“My concern would be, if these new service charges are not brought in, it could negatively affect the bin collection services that the council provides.”
Whilst the cost of household replacement bins remains the same, an attempt to keep commercial costs at the “status quo” was thwarted by a Sinn Fein majority vote over concerns about an impact on service quality.
Bringing forward an amendment, Rowallane SDLP councillor Terry Andrews said: “I would like to propose that we keep the status quo for bin charges until the end of the current council mandate in 2027.
“The bin prices can then be brought back to the chamber when the new mandate has been decided for a review of these costs.”
A report in chambers shows that higher costs for bin services will come into force from April at an increase of 5%, the first hike in two years.
The cost of replacement bins remains the same with a standard (240litre) residual waste bin £37 and recycling and food waste bins at £26.50 each.
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In comparison, Belfast City Council’s website states that its recycling bins and boxes are free, but there is a charge for general waste bins (£25.50) and home composters (£10).
Slieve Gullion Sinn Fein councillor Mickey Larkin said: “My concern would be, if these new service charges are not brought in, it could negatively affect the bin collection services that the council provides.
“I could not support this amendment.”
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A majority in chambers (7 to 6) approved the new increase with only Sinn Fein elected members supporting the rise.
An attempt by Mournes DUP councillor Henry Reilly to amend the charges for trailer vehicles into the council household recycling centres was withdrawn in order for a report to be brought back to the committee.
However, Cllr Reilly reacted to the new cost rise saying: “I’ll just say I am very disappointed that Sinn Fein have put another bin tax on us.”
Crime scene investigators have been spotted on Hardale Drive, in Dormanstown, this evening (Thursday, April 9)after the incident at 1.30pm which saw a dog put down.
It comes after police received a report of concern for the safety of a child at a property. Tragically, Cleveland Police has now confirmed a child has died.
A spokesperson said: “This is believed to have been as a result of a dog bite. Armed officers were also in attendance and one dog was destroyed on the street while another dog at the property has been recovered by police.
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“Understandably, this is a distressing and tragic incident, and our thoughts are with the child’s family.”
Paramedics also attended the scene. A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called to an incident at a private address in Redcar on Thursday, April 9 shortly before 1.30pm.
Read more:
“We dispatched three ambulance crews, one clinical team leader and one duty officer to the incident. One patient was transported to hospital for further treatment.”
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A crime scene investigation van and a police car remain at the scene this evening.
Anyone who has concerns or information is encouraged to speak to an officer. If you have information, please call 101 or visit our website quoting reference number 066204.
The BBC crime drama first aired back in 2024 and saw David Mitchell take on the role of twin brothers John Taylor and DCI James Taylor.
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When John went to visit his sister-in-law, Lucy Betts-Taylor (Anna Maxwell Martin), things took a drastic turn as he learned his brother had gone missing from their Cambridge home.
As she explained that James had been acting strangely while working on a case, Lucy told John that her husband had given instructions to flee with their son after he didn’t come home one night.
However, she went against his wishes and recruited his twin brother to take on John’s persona and pretend to be part of the police force in order to get to the truth.
Despite his initial hesitations, he eventually agreed as his puzzle-solving skills allowed him to see that the letter that his brother left was filled with secret messages.
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After a series full of twists and turns, John finally came clean that he wasn’t his twin brother. However, they received a surprise voicemail from the real James.
Admitting he vanished, James tells his twin to continue investigating the corruption in Cambridge.
While the second series is set to air later this year, it looks as though there could be more episodes on the way as TVZone reports that a third instalment has been commissioned.
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However, the BBC declined to comment when approached by Cambridgeshire Live.
Speaking about the second series, David Mitchell said: “I’m delighted that John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor has failed to escape the clutches of the Cambridge police and will have to continue to face up to the city’s alarming conundrum-based crime wave.”
Along with David and Anna returning for Ludwig, people can also see Dipo Ola (DCI Russell Carter), Dylan Hughes (Henry Betts-Taylor), Dorothy Atkinson (DCS Carol Shaw), Ralph Ineson (Chief Constable Ziegler) and Karl Pilkington (DI Matt Neville) return.
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The series has been highly praised by fans since it aired, as one person said: “#Ludwig on BBC is amazing!” Another wrote: “Oh my goodness @BBCiPlayer – #Ludwig was absolutely incredible! When is series 2 out??!!”
Someone else commented: “Clever, witty and perfectly casted! Back to classic entertainment! Just what we need these days, and we need more of it.”
While someone else shared: “A WONDERFUL ENTERTAINING MURDER MYSTERY, EVOCATIVE OF MISS MARPLE HERSELF. Ludwig from the BBC, is a beautiful written mini series.”
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The first series of Ludwig is available to watch in full on BBC iPlayer.
Mum-of-one Ava Woodcock (pictured with her mother Amanda Eversole) died on Tuesday after she was shot while arriving at Annie’s Restaurant in Glasgow, Kentucky (Picture: Facebook)
A 22-year-old pregnant woman was shot to death in a car park after she honked her horn at a man.
Mum-of-one Ava Woodcock died on Tuesday after she was shot while arriving at Annie’s Restaurant in Glasgow, Kentucky.
Brandon Bond, 24, has been charged with murder, first-degree fetal homicide, and first-degree fleeing or evading police.
Ava was pulling into the car park and honked her horn as Bond crossed the street, according to WBKO.
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Bond then allegedly opened fire, which sent Ava’s car rolling before it crashed.
He reportedly ran away from the scene and was uncooperative with the police.
Ava Woodcock was shot and killed while pulling into a restaurant (Picture: Facebook)
Brandon Bond, 24, has been charged with murder, first-degree fetal homicide, and first-degree fleeing or evading police (Picture: Barren County Detention Center)
A GoFundMe was set up for Ava’s family. It reads: ‘This fundraiser has been created to support the Woodcock family as they walk through this tragedy.
‘Donations will help cover funeral expenses for both their beloved daughter and her baby, as well as urgent and ongoing needs—including care and support for her young daughter.’
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Amanda Eversole, Woodcock’s mother, uploaded a photo of Bond to her Facebook.
She wrote: ‘This piece of c**p will never see daylight again.
‘He took one of God’s precious babies away from our family, and my daughter is fighting for her life. I will never forgive you.’
A commenter added: ‘So sad, sending my deepest condolences to her and her family.’
Neighbours on Hardale Drive in Dormanstown described a standoff between ten armed officers and the dog before it was destroyed after 1.30pm on Thursday (April 9).
A second dog was taken from a house by police.
Residents said they were in “utter shock” and in a state of disbelief.
Police on Hardale Drive in Dormanstown (Image: OLIVIA HOWLETT)
One resident, who lives on the street with his daughter and grandchildren said: “it’s absolutely heartbreaking, I cannot believe it.
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“You never expect anything so horrific to happen in your area.
“Police swarmed the street around 1.30pm I think and there was a proper standoff with the dogs and then one was shot dead. I cannot imagine what that family are going through.
“It’s really scary.”
Crime scene investigators at the scene on Thursday evening (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
A man, who lives on a road nearby added: “It’s the school holidays and kids were everywhere. Initially I didn’t know what had happened but to now hear some details I can’t believe it, it sounds horrendous.”
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CSI vans remained parked up outside a house on the street around 8.30pm.
Another woman on the street said: “I am in utter shock it was just surreal all of it. I hope everyone involved is okay, it is such a tragic incident.”
Another added: “There were around ten armed police men and so many cars and vans. I think everyone just went straight inside because the dogs had got out and were running all over the police having a pro
per stand off. I feel physically sick about it all.”
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Cleveland Police District Commander, for Redcar and Cleveland, Emily Harrison said: “Understandably this is a distressing and tragic incident, and our thoughts are with the child’s family.
“There is a scene in place at the address while an investigation into the child’s death begins.
“I would encourage anyone who has concerns or information to please speak to an officer.”
Anyone who has concerns or information is encouraged to speak to an officer. If you have information, please call 101 or visit our website quoting reference number 066204.
The King will make a major speech on April 21, to commemorate the life and legacy of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on what would have been her 100th birthday
The King is to lead commemorations for what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday on April 21 by delivering a rousing address to the nation, celebrating her life and legacy.
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The monarch will also, alongside Queen Camilla, host a special reception at Buckingham Palace, for dozens of representatives from organisations and charities with a deep connection to our late queen.
Charles has spent months handpicking the guest list from hundreds of patronages that Queen Elizabeth had throughout her life. Royal insiders have revealed that Charles’ personally penned emotional tribute will celebrate his beloved late mother’s achievements and her dedication to duty.
The King’s speech will also include a heartfelt video montage special moments from her life, expected to include footage of Elizabeth’s service During World War II in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, royal tours and engagements around the country and her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
Elizabeth II became Britain’s longest-serving monarch on September 9, 2015, surpassing the record of 63 years, seven months, and two days, of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.
In 2022, the country celebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, marking Elizabeth’s 70-year milestone on the throne. She passed away peacefully at her Balmoral home in Scotland on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96.
The King and Queen Camilla, who are currently residing at their Birkhall home in Scotland on the Balmoral estate, will return to London on April 21, when the sovereign’s speech will be broadcast to the nation and the Commonwealth. Charles, 77, is expected to convey what an inspiration his mother was not only to himself personally, but to the rest of the royal family.
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Senior members of the royal family are also expected to accompany the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace for the special reception. The Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as the Princess Royal and Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are also hoping to attend.
In 1947, on her 21st birthday, a young Princess Elizabeth pledged in a broadcast from Cape Town to the Commonwealth to devote her life, whether it be short or long, to the service of her people.
In his first address to the nation as monarch following his mother’s passing, King Charles III said: “That was more than a promise: it was a profound personal commitment which defined her whole life.”
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A royal source said: “The 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II birth will not only be a poignant moment of reflection for His Majesty, it will be a cause for celebration of an incredible life well lived and a life dedicated to duty and to her country.
“It is both the King and Queen’s sincere wish that the commemorations honour the late Queen’s profound devotion to service and celebrate how much she was respected and admired around the world.”
As well as the King leading commemorations on the day, a range of engagements will also be held around the period to reflect both her 70-year reign and Elizabeth II’s cultural legacy.
A national monument in St James’s Park in London has already been announced, with further details of final preparations expected soon, alongside other national memorial projects, cultural exhibitions, heritage openings and commemorative initiatives.
Key features of the winning design for the permanent national monument include a statue of the Queen in a new civic space called Queen Elizabeth II Place at Marlborough Gate, a new Prince Philip Gate on the other side of the park on Birdcage Walk with a statue of Philip, as well as a “family of gardens”, meandering paths and a new translucent, glass unity bridge.
After The Mirror exclusively revealed plans for the monument, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it would provide “everyone with a place to honour the late Queen and connect with the shared history we cherish”.
The memorial bridge is inspired by the tiara Queen Elizabeth wore on her wedding day to the late Prince Philip in 1947. The tiara, known as the Queen Mary Fringe diamond tiara, famously broke just hours before she was due to walk down the aisle.
The new crossing, located a stone’s throw away from the bronze statues on the Mall, will replace the park’s existing Blue Bridge and will serve as a fitting reminder of the late Queen’s achievements during her 70-year reign.
A landmark exhibition called ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’, announced this week, will welcome thousands of visitors to the King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace until October 2026.
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The specially curated exhibition will put on show for the first time the largest collection of the Queen’s outfits and personal belongings.
A new commemorative garden is also opening in London’s Regent’s Park to honour her life and the Royal Mint will issue special £5 coins marking the centenary.
A royal source said: “The tone will not be somber, but rather a celebration and a chance for people across our four nations and the Commonwealth to come together and reflect on an amazing life and legacy of our late Queen.”
Police have asked parents and guardians to ensure they know the whereabouts of their children
Police have been handed extra powers following an increase in reports of anti-social behaviour in a Welsh town. To ensure the safety and wellbeing of the community in Ystradgynlais, South Wales Police said a dispersal order covering Ystradgynlais town centre and Diamond Park would come into force.
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The dispersal order, issued under Section 35 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, has been authorised for the area from 6pm on Friday, April 10 until 6pm on Sunday, April 12.
The order gives uniformed police officers and police community support officers the power to exclude a person from an area for a period of up to 48 hours by the issuing of a written notice. The power is a preventative measure which allows an officer to deal quickly with someone’s behaviour before it escalates. It will also allow officers to confiscate items which could be used in an anti-social manner.
Police have asked parents and guardians to ensure they know the whereabouts of their children for the safety of the community.
The force said: “The order has been put in place to address reports of anti-social behaviour and to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of the community.
“We are asking parents and guardians to make sure you know where your children are and what they are up to so everyone can feel safe in our community.
“Our officers will be present in the local area throughout the weekend to provide reassurance and respond to any issues that may arise.”
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Kevin and Ronnie now know that Carl is actually Debbie Webster’s (Sue Devaney) son, but that hasn’t eradicated the hatred they feel towards him. Friendly reminder that Carl spent months sleeping with Kevin’s wife Abi Webster (Sally Carman-Duttine), and also secretly stole money from his vulnerable mum.
With Kevin and Ronnie both determined to protect Debbie, building bridges with Carl doesn’t seem to be a possibility.
Ronnie was forced to play nice in tonight’s episode, as he witnessed Carl spin a story about how he wants to reconnect with his mum.
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Ronnie could sense that Carl was lying, and unleashed his frustration when he arrived at Kevin’s house later. The two men hated that Carl was trying to worm his way back into Debbie’s life, and decided it would be best if they got rid of the troublesome Webster for good.
However, star Jonathan Howard was recently pictured in a behind the scenes snap on the cobbles, alongside Michael Le Vell, Vinta Morgan and Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs). It suggests the star is still filming – so maybe Carl won’t be the murder victim after all?
Ronnie could see that Carl was trying to worm his way back into Debbie’s life (Picture: ITV)
Kevin and Ronnie are both determined to protect Debbie from Carl (Picture: ITV)
Liverpool are fifth in the Premier League table and face Fulham at Anfield at Saturday.
It has been a difficult campaign for Slot’s side, and a 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat by Manchester City last weekend was followed by a 2-0 loss to Paris St-Germain in the last eight of the Champions League on Wednesday.
The news Robertson will be leaving comes after Egypt forward Mohamed Salah, 33, announced he too will depart Liverpool at the end of the season.
Both of them joined the club in the same transfer window and have been key players during the Reds’ return to success in recent years.
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Robertson also formed a formidable partnership with fellow full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who left Liverpool for Real Madrid last summer.
On his time at the club, he said he would “let other people say if I’m a Liverpool legend or not”, adding: “But from minute one I came into this football club, I wanted to be successful.
“I wanted to try to bring trophies back to this football club, try to help put us back onto a place where I believe this football club belongs.
“I’m very proud that I’ve been a part of fantastic teams that have been able to do that.”
Chico Slimani said that he drank whisky for six hours after his friend’s death (Picture: Simon James/WireImage)
Former X Factor contestant Chico has been found guilty of drink-driving after telling a trial that his arrest came hours after he broke his sobriety.
Chico, whose real name is Yousseph Slimani, told Willesden Magistrates’ Court that he drank Famous Grouse whisky for six hours after losing a third friend to cancer.
The singer, now 55, reached the quarter finals of the TV talent show’s 2005 series and later released a number one single, It’s Chico Time.
He wore a maroon silk shirt and placed his cowboy hat on the table in front when he arrived for his trial on Thursday.
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Slimani was convicted of driving a Vauxhall Astra with 40 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath in Chase Way, Southgate, on December 13, when the legal limit is 35mg.
He was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined. The court heard he has been heavily in debt and as a result faced county court proceedings.
Chico Slimani finished in fifth place on the 2005 series of The X Factor (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
The 55-year-old was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined (Picture: Ken McKay/Shutterstock)
During his evidence the defendant had with him a book that he said he was writing at the time of the alleged offence, titled The Secret 19. Cancer Questions Worth Asking.
He said he consumed Famous Grouse whisky between 1am and 7am and then Nyquil at 5.30pm – a cold and flu medicine similar to Night Nurse – before he was pulled over at about 6.30pm that evening.
Slimani, of north London, told the court: ‘It was after a third bereavement of one of my dearest friends, which was just devastating.
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‘All young people in their 50s with terminal cancers that have passed on – non-smokers, non-drinkers, several cancers – and basically are not here, sadly.
‘On that fateful day, I’m teetotal, I don’t drink, and it felt like I was going out of my mind, couldn’t take it, so I drank.’
He later told the court he has not drunk alcohol since.
The defendant claimed he had been taking Nyquil for ‘a flu which you may call long Covid’ that ‘kept coming and going’ and has been documented on his social media channels.
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He did not inform police when asked if he had consumed other drugs or medicines, and said this was ‘because when I got arrested, and they were taking me to the police station, my mind was literally going at 600,000mph’.
He added: ‘And when I got to the police station all I could think of was the implications of me being arrested for something that goes completely against what I am and what I do.’
The former entertainer switched his career to become a wellness guru (Picture: Ken McKay/Shutterstock)
The court heard he has been heavily in debt and as a result faced county court proceedings (Picture: Ken McKay/REX/Shutterstock)
He later said his fears ‘sadly have all come true’ and these were of ‘the press, the loss of my reputation, the loss of work – everything has happened, it has been a catastrophe’.
His solicitors told a toxicologist that he consumed 810ml of Famous Grouse whisky and 30ml of an unspecified Nyquil product that contained alcohol, the court heard.
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The toxicologist, Sarah Morley, calculated that the Nyquil would have contributed to 2mg per 100ml of alcohol on his breath.
Ms Morley also told the court: ‘I can’t verify if the information provided to me has been accurate or not.’
Arresting officer Pc Yuksel said he was watching Slimani speak to a fellow officer about a separate matter when he noticed the defendant’s ‘quite vivid’ facial expressions that were ‘almost joyful’.
Giving evidence, he said he smelt alcohol on the former singer’s breath, adding: ‘He was very animated with his facial features, they were very vivid and his demeanour seemed a bit – I don’t know how best to describe it – but under the influence of alcohol.
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‘I asked him if he had consumed any alcohol, then his demeanour changed.”
The police officer said: ‘He appeared quite shocked and his demeanour just changed to very defensive, from very happy and expressive to very defensive when asked that question.’
The former X Factor contestant failed a breath test but was ‘calm and compliant’ when he was arrested on suspicion of drink driving, he said.
He was then taken to a police station and breathalysed again.
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Slimani was ordered to pay a £600 fine, £240 surcharge and £620 in costs by District Judge Mark Jabbitt.
He was offered a drink drivers’ rehabilitation scheme that if completed will reduce his qualification by a quarter.
The judge said: ‘It is inevitable that I will find the case proven.’
He added that he is ‘generally sympathetic’ to Slimani’s bereavements but not to excessive drinking or taking medication without checking the effect it has on driving.
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