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Chancellor expected to expand free childcare in Budget announcement

The budget announcement is coming today

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Chris McAndrew / Wikimedia & cotton bro studio / Pexels

Jeremy Hunt is expected to announce the expansion of free childcare for working parents in England to now include one and two-year-olds in today’s Budget.

Currently, working mums and dads with three and four-year-olds are eligible for 30 hours per week of free child care. The plans are part of a move to help encourage more parents back into the workplace and help boost economic growth.

Equivalent funding is expected to be announced for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Treasury is not formally commenting ahead of the Budget — which will take place on Wednesday March 15th, ahead of the new tax year beginning in April.

However, it has not denied suggestions — as first reported in The Guardian — that the hourly rate paid to childcare providers by the government will also be increased, and that local authorities will be given funding to start setting up wraparound childcare provision in schools from September 2024.

First Minister of Scotland / Flickr

The cost of childcare in the UK is among the highest in the world, seeing the government under pressure – including from some of its own MPs – to provide more help for parents. The rising costs of childcare has been seen as a deterrent preventing some parents from going back to work or being able to work full time.

The extension of free childcare has been lobbied for by business group the CBI, which calculates that while it will cost several billion pounds, it could raise up to £10bn in further revenue by increasing the number of parents able to work.

The Guardian also reported that the government could introduce changes to the staff-to-child ratios for two-year-olds in childcare, moving from one carer for every four children to 1:5 to align with Scotland — which the Treasury also has not denied. Supporters of the idea say it could help cut costs for parents.

Chris McAndrew / Wikimedia

However, the Early Years Alliance, which represents around 14,000 childcare providers in England, said relaxing ratios risked ‘severely compromising the safety and quality of care’ and putting more pressure on the workforce during ‘a severe staffing crisis’.

EYA chief executive Neil Leitch said underfunding had left the system ‘on its knees’, and though reports of more spending on the sector ‘appear positive, the devil is in the detail’. He said the government must ensure funding meets the sharply rising costs of delivering places.

Meanwhile, the government will also confirm that energy bill support will continue at current levels through to June. Currently, the government limits the energy bill for a typical household to £2,500 a year but this had been due to rise to £3,000 on April 1st.

Mikhail Nilov / Pexels

Mr Hunt is expected to resist calls from some Tory MPs to cut taxes, saying: “The best tax cut right now is a cut in inflation.” A planned rise in corporation tax, from 19% to 25%, is due to come in from April 1st. However, under plans to be announced in the Budget, businesses will be able to mitigate this increase with a new system of capital allowances.

Amid further teacher strikes and rail strikes happening today and tomorrow (March 15th and 16th), no further cash is expected to be made available for public sector pay, but cabinet figures have expressed confidence that many of the industrial disputes are close to being settled.

In his Budget speech, Mr Hunt will refer to the ‘difficult decisions’ taken by the government last autumn ‘to deliver stability and sound money’, following the economic turbulence caused by Liz Truss’s tax-cutting agenda.

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Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries

Fancy a career change?

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Stagecoach

Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.

You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.

Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.

As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.

Stagecoach

There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.

Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.

“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.

“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”

Stagecoach

Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.

“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”

To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.

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Two men charged with murder after torso discovered in Salford nature reserve

BREAKING:

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Greater Manchester Police

Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.

As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.

This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.

Greater Manchester Police


Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.

They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.

While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.

ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.

“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.

“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.

“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.

“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.

“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”

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More human remains discovered in Greater Manchester as police identify victim

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N Chadwick / Geograph

Detectives investigating the discovery of a torso in Kersal Dale have found more human remains around Greater Manchester.

GMP released a statement on the weekend, revealing they had opened four scenes for extensive searches – one of them at a warehouse in Bury, and three in Salford.

Searches took place at Blackleach reservoir, where human remains were found, and a dog walker found a package containing human remains at Colliery Wood.

Officers believe they have now identified the man, who they believe to be a man in his 60s that lived in Salford, and his family have been informed.

Two suspects have already been arrested in connection with the murder probe, with officers saying they are thought to have lived with the victim.

Greater Manchester Police / Facebook


Detective Superintendent Lewis Hughes, Senior Investigating Officer for this investigation, said in a statement at Blackleach reservoir yesterday, Sunday April 28th: “We have continued to make significant progress in our investigation into human remains being found in Kersal earlier this month.

“From day one, our priority has been to identify the man and his family so that we can give them the support and the answers that they need.

“Thanks to meticulous forensic work, we are now confident we have identified the man. Formal identification hasn’t yet taken place, but we believe he is a man in his 60s and lived in Salford.

“Specially-trained family liaison officers have met with his family this afternoon to give them the devastating news, and we will do all that we can to support them at this awful time.

“We believe he is known to the two suspects we have in custody. They have remained in custody for questioning over the weekend, as we work to establish how the victim met this tragic outcome.”

He continued: “We have painstakingly worked to follow up every line of inquiry in this investigation. Over the last couple of days, we have acted on information and had four scenes in place for extensive searches – one of them is at a warehouse in Bury, and three of them are in Salford, including here at Blackleach reservoir.

“Today, we have found some human remains at the reservoir here, and last night a dog walker found a package containing human remains at Colliery Wood. Forensic tests will continue to establish whose remains these are, but we are very confident that this is also the victim in our investigation.

“We have also been searching a house in Winton where we believe the victim and the two suspects lived. We have found evidence that the victim is likely to have died there – most likely in late March.

“While this is significant progress, we know there is still some way to go to complete this investigation. I also recognise details of this case will have been distressing for the people of Salford and beyond – including the officers that are diligently working on this investigation, and most importantly the man’s heartbroken family.

“Local officers will continue to patrol the affected areas, and we will provide updates when we have more information.”

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