England's Local Voice Since 2009
Thousands of families across the region remain on housing waiting lists that now stretch beyond three years in some boroughs, prompting calls for an emergency review of planning policy and council spending priorities.
Read the full report →Retail vacancy rates in mid-sized English towns climbed again last quarter, with independent traders bearing the brunt of rising rents and reduced footfall.
Network Rail has confirmed a series of weekend closures affecting the northern commuter belt throughout August, drawing criticism from local MPs and passenger groups.
A disused retail site on the edge of town is set to be converted into a diagnostic and outpatient facility, part of a wider NHS capital programme announced last spring.
Enrolment figures for post-16 education have risen sharply, with many school leavers citing tuition fees and living costs as reasons to delay or reconsider university.