All members of a 22-person criminal operation that pressured homeowners to pay inflated prices for unnecessary or poor-quality roofing have been sentenced at Teesside Crown Court. Following their activities in North East, Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, the judge sentenced 12 gang members to jail for a combined 63 years and 3 months. The network extracted more than £1 million from victims for unnecessary, poor-quality and grossly overpriced work between May 2021 and August 2024.

More residents in York will soon benefit from local health and wellbeing support thanks to a £14,000 funding boost from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority. The funding will enable City of York Council to recruit and train 30 new Community Health Champions in neighbourhoods including Westfield, Clifton and Hull Road. These volunteers help people find health services, support groups and wellbeing advice close to home, sharing trusted information and connecting residents with local opportunities.

City of York Council has been appointed by the Department for Education as a Children’s Social Care Improvement Team, a national role supporting other councils to strengthen their work with children, young people and families. The recognition follows York’s own rapid improvement journey, moving from Requires Improvement to Outstanding in a single Ofsted cycle. Cllr Bob Webb said the appointment is “a real honour and a significant national achievement”, adding that it reflects the city’s strong child‑centred practice and leadership.

York’s planning inbox has gone from padel courts to poodles. The latest application, lodged for Landing Lane, Haxby, seeks permission to turn an equestrian paddock into a private dog‑walking field — complete with deer fencing, keypad entry, and online booking. The applicant, Ms Vollans, lives at the adjoining bungalow and says the field will serve local walkers already using the nearby River Foss public right‑of‑way.