Latest news with #communitycohesion
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Peterborough summit kick-starts plans for new city swimming pool
A swimming club and a university principal joined politicians at a summit aimed at bringing a public pool back to a City Council hosted the event at its offices on Friday, after the government announced funding could be available for a new facility earlier this has been without an public indoor swimming pool for two years, and it is estimated building a new one could cost £ Jones, the council's Labour leader, said the summit was a chance for different people to "get round the table" and come up with a business case for a new facility. "It was heartening to feel the passion and enthusiasm in the room to deliver a new pool," he said. The government announced plans for a Peterborough Sports Quarter, complete with indoor swimming pool, in the recent spending review. In order to bid for a share of the new £240m Growth Mission Fund, which will be spent on local projects, a business case would need to be put Rachel Reeves said the quarter would form part of the Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) campus in the city and "drive activity and community cohesion".Jones said the announcement had "fired the starting block in attracting the funding needed to deliver a new pool". The city's MPs Andrew Pakes and Sam Carling went to the summit, along with representatives from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and ARU were joined by the City of Peterborough Swimming Club, Friends of Peterborough Lido, and local charity, Living the Labour MP for North West Cambridgeshire, whose constituency covers much of the south of the city, said: "We all want to see a new pool delivered for Peterborough."This matters to families, schools, clubs and communities."Morgan Stevenson, from the City of Peterborough Swimming Club, said he was excited by the "ambition and energy" from others in moving the project forward."We're fully committed to working in partnership with the wider group to help deliver the modern, inclusive aquatic facility that Peterborough truly deserves," he added. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Taskforce launched to tackle root causes of UK riots
An independent commission aimed at tackling community divisions across Britain in the aftermath of last summer's riots will hold its first meeting on cross-party body, led by former Tory home secretary Sir Sajid Javid and Labour MP Jon Cruddas, says it will examine what Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer last year called the "cracks in our foundation" and has support from across the political aims to develop "evidence-based" recommendations for a stronger, more connected sense of community across the Sajid said ministers have only responded to challenges to community cohesion "when tensions spill over, and too often ignoring the root causes". Did social media fan the flames of riot in Southport?MPs reject two-tier policing claims in 2024 riots Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, ex-Tory mayor of the West Midlands Sir Andy Street, and former counter-extremism tsar Dame Sara Khan are also among its Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion was announced after the summer riots last year which hit parts of the country last year following the Southport stabbings. False information spread on social media about the identity of the attacker, later found to be 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana, was widely seen as playing a role in fuelling the disturbances, which saw mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers targeted, were denounced at the time as "far-right thuggery" by Sir recent weeks, there has also been unrest in parts of Northern Ireland, where police have said some of it has been racially motivated. The commission said a UK-wide "national conversation" will be launched this autumn, to hear directly from people across the country about how they experience connection and belonging and what they want to see panel will have representation from all four nations of the UK and people from different faiths and is being facilitated by the Together Coalition founded by Brendan Cox, the husband of the Labour MP Jo Cox who was murdered by a far-right not officially government-sponsored, the commission is being supported by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.A spokesperson for the department said: "We are supportive of the work that the Together Coalition is undertaking, and we look forward to following the commission's progress".
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Javid: Immigration failures have made Britain a tinderbox
Failure to tackle the migrant crisis has played a part in Britain becoming a 'tinderbox of division', Sir Sajid Javid has said. In his first major intervention since standing down from the Commons last month, the former chancellor warned communal life was now 'under threat like never before'. Sir Sajid and Jon Cruddas, the former Labour MP, will co-chair a new Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion that meets for the first time on Wednesday. The commission, launched in response to the riots that followed the Southport attacks last summer, will make policy recommendations which aim to strengthen communities. Sir Sajid told The Telegraph: 'Communal life in Britain is under threat like never before and intervention is urgently needed. 'There have been long-term, chronic issues undermining connections within our communities for several decades now, such as the degradation of local infrastructure from the local pub to churches, the weakening of family units, growing inequality, declining trust in institutions and persistent neglect from policy-makers. 'In more recent years, new threats like the mismanagement of immigration, cost of living pressures and social media driven extremism, have begun to turn this crisis of social disconnection into an acute threat of social division.' Sir Sajid went on to warn that those issues were now 'converging into something dangerous', adding: 'The country is now sitting on a tinderbox of disconnection and division.' Net migration reached almost 906,000 people in June 2023, while small boat Channel crossings this year are currently at a record high. During his tenure as secretary of state for communities, Sir Sajid said in 2016 that too many people in the UK were living 'parallel lives'. Asked if he still believed this was the case almost a decade on, he replied: 'Yes. I am worried that we are more disconnected as a country than at any other point in our modern history, and that we are far more divided than any of us wants to be... 'As a nation, we have struggled to maintain the connections we once had. There is a pandemic of loneliness that has spread across the country, driving disconnection and that has been put on steroids by social media.' Sir Sajid added issues of integration had not been dealt with fully by 'successive governments' and said political correctness was partly to blame. 'Certainly that is partly due to political correctness and anxieties around being seen to cause offence,' he said. 'But it's also due to a lack of clear policy options – which this commission intends to address – and because this has been a slow creeping crisis that has not received the focus or attention that it should have done. 'Short-term crises, such as the findings of the grooming gangs inquiry, or the riots last summer and those in recent weeks in Northern Ireland, have all laid bare the fragility of community cohesion in this country today. 'All offer a stark warning of what happens when these questions go unaddressed.' Striking a more optimistic note about Britain's future, Sir Sajid said Britain had the 'phenomenal attributes' that it needs to rise to its social challenges. He concluded that the work of the commission will seek to 'build a vision for communities across the nation that all British citizens can buy into.' Sir Sajid and Mr Cruddas will join 19 commissioners from across the political spectrum, spanning academia, business, civil society, the media and religious groups. Prominent members include Lord Bilimoria, a cross-bench peer and former president of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), and Dame Sara Khan, the former counter-extremism commissioner.
Daily Telegraph
12-06-2025
- Daily Telegraph
Australia's worst neighbours exposed
In the heart of suburban Australia, neighbours can be both a source of comfort and contention. While many enjoy the camaraderie and support that comes with sharing a street, others find themselves embroiled in disputes that test the limits of civility and legality. This story delves into the unsettling world of bad neighbours, examining the lengths to which some will go to achieve their desired outcomes, and the impact these actions have on community cohesion and individual wellbeing. The celeb realtor Vs two tiny sheds In a case that has captured public attention, a US-based real estate agent, Julian Galbraith Johnston, has been portrayed as the ultimate bad neighbour. Johnston allegedly arranged for the illegal demolition of two historic fishing shacks on the Fleurieu Peninsula to improve the view for his new development. George Lavrentiadis, who carried out the demolition, was paid $5000 and believed the action was legal. Lavrentiadis admitted in court that he trusted Johnston's claim that the shacks were not protected, as reported by The Advertiser . MORE NEWS Derelict seaside cottage to be auctioned for $2 Australia's secretive religious groups exposed Inside Australia's haunting mall mystery Barry Robertson, whose family owned one of the shacks, caught Lavrentiadis in the act and accused him of being 'vermin' for destroying the shacks for such a small sum. Robertson also claimed Lavrentiadis stole $29,000 worth of personal and historic items. The shacks were part of a dispute between Robertson and Johnston, who argued they were on Crown land next to his property. Despite Johnston's denial of any wrongdoing, Lavrentiadis pleaded guilty to damaging property. Prosecutors are now seeking jail time for Lavrentiadis, emphasising that the loss can't be fixed with money alone. This case highlights the clash between development and preserving history, with Johnston's actions sparking debate about the impact of modernisation on treasured community sites. Read more here. Judge demands action in neighbour tree dispute In a recent neighbourhood dispute in Budds Beach, Gold Coast, Rodney Ernest O'Kane took his neighbours Mark Francis Caughley and Roberta Rosina Battaglia to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) over flowering trees that hang over his rental property. Mr O'Kane claimed the trees blocked sunlight and dropped leaves into his pool, causing maintenance issues. The tribunal ruled that the neighbours must prune the trees to form a hedge each winter, with the first trimming due by August 24, 2024, at their expense. The dispute arose after Mr O'Kane complained about the trees damaging his landscaping and pool, claims which were denied by Mr Caughley and Ms Battaglia. They argued that the trees were planted as a screening hedge 20 years ago and provided habitat for local wildlife. The couple also stated that Mr O'Kane only raised issues about the trees after their relationship soured over a separate fence damage incident. The tribunal's decision highlights the complexities of neighbourhood disputes and the importance of maintaining good relations with neighbours. Read more here. The `evil nun' A North Queensland woman hung a bucket of rotting fish near her neighbours' kitchen window in actions 'unlike anything' seen by a seasoned magistrate, Cairns Magistrates Court heard. The Cairns Post reported in 2023, Elizabeth Anne Sheean, 66, pleaded guilty to the stalking and common assault of her two neighbours over 14 months from August, 2021 to October, 2022. The dispute stemmed from her claims of excessive noise and problems with their pet cat. After the rotting fish incident, Sheean placed an image of an 'evil nun' from the movie The Conjuring on a window facing the couple's house — for over a year until one week before her first court appearance. 'She knew my wife was religious and would be very upset by this. She had been calling us evil for quite some time,' the neighbour said. The court heard she once hit a phone out of the hand of one of the neighbours and told them she wished they would die of cancer. Magistrate Kevin Priestly said he found Sheean's conduct 'self-righteous' and 'lacking insight'. He sentenced her to three years' probation and ordered she have no contact with the neighbours. Tanks but no tanks! In 2020, Branko Soda of South Australia, won a legal battle to have a large rainwater tank moved away from his home. Upon returning from holiday, Mr Soda found the 46,000-litre tank installed next to his house, blocking his veranda view. Although the Campbelltown Council had retrospectively approved the tank, the Environment, Resources and Development Court ordered his neighbour, Bayden Greer, to move it at least 800mm. Mr Greer agreed to relocate it 2.5 metres further north and an additional 600mm from the boundary. Mr Soda spent over $6,500 on the legal challenge, which attracted national attention and divided public opinion. The court order also requires planting creepers to screen the tank, and Mr Greer has voluntarily started building a 2.8m high fence. Although Mr Soda regrets not pushing for a greater distance during mediation, he is relieved to regain some of his view. While some supported his cause, others saw no issue with the tank's placement. Read more here. Neighbours at war over fence In Brisbane, a neighbourhood conflict over a dividing fence reached boiling point in 2022, resulting in police intervention after nearby residents heard cries for help. The dispute involved Reshael Sirputh and her neighbour Mitch McKee, who was caught on video dismantling a chain wire fence between their properties. Ms Sirputh's recording also captured her desperate attempts to stop him. Mr McKee claims his actions were part of plans to construct a new fence. However, Ms Sirputh argues that when Mr McKee moved in five years earlier, he built a paling fence in front of the existing chain wire fence, only to later remove it. Following council advice, Ms Sirputh erected a bamboo fence on her side when she got a dog, which Mr McKee also tore down. The situation further escalated when Mr McKee was recorded swinging a hammer at Ms Sirputh's dog, leading to claims of injuries to the animal, which Mr McKee denies. The altercation included Mr McKee making threats against the dog, further heightening tensions between the neighbours. Read more here. Millionaire's court battle over palm trees Two millionaires in one of Sydney's wealthiest suburb were locked in a court battle over palm, obstructing one of the homeowner's exclusive harbour views. Former Allianz chairman John Curtis took his neighbour businessman Winardi Pranatajaya to the NSW Land and Environment Court in 2024 over the palm trees, which he claims are obstructing the harbour views he has 'enjoyed since purchasing his property in 1993'. He argued that the trees breached an agreement on the property title limiting the height of items on Pranatajaya's land. However, the NSW Land and Environment Court, led by Acting Commissioner David Galwey, determined that the palm trees did not severely obstruct Curtis' views and were important for maintaining Pranatajaya's privacy. The court found that while the trees moderately affected views from Curtis' patio, they did not significantly impact views from other parts of his property. The Trees Disputes Between Neighbours Act requires that trees must severely restrict sunlight or views to justify removal or pruning. Galwey highlighted the trees' landscape value and privacy benefits for Pranatajaya, suggesting that the parties might consider replacing the palms with bamboo, which could be kept at an appropriate height. Curtis' sandstone home, purchased for $1.62 million in 1993, is a historic five-bedroom residence built in 1856, featuring a grand drawing room, formal dining room, and a swimming pool with harbour views. The property is now estimated to be worth over $20 million. Read more here. Millionaire goes to war over size of boat If you think size doesn't matter – it does! Just ask Gold Coast resident, Maxwell Gordon Leslie, who has been embroiled in a dispute with his millionaire neighbours, Robert and Janice Buttner, over a pontoon and boat size at their Sanctuary Cove property. According to an article published online by the Courier Mail, Leslie claims the Buttners violated community by-laws with their pontoon and building works, prompting the body corporate to take action against the Buttners at the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT). However, Leslie's request to join the tribunal case was denied, as the tribunal deemed his involvement unnecessary. The body corporate alleges the Buttner's pontoon exceeds approved dimensions and encroaches into the harbour. They also claim the Buttners have not provided necessary information about the vessel and an engineering certificate for the pontoon. Additionally, the tribunal will consider whether a guest bedroom window in the Buttner's home complies with body corporate standards. Leslie, who has a history of legal disputes with the Buttners, argues that their actions have negatively impacted his privacy and home amenity. Despite his concerns, the tribunal ruled that Leslie's previous legal actions indicated he intended to address broader renovation issues beyond the pontoon and window. Read more here. As it turns out, not even celebrities are immune from neighbour disputes. Little appreciation for 'Fort Guy' Guy Sebastian's massive Maroubra mansion on Sydney's eastern beaches – nicknamed 'Fort Guy' by locals – has been at the centre of a battle with his neighbour in the area for several years. Various claims have allegedly passed between singer Sebastian and his immediate neighbour Phillip Hanslow since 2017, of which some have ended up in court. Sebastian spent $3.3m on the property in 2013 and set about making a huge home. Building costs are said to be around $7m. His home sits on 1400 sqm, while Hanslow has a 325sqm block. 'We didn't grow up in houses like this,' Sebastian has said of the home. 'Every day, we (he and wife Jules) look at each other and say, 'Why is this us?' 'But there is beauty in feeling like an alien in your own space. You never fail to appreciate it.' It seems his neighbour, doesn't share the same appreciation. 'He's (Sebastian) paranoid about security and has a large security camera outside so anywhere I go outside on the property, he can see,' Mr Hanslow has claimed. 'We're going to have to sell. We're too old for this.' Read more here. Billionaire is 'blocking the way' Aussie richlister Clive Palmer has come under fire after a decision to block access to a golf course left locals fearing for the safety of native wildlife and motorists, sparking a feud with his neighbours. reported last year, Residents of Yaroomba on the Queensland Sunshine Coast claim billionaire owner of the luxury course, Palmer, is putting the lives of eastern grey kangaroos at risk after he blocked the animals from accessing the course safely through an underpass. With a tall metal gate fitted with spikes and padlocks preventing the kangaroos from entering the Palmer Coolum Resort, locals said the animals have been left to use an alternative route to cross a major highway. If the gate were to be opened, it would allow local wildlife to pass between the east and west sides of David Low Way. Those petitioning for the mining magnate and former politician to open the gate said three kangaroos and a joey have been killed on the nearby road, with some fearing it's only a matter of time before someone is involved in a serious accident or killed. While some believe the safety of local wildlife has compromised the development in the area, others believe it is a direct result of the blocked thoroughfare which was previously used for golf cart access. Read more here. Jennifer Hawkin's reno 'the biggest thing ever' Former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins and her husband Jake Wall copped criticism last year from enraged neighbours over their $30 million mansion construction. Hawkins and Wall, who together own the design and construction firm J-Group, are building a mega mansion in the exclusive suburb of Whale Beach, 40km north of Sydney's CBD. The celeb couple do not intend to live in the property, with reports the home has been already sold to a mystery buyer for a little under $30 million. As renovations continue, the constant stream of construction trucks and alleged illegal parking has left local residents fuming. According to media reports, one local resident had his driveway blocked off for hours a day on several occasions while another had his lawn destroyed by cement mixers. Aerial pictures show the enormous scale of the home – dwarfing nearby dwellings and appearing more than three times the size of its nearest neighbours. Work on the $30 million compound began in 2022 after receiving approval from Sydney's Northern Beaches Council for $3.3 million worth of construction. One upset resident says they were sick of the ongoing construction and described it as 'the biggest thing in the whole peninsular at the moment', reports the Daily Mail Australia. 'It's so huge, it's out of character with Whale Beach, it's too big and unnecessary. I have anxiety now,' the resident said. Read more here.
The Sun
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Why can't ministers just tell us where they plan to house migrants once spending on hotels stops?
What trust? WHY can't ministers just tell us where they plan to house migrants once spending on hotels stops? Their only answer to the question is to repeatedly insist that the Government wants to deport those who have no right whatsoever to be here. 1 How can voters have any trust in that? In the year to March, just 6,339 people were forcibly returned. But more than 15,000 have arrived illegally by small boat already in 2025. Another 125,000 people are still waiting for decisons on their asylum claims. So in the unlikely event ministers find an immediate way of either stopping the boats entirely or sending migrants straight back to France, tens of thousands will have to be housed for years. The uncomfortable truth for the Government is that the vast majority will be shoved into rented accommodation — for several years to come. Blocks of flats filled largely with young, unemployed men. All living for free among families struggling to pay the bills. Surely even the Home Office can see this is not a recipe for community cohesion? Zero cheer PRESIDING over an economy as remorselessly sluggish as the UK's, it was perhaps unwise of the Chancellor to boast that Britain has enjoyed the fastest growth in the whole of the G7. Yesterday's GDP figures for April showing a 0.3 per cent fall mean we are now in danger of having the fastest SLOWING economy. Some of the mini-slump was caused by Donald Trump's insane tariffs. But the cost to businesses of the National Insurance rise on employers is now very real. It has cost jobs, while also squeezing wages and consumer spending. Next spring, bigger bills landing on the doorstep will include whacking great council tax. That is now set to rise at the fastest rate for 25 years. Far from fixing the foundations, the Chancellor's problems are again piling up. Awful April might just signal the start of an even worse year. Pray for them THE terrible scenes which unfolded during the Air India crash were, as the King said, desperately shocking. It is horrifying to think of so many loved ones gone in a few moments of appalling tragedy. Couples like Brits Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who were just returning from a holiday of a lifetime. Yesterday was a day of overwhelming pain and grief.
