Recent concerns have prompted a collaborative clean-up effort and a long-term improvement plan involving rail operators, local councils, and the wider community.

Volunteers from the Durham City Riverscape Community Group recently removed more than 50 bags of litter from the station area, drawing public attention to the scale of the problem.

Councillor Carole Lattin, chair of the parish council’s environment committee, said: “This is a really positive step forward, and we are delighted to see partners coming together with a shared commitment to improving such an important gateway to our city.

“The Parish Council is very happy to support this collaborative work, and we look forward to playing our part in ensuring lasting improvements”.

The station is a key arrival point for visitors to Durham and sits just moments from the city’s World Heritage Site.

It also provides access to nearby attractions such as Wharton Park and offers visitors a first impression of the city and its heritage.

The parish council described recent talks with London North Eastern Railway (LNER) as “positive and forward-looking,” and said all parties share the ambition of making Durham Station the very best stop along the East Coast Mainline.

Suggested improvements include better waste management, new floral displays, closer coordination with local volunteer groups, and an application to the North East Combined Authority for funding to carry out a thorough jet washing of the station.

Cllr Lattin said: “Durham Station is a key arrival point for residents and visitors alike, and we want it to reflect the very best of what our city has to offer.

“We sincerely hope that the North East Combined Authority – who have recently announced some transport funding – will also get behind these plans.

“Our ambition is clear—we want Durham Station to be the very best along the East Coast Mainline, providing a clean, welcoming and high-quality environment for everyone arriving here or who passes through.”

The Durham City Riverscape Community Group welcomed the support, saying long-term progress will rely on continued cooperation between organisations and the public.

Graham Hollingworth, a lead member of the group, said: “The area around Durham Station had, quite frankly, fallen into a shocking state.

“As a community group, we felt strongly that something needed to be done, so our volunteers have been out litter picking and working hard to restore the site to a condition that the city can be proud of.

“Since then, we’ve been really encouraged by the positive and constructive conversations we’ve had with the City of Durham Parish Council about how we can maintain this space for the long term.

“We’re extremely grateful for that support and collaboration.

“This is such an iconic part of Durham, offering some of the most fantastic views towards the World Heritage Site.

“It should always provide a warm and welcoming first impression for visitors arriving in our city.

“We’re also grateful to LNER and Network Rail for engaging with us, and we would remind everyone that keeping Durham beautiful is a shared responsibility.

“It belongs to all of us, and together we can ensure it remains a place we’re proud to call home.”

All parties involved have stressed that keeping the area clean is a shared responsibility.

There is growing confidence that with continued cooperation, Durham Station can set an example of effective partnership between residents, volunteers, and organisations.

The wider public is encouraged to take pride in the city and play their part in maintaining its welcoming character.

On Friday, 1 May, the Renters’ Rights Act will take effect in England. The long-awaited law, which is the first set of significant reforms to rental housing legislation since 1988, includes several changes that will affect renters and landlords alike. 

One of the most significant is the abolition of ‘Section 21’ or no-fault evictions. Previously, landlords could evict tenants without a specific reason, which some campaigning groups say is a leading cause of homelessness. Now, landlords will only be able to evict if they plan to sell or move into a property. Notice periods will also increase from two months to four. 

Another major change is around tenancies, which will revert to rolling contracts as opposed to being fixed for 12 or 24 months. The ability for tenants to challenge rent hikes will also be introduced. Additionally, Awaab’s Law, which already requires social landlords to respond to emergency hazards and serious damp and mould within fixed timeframes, will also be extended next year to cover a wider range of health and safety risks. It’s named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to mold.

Groups such as homelessness charities and unions welcomed the legislation. Acorn, a renters and community union, said that the act will affect around 12 million renters across the country and is the biggest change in a generation. Chelsea Phillips, Acorn national chair, said: “We won this. This wasn’t just handed to us from above. It came from more than 10 years of tenants organising, taking action, and refusing to accept a system that wasn’t working for us.”

Critics, however, say that the new law could force landlords with smaller operations out, while favouring larger corporate landlords. Some landlords fear that it will give them reduced powers to remove genuinely problematic tenants, while others argue that rent prices could edge upwards if the volume of properties on the market decreases.

Image: HiveBoxx

The show, Public Record, was commissioned and produced by the National Theatre, Sunderland Culture, and the Sunderland Empire, and last year wowed packed audiences at The Fire Station in Sunderland.

Described as a “musical portrait” of Sunderland, Public Record featured more than 100 community members who performed alongside professional musicians and dancers.

Director Emily Lim said: “Dan and I have been working hard on this for some time now and while it’s been quite a wild experience trying to make it happen across the other side of the pond, it’s proving a very wonderful process.

Public Record, a theatre production inspired by Sunderland’s people and heritage, is set to be staged in New York after success in the UK (Image: LUKE WADDINGTON)

“Everyone is so excited about its potential to say something really important and meaningful about the community and values of New York.

“We’re thinking of the incredible Sunderland community all the time and cannot express enough how grateful, lucky and inspired we feel to be continuing this journey which we began with you all.”

The show transformed The Fire Station into a live recording studio, where the cast helped to create an album celebrating life in the city and its people.

Now, a reimagined version of the production is heading to the United States under the title Public Works.

Just like the North East original, the New York adaptation will bring together a cast of more than 100 people, including community members, musicians, and dancers.

Public Works aims to capture the spirit of New York through music, movement, and storytelling, with the result a live album created on stage in real time.

The New York version will be performed at the Delacorte Theater in September as part of the city’s Shakespeare for the City celebration.

A subsequent album will be preserved by the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Nick Malyan, chief executive at Sunderland Culture, said: “We’re thrilled that Public Record didn’t start and finish in Sunderland.

“It was a wonderfully warm, inspiring, and moving production forged from the talents of Sunderland creatives and people living and working in our communities.

“Emily and Dan were a delight to work with, and we hope New York’s Public Works has the impact on audiences that Public Record did.”

Marie Nixon, theatre director at the Sunderland Empire, said: “Public Record, and now Public Works, could not have happened without the brilliant partnership between Sunderland Culture, National Theatre, and the Empire.

“Public Record was evidence of a confident, ambitious city – and one now exporting culture to a global cultural hub.”

The original production in Sunderland was part of the National Theatre’s Public Acts programme, which delivers large-scale participatory theatre in partnership with venues and community groups across England.

Performers in Public Record came from four local groups: Back on the Map, the Connect Company from the Sunderland Empire, The Odyssey Alumni group, and the Sunderland Nigerian Family Group.

Two additional “cameo” groups also took part: Dance JAM street dancers, led by Jennifer Oswald (also known as Pinky), and the Young Musicians Project, led by Laura Brewis.

The event, organised by Tennants Auctioneers in Leyburn, will take place on June 13 and marks the 150th anniversary of Mr Thompson’s birth by honouring his legacy of hand-carved oak furniture, each piece distinguished by its trademark mouse motif.

Diane Sinnott, Mouseman specialist at Tennants Auctioneers, said: “Having worked with Mouseman for over thirty years, I am absolutely thrilled to be celebrating this milestone anniversary with what is set to be a landmark sale”.

Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson, English Oak Newel Posts – Estimate; £2,000-3,000 (Image: Tennants)

The auction will feature 300 lots of Mouseman furniture and carvings, drawing from three major private collections as well as additional contributions from other vendors.

Among the items on offer is a rare English oak carving of Fighting Stallions, with an estimated value of £8,000 to £12,000.

The North Yorkshire Collection, assembled over a decade by a dedicated collector, includes several rare pieces, sourced directly from the Mouseman workshop in Kilburn or through auction houses.

Workshop of Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson, English Oak ‘Six Mouse’ Bowl – Estimate:£2,000-3,000 (Image: Tennants)

Another standout item is an oak carving of Racing Greyhounds, estimated at £4,000 to £6,000.

Other pieces up for auction include a selection of furniture, monk’s chairs, tables, bookends and a rare steamer deck chair dating back to the 1920s or 1930s.

The auction will also feature items from the former Mouseman-fitted interior of Stone Lodge on Skipton Road in Silsden.

Completed in 1953 and since demolished, the house included oak panelling, a fireplace, doors and newel posts, all crafted by Thompson’s workshop, and will now be offered to collectors and enthusiasts.

Viewing will be held at Tennants Auctioneers on June 11 and June 12.

Robert Thompson (1876-1955) built his workshop in the small North Yorkshire village of Kilburn and embodied the ethos of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Drawing inspiration from medieval craftsmen, Thompson developed a distinctive style rooted in tradition and individuality.

He famously incorporated a carved mouse into every piece, a detail that became his enduring signature.

Mr Thompson described the inspiration behind the motif, saying: “I though how a mouse manages to scrape and chew away the hardest wood with its chisel-like teeth, and it works quietly; nobody takes much notice.

“I thought that was maybe like this workshop hidden away in the Hambleton Hills.

“It is what you might call industry in quiet places, so I put the mouse on all my work”.

Thompson created in a time when mass production threatened to overshadow traditional handcrafting, yet he continued to produce unique furniture using native oak and time-honoured methods.

Each item from his workshop is known for its character and individuality.

The Mouseman sale will take place alongside Tennants’ 20th Century Design Sale and Modern and Contemporary Art Sale on the same day, providing collectors an opportunity to explore a range of distinctive and historical pieces.

A fully illustrated catalogue for the auction is available on the Tennants Auctioneers website.

More information about the sale and the legacy of Mouseman Thompson can be found at www.tennants.co.uk or by contacting their team directly at 01969 623780.

HMRC and Social Security Scotland have confirmed payments due on Monday, May 25 will be paid early on Friday, May 22, with DWP expected to follow the same pattern

Those expecting a State Pension or benefit payment towards the end of this month will receive their money ahead of schedule due to an upcoming bank holiday. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Social Security Scotland have confirmed that certain payments due on Monday, May 25 will be brought forward, with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) expected to follow suit with a similar amended payment schedule.

This is due to DWP offices and phone lines being closed over the bank holiday, as payments are ordinarily processed when all services are fully operational, including webchat and Jobcentre Plus offices.

Payments including State Pension, Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Child Benefits, Adult Disability Payment (ADP) and Attendance Allowance due on Monday, May 25 will land in bank accounts on Friday, May 22.

Below is a full list of DWP, HMRC and Social Security Scotland payments which could be affected by the May bank holidays, reports the Daily Record.

It is worth noting that if your forthcoming payment does not fall on Monday, May 25, it will be issued as normal.

DWP May bank holiday payment date changes

DWP has yet to formally confirm any payment date changes, but is anticipated to follow the same revised schedule as HMRC and Social Security Scotland.

Payments due to be made on Monday, May 25 will be issued on Friday, May 22.

Payments affected:

• Attendance Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
• Income Support
• Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Pension Credit
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• State Pension
• Universal Credit

HMRC May bank holiday payment date changes

Payments due to be made on Monday, May 25 will be issued on Friday, May 22.

Payments affected:

• Child Benefit
• Guardian’s Allowance

Social Security Scotland May bank holiday payment date changes

Payments due to be made on Monday, May 25 will be issued on Friday, May 22.

Payments affected:

• Adult Disability Payment
• Child Disability Payment
• Scottish Child Payment
• Carer Support Payment
• Pension Age Disability Payment
• Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance

Social Security Scotland has confirmed Best Start Foods payments will not be affected.

Early local election results are inflicting increased pressure on Sir Keir Starmer with his party losing control of six councils amid a surge in support for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.

The prime minister, who was reportedly last night facing calls from former Labour leader Ed Miliband to set out a timetable for his departure, is facing a difficult day with results expected to bring heavy losses for Labour at the 136 councils that held elections.

As dawn broke, it was confirmed that the party, which had already lost control of councils including Redditch and Tameside, had lost control of its seventh local authority; Southampton.

Many pollsters expect Labour to lose more than 1,500 councillors.

Accrording to The Times, Mr Miliband had privately urged the Prime Minister to set out a timetable for his departure after the elections, while Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash, whose wife Pamela Hargreaves lost her seat in Reform’s clean sweep, said Sir Keir should go.

Deputy prime inister David Lammy urged his party not to play “pass the parcel” with the leadership in response to the election results.

Meanwhile, Reform UK’s Nigel Farage has said the early results are exceeding all his expectations, calling it a day of “historic change in British politics”.

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Starmer must go, says Labour MP

A Labour MP who saw his wife lose her council seat as Reform surged in Hartlepool has repeated his call for Sir Keir Starmer to step down amid a “terrible” night for his party.

Jonathan Brash, whose wife Pamela Hargreaves lost to Nigel Farage’s party, said: “I’m looking for change at the top of the Labour Party.

“It’s clear to me that the prime minister should take this opportunity to set out a timetable for his own departure, and then allow for the widest possible leadership election that includes all the talents of our party.

“There should be no blocking of any candidate from coming to the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party) if they feel they’ve got something to offer.

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“As you can imagine, I’m really angry about tonight, because Labour politicians are delivering really big things, but we need a leadership of the party that is on the side of the British people.”

He added: “The results are terrible. It’s devastating for Hartlepool. It’s a terrible night.

“I don’t think Keir Starmer should survive these results.”

Alex Ross8 May 2026 06:40

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Breaking: Reform wins first council

Reform UK has gained its first council of this year’s local elections, taking Newcastle-under-Lyme from the Conservatives.

Alex Ross8 May 2026 06:34

Ed Miliband ‘privately urged Starmer to set timeline for departure’

As polls closed last night, and Sir Keir Starmer braced a difficult day ahead, The Times reported that energy secretary and former Labour leader Ed Miliband privately urged him to set out a timetable for his departure after the elections.

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The outlet reported that Mr Miliband was concerned Labour will descend into “a bitter and damaging leadership contest” after the local elections.

But deputy prime minister David Lammy has urged his party not to play “pass the parcel” with the leadership in response to the election results.

He told the BBC there were “questions that we have to answer” but there were “no circumstances in which the answer to the questions that the British people are raising is to change the leader yet again”.

Labour sources also pointed to the heavy defeat suffered by the party in 1999 before Sir Tony Blair went on to win re-election by a landslide in 2001.

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Alex Ross8 May 2026 06:32

Lib Dems hail ‘record-breaking winning streak’ in local elections

The Lib Dems have hailed the party’s results in the local elections so far, with the party’s deputy leader Daisy Cooper claiming they are on a “record-breaking winning streak”.

In a statement, she continued: “We are heading for our eighth set of local election gains in a row and are on track to beat Labour and the Conservatives once again.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our hardworking teams across the country, who knocked on over three-and-a-half million doors to take the fight to Farage and his politics of division.”

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Ms Cooper added: “We’ve recorded stonking results in Stockport and Portsmouth, taking control of both councils and beating Reform. Many of our best results are still to come in places like Surrey, Sussex, Huntingdonshire, and Southwark.

“While those on the populist extremes of left and right just want to pitch groups against each other, Liberal Democrats have a plan to fix what’s broken and bring our country together.”

Millie Cooke8 May 2026 06:27

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Southampton becomes seventh council Labour has lost

We’ve just reported on Labour losing Wandsworth, and control of its sixth council – well, the party has just losts its seventh with Southampton.

The Labour leader of the council, Alex Winning, has also lost his seat.

The results for the council, where a third of seats were up for election, showed Reform gained seven seats, while Labour lost nine. Greens also won two, and the Lib Dems two also.

Alex Ross8 May 2026 06:15

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Labour has lost Wandsworth Council

Labour has lost Wandsworth Council to no party majority after shedding six seats, leaving it with 28.

The Tories have 29 seats after gaining eight, but failed to retake control of the south London council.

In 2022, Labour caused an upset by winning power from the Conservatives, who had been in control of the council since 1978.

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Alex Ross8 May 2026 06:12

Elections confirm ‘fracturing of British politics’ – John Curtice

So far, Reform has made huge gains in England, taking more than 20 seats so far, while Labour has lost almost 160 and the Tories more than 30.

Pollster John Curtice told the BBC this morning that after Reform, Labour, Lib Dems, Conservatives and Greens were all trailing with just below 20 per cent of the vote share.

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He said: “None of the parties are very big. The fracturing of British politics is underlined by these results and confirmed by them.”

Alex Ross8 May 2026 05:47

Labour defeat may not be as bad as expected, says John Curtice

As we and other outlets have reported, Labour was expected by some pollsters to lose more than 1,500 seats, which would place huge place on Sir Keir Starmer.

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However, despite gains for Reform, pollster John Curtice told the BBC this morning that Labour’s losses may not be as big as expected.

He said: “It may well be now that Labour lose less than the 1,500 seats that perhaps some people said was the tipping point for attempts to unseat Keir Starmer, but only a hird of the seats are declared overnight and they are not all in yet. There is still along way to go.

“The big picture is Reform are ahead, it is clear that Reform are winning most votes in the elections declared so far in much the same way as they were in last year’s council elections.”

Alex Ross8 May 2026 05:42

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The latest this morning as Labour loses seventh council

Dawn is breaking in the UK, and although it’s still very early days in the results for the local elections, we’re starting to get an idea on the early winners, and so far it’s Reform.

The party has gained more than 200 seats in 37 of the 136 councils that have declared to so far, while Labour has lost more than 160, including its traditional northern heartlands.

Crucially, Labour has lost control of seven councils so far.

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In Hartlepool, Reform won all 12 seats on offer, pushing the previously Labour-held council into no overall control, while Labour also lost control of Redditch, Tamworth and Exeter.

In Tameside, a council in Angela Rayner’s Greater Manchester constituency, Labour lost its majority to no overall control as Reform took 18 of the 19 seats up for election.

The party has also lost control of Wandsworth four years on from taking over what had been a long-held Conservative authority.

This morning, Reform leader Nigel Farage heralded a “historic change in British politics,” telling reporters “there is no more left-right” as his outfit was “scoring stunning percentages in traditional old Labour areas”.

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Alex Ross8 May 2026 05:29

Conservative leader in Harlow says Labour and Reform ‘utterly trounced’

Harlow’s Conservative council leader, who led his party to victory in all 11 district council seats up for election in the town, has said a “bold vision” locally was behind his victory.

Asked what the Conservative Party’s future looked like, Dan Swords told the Press Association: “I think what we have shown in Harlow is if you set out a bold vision, you deliver against it and deliver tangible change that people can see, people will come out and vote for it – I think that’s what we need to do nationally.”

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Mr Swords earlier said: “This is a local election, it’s about local issues and it’s about us finishing what we’re doing, and I’m pleased that residents have voted for that.

“I would certainly find it interesting if I were either a Labour or a Reform campaigner now trying to defend the fact they’ve just been utterly trounced but, you know, we just get on with what we’re doing.”

Mr Swords told PA: “I think it’s an incredibly hard night. You know, I know hundreds of councillors, Conservative councillors, up and down the country and they are truly the most dedicated, caring, loyal people who want nothing more than to improve the area they live in.

“And I think in nearly every single scenario, they will have lost because of the national picture.

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“I don’t think many people have voted this evening because they think that Reform or whomever else will do a better job of running their council, I think they’re voting because they want change and that’s clear for everyone to see.

“And I hope that they will all be back very soon, following Harlow’s lead.”

Adam Withnall8 May 2026 05:09

“I have concerns of the Mayor’s show coming up and we want the place spick and span and not have rats everywhere.”

A Lisburn councillor has raised concerns of rats disrupting a community event this weekend.

Thousands of people are expected to attend the annual family event centred in Wallace Park this Saturday, May 9.

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s environment committee this week heard public safety concerns over rodents seen on site, but Mayor Amanda Grehan says she has “full faith” in pest control.

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In chambers, SDLP councillor Pat Catney said: “It has been brought to my attention today that there are rats at the vicinity of the railway banks at Wallace Park.

“There are funfair rides already being put in place in the park for the Mayor’s Carnival Parade this weekend. Could we have a look at this?”

A council officer confirmed they had noted the elected member’s concerns.

Speaking to the the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Councillor Catney said: “I have a had a number of constituents who reported rats around the railway embankment area saying the rats just stopped and stared at them without fear.

“I have concerns of the Mayor’s show coming up and we want the place spick and span and not have rats everywhere.

“In light of what we are hearing on the news about the virus on the cruise ship in the Atlantic, we need to be careful.

“The bottom line is this is a public health issue and it needs flagging up. A child could pick up a football with rat’s pee on it, so it is a real danger.”

Cruise ship, the MV Hondius, which set sail from Argentina a month ago, is now sailing towards the Canary Islands after being anchored for three days near Cape Verde over a rare virus outbreak linked to rodents.

According to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) the risk of transmission to the wider public of the ‘Hantavirus’ is low.

UK passengers make up the highest nationality on board.

Councillor Catney added: “It might be eradicated by the weekend, but it needs to be done.

“I’m not in the Lagan Valley chamber to be popular, I’m there to raise concerns on behalf the people of the district and that is what I am doing.”

The council website describes the event as the “city’s largest community street arts party” with the parade beginning at the Lagan Valley Island civic centre from 1pm.

It further states, Wallace Park will closed at 9pm on Thursday 7 May and will not reopen to the public until 12noon on Saturday 9 May when the Family Fun Day event begins. There will be no access to the park for the public during this time.

The LDRS contacted Mayor Grehan, who said: “As soon the complaint of rats came in our officers were on this and they are doing a great job and doing the best they can.

“I want everyone to come along to the Mayor’s Carnival and have a fabulous day. Our pest control are well on top of it. I have full faith in our officers to to do a fantastic job.”

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