
Hull and East Yorks mayor outlines his position on green energy
The new mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire has said he would always put the region before party politics.Asked during a meeting of the combined authority's executive board about his position on green energy, Reform UK's Luke Campbell said: "I represent the people of this region, and if that can create local jobs and help local businesses that is what I will do."Campbell also told the meeting that all types of energy – including nuclear and hydrogen power – should be considered.Reform UK previously said it would impose taxes on the renewable energy sector under its plans to scrap the country's net-zero target.
In February, deputy leader Richard Tice claimed net-zero policies were to blame for higher energy bills and deindustrialisation, adding that renewable energy was a "massive con".Campbell previously said he did not think net-zero was achievable.However, in answer to a question from a member of the public at Wednesday's meeting, the former Olympic gold medallist boxer said: "I have consistently supported the region in green energy for local business, creating local jobs."I will keep on that same track – I was brought in by the people of this region."At the meeting, the board approved a bid to enter into a funding agreement with the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and bid for up to £1.6m for public sector renewable energy projects, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The meeting was attended by Mike Ross, leader of Hull City Council, and Anne Handley, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council.Campbell described them as "two very good, strong leaders" who were "ready to fight for this region", adding: "Including myself, you've got the third one."As head of the combined authority, Campbell is responsible for housing, public transport, infrastructure, economic development, business, skills and regeneration.
Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Hashtags

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


BBC News
22 minutes ago
- BBC News
Southampton University report warns of privacy threats at work
Researchers have warned that workplace surveillance is threatening people's right to privacy.A report by the University of Southampton and the Institute of Public Policy Research showed new technology allowed for intense and extensive surveillance of author Dr Joe Atkinson said currently workers were not told how they were being added: "Employers have always wanted to oversee their workforce, but technology is fundamentally changing the nature of these practices." The report, "Negotiating the Future of Work: Legislating to Protect Works from Surveillance", found since the shift to remote work caused by the Covid 19 pandemic, workers have reported an increase in the use of surveillance claimed that biometric sensors, facial recognition cameras, and the monitoring of communications and computer activity allow employers to collect and process data that would not have been accessible to human managers in the Atkinson, a lecturer in employment law at the University of Southampton, said: "This vast and detailed surveillance threatens workers' right to privacy and can also have a chilling effect on the right to freedom of association, expression and belief. "It can increase stress and anxiety, lead to lower levels of autonomy and satisfaction at work and deepen existing power imbalances."For companies, excessive surveillance decreases staff wellbeing and satisfaction, leading to higher staff turnover, and potentially hampering productivity." 'Collaborative relationships' He said in many cases workers were not being forced to be monitored, but highlighted that it was not always that simple."If you're an employee and you're asked by your manager or you're given an instruction, really that is tantamount to being forced," he government's plan to Make Work Pay committed to "ensuring proposals to introduce surveillance technologies would be subject to consultation and negotiation" with Atkinson said the university's report detailed how the government's plans can be best the suggestions was the introduction of new information rights so workers can challenge unjustifiable monitoring said it is about raising awareness of the use of this tech with employees and developing "collaborative relationships". You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.


BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
Nature campaigners take over Southampton City Council meeting
Amateur actors wore nature inspired costumes to a council meeting in a bid to give a voice to Southampton's non-human wanting to make Southampton a National Park City aired their concerns at an "interspecies democracy meeting" on was part of the week-long Urban Wild festival that culminates with an event at Southampton Common on group said its vision was for an urban setting where where people, culture and nature coexist harmoniously. It proposed policies to protect the city's flora, fauna and the River Blunden, the group's chair who dressed as a river for the event, said: "Southampton is particularly unique - we have a chalk stream here which is a birthplace for Atlantic salmon. "We have some unique habitats and it's looking at how we can gather momentum around the idea of looking at our natural heritage in the same way you would a national park."She added that the event was about looking at "how other species contribute to our lives and how we can manage those relationships better". Speaking from the Civic Centre, Councillor John Savage, cabinet member for Green City and Net Zero, said: "We're doing an awful lot to make sure that we maintain and keep the green infrastructure across Southampton and develop it more."He suggested interconnecting the greenways around the city, making it easier for creatures to travel. Councillor Dave Shields, the outgoing lord mayor, got involved with the performance and dressed as an owl for the occasion."We need to protect our environment, we need to be addressing net zero, we need to be taking more action to protect our wonderful biodiversity," he said. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.


BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
Shepperton firms fear Terminal House eviction for housing plans
Tenants at a commercial property in Surrey say they fear their new landlord will convert the building to studio at Terminal House in Shepperton, some of which have been in place for 30 years, found out in March that the building had a new owner, who applied for permission to change the use of the were issued in May as, under existing planning rules, changing the use of many commercial buildings to housing does not require planning new owner's planning agent did not respond to a request for comment. People who work at Terminal House said they had received limited contact from the new landlord, leaving them unclear about if they would be allowed to remain at the Brown, a recruitment consultant, said the new owner was "a bit vague" about plans for the site, adding he believed turning the property into flats was the landlord's "end goal".Another person who works at Terminal House, who wanted to remain anonymous, said they had seen "people doing surveys" on the building and furnishings being business owner Nicola Males said she had decided to pre-emptively end her lease, adding she "couldn't bear the uncertainty".She said she could not risk being given three months' notice to leave Terminal House as she had to be "set up ready to go" ahead of the Christmas rush, adding it was "very difficult" to find similar commercial properties in Shepperton. Mr Brown said the new landlord had also "cancelled a bunch of subscriptions" - such as for bin collections and drinking water fountains - since taking Males added that the lack of bin collections had led to "rubbish strewn all over the road" for a time, but that collections had worker at Terminal House said that the communication had been "shocking" regarding the move and they only learned the building had been sold after the transaction was said the property was now managed by P4i, a London-based company that advertised its involvement in commercial site conversions across England.P4i did not respond to a request for comment from the addition to the successful bid to change the use of the building, the landlord has also submitted applications for planning consent to extend both blocks of Terminal House, which are located either side of a railway Borough Council is yet to determine the outcomes of these applications.