Latest news with #BenHouchen
BBC News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Turner Prize 2026 in Middlesbrough hailed as 'major coup'
The announcement that the Turner Prize is to be held in Middlesbrough has been hailed as a "major coup".The award, which is given to a British visual artist and is organised by Tate, will be held at the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (Mima), which is part of Teesside Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said it would bring investment and visitors to the prize helped launch the careers of internationally renowned artists such as Damien Hirst, Steve McQueen and Grayson Perry. The exhibition of work by the four shortlisted artists for the prize will open in autumn 2026 at MIMA, with the announcement of the winner following in December.A programme of events connected to the awards is being planned by the Tees Valley Combined Authority, Mima and Teesside University."Hosting the Turner Prize exemplifies our ambition and commitment to seeing art and culture thrive in the Tees Valley, the UK and internationally," Prof Paul Croney, chief executive of Teesside University, the past three years, Middlesbrough has been working towards a programme to become known as the most creative town in the UK with a £4.25m fund by Arts Council Mayor Chris Cooke said: "We've been working hard on a mission to be the most creative town and welcoming new visitors will help us change perceptions and highlight the brilliant things that happen here every day."Tees valley Mayor Ben Houchen said it was a "major coup" with the arts sector playing an "important role in driving economic growth". Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Closure of Middlesbrough's Next leaves town 'in dire state'
The closure of a town centre's branch of Next has been described as a "real blow" leaving it in "a dire state".The clothing and homeware shop on Middlesbrough's Linthorpe Road will cease trading on town's Mayor, Chris Cooke, described it as a "regrettable" loss, while Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen warned the area was in "desperate need of regeneration".Next has been approached for comment. Middlesbrough town centre has lost several other well-known retailers in recent years including House of Fraser, Debenhams and Marks & Cooke said his thoughts were with affected staff and linked the closures to the "dominance" of online shopping and changing customer also said that planning authorities looking to the future had "got to get the mix right" and it should be a combination of retail and leisure alongside places to the town's Stack venue and new Odeon cinema, he said other positives included Teesside University, Middlesbrough College and the Northern School of Art which "welcomes thousands of students every day".Further work, he said, was being done by the council to repurpose Captain Cook Square as a leisure destination. Cost 'too high' Conservative Houchen described the closure of Next as "a real blow" for staff and shoppers."Lets be absolutely frank, the town centre is in a dire state and in desperate need of regeneration," he said."To say anything else would be frankly dishonest, and that is why I set up the Middlesbrough Development Corporation (MDC) to make real change happen."He directed some blame at the government for the continued decline of the High Street, warning "the cost of doing business is simply too high" with policies "that are killing our town centre businesses".In response, a Treasury spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the government was "pro-business" and that economic activity was "at a record high with 384,000 more people in employment since we entered office".They added: "We are also protecting the smallest businesses from the employer National Insurance rise, and reforming the business rates system to create a fairer system that protects the High Street, supports investment and levels the playing field." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Telegraph
07-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
P&O axes crucial ferry route to continental Europe
P&O Ferries is to terminate a key ferry service linking the north of England with continental Europe in a fresh blow to the industrial economy of the North East. The shipping giant, which is controlled by the Dubai government, plans to scrap a truck ferry route between Teesport and Zeebrugge in Belgium at the end of the year after deciding that it is no longer viable. The route has been in operation for more than 50 years. P&O said the closure of the route was tied to its strategy of developing a more 'strategic, flexible and differentiated network' for the North Sea. A spokesman said there will be no job cuts as a result of the move. Teesport, which is located on the south bank of the Tees in Redcar and Cleveland, is owned by PD Ports, one of the UK's largest ports operators. Frans Calje, chief executive of PD, told staff on Thursday that P&O had exercised a break clause that would bring its 50-year relationship with Teesport to a close. He said that while the cancellation was 'clearly disappointing' for PD, no posts were at risk. 'Even if there were to be a loss of activity in the ferry zone, which I don't expect, we've got ample opportunities in the port to re-skill people and deploy them elsewhere,' he said. However Ben Houchen, the Teesside mayor, said P&O's decision to scrap the route was concerning. 'This is a deeply worrying time for PD Ports and the many people whose livelihoods depend on its success. The past couple of years have been turbulent, particularly as other ports in the region have been making real progress,' he said. P&O is one of Britain's largest ship operators but has faced controversy in the past after sacking 800 staff in 2022 and replacing them with low-paid agency workers. Last year its Dubai owner threatened to boycott a UK investment summit led by Sir Keir Starmer after then-transport secretary Louise Haigh dubbed P&O a 'rogue operator'. News of the ferry route closure is a blow to the North East and comes less than two weeks after Sabic, a Saudi chemical giant, revealed plans to permanently shut the Olefins 6 'cracker' facility on Teesside. Sabic's confirmation of the closure of its plant came just days after Labour unveiled its Industrial Strategy. The move puts about 300 local jobs at risk. Ensus, which runs a bioethanol plant in Redcar, also warned last month that it faced 'imminent' closure after the UK-US trade deal removed a 19pc tariff on US ethanol imports. Meanwhile, P&O's decision represents a potential significant setback to the planned sale of PD by its owner, Canadian fund manager Brookfield. Peel Ports dropped out of the bidding for PD Ports while several infrastructure specialists expected to take part failed to put forward proposals by an April 9 deadline, according to reports. PD employs around 1,400 people, including 1,200 at Teesport, which handles 25m tonnes of cargo a year, including oil, chemicals, shipments for the offshore wind industry and gypsum used to make plasterboard for the building trade. In April, PD Ports in April unveiled plans to devote 180 acres of land to developing the £200m Teesport Offshore Gateway, aimed at attracting manufacturing, assembly and supply-chain work tied to North Sea wind farms, though sources said investment was unlikely to be forthcoming until ownership of the company is resolved.
BBC News
05-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Labour's first year: How has the North East and Cumbria fared?
A year ago Labour won all but two of north-east England and Cumbria's 32 constituencies in a landslide election that swept Sir Keir Starmer into Downing after a bumpy 12 months is Labour's rose still proud, or a little wilted?Time to see whether July 2025 marks a happy or unhappy anniversary. Giving us more power Happy anniversary: One of Labour's strongest areas. Within days of taking office, Sir Keir Starmer invited the country's elected regional mayors into 10 Downing Street, including the North East's Kim McGuinness and the one Conservative mayor, Tees Valley's Lord PM was keen to enlist them in his plan for economic growth and so far Labour has largely been good to its word, with regular meetings between ministers and has offered more powers and more freedom, while more money is also on the way. The test will be if it is sustained, but even Ben Houchen says he cannot find fault in the approach to anniversary: A lack of devolution has seen Cumbria miss out on any available pots of money. But that could change next year when the county is due to get an elected mayor, which will unlock its own devolution deal. Getting us moving Happy anniversary: The biggest boost to that devolution process was the release of almost £2.8bn for the mayors to spend on local projects (£1bn for Tees Valley, £1.8bn for the rest of the North East).And that means Kim McGuinness can now promise a long-awaited extension of the Tyne & Wear Metro to Washington. Other investments planned include trams in Teesside and work on Middlesbrough only problem for Labour is that travellers won't see the results of some of this investment until well after the next election. Unhappy anniversary: Labour has been less keen on big road projects. A scheme to dual a 13-mile section of the A1 in Northumberland was scrapped in Rachel Reeves' first Budget, even though the previous government had spent £68.4m preparing the over "budget" alternatives have started, but it is not the first time a plan for the A1 has failed to come to campaigners are also still waiting to find out the fate of the £1.4bn plan to upgrade the remaining single carriageway sections of the A66 between Scotch Corner and Penrith. It has been officially paused with a decision apparently imminent. Making us healthier Happy anniversary: The latest waiting list figures had some encouraging news. Since Labour came to power the numbers on the list in the North East and Yorkshire regional NHS area have fallen by more than 19, anniversary: There is a long way to go if Labour is to meet its election target of 92% of patients waiting no more than 18 weeks. It is a target that has not been reached since 2015 and none of our hospital trusts managed to reach it in the latest is performing the best with 79.5% waiting no more than 18 weeks, but North Cumbria performs below the national average with only 56.5% treated within that time. Labour has pledged to meet the target by March 2029. Making us wealthier Happy anniversary: In terms of tackling poverty, a 6.7% increase in the National Living Wage paid to over-21s stands to benefit a significant number of people in a region which has the lowest pay in the UK. Thousands of children will also benefit from a decision to broaden the entitlement to free school meals to all families claiming Universal Credit, though that will not kick in until next year. Breakfast clubs in some of the area's schools will come sooner and new nurseries will help parents with anniversary: There is still a great deal of uncertainty about the government's plans to reform Personal Independence Payments and reduce the entitlement for some. Nothing now looks likely to change until after a review concludes next year but, as the region with the highest take up of the disability benefit, any change could have a significant impact. The U-turn on winter fuel payments for older people will mean more now qualify, but of course thousands lost out in the first winter of this government.A decision on whether to scrap the two-child cap on some benefits has yet to come. It is something campaigners in the North East say could make the biggest difference to child poverty, but with the government now searching for money to replace the savings sacrificed with the winter fuel and welfare change rethinks, it may have made the change less likely. Boosting our businesses Happy anniversary: There was a welcome in the North East business community for the government's recently-published 10-year industrial strategy. It offers the potential of support and investment in sectors where the region is strong, from manufacturing and green energy to the creative will be moves to help businesses like Nissan and the chemical industry with high energy bills, though not till 2027. A promise to invest in nuclear power will be of interest in Cumbria and was a big boost for Hitachi in County Durham, with new work to build trains delivering on the prime minister's pre-election pledge to secure its future. Unhappy anniversary: Some businesses have faced extra costs because of Labour's decision to raise their National Insurance Cumbria there has been concern that tourism and hospitality did not feature in the industrial the recent decision by a major investor to pull out of plans to develop a film studio in Sunderland was a reminder that no amount of strategy can cover every the protests over changes to inheritance tax, it is probably best not to ask our farmers whether they have enjoyed Labour's first year! Electoral prospects Happy anniversary: Just before July's General Election, Labour's Kim McGuinness became the first North East Mayor and her presence in the region offered a chance for a politician from the party to deliver in lockstep with the government and champion the least Labour scraping home in the North Tyneside mayoral election this May shows it can still win here. And they do not have to call another general election until 2029. Unhappy anniversary: The continuing rise of Reform UK since the party polled well in the region last July poses a big political threat. Its sweeping victory in this year's Durham County Council election shows just how serious the challenge even if the Conservatives are still struggling, the Liberal Democrats and Greens have also been looking to pick off the party's voters. Next year's local elections offer fresh challenges and, on current polling, Labour's longstanding command of the councils in Newcastle, Sunderland, South Tyneside and Gateshead could well be over. Follow BBC North East on X and Facebook and BBC Cumbria on X and Facebook and both on Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Ben Houchen got 'no reply' to new North Tees hospital meeting request letters
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen says he has written to the health secretary "13 times" about plans for a new hospital but has yet to receive a direct reply. The Conservative peer, who was being quizzed by BBC Tees listeners, was asked by a caller for an update on the project at North Tees in Stockton, which one described as "not fit for purpose".Houchen highlighted the importance of government involvement in delivering on his election promise, but he said his requests over the last year for a meeting with Wes Streeting remained unanswered. The Department of Health has been approached for comment. University Hospitals Tees said its teams were working together to develop a plan. Houchen was responding to listener Andy, from Ingleby Barwick, who said: "I just wanted to know what was going on because it is not fit for purpose for the residents in Stockton at the moment."I have been recently, all the ceiling tiles are falling in. It's very old and dated."BBC Sounds: Ben Houchen gives North Tees hospital updateExplaining his attempts to contact the health secretary, Houchen said: "I said I just wanted a meeting to talk to you about the need for a new hospital. I have not even received a reply. 13 times over the last 12 months."The only reply that I got, which was about a month ago, was his office, which replied saying: 'The secretary of state can't meet you and we will let you meet a junior minister at some point in the future'."Now to me that is not on." 'Speaks volumes' Houchen said to build a "brand new state-of-the-art hospital" that served the Tees Valley region and beyond "requires government involvement.""A new hospital is going to cost potentially £1bn and the secretary of state has to be involved in that process," he said."The fact that the secretary of state doesn't want to meet me speaks volumes." Houchen was asked if he had raised the issue during his meetings with the prime minister and other mayors in Downing said: "I raise it regularly with anybody that will listen to me, but ultimately because they have taken back control of the NHS the Secretary of State is ultimately the decision maker in the NHS."A University Hospitals Tees spokesperson said: "Our estates and clinical teams are working collaboratively to develop a strategic outline case to support our ambitions." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
