Latest news with #RebeccaPoulsen
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Councillor welcomes watchdog's investigation over Bradford Live settlement term
A COUNCILLOR has welcomed the Information Commissioner's Office investigation into Bradford Council's refusal to share details of the agreed settlement terms between Bradford Live and NEC Group. Last September, it was revealed that the Birmingham-based NEC Group had quit the £50.5 million taxpayer-funded Bradford Live project. At the time, a joint statement from Bradford Council and the NEC Group said: "Bradford Council and the NEC Group have agreed settlement terms to release NEC from the contract that was in place for them to operate the venue." The T&A subsequently asked the Council questions about the agreed settlement terms under the Freedom of Information Act - but the authority repeatedly declined to provide answers. The T&A therefore lodged a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office in January, believing that the public has a right to know more about the agreed settlement terms. This week, the Information Commissioner's Office confirmed it had launched an investigation over the matter. Councillor Rebecca Poulsen, leader of the Conservative group on Bradford Council, welcomed the news. She told the T&A: "My colleagues and I have been calling for transparency regarding this site for several years now, particularly since it became apparent that the final cost to various taxpayer-funded budgets was double the original budget at over £50m. "Specifically in relation to the exit settlement for the NEC Group, we fully understand that there was a need for non-disclosure during and immediately after the negotiations to terminate the agreement, but due to the passage of time, it seems unlikely that the release of the information continues to pose any real threat to the commercial interests of either organisation." A Bradford Council spokesperson said in response: "We welcome the news that the Information Commissioner's Office has now assigned a case officer, in fact as a Council we have been pressing for this for some time. "We have nothing to hide but it is for the Information Commissioner's Office to determine what can be published. "Local political party leaders know the legal position and why the Council can't say anything further on the matter - they too are bound by commercial confidentiality having been briefed on the matter. "Bradford Live was supported by the people of Bradford and saved by the Council - it is a world-class venue with a quality operator in the driving seat. "We're delighted to have done this for the people of Bradford district." A new operator, Trafalgar Entertainment, was appointed for Bradford Live in February.
BBC News
27-04-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Two-month A6033 road closure due to collapsed culverts
A road, which runs between Bradford and West Yorkshire, is set to close for two months, due to three collapsed culverts carry rainwater runoff under the A6033, between Oxenhope and Hebden Bridge. Bradford Council said the Victorian structures had not been built to take today's heavy traffic and due to their collapse, water had not been running as it should. Due to the deep excavation work required to fix them, the road would need to be closed for two months, from 2 June, to allow work to be carried out safely. Worth Valley councillor Rebecca Poulsen said two of the broken culverts were on the Bradford Council side and one was on the Calderdale Council side of the were originally planned to take four months but the road is now set to reopen on 18 July, with the remaining work undertaken using temporary traffic lights. The closure will begin at Keepers Lodge with a diversion in place and the A3 bus will terminate in the closure is in place, Bradford Council will carry out other work on the A6033 including wall repairs. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Reaction to announcement that new operator will take on Bradford Live
THE announcement of a new operator for Bradford Live will hopefully bring a 'frustrating' period for the city to an end – according to an opposition Councillor. On Monday it was announced that Trafalgar Entertainment would operate the £50m venue, and could have it open and hosting events as early as autumn. The announcement came five months after the original operators the NEC Group pulled out, leaving the future of the major regeneration scheme in doubt. The announcement that the venue is now moving forward has been universally welcomed. Councillor Rebecca Poulsen, leader of the Conservative and Queensbury Independent Group on Bradford Council said: "This is great news as this building has been sitting empty for months with a complete lack of information for the public over what was happening with it. 'I'm sure everyone welcomes this news and looks forward to the building opening and tickets going on sale for events to come. 'This building has had around £50 million of taxpayer's money put into it and has been sitting closed for many months. 'There are many questions to answer over how this project has been managed by Bradford Council and the veil of secrecy over it. "It has been a very frustrating period, and I hope we will shortly hear details of what entertainment will be coming to the venue." A spokesman for the West Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce said: 'The Chamber congratulates new operator Trafalgar Entertainment on successfully winning the tender process to operate the iconic city centre venue.' Mark Cowgill, president of the Chamber, added: 'The news that a new operator has been announced for Bradford Live is a fantastic development for the city. 'Bradford Live will provide the whole country with a world-class 3,000-seater venue that will attract the biggest events in entertainment and pull in an audience of thousands every year. 'As Bradford's year as City of Culture swings into full force, the news could not have come at a better time.' Bradford East MP Imran Hussain said: 'I have always been a strong advocate for Bradford Live and the vital role it plays in our city's cultural and economic future, which is why I'm incredibly proud to have secured £4 million from the previous government to ensure this historic and iconic building is given a new lease of life." "This investment has not only preserved the heritage of Bradford Live, but also positioned it as a key landmark in the heart of our city's regeneration efforts. "This transformation will be a catalyst for growth, bringing new opportunities for local businesses, creating jobs, and attracting visitors from far and wide. "As City of Culture kicks off, I look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our community for decades to come." Bradford South MP Judith Cummins said: 'The announcement of a contractor to run Bradford Live is hugely welcome news. "I am looking forward to seeing this stunning venue open and hosting the world-class performances and events that Bradford deserves.'
BBC News
17-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Enforcement cameras to be set up at Bradford danger junctions
Motorists who ignore the rules of the road at two city centre junctions in Bradford could be sent fines in the post, similar to those for speeding or driving in bus Council has approved a pilot scheme which will see fines handed out to drivers who turn right onto Leeds Road from Shipley Airedale Road in a no right turn section, and those who stop in a box junction at Sunbridge Road/Godwin council said it needed to introduce the measures as there was a link between drivers "making illegal and dangerous manoeuvres and the number of injuries on the network".Enforcement of the two sites is expected to begin this year. Camera enforcement will be added to a further seven sites next year, and a further four the year last year's city centre roadworks there is currently no box junction at Sunbridge Road/Godwin Street, but the council said it would be repainted. 'Unacceptable behaviour' At a meeting of the council's executive earlier this month, councillors were told the cameras would improve safety on stretches of road plagued by danger drivers – but where they could not have a 24/7 police or warden Rebecca Poulsen, Conservative leader in Bradford, said: "Across the district we do have far too many people drive in a dangerous manner."We should let them know they'll be caught for their unacceptable behaviour."According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a report said the council had received "significant volumes" of correspondence about drivers failing to observe signed restrictions."The number of issues raised far exceeds the capacity of the council to fund additional police resources to resource enhanced enforcement," the report said."With a strong correlation between drivers failing to observe signed restrictions and making illegal and dangerous manoeuvres and the number of injuries on the network – the opportunity to deploy measures to address this behaviour is essential."The report said locations for camera enforcement were chosen based on which would offer the "greatest safety and network efficiency benefits".Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
The EV-charging blackspots fuelling 'range fear'
The sale of new diesel and petrol cars is set to be phased out in the UK over the next decade – but figures show Yorkshire is falling behind in the race to provide sufficient public electric vehicle (EV) charging points. Bradford was recently given £3m in government funding to boost infrastructure, but some in the district fear demand will outstrip supply, deterring drivers from making the EV switch. For Tony Maw, transitioning to EV is both inevitable and welcome. However, he remains hesitant to trade in his hybrid for a fully electric car, citing so-called "range fear" as a key concern. He asks: "Where can you charge your car in rural communities? "People cannot necessarily even park by their house, they have to park up against a wall somewhere." There isn't a single on-street rapid EV charger in his village of Oxenhope, near Keighley, he says. "When I was going hybrid, I needed a charging point at home because you don't get a great deal of mileage on electric with a hybrid. "Some people have the opportunity to do that, but those in other places can't." The government aims to install 300,000 chargers in the UK by 2030, but fewer than 100,000 are currently in operation. "The number of chargers needed is probably going to exceed the current plans," he adds. Rebecca Poulsen, a councillor for the Worth Valley area which includes Oxenhope, says there is an urgent need for local authorities to "look at the gaps in charging". "Commercial operators install big charging schemes in urban areas, but in smaller villages even one or two chargers could make the difference in whether people decide to get an electric car or not," she says. "New technology is coming, on-street charging on street lights or under pavements for example, but we need to ramp up efforts." The Labour-run Bradford Council has secured central funding to install 1,000 new chargers at more than 200 underserved locations, with the areas yet to be confirmed. Poulsen, Conservative group leader on the local authority, adds: "If a village has just one charger and it's broken, how far is it to another? "People need confidence that they can charge their vehicles." Department for Transport figures show 73,334 public chargers have been installed nationwide so far as of 1 January 2025, with 19,657 built during 2024. But the data also shows that Yorkshire and the Humber is the worst served UK mainland region per 100,000 of the population, alongside the North West. Both regions have just 66 EV points per 100,000 of the population. The government has launched initiatives to accelerate the UK rollout, including £450m of Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding. However the scrapping of road tax exemptions for EV is set to be pushed through from April, with tension between manufacturers and ministers in recent months over targets. Differences in cost between public and at-home charging has also been a major factor. Philip Douglass, who is leading a Vauxhall campaign to improve access to EV charging for those who don't have a driveway, says: "We found that 40% of UK households don't have a driveway, but 80% of charging happens at home." The driveway figure rose to 60% in places like Bradford, with the district's terraced streets and remote villages proving a challenge. "Only 25,000 of the 75,000 [UK] public chargers are in residential areas, which is where we need them most," Mr Douglass adds. The campaign wants everyone to be living within a four-minute walk of an on-street charger as soon as possible. Some private sector interventions are making a quiet impact, with a new rapid charging hub off the M606 in Bradford featuring 16 units in total. Yasir Hafeez, who bought his EV six weeks ago through a work salary sacrifice scheme, currently makes a 20-mile round trip from Halifax to charge in Bradford. "I used to have a diesel, which was very expensive - £300 a month just on fuel, plus road tax and insurance," he says. "This one is much cheaper." He agrees about the lack of on-street charger coverage, adding: "I have to come here to charge my car. "There's no supercharger near me." Wayne Topley, Cedar Court managing director, says hosting the rapid charging station is a business decision to help "futureproof" the nearby hotel. "Being an EV owner myself, I do have range anxiety and I have to plan ahead for charging on long journeys," he says. "I don't think it will be long before we start seeing trucks on the road with large battery capacity, and having central locations like this will really help build confidence for longer journeys." While the increase in larger, rapid charge locations near key roads is helping in the EV push, many feel its overall success begins at home. Mr Douglass concludes: "If we don't get electric vehicle infrastructure in that near-home space, we risk creating a two-tier vehicle market where some people can get the latest technology and some people can't." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or Politics North, or tell us a story you think we should be covering by emailing yorkshirestories@ The EV charging station that had just three visitors in two hours Norway on track to be first to go all-electric Five ways to persuade more people to buy electric cars
