Latest news with #DavidSkaith
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'This is fantastic news for our NHS trust' - hospital trust gets £6.5 million
A YORK hospital trust is set to get £6.5 million in Government funding to help fix its crumbling buildings. York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - which runs hospitals in York, Selby, Malton, Scarborough and Bridlington, is getting £6.5 million from the national Estates Safety Fund as part of the Government's mission to fix public service infrastructure through its Plan for Change. The money is going to hospitals and schools across the country and includes works to the roof as well as improvements to the internal and external building fabric and fixtures at Scarborough Hospital. Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith said: "For too long, people have had to put up with leaking hospital roofs, crumbling classroom walls, and public buildings left to decay. Staff working in rundown facilities. "Children learning in classrooms patched up year after year. Patients treated in spaces that are barely fit for purpose. It's not good enough and people deserve so much better. "That's why I welcome the news that over £8 million is being invested in our hospitals in Scarborough, York and Harrogate, alongside millions more for schools - including in our region - as part of a Government programme to make public buildings fit for the future. "Our NHS staff, our children, and their teachers deserve so much better than a decade of decline. This is just the first step - but we're committed to rebuilding the modern, safe, and dignified public services our communities deserve.' Scarborough Hospital The Government says that fixing the backlog of maintenance at NHS hospitals will help prevent operation cancellations. Luke Charters, MP for York Outer, said the investment will help improve hospital infrastructure, enhance patient safety, and support vital upgrades to ensure high-quality healthcare delivery for local communities. 'This is fantastic news for our local NHS trust. I'm proud to support the hardworking staff at York and Scarborough hospitals, who go above and beyond every day for patients. This funding will make a real difference — it will improve safety, modernise our buildings and help ensure our hospitals can continue delivering for residents across York," he said. "Investment in our local NHS is not just investment in buildings – it's investment in the health and wellbeing of everyone in York. I will continue to fight for further support to make sure our local health services get the backing they need. "This extra investment comes from the Estates Safety Fund, a national strategy to upgrade and maintain hospital facilities ensuring that NHS buildings can adapt to future healthcare demands. "This alongside waiting lists coming down for 6 months in a row, is the true difference a Labour government makes."
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Renewed calls to bring back shelved road dualling
The government has been urged to restore plans to dual the A66 road which runs across northern England. Mike Starkie, the former Conservative Mayor of Copeland, in Cumbria, said the upgrade was needed to "support growth." The project was put on hold indefinitely by the government in 2024 citing a "black hole" in public finances, but many want the chancellor to commit to the project as soon as possible in the spending review in June. Labour North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith said "we know the money wasn't there in the first place" for major schemes promised by the previous government. The road is a key artery running east and west between Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire and Workington in Cumbria. Before the 2024 general election, the Conservative government was moving ahead with plans for sections between the A1(M) and Penrith, but Labour swiftly put the project on hold alongside a number of others. Explaining the decision, Skaith told BBC Politics North: "The government did inherit a terrible financial situation. "We have lots of conversations with local leaders and MPs in North Yorkshire about such projects. "We've invested heavily into our rural transport network and we're looking at active travel provision as well, and working with the rail operators to improve that connectivity as that's what I have power over." However, Starkie accused Labour of unfairly leaving road users behind. He said: "What we're seeing is a clear demonstration of this government's misguided priorities. "They can find £84bn to surrender the Chagos Islands, but then we've got infrastructure in our country that, to support growth, needs updating." "The projects that have actually got through the planning process - like the A66 - are getting shelved after already clearing the hurdles." BBC Politics North airs Sundays on BBC One at 10:00. Watch now on the BBC Iplayer. Follow BBC North East on X and Facebook and BBC Cumbria on X and Facebook and both on Nextdoor and Instagram. Plea to dual road after 'chilling' deaths A66 dualling finally gets government approval A66 dualling legal challenge fails Department for Transport
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Renewed calls from Cumbrian politician for A66 dualling
The government has been urged to restore plans to dual the A66 road which runs across northern Starkie, the former Conservative Mayor of Copeland, in Cumbria, said the upgrade was needed to "support growth." The project was put on hold indefinitely by the government in 2024 citing a "black hole" in public finances, but many want the chancellor to commit to the project as soon as possible in the spending review in June. Labour North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith said "we know the money wasn't there in the first place" for major schemes promised by the previous government. The road is a key artery running east and west between Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire and Workington in Cumbria. Before the 2024 general election, the Conservative government was moving ahead with plans for sections between the A1(M) and Penrith, but Labour swiftly put the project on hold alongside a number of others. Explaining the decision, Skaith told BBC Politics North: "The government did inherit a terrible financial situation."We have lots of conversations with local leaders and MPs in North Yorkshire about such projects."We've invested heavily into our rural transport network and we're looking at active travel provision as well, and working with the rail operators to improve that connectivity as that's what I have power over." However, Starkie accused Labour of unfairly leaving road users behind. He said: "What we're seeing is a clear demonstration of this government's misguided priorities."They can find £84bn to surrender the Chagos Islands, but then we've got infrastructure in our country that, to support growth, needs updating." "The projects that have actually got through the planning process - like the A66 - are getting shelved after already clearing the hurdles." BBC Politics North airs Sundays on BBC One at 10:00. Watch now on the BBC Iplayer. Follow BBC North East on X and Facebook and BBC Cumbria on X and Facebook and both on Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mayor shares mental health struggles to help men
A mayor has backed plans for a men's mental health "taskforce" after speaking about his struggles following the death of his father. Mayor of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith said he shut himself off after losing his father Bob in 2021, but said speaking about his feelings, sports and socialising helped him come to terms with his loss. Mr Skaith was speaking at a council meeting discussing plans to improve men's mental health in the region. He said: "Men will go running and go to the gym but how much are we actually doing to look after our head space too?" The mayor, authority officials, NHS and charity representatives, and public health specialists discussed the plans, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Mr Skaith said: "After losing my dad during the coronavirus pandemic I completely shut myself off and I stopped spending time with my family and friends. "I wasn't doing anything to care for myself, it wasn't until I went back to sport and being back in that environment with other people started to help." The mayor said he hoped York and North Yorkshire could lead the way in shifting the dial on men's mental health. The meeting heard suicide was the biggest killer of men aged 50 and under, and that an estimated four in five men would experience some form of mental health issue during their lives. They discussed how mental health issues could be tackled locally, particularly given the amount of men working in traditionally male-dominated professions such as farming and the military. Officials suggested using sport, fitness and pitching mental health self-care to encourage men to become more conscious of the issue. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Barbers train to talk to men about mental health Improving transport at coast is key - new mayor Local Democracy Reporting Service
BBC News
03-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
York and North Yorkshire mayor opens up about mental health
A mayor has backed plans for a men's mental health "taskforce" after speaking about his struggles following the death of his of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith said he shut himself off after losing his father Bob in 2021, but said speaking about his feelings, sports and socialising helped him come to terms with his Skaith was speaking at a council meeting discussing plans to improve men's mental health in the said: "Men will go running and go to the gym but how much are we actually doing to look after our head space too?" The mayor, authority officials, NHS and charity representatives, and public health specialists discussed the plans, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Skaith said: "After losing my dad during the coronavirus pandemic I completely shut myself off and I stopped spending time with my family and friends."I wasn't doing anything to care for myself, it wasn't until I went back to sport and being back in that environment with other people started to help."The mayor said he hoped York and North Yorkshire could lead the way in shifting the dial on men's mental meeting heard suicide was the biggest killer of men aged 50 and under, and that an estimated four in five men would experience some form of mental health issue during their discussed how mental health issues could be tackled locally, particularly given the amount of men working in traditionally male-dominated professions such as farming and the suggested using sport, fitness and pitching mental health self-care to encourage men to become more conscious of the issue. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
