Latest news with #LabourCouncillor
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Labour councillor found guilty of sex offences involving teenage girl
A Labour councillor has been found guilty of sexual offences against a teenage girl over a seven-month period in 2023. David Graham, who represents the Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss Villages ward in Fife Council, was convicted on Wednesday following a trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court. According to the indictment the offences involved sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 15. The offences took place between February 11 and August 21 2023, and were committed at a variety of locations in the Fife and Edinburgh areas. The 43-year-old was found guilty by a majority of one charge under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009. He is due to be be sentenced on August 19.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Labour councillor found guilty of sex offences involving teenage girl
A Labour councillor has been found guilty of sexual offences against a teenage girl over a seven-month period in 2023. David Graham, who represents the Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss Villages ward in Fife Council, was convicted on Wednesday following a trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court. According to the indictment the offences involved sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 15. The offences took place between February 11 and August 21 2023, and were committed at a variety of locations in the Fife and Edinburgh areas. The 43-year-old was found guilty by a majority of one charge under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009. He is due to be be sentenced on August 19.
The Sun
14-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
We live next to Premier League stadium & hate it – we can't park & the traffic is horrific… now it's about to get worse
RESIDENTS have revealed it's a nightmare living next to a Premier League stadium with horrendous traffic and nowhere to park. But long-awaited plans to expand the stadium have now been given the green light leaving some locals furious. 3 3 3 After years in the works, Nottingham Forest's plans to expand their City Ground stadium have been approved. Forest will start progressing plans to demolish and rebuild the Peter Taylor Stand once all conditions have been met. The plans will increase the stadium's capacity by 5,000 and the decision has been warmly welcomed by the Premier League club's fans. But councillors and residents have pointed out two major problems that will become "significantly worse" - parking and traffic. One 73-year-old told NottinghamshireLive that she felt "residents were being forgotten" and that parking was a "nightmare" when there's a match on. She said: "I'm very disappointed that nothing has been allocated for residents with parking." "Once or twice we've had people blocking our drive and it's sometimes difficult to get the cars out," said Farrel Doherty who moved to the area 22 years ago. "It'll push more traffic onto these roads - we often have cars parked on the double yellows which can make it difficult to get through." Doherty added that the issue has "definitely got worse, especially over the last few seasons". A Labour councillor also also said that residents are "at their wits end" and that "a real opportunity" is being missed to create a sporting quarter. But other residents said they have no problem with match day parking as some are "accustomed to it" with others admitting it's "part and parcel of living here." Crystal Palace RELEGATED from Europa League with Nottingham Forest set to be promoted amid multi-club ownership row The congestion problem is likely to be made worse, however, as initial approval has been granted for plans to build a block of up to 170 apartments next to the rebuilt stand. This is still subject to further approval pending other details the club will have to provide to the council in the near future. But the current 171 parking spaces at the front of the stand would be reduced to just 35 under the redevelopment plan. It's likely to make existing parking and traffic issues in surrounding areas, such as West Bridgford, Lady Bay and The Meadows, even worse. Nottingham Forest's own transport assessment concluded that the developments, combined with the loss of car parking, will create demand for an additional 1,416 spaces. To address concerns, the club is debating measures such as including a map of walking routes and public transport modes being printed on the back of tickets. They say they are also considering temporary road closures at the end of matches to ensure pedestrian safety, particularly on Lady Bay Bridge. Schemes for staff including bus taster tickets and car club schemes are also under consideration. The club have also agreed to pay £2.9 million to go toward local improvements. This includes £1m for improving bus services and hundreds of thousands for cycling access, match day parking permits and safety improvements to the Cattle Market Junction. But a local councillor has said that it's nowhere near enough and will not "fully solve the problem". A spokesperson from Nottinghamshire County Council said: 'The County Council is aware of the issues facing many residents who live in the vicinity of the sports venues and the potential impact the proposed increase in capacity of the City Ground is likely to have on the number of car trips to the area. "The County Council has therefore worked with the football club and Rushcliffe Borough Council through the planning process to secure funding that will enable the implementation of permit schemes in the vicinity, subject to further detailed design and the necessary consultations." The spokesperson added: "The County Council is committed to working with the local community to help identify the priorities for how this funding will be spent, which may cover the cost of a parking review and the implementation of a co-ordinated set of parking measures. 'Additionally, the Council has secured funding for a number of transport measures aimed at reducing the overall impacts traffic of the ground as whole. "These include enhanced bus services on match days, extended traffic management measures, improvements to walking and cycling routes, and electronic travel signage. "Forest will also be required to prepare and implement a Sustainable Travel Plan prior to completion of the new stand.' A Rushcliffe Borough Council spokesperson said: 'Matters around highway safety and impacts upon traffic and parking on surrounding streets were considered as part of the determination of the planning application, which was approved at planning committee on June 26. 'As part of this application, highway authorities at both Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council were consultees and raised no objection to the plans put forward by Nottingham Forest Football Club, which sought to mitigate the impact of the proposed redevelopment works. 'However, in recognition of concerns about this topic being raised at planning committee, planning committee members requested the addition of an advisory note, with the recommendation that Nottingham Forest Football Club set up a Community Liaison Group to provide further input into an updated Travel Plan focused on encouraging sustainable travel and reducing single-occupancy vehicles.'
Telegraph
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Reform says councillor ‘should be sacked for supporting Tommy Robinson'
Reform UK called for the sacking of a Labour councillor who resigned over his apparent support for Tommy Robinson. Nigel Farage's party accused Ben Westwick, who sits on Basildon council in Essex, of posting tweets in support of the far-Right activist more than a decade ago. He has now been suspended by the leader of the council, but remains as an independent member. A spokesman for the local Reform UK party called for Mr Westwick's 'immediate resignation' based on what it called his 'numerous offensive... and deeply inappropriate comments made across his social media accounts'. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, founded the English Defence League (EDL) and has recently been released from prison, having served a sentence for contempt of court. Mr Farage has long tried to distance himself from the EDL founder in a bid to make his party more respectable. In 2018, he resigned from Ukip over his party's obsession with the far-Right activist, and earlier this year he dismissed Elon Musk's call for him to work with Robinson. A Twitter account apparently belonging to Mr Westwick posted back in 2012: '@EDLTrobinson tommy Robinson for prime minister'. The account has not tweeted anything since 2014. Gavin Callaghan, council leader, said he suspended Mr Westwick 'after I was made aware of social media posts made... before he was elected in 2024'. 'Whilst I accept that Ben was a young man when he posted these comments and that he has changed his views on a number of issues, I do not believe it is right for him to represent the Labour Party on the council at this time,' he added. Having the whip removed means a politician is no longer obliged to vote with his party at council meetings. It also usually means an individual is suspended from the political party they are a member of. Mr Westwick now sits as an independent councillor for Pitsea South East. There are two by-elections for Baslidon council due to take place over the next month. One is in Wickford Park ward next Thursday, following the death of Wickford Independents' Dave Harrison, and one in St Martins ward after Labour's Maryam Yaqub stood down.
