| The next General Election may still be as long as two years away but there's a blockbuster battle looming to be Labour's candidate for the safe Sheffield Central constituency. Former journalist, writer and political commentator Paul Mason is the second famous face to put themselves forward to be the party's candidate when current MP Paul Blomfield stands down. One of his opponents is the comedian Eddie Izzard. Locally-based candidates include city councillors Abtisam Mohamed and Jayne Dunn, Mike Buckley, Abdi Suleiman and Rizwana Lala, as Local Democracy Reporter Julia Armstrong writes. Paul Mason's website says that he studied music and politics in Sheffield in 1979, which was when he first joined the Labour Party. He says that was also when he stood on his first picket line to support striking steelworkers at Hadfields. The ex-Newsnight business editor's website says: "Our economic model is broken. It generates stagnation, inequality and massive social injustice. It's stoking racism. And it's destroying the planet. So the next Labour government needs to be as radical as in 1945. "Today we're ahead in the polls because Labour has strategy for real change: a programme to meet the needs of millions of working class people. I helped shape that strategy." 
Scrutiny meeting branded 'pointless' as mayor doesn't turn up  Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen described the scrutiny committee as a 'talking shop'
"The lady's not for turning up," quipped Keir Starmer as Liz Truss ducked an urgent question in the Commons yesterday. But on Teesside metro mayor Ben Houchen has come under fire again from a committee for failing to show up to scrutiny meetings. The Tory mayor was criticised by members of the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) overview and scrutiny board for not attending its most recent session. He called the committee a "talking shop with out-of-touch councillors" and said he was not invited. Helen Kemp, the TVCA's head of business and skills, was at the committee but struggled to provide answers on Teesworks dredging and whether the body would be attending a parliamentary scrutiny hearing, writes Local Democracy Reporter Emily Craigie. It's not the first time committee members have slammed Mr Houchen for not turning up. In July, councillors said the sessions were a waste of time as the mayor had not been seen at one since February 2019. Mr Houchen and chief executive Julie Gilhespie both attended the overview and scrutiny committee meeting in August. And the mayor said of the session: "It was very frustrating given we spent most of the meeting answering questions written in papers councillors had already been given but couldn't be bothered to read." Councillor Steve Harker said the committee was a waste of time without the mayor's attendance. He said: "I am just despairing with this meeting, it is utterly pointless. Yet again, no politicians or chief executive. It is supposed to be a scrutiny committee where members ask questions and, within reason, expect answers to be given. It's a travesty of a committee."
 Hundreds of dead and dying crabs washed up along the shore at Redcar (Image: Teessidelive)
Meanwhile a university academic involved in research into the cause of the mass crustacean die off on Teesside says he is saddened at what he says is a personal attack launched at him and the science behind his report by Mr Houchen. Newcastle University marine biologist Dr Gary Caldwell is one of a team from four universities who were commissioned to investigate the crab deaths in a study funded by the North East Fishing Collective, as Joanne Welford reports for TeessideLive. A government probe this year concluded an algal bloom was to blame for the die offs but fishermen and conservationists believe chemicals caused by dredging on the River Tees, including one called pyridine, are the cause. The latest study by academics including Dr Caldwell has begun to reveal its findings - also suggesting the mass crab deaths are 'more consistent with poisoning by industrial toxins.' But Mr Houchen called its independence into question in a series of critical posts on social media. The mayor says the lead academic is an activist, the study hasn't been shared publicly or peer reviewed and therefore can't be checked and it flies in the face of the government multi agency investigation carried out by dozens of independent scientists over many months. But Green Party member Dr Caldwell says he is happy to discuss his findings and stands by the research. He said: "The way he has chosen to misrepresent the science and attempt to denigrate the science team gives cause for concern and suggests he is not entirely comfortable with what we have found."
History-themed mini-golf course deemed out of bounds by councillors  David Finch and Helen Birkett proposed a 12-hole course on the grass between York Library and Museum Gardens. Pictured is an artist's impression
York is a city steeped in history - but plans for a history-themed mini-golf course in the centre have been rejected by councillors because it would be in "the wrong place". David Finch and Helen Birkett proposed a 12-hole course on the grass between York Library and Museum Gardens, which would stay in place for seven years. Holes planned included 'Roman York', 'Viking York' and 'Chocolate York', with each one having information boards giving details of a particular time in York's history. But their scheme attracted a significant amount of objections from people who said the location, between the ruins of St Leonard's Hospital, the Roman wall and Multangular Tower, was inappropriate due to its historic nature, writes Local Democracy Reporter Joe Cooper. Mr Finch said: "Our objectors would rather it be a more exclusive space for those with an established interest in history – a quiet hideaway known only to a select few." After the meeting, senior councillor Darryl Smalley said: "Residents consistently say we want things for families and kids – space is short in York. Opportunity to tackle anti-social behaviour and breathe life into under-used space refused by planning tonight. We wouldn't have built York Library if it'd been submitted today. More vision in 1920s than 2020s."
'Exceptional opportunities' to shape future of towns and cities  Abigail Patel, an architect who worked at Buttress Architects in Manchester, has a role as strategy planner at the Lake District National Park Authority
The number of full time employees in local government has fallen by 321,000 in the last decade - so it's no surprise most town halls say attracting skilled staff is their biggest recruitment issue. But to ease the local government skills crisis the social enterprise Public Practice is recruiting professionals - mostly from outside the public sector - to take part in its placement programme at publicly-funded organisations. It's now announced its largest ever cohort of placements and its first in the North, with employment for 41 experienced place professionals in the public sector secured this autumn including a total of ten across the North in places like Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Cumbria, Yorkshire and the North East. To date Public Practice has had 264 place professionals in 73 public sector bodies across England. As an example Abigail Patel, an architect who worked at Buttress Architects in Manchester, has a role as strategy planner at the Lake District National Park Authority. Pooja Agrawal, CEO of Public Practice said: "Our expansion into the North of England comes at a very exciting time. Since 2019 councils across England have been able to start bidding for funding from the Towns Fund and Levelling Up Fund - a combined pot worth more than £8bn. "This has created exceptionally interesting opportunities for placemaking professionals who now have a chance to help build better places and shape the future of towns and cities across England for generations."
A firm clearly not struggling to recruit in the North is professional services giant EY, which has taken 104 new students at its Manchester base – more than any of the firm's other UK offices outside London - including 84 graduates and a further 20 apprentices. It says that of this year's student cohort of 1,269 graduates and 204 apprentices, almost 40% will be based in EY's regional offices, with Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Reading all seeing large intakes. Of the new hires in Manchester, 47% are women and 39% are from an ethnic minority background. 
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Northern Stories  Manchester Christmas Lights Switch-on events used to be a big deal on Albert Square - pictured in 2015 (Image: Mirrorpix)
- There will be no big Manchester Christmas Lights switch-on show for 2022 as there is 'no suitable location'. There has traditionally been a free entertainment event held where families can count down to the big festive lights switch-on - but it hasn't happened in the city since 2019 due to the pandemic. Many had been hoping the event would make a big return for 2022. But the council has now finally confirmed that despite a desperate search for a location they've not found one that is "suitable or safe" to host the event. They blamed the amount of construction work taking place across the city.
- A noise-detecting traffic camera is being trialled in West Yorkshire to catch so-called boy racers. The camera has been deployed in the Keighley area, the Department for Transport announced, and will be moved to Birmingham, Bristol and Great Yarmouth over the next two months. The technology involves a camera and several microphones which can detect noisy vehicles. It comes amid concerns about the impact on residents from motorists revving engines and using illegal exhausts.
- Proposals to create the UK's biggest urban farm and eco-park in Oldham will be referred to government after local bosses gave them the green light. Councillors have unanimously approved the first major phase of the Northern Roots project in Snipe Clough. It will include a visitor centre, with spaces for events and meetings and a café and shop, a natural amphitheatre and performance space as well as a learning centre, forestry depot and solar panels. The application will now have to be referred to the Secretary of State, who will have 21 days to decide whether to call it in for further examination.
- A disused former power station close to Doncaster will be morphed into a green energy hub, a renewable energy firm has announced. Thorpe Marsh power station, near Doncaster, lies derelict and The Banks Group, a property, renewable energy and minerals firm says it will create a new 'flexible energy hub.' The hub, built on 65 hectares of land, will include wetlands, woodlands, and grassland. The company also says it will embark on consultation starting with a question and answer segment at Barnby Dun Parish Hall on Wednesday, November 2.
- Blackburn with Darwen Council has won its multi-million pound court case over its new town centre bus station. It had been sued by the administrators of Thomas Barnes and Sons Ltd over the premature termination of the contract to build the £8.4 transport hub in Ainsworth Street, Blackburn, which was plagued with problems and delays running over its initial £4.7m budget. This week Judge Stephen Davies handed down his judgment holding that the council is not required to pay any money to Thomas Barnes and Sons.
- A Merseyside ferry terminal reopened at sunrise yesterday after being closed for nearly two years while it was being refurbished. Millions of pounds have gone into the terminal at Seacombe which now has a new lobby, ticket office and the entire boarding platform and passenger bridges replaced. New powered gangways have also been installed to help people get on and off the ferries. Most of the money went into replacing the platform and bridges, which were more than 130 years old with some of it coming from Levelling Up funding.
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