DONCASTER would need £135 million to bring its crumbling roads up to “acceptable” standards - nearly double what the cash-strapped council is having to cut.

At a time when the authority has laid off hundreds of staff to recoup around £70 million it will not received from the Government, the council has estimated the figure it would need to repair its road network.

The estimate is the second highest in Yorkshire, with only Sheffield suggesting a higher figure at £150 million.

Peter Dale, the council’s director of regeneration and environment put the scale of the sum down to Doncaster’s status as the largest metropolitan borough in the country in terms of the space it covers.

He said: “Doncaster has one of the largest metropolitan road networks in the UK, responsible for over a thousand miles of roads.

“It is difficult to define exactly what an ‘acceptable state’ is.

“To put it very simply, we consider it to mean where the surface of the road is even and there are no more repairs needed for the time being.

“The cost to do this would be around £135 million determined in accordance with national guidelines and is sometimes referred to as the backlog of repairs which exist on the roads of all the Highway Authorities.”

But officials at the authority recently stated they had only around 60 potholes logged with the council for repair.

The Doncaster figure is almost 70 per cent higher than that in Leeds, where estimates put the figure at £80 million.

Local transport minister Norman Baker said the Government had given councils in Yorkshire £307 million to spend on road maintenance.

The county also received just under £19 million to repair damage caused by the icy conditions during the cold winter of 2010.

ISLE Business CIC Group is holding its monthly networking event next month.

Guest speaker will be Paul Nevin from the Shaw Trust who will be discussing the Work Choice Programme, a government led initiative that is designed to help individuals with a medical or health condition, back into work.

They also help people who are currently employed and have a medical or health problem, keep their job and away from risk.

A spokesman said: “The Shaw Trust has a range of job coaches and work place advisors that are not only there for the employee, but also the employer, providing support when required. They are the UK’s third largest sector provider, and one of the government’s lead partners in the delivery of employment programmes for disabled and disadvantaged people.

The event takes place on Wednesday March 14 between 5.30-7pm at The Epworth Tap, Market Place, Epworth.

Organiser Tori Oldridge from Bounce PR said: “Networking is a valuable tool in helping businesses raise their profile and communicating their key messages. It should be part of a business’ strategy and development.”

There will be a light buffet and refreshments available.

This event is free of charge to Isle Business CIC member, and £10 for non members. For more details phone 01302 719030.

A CHARITY that aims to regenerate former mining communities in South Yorkshire, has announced funding towards apprenticeships and job opportunities.

As the number of youths out of work spirals to 1.04 million, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust’s (CRT) National Apprenticeship Programme will invest £20,000 in Rotherham to create 20 apprenticeships, that will be delivered by Rotherham College of Arts and Technology.

The boost brings the number of opportunities provided to young people in coalfield areas by the programme to 550 and investment by the CRT to more than £1.1m.

This second phase of the National Apprenticeship Programme will focus on young people aged between 16 and 25 who are more than twice as likely to be out of work than older people.

But in recognition of the growing number of young people not in education, employment or training, more than 70 per cent of the apprenticeships will be created for young people aged 16 to 18.

Trust chief executive officer Gary Ellis said: “This programme will be a real boost for young people struggling to find work. Former coalfield communities have been badly hit by the economic downturn and this has compounded the problems already experienced by young people.

“This programme is a direct response to help young people into work and create a strong platform for their future aspirations.”

The apprenticeships will run for 12 months, in a wide variety of industries and occupations and will run for a minimum of 12 months.

For more information about the Coalfields Regeneration Trust visit www.coalfields-regen.org.uk.

]]> 1.4271320 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:17:43 +0000 http://www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk/firm_foots_bill_to_help_communities_1_4270109

PLUMBERS, electricians and cleaners will be providing their services to charitable projects free of charge - but their generous employer will be footing the bill.

Facilities management company Rejus Ltd has formed a partnership with the South Yorkshire Community Foundation (SYCF) and agreed for its employees to give up a day each year to support local community projects - currently totalling 64 shifts - as part of the `I Love South Yorkshire’ initiative to encourage companies to give something back.

The Doncaster-based business - which aims to help clients cut maintenance costs and improve services - has doubled its staff numbers in the last year and opened a second office in Sheffield. Now it will celebrate the expansion by supporting communities which have helped its own development.

Rejus Ltd. managing director Mathew Lynds, said: “The last 12 months have seen Rejus register great success and we’re very excited about our plans to expand into Sheffield. And with this new community partnership with the South Yorkshire Community Foundation, plus plans to expand our business into Hull, next year is looking just as exciting.

“We believe that getting our staff involved in the ‘I Love South Yorkshire’ initiative’ will help us to make a difference to the communities that have supported our success so far and also we will give us great opportunities to build our teams strengths,” he added.

The company specialises in office cleaning, electrical maintenance, plumbing, landscaping, heating, office fit-outs and painting and decorating giving plenty of scope for a host of community projects to benefit.

Pauline Grice, chief executive of SYCF, said: “It is extremely inspiring to work with businesses that are rooted in our area and care a great deal about the communities in which they operate.

“The very unique nature of Rejus becoming an ‘I Love South Yorkshire’ partner is that we can directly link them with community projects in their area of operation, to help the company increase its business while at the same time making a valuable contribution to the community.”

Rejus has been trading for 12 years and has previously supported the Doncaster Rape and Abuse Centre, Direct Rugby and Misson School in the past.

For more information about the ‘I Love’ initiative visit www.sycf.org.uk/ilove

]]> 1.4270109 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:05:42 +0000 http://www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk/boost_for_new_businesses_1_4267915

A NEW scheme has been unveiled to help encourage more entrepreneurs in Barnsley.

The news comes as the town is highlighted as one of the worst in the country for business start-ups, with half as many new businesses as places like Brighton and Aberdeen.

The town is also in the bottom ten for the number of businesses that exist per head of population.

SmartStart, which will be free, will run from April 1 at Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC). It will be part of the second phase of Enterprising Barnsley, a European-funded business support programme that has helped create or protect more than 1,000 jobs in its first phase.

Tim Milburn, Chief Executive of BBIC, said: “What we want is for people to come along for a chat to see if we can help them with a business idea. If we can help, then we will.”

Under SmartStart, potential entrepreneurs will be given one-to-one advice by a business coach and invited to a series of workshops covering everything from sales and marketing to leadership and management.

Genesis is aimed at fledgling businesses and includes office accommodation, intensive business support and business development workshops.

Anyone who thinks they could benefit from support from SmartStart or Genesis, can enquire via the new website www.businessstartsatbbic.co.uk

]]> 1.4267915 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:16:50 +0000