is community-led and embedded within the local area," the description states.Board member applications are particularly welcomed from "individuals representing groups and organisations associated with high streets, skills, cohesion (including youth and faith), health and wellbeing, and transport".
Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, 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
Rhyl Journal
28 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Creditors table £17bn plan for Thames Water but call for regulatory leniency
Creditors including US and UK investment firms – such as Aberdeen, Elliott Management and BlackRock – have submitted a plan to regulator Ofwat to overhaul £17 billion of Thames Water's debts, including investing another £3 billion in new equity and a further £2 billion of funding. It would also involve writing off 'several billion' pounds' worth of debt and a 'complete loss for existing shareholders' in what they claim would be the 'largest financial loss suffered by investors on an infrastructure asset in British history'. Under the proposals submitted to Ofwat, customer bills would not increase by more than the regulator has already approved over the next five years. But the creditors are asking for leniency on performance targets and compliance, and warned that without a 'regulatory reset' Thames Water's 'pollutions, asset health deterioration, and customer service levels are likely to worsen'. They are holding intensive talks with Ofwat in the hope of securing approval for their deal in early July. The plans come after US private equity giant KKR last week pulled out of a rescue deal to inject much-needed cash into Britain's biggest water supplier, which has 16 million customers and is sinking under £19 billion of debt. It threw the future of Thames Water into doubt once more and raised the threat of temporary nationalisation by the Government if a deal cannot be agreed. A spokesperson for the creditors said their turnaround plan was 'designed to fix the root causes of Thames Water's problems, restore its balance sheet, rebuild customer trust, and provide the financial investment and operational capabilities to fix the fundamentals of the business once and for all'. They added: 'The plan seeks to break from the patterns of the past by delivering customers' priorities and improved outcomes for the environment in the shortest possible timeframe. 'The creditors include some of the largest investors in UK water companies, as well as UK and global infrastructure more broadly, with a proven track record of corporate turnarounds and long-term stewardship. 'These investors have the funding and experience required to deliver a transformation of the company's performance which is intended to mark a departure from past failings, creating a 'new' Thames Water that works effectively alongside Government, regulators, and customers to deliver for the environment and economic growth.' #WaterCompany senior executives will be banned from receiving a bonus if they breach standards relating to consumer and environmental matters, criminal liability and financial resilience, under new powers coming into force today. Find out more: — Ofwat (@Ofwat) June 6, 2025 The creditors are the bondholders who effectively own Thames Water after the High Court earlier this year approved a financial restructuring through a loan of up to £3 billion to ensure it can keep running until the summer of 2026. Other investment and pension firms in the group include Apollo Global Management, M&G and Silver Point Capital. As part of their plans, the creditors would appoint a new board at Thames Water to run the utility. They would commit to spending £20.5 billion over the next five years, as agreed under the current five-year plan with Ofwat. But they are calling for a 'pragmatic approach' to regulation – including 're-basing incentives and performance targets – and 'realistic levels of compliance'. 'Without the regulatory support requested, the creditors believe that customers will remain exposed to the risk of a continued 'doom loop' of underperformance and non-compliance,' according to the creditors. 'A clean slate that would see Thames Water and investors held to account to deliver an ambitious trajectory for the company's return to compliance,' they added. A spokeswoman for Ofwat said the regulator had been 'engaging regularly' with Thames over the funding plans. 'We have commenced a thorough review of the submission from the group of senior creditors,' Ofwat said. 'The submission includes their turnaround plans, approach to financial resilience and proposals for governance. 'Our focus is on assessing whether the plans are realistic, deliverable and will bring substantial benefits for customers and the environment.' Liberal Democrat MP Charlie Maynard, who has previously appealed against a £3 billion rescue deal for the utility, said: 'What will it take for the Government and the regulator to put a stop to this horror show Thames Water customers are forced to suffer through and pay for? 'Having created a mountain of debt, all at customers' expense, this latest plan for Thames Water would let them continue to pollute with impunity.' He said his party's plan would be to put Thames Water into special administration and then have it become mutually owned by its customers.
Glasgow Times
28 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Luxury UK car makers hit by ‘multiple geopolitical headwinds'
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said companies such as Aston Martin, McLaren and Morgan are having to cope with volatile trading conditions, decarbonisation rules and production cost pressures. The study found the total turnover of the UK's high-value, small-volume manufacturers in 2024 was more than £5.5 billion, with around nine in 10 of their vehicles shipped overseas. They were responsible for just 4% of the UK's car production, but accounted for 12% of its value. In excess of 15,000 people are employed in high-skilled, well-paid jobs by the companies, the SMMT found. The report stated: 'The UK's small volume manufacturers face a series of challenges … (which) threaten competitiveness and growth.' SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: 'Britain's luxury, performance and niche vehicle makers are exemplars of automotive design, engineering and manufacturing – and a quintessential British success story. 'Government rightly recognises the importance of these high-value and iconic brands to the UK economy and, amid multiple geopolitical headwinds, the industry is looking to work together to ensure the sector can not just survive but thrive. 'A successful sector would deliver the economic growth, well-paid jobs and exports that Government craves, helping keep Britain firmly on the global automotive map.' Industry minister Sarah Jones, said: 'Our luxury automotive manufacturers are iconic British brands recognised worldwide, and this report rightly highlights the huge contribution they make to the UK economy. 'We're ensuring our carmakers go from strength to strength as we deliver our Plan for Change, and we've already secured landmark trade deals with the US and India, which will cut tariffs for the sector and create new export opportunities. 'Our modern industrial strategy will set out a long-term plan to support our manufacturers, including by creating the right conditions for increased investment, bringing growth, jobs and opportunities to every part of the UK.' The UK-US trade deal was confirmed in a call between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump on May 8. It included American tariffs on UK cars being 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles exported. Mr Trump had previously set the tariff rate on car exports to the US at 27.5%.
Reuters
34 minutes ago
- Reuters
South Korea's new President Lee vows to revive democracy, economy
South Korea's new liberal president Lee Jae-myung pledged on Wednesday (June 4) to raise the country from what he described as the near destruction caused by a martial law attempt and revive a struggling economy facing global protectionism. Diane To reports.
