Latest news with #NigelTaylor
BBC News
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Wetwang scarecrow festival to celebrate Yorkshire people
Straw versions of all things Yorkshire have been created as part of a village scarecrow of people are expected to see an array of wacky creations at the four-day event in Wetwang, East Yorkshire, which begins on Thursday 29 festival has been running for two decades and organisers said up to £5,000 had been raised every year, with the proceeds funding community projects including the maintenance of the village Taylor, a member of the organising committee, said a depiction of BBC Look North's weather presenter Paul Hudson is among the creative straw creations on show. He said: "The festival attracts between 2,000 and 3,000 visitors each year. We typically exhibit between 40 and 50 scarecrows throughout the village."This year's special category is famous Yorkshire people and places. Previous themes have included Going For Gold to celebrate the Olympics, movies and TV, wildlife, among others."Mr Taylor said the event provided participants with "the opportunity to showcase their creativity" with prizes being awarded to first, second and third place winners, as well as a separate award for the "public vote" event runs until Sunday. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fears of a glass-making gap after centre shuts
Campaigners fighting to save the National Glass Centre from closure fear a skills gap will develop while a new hub is built. The centre in Sunderland is due to close to the public in July 2026 and a new site, called Glassworks, is planned to open in Sunniside in 2028 with the aim of preserving the city's glass-making history. Sunderland Culture, which will be running Glassworks, said there would be an alternative glass-making provision in the interim period, subject to funding being secured. But campaign group Save the National Glass Centre warned artists might not stick around until the new venue opened. The £7.5m Glassworks facility has secured £5m from the government's Cultural Development Fund, with efforts under way to raise the remaining £2.5m. However, campaigners said the Sunniside venue was not designed for glass-making processes, which require the use of heat, and warned the project could run out of money. "There's certainly going to be a gap between glass-making finishing at the National Glass Centre and starting at Glassworks," said Nigel Taylor from the campaign group. "We don't think that the budgets have been thought out well enough for Glassworks. "The danger is that it runs out of money and glass-making closes at the National Glass Centre and never starts anywhere else." A spokesperson for Sunderland Culture said its fundraising target reflected the costs "for making the building fit for purpose as a glass-making space". "Further detailed design and development work will take place in the coming months in consultation with a range of stakeholders, including the glass-making community," they added. The University of Sunderland, which has been glass centre's custodian since 2010, announced last year that the venue would close in 2026 due to unaffordable repair costs. A spokesperson said the university had supported Sunderland Culture with the Glassworks project, which "represents a new opportunity to create an exciting model for the future of glass-making in the city". The city council said it was continuing to work with "city and national partners on the future of glass-making in Sunderland". But campaigners said they were "deeply concerned" for staff. A spokesperson for the campaign group said: "People with mortgages to pay and children in school cannot be expected to sit around and wait for Glassworks to open its doors in three years' time. "Sunderland will lose all of their talents and expertise as they will have no choice but to move on." There are currently no details on any interim glass-making provision, but Sunderland Culture said: "We recognise how critical it is to retain specialist glass-making expertise and experience in the city." Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. National Glass Centre closure date set Proposed new Glassworks site announced Why is the National Glass Centre closing? Sunderland Culture University of Sunderland
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Fears of Sunderland glass-making gap after centre shuts
Campaigners fighting to save the National Glass Centre from closure fear a skills gap will develop while a new hub is centre in Sunderland is due to close to the public in July 2026 and a new site, called Glassworks, is planned to open in Sunniside in 2028 with the aim of preserving the city's glass-making Culture, which will be running Glassworks, said there would be an alternative glass-making provision in the interim period, subject to funding being campaign group Save the National Glass Centre warned artists might not stick around until the new venue opened. The £7.5m Glassworks facility has secured £5m from the government's Cultural Development Fund, with efforts under way to raise the remaining £ campaigners said the Sunniside venue was not designed for glass-making processes, which require the use of heat, and warned the project could run out of money. "There's certainly going to be a gap between glass-making finishing at the National Glass Centre and starting at Glassworks," said Nigel Taylor from the campaign group. "We don't think that the budgets have been thought out well enough for Glassworks. "The danger is that it runs out of money and glass-making closes at the National Glass Centre and never starts anywhere else."A spokesperson for Sunderland Culture said its fundraising target reflected the costs "for making the building fit for purpose as a glass-making space"."Further detailed design and development work will take place in the coming months in consultation with a range of stakeholders, including the glass-making community," they added. 'Lose talent' The University of Sunderland, which has been glass centre's custodian since 2010, announced last year that the venue would close in 2026 due to unaffordable repair costs.A spokesperson said the university had supported Sunderland Culture with the Glassworks project, which "represents a new opportunity to create an exciting model for the future of glass-making in the city".The city council said it was continuing to work with "city and national partners on the future of glass-making in Sunderland". But campaigners said they were "deeply concerned" for staff.A spokesperson for the campaign group said: "People with mortgages to pay and children in school cannot be expected to sit around and wait for Glassworks to open its doors in three years' time."Sunderland will lose all of their talents and expertise as they will have no choice but to move on."There are currently no details on any interim glass-making provision, but Sunderland Culture said: "We recognise how critical it is to retain specialist glass-making expertise and experience in the city." Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Daily Record
06-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Perth and Kinross bin lorries will all soon run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil
Conservative councillors rubbished the move as "virtue signalling" and claimed the £100,000 would be better spent improving bus services All Perth and Kinross bin lorries will soon run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) - rather than diesel - reducing Perth and Kinross Council's (PKC) carbon emissions by an estimated 725 tonnes. Councillors last week voted on the move as part of its five-year Fleet Decarbonisation Strategy. However Conservative councillors slammed it as "virtue signalling" and voted for the £100,000, allocated for the fuel switchover, to instead be spent enhancing rural bus services. On Wednesday, April 30 PKC's Climate Change and Sustainability Committee was asked to consider the local authority's Fleet Decarbonisation Strategy. Part of the strategy included rolling out the use of HVO to the council's entire fleet of bin lorries following a trial at Friarton in Perth. Bin lorries based at depots in Blairgowrie, Crieff, Kinross, and Pitlochry will transition to using HVO fuel by June 2025. It was agreed HVO will be used to fuel all 80 of the council's heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) by the end of 2025. Direct Services manager Nigel Taylor said: "We have 18 of our 26 bin trucks on HVO at the moment and this saves us around 500 tonnes of carbon per annum and by the end of this year our carbon saving will have increased to around 725 tonnes because we'll have all 26 of our vehicles on HVO." Moving the plans for approval convener SNP Kinross-shire ward councillor Richard Watters said: "We have a moral and regulatory duty to aim towards a low carbon future." As part of the strategy, PKC will review options for charging infrastructure to support the transition of the council's fleet of cars and vans, under 3.5 tonnes, to electric vehicles. It will also potentially trial running HGVs on hydrogen in the future in partnership with Greencat Hydrogen based at the Binn Group site at Glenfarg. Conservative councillor David Illingworth raised concern decisions were being made on estimated costs in terms of transitioning from diesel to HVO fuel. PKC's strategic lead for Environment and Infrastructure Fraser Crofts said the price difference in switching from diesel to HVO had ranged from being 20p a litre to now being 15p a litre more expensive. He added: "Approximately half of that cost - estimated here at £100,000 - would be associated with the refuse vehicles and the other half of that would be associated with the rest of the heavy fleet. Obviously the refuse vehicles are not particularly efficient in terms of fuel economy so that's a substantive part of 80 vehicles in total - 26 of those are refuse vehicles." Cllr Illingworth tabled an amendment that the £100,000 allocated for the use of HVO across the council's entire HGV fleet be redirected to "enhancing rural bus routes", subject to the approval of PKC's Finance and Resources Committee. The Almond and Earn ward councillor said: "The real world is changing very quickly. Since we last met, in October, we have a new president of the United States. "And his view is 'drill baby drill'. At the same time, in the People's Republic of China, we've got a trainline transporting half a million tonnes of coal every day from Mongolia to a power station in Tianjin. "I think if we adopt more HVO it's like a drop in the ocean, it's like trying to whistle in a hurricane." SNP council leader Grant Laing said the move towards HVO was part of PKC's "joined-up approach" in conjunction with "looking at extra rail travel" and offering free bus travel one Saturday a month. SNP councillor Jack Welch feared the Conservative proposal would be "an absolute backwards step". The Strathmore ward councillor added: "I think the last person we should be following is Donald Trump." Independent councillor Dave Cuthbert said: "I'll be supporting the motion, not so much for myself but for the sake of my kids and grandkids." Cllr Illingworth added: "I'm in politics to make a difference. I don't believe using HVO will make any substantial difference. "I'm sure everybody has virtually the same thoughts about the legally elected new president but he is the legally elected new president and the global world is not going to make any difference. I'm concerned we're spending £100,000 a year for virtually no difference." But convener Richard Watters countered that saying there was no point was a "dangerous message to send out to the public". Cllr Watters added: "We will continue to make these small changes that will make a difference for future generations within Perth and Kinross. "And hopefully, if everyone does it, and we keep doing it, it will make a difference worldwide as well." The motion was approved by seven votes with all four Conservative councillors voting for the Conservative amendment. Following the meeting, Cllr Illingworth said: "It seems to me that spending £100,000 every year of council taxpayers' money on HVO from abroad would be much better spent closer to home on providing better bus services in rural villages such as Abernethy, Bridge of Earn and Methven. This is yet another example of the Scottish National Party wasting money on virtue signalling rather than providing good quality public services." Conservative councillor Angus Forbes added: "The difference running our bin lorries on HVO would make to our emissions is so small, it's probably not even measurable and what we run our bin lorries on won't help our residents. By transferring this money to our public transport unit to be used to support rural buses would probably have the same environmental benefit but, more importantly, it would actually help our residents."
STV News
05-05-2025
- Business
- STV News
Bin lorries across Perth and Kinross to run on vegetable oil
All Perth and Kinross bin lorries will soon run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) – rather than diesel – reducing Perth and Kinross Council's (PKC) carbon emissions by an estimated 725 tonnes. Councillors last week voted on the move as part of its five-year Fleet Decarbonisation Strategy. However Conservative councillors slammed it as 'virtue signalling' and voted for the £100,000, allocated for the fuel switchover, to instead be spent enhancing rural bus services. On Wednesday, April 30 PKC's Climate Change and Sustainability Committee was asked to consider the local authority's Fleet Decarbonisation Strategy. Part of the strategy included rolling out the use of HVO to the council's entire fleet of bin lorries following a trial at Friarton in Perth. Bin lorries based at depots in Blairgowrie, Crieff, Kinross, and Pitlochry will transition to using HVO fuel by June 2025. It was agreed HVO will be used to fuel all 80 of the council's heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) by the end of 2025. Direct Services manager Nigel Taylor said: 'We have 18 of our 26 bin trucks on HVO at the moment and this saves us around 500 tonnes of carbon per annum and by the end of this year our carbon saving will have increased to around 725 tonnes because we'll have all 26 of our vehicles on HVO.' Moving the plans for approval convener SNP Kinross-shire ward councillor Richard Watters said: 'We have a moral and regulatory duty to aim towards a low carbon future.' As part of the strategy, PKC will review options for charging infrastructure to support the transition of the council's fleet of cars and vans, under 3.5 tonnes, to electric vehicles. It will also potentially trial running HGVs on hydrogen in the future in partnership with Greencat Hydrogen based at the Binn Group site at Glenfarg. Conservative councillor David Illingworth raised concern decisions were being made on estimated costs in terms of transitioning from diesel to HVO fuel. PKC's strategic lead for Environment and Infrastructure Fraser Crofts said the price difference in switching from diesel to HVO had ranged from being 20p a litre to now being 15p a litre more expensive. He added: 'Approximately half of that cost – estimated here at £100,000 – would be associated with the refuse vehicles and the other half of that would be associated with the rest of the heavy fleet. Obviously the refuse vehicles are not particularly efficient in terms of fuel economy so that's a substantive part of 80 vehicles in total – 26 of those are refuse vehicles.' Cllr Illingworth tabled an amendment that the £100,000 allocated for the use of HVO across the council's entire HGV fleet be redirected to 'enhancing rural bus routes', subject to the approval of PKC's Finance and Resources Committee. The Almond and Earn ward councillor said: 'The real world is changing very quickly. Since we last met, in October, we have a new president of the United States. 'And his view is 'drill baby drill'. At the same time, in the People's Republic of China, we've got a trainline transporting half a million tonnes of coal every day from Mongolia to a power station in Tianjin. 'I think if we adopt more HVO it's like a drop in the ocean, it's like trying to whistle in a hurricane.' SNP council leader Grant Laing said the move towards HVO was part of PKC's 'joined-up approach' in conjunction with 'looking at extra rail travel' and offering free bus travel one Saturday a month. SNP councillor Jack Welch feared the Conservative proposal would be 'an absolute backwards step'. The Strathmore ward councillor added: 'I think the last person we should be following is Donald Trump.' Independent councillor Dave Cuthbert said: 'I'll be supporting the motion, not so much for myself but for the sake of my kids and grandkids.' Cllr Illingworth added: 'I'm in politics to make a difference. I don't believe using HVO will make any substantial difference. 'I'm sure everybody has virtually the same thoughts about the legally elected new president but he is the legally elected new president and the global world is not going to make any difference. I'm concerned we're spending £100,000 a year for virtually no difference.' But convener Richard Watters countered that saying there was no point was a 'dangerous message to send out to the public'. Cllr Watters added: 'We will continue to make these small changes that will make a difference for future generations within Perth and Kinross. 'And hopefully, if everyone does it, and we keep doing it, it will make a difference worldwide as well.' The motion was approved by seven votes with all four Conservative councillors voting for the Conservative amendment. Following the meeting, Cllr Illingworth said: 'It seems to me that spending £100,000 every year of council taxpayers' money on HVO from abroad would be much better spent closer to home on providing better bus services in rural villages such as Abernethy, Bridge of Earn and Methven. This is yet another example of the Scottish National Party wasting money on virtue signalling rather than providing good quality public services.' Conservative councillor Angus Forbes added: 'The difference running our bin lorries on HVO would make to our emissions is so small, it's probably not even measurable and what we run our bin lorries on won't help our residents. By transferring this money to our public transport unit to be used to support rural buses would probably have the same environmental benefit but, more importantly, it would actually help our residents.' 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