Latest news with #Horsham
ABC News
6 days ago
- ABC News
One person trapped after school bus and truck crash in regional Victoria
Nine Country Fire Authority (CFA) crews are on-scene in Western Victoria this morning after a truck and a school bus collided. The ABC understands the incident occurred just before 9am at Minyip, along the Stawell-Warracknabeal Road, north east of Horsham. One person remains trapped after the crash. SES and Victoria Police officer are on-scene.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Educate teenagers on politics before letting them vote
During the last general election, my grandson's secondary school held a mock election in which the oldest students voted (Voting age to be lowered to 16 across UK by next general election, 17 July). The majority voted for Nigel Farage, not because of his policies, but because the students thought he was 'hilarious'. To this result, my 16-year-old grandson said: 'And that's why they don't give 16-year-olds the vote.' Unless secondary schools and sixth forms start teaching politics and political systems in school and encourage the notion of informed debate, young voters will get their information from social media (and not from the Guardian app). Having a well-informed tranche of young voters would be wonderful. Imagine an interested and probing group of voters who could challenge policy and refuse to put up with obfuscation. However, unless we enable young teenagers to find the facts among the overwhelming amount of disinformation on social media, this move could end up being Keir Starmer's PerkinsHorsham, West Sussex Reducing the voting age to 16 is long overdue. For far too long, old people have had the arrogance to believe that they know best. They almost never change their voting habits. They read the same newspaper as they have always done, for confirmation bias, making them liable to information distortion. And for many, dare I say, their cognitive degeneration can put them out of touch with reality. I may have become a grumpy old man (now in my eighth decade), but I still recognise that young people are more refreshing John FletcherDundee Rowena Mason draws attention to the disappointing turnout by 16- and 17-year-olds in the 2021 Senedd elections (Lowering the voting age: a boost for UK democracy or a shot in the dark?, 17 July). I was a member of the committee that recommended the lower voting age in Wales. But we also stressed that better civic education is needed if 16- and 17-year-olds are to become politically engaged. That did not happen. The UK government needs to learn that SilkCrickhowell, Powys I have no problem with votes at 16, provided that schools allow bona fide political parties access to their students. When I taught in a West German grammar school in the mid-1970s, the main political parties often used to man a stall in the playground, offering literature and other information to potential student voters. I struggle to find such freedom in our schools, where politics, if discussed at all, tends to be theoretical rather than practical and certainly never party-based. Had we on these islands lived under a dictatorship, we might be less afraid of grasping the nettle, as countries like Germany MarriottNorth Hykeham, Lincolnshire So, the voting age is to be lowered to 16 by the next election. Is this to get their disgust and distrust of politicians in early? It might be better for the government to spend time looking at why voter turnout is so low, rather than make it worse by increasing the size of the electorate. The cabinet could do what it promised (change, not more austerity) and all politicians could represent the people's SmithGuildford, Surrey Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Horsham District Council to buy seven bin lorries in upgrade
Horsham District Council is to spend £1.73m on seven new bin lorries and £50,000 on bin decision was agreed during a meeting of the full council on Mercer, cabinet member for environmental health, recycling and waste, said that seven of the lorries the council's 25-strong fleet were "desperately in need of replacement".Mr Mercer said: "We run the service with very few complaints. We have minimal missed bins and very high recycling figures in comparison with other local authorities. "We're experiencing daily breakdowns, which puts real pressure on the workshop to keep all vehicles legal and road-worthy."The council's fleet collects from 67,000 properties across the district, totalling 4.25 million bin lifts per money will be taken from the capital expenditure budget and will be spent in 2026/ new vehicles will run on HVO – hydro-treated vegetable oil – a biofuel which emits far less carbon when compared to diesel, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
BBC News
21-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Horsham District Council to use £5m to buy 10 additional homes
A West Sussex council is to use £5m to buy 10 additional homes for larger families on its housing waiting funds will be taken from a £14m pot made up of contributions from developers who have been allowed to build in the decision was agreed during a full Horsham District Council meeting and the homes will be leased to Horsham District Homes, the council's affordable housing Baynham, cabinet member for finance, said: "The number of families on our housing register continues to grow while the acute lack of new-build large homes being delivered by registered providers remains." Mr Baynham added that the purchases were "of obvious social benefit, but also make sense financially" with a yield of 2.9% compares to paying £580,000 per year to house 10 families in nightly paid temporary accommodation, according to the Local Democracy Reporting District Council agreed to accept a £77,000 grant from West Sussex County Council to pay for a housing management officer for the next two years, with the grant being topped up by £10,000 from reservesSam Raby, cabinet member for housing and communities, said: "It's really important to think about who's going to be in these homes."These are often families that have been stuck for up to ten years, and without getting these properties, these are the families that would still be stuck on the register as we become a unitary authority and possibly beyond."
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Small claims court: Delays cause businesses 'chaos and trauma'
A builder from Sussex says waiting since last year for his small claims court case to be heard has caused him "so much chaos and so much trauma".Anthony Harman's expressed anger over court delays as Ministry of Justice data said waiting times in Sussex have increased by up to 36% for the first quarter of the year, with people in Horsham now waiting almost 18 months for cases to be Harman, from Hove, says judges should be replaced by expert panels to rule on claims to speed up the Ministry of Justice said it's investing in a thousand judges and tribunal members, and increasing remote hearings to speed up cases. Cases in Lewes are taking about 16 months to be heard, and claimants in Worthing, Hastings and Brighton wait between a year and 14 Anthony Harman's case relates to work he did last said he was "a very positive person" but his case has made him "very angry at times"."The justice system is meant to make people fear justice, but also to give them hope that justice will prevail," he said. Mr Harman said some tradespeople need to borrow money to cover their loss of income while they wait and the costs of making a added: "You've got the interest on the loan. You've got the trauma, the stress, all that stuff that leads up for a whole year, which is damaging for your health, both physically and mentally." 'Courtroom not needed' Mr Harman, who's been a builder for 11 years, believes reforming the system to move away from using legally trained judges to rule on civil business matters would speed up the said: "I've seen people in the industry that have gone through the same path as me and they've given up after two or three months because they can't cope with that burden of the money they're owed. "And some people won't even go through the court system because they know it's that bad."Realistically it doesn't need a courtroom, it doesn't need a judge." In a statement the Ministry of Justice said around 97% of county court cases are resolved without going to trial, and since 2024, anyone making a money claim under £10,000 must first attend free mediation before going to said this helps people resolve disputes faster and keeps court time free for more complex said it was also funding 74,300 sitting days in the Civil Courts for 2025/26.
