Latest news with #JuliaHarris
BBC News
25-07-2025
- BBC News
Police seek workers from Cleat Hill explosion site
Workers on a building site close to where a house explosion killed two people have been asked to contact the Swales, 85, and Julia Harris, 84, died after an explosion and fire at a property on Cleat Hill in Bedford on 19 incident happened near to where a natural gas leak occurred in July last year after a borehole was drilled to install a heat Police want to speak to anyone who worked on the construction of a bungalow to the rear of the property between July and October. Following the explosion, 50 homes were evacuated in the immediate of those residents stayed in a hotel paid for by the local council, which also provided food Insp James Day from Bedfordshire Police said: "If you were a worker on the building site and we haven't already spoken to you, or know of anyone who was working there, please get in touch with us. "You may have information that could assist our investigation." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
17-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
'Library closing would be a great loss for Rottingdean'
Villagers have expressed sadness at the potential closure of their library as part of cost-cutting Library was the sixth most visited library out of 13 in Brighton and Hove with nearly 29,000 visitors per year, but has still been earmarked for closure. Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) is meeting on Thursday to discuss closing Rottingdean, Hollingbury and Westdene libraries to save £250,000 from its annual £3.7m library budget over two said it had "tough choices to protect library services where they're most needed, while achieving necessary savings to ensure the council remains financially sustainable". Closing Rottingdean library, which is based in the 17th Century Grange building, would save BHCC £25,000 per Julia Harris said she would feel "very deprived" if the library closed as it was "very accessible to me for my disability"."I have two young children and we use it regularly," she said."I think it's a great loss for the community and as an educational institution used by schools."Tom Slinn, another resident, told BBC Radio Sussex: "We'd be really disappointed, it's been a really useful place to bring our daughter. "Last summer she read 100 books, that was something that wouldn't be possible without the library."It's a place that we can come that's free and we can sit and have a quiet moment. It wouldn't be practical for us to go to the other libraries they want to keep open." 'Crucial role' A petition set up by locals calling for the library to remain open has received more than 3,000 signatures.A report to the council's cabinet said Rottingdean Library was within two miles (3.2km) of Saltdean Library, had good transport links and many people used both area was described as having "less evidence of deprivation" and reducing the number of libraries from two to one would achieve savings with "minimal impact" on residents, the report Library, based in Old Boat Corner Community Centre, was also proposed for had the fewest visits of all the branches, with 6,554 visitors. While Westdene, in Bankside, had the second fewest with 10,039 Alan Robins, cabinet member for sport, recreation and libraries, said these were "difficult decisions" to make and that libraries played a "crucial role" for the added: "At this stage, we're only looking at starting a consultation with residents on a number of proposals. "Our key aim is to investigate whether the library spaces affected by these proposals could be provided in a different way, for example by transferring them to a community group or voluntary sector organisation."The council said it looked at a number of factors when discussing libraries proposed for closure including usage, proximity to alternative libraries and operational costs.
BBC News
07-03-2025
- BBC News
Cleat Hill explosion 'could cost Bedford Borough Council £2m'
A gas explosion that killed two people could cost the local authority millions of pounds, a meeting has been Borough Council has already spent £1m in recovery costs since the fatal blast on Cleat Hill in October 2024, but that bill could rise to £ explosion followed the escape of natural gas and led to an eight-week evacuation of homes on Cleat Hill, Glenrose Avenue and Wagstaffe Weir, the council's portfolio holder for finance, told a council meeting of the devastation felt by many at "the loss of life and disruption". He added: "But we also need to consider, as a council, the impact that Cleat Hill has had and will have on the financial performance of the council." Paul Swales, 85, and his sister-in-law Julia Harris, 84, died in the explosion and subsequent fire on 19 happened near where there was an underground gas leak in July after a borehole was drilled to install a ground source heat pump, reports the Local Democracy Reporting council provided assistance to residents who were forced to leave their stayed in a Travelodge paid for by the council, which also provided food vouchers. Weir, a Conservative councillor, said: "Costs relating to the emergency response to the gas explosion total, so far, £1,055,000."At this time, it remains difficult to predict future spend as the solutions to bring the recovery to a close are still to be determined."The council's chief executive agreed to commit an extra £1m to the emergency response if required. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
