Author: James Anderson, FRSA, CMgr MCMI

More than 30% of a council’s entire budget for this year is forecast to be spent on temporary and emergency accommodation.Worthing Borough Council is anticipating a budget overspend of £2.115m in the first six months of this financial year because of the continuing housing crisis in the borough.At the start of April, Worthing had the second highest number of households in temporary accommodation in the West Sussex.However, in 2024/2025, the local authority only received £1,175 per homeless household from the government, the lowest in the county.The average grant in West Sussex is £4,917 per household.The council says funding from central…

The house, named Cumberland and listed at a guide price of £850,000 (Image: Blackbear via Rightmove) The house, named Cumberland and listed at a guide price of £850,000, is described as “bursting with character” and offers several business opportunities, according to the listing. Situated in the Pembrokeshire countryside, Cumberland includes its own private driveway, a double garage, and a car port. The home is described as “bursting with character” and offers several business opportunities (Image: Blackbear via Rightmove) Accommodation consists of five bedrooms and three bathrooms. There are multiple reception rooms, a kitchen/diner, a separate dining room, a sun room,…

A shortage of skilled workers in the building industry threatens to derail General Election manifesto promises to tackle the housing crisis, an expert has suggested.Political parties have pledged a range of measures to tackle the UK’s housing crisis, including a Conservative Party pledge to build 1.6 million new homes over the next Parliament. The Lib Dems have vowed to construct 150,000 new social rent homes, while Labour wants to reinstate local housebuilding targets and making councils accountable for housing requirements.The Greens are offering large-scale building and rent controls while Reform UK has pledged to unleash housebuilding through fast-track planning and…

Brighton and Hove Albion 0 Liverpool 2 Hugo Ekitike scored twice as a revived Liverpool continued the recovery of their Premier League form in a dominant performance at home to Brighton and Hove Albion this afternoon (Saturday 13 December). The Reds returned to winning ways and moved up to sixth, with two wins and two draws from their four most recent matches – in addition to the 1-0 victory against Inter Milan in the Champions League. It was the reverse for Brighton, with a second defeat in three games, leaving the club without a win since taking all three points…

The Building Safety Regulator has said it has made “significant changes” to the way it deals with safety applications following a damning House of Lords report into the issue published yesterday. Streamlining the approvals process, hiring more building inspectors and cutting out unnecessary red tape are among the recommendations made by peers following an inquiry into the regime. Responding to its findings, the BSR said: “We recognise that building control applications have been taking too long to process. “Since the committee began its hearings in the summer, we have made significant changes to speed up decision making with a focus…

The mission delivered through the United Kingdom Trade Partnerships Programme (UKTP) by the International Trade Centre (ITC), with support from JAMPRO and the Jamaica Technology & Digital Alliance provided tailored training, export readiness support, and direct business matchmaking with UK buyers. This is according to the UK High Commission in Jamaica. British High Commissioner to Jamaica Alicia Herbert OBE recently met with the returning cohort and praised Jamaica’s rapidly expanding digital sector as a force on the global stage. “The excellence Jamaica is known for in sport, culture and music is now clearly emerging in the tech sector. Partnerships between the UK and Jamaica in this space are ripe for the…

Natural gas futures rise on short covering, but traders eye upcoming EIA report and warm weather forecasts for signs of further downside. Read more here: Click Here

BBC star Matt Tebbutt shared a message with Saturday Kitchen viewers after guest James Acaster punched a polar bear figurine and attacked Christmas decorations live on airDan Laurie Deputy Editor of Screen Time10:44, 13 Dec 2025Updated 11:31, 13 Dec 2025Saturday Kitchen’s Matt Tebbutt reassured concerned fans minutes into the latest episodeMatt Tebbutt has reassured fans after last weekend’s chaotic Saturday Kitchen episode.The 51-year-old presenter was back in the kitchen on Saturday (December 13) to present the latest instalment of the popular cooking programme.He welcomed Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville to the show but before he spoke to the actor Matt addressed…

According to garden experts, there are plenty of ways to observe and appreciate birds this winter with the right set-up. For small garden birds such as goldfinches and robins, colder seasons are a crucial time to find food and maintain energy.Nic Wilson, a Guardian Country Diarist and author, says there are three garden plants that goldfinches are particularly attracted to.Writing in the latest edition of BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, she shared: “A good pair of binoculars can help you pick out the details of a bird’s plumage, especially when watching from indoors. The magnification makes it easier to distinguish blue…

Rationalstat LLC The global plumbing market is expected to touch a market value of US$ 82.2 billion by 2030, with an annual growth rate of nearly 5.4% till 2030. Wilmington, Delaware, Oct. 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global Plumbing Market was valued at US$ 56.8 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a significant CAGR of over 5.4% over the forecast period of 2023-2030, according to the published market report by RationalStat Market Definition, Market Scope, and Report Overview Plumbing is a field of work and a system of pipes, fixtures, and other devices used to distribute water,…