Latest news with #HelenBall
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Volunteers repel invaders at town freshwater lake
Volunteers are being urged to take part in efforts to restore Yorkshire's largest freshwater lake. Hornsea Mere is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, but environmentalists say pollution and invasive species have taken a toll on the beauty spot, which is one of the region's most important wildlife habitats. Now, the Groundwork Yorkshire charity has been awarded money from the government's Water Restoration Fund to create a plan to deal with the problems. As part of the work, it is asking people to help map invasive species, such as Himalayan balsam, around the shores of the mere. Luke Ball, who is working on the project, said: "We are going to train people up in identifying them and eventually we'll have groups going out and actually removing the invasive species and making sure that the natural species can thrive." Hornsea Mere was carved by a glacier in the last Ice Age. It sits in a huge dip in the landscape and some 12,000 acres of rural and urban land drains into it. Identifying where pollution is running from and working out how to prevent it is a big part of the project. Helen Ball, who also works for the charity, said it was the "most perfect location for wildlife" but "has so many challenges". "The water is receiving all the pollutants and all the issues from the surrounding catchment, even down to washing our cars with shampoo on the driveway," she said. "It's ultimately going to feed straight down into the mere." Groundwork Yorkshire said it was working alongside the trustees of the Wassand Hall estate – which includes the mere. Further funding would be sought to put the completed plan into action. Anyone interested in getting involved is asked to contact Groundwork Yorkshire. Groundwork Yorkshire Plan to help revitalise town's freshwater lake Top spots for spring bird migration Shoots of hope for critically endangered marsh pea
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Hornsea Mere: Volunteers to repel invaders at freshwater lake
Volunteers are being urged to take part in efforts to restore Yorkshire's largest freshwater Mere is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, but environmentalists say pollution and invasive species have taken a toll on the beauty spot, which is one of the region's most important wildlife the Groundwork Yorkshire charity has been awarded money from the government's Water Restoration Fund to create a plan to deal with the part of the work, it is asking people to help map invasive species, such as Himalayan balsam, around the shores of the mere. Luke Ball, who is working on the project, said: "We are going to train people up in identifying them and eventually we'll have groups going out and actually removing the invasive species and making sure that the natural species can thrive." Hornsea Mere was carved by a glacier in the last Ice Age. It sits in a huge dip in the landscape and some 12,000 acres of rural and urban land drains into where pollution is running from and working out how to prevent it is a big part of the Ball, who also works for the charity, said it was the "most perfect location for wildlife" but "has so many challenges"."The water is receiving all the pollutants and all the issues from the surrounding catchment, even down to washing our cars with shampoo on the driveway," she said."It's ultimately going to feed straight down into the mere."Groundwork Yorkshire said it was working alongside the trustees of the Wassand Hall estate – which includes the funding would be sought to put the completed plan into interested in getting involved is asked to contact Groundwork Yorkshire.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Green light for housing plan on edge of Ravenstone
A proposal to build homes on a field near Ravenstone has been West Leicestershire District Council has granted planning permission to Gladman Developments for the construction of 105 houses on a 9.9-acre (four hectare) area of farmland off Wash Lane.A meeting of the authority's planning committee on Wednesday, heard there had been objections to the scheme over the loss of the greenfield site and concerns about the effect of additional planning officers, who recommended the application be approved, said the site had been allocated for housing in the council's local plan strategy. About 20% of the homes will be affordable properties, but some planning committee members argued the proportion should be Ball, agent for Gladman, told councillors the firm had agreed to pay more than £1m towards education provision in the area and £100,000 towards extra health officers also said highways officials at Leicestershire County Council had not objected to the said the company would pay £500,000 towards transport improvements in the Coalville area and that the money would be used to improve junctions on the nearby voted by six to four to approve the plan.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Report clearing MI5 over IRA spy disclosures branded ‘whitewash'
A report clearing MI5 over IRA spy disclosures has been branded a 'whitewash' by victims' families. Last year, MI5 files were accused of being deliberately withheld from an investigation into the IRA agent known as Stakeknife, who at one point was linked to 50 murders. However, a review conducted by Helen Ball, a former assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, found that no material was deliberately withheld from the investigation, known as Kenova. Kevin Winters, a solicitor at KRW Law, which represents 21 families linked to Kenova, said the 'risible' review was a 'whitewash'. 'When it comes to state accountability, conflict-bereaved families across the board are conditioned to being let down by the Government and its various agencies. He added: 'In many ways, they can rightly feel insulted that they are being asked to buy into the notion that filing and indexing issues caused a communication deficit between MI5 and Kenova.' 'Stakeknife', a notorious double agent, is believed to have been Freddie Scappaticci, a former bricklayer who worked secretly for the British Army while he was part of the IRA's Internal Security Unit (ISU), which tortured and killed suspected informants. Operation Kenova was a seven-year, £40 million investigation into Stakeknife's links to kidnap, torture and murder. An interim report found that during the Troubles 'preventable and serious crimes took place and went unsolved and unpunished as a result of steps taken by the security forces to protect and maintain their agents'. But a cache of documents was unearthed by MI5 in the months after the report which showed evidence that MI5 had been aware of the agent's existence decades earlier than it had previously claimed. Jon Boutcher, former head of Kenova and current Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable, said last year it was unacceptable that MI5 had discovered the material so late and that the files appeared to contain 'significant new material which appears to point to new investigative leads not previously known'. A review into the late disclosure was carried out at MI5's request by Helen Ball, a former assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, which said: 'I have not seen evidence of a deliberate attempt to withhold the material identified in 2024. 'Therefore, I have concluded that none of the material was deliberately withheld from Operation Kenova at either an individual or an organisational level. 'However, MI5's disclosure exercise drew on historic information management practices for Northern Ireland material which were not as strong in the past as those that MI5 had in place for its other material. 'This meant in some cases that material was not properly stored and indexed when it should have been, and in others that it was indexed in a way that meant its relationship to Kenova's remit was not recognised.' Ms Ball added: 'In addition, MI5's approach to the disclosure exercise was, as agreed with Kenova, to respond to requests for information provided to it. 'MI5 did not conduct a broader assessment of its own position in relation to Kenova's investigative remit and the material it might hold. 'Had it done, some of the material might have been identified earlier... So might it have been if MI5 had maintained stronger relationships with the Kenova team.' Sir Iain Livingstone, the current Kenova head, said: 'It is, of course, deeply regrettable that material was discovered and disclosed after the investigative phase of Kenova had concluded and after the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland had made decisions concerning prosecutions of the Kenova cases. 'The circumstances and relevance of the non-disclosed material will form part of the Kenova final report which is due to be published later this year.' Some 32 people, including former police, ex-military personnel and people linked with the IRA, were considered for prosecution on a range of charges from murder and abduction to misconduct in public office and perjury as a result of the Kenova investigation. The Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland found there was insufficient evidence to pursue any cases. The final Kenova report is due to be published this year. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Report clearing MI5 over IRA spy disclosures branded ‘whitewash'
A report clearing MI5 over IRA spy disclosures has been branded a 'whitewash' by victims' families. Last year, MI5 files were accused of being deliberately withheld from an investigation into the IRA agent known as Stakeknife, who at one point was linked to 50 murders. However, a review conducted by Helen Ball, a former assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, found that no material was deliberately withheld from the investigation, known as Kenova. Kevin Winters, a solicitor at KRW Law, which represents 21 families linked to Kenova, said the 'risible' review was a 'whitewash'. 'When it comes to state accountability, conflict-bereaved families across the board are conditioned to being let down by the Government and its various agencies. He added: 'In many ways, they can rightly feel insulted that they are being asked to buy into the notion that filing and indexing issues caused a communication deficit between MI5 and Kenova.' 'Stakeknife', a notorious double agent, is believed to have been Freddie Scappaticci, a former bricklayer who worked secretly for the British Army while he was part of the IRA's Internal Security Unit (ISU), which tortured and killed suspected informants. Operation Kenova was a seven-year, £40 million investigation into Stakeknife's links to kidnap, torture and murder. An interim report found that during the Troubles 'preventable and serious crimes took place and went unsolved and unpunished as a result of steps taken by the security forces to protect and maintain their agents'. But a cache of documents was unearthed by MI5 in the months after the report which showed evidence that MI5 had been aware of the agent's existence decades earlier than it had previously claimed. Jon Boutcher, former head of Kenova and current Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable, said last year it was unacceptable that MI5 had discovered the material so late and that the files appeared to contain 'significant new material which appears to point to new investigative leads not previously known'. A review into the late disclosure was carried out at MI5's request by Helen Ball, a former assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, which said: 'I have not seen evidence of a deliberate attempt to withhold the material identified in 2024. 'Therefore, I have concluded that none of the material was deliberately withheld from Operation Kenova at either an individual or an organisational level. 'However, MI5's disclosure exercise drew on historic information management practices for Northern Ireland material which were not as strong in the past as those that MI5 had in place for its other material. 'This meant in some cases that material was not properly stored and indexed when it should have been, and in others that it was indexed in a way that meant its relationship to Kenova's remit was not recognised.' Ms Ball added: 'In addition, MI5's approach to the disclosure exercise was, as agreed with Kenova, to respond to requests for information provided to it. 'MI5 did not conduct a broader assessment of its own position in relation to Kenova's investigative remit and the material it might hold. 'Had it done, some of the material might have been identified earlier... So might it have been if MI5 had maintained stronger relationships with the Kenova team.' Sir Iain Livingstone, the current Kenova head, said: 'It is, of course, deeply regrettable that material was discovered and disclosed after the investigative phase of Kenova had concluded and after the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland had made decisions concerning prosecutions of the Kenova cases. 'The circumstances and relevance of the non-disclosed material will form part of the Kenova final report which is due to be published later this year.' Some 32 people, including former police, ex-military personnel and people linked with the IRA, were considered for prosecution on a range of charges from murder and abduction to misconduct in public office and perjury as a result of the Kenova investigation. The Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland found there was insufficient evidence to pursue any cases. The final Kenova report is due to be published this year.
