Latest news with #MohammadYasin
BBC News
9 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Historic England awards money to boost Bedford shopfronts
Shopfronts in a historical market town are due to be revitalised thanks to £490,000 in England gave the money towards improving the Tavistock Street and Broadway areas of Bedford.A total of £6.5m has already been dished out as part of the project, which aimed to breathe new life into older buildings in the MP Mohammad Yasin said it was a "real vote of confidence in our town's rich heritage". The money will be handed to Bedford Borough Council, which began the High Street Heritage Action Zone Programme in shopfronts have been improved in that period, with money also spent on repaving Silver Street and widening the pavement in High Street."The £490,000 grant from Historic England will allow us to build on the regeneration work already done in the town centre," said Yasin, a Labour Calladine, from Historic England, said the project had been a "remarkable success".He added: "This new phase focusing on Tavistock Street and Broadway is attempting to extend these benefits." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ambulance call centre 'saved from closure' union says
A 999 emergency call centre run by an ambulance service will remain open following a campaign, a union said. The Bedford Emergency Operations Centre, run by East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST), was at risk of closure in September after the building was found not to be up to"modern control room standards". The EEAST's board has now rejected the closure of the Hammond Road centre, citing the potential harm to patients and to the trust's reputation, according to the GMB Union. Labour MP for Bedford and Kempston, Mohammad Yasin, as well as GMB Union's regional organiser, Donna Thomas, welcomed the news. The trust has been contacted for comment. The site deals with calls from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and parts of Essex and Suffolk and is home to about 200 staff. It also housed call handlers for the 111 service and the local patient transport service. The trust was considering closing the site, repurposing it or refurbishing it. An email sent to staff also acknowledged the trust had been recruiting and training more staff at its Norwich site, and Bedford workers were potentially going to relocate to Chelmsford, 48 miles (77km) or Norwich, 91 miles (146km) away. Marika Stephenson, the trust's interim deputy chief executive officer, said in a statement at the time that the trust understood it was "a worrying time". "We are refurbishing our call handling centres in Norwich and Chelmsford to provide the best service to our patients and a modern working environment for staff," she said. "However, the constraints of the Hammond Road building in Bedford mean it is very difficult to bring it to modern control room standards." Yasin said he welcomed the board's decision and hoped it meant "a renewed commitment to Bedford's emergency control centre and much-needed investment". "Bedford is the busiest hub in the EEAST and its closure would have had a significant impact on the region," he added. "Given how overstretched the ambulance service is, losing a control room would have risked compromising the safety of patients." Ms Thomas added: "We welcome the announcement that EEAST's Board has reconsidered the reckless proposal to close Bedford EOC. "The proposed closure would have had a serious knock-on effect on ambulance cover across the region and threatened public safety." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Ambulance 999 call centre at risk of closure Ambulance trust moved out of 'special measures' East of England Ambulance Service
Express Tribune
29-01-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Iqbal briefs British MPs on 'Uraan Pakistan'
LONDON: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday held a meeting with British parliamentarians at the Portcullis House Westminster and highlighted Pakistan's deep-rooted economic and cultural ties with the United Kingdom. Addressing the gathering, he emphasized the government's current focus on Balochistan's development, ensuring the upliftment of local communities through key infrastructure and investment projects. He briefed the parliamentarians on URAAN PAKISTAN, a national development initiative aimed at the holistic upliftment of 240 million Pakistanis. The minister emphasized that the initiative was not tied to any specific government but was designed to foster economic and social progress. Key features of the plan include specialized programs for the Pakistani diaspora, such as internships for youth and the "Champions of Reform" initiative, which encourages British-Pakistani high achievers to collaborate with the government in various sectors. Reiterating Pakistan's commitment to strengthening global partnerships, the minister underscored the importance of strategic ties with the United Kingdom, United States, China, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union. He stressed Pakistan's focus on enhancing trade and economic cooperation with these key partners to achieve shared prosperity. Earlier, British MP Mohammad Yasin welcomed Iqbal to the British Parliament and commended his dedication to development projects in AJK.
