Latest news with #PlymouthCityCouncil
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Full list of Universal Credit freebies and discounts you can claim in June worth up to £10,221
Plus find out how to check what benefits you could be entitled to BENEFIT BOOST Full list of Universal Credit freebies and discounts you can claim in June worth up to £10,221 FAMILIES on Universal Credit can now cash in on a bumper haul of freebies and discounts worth up to £10,221 this June. From food vouchers to help with bills and even cheap days out, there's a treasure trove of support on offer. 1 Universal credit claimants can cash in on up to £10,221 of freebies this June Here's the full list of what you could be claiming this month. Household Support Fund – worth £500 The Household Support Fund has been extended until March 2026 – and it's dishing out direct payments of up to £500. Local councils like Birmingham are offering £200 payments, while others are handing out food or fuel vouchers. Each council sets its own rules, so check your local authority's website to see what's on offer and how to apply. Find your council via or visit for Birmingham-specific help. Where is the HSF available? Plymouth - up to £740 Plymouth City Council said eligible residents can receive a maximum of £740 in vouchers. This includes £240 in supermarket vouchers for either Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsburys, Aldi, or Iceland, and £200 in energy vouchers. It also includes an essential item of household furniture or white goods or £300 of clothing vouchers. Blackpool - up to £300 Households with one or two people - including children - will see £200 paid directly to their energy provider. Those with three or more will get £300 paid towards their energy costs. Middlesbrough - up to £70 People in the area who claim benefits and do not have children can apply for a £50 voucher. Those living alone will get up to £37.50 and couples will get £50. If there are children in your household, you'll get a voucher for £70 per child. Leicestershire - up to £300 Households in Leicestershire can apply for £300 per household, which will be paid in the form of vouchers to support with gas, electricity and food. The payment can be delivered as a Post Office voucher, which can be redeemed for cash to help with gas, electricity or water, or an e-voucher to help with food costs that can be converted to a gift card for major supermarkets. Leeds - up to £100 Residents of Leeds who receive council tax support with dependent children can claim up to £100, while those without children could receive £25. Eligible households will have received letters featuring a barcode that can then be taken to the post office along with ID to claim the cash. Bracknell Forest - up to £315 Applicants could be eligible for a one-off £105 payment per child between now and September, if applicants meet the qualifying benefits. Cambridgeshire County - up to £220 Low-income households in Cambridgeshire can apply for a financial award of £110 per household. Residents can apply twice for support between now and September 30, meaning each household could receive as much as £220. The funds can be paid in a lump sum of £110 or as vouchers. Falkirk - up to £470 The amount residents can get under the HSF depends on the number of people in their household. A single adult will receive £110, with an additional £90 payment made for every further resident. For example, a couple with no dependent children would receive £200. Stockport - up to £315 Stockport Council is giving out vouchers worth £105 to families struggling to pay for essentials. The fund is paid per child, so if you have three children you would be entitled to £315 worth of supermarket vouchers. Food Vouchers – worth £150 Camden Council is dishing out £150 food vouchers in June to families with kids on free school meals. Other Councils across the country have similar schemes over summer with North Somerset offering £100 vouchers. No application is needed - around 5,200 children will be sent the vouchers automatically. Healthy Start food help – worth £442 a year New parents or expectant mums can get up to £442 annually for essentials like fruit, veg and baby formula. The Healthy Start scheme gives you a prepaid card loaded with funds every four weeks. Apply online if you're on benefits like Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit. Amazon Prime Gaming April Free Gift Frenzy Cheap days out – save £101 If you're on Universal Credit, you can unlock serious savings on days out across the UK: London Transport Museum: Entry for just £1 – usually £21 Yorkshire museums: Free entry, saving up to £17 per adult ZSL London Zoo: Entry for £3 – a £31.50 saving Tower of London & Hampton Court: £1 entry instead of £33.60 In total you could save up to £101 on these days out. Help to Save – get £1,200 bonus cash The government's Help to Save scheme gives you a 50% top-up when you put away cash. Save £50 a month and you could get up to £1,200 over four years. Open to those on Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit – even small savers will see rewards. Water bill help – worth £400 You could slash your water bill by hundreds through social tariffs or the WaterSure scheme. The support is aimed at low-income families or those who use lots of water due to disability or large households. Contact your supplier directly and ask what help is available. Some firms even offer free water-saving devices like shower timers and cistern bags to bring your usage down. Free prescriptions and healthcare – up to £119 If you're on Universal Credit, you might be eligible for free NHS prescriptions, saving you £9.90 a pop – that's nearly £120 a year. You could also get: Free dental checks Free eye tests Travel reimbursement for medical appointments Free wigs or glasses Use the NHS online checker to see what you can get. Discounted broadband and mobile contracts – worth £370 If you're on Universal Credit, social tariffs could save you a fortune. Some providers offer deals as low as £12.50 a month, slashing the average annual cost by £170. Mobile contracts are also covered – total savings could hit £370 across both. Check Ofcom's full list of providers, or use The Sun's free broadband checker. Council tax support – up to £2,280 Those struggling with council tax could get a major discount – or even have the bill wiped completely. Council Tax Support varies by area, but if you're on a low income or receiving Universal Credit, you could save up to £2,280 a year. Head to to check your eligibility. Energy bill help – up to £2,000 Energy firms like British Gas are offering hardship grants worth up to £2,000. Other suppliers are dishing out energy-saving gadgets and fuel vouchers. If you don't qualify through your supplier, charities like Turn2Us have searchable databases to help you find other grants. The Household Support Fund also covers energy costs – reach out to your council now. Pregnancy grant – worth £500 Mums expecting their first child could claim a one-off £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant. It's available to those on Universal Credit or other qualifying benefits. You must apply within 11 weeks of the due date or six months after the baby is born. Print off the SF100 form online and get it signed by a midwife before posting. Support with travel and job applications – worth £150 Claimants can get a Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount card, cutting public transport costs by 50% across the UK. The card lasts for three months and is fre, you just need to be actively job hunting. There's also the Flexible Support Fund, which can cover costs like: Travel to interviews Job training (up to £150) Uniforms, work tools, and childcare Apply at your local JobCentre. Cheap gym memberships – worth £240 Some leisure centres offer Universal Credit claimants gym memberships from as little as £5 a month. That's a £20 saving every month or £240 a year. Everyone Active and Better Leisure both offer discounted rates. Access is often off-peak and varies by location, so check with your nearest centre. Free childcare – worth up to £1,769 a year Working parents on Universal Credit can now get up to 85% of childcare costs covered. The max payout is £1,031.88 a month for one child, or £1,768.94 for two or more – that's over £21,000 a year if claimed in full. You used to have to pay upfront, but now some parents get help before the bills are due. If you're unsure whether you qualify for any of these perks, it's worth checking or speaking to your local council. Don't miss out – the savings could seriously stack up.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Plymouth expansion plans up for discussion
Plans for the expansion of Plymouth into a large part of the South Hams will be shared with the public at a series of City Council wants to increase its population by taking over the running of 13 parishes with about 30,000 move is part of a reorganisation of local government taking place across the country with district and county councils set to be abolished and unitary authorities - such as Plymouth and Torbay - delivering all council services. Plymouth currently has a population of about 265,000, but the government has indicated all unitary authorities in the future should have a minimum population of about 300,000. Devon County Council and all of the district councils are expected to go as part of the plans and a number of proposals have been put forward for what should replace City Council is holding 13 sessions - one in each parish - and said it wants to hear about "challenges and opportunities".Council leader Tudor Evans said he had already heard "loud and clear" about the importance of local identity, but said the reorganisation was about "service provision" such as bin collections, children's social care services and fixing will be held from 9 June to 10 July and more information about attending any of the events is available decisions on the reorganisation of local government will be made by the government.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
'Chainsaw massacre' that saw 110 trees chopped down in dead of night in city centre without telling anyone cost council at least £3.3m
A Labour council's decision to cut down more than 100 trees in the middle of a city centre has cost them at least £3.3m, a report has found. Plymouth City Council (PCC) sparked outrage when its group of 'monsters in the night' felled 110 trees on the city's Armada Way in March 2023 in what was described as a 'chainsaw massacre'. The move was part of a regeneration project but furious campaigners labelled it 'ecological vandalism'. And according to an independent review into the council's actions, the tree-felling 'still reverberates today'. The review led by a panel of independent experts through Solace, explored how decisions were made, how the project was managed, and how the council communicated with the public. The report added that 'significant tensions' remain within the council and between the groups and individuals involved. The 79-page report, which looks at the timeframe of the Armada Way plan, added: 'It is apparent that there are wounds still to be healed for those individuals most directly impacted. 'There are pockets of regret, remorse, guilt, blame and defiance.' In response, the council acknowledged weaknesses in the delivery of the project and said lessons would be learned. They also provided an estimate of the costs involved including legal costs, inflationary increases, staff time and the £130,000 spent on the review itself. The report said: 'Understandably, no quantification has been made of the cost to the City Council of reputational damage or the cost of re-building trust.' It added: 'More significantly, no assessment has been made of the costs to business and the lost revenue to the local economy from having the key artery of the city centre so impacted.' It said the £3.3m figure was 'the lower end of the likely cost' and said this showed the importance of major projects being 'adequately resourced with 'thorough political and senior officer oversight'. The council said the £3.3m figure was 'the lower end of the likely cost' and said this showed the importance of major projects being 'adequately resourced with 'thorough political and senior officer oversight' Armada Way started as a circa £12.7m project and is now projected at circa £30m. Campaigners brought a case to the High Court in March 2024 claiming that Plymouth City Council had acted unlawfully. The case was dismissed but Judge David Elvin KC was scathing of the council's conduct relating to the hearing and said the local authority's production of evidence had been 'highly unsatisfactory and revealed the lack of transparency in its procedures'. The report added: 'It is important that the council finds a means to rebuild trust, internally and externally, if it is going to maximise the benefit to its citizens that its strong regeneration programme should bring to the city.' PCC Chief Executive Tracey Lee said apologised and said the council 'came up short of where we needed to be'. She said: 'The issues highlighted in this report are not reflective of the vast majority of what we do. But they do show us where we need to improve. 'We are committed to being a learning organisation - one that reflects honestly, adapts, and grows from experience. That's not just important for us as a Council - it's vital for the people we serve. When we learn, we improve.. And when we improve, we deliver better outcomes for our communities.' Ms Lee emphasised that Plymouth City Council is not 'anti-tree', adding that there are 'over 35,000 new trees growing and establishing across the city'. She added: 'This has resulted in us being recognised by the Tree Cities of the World programme. But we are also ambitious for Plymouth. We want this city to grow - and that means making difficult decisions. 'This review was about how we made those decisions, and it's evident that we didn't always get it right. We are committed to learning from this experience and doing better.'
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Plymouth tree felling fiasco cost more than £3.3m
A Devon council's decision to cut down more than 100 trees at night has cost more than £3.3m, a damning report has "shock to the organisation" of the tree-felling carried out by Plymouth City Council in March 2023 "still reverberates today", according to an independent review into the council's review said there were still "significant tensions" as a result of the tree felling, both within the council and "between the groups and individuals involved" with "wounds still to be healed".Plymouth City Council acknowledged weaknesses in the delivery of the project and said lessons would be learned. The council provided an estimate of the costs involved including legal costs, inflationary increases, staff time and the £130,000 spent on the review review's authors said there had been no quantification of the "reputational damage or the cost of re-building trust" which "have the potential to add costs to future council projects and endeavours". The report added: "More significantly, no assessment has been made of the costs to business and the lost revenue to the local economy from having the key artery of the city centre so impacted."It said the £3.3m figure was "the lower end of the likely cost" and said this showed the importance of major projects being "adequately resourced with "thorough political and senior officer oversight".The original scheme was set to cost £12.7m. Plymouth City Council has brought forward a new scheme for Armada Way at a cost of about £30m which is currently being worked on. 'Too little, too late' The review was highly critical of the management of the council by both politicians and the paid said "sustained managerial grip by senior politicians and officers" was "lacking at crucial points".The report said: "When issues came to a head, senior politicians ducked and senior officers failed to anticipate the media frenzy and the impact of [anticipated] legal action."It said staff did not feel protected by managers and said: "In this instance, the reflection was almost unanimous that the managerial response was both too little and too late." 'Guilt, blame and defiance' The review explored how decisions were made, how the project was managed and how the council communicated with the brought a case to the High Court in March 2024 claiming that Plymouth City Council had acted case was dismissed but Judge David Elvin KC was scathing of the council's conduct relating to the hearing and said the local authority's production of evidence had been "highly unsatisfactory".The review published on Thursday said it was "apparent that there are wounds still to be healed for those individuals most directly impacted". It said there were "pockets of regret, remorse, guilt, blame and defiance" and the council needed to find a way "to rebuild trust, internally and externally". The city council's £185,000-a-year chief executive, Tracey Lee, apologised and said the authority "came up short of where we needed to be".She said the issues in the report were "not reflective of the vast majority of what we do" but showed where improvement was said: "We are committed to being a learning organisation - one that reflects honestly, adapts and grows from experience."That's not just important for us as a council - it's vital for the people we serve. "When we learn, we improve and when we improve, we deliver better outcomes for our communities."Ms Lee said Plymouth was not "anti-tree" and she added that there were now "35,000 new trees growing and establishing across the city".
The Sun
20-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
Massive £4MILLION upgrade to ‘UK's Central Park' is disgusting – it's pile of MUD eyesore & council taking us for fools
A MASSIVE £4million upgrade to Central Park has been slammed as 'disgusting' — with locals fuming it's become a fenced-off mud heap and a total eyesore. In Plymouth, Devon, frustrated residents living near Central Park have hit out after work on the delayed ponds and play areas came to a halt again. 5 5 Locals say the site has been left looking like a 'building site' and a 'moonscape', with mounds of dirt, broken fencing and abandoned materials strewn about. Plymouth City Council has confirmed it parted ways with the original contractor after work failed to restart as promised last month. Legal action is now underway and a new firm is expected to take over in early June. The stalled project, aimed at transforming the area into a wildlife haven with new ponds and drainage features, has already been plagued by delays, budget hikes and poor weather since its launch in late 2022. Ray O'Dell, who lives close to the park, said: 'As a local resident I am disgusted about yet another delay on this project, despite numerous promises made by those leading the project. "If we see this fully completed in 2026 I will be amazed, based on the slow progress to date.' Amanda Pannell, who started a 3,000-signature petition over the mess, said: 'It appears to be impossible to hold the council to account for their failure to communicate and deliver on the ponds project. "It's exhausting.' She added: 'Council officers and elected members will promote the success of the South Pond… but the North Pond, Barn Park fields and Reservoir Field… are still fenced off and not usable for visitors. "These areas are a mess and are still under building site regulations, over three years on.' Locals say the chaos has turned their once-proud park into a no-go zone. Vast areas used for football, dog walking and family outings are now blocked off. Much of the fencing is falling apart, and debris has been spotted in the ponds. 'It's like a war zone,' said one mum walking through the park with her toddler. 'You can't take your kids here anymore. They just stare at mud and broken fences.' The council has admitted its failings. A spokesperson said: 'We told residents that work would begin by the end of April in good faith… It didn't happen and so we've decided to part ways with the contractor. Legal discussions are ongoing.' They added: 'It is incredibly frustrating, given that the weather is now dry and bright. We should be making progress, but we're not.' The delay comes despite more money being pumped into the project last month. 5 5 An extra £1million was added to the budget, including £237,000 pulled from day-to-day council spending, and £500,000 from road safety improvements. That's on top of the £3million already allocated to phase three of the council's £9million grand plan to transform Central Park. The project was meant to deliver a network of ponds, paths, and green spaces to improve biodiversity and reduce flooding. But nearly two years on, many areas are still off-limits. A new contractor is expected to begin work next month, and the council says it still hopes to finish earthworks by the end of summer. If that happens, landscaping could finally begin in the autumn. In the meantime, anger is growing. Another petition has now surfaced online — this one from a group calling themselves 'The Janners', who are demanding that the council 'stop buggering up' Central Park and scrap plans to sell the historic Pounds House. Their blunt message reads: 'Please stop making terrible decisions regarding the management of Central Park… Don't sell any of the park. Not even to Argyle. It's not yours — it's ours.' It goes on: 'Please reconsider any plans to make any more ugly ponds without talking to someone who is good at their job. "Please stop dumping vast amounts of earth on areas of the park currently and previously used by the public.' Locals who visit the park daily say nothing has changed for months. 'It's been abandoned,' said Ray O'Dell. 'I've not seen any work done here in six months.' Another resident, Philip Bickle from nearby Mutley, said: 'It's a moonscape. I come here every morning and people are fed up with it not being finished. It's incredibly protracted.' Terry Hart from Peverell said: 'I love the idea of what they are doing, the wildlife is coming back. But it's taking far too long.' And Yolanda Brown, from Beacon Park, added: 'People are really fed up but don't know what to do about it. "We've even talked about having a march. It really does need to be finished.' With parts of the park still under building site rules, locals are left wondering how long it will be before they get their green space back — and whether the council can be trusted to deliver on its promises. As one visitor put it bluntly: 'We're not against improving the park. But they've left it a mess and just walked away.'
