The event was held in the Arches Hall at Kynren as residents from south west Durham and Bishop Auckland gathered to raise concerns, questions and solutions to issues facing them.

The evening was started by Jonathan Ruffer, the multi-millionaire philanthropist behind the regeneration of Bishop Auckland, who thanked Ms McGuinness for holding the event at Kynren.

Mr Ruffer also said the Lost Feather arena, a new 2,500-seat bird stadium is currently under construction at the Kynren site, would be opening on July 18.

The evening was chaired by Felicity Machnicki from Bishop Line Community Rail Partnership.

Jonathan Ruffer opened the event (Image: Chris BOOTH)

A number of pre-submitted questions were asked by the audience, on subjects ranging from the Toft Hill Bypass and lack of buses from Barnard Castle to Durham and Darlington.

One question raised was about improving bus services in Shildon, particularly on a route where there are two primary schools.

The mayor thanked the resident for raising the issue, calling it “shocking”.

She said: “It is a reason why we are on this journey of public control. For too long, services have been controlled by profit, which means when bus companies who have run those routes for years stop making a profit, they cut them.

“If there isn’t money to replace them, that’s what happens.”

Residents raised questions on improving bus and train services across the region (Image: Chris BOOTH)

Ms McGuinness admitted the process to get buses back into public control does take too long but said there will be a public consultation in the summer.

“Restoring routes like that which are vital links between schools and communities that are otherwise cut off, are top of the list,” she said.

Improvements to the rail network in the region, particularly around UTC South Durham were also raised by a former student.

Ms McGuinness praised the technical college and said: “We are doing a rail plan now, which will be all about how we see the future of it.

“Expansion is what we want to see, but we have to be realistic – these things take time.”

Kim McGuinness (Image: Chris BOOTH)

One big issue of contention raised at the meeting was surrounding the Toft Hill Bypass.

The mayor said that despite reports, funding for the bypass has not been cut. However, the cost of the scheme, which remains in place until 2032, has trebled.

One resident urged Ms McGuinness to work with Durham County Council, and said: “Forty years ago, Toft Hill and West Auckland were promised a bypass.

“2032 is a long way away. In 2021, we were promised a bypass within three years. We are in 2026 and we are being told we’re not getting one.”

In response, the North East Mayor said: “We’ve had successive governments fail us on a whole range of infrastructure. It is not good enough.

“We will keep pushing because you were promised a bypass and it hasn’t been delivered. We need to have that conversation and keep pushing it.”

Kim McGuinness held a Mayor Meets event, chaired by Felicity Machnicki of Bishop Line (Image: Chris BOOTH)

Following the meeting, Ms McGuinness said the Mayor Meets events she holds are one of the most important things she does as mayor.

She said: “We have had well over 100 people here tonight in Bishop Auckland to talk about transport, and it is because it is one of the things that is most important to them.

“It is really critical and also really enjoyable to have that direct dialogue with the people who live here.”

And the North East Mayor said all concerns and questions raised at the meeting will be put to the relevant authorities.

She said: “Concerns raised tonight will be taken directly to the bus companies, to Durham County Council, as well as being taken away by us to look at whether they are possible.

“Taking those ideas away and actually acting on them and seeing whether there is something that we can do, is one of the biggest takeaways from a night like tonight.”

After turning 65 on Wednesday she unveiled the Susan Boyle merchandise which is being sold through her official website.

Susan Boyle has launched her first-ever range of merchandise to mark her 65th birthday.

The singer is flogging T-shirts, hoodies, hats and tote bags bearing her name and is “so happy” with the collection which went on sale for the first time this week.

SuBo shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent at the age of 47 in 2009 with her incredible performance of I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables.

She went on to sell 20 million records and sang for Pope Francis at the Vatican’s Christmas concert in 2019.

However, in April 2022 she suffered a major stroke which left her unable to speak and sing properly.

After intensive vocal coaching lessons, which helped restore her speech and singing voice, she is now planning to release new music and go on tour again.

After turning 65 on Wednesday, she unveiled the merchandise which is being sold through her official website.

It includes a pink hoodie at £50, T-shirts at £30 and a £40 jumper with her initials on it.

Other items in the range included a tartan tote bag and Susan Boyle branded mugs, baseball caps and beanie hats.

Susan, of Blackburn, West Lothian, said: “As I celebrate my 65th birthday, I’m so happy to finally share my very first official merchandise range with you.

“I’ve loved putting this together and I hope you’ll find something you like.

“It’s available to order now for UK delivery, and EU shipping will be opening in the next few days, with the US following in the next few weeks, and the rest of the world shortly after. There are also more exciting items on the way, so do keep an eye on the shop over the coming days.

“Thank you for all the love you’ve shown me today and over the years.

“It truly means everything to me and this felt like a lovely way to celebrate together.”

Advertisement

Simon Cowell has picked Susan’s first appearance on Britain’s Got Talent as his favourite audition of all time and said she was responsible for the show’s global success.

Earlier this year, Hollywood star Timothee Chalamet revealed he is a fan and described the singer as one of the greatest-living Britons.

The Marty Supreme actor said he was mesmerised as a schoolboy when he watched her audition on YouTube.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE

Residents planning on using the Hazel Court Household Waste and Recycling Centre can book a 10-minute slot to use it online.

Those wanting to book by phone will need to call City of York Council on Thursday, April 2 before their offices close for Easter.

A council spokesperson said people were urged to book as early as possible to avoid missing out.

It follows the introduction of pre-booked slots at the site, off James Street, on Monday, March 2 after the booking system went live on Monday, February 23.

RECOMMENDED READING:

The system was launched in an effort to cut traffic queues for the tip and to reduce congestion in the area around it which was harming nearby businesses.

An email sent to residents ahead of the busy Easter weekend said bookings helped to cut queues and make visits to the tip quicker.

The tip is open as usual during the bank holiday, from 8.30am to 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Monday and until 4pm on Sunday.

Last entries are 15 minutes before the tip closes.

Residents are allowed to book up to four 10-minute slots a week to use the tip, with traders able to book two 15-minute appointments a day.

The entrance to the Hazel Court household waste and recycling centre, in Hazel Court, off James Street, York. Picture: Google Street View

People who book need to bring their email or phone confirmation with them on the today.

Those using the walk-in part of the tip do not need to book.

The Towthorpe Household Waste and Recycling Centre remains available to use without having to book beforehand.

Bookings for Hazel Court can be made on the council’s website here or by calling 01904 551 551.

A spokesperson for Yorwaste, which runs the site on behalf of the council, said Towthorpe had not been any busier than usual since the new system was launched.

They added that they had not experienced any unusual increases in traffic since the Click Before You Tip system launched at Hazel Court.

Locals say their town “cannot cope” if hundreds of planned new homes are built in the area. Plans to build up to 234 homes along Brook Street in Soham have been submitted to East Cambridgeshire District Council.

Applicants Paul Day and Winnie Day said in their application that the homes would play an “important role in mediating between the existing built-up edge of the town and the open landscape beyond”. The applicants also said it would be a “well-integrated” extension to Soham.

Despite this, some residents are not in favour of the plans. Kerry Willett, a long-term resident of Soham, is “absolutely disgusted and distraught” at the thought of new homes being built.

She said: “[There are] never ending housing estates being built on every bit of farmland and green space. We live along the main road into Soham and it’s chaos with the additional traffic that has been generated from the thousands and thousands of people moving here.”

Kerry is also concerned about wildlife, claiming it is in a “tragic state of decline”. She added: “Blackbirds, robins, thrushes, hedgehogs – all wildlife either run over or killed by the thousands of cats introduced into Soham or loss of habitat.

“The building companies advertise their properties being in ‘the rural town of Soham’. There is nothing rural here anymore.”

Kerry believes Soham has become a “disaster”. She said the town “cannot cope”, with potential new homes having an impact on facilities such as doctors and schools. “No one wants any more houses,” added Kerry.

Ali Fullarton said she is also concerned about the impact on local services. She said: “There is no need for such unnecessary buildings in Soham. There’s not enough amenities, schools, healthcare.

“The roads are not coping with the huge amount of traffic, but more importantly, the impact on the wildlife is eventually going to have nowhere to go.”

Another woman, who asked to remain anonymous, is also concerned about potential increased traffic. “Soham is basically a one-street town, so most of the traffic from the new housing developments can only use the one street to get in and out of town,” she said.

The woman added: “The amount of traffic along the high street, especially at peak times, is unbelievable and increasing all the time.”

The woman is also concerned about potential drainage issues. She said: “There are serious issues with flooding and sewage. Several areas of Soham have had problems with drains and sewage spills. This has happened in the area where I live.”

One woman who lives on the same road as the proposed site, who asked to not be named, said it would be an “absolute shame” if the homes are built.

She said: “The new estate will buff up to the other 80 properties that have been given planning permission to be built on land further up Brook Street. So, eventually there will be over 300 houses on our little street that we have to deal with. If this goes ahead, we are considering moving.”

Hilary Burlinson said if new homes are built, she would like to see bungalows built. She said: “If homes must be built then bungalows would be a good alternative with more two-bed properties for the over-50 age group. I myself would prefer to stay in Soham, but have the opportunity to purchase a new small bungalow.”

However, she agrees that schools are already overrun. She added: “There are no school places available in Soham and catchment for the village college is further afield than just Soham.

“We could do with another college size school and nursery places. Our doctors’ surgery is too small and its new building is still in the planning stages. This should be built first.”

In their planning documents, the applicants identified that the land proposed for the homes was not a flood risk. However, a pre-application had been undertaken with the Environment Agency to “better inform” them of any potential flood risk.

Concerns were also raised by Cadent Gas on the potential effect of public rights of way with the plans. The applicants said after “lengthy pre-application discussions” with Cambridgeshire County Council, an assessment would look at “all junction capacity and traffic movements” around the site.

East Cambridgeshire District Council does not comment on pending planning applications. The applicants have been approached for further comment.

Adam Spivey said it makes a ‘big difference’ to your dog’s behaviour

Advertisement

A dog trainer says a simple training technique can make any dog sit within a matter of seconds. Adam Spivey is an expert at Southend Dog Training in Essex.

Known for his videos where he discusses dog breeds, animal behaviour, and training techniques, he started coaching animals in 2012. And he says his three-second rule is the perfect way to teach any dog to sit.

He stressed that it was as much about what not to do as what you should be doing. Rather than repeating instructions or shouting, he said the key was saying the command just once.

He explained: “Stick to a three-second rule with your dog if you want it to listen to you more. What do I mean by this? When you ask your dog something, one, two, three, by this time your dog should be doing what you’ve asked it to do.

“If it’s not, don’t keep repeating yourself “sit, sit, sit down, sit down, sit down, no come here, sit down, I’ve told you”, none of that shit. The more you say that, the more the dog stops listening. What you simply do is make it happen.

“So, if you ask the dog to sit, for example, and we know the dog’s fit and healthy, no problem with its back legs, we know the dog understands sit in the first place, ask the dog to sit, one, two, three, if it doesn’t do it, gently push the bum down, make it happen so the dog learns no negotiation. If the dog sits first time in the beginning, reward your dog.

“Let the dog know listening to you first time pays. Stick to a three-second rule instead of nagging constantly, it’ll make a big difference.”

Why it’s important to be able to make your dog sit

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), teaching your dog to sit is an ideal place to start training. Not only is it safer for them crossing roads, but it is also a useful tool for when they meet new people or are excited by something.

It is also a great starting point for further training. Dogs that can sit on command are often calmer and better behaved around other dogs and people. Once your dog can sit, it is often followed by other commands such as lie down.

“With both the ‘sit’ and ‘lie down’ commands, practice and patience is key. Some dogs may pick up the command quickly, while others might take a bit more time and practice. Celebrate each small success and maintain a positive, encouraging attitude throughout. With practice and patience, your dog will be sitting and lying down on command like a champ,” one expert said.

Jo Coles, whose remit includes policing, fire and crime, welcomed North Yorkshire Police using the technology to tackle crime but said it must be used “responsibly and with robust safeguards”.

It comes after the police force announced it would be using live facial recognition technology in “carefully selected, intelligence‑led locations” in York and North Yorkshire.

The technology works by comparing live camera footage to a watchlist made up of individuals who meet the police’s criteria.

North Yorkshire Police will now use live facial recognition technology (Image: North Yorkshire Police)

A force spokesperson said the facial recognition technology will be used in the county to help identify people who pose a risk to the public, people wanted for criminal offences by the police or the courts, and those subject to court orders restricting them from certain areas.

Ms Coles said there are no “specific proposals for the use of this technology” from North Yorkshire Police, but noted that it had been used by several other police forces across England.

The Labour deputy mayor said the use of any new technology by police “requires particular scrutiny and assurance as some members of the public may be concerned about implications in terms of civil liberties, safeguarding and the potential targeting of minority groups”.

She said she recognised “those concerns and am seeking particular and ongoing assurances around this proposal from North Yorkshire in a number of areas”.

North Yorkshire Police will now use live facial recognition technology (Image: North Yorkshire Police)

Ms Coles said she would be seeking assurances from North Yorkshire Police about data storage from the facial recognition cameras. This also includes how the footage is shared “with particular regard to people’s civil liberties” and whether the companies involved in the technology “have any access to York and North Yorkshire information”, Ms Coles said.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson has said images that do not match the force’s “watchlist” will be “deleted immediately and permanently”, adding: “The watchlist itself is deleted at the conclusion of each deployment.”

North Yorkshire Police is yet to reveal the exact locations of where the facial recognition will be used, which Ms Coles said she will be pressing the force on.

Deputy mayor to seek assurances from police on ‘legal premise’ for facial recognition tech

Meanwhile, Ms Coles said she will be seeking assurances from North Yorkshire Police on the “legal premise for the proposals and whether this is proportionate to the challenges the police face”.

The deputy mayor said she is also “mindful of people’s concerns about the possibility of ‘mission creep’”, when small, limited goals escalate to larger affairs.

Ms Coles said she will seek assurances from the police force that the “scope of any proposed deployment is proportionate to existing patterns of crime and antisocial behaviour the police have to deal with”.

She said she will also be seeking assurances that the live facial recognition technology “will only be used in addition to the physical policing presence which is so important in providing reassurance to the public at major events”.

The deputy mayor added that she would be monitoring whether the technology resulted in any cost savings for the police budget.

It’s easy to take our eyes for granted. But our recent research shows they took an incredible evolutionary journey to reach their current familiar form.

It has long been known that our (vertebrate) eyes differ fundamentally from the ones of our distant relatives (invertebrates), because of their cell composition and how they develop before birth. However, answers to why or how these differences first emerged long remained elusive.

Our study suggests that our eyes descend from a worm-like ancestor that was roaming the oceans 600 million years ago. The same also applies to all bilateral animals, meaning animals whose bodies can be divided into roughly mirror-image left and right halves.

As part of our study, we surveyed 36 major groups of living animals (covering nearly all bilateral animals) to see where their eyes and light-sensing cells are located and what they do.

A pattern emerged. We discovered that eyes and light-sensing cells are consistently found at two separate locations: paired on both sides of the face, and at the midline of the head, on top of the brain. Across the animals we looked at, cells in the paired position are used to steer movements, while their midline counterparts tell day from night and up from down.

We concluded that an ancient worm-like ancestor of all vertebrate animals lost the “steering” pair of eyes when it adopted a mostly stationary lifestyle 600 million years ago, burrowing into the seabed. In becoming a filter feeder with no need to move around, the energetically expensive type of paired eyes was rendered useless and costly.

However, this lifestyle change left the light-sensing cells in the middle of its head unscathed, because the animal still needed to sense the time of day and distinguish between up and down. Although the paired eyes were gone, the light-sensing cells in the midline developed into a small midline eye.

Possibly within a few million years, this animal changed lifestyle again. A return to swimming reintroduced the need to control steering and measure its own body motion for efficient filter-feeding (sifting food out of water) and avoiding predators.

This pushed evolution to develop the midline eye by forming small eye cups on each side. These eye cups later separated from the midline eye, moved out to the sides of the head and formed new paired eyes: our eyes.

The loss and regain of vision happened between 600 and 540 million years ago. Components of the midline eye remained and became the pineal organ in the brain, which produces and releases the sleep hormone melatonin.

In many vertebrates, the pineal organ receives light through a transparent (unpigmented) region in the middle of the head. However, in the mammalian lineage the pineal organ lost its light-sensing capacity – possibly because early mammals were active at night and hid during daytime. So the eyes, which were more sensitive, took over the light detection which drives melatonin release and sleep.

Eyes of all shapes and sizes

Those animals that did not lose the worm-like ancestor’s original paired light-sensing cells comprise most invertebrates around today, since they descended from a branch of the evolutionary tree that never adopted a static lifestyle. Such animals include crustaceans, insects, spiders, octopus, snails and many groups of worms. These animals still have modern versions of the original sets of light-sensing cells.

The paired eyes of insects and crustaceans are compound eyes, with an array of tiny and densely packed lenses per eye. Instead of compound eyes, octopus and snails have camera-type eyes with a single lens.

In fact, octopus and snails independently evolved the same eye design and visual performance as us vertebrates. However, our retina – the light sensitive layer at the back of our eyes – has over 100 types of neurons (mice have even more – 140), compared to a mere handful in octopus and snails. This makes it almost as complex as our cerebral cortex – the outer and largest part of our brain.

Scientists have thought that in the evolution of our eyes, this complexity emerged fairly late. Similarities between light-sensing cells in the brain and paired eyes informed earlier hypotheses about a simple, pineal organ-like eye early in its evolution. In our work, however, we argue that a lot of this complexity predates the retina.

As such, it is likely to have been present already in the “cyclops” ancestor eye. This has broad implications for the origin and wiring of neural circuits in our retina and brain alike.

For us vertebrates, the evolution of our eyes and brain is intimately linked. The emergence of new paired eyes is a fundamental part of this picture, since the eyes allowed for the complex behavior that call for cognition and large brains. Without the eyes, we would not just be humans without eyes; we would not exist at all, nor would any of the other vertebrates.

Bleu Stean-Tannis’ advocate said his client found taking cannabis was beneficial for his ADHD

A man who was out of prison on licence after committing a serious assault is back behind bars after turning his hand to growing cannabis.

Acting on intelligence police officers went to Bleu Stean-Tannis’ house and found he had converted three bedrooms to the production of the drug on a commercial scale. The defendant’s advocate told Swansea Crown Court his client had initially started growing cannabis to self-medicate his ADHD but it was accepted that “things became bigger than that”.

At the time of the drugs bust Stean-Tannis was out of prison on licence from a five-and-a-half-year sentence imposed for a brutal attack carried out with his cousin which saw the men punching, kicking, and stamping on their victim and leaving him with a collapsed lung, smashed eye socket, and ruptured eardrum.

Caitlin Brazel, prosecuting, told the court that on October 12 last year police executed a search warrant at the defendant’s house in the Mount Pleasant area of Swansea following intelligence reports that he had set up a cannabis cultivation operation.

In the property officers found three of the bedrooms had been dedicated to the growing of cannabis with two of the rooms containing a total of 48 plants at various stages of maturity along with lights and other equipment and the third bedroom showing evidence of a previous harvest.

The court heard police estimated the potential yield of the operation could have been be up to 4kg of the drug worth up to £20,000. For the latest court stories sign up to our crime newsletter.

The prosecutor said when arrested 40-year-old Stean-Tannis said he was “going to go guilty to everything” as he didn’t want to get “stitched up”. He subsequently answered “no comment” to all questions asked in interview.

Bleu Stean-Tannis, formerly of of Cedar Avenue, Gorseinon, but now of Harries Street, Mount Pleasant, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to producing cannabis when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

He has 21 previous convictions for 37 offences including robbery, using violence to enter premises, battery, breach of a restraining order, possession of bladed articles, and five for the simple possession of cannabis.

In 2021 the defendant was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent for a joint assault carried out with his cousin Michael Gilbert which saw them repeatedly punching, kicking, and stamping on their victim outside his home. The victim sustained a collapsed lung, smashed eye socket, and ruptured eardrum. Stean-Tannis was released on licence from that sentence in 2024.

Dan Griffiths, for Stean-Tannis, said the defendant had ADHD and found the consumption of cannabis to be beneficial.

He said his client had been in receipt of a private prescription for the drug but when the cost became “prohibitive” he turned to growing the drug initially for his own use – though he said it had to be accepted “things became bigger than that” and it progressed to a “modest commercial operation”.

The advocate said Stean-Tannis had responded well to being on licence and it was perhaps a sign of his level of compliance that the decision had been taken not to recall him back to prison following his arrest in October last year.

Judge Paul Thomas KC told Stean-Tannis he would have known the consequences of committing further offences while subject to licence but had ignored that and had decided to set up a commercial-scale cannabis growing operation. The judge noted, however, that the defendant had obviously “impressed” those responsible for his licence as they had not recalled him.

With a one-third discount for his guilty plea Stean-Tannis was sentenced to 32 months in prison. He will serve 40% of the sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.

EXCLUSIVE: NHS bosses were forced to act after traces of aspergillus mould were discovered at the haematology unit at Monklands hospital in Airdrie.

An infection incident forced the closure of a ward for seriously ill patients at a second major Scots hospital, the Record can reveal.

NHS bosses in Lanarkshire were forced to act after traces of aspergillus mould were discovered at the haematology unit at Monklands hospital in Airdrie.

Patients were moved as a precaution from ward 16 at the hospital in 2022 to the adjacent ward 15 while remedial works were carried out. But the refurbishment has yet to be finished – and fresh infection concerns have since been raised within the temporary replacement ward.

The Record understands new fears were raised about mould in ward 15 in November last year but staff were only informed in recent weeks. Patients have since been advised to not use tap water to brush their teeth.

The Scottish Government said an Incident Management Team has monitored infections in the ward but it was stood down last week.

A whistleblower told the Record that refurbishment works were halted on ward 16 three years ago and had only resumed in recent months.

Wards have previously been closed at the £1bn Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow due to an infection scandal which has rocked Holyrood.

John Swinney has repeatedly denied the health campus was rushed open in 2015 despite fears from health bosses it was not ready to do so.

The Monklands infection outbreak comes amid continued uncertainty about the future of the current hospital, which has been open since 1977 and is due to be replaced.

Plans were submitted last year by NHS bosses to build a new facility at Wester Moffatt but have yet to be signed off by the SNP Government.

READ MORE: Malcolm Offord’s election agent was embroiled in anti-semitism row over BBC journalist Nick RobinsonREAD MORE: Reform’s Holyrood campaign in ‘meltdown’ after three more candidates drop out

The current hospital lies in the Airdrie & Shotts constituency which is being contested by SNP Health Secretary Neil Gray at May’s election.

Kieron Higgins, Scottish Labour candidate for the neighbouring Coatbridge & Chryston constituency, said: “This is absolutely appalling.

“While SNP ministers like John Swinney and Neil Gray were falsely assuring people that Glasgow’s £1 billion super hospital was safe, there was a separate infection issue in the blood cancer ward at Monklands Hospital, in the Health Secretary’s own backyard.

“This is completely unacceptable and the SNP need to explain why they kept this quiet. Politics and PR must never come before patient safety.

“Our NHS doesn’t belong to SNP ministers and it doesn’t belong to senior managers. It belongs to patients, staff, their families, and all of us.

“This is just a latest example of SNP secrecy in our health service and why Scotland needs change.”

Christina Coulombe, director of infection prevention at NHS Lanarkshire, insisted patient safety “has remained our priority” as remedial work continues to bring ward 16 back up to standard.

“We have been carrying out work on environmental issues affecting haematology inpatient areas at University Hospital Monklands,” she said.

“This has been managed in line with national infection prevention and control guidance. An Incident Management Team to support this work was established on November 12, 2025, and has since been stood down on March 27. We provided regular updates to Antimicrobial Resistance & Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland.

“Patient safety has remained our priority. Where issues have been identified, appropriate infection prevention and control measures have been put in place. Remedial work is underway to allow ward 16 to reopen once it meets all required standards.”

Neil Gray, the Health Secretary, said: “As NHS Lanarkshire has already made clear, this issue was dealt with by expert clinicians at Monklands and thanks to their efforts this incident was stepped down last week. The SNP Government’s budget in February – which Labour didn’t even bother to vote for- progresses the replacement of Monklands hospital.

“Anas Sarwar and the Labour party should know better- they’ve been caught out lying about the QEUH and to now try and scaremonger over an incident closed and handled safely by our NHS professionals shows just how desperate they are.”

To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here

DVLA and DWP have outlined when contact centres and phone lines will be available over Easter weekend, with closures on Good Friday and Easter Monday affecting services

The DVLA and DWP have detailed exactly when their contact centres and telephone lines will be operational over the bank holiday weekend. However, those needing support from these departments during the bank holiday may need to plan ahead to get in touch.

The Easter weekend includes two bank holidays on Good Friday, April 3, and Easter Monday, April 6. Bank holidays are generally not considered working days, even within government departments, so the extended weekend could cause disruption for those needing to contact the departments or waiting for updates, payments and deliveries.

Department for Work and Pensions

The DWP posted an alert for claimants stating: “Jobcentre Plus offices and phone lines will be closed on Fri 3 and Mon 6 Apr over the Easter period.”

The telephone lines will also remain closed throughout Saturday and Easter Sunday as they’re normally only open from Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm, reports the Express.

Even those accessing their online Universal Credit account will typically only receive responses during weekdays.

The DWP contact number you need to use will depend on your initial reason for contacting the department. Some of the most frequently requested numbers are available here on the GOV.UK website.

The offices and telephone lines should return to normal operation from Tuesday, April 7.

However, it’s not just DWP contact centres that are affected by the bank holidays. Payments from the DWP scheduled for either Good Friday or Easter Monday will not be processed on these days due to most banks ceasing transactions. Instead, they will primarily be paid on the first working day prior, which is Thursday, April 2.

DVLA

Throughout the Easter period, customers will have access to DVLA’s online services. However, the department’s contact centres will be completely shut on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

On Saturday, April 4, the DVLA contact centre will maintain its usual Saturday operating hours from 8am to 2pm. Normal operating hours will also resume from Tuesday, April 7.

If you’re expecting deliveries from the DVLA, the department typically makes provisions for bank holidays and non-working days. The GOV.UK website features a tool that can direct individuals to the appropriate DVLA contact to resolve their issue.