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Tell us whether you agree Cambridge is one of the best places to live

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Cambridgeshire Live

There are plenty of great places to live in Cambridgeshire aside from Cambridge, but The Sunday Times has named the city among the best places to live in Britain

Thanks to its great links to London, plenty of green spaces, and historic buildings, many people have been moving to Cambridge to enjoy a slightly calmer city lifestyle. Recently, the Sunday Times revealed its best places to live in Britain for 2026 with Cambridge making it onto the list.

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The judges visited a huge range of locations and assessed them on different factors, from access to schools and transport to broadband speeds and amenities. They also looked at access to high-quality green spaces and the performance of the high street.

The Sunday Times said: “Cambridge has top-class schools and is also the UK’s cycling capital, with about a third of trips in the town made by bike. The city has strong cultural foundations, a lively coffee scene and an excellent selection of interesting places to eat and drink.”

However, Cambridgeshire has plenty of other places that people flock to in order to escape city life. There are many small towns and villages with great pubs and beautiful walks that you might think are better to live in than Cambridge.

If you do not agree with Cambridge being named one of the best places to live and think somewhere else in Cambridgeshire deserves that title, you can nominate them using our survey below. If the survey does not appear for you, you can open it in a new tab here.

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Arthur Lane Harwood development set to go before planners

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Arthur Lane Harwood development set to go before planners

Rowland Homes aim to develop the new estate on fields off Arthur Lane, near the village of Harwood in Bolton.

It said the currently protected area ‘meets the grey belt tests’ at a time of housing shortfall.

Among 218 objections received by Bolton Council is one from Harwood golf club, which lies next to the proposed development site.

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It has requested ‘a ball strike survey’ as a condition if outline planning is approved. It said there could be a ‘liability to members and the club’.

The club’s objection, said: “We do get a small number of stray golf balls that enter the car park and cause minor damage.

“We would request a ball strike survey as a condition to prevent any future damage to residents and potential liability to members and the club.

“Our grass cutting machines operate from around 6am in summer and we have members playing from a similar time, the potential for a noise impact to residents coupled with a large number of social functions the club holds should be realised in any noise mitigation strategy.”

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A planning report has been published which will be to be put before members of Bolton’s planning committee at its Thursday, March 26 meeting.

Planning officers have recommended that outline planning permission be granted.

The report said: “It is considered that the application site meets the definition of grey belt as the development would not fundamentally undermine the purposes of the remaining green belt across the borough.

“The proposal would contribute to the unmet need of housing within the borough and would be sustainably located.

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“The proposal would also meet the ‘golden rules’ requirements by providing 50 per cent affordable housing, contributing to education provision and creating public open spaces on site or contributing to improving other open spaces in the borough.

“The proposed development would therefore not constitute inappropriate development in the green belt and the principle of development is acceptable.”

The proposed development would provide 80 homes ranging from one to five bedrooms.

The site covers approximately 2.47 hectares of land across two agricultural fields currently for grazing purposes.

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The terrain of the site is generally flat with a gentle slope down from west to east.

The 218 objections to the plans include concerns about the impact on green belt.

One objector said: “The green belt serves a vital role in preventing urban sprawl and preserving the character of the countryside.

“This particular development will reduce the 360 metre strip of green belt separating Bolton from Bury, by 125 metres.

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“This is development of the last remaining open parcel in Harwood and the development will encourage further sprawl in the surrounding open areas.”

Other objections outlined worries about traffic, public rights of way and residential amenity along with potential harm to wildlife and trees and lack of local facilities.

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Katie Boulter revival powered by ‘unmatched’ love from Alex De Minaur

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Katie Boulter continues 2026 revival with opening round win at Miami Open

The couple, who are getting married later this year, have been able to be together at Indian Wells and Miami, though. Boulter said: “It’s really nice. I do still find it a bit tricky, well not tricky, because it’s a privilege to be at the same place at the same time. It’s just navigating how that looks sometimes is not easy.

“There are times when I may have days off and he’s training the full day, so we don’t get to spend that much time together, but I wake up with him and go to bed with him, so it’s fine.

“It’s a nice feeling to have that support no matter what and the security that he brings me and the love that he brings me is unmatched.”

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It has not been the easiest 12 months for Boulter. Having started 2025 inside the world’s top 25, Boulter had slipped to 100th by the end of the year.

“I feel like I went straight back to the drawing board at the end of the year, took a bit of time mentally,” the former British No 1 said. “I really needed it after feeling like I was on a roller coaster the whole time, and could never get off it.

“It was important for me to focus back on my strengths, and show that even in the tight moments. That’s what won me the match [in Miami].”

The reset has paid dividends and this year Boulter has earned more ranking points than compatriots Emma Raducanu and Sonay Kartal, albeit they are ranked higher. Boulter has a chance to climb from No 67 in Miami and will take on 17th seed Clara Tauson in the second round.

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Chilling messages from son ‘boasting’ about murdering his mum in gruesome sledgehammer attack

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Daily Mirror

Tristan Roberts, 18, posted a number of chilling messages about killing his mum Angela Shellis and likened himself to the television character Dexter and The American Psycho before carrying out his threats, a court heard

A teenager obsessed with fictional serial killers recorded himself over more than four hours murdering his own mother with a hammer.

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Tristan Roberts, 18, had posted a number of chilling messages about killing his mum Angela Shellis and likened himself to the television character Dexter and The American Psycho before carrying out his threats, a court heard.

He was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday and described by the judge as ‘revelling’ in the terrifying control he exerted over his own mother and told he would serve a minimum term of 22 and a half years. The court heard Roberts, who lived alone with his victim after his brother had returned to university, had a twisted fascination with serial killers and had posted on Discord app that she would ‘vanish off the face of the earth’ and he would make it ‘brutal.”

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He also posted misogynistic messages about ‘hating’ and ‘not trusting’ women. Despite his mother doing everything to get him help for his autism and ADHD, he wrote that he wanted to kill her out of ‘revenge, justice and vengence.”

The sustained and brutal attack began at the family home in Prestatyn around 11pm on 23 October last year when Angela, 45, was struck with a hammer and strangled during a four hour ordeal. Roberts recorded himself stating: “This is the moment – we are doing it – we are going to hit her with a sledgehammer.”

At around 3.30am on 24 October, he walked her to a nearby nature reserve and continued to record himself as she screamed and pleaded for her life before she fell silent when he delivered a fatal hammer blow to her head.

After the murder, he records himself stating: ‘oh god that was terrifying – that felt so crazy’ before complaining his hand was painful and he thought he had broken it. He then added: “I just killed her” before adding “Job’s done.”

Once back home he again posted on Discord under the username ‘tonight’s the night’ “boasting” about the murder. He wrote: “Just had the craziest day ever – beat the shit out of her. Took her to the forest. She kept chatting shit so smashed her skull in so hard with sledgehammer I couldn’t see her face anymore.

“Took her by ankles and took her into deep forest.”

Before his arrest later that day, Roberts even messaged his own brother Ethan Roberts from his mother’s phone that she was ok when concern was raised no-one had heard from her.

Jailing him at Mold Crown Court today, His Honour Judge Rowlands said it was a “truly awful way for anyone to die, made all the more dreadful by the fact that her attacker was her own son, someone who, it is clear, she both cared for and worried about in the weeks leading up to her death.”

He told Roberts: “This fortunately, is an extremely unusual case, inasmuch as it is clear to me that you both looked forward to inflicting pain and ultimately death upon your mother and that, in recording what you did on a dictaphone over several hours, you enjoyed what you were doing, exercising control over you mother in her last hours, no doubt revelling in what you did as you attacked her, ignoring her pleas for you to stop and to obtain assistance.

“She must have been truly terrified in these the last minutes of her life.”

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The judge described the victim as a “much-loved mother and sibling and a respected teacher with much of her life still ahead of her.

“Tragically, her concerns were well-founded as you’d planned to kill her, posting messages on the Discord app on social media to that effect, blaming your mother for your perceived problems. You messaged that you had a hatred of women and felt abandoned, betrayed and bullied by your mother, saying that you were going to kill her for ‘revenge, justice and vengeance’.

“In the weeks leading up to her death you bought a number of weapons online together with protective clothing and spent several hours on the internet researching methods of how to kill, the use of weapons, how to remove traces of blood and DNA, and how to dispose of a body.

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“Plainly, no sentence I can pass will adequately reflect either their loss or the value of Ms Shellis’ life.”

During yesterday’s hearing. Prosecutor Andrew Thomas KC said there was extensive pre planning lasting several weeks before the attack and he said the defendant recorded everything on a digital audio device from the initial assault to the fatal blows at the end which were described as “too distressing to play” and may have been kept by the killer as a “trophy.”

The court heard in the recording he was putting on an American accent, which was thought to again be part of his roleplaying.

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Mr Thomas said around four heavy blows are heard and the victim’s voice wasn’t heard after the first. The impact shattered the left side of her skull and she died as a result of catastrophic brain injury. He then dragged his mum’s body about 100m and abandoned her in undergrowth where she was found by a walker later that morning.

Mr Roberts added: “He referred to hatred of women as a motive – and wrote he felt abandoned, betrayed and bullied and blamed his mother. He said he was going to kill her for ‘revenge, justice and vengence’ so he could move forward in this life.”

Ethan Richards, the victim’s other son, said in a victim impact statement: “My family will never be whole again. Not a day goes by I question why. All my mum ever did was love Tristan. She put up with way more than any other person would have. She would do anything for him.”

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He added: “I don’t want to see him again or want anything to do with him. But I feel clearly he is not mentally well.

“I can not explain why he did it without being unwell. He can not ever be in public if he doesn’t start taking responsibility for what he did to mum and the wider family. I don’t know how he could do this to anyone – let alone the one person who did anything for him. She still loved him and tried to include him with everything.”

Angela’s sister Sarah Gunther added: “Angela showed you love and care. I just wish if you didn’t want to live under the same roof, this could have been resolved in so many other ways.

“The family has been broken and every day we are reminded what you have taken with us. I hope in time you will come to understand the full consequences of your actions and the pain and devastation you have caused. She will be sadly missed by so many and will never be forgotten. I want her to be remembered as a mum who never gave up.

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“I feel this was a tragedy that could have been avoided.”

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UK armed forces given authorisation to board and halt Russian tankers in UK waters

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Manchester Evening News

The Royal Navy previously joined allies in action against the vessels which are attempting to evade sanctions

UK armed forces have now been authorised to board and halt Russian oil tankers in British waters. Sir Keir Starmer said the UK would join northern European allies in intercepting the tankers, in an attempt to ‘go after’ the sanction-breaking ships ‘even harder’.

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The Royal Navy previously joined allies in action against the vessels. It comes after it last week helped track a sanctioned Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean which was boarded by the French navy.

Moscow’s shadow fleet is reported to be made up of more than a thousand ageing tankers. They illicitly ship oil and other goods out of Russia by flying the flags of other countries, with the aim of evading sanctions imposed by the West since the invasion of Ukraine began.

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The Prime Minister has given approval for the UK to start seizing shadow fleet vessels as he travels to Helsinki, Finland, for a summit with national leaders from the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).

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The JEF, a military coalition of 10 northern European countries led by the UK, aims to defend against Russian incursions. It also includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

JEF countries Finland, Sweden and Estonia have recently intercepted suspected shadow tankers travelling through the Baltic.

Closing off British waters to the shadow fleet is aimed at forcing the Russian vessels into taking longer, more costly sea routes, or risk being intercepted by the UK. Sir Keir said: “We are living in an increasingly volatile and dangerous world, facing threats from different fronts across the world every day.

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“As Prime Minister, my first duty is to keep this country safe and protect British interests here and abroad. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is rubbing his hands at the war in the Middle East because he thinks higher oil prices will let him line his pockets.

“That’s why we’re going after his shadow fleet even harder, not just keeping Britain safe but starving Putin’s war machine of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign in Ukraine. He and his cronies should be in no doubt, we will always defend our sovereignty and stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

British forces have already been involved in tracking shadow fleet vessels for several years, and have supported operations by other countries to seize the ships. In January, the UK assisted in the seizure of the oil tanker Marinera by the US.

Previously known as the Bella-1, the Russian-flagged vessel was captured by American forces aided by RAF aircraft and the British supply ship RFA Tideforce in the Atlantic.

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Later that same month, Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Dagger helped the French seize another sanctioned ship, the Grinch, in the western Mediterranean, shadowing the vessel through the Strait of Gibraltar. Last week, the French intercepted the Deyna oil tanker in the Mediterranean, supported by the UK.

Libyan authorities have meanwhile towed a suspected shadow fleet oil tanker found drifting in the Mediterranean which was believed to have been hit in a drone strike. The tanker, carrying liquefied natural gas, was towed to avoid a spill in the Mediterranean.

At the JEF summit, the Prime Minister and other leaders are expected to discuss shared security in the so-called High North and the war in Ukraine.

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “Any effort to keep sanctioned ships out of our waters is important. But Labour’s failure to back our armed forces with the resources they need shows he is in denial about the scale of the threats our country faces.

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“Keir Starmer would rather fund a bailout for benefits street than fund our military. Only the Conservatives have a plan to get the welfare bill under control and increase defence spending, keeping the British people safe.”

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Chef urges salmon lovers to swap to ‘budget-friendly’ fish that has ‘buttery flavour’

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Manchester Evening News

The fish delivers much of what people love about salmon with similar pink flesh, rich flavour and omega-3 fatty acids

Many of us are creatures of habit. As much as we like to think of ourselves as adventurous, the truth is that when it comes to food, we often stick to what we’re familiar with. Statistics consistently show that, in terms of fish, this usually means tuna, salmon, cod, haddock and prawns. Salmon’s reputation, in particular, is well earned. It’s loaded with omega-3 fatty acids – essential for brain health – and it’s undeniably tasty.

However, while incredibly delicious, these types of fish come with a hefty price tag in supermarkets. What used to be a regular weeknight meal has quietly transformed into a luxury. Fortunately, professional chef and food expert Anne Wolf at Simply Recipes suggests that trout is the best alternative.

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She noted that “trout delivers much of what people love about salmon at a fraction of the price.”

Anne added: “With similar pink flesh, rich flavour, comparable protein, and a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids, trout is an easy, budget-friendly stand-in.”

Trout bears a strong resemblance to salmon, and that’s not coincidental. They both belong to the Salmonidae family, and Steelhead trout, like salmon, grow and mature in the ocean, reports the Express.

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The chef pointed out: “Their richer, buttery flavour is so similar to salmon that steelhead trout are sometimes sold as ‘steelhead salmon’.”

Compared to salmon, trout are smaller and have a more delicate taste, with a hint of sweetness.

They are also less oily than salmon, particularly farmed salmon, which is recognised as the fattiest among its relatives.

Since trout is smaller than salmon, they are typically sold whole, with the head and tail left on and deboned.

Their skin is tender, with tiny scales that are often not required to remove and become crispy when cooked.

To create a stunning presentation, prepare the trout whole, filled with lemon slices and fresh herbs. Alternatively, you can slice the trout into fillets before cooking.

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Palestinian teenager was starved in prison before death, judge rules | World News

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Khalid Ahmad holding a poster of his son, Walid Ahmad, who died in an Israeli prison. Pic: AP

A Palestinian teenager was starved in an Israeli prison before his death, a judge ruled before closing the case.

According to a newly-unsealed court decision, the judge said it was clear 17-year-old Walid Ahmad was starved, but the cause of death was undeterminable.

The case drew attention as he was the first Palestinian under 18 to die in Israeli detention, Palestinian officials said.

Ahmad, described by his family as a healthy teenager, spent six months in Israel’s Megiddo prison before collapsing in March 2025.

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His family say he was arrested at his home in the occupied West Bank town of Silwad, during a pre-dawn raid in September 2024, for allegedly throwing stones at soldiers.

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Khalid Ahmad holds childhood photos of his son, Walid Ahmad. Pic: AP

An autopsy did not establish a single, definitive cause of death but starvation was likely to be the leading cause, according to the report of an Israeli doctor who observed the procedure.

Dr Daniel Solomon also noted that the teen was suffering from extreme malnutrition and showed signs of scabies.

In the now-unsealed ruling, first published by Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz, the Israeli judge supervising the investigation ordered that the probe be halted in December.

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The judge said evidence of Ahmad’s starvation did not prove the cause of death.

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Judge Ehud Kaplan, according to the ruling shared with The Associated Press by Haaretz, wrote: “The fact that he was apparently starved cannot be hidden and should not be hidden.

“But I cannot determine based on the findings of the expert report that there is a causal connection between his poor physical condition and his death, and therefore I cannot determine that the death was caused by a crime.”

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He added: “Given this state of affairs, the investigation into his death is exhausted.”

In Israel, judges can be requested to oversee an investigation into deaths of detainees in custody.

They are able to seek and review evidence to determine the cause of death, and establish if it resulted from wrongdoing by any party.

If evidence of wrongdoing is established, the judge can move toward criminal indictments. Or, as was done in Ahmad’s case, they can order an investigation be stopped.

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Haaretz published the ruling after successfully filing for a gag order on the case to be lifted.

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Trump launches outrageous new attack on ‘corrupt’ BBC: ‘I never said that!’

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Daily Mirror

The US President has claimed that the broadcaster are ‘crooked’ adding ‘they put words in my mouth’ in a new attack on the company for their edit of a Panorama episode

President Trump has launched a new attack on ‘corrupt’ BBC as he claims they put things ‘so horrible’ in his mouth.

Trump addressed his lawsuit against the BBC in his address at the Nation Republican Congressional Committee’s (NRCC) annual fundraising dinner at Washington D.C.’s Union Station.

He said: “They had me saying things that I never said, that were terrible.

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“They put words in my mouth. Sentences and paragraphs so horrible.”

The US President makes reference to the closely analysed Panorama episode broadcast in 2024, which appeared to show him encouraging his supporters to storm the Capitol building in 2021.

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In the episode, a clip from Mr Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021 was spliced to show him saying: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol… and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.”

The edit omitted a part where he said they should march “peacefully”.

The controversy of the broadcast led to the resignation of BBC director general Tim Davie and BBC News chief Deborah Turness.

At his time of resignation, Mr Davie said there had “been some mistakes made” and that he had to “take ultimate responsibility”.

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In his speech on Wednesday, March 25 Trump added: “They admitted they were guilty.

“That’s how crooked they are.”

He addressed the notion of ‘fake news’, telling the audience that other news outlets have also had to pay him before.

Trump said: “CBS had to pay me $38 million for what they said. If you bring lawsuits against these guys, they are so corrupt that they will pay it.”

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Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC that will go to trial next year, on February 15.

However, the BBC are arguing that the lawsuit should be dismissed because the US President failed to state successful claims in the lawsuit for defamation and they also claimed there was a violation of a Florida unfair trade practices law.

Court documents from the US District Court Southern District of Florida show judge Roy K Altman rejected attempts by the broadcaster to dismiss the libel case and set the trial date.

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Northern Ireland utility companies ‘could be contributing to road deterioration’

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Belfast Live

The Public Accounts Committee says the burden of maintenance costs associated with over 50,000 road openings and reinstatements that take place annually should be shared with the utilities

An Assembly Committee has issued a warning that tens of thousands of road openings conducted annually by utility firms may be playing a role in the decline of Northern Ireland’s road infrastructure.

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The Public Accounts Committee has voiced concerns that the Department for Infrastructure is presently unable to establish the expenses associated with these repairs or offer guarantees that taxpayers aren’t footing the bill for related upkeep activities.

In its Report on Road Openings by Utilities, the Committee says that the financial responsibility for maintenance linked to more than 50,000 road openings and repairs taking place each year ought to be distributed between the utilities.

Nevertheless, the Committee has expressed serious concern that it has not been given assurances that this cost-sharing is happening.

Utility providers deliver vital services including gas, electricity and communications, and undertake essential maintenance on their networks. When such work requires opening up roads and pavements, they bear responsibility for restoring them to an acceptable condition for public use.

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As part of its investigation into this matter, representatives from the Department for Infrastructure (which monitors utility company performance) provided testimony to the Public Accounts Committee.

In its findings, PAC has put forward a total of 11 recommendations it wishes to see actioned. The Committee asserts that frequent and repeated road openings can undermine the road structure and contribute to the network’s degradation over time.

Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Daniel McCrossan MLA stated: “Of course there are other causes of defects that the Department is required to repair across the entire network.

“However, when we spoke to officials they couldn’t set out a reliable way of calculating how much of that burden arose from deterioration of the road network linked specifically to utility reinstatements.

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“As a result, they couldn’t reassure us that taxpayers were not subsidising repairs that should be properly funded by utility companies.

“We are recommending that by the early Autumn, the Department develops a methodology to determine the cost of maintenance linked specifically to utility reinstatements – and uses it to determine if its cost recovery approach is appropriate and achieving value for money.

“Within a year, we also want to see the Department undertake a full evaluation of the costs and benefits of introducing performance-related financial penalties for utilities.”

The Committee concluded that the state of disrepair of the road network was entirely unacceptable. It pointed to a 2024 Northern Ireland Audit Office finding that more than £3.3 billion worth of maintenance work remained outstanding.

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In its findings, PAC highlighted that the disruption stemming from utility works had a considerable impact on motorists and local residents. It pointed to inconsistent contractor conduct, alongside inadequate communication and ambiguous accountability, all of which added to the upheaval and uncertainty faced by households and commercial enterprises.

The Committee expressed its desire to see a significant enhancement in how DfI collected, examined and addressed public complaints – and urged that reporting systems should be straightforward, easy to access and widely publicised.

Deputy Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Tom Buchanan MLA said they were also demanding immediate measures to reinstate a robust inspection scheme by the Department. He stated: “Visual inspection targets have been missed consecutively for seven years. Effective inspections are essential in ensuring reinstatement works are completed to the required standard and defects identified early.

“Another issue has been the suspension of the core testing programme – which can identify defects beneath the road surface. This represents a serious risk.

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“Our report also recommends the Department publishes a wider range of performance data from utilities. More transparent and specific reporting would help drive improvements, shine a light on poor performers and give the public greater confidence that issues are being addressed.

“Within the next 12 months we want to see a detailed action plan published which sets out how the data gathered will be used to support decision making and actions.”

The Committee has also requested that a review of warranties relating to reinstatements be conducted within the next six months – to ensure they safeguard public funds.

Warranties are designed to protect taxpayers from short-term expenses resulting from substandard reinstatements – however, PAC believes the current two or three year warranty periods are inadequate.

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PAC praised the Department’s innovative digital mapping and AI initiative, which it stated could in future revolutionise how road conditions are assessed and defects are identified – and it acknowledged the benchmarking work being undertaken with the Highways Authority and Utilities Committee (HAUC UK).

The Committee noted that the Department’s capacity to manage road openings by utilities had been hampered by substantial recruitment and retention difficulties, particularly in professional and technical positions. It recognised the Department’s efforts to innovate in workforce development but stated the challenges were system-wide and required coordinated, cross-departmental action.

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Magilligan praised as one of the best UK prisons in inspection report

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Belfast Live

Inspectors found 19 examples of notable positive practice, that other prisons could learn from or adopt, and that 22 of the 30 recommendations made after the last inspection had been achieved in full or in part

Magilligan has been described as one of the best prisons in the UK in an inspection report that praised its “excellent” staff-prisoner relationships.

An unannounced inspection was carried out into the prison near Limavady in September, by Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJI), and inspectors from three other organisations.

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They found good staff-prisoner relationships and lower levels of violence and use of force than in similar prions in England and Wales.

Chief inspector of CJI Jacqui Durkin, and chief inspector of HM’s Inspectorate of Prisons in England and Wales, Charlie Taylor, said it was considered one of the best prisons in the UK.

“Outcomes for the men held at Magilligan Prison had improved since our last inspection in 2021 and were assessed as ‘good’ against each of the four healthy prison tests of safety, respect, purposeful activity and preparation for release,” they said.

While the report noted some areas of concern, it added: “Magilligan, however, is now one of the very best prisons in the United Kingdom, and leaders and staff can rightly be proud of the positive, rehabilitative environment they have created.”

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The report raised four priority and seven key concerns, including in relation to drug use at the prison, with almost a quarter of prisoners saying they had developed a problem with drug misuse while at the prison.

“The misuse of drugs by prisoners, including prescription medication, irrespective of who prescribed it or how it has got into the possession of a prisoner who should not be taking it, is a threat to the prison’s stability,” said Ms Durkin.

“While we acknowledge the steps being taken to prevent drugs entering the prison, inadequate funding and lengthy waiting lists for substance misuse and addiction services is contributing to the likelihood of prisoners resorting to illegitimate drug use to manage their addictions within the prison.”

Concerns were also raised about infrastructure, such as the Second Word War Nissen huts that are used to host workshops.

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Inspectors found 19 examples of notable positive practice, that other prisons could learn from or adopt, and that 22 of the 30 recommendations made after the last inspection had been achieved in full or in part.

The Education and Training Inspectorate found the education provision for prisoners to be generally of good quality and the level of attainment had improved, with 43% of qualifications achieved at Level 2.

Inspectors also found evidence of good support and the use of mentors to help prisoners with literacy.

Mr Taylor noted that time out of cell was also found to be among the best inspectors had seen in recent years, with prisoners unlocked for between eight to 10 hours each day, and only a few prisoners not involved in education, skills, work or other activities.

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Developments in healthcare were also highlighted, including the appointment of a learning and disability nurse to work with neurodivergent prisoners and those with learning disabilities.

It also praised a formal data-sharing agreement between the prison and the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, representing the first electronic shared record of its kind and considered a leading example across the UK.

Ms Durkin also noted that prisoners were supported with maintaining family ties and friendships and said 72% of prisoners said their experiences at Magilligan had made them less likely to reoffend.

“Staff knew the men in their care and were able to offer bespoke support to individual prisoners,” Ms Durkin said.

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“These positive relationships underpinned much of the good work the inspection team saw and contributed to the low level of violence and use of force compared to other similar prisons in England and Wales.”

Governor of Magilligan Gary Milling paid tribute to everyone working in the prison, and said it was the culmination of many years of hard work.

“We like to think of Magilligan as a family, made up of many parts,” he said.

“Firstly, the leadership team and prison staff, but also the many partner agencies that work so hard to make this prison a success.

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“While there are too many to name, each of them is a vital part in our work to support and challenge the men in our care, and to play our part in building a safer Northern Ireland.”

Justice Minister Naomi Long welcomed the inspection report and said it was an “outstanding result” for Magilligan Prison.

“To be recognised as one of the best prisons in the UK is a significant achievement, particularly when our entire justice system is operating under such immense pressure.

“What stands out most in this report is the culture of respect. Our prisons are at their most effective when they focus on rehabilitation and hope.

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“By providing a safe and supportive environment, Magilligan is not just holding people in custody; it is actively reducing the likelihood of reoffending and making our entire community safer.

“I want to thank the governor, Gary Milling, and his staff for their commitment to excellence.”

Beverley Wall, director general of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, said Magilligan being described “as a model for the rest of the UK is a significant achievement”.

She added: “I am extremely proud of the team at Magilligan. This inspection report validates what we have long recognised, that the leadership and staff at this establishment are delivering to an exceptionally high standard.”

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Trump will travel to Beijing for rescheduled China trip May 14-15

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Trump will travel to Beijing for rescheduled China trip May 14-15

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will travel to Beijing for a rescheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 14 and 15, the White House announced on Wednesday.

Trump had been scheduled to travel to China later this month but previously announced he was delaying the trip so he could be in Washington to help steward the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran. The Republican president had announced a rescheduled trip even though the war in Iran continues and the U.S. is pressing Tehran to accept a ceasefire proposal.

The president and first lady Melania Trump also plan to host Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, for a White House visit later this year, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Leavitt, when asked if the new dates for Trump’s trip could suggest he believes the Iran war could end soon, offered an optimistic tone that the conflict could reach an endgame before he travels.

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“We’ve always estimated four to six weeks,” Leavitt responded. “So you could do the math on that.”

The United States and Israel launched the attacks against Iran on Feb. 28.

The China trip had been planned for months but began to unravel as Trump pressured Beijing and other world powers to use their military might to protect the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for the flow of oil. The strait has been effectively closed as Iran targets energy infrastructure and traffic through it.

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Trump said last week while meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the Oval Office that he would be going to China in five or six weeks’ time instead of at the end of the month. He said he would be “resetting” his visit with Xi.

“We’re working with China — they were fine with it,” Trump said then. “I look forward to seeing President Xi. He looks forward to seeing me, I think.”

Trump’s visit to China is seen as an opportunity to build on a fragile trade truce between the two superpowers, but it has become tangled in his effort to find an endgame to the war in Iran. Soon after pressing China and other nations to send warships to secure access to Middle Eastern oil, Trump indicated last week that his travel plans depended on Beijing’s response, though he added then that the U.S. didn’t need help from the allies that rebuffed his request.

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