News | Page 29

Durham Police this week said a new state of the art headquarters would save the force money in the long term. The constabulary would like to knock down its current headquarters in Aykley Heads, which it said was too expensive to run and not fit for purpose.

Defence workers at Brough heard about job cuts at a staff meeting. "Having a leak in the Sunday papers, then leaving it until today, I am taken aback by BAE Systems," said a BAE worker at the factory.

Hull and Bradford are currently topping the list of Yorkshire homes where no-one works. An official government survey found that more than a quarter of households in parts of the county were jobless last year.

The Tata Steel company in Scunthorpe will supply rails for a French line in a multi-million pound deal. Around 84,000 tonnes of steel will be manufactured by Tata at its Lincs base, before being finished at the company’s mill in Hayange, France.

The National Police Training College in Pannal Ash is to shut down, although the date of closure is yet to be confirmed.

Durham County Council equalities staff is working with the Teesdale Disability Access Forum to make sure the disabled are not left out when new toilet facilities arrive. The new underground block means the facilities will not be accessible to wheelchairs.

A second walkout by drivers on Friday (August 26, 2011), is set to cause more travel misery for passengers, including music fans going to this weekend’s Leeds Festival.

A fire has caused £2 million worth of damage at a farm in Rotherham. Brecks Lane Farm in East Herringthorpe had buildings and equipment torched on Saturday, August 6. Police are appealing for witnesses after suspicious men were seen in the vicinity of the premises.

About 140 jobs have been saved in Sheffield because a buyer has been found for the TJ Hughes department store. The Sheffield branch, on the corner of High Street and Arundel Gate, has been sold to another company.

A Batley biscuit factory at risk of closure is to stay open. The original plan was for a merger of three plants including Batley into one modern factory. However, parent concern Northern Foods has now said the sites will remain open after investing £27 million in them.

One thousand jobs have been rescued at a Cleveland steel plant. A Thai firm has bought up the Teesside Cast Products site, and will start recruiting in August for the new posts.

Plans for the new building at The Moor shopping street in Sheffield have been revealed for the first time. The vision sees plans for a modern retail space including shops and a large digital screen.