Direct East Sussex-London train to be reinstated
The Liberal Democrat, who took a giant ticket-shaped petition to Eastbourne station while campaigning, said the change would have a "positive impact" on the town."This is a huge victory," he added.
Thameslink said the Covid pandemic had had a "devastating impact" on the rail industry. Jenny Saunders, Thameslink customer services director, said the company was doing everything it could do to encourage people back to using rail services, which it called the "most sustainable form of public transport". The new Monday to Thursday service will depart from Eastbourne at 06:48, arriving at London Bridge for 08:25. The return service will leave London Bridge at 17:03 and reach Eastbourne at 18:34.
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North Wales Live
7 minutes ago
- North Wales Live
'Our £325k family home on Anglesey could be all yours for just £5'
An Anglesey couple have put their home in an online raffle where people could win their coastal retreat for a £5 stake. John and Jennie Bailey and their two children are looking to move from the two bedroom apartment in the seaside village of Rhoscolyn to a larger nearby bungalow to accommodate their growing family. But they've decided to try an unconventional way of selling the property - which is valued at £325,000. Rather than the usual approach of placing the home on the market they have teamed with Raffall, a UK-based company often used for property raffles. This has seen people given the opportunity to buy £5 raffle tickets to secure a chance to win the home. If the 150,000 ticket sales target is reached then one lucky winner will get the property. If the target is not reached by January 1 2026 then the draw is still held and the winner gets 50% of the pot. Jennie, 43, mum to Henry, 11, and Sebastian, nine, said it is a wonderful opportunity for someone to win a home in a dream location and they will be sad to leave the place. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now She said: "As a family we have been coming to Rhoscolyn for 40 years, it was part of growing up and just where we came as my parents had another apartment in the same block here,where there are three homes. We then bought a flat for our family. "After Covid we found we were struggling to get down as often with work and family commitments and we decided as a family to move here from Stockport in Manchester in 2023. We have really settled, we already knew so many people and everyone has been so welcoming. We both mainly work from home so we could do this. "The children went to school at Ysgol Rhoscolyn and two years later are now fluent in Welsh, we are trying with our Welsh too. We love it here but while the apartment was fantastic for holidays it is too small now the children are growing up. Our eldest now wants his own room. We will be sad to leave and if it was just me and John we would be staying here." On picking this way to sell the house, Jennie, who works in home decor and helps manage a holiday property, added: 'I realise this is quite unorthodox, but that's what we love about it - imagine winning a home in the most idyllic place for a fiver - it's a life changing chance for someone!" She wants local businesses to get involved in the promotion as they can get a 75p cut in each raffle ticket sold with no cost to themselves. In total the couple need to sell 150,000 tickets for the sale to go through. This would raise a total of £750,000 but Jennie that is not what they would receive. She said: "There are a lot of costs to pay, we will do the stamp duty, potentially for a second home purchase, and the legal costs, Raffall get 10% and then we have significant marketing costs for all of this. Also when we have affiliates selling tickets they get that 75p cut per ticket. "There is a lot of marketing needed to get the sales and we have to be careful not to overspend or this could end up costing us. We started this two weeks ago and so far we have had 4,500 sales." She added: "This really is a once in a lifetime chance for people to live or holiday in a magical place by the sea. "We're only moving round the corner as we love it so much in Rhoscolyn, so we can't wait to see our home enjoyed by a new family and for them to build their own memories here.' On the property, Raffall said: "The two bedroomed coastal haven, worth £325,000 is the definition of modern elegance with an open-plan kitchen and dining area ideal for entertaining and the stylish dining-living space a perfect place to relax. "The property also features a family bathroom, downstairs WC, balcony, private garage and shared garden. Properties in Rhoscolyn are few and far between with the competition offering a rare opportunity for someone to get on the property ladder in this sought after location which has a population of just 542 residents." Property raffles like have become more common in the UK in recent years although don't end with the home changing hands at the end due to the ticket sales target not being met.
The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
Rachel Reeves inadvertently breached rules on declaring freebies, watchdog finds
Rachel Reeves inadvertently breached parliament's rules by failing to declare gifts on time, the standards watchdog has found. The chancellor was probed by the standards commissioner over free theatre tickets, which she failed to add to her register of interests within 28 days. She blamed 'an oversight' for her initial failure to declare the gifts, which included tickets to an adaptation of the classic children's novel Ballet Shoes at the National Theatre over Christmas. Ms Reeves had only listed the donation in the register for ministers, not MPs. In an email to standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg, Ms Reeves suggested the tickets were received in her capacity as chancellor, but that 'there is often ambiguity as to whether hospitality I receive is purely as a result of my role as a minister, or whether it is additionally received in my capacity as an MP'. 'Therefore, to be as transparent as possible, it is my ongoing intention to declare hospitality of this nature on both registers,' Ms Reeves added. After investigating the entry, Mr Greenberg accepted there had been an inadvertent breach, but told the chancellor she could have avoided the mistake by paying 'greater attention to the rules'. Ms Reeves apologised and promised future gifts would be registered in line with Commons rules. The investigation centred on two donations of tickets by the National Theatre. One was a show and dinner last March, valued at £265, and the other was for the December show, valued at £276. The inquiry came at a damaging time for Ms Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer, as it was announced on the eve of the local elections, in which the party suffered heavy losses. She previously faced criticism from MPs for accepting free tickets to a Sabrina Carpenter performance while outlining plans to cut benefits by £5bn. Last year, she also pledged she would not accept any more free clothes from donors after Labour's first months in power were overshadowed by a row over freebies. It came after the chancellor used her Mansion House speech to vow to 'take the boot of regulation off the throat of businesses', unveiling a bonfire of red tape to boost the economy. She said: 'In too many areas, regulation still acts as a boot on the neck of businesses, choking off the enterprise and innovation that is the lifeblood of growth. 'Regulators in other sectors must take up the call I make this evening not to bend to the temptation of excessive caution but to boldly regulate for growth in the service of prosperity across our country.' She told her audience of bankers and investors: 'We have been bold in regulating for growth in financial services and I have been clear on the benefits that will drive with a ripple effect across all sectors of our economy, putting pounds in the pockets of working people.'
BBC News
7 minutes ago
- BBC News
Durham County Council votes to scrap net zero pledge
A county council has revoked its net zero pledge, despite opposition from cross-party councillors and UK councillors in County Durham moved to scrap the 2019 declaration, with an alternative social care pledge voted council leader Darren Grimes, who brought the motion to revoke the climate vow, said: "We are done with expensive virtue-signalling tripe, and care about our residents."Liberal Democrat Mark Wilkes said the council had saved £13m in the past year through climate-saving efficiencies and labelled the Reform motion "cynical and insulting". The previous council environment pledge aimed to achieve net zero emissions by 2045. Net zero means no longer adding to the total amount of greenhouse gases in the said the alternative "care emergency" declaration would help recognise the "critical and escalating crisis" in children's social care, including Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) added: "We seek to declare a real care emergency that's devouring our kids and coffers in tandem." Campaigners gathered outside Durham County Hall before the vote to oppose the banners and placards warned of the ongoing climate emergency, telling council leaders to "get your heads out of the sand". Another message, held by one young boy, read: "If you care…allow me to have a future."Durham County Council received a national award last year for its carbon reduction and was praised for its use of green technologies, including wind turbines, solar panels, and battery said social care issues had "nothing whatsoever to do with climate change"."It is our young people who are going to be most impacted by climate change, and indeed, the savings we have been making off the back of our action on the climate, including energy efficiency measures, is actually helping us to protect frontline social care services," he Elmer, Green Party councillor for Brandon, opposed the Reform plea and said: " If councillor Grimes really cared about SEND provision, he'd have brought this motion without reference to climate change."He'd have worked for cross-party consensus on it, he'd have looked to get ideas and input on how to improve the lives of SEND kids in County Durham from across this chamber."But instead, he's stoked controversy and division. Undoubtedly, many people will conclude it's the controversy that he really cares about."Sixty-two Reform councillors voted to approve the motion, while seven from other parties voted against. There were 17 abstentions and 12 councillors were not present at the meeting, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Reform renamed several key council departments in May, including removing references to climate change in one key cabinet portfolio. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
