A planning application has been filed with North Yorkshire Council seeking to change the use of a field near Catterick Village to a secure dog exercise facility.

According to planning documents, the site would operate on a pre-booked basis, allowing dog owners to exercise their pets in a safe, enclosed environment.

No buildings are proposed as part of the development.

The scheme includes the installation of post-and-wire mesh fencing around the field boundary while retaining the existing access, parking arrangements and gated entrance.

A section of the site would remain unfenced to maintain a wildlife corridor along an existing hedgerow.

Applicants say the facility would be managed as a low-intensity operation, with typically only one user booking the field at a time.

Opening hours would be restricted to between 7am and 7pm to minimise disturbance to nearby residents.

Dog owners would be required to remove waste, with bins provided and emptied regularly.

The planning statement submitted to North Yorkshire Council argues that the development would have little impact on the surrounding countryside.

Existing hedgerows would be retained to provide natural screening, while traffic levels are expected to remain low due to the advance-booking system. The document also states that noise would be limited because only one party would use the field at any given time.

The proposal includes measures intended to protect wildlife, with ecological connectivity maintained through the unfenced hedgerow corridor.

Applicants also state that, as no buildings or changes to ground levels are proposed, the scheme would not increase flood risk.

Planning documents conclude that the development would provide a well-managed use of the land while maintaining its rural character and minimising traffic, noise and visual impacts.

A decision on the application will be made by North Yorkshire Council in due course.

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the U.S. prepares for an extravagant celebration of its founding principles, fewer Americans see their country as exceptional, a new poll finds.

The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research highlights many Americans’ feeling of unease over the future of its representative government — particularly among young people. It presents a jarring contrast as communities around the country commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Only about one-quarter of Americans say the U.S. stands above all other countries in the world, the new poll found, while 44% say it’s one of the greatest countries in the world, along with some others. About 3 in 10 say there are better countries than the U.S., an increase from 19% in an AP-NORC poll conducted in June 2016.

Americans remain divided about whether diversity is an essential feature of the U.S.’s identity, and agreement about other aspects of the country’s underlying character appears to be eroding, the survey found. Americans are less likely to see a democratically elected government as “extremely” or “very” important to the United States’ identity as a nation than they were just a few years ago. About two-thirds of U.S. adults now say a democratically elected government is highly important to the U.S.’s identity as a nation, down from 80% in 2021.

“It’s not that the democracy part is not working,” said Derricka Wall, 24, of Chickasaw, Alabama. “It’s the people that are actually being put in office that is the problem.”

Wall believes politicians have damaged America’s governing system, which was designed to ensure representation and guard against government misuse.

America, she said, “is not what it used to be. I feel like our founding fathers would be kind of disappointed with how it is now.”

Rising belief that democracy is not essential to American identity

Young adults are much less likely than older Americans to believe the U.S. is special, compared with other nations, the poll found.

About 4 in 10, 44%, of U.S. adults under 30 say there are other countries better than the U.S., compared with 22% of U.S. adults ages 60 and older.

Fewer, too, see democracy as a key element of the U.S.’s identity. Only about half of Americans under 30 believe this, compared with 81% of those 60 and older.

Wall said the people who established the government with co-equal branches thought they were erecting safeguards to keep any one person or group from attaining too much power. But she believes they didn’t foresee how easily those guardrails would crumble if the people in the system stopped enforcing them.

“I feel like they would actually roll out of their graves,” she said. “I feel they would be very disappointed in us.”

The belief that politics isn’t working for everyday people extends beyond the youngest generations. Kent Stage, 62 and a retired senior enlisted man in the Army, is a registered Republican in Indiana. He does not think the current political system addresses the country’s problems. He’d like to see term limits on politicians and more working-class people serving.

“I’ll trust the ambulance-chasing lawyer and a shady used car salesman before I trust the politician,” he said.

Stage, who is also a former Marine, believes public servants make self-serving choices for their families “while mine and yours still got to hit the old grindstone.”

Many feel it’s harder to get ahead in the US

The survey also finds widespread cynicism about America as the land of opportunity. About half of U.S. adults, 51%, say the American Dream — the idea that if you work hard, you’ll get ahead — once held true but does not anymore. About one-third say it “still holds true” while 15% say it never held true.

Jack Hermanson, a 27-year-old software developer in Denver, said his belief in the American Dream changed when he saw his engineer husband struggle to find a job. “That really shattered my impression that if you work hard, you get what you deserve,” Hermanson said.

Only 22% of Americans under 30 say the American Dream still holds true, compared with 46% of Americans ages 60 and older.

Angela Toombs, 31, works at a senior living facility in Atlanta where her clients talk about how easy it was to buy a house while working their first regular jobs in their 20s and are incredulous about the obstacles facing Toombs’ generation. Toombs recently gave up her own apartment to rent a room in order to save money.

Skepticism about the American Dream is more widespread among Democrats and independents, compared with Republicans. Most Republicans, 57%, say the American Dream still holds true, compared with about one-quarter of independents and 17% of Democrats.

Republicans are also much likelier than Democrats to see the U.S. as exceptional. About half of Republicans say the U.S. stands above all other countries in the world, compared with only 7% of Democrats.

Quintin Sharpe, 28, lives in a resort town on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. A financial planner who is Republican, he said the American Dream remains accessible and he is proud of the country. “It’s been a great experiment.”

“The opportunity is there for those who want to work for it,” he said. Sharpe believes the country is “a meritocracy, and the best ideas, the best work ethic, those with the best succeed regardless of race, skin color, any of those factors.”

He and his wife will celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary watching the fireworks over the lake.

Divides on whether diversity is essential to US

Just over half of U.S. adults — 56% — say a shared American culture and set of values are “extremely” or “very” important to the country’s identity, down from 65% in 2017. Younger Americans are less likely than older ones to say a singular set of values is important to U.S. identity.

But Americans remain sharply divided on the centrality of welcoming diverse perspectives: About half of adults, 51%, say the ability of people to come from other places in the world to escape violence or find economic opportunities is “extremely” or “very” important to American identity, while 55% say this about the mixing of cultures and values from around the world.

Only about 4 in 10 Republicans see the mixing of cultures and values from around the world as central to the country’s identity, compared with 76% of Democrats.

Rose Nunez, 70, of San Antonio, was a small business owner but now is a caregiver for family members. Nunez, who tends to vote for Democrats, said there is an unease and tension that are just beneath the surface, especially focused on Hispanics. She said some people have started carrying their papers showing their immigration status in case they are challenged.

“It is hard to celebrate when the feelings towards immigrants and communities of color are so strong,” she said of the upcoming America 250 celebrations.

She said even citizens are questioned now. If it gets to a point where being naturalized is challenged, “guess what, my mom would be leaving. She’s been living in this country since she was maybe four years old. She’s 93.”

____

The AP-NORC poll of 2,596 adults was conducted April 16-20 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.

Manchester City and Chelsea remain locked in negotiations about Enzo Maresca replacing Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola announced on 22 May he would step down as City boss after a trophy laden decade in charge, and Maresca was quickly identified as the leading contender to be his replacement.

Talks are at an advanced stage, with senior figures at both clubs discussing a compensation package for Maresca.

The 46-year-old won the Club World Cup and Conference League during his time at Stamford Bridge but left in January and is keen to take the City job.

Chelsea feel they are due compensation under the terms of Maresca’s departure as he was contracted to the club until 2029 and left just six months ago.

The London club have been exploring their legal options and expect a compensation package to be paid, though it remains unclear both how much that might be, or when it will be resolved.

Maresca was an assistant to Guardiola during City’s Treble-winning 2022-23 campaign and played a key role in the club’s academy prior to joining the first team.

The former West Brom and Juventus midfielder left City in 2023 to manage Leicester, whom he guided to promotion to the Premier League in his only season.

The new gym will have fitness equipment, pools, and racquet sports facilities

The opening date for a new David Lloyd gym in Cambridgeshire has been announced. The company has confirmed that its new St Neots Club will open in October 2026.

The new health and wellness club is currently under development. Early memberships were released at the start of April.

The new general manager of the St Neots branch, Matt Borer, said: “There’s already a great deal of excitement surrounding the new Club and I’m really looking forward to welcoming members through the doors later this year.

“Throughout my 16 year career with David Lloyd Clubs, I’ve had the opportunity to work across several fantastic Clubs and I can’t wait to bring my passion for delivering a great member experience to St Neots.“

The St Neots branch will include a gym with more than 100 stations, heated indoor and outdoor pools, and racquet sports facilities. It will also have a Himalayan salt sauna, crystal steam room, cold plunge pools, and heated beds.

It will also have an outdoor terrace and club room with a family zone and indoor soft play area for children.

Motorists have been told to expect ‘heavier than usual’ traffic in certain areas of Cambridge while a road is closed for repairs

A burst water main in Cambridge has caused a road to be closed for repairs. The burst main on Queen Edith’s Way was first reported to Cambridge Water on the evening of Friday, June 5, when it was reportedly a large puddle.

Over the weekend, the leak reportedly worsened. Locals since raised a concern of a “potentially serious traffic incident risk” due to the “major rupture” spilling into the centre of the road. The road has been closed since Saturday, June 6.

Cambridge Water has claimed that repair work was “delayed due to difficulties accessing a valve”. The repair is now in progress but to carry out the work, the road is likely to remain closed for the next week.

A road closure is in place between the Robin Hood Junction and Lime Kiln Road in Cambridge. There are signed diversions in place.

Cambridgeshire County Council has warned motorists that traffic has been heavier than usual along Fulbourn Road and Cherry Hinton Road as a result of this road closure. The council said it is “working closely” with Cambridge Water and has members of its Highways Team on site.

A spokesperson for Cambridge Water said: “Cambridge Water was made aware of a burst main on Queen Edith’s Way over the weekend. Repair work was delayed due to difficulties accessing a valve, which allowed us to maintain water supply to our customers. The repair is now in progress.

“To carry this work out safely, the road has been closed and is likely to remain closed for the next week. A road closure is in place between the Robin Hood Junction and Lime Kiln Road, Cambridge, with signed diversions in place.”

A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of a burst water main on Queen Edith’s Way, Cambridge, between Limekiln Road and Cherry Hinton Road. The road has been closed since Saturday (6 June) so that Cambridge Water can carry out repair works.

“As a result of the closure, motorists should be aware that traffic has been heavier than usual along Fulbourn Road and Cherry Hinton Road. We are working closely with Cambridge Water and have members of our Highways Team on site.

“The road will be reopened as soon as it is safe to do so. Please speak to Cambridge Water for further updates.”

Emergency services were called to Station Approach at about 1pm on Monday (June 8).

Drivers were urged to avoid the area as 999 crews dealt with the incident. There was no impact on trains arriving and departing the station itself.

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called to an incident outside of Durham Train Station on Monday shortly after 1pm.

“We dispatched one ambulance crew and one patient was taken to RVI for further treatment.”

Durham Police confirmed the incident involved a taxi and a pedestrian.

What do experts and parents think of the PM’s announcement?

‘Nudification’ using AI tools also a problem in the UK

Road safety body PACTS has proposed reducing UK speed limits by 10mph, which would see dual carriageways drop from 70mph to 60mph and single carriageways from 60mph to 50mph, as well as blanket 20mph zones across towns and villages

While largely driven by legislation, car manufacturers are continuously striving to make their vehicles safer. Whether through improved crumple zones, enhanced airbags or better seating, the goal is to make any potential accident more survivable.

Yet there remains one factor entirely beyond their control: speed. This is precisely why speed limits exist across the globe.

The faster a vehicle is travelling at the point of impact, the greater the energy involved, and consequently the higher the likelihood of serious injury to those caught up in it.

In recent years, 20mph zones have sprung up across the UK in villages, towns and cities where hazard levels are particularly high.

Now, a proposal put forward to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee by the independent Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) could shake things up considerably.

Alongside suggesting blanket 20mph zones — largely to cut costs on signage — the advisory body also declared it was in favour of slashing national speed limits by 10mph.

This would mean dual carriageway speed limits dropping from 70mph to 60mph, while single carriageways would fall from 60mph to 50mph.

However, Auto Express reports that regarding the reduction of speed limits on dual carriageways from 70mph to 60mph, the body caveated it by saying this would be the case “where the infrastructure would not support the survivability of people travelling at those speeds if they were involved in a collision”.

While cuts to speed limits on dual carriageways and single carriageways would have a significant impact on motorists, focus remained firmly on the blanket 20mph zones.

PACTS executive director Jamie Hassall suggested it was a matter of reframing the debate.

He said: “It’s about getting everyone in the country to understand what the benefits are.” Those benefits included helping children travel to school more safely, something he maintained the public were broadly in favour of, reports the Express.

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This is far from the first time a reduction in speed limits has been on the agenda.

Following the war in Iran sending oil prices soaring to their highest level since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, suggestions emerged that drivers should begin travelling at slower speeds.

Indeed, think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) went as far as proposing that speed limits should be lowered to assist motorists — a measure that ultimately never came to fruition.

Nevertheless, the think tank did suggest that the public ought to be advised on how to drive more economically.

Speaking earlier this year, senior economist at the think tank William Ellis told the Guardian: “The UK cannot afford to sit back and let another energy shock drive up inflation and damage the economy.

“The UK economy and public finances are expected to take a significant hit from the Iran conflict, regardless of whether the government intervenes.”

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