Latest news with #Section114
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Fury as bankrupt Birmingham council offering asylum seekers huge discounts on swimming, golf, trampolining & Villa games
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BANKRUPT Birmingham Council is offering small boat asylum seekers hefty discounts on leisure activities — including swimming, golf and trampolining. The Labour-run authority, which is locked in a bin strike now in its seventh month, is giving migrants up to 25 per cent off through its Passport To Leisure scheme. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Small boat asylum seekers are being offered hefty discounts on leisure activities Credit: Getty 2 Money is lopped off tickets to watch shows, such as Disney musical Mary Poppins at the Birmingham Hippodrome Credit: supplied Migrants, many of whom have crossed the Channel by boat before claiming asylum on reaching the UK, can also get a fifth off on the use of council swimming pools. Martial arts classes are subsidised for migrants under the initiative, as are courses on trampolining, golf, gymnastics and football. The price of a trip to a council wellbeing centre for fitness, yoga, squash and badminton sessions is also cheaper. The council even offers £1 tickets to Aston Villa matches for migrant children, as long as they are accompanied by a full paying adult. In a further slap in the face for taxpayers, asylum seekers get ten per cent off at most council leisure sites, meaning cheaper trips to the theatre, museum and city's botanical gardens. Under the scheme, £3 is lopped off tickets to watch shows, such as Disney musical Mary Poppins at the Birmingham Hippodrome. The Passport To Leisure card is available to over-60s, full-time students, carers, disabled people and recipients of certain benefits. Birmingham — England's largest local authority district by population — already has a 'Be Active' scheme for asylum seekers which offers free swimming and gym sessions. The council is £3.9billion in debt and declared itself effectively bankrupt in September 2023 with the issue of a Section 114 notice, limiting it to essential spending only. It is also under fire over its handling of a bin strike which has seen mountains of rubbish pile up on the city's streets. Migrant hotel protesters take to the streets again as demonstrations spread across the country in weekend stand-off Unite union members are in a dispute over pay and proposed changes to some roles. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'This is a bankrupt Labour council, in the middle of a bin strike, racking up billions in debt, hiking council tax by 21 per cent, and their priority is trampolining perks for illegal immigrants. 'It is a slap in the face for hard-pressed taxpayers who are being forced to subsidise freebies for illegal immigrants who claim asylum having crossed the channel.'
Bangkok Post
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Senate panel backs amnesty for ‘reckless, impulsive' youth
A Senate committee is backing an amnesty for young people who may have committed political offences out of recklessness or impulsiveness according to a spokesman. The Senate Committee on Political Development, Public Participation, Human Rights, Liberties and Consumer Protection convened on Tuesday to review four amnesty bills, three of which are also before a House committee. The House on July 16 passed three amnesty bills out of the five under consideration during first reading. The three bills that passed came from the United Thai Nation, Khru Thai and Bhumjaithai parties. The bills that did not pass were proposed by the People's Party and a civil society group backed by 36,723 signatories. The Senate committee, however, invited all five sponsors to give more details about their bills. Four showed up but Bhumjaithai was not represented, said Senator Pornchai Wiriyalert, the committee spokesman. He said the committee aimed to assess whether the bills could lead to national reconciliation after two decades of political conflict, while also addressing growing public criticism. Sen Pornchai said the four amnesty bills can be categorised into two types. The first type clearly specifies which offences would be covered by the amnesty. This approach allows for swift adoption, as those found guilty under the defined offences would automatically receive amnesty once the laws are passed. However, it is viewed by many as potentially unjust, as it could be seen as favouring one side over the other. The second type does not pre-define offences but instead proposes a review committee to evaluate individual cases. While this allows for more thorough and case-by-case consideration, it may result in lengthy deliberations, he said. Sen Pornchai said some bills propose granting an amnesty for serious criminal offences, such as terrorism, treason (Section 113 of the Criminal Code), illegal arms possession (Section 114), or arson, while excluding those charged under Section 112 (the lese-majeste law), which carries penalties of three to 15 years in prison. He added many of these Section 112 cases involve non-violent online activities, such as posting or sharing content on Facebook, with some offenders receiving prison terms exceeding 20 years. The committee said that if Section 112 offences were politically motivated rather than intended to cause unrest, they should be eligible for an amnesty. As the proposed bills include the formation of committees to evaluate cases, the Senate committee also urged that these bodies be inclusive and not dominated by any single political side.
BBC News
12-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
MPs call for help over Lincolnshire Police 'bankruptcy' fears
Seven MPs have written to the Home Office to share "bankruptcy concerns" over the financial situation of Lincolnshire letter states the force is at risk of having to issue a Section 114 notice, which would mean it may have to declare itself effectively additional support, the MPs said it would result in planning for a reduction of 190 police officers and 180 police staff from Home Office has been approached for comment but previously told the BBC it had increased the force's budget to £174.5m - a rise of 6.2%. In the letter, the MPs called for an urgent meeting with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to "discuss how the matter could be resolved".The findings came from independent experts at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), the letter accessed the force's efficiency and warned that "without additional support or fundamental change in funding arrangements, the force is at risk of having to issue a Section 114 notice".The MPs said this would "mark the first time a police force has ever been forced to do so".It added that this would leave "communities in Lincolnshire unpoliced and unsafe".The letter was signed by Dr Caroline Johnson, Sir John Hayes, Sir Edward Leigh, Victoria Atkins, Gareth Davies, Alicia Kearns and Richard Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Lincolnshire has been approached for comment. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
New Straits Times
18-06-2025
- New Straits Times
RTD issues summonses over reckless bus driving caught on video
KUALA LUMPUR: The Road Transport Department (RTD) has taken enforcement action against two bus operators after viral videos showed their drivers behaving dangerously on Malaysian roads. In a statement, RTD said it received two separate complaints involving public service vehicles and launched investigations that led to summonses and official action under the Road Transport Act 1987. In the first case, a driver for StarMart Express Sdn Bhd was caught driving on the emergency lane and overtaking dangerously along the North-South Expressway near the Kulai R&R northbound. The driver was issued a notice for two offences under the Road Traffic Rules 1956. In the second incident, involving Sanwa Tours (M) Sdn Bhd, the RTD issued a notice under Section 114 for both the driver and vehicle owner after a bus was seen driving recklessly in the Mersing area. "This department will not compromise with any vehicle (operator) that violates the law and will take firm action against those involved," the department said. Operators were also urged to monitor their drivers' behaviour to ensure full compliance with traffic regulations.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
London town halls on edge of bankruptcy after overspending £330m on homelessness services
London's councils overspent on their homelessness budgets by at least £330m last year, as town halls warn that the escalating crisis is pushing them closer to bankruptcy. The reported overspend was paid out by boroughs in the 2024/25 financial year, and represented a 60 per cent increase compared with what they originally budgeted for. The figures - produced in a new analysis by the capital's local government association, London Councils - comes as borough leaders emphasise there is 'a growing mismatch' between their temporary accommodation costs and the subsidy they receive for this from the Government. In 2023/24, the gap was around £96m, but London Councils estimates that the shortfall for 2024/25 reached £140m - an increase of 45 per cent. Responding to the data, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has insisted that ministers are working to tackle 'the root causes of homelessness', including by boosting affordable house-building. But local leaders fear that if current trends continue, more boroughs will need emergency support and may even be at risk of issuing Section 114 notices - which effectively serve as declarations of bankruptcy. In England, councils have a legal duty to provide temporary accommodation to homeless households who qualify for support under housing law. Local leaders argue that this makes it essentially impossible for councils to place strict limits on their homelessness expenditure. Last year, London boroughs allocated almost £600m to their homelessness budgets for 2024/25. This was based on previous years' spending and anticipated increases in homelessness pressures. According to London Councils however, 'pressures shot up even faster than expected' and the number of homeless Londoners requiring temporary accommodation has reached the highest level ever recorded - 183,000, or one in 50 residents of the capital. It means boroughs are now collectively spending £4m a day on temporary accommodation. 'The worsening homelessness emergency is devastating the lives of too many Londoners and represents the single biggest risk to boroughs' finances,' said Grace Williams, London Councils' executive member for housing. 'Homelessness spending is fundamentally driven by factors outside our control. Boroughs have a legal duty to provide homelessness support - and we're seeing homelessness numbers skyrocket while accommodation costs spiral.' Ms Williams, who also serves as Labour leader of Waltham Forest Council, added: 'If things carry on as they are, we will see more boroughs' become effectively bankrupt. This brings massive uncertainty to the future of our communities' local services, and could ultimately mean more costs to the Government when emergency interventions are required. 'London boroughs are doing everything we can to turn this situation around, but we need urgent action from ministers. Only national government has the powers and resources required to bolster councils' budgets and reduce homelessness pressures - particularly through investing far more in affordable housing.' Responding, an MHCLG spokesman said: 'We inherited a serious housing crisis which is why we are taking urgent and decisive action to end homelessness, fix the foundations of local government and drive forward our Plan for Change. 'This government is providing £1bn for crucial homelessness services and tackling the root causes of homelessness by building 1.5m new homes, boosting social and affordable housing and abolishing section 21 no fault evictions.'
