City of York Council puts pride back into local communities
City of York Council is proud to introduce York’s new Neighbourhood Caretakers – a team that looks at improving public spaces, supporting community-led action, and putting pride in our city. The dedicated team will work closely with residents, councillors, and volunteers to deliver visible improvements in local areas — from removing weeds and street cleaning…
City of York Council reviews options to ease congestion at Hazel Court Recycling Centre
City of York Council is committed to minimising waste and maximising material recycled at the council’s Household Waste Recycling Centre sites (HWRC). A range of options is under review to address growing traffic congestion around the Hazel Court HWRC, following concerns raised by residents, businesses, and service operators. The Hazel Court HWRC, located near James Street,…
Progress on City of York Council’s major investment in parks and green spaces
A report detailing where City of York Council is set to allocate three quarters of a million pounds of investment to revitalise parks, play areas, and public green spaces across the city will be taken to a public meeting for approval next month. The investment was first announced in February as part of setting the…
Batley station car park to temporarily close as part of major rail upgrade
Batley station car park will close from 22 September until Summer 2026 to facilitate major upgrade work as part of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU). The temporary closure will enable essential piling works to take place to build a new accessible station footbridge with lifts. Work will also start to refurbish and extend the…
York welcomes bids for local community schemes supporting council priorities
Applications are now open for funding to support schemes which make a real difference to the lives of local residents in communities across the city. The Ward Budget Citywide Fund supports projects operating citywide in York which support at least one of four key council priorities: Health and wellbeing; Tackling the cost-of-living; Environment and Climate Emergency…
‘Giant’ strides: halfway mark reached in Huddersfield station closure
Two strong teams have come together to mark the halfway point of 30 days of intense rail upgrade works that will give passengers better journeys, with players from Rugby League side Huddersfield Giants joining TRU as the midway point of activity has been reached. Representatives from the Super League club handed over a signed ball…
Resurfacing works set to take place on Hull Road
City of York Council will be carrying out essential resurfacing works on A1079 Hull Road between Tang Hall Lane and the Grimston Bar roundabout. Works will start on Monday 15 September and are expected to last until Tuesday 21 October weather permitting. No weekend working will be required and the road will be open at…
Upcoming changes as Station Gateway project progresses
The area around York Station will see a number of key changes in the coming weeks as the Station Gateway project progresses. Recent work on the project has seen the realignment of traffic on Queen Street and the opening of large areas of public space, as well as less visible work such as drainage and…
Students back for university reunion 25 years on
A married couple from Germany were among a group of former students who returned to the University of Bradford 25 years after studying business. The 15 alumni, from Germany and the UK, held a reunion for Master of Business Administration (MBA) students who graduated in summer 2000 after completing 12 months of studying at the…
Tap and donate to support the conservation of York’s city walls
A new scheme to help generate funds to support the conservation of York’s much loved medieval walls is now underway. City of York Council is custodian to most of the listed buildings in York and is a guardian of York’s heritage. With nearly 2,000 years of history contained in the city walls, they are the…
York organisations invited to apply for Good Place, Warm Place funding
Organisations running Warm Places in York to support local people through the coldest months, are invited to apply for up to £5,000 funding from a £40,000 fund over the next few weeks [until 5 October]. With support from last year’s Good Place, Warm Place grant, 22 Warm Places opened their doors to local residents last winter for…
Stay and Play sessions are a big hit with parents and children in York
With over 10,000 visits in the past year, it’s clear that children and parents are loving York’s Stay and Play sessions. Explore York – the independent organisation which runs libraries and archives in York – delivers the weekly sessions for parents and carers with children aged 0-4 years in partnership with City of York Council….
Savills says Yorkshire retail warehouse market shows resilience and opportunity as 2025 lettings activity builds momentum
The Yorkshire and the Humber out-of-town retail warehouse market is showing strong signs of resilience and opportunity in 2025, according to new research from international real estate advisor Savills. Following a robust performance in 2024 – accounting for 9.6% of all new UK lettings – the region is on track to deliver another solid year,…
Huddersfield station: its heritage and its future
On 6th October 1846, a public bank holiday was declared as the Earl of Fitzwilliam laid Huddersfield station’s foundation stone. Last Saturday (30 August), nearly 180 years on from that momentous day, the station closed for 30 days of intense work, as its grandest transformation in a generation is undertaken as part of the Transpennine Route…
Council’s Passivhaus homes launched
Duncombe Square is the first phase of one of the country’s largest Passivhaus schemes, and sales will begin of shared ownership and open market houses and apartments on 12 September. Duncombe Square is City of York Council’s first Passivhaus development of 34 high quality, zero carbon-in-use homes, built to an award-winning design. It is part…
Sign up to the garden waste scheme, or let us know if you don’t want your bin
You can still sign-up to the Garden Waste Subscription Scheme, if your household is eligible. The easiest way to sign up for the scheme is to complete an online form at www.york.gov.uk/GardenWaste Support is available for anyone who is not able to apply this way by calling 01904 551 551. You can subscribe until 31…
York deepening partnership with Lviv, Ukraine, with a focus on economic development and strategic collaboration
Following a high-level meeting between York City Council and Ukrainian representatives, both cities have identified key areas where shared expertise can bring mutual support. Council Leader Cllr Claire Douglas recently welcomed Mayor Andriy Sadovyi and other Ukrainian delegates to discuss opportunities for joint initiatives. The meeting highlighted York’s strengths in transport, civil engineering, and links…
Details of Council’s first Passivhaus homes for shared ownership released
Details of shared ownership homes at Duncombe Square have been released today (27 August), meaning that the 200 people who have expressed an interest in them can consider taking the next step towards buying a home. Duncombe Square is City of York Council’s first Passivhaus development of 34 high quality, zero carbon-in-use homes, built to…
UN report on AI to launch at global conference in Bradford
A major new United Nations report calling for artificial intelligence (AI) to be used to support people, not take their place, will be launched at a global conference hosted by the University of Bradford. The Human Development Report 2025, produced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will be a key focus of the annual…
Bradford College celebrates 100% pass rate successes
Bradford College students joined the hundreds of thousands opening their GCSE, BTec and Cambridge National results this week (Thurs, 21 August). While the GCSE pass rate has fallen again across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Bradford College is bucking the trend with some exceptional results. Overall, 67 courses for 16-18-year-olds had a 100% pass rate,…
York celebrates Key stage 4 (GCSE) students’ success
City of York Council education leaders have congratulated students across the city on their GCSE results today (Thursday 21 August). Cllr Bob Webb, the council’s Executive Member for Children, Young people and Education, said: “I’d like to congratulate all the students who have received their GCSE and Key Stage 4 results today, and thank the…
71% of GCSEs at The Grammar School at Leeds awarded top 7/8/9 grades
Students at The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) have achieved excellent exam results, with 71% of all GCSEs awarded the top grades of 7, 8 or 9 (A/A*). 49% of entries were awarded grade 8 or above, and 25% awarded grade 9. GSAL’s GCSE Class of 2025 includes a GB swimmer, an international hockey player…
Your future starts here: Explore Foundation Year options at Bradford
Prospective students have been encouraged to enrol on a Foundation Year programme at the University of Bradford from this September. The Foundation Year, available through Clearing, is a pre-degree access programme which provides people with a basis for future full-time undergraduate study at the University of Bradford. This one-year course is designed for students…
TRU wraps up seven consecutive weekends of upgrade work
On Sunday (August 17), engineers completed a series of railway upgrades between Manchester, Huddersfield and Leeds following seven consecutive weekends of work, as part of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade. The work included major structural enhancements to bridges across West Yorkshire with progress made on the reconstruction of the A62 Leeds Road bridge in Deighton…
Pioneering mental health partnership goes from strength to strength
2025 is turning into a landmark year for Converge, the partnership between York St John University and mental health service providers that offers educational opportunities to adults who use mental health services. Now celebrating its 17th year, Converge has: won the Educate North Award for Community Engagement for the first time welcomed its largest intake…
First-ever T-level students celebrate success at Bradford College
Bradford College marked this year’s Level 3 results day (Thursday, 14 August) with an exciting milestone – the completion of its first-ever group of T-level students. The talented bunch has shown what dedication and hard work can achieve, with a 100% T-level pass rate (compared to a national pass rate of 91.4%), and 80% of students…
Proud student nurse mum calls on others to follow her Clearing path
A mum-of-three is urging others to apply for nursing through Clearing, after transforming her life by joining the University of Bradford’s Adult Nursing course. Bethany Higgins, 31, had spent years working as a healthcare assistant in a GP practice, juggling part-time hours and family life. But last August, she decided to pursue her dream of…
An Outstanding Results Day 2025
Well done to all of our Upper Sixth cohort who collected their results today – it’s been another exceptional year! We are proud to announce that our class of 2025 Notre Dame students have once again received outstanding results in their Level 3 qualifications, across A-levels, BTECs and CTECs, and T Levels. Some of this year’s…
York celebrates A Level students’ success
City of York Council education leaders are congratulating students who have received their A Level, T level and post 16 vocational results today (Thursday 14 August). Cllr Bob Webb, City of York Council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education said: “Today is a great opportunity to celebrate the academic achievements of so many…
Bradford named University of the Year for Social Inclusion
The University of Bradford is today named as University of the Year for Social Inclusion in the Daily Mail University Guide 2026. The University is also shortlisted for overall UK University of the Year 2026 and its ranking has increased to 42nd in the country (up from 48 in the 2025 guide and 49 in…
Coding your future by joining the AI revolution
People can be at the forefront of the ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution’ by studying Computer Science at the University of Bradford. With AI transforming how we work, learn, and communicate, the demand for skilled professionals is soaring. The University’s Computer Science programmes equip students with the knowledge, technical skills and adaptability needed to thrive in…
62% of A-levels at The Grammar School of Leeds awarded top grades of A/A*
Students at The Grammar School at Leeds have achieved exceptional A-level results, with 62% of A-levels awarded top A/A* grades. Seven pupils secured places at Oxbridge to study subjects including engineering, law, classics and medicine, two of whom, Anna and Claire, each achieved four A*s. Over 80 of the cohort (190 students) achieved top grades…
York’s new hub for children and young people with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities gets new name
SEND CENTRAL has been chosen as the name for York’s new city hub for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Local children and young people with SEND were asked to take part in a competition to come up with a title for the new hub at Clifton Family Hub earlier…
‘Intense competition’ for UK power connections creating uncertainty despite growing infrastructure opportunities
Turner & Townsend is advising clients to focus attention on navigating the impacts of a lengthening ‘connection queue’, as electricity grid reform and investment simultaneously create infrastructure demand and market uncertainty. The global professional services company’s Summer 2025 UK Construction Market Intelligence report (UKMI) predicts infrastructure tender values will rise at a faster pace than…
Community leader Dennis Robbins recognised with honorary doctorate from Leeds Beckett University
Dennis Robbins received his award for his outstanding service to the city. The award celebrates Dennis’ exceptional and inspiring leadership of The Hunslet Club, one of the UK’s largest and longest-standing youth organisations, along with his lifelong commitment to helping young people reach their potential. Dennis first joined The Hunslet Club as a member in…
TPE customers set to be kept on the move during major TRU work thanks to upgraded Huddersfield diversionary route
TransPennine Express (TPE) will increase the number of services on a key diversionary route between Manchester and Leeds to three trains per hour from last weekend, keeping passengers moving while the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) continues to transform the railway. The uplift in services on the Calder Valley route, between Manchester Victoria and Mirfield via…
Celebrations in Bradford as £5m affordable homes development reaches completion
Special guests including Manningham Housing Association (MHA) residents, project partners, board members and staff joined together at Eccleshill in Bradford for the official opening of the BME organisation’s stunning new £5 million affordable homes scheme. The ribbon was cut by MHA Chair Rupert Pometsey, supported by Councillor Ian Paterson, who represents the Eccleshill ward in…
New research-informed podcast series launched to help boost SME productivity
A new joint podcast series from Leeds Beckett University (LBU) and business support experts Exemplas is bringing research-led insights to business owners and policy makers – offering practical, real-world advice on how to drive productivity and sustainable growth. The six-part series of bite-sized, accessible episodes are focussed on what really makes a difference when it…
TPE adds more services to support national Armed Forces celebrations in Cleethorpes this weekend
TransPennine Express (TPE) will be running extra services and providing more seats this weekend to support customers travelling to Cleethorpes for Armed Forces Day. The popular three-day event, recently chosen as the national celebration, will take place from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 June and is expected to draw large crowds to the coastal town,…
GSAL Principal wins national Headteacher of the Year award
The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) is delighted to announce that Principal, Sue Woodroofe, has been named Headteacher of the Year (Independent) at the Tes Schools Awards 2025. The awards ceremony, which took place in London on Friday 20 June, celebrates the very best in education across the UK’s state and independent sectors. Known as…
Planning approved for student accommodation at the Merrion Centre
Major milestone reached in the next phase of the Merrion Centre’s evolution Leeds-based property investor and developer, Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS), has received planning approval from Leeds City Council for a landmark student accommodation scheme at the Merrion Centre, further cementing the centre’s position as a dynamic, mixed-use city destination. The approved plans will…
LBU Impact Series: Leeds Beckett research team partners with urgent care provider IC24 to tackle stress in NHS 111 call centres
A new research-driven collaboration between Leeds Beckett University and urgent and primary healthcare provider Integrated Care 24 (IC24) is using innovative technology and psychological science to improve staff wellbeing and reduce stress for NHS 111 call handlers. The three-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project, part-funded by UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) through Innovate UK, brings…
Plans to transform York city centre come under the spotlight at York Festival of Ideas
York Festival of Ideas in partnership with LNER is offering York residents and visitors an exciting opportunity to find out more about the major developments taking place in the city centre. The free event York: A 21st-century rail hub on Saturday 7 June will turn the spotlight on the York Station Gateway project, which is…
Leeds Beckett University celebrates reaccreditation of prestigious Small Business Charter Award
Leeds Beckett University has been reaccredited after a recent assessment, recognising the ongoing impact of its work supporting small businesses, student entrepreneurship and local economic growth. The award, granted by the Charter Association of Business Schools and the Small Business Charter, places Leeds Beckett among a select group of UK universities acknowledged for their deep…
College’s £17m building hits milestone as steel frame completed
The four-storey steel frame of Bradford College’s new £17 million building is now in place—marking a key step in transforming the Thornton Road site. Led by Morgan Sindall, the new Junction Mills building will offer students specialist training in motor vehicle, advanced electrical, hybrid and hydrogen technologies, vital in supporting the growth of low-carbon skills…
Bradford to open joint college with university in China
The University of Bradford has announced a new international joint college with one of China’s leading research technology universities. The Yangzhou University–University of Bradford Joint College of Advanced Manufacturing will welcome its first students in September 2025. Based entirely in China, the Joint College, which has been formally approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education,…
Sporting chance for active schools scheme thanks to new £4m investment
An initiative to encourage Bradford children to become more active has received a huge boost thanks to a £4 million investment from Sport England. Over the next three years, the JU:MP (Join Us Move and Play) programme will work with children and their families from across the district to help improve physical activity levels. The…
Bradford College connects to Energy Network in Net Zero Push
Work to connect Bradford College to the £70m Bradford Energy Network is officially underway, marking a significant move away from fossil fuels and towards achieving Net Zero. Heat networks (also known as district heating) supply heat from a central source. Underground pipes carry hot water to buildings on a network, enabling the rapid decarbonisation of…