Ralph Blackburn

The UK Government will pilot seconding up to 10 high-performing civil servants to each combined authority, including all four Yorkshire mayoral authorities, for six to nine months. The plan is intended to build local capacity as mayors gain powers over areas such as business rates, income tax and transport. It also includes a Yorkshire and Humber Civil Service Fast Stream pilot and an expanded Future Leaders Scheme for mayoral and council staff. South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said the authority would need more staff and specialist skills, while the Northern Powerhouse Partnership called for the pilots to become a lasting movement of expertise between Whitehall and devolved government.

Two Leeds Green councillors, Cristiana Mirosanu and Eden Hills, have called on deputy party leader and Leeds councillor Mothin Ali to repay a Special Responsibility Allowance granted by Leeds City Council. They question whether he met the requirements for the allowance and have called for an apology, investigation and possible suspensions. The Green Party says the payment covered Ali’s role as group spokesperson, while Leeds City Council says it is reviewing the nomination and the circumstances surrounding the payment.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said the government could devolve more employment-support powers to mayors following the strong performance of West Yorkshire’s economic inactivity trailblazer, which has helped twice as many people as the government target into work or training. Speaking in Wakefield, he highlighted the flexibility of devolved funding and local authorities’ knowledge of their labour markets. The government may consider transferring responsibility for the long-term Restart programme, while Alan Milburn’s review of young people not in employment, education or training could also recommend further devolution.

International recruitment into UK social care reportedly fell from 105,000 workers in 2023–24 to 30,000 in 2025–26, while the number of jobs filled by British workers also declined by 70,000. UNISON and care-sector representatives argue that immigration restrictions, poor pay and weak working conditions are deepening staffing shortages and could undermine Andy Burnham’s proposed national care service. The government says it wants to improve pay, training, progression and job security while increasing domestic recruitment, but sector leaders warn that hundreds of thousands more workers will be needed by 2040 and call for faster settlement and more flexible sponsorship for migrant staff.

Former Catterick colonel Philip Ingram warns that Russia will intensify covert “grey-zone” attacks against the UK and other NATO allies unless Britain substantially increases defence spending. His comments follow reports that Ukraine used drones made by UK companies to strike targets in mainland Russia, prompting Moscow to threaten consequences and accuse London of escalating the conflict. Prime Minister Andy Burnham reaffirmed full British support for Ukraine. Ingram cited suspected sabotage and surveillance activity, including incidents involving undersea cables and Russian naval deployments near the UK, arguing that insufficient deterrence could allow such operations to develop into conventional warfare.

Conservative Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake has urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to pursue detention and deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda or another safe third country rather than house them at former RAF Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire. The Home Office seeks planning permission to accommodate 1,300 men at the base and two other Ministry of Defence sites as part of an effort to close asylum hotels, prompting strong local opposition. Hollinrake criticized placing asylum seekers in local communities and revived the previous Conservative government’s Rwanda approach, which was abandoned by Labour after legal challenges.

From April 2027, disabled people will be able to use bus passes for free before 9:30am, removing restrictions that have made it harder for people in North Yorkshire to reach work, college and appointments. Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Tom Gordon, who began campaigning after hearing concerns from disabled residents and Disability Action Yorkshire, was praised by Andy Burnham and Mayor David Skaith. The charity welcomed the change as a significant improvement in disabled people's ability to use public transport and participate in daily life.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is continuing a UK-wide summer tour focused on local transport, fly-tipping and rough sleeping. The government plans to provide eligible disabled passengers with unlimited free bus travel from April, funded by £60 million from transport and welfare budgets. Burnham is also expected to address rough sleeping and waste blighting communities, including areas of the Yorkshire Dales, while using local visits to shape a 10-year national plan. His cost-of-living agenda has been overshadowed by public anger over the planned early release of two convicted killers of PC Andrew Harper and by wider concerns about prison overcrowding. New planning rules will favour housing near well-connected train stations and strengthen protections for pubs.

Fire and rescue chiefs are due to meet the UK Government to discuss resources for tackling a record 1,132 wildfires recorded across England and Wales in 2026. National Fire Chiefs Council chairman Phil Garrigan said incident numbers were beginning to fall but warned that dry conditions and public behaviour remained critical risks. Rain forecast across the UK could ease the drought but may also cause flooding because the ground has hardened after extreme heat. The Government is reportedly preparing for a worst-case scenario that could include restrictions on businesses’ water use, while Yorkshire Water is urging customers in Yorkshire to reduce consumption despite the region not being under a hosepipe ban.

HMP Millsike, a £400 million Category C prison near York that opened in March 2025, is operating with 1,124 inmates against a planned full capacity of 1,468 and is currently restricted to 1,158 places. Staffing shortages are reportedly preventing further expansion, amid concerns previously raised about security, drug use and prison conditions. Conservative MP Charlie Dewhirst blamed the Labour government for failing to recruit enough officers, while the Ministry of Justice said new prisons require a phased ramp-up and outlined additional measures to expand capacity. Private operator Mitie said staffing remains aligned with the agreed operational plan. The capacity problems come as ministers face pressure over an early release scheme intended to reduce prison overcrowding.

Stacey White, West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s head of mass transit place and consents, has left to join Sheffield City Council, becoming the third senior transport official to depart in six months. The resignations come amid delays and friction between Mayor Tracy Brabin’s authority and Whitehall over the £2.5bn plan to bring trams to Leeds and Bradford. A government infrastructure review pushed the expected completion date into the late 2030s, required changes to the planning and business-case process, and urged consideration of a lower-cost bus rapid transit alternative. Brabin and former chancellor Rachel Reeves continue to support trams, while the Government is consulting on giving regional mayors greater control over mass transit decisions.

A survey of nearly 500 British farmers by Arla found that more than four in five have received very few or no applications from candidates with the required skills, while half say staff retention is harder than before the Covid pandemic and Brexit. The agricultural workforce is aging, prompting calls for stronger education, training and career pathways to protect UK food security. North Yorkshire dairy farmer John Banks offers a contrasting example, using agricultural colleges, social media, apprenticeships and part-time work to attract younger workers, with women now making up more than half of his workforce. Arla Foods UK managing director Bas Padberg urged earlier engagement with young people and greater investment in workforce development.

North Yorkshire Police says it is prepared to protect lawful protest and deal with criminality if demonstrations take place over plans to accommodate about 1,300 asylum seekers at the former RAF Linton-on-Ouse base. Local MP Alec Shelbrooke has raised concerns about the capacity to police repeated protests, while residents object to the site’s scale, possible effects on house prices and schools, and inadequate infrastructure. The Home Office says the former military site is part of a plan to close asylum hotels and provide basic accommodation, but stresses that no final decision has been made.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is considering a temporary ban on disposable barbecues amid a sharp rise in UK wildfires and forecasts of further extreme heat. England and Wales have recorded 1,017 wildfires in 2026, matching the previous year’s total, while recent fires have affected the Peak District and North York Moors. North Yorkshire politicians have renewed calls for restrictions following last year’s six-week Langdale Moor blaze. Dry conditions are also worsening in Yorkshire, where prolonged dry weather has been declared, reservoir levels have fallen to 58%, and Yorkshire Water is urging households to conserve water.

Yorkshire Water has issued a precautionary boil-water notice affecting 133 properties around Buckden, Oughtershaw and Hubberholme in Upper Wharfedale after routine sampling at the Starbotton reservoir found that the water did not meet usual standards. The company is investigating the source of the bacteria and has delivered bottled water to customers on its Priority Services Register. Residents have been advised to boil water for drinking, while Sir Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, is monitoring the situation and urging affected residents to seek assistance if needed.

Dishoom has opened its first Yorkshire restaurant on Vicar Lane in Leeds, offering all-day Bombay-inspired dining based on the city’s Iranian cafés and the story of the 1944 SS Fort Stikine explosion. The site features interiors referencing Bombay’s mid-century golden age and is offering 50% off during its soft launch until the following Friday. Leeds collaborations include a chai doughnut with Doh’hut, the exclusive Kohra IPA with Northern Monk, and the Samir’s Vice cocktail. General manager Stewart Anderson said the restaurant had received a warm welcome and aimed to become part of Leeds’s established Indian food culture.

James Close, former head chef of the two-Michelin-starred Raby Hunt, is opening Atlas, a purpose-built 36-cover restaurant at Rockliffe Hall in Hurworth-on-Tees, in September 2026. He aims first to secure a Michelin star for the resort and eventually establish Atlas among the world's best restaurants. The globally inspired experience will combine small dishes, high-end tasting menus, premium wine and non-alcoholic pairings, and chef's-table dining. Atlas is part of a wider expansion of Rockliffe Hall's food and drink offer, alongside the Italian-American restaurant Rialto and Japanese-inspired cocktail bar Ro.

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced a fast-track support pathway for people with motor neurone disease as part of the first phase of social care reform. The pathway aims to reduce delays and fragmentation across health, social care and housing services and will be developed with the MND Association, patients and carers. The announcement was made during a visit to a Leeds care centre named after Rob Burrow, whose campaigning and legacy were praised alongside the work of his family and former teammate Kevin Sinfield. MND Association chief executive Tanya Curry welcomed the commitment but urged the government to turn its stated willingness into nationally and locally implemented solutions.

The UK Government will expand community-based mental health centres in libraries, banks and other high-street locations, including a new site in Hull and expanded services in North Yorkshire and Sheffield. The walk-in centres will provide earlier support without requiring a GP referral, aiming to prevent mental health crises and reduce stigma. The government is also developing dedicated mental health emergency departments near A&E units in Leeds, Barnsley, Sheffield, Wakefield and Hull, arguing that standard emergency departments are not suitable for people experiencing mental health crises.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has called for fossil fuel producers to fund firefighting helicopters and a stronger national wildfire prevention strategy. His comments follow recent UK wildfires, including the prolonged Langdale Moor Fire in North Yorkshire and fires in the Peak District. Polanski criticized the Government for providing little detail on preparedness, while the Government has announced almost £100 million to improve wildfire resilience. The National Fire Chiefs Council has previously backed investment in specialist wildfire capabilities, including aerial support.

Bereaved families in Leeds are urging Health Secretary Yvette Cooper to establish a statutory national inquiry into maternity services, arguing that new national standards alone cannot uncover the scale of avoidable harm or ensure accountability. A BBC investigation found that at least 56 babies and two mothers in Leeds may have died preventable deaths over five years, while more than 50 families are pursuing legal action against Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Donna Ockenden is preparing an independent review of the trust, following her findings of systemic failures in Nottingham. Cooper has pledged stronger maternity standards and broader reforms, while the Leeds trust says improvements are underway and promises to work transparently with families and investigators.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to meet families affected by alleged failures in maternity and neonatal care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust after Donna Ockenden’s independent review concludes. The review follows reports that at least 56 babies and two mothers may have died preventable deaths and could examine up to 3,000 cases over 15 years. More than 50 families are represented by Irwin Mitchell, which believes this may be only the beginning of the cases to emerge. Families welcomed Burnham’s recognition of the scandal but demanded immediate engagement and a national statutory inquiry. The trust apologised for the harm suffered and said improvements are already underway.

The Cricket Regulator is investigating a £1.75m payment made by Yorkshire County Cricket Club to SMP73 Ltd, a consultancy controlled by chief executive Sanjay Patel, in connection with the £100m sale of the Northern Superchargers Hundred franchise to Sun Group. The regulator is obtaining and reviewing relevant material after members raised concerns. Yorkshire says the payment was commission triggered by the sale and that the consultancy work ended before Patel became permanent CEO; it also says the ECB reviewed the information and found no need for a separate investigation. Leeds Central and Headingley MP Alex Sobel welcomed the probe and called for transparency over the payment.

Forty-five NHS executives across Yorkshire were paid more than Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s £172,153 salary in 2024–25, according to TaxPayers’ Alliance analysis. The highest-paid was Hull medical director Kate Wood, on £295,000–£300,000, followed by executives Richard Jenkins and Jonathan Lofthouse. The report highlights concerns at Hull’s NHS partnership, including poor performance rankings, leadership turnover and special measures, while the trust says salaries follow national frameworks and that improvement plans are delivering results. Leeds Teaching Hospitals’ high executive pay is also reported amid an inquiry into maternity services and potentially preventable deaths.

The government plans to introduce technical education pathways from Year 10, beginning in September 2028, combining core academic subjects with skills training, work experience and links to local employers. Mayors, schools, colleges and businesses will tailor the pathways to regional industries, including manufacturing in South Yorkshire, health technology and creative industries in West Yorkshire, and agriculture, technology and rail innovation in York and North Yorkshire. Andy Burnham said the reforms would give technical qualifications equal status with academic routes and help reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training, which has exceeded one million.