Latest news with #ChrisCooke
BBC News
3 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.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
£1.31m to be allocated to vulnerable families and young people in Middlesbrough
A fund of £1.31m is to be allocated for vulnerable families and young people in Middlesbrough. The next phase of the Middlesbrough Priorities Fund will distribute funding to 14 different practical schemes. That's according to a report by Mayor Chris Cooke to be considered by Middlesbrough Council's Executive at a meeting on Wednesday, July 16 next week. The one-off, high impact projects include offering grants from a £150,000 pot to help schools buy books, sports equipment and support performing arts activities. A further £60,000 would be used to support the Tees Valley Multibank, a vital service based in Middlesbrough that helps struggling families with essentials like clothes, bedding, hygiene products and school uniforms. Middlesbrough works as part of a Tees Valley-wide regional team to ensure no one goes without, with the Multibank working directly with large companies to redistribute surplus products. READ MORE: Notorious beggar 'didn't know what he was doing' as he asked people for money in town centre READ MORE: Mum of neurodiverse triplets sets up autism-friendly piercing parlour Mayor Cooke said: 'This fund is all about changing lives in a real and practical way and puts children and hard-working families at the heart of what we do. Investing in our schools means pupils can take part in sport, enjoy music, and feel proud of their achievements. And the Multibank is helping people with the basics - the things every family deserves. Too many people live in poverty in Middlesbrough, but the Multibank helps to take care of the basics and gives our families hope for the future." The full £4.36m Priority Fund has been made possible due to extra government grant funding which is only guaranteed for one year and therefore cannot be built into regular day-to-day spending budgets. The first phase of investments was announced in November and included funding for the Middlesbrough Childhood Enrichment Team and extending school holiday events and meals for children. This latest tranche of projects includes £100,000 to help create a targeted Homeless Intervention Team which will work closely with 10 of the town's most vulnerable people, helping them into housing and support. And an investment of £370,000 to creating an in-house tree management team within Middlesbrough Council would improve safety and reduce the need to use external contractors. Other projects proposed include: £200,000 for a programme at Middlesbrough College to help young people not in education or work (NEETs) get back on track £75,000 for MUSINC, providing new musical instruments and boosting access to lessons £32,000 for the IRIS scheme, training GPs to spot and support victims of domestic abuse £15,000 for energy assessments for local community and faith buildings, helping them cut bills and become more sustainable Funding for a further Trading Standards Officer to crack down on unsafe and counterfeit goods and a Financial Investigator to improve the outcomes of criminal cases and debt recovery. Mayor Cooke added: 'We're making smart investments with this fund and every penny goes into making Middlesbrough a fairer and stronger place. This is about real people and solving real problems - now that we've got a grip on the Council's finances, we're in a position to invest and improve the lives of our residents.'
BBC News
7 days ago
- 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.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Residents oppose sheltered housing plan
Concerns have been raised over plans to turn a former care home into sheltered accommodation. New Walk CIC is turning the site on Burlam Road in Middlesbrough into supported housing for vulnerable individuals in the town. Some residents said there had been a lack of consultation, while others have raised fears about possible crime or anti-social behaviour. New Walk CIC said the site would have 24-hour staffing and it welcomed any constructive objections from residents, businesses and elected members. Middlesbrough mayor Chris Cooke said that as the care home already had a level of planning permission, a new planning application was not required for the sheltered accommodation. He said he found this "difficult", adding: "Regardless of the legalities around the planning requirements, it's up to the companies to make sure that they engage with the residents nearby and make sure that they do consultation openly." Local resident, Thelma Clark, 57, said the lack of consultation was "outrageous" and that she worried site would impact local house prices. Another, Eric Holland, 58, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he was worried about an increase in burglaries in the area if the project went ahead. Jane Jorgensen, 62, said: "We should know what's on our doorstep." New Walk CIC said it had been working on the project since April 2023 and had been in extensive consultation with Middlesbrough Council over the plans. The location of the project was changed in June 2024 after a previous site fell through. "Support for the new location was secured from the local authority before proceeding," a spokesperson said. They said each resident would have a support worker and that the site would help vulnerable individuals. Middlesbrough Council said it was committed to helping homeless and vulnerable people and that there were was a need for more supported accommodation. "We are working closely with the provider at the new facility, who are committed to ensuring its residents engage with the wider community in a positive way," they said. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Care home in special measures for breaching rules Middlesbrough Council New Walk CIC
BBC News
08-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Residents oppose Middlesbrough sheltered housing plan
Concerns have been raised over plans to turn a former care home into sheltered accommodation. New Walk CIC is turning the site on Burlam Road in Middlesbrough into supported housing for vulnerable individuals in the town. Some residents said there had been a lack of consultation, while others have raised fears about possible crime or anti-social Walk CIC said the site would have 24-hour staffing and it welcomed any constructive objections from residents, businesses and elected members. Middlesbrough mayor Chris Cooke said that as the care home already had a level of planning permission, a new planning application was not required for the sheltered said he found this "difficult", adding: "Regardless of the legalities around the planning requirements, it's up to the companies to make sure that they engage with the residents nearby and make sure that they do consultation openly." Local resident, Thelma Clark, 57, said the lack of consultation was "outrageous" and that she worried site would impact local house prices. Another, Eric Holland, 58, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he was worried about an increase in burglaries in the area if the project went ahead. Jane Jorgensen, 62, said: "We should know what's on our doorstep."New Walk CIC said it had been working on the project since April 2023 and had been in extensive consultation with Middlesbrough Council over the plans. The location of the project was changed in June 2024 after a previous site fell through."Support for the new location was secured from the local authority before proceeding," a spokesperson said. They said each resident would have a support worker and that the site would help vulnerable individuals. Middlesbrough Council said it was committed to helping homeless and vulnerable people and that there were was a need for more supported accommodation. "We are working closely with the provider at the new facility, who are committed to ensuring its residents engage with the wider community in a positive way," they said. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
