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A Scots council has reversed its ban on bouncy castles following a backlash.

Highland Council put a “regrettable pause” on the hiring of inflatables across its vast estate amid health and safety concerns.

The council claimed the region’s size made it difficult for staff to get to its many venues – including more than 200 schools – to carry out thorough risk assessments and quality checks.

The decision was made to “safeguard attendees” until structures were in place to meet the requirements.

It was hoped that families attending upcoming fairs would “enjoy the day with the other activities on offer”.

However, bosses reversed the decision on Wednesday after councillors were called into action following concerns raised by businesses and locals.

Inverness-based Mascot Madness Entertainment was one of the firms calling on the council to fully explain its decision.

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Announcing the U-turn, a Highland Council spokesperson said: “The council has had further discussions about the health and safety requirements of inflatable lets bookings at its properties.

“The council’s approach seeks to balance the mitigation of risk with acting in a way that does not impact unnecessarily on community activities.

“Consequently, the council can confirm that new conditions of let requirements have been produced for the safe use of inflatable devices on council and High Life Highland premises.”

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The updated conditions will allow the council to ensure the inflatables meet all required safety standards; that operators and contractors can show they have carried out appropriate risk assessments; and that they hold the appropriate insurance to cover any risk to users or any other risks that may arise from them being used on council premises.

The council spokesperson added: “With these assurances in place, the council will be able to permit appropriate contractors to fulfil these bookings on Highland Council and High Life Highland operated lets on facilities owned by the council.”

Councillor Isabelle MacKenzie said she was “delighted” with the decision.

She said: “A number of school events this summer would have been a bit deflated.

“Having spent many years involved with parent council events, much needed funds are raised for schools. Bouncy castles are a huge treat for kids.”

Mascot Madness Entertainment welcomed the U-turn but raised concerns over how the guidelines will be monitored.

The firm’s Danielle Stewart said the company follows guidelines “stringently”, but it has been “hugely frustrating” to see others allegedly “not follow suit”.

Ms Stewart said: “As the main supplier of bouncy castles and inflatables in the local area, there is also no way of knowing what kind of impact this short-lived ban is going to have on our business going forward.

“There is a possibility that [the] Highland Council decision has put people off hiring our equipment.”

She added: “We are very much looking forward to our summer season now with a sense of optimism, but the concerns we still have will not go away until we meet and discuss with the appropriate people.

“Hopefully Highland Council stick true to their [word] and contact us personally as soon as possible.”

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King delivers personal Easter message following cancer diagnosis

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King delivers personal Easter message following cancer diagnosis

The King has said he is continuing to serve the nation with “my whole heart” in a personal Easter message in the wake of his and the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnoses.

The pre-recorded audio was broadcast in his absence at a Royal Maundy service at Worcester Cathedral on Thursday ahead of the Easter weekend.

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The King’s message was broadcast to a congregation at Worcester Cathedral. Pic: BBC/Sky/ITV News

The King, who announced in February he was undergoing cancer treatment, talked of his “special prayer” this Easter and expressed his “great sadness” of being unable to attend.

“The Maundy service has a very special place in my heart,” he said, after a Bible reading recounting Jesus washing his disciples’ feet.

He said the verse, from the Gospel according to St John, “has its origin in the life of our Lord, who knelt before his disciples, and to their great surprise, washed their trouble-weary feet”.

The monarch said in doing so, Jesus set “an example of how we should serve and care for each other” – and how as a nation “we need and benefit greatly from those who extend the hand of friendship to us, especially in a time of need”.

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King Charles III reads cards and messages, sent by wellwishers following his cancer diagnosis.
Pic:PA
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The King reads cards and messages from well-wishers following his cancer diagnosis. Pic: PA

The 75-year-old, who acceded to the throne 18 months ago, said it reminded him of the pledge he made at the start of his Coronation service to follow Christ’s example – “not to be served, but to serve”.

“That I have always tried to do and continue to do with my whole heart,” he said.

“It is my special prayer today that our Lord’s example of serving one another might continue to inspire us and to strengthen all our communities.”

He added: “May God bless you all this Easter.”

The monarch – who has stepped back from large-scale public duties while receiving outpatient treatment – was pictured sitting at his desk in Buckingham Palace’s 18th Century Room as he recorded his message in mid-March.

While the King did not directly refer to his and his daughter-in-law’s health, his words will be interpreted as reflecting on the nation’s response to his and Kate’s challenges.

He told last month how he had been reduced to tears by the messages and cards of support he received from well-wishers.

Yesterday, the Queen, during a visit to Shropshire, was given posters from well-wishers for the Princess of Wales, and said Kate “will be thrilled” to receive them.

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Queen thanks young Kate well-wishers

His message comes as he prepares to attend church on Easter Sunday with Camilla – his most significant public appearance and major royal engagement since his cancer diagnosis.

But there will be a reduced number of royals present to avoid the health risks associated with large crowds.

Prince William, the Princess of Wales and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will not be present.

The family are spending the Easter holidays together following Kate’s announcement she is being treated for cancer.

Kate revealed she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy in a video message to the nation on Friday.

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Kate’s message: Diagnosis ‘came as huge shock’

The statement followed weeks of global social media speculation and conspiracy theories about her whereabouts after she had not been seen on official engagements since last December.

The 42-year-old had planned abdominal surgery in January which she said was successful.

It was initially thought her condition was non-cancerous, but tests after the operation found cancer had been present.

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Angela Rayner will not publish ‘personal tax advice’ over council house sale – unless Tories do the same

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Angela Rayner will not publish 'personal tax advice' over council house sale - unless Tories do the same

Angela Rayner has said she will not publish the “personal tax advice” she received on the sale of her council house despite a police development over her living arrangements.

Labour’s deputy leader told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme she was “confident” she had done “absolutely nothing wrong” with regards to the sale of her council house and whether she should have paid capital gains tax on it.

Ms Rayner said she had been “very clear on my advice that I’ve received” – but asked why she would not put that legal advice into the public domain, she said: “Because that’s my personal tax advice. But I’m happy to comply with the necessary authorities that want to see that.”

Sir Keir Starmer later threw his support behind his deputy at the launch of Labour’s local election campaign in Dudley, telling the audience that she had not broken any rules and was right not to publish the legal advice.

Asked if his deputy should resign if found to have done wrong, Sir Keir said: “Angela has answered I don’t know how many questions about this. She has not broken any rules, she has in fact taken legal and tax advice which has satisfied her, and us, and me about the position.”

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Although Ms Rayner has resisted putting her tax advice in the public domain, she has committed to hand over the information to the police and HMRC – something Sir Keir agreed with.

When pressed further on why she would not publish the advice – and whether she would accept the same reasoning from a Conservative politician – Ms Rayner suggested she would be willing to do if her Tory critics did the same.

“If we’re all going to have a level playing field and we suddenly decide that Conservative ministers need to hand over their tax affairs, if you show me yours, then I’ll show you mine,” she said.

The Labour leader made comparisons with Ms Rayner’s situation to “beergate”, when he and Ms Rayner were investigated, and later cleared, over allegations of breaching COVID lockdown rules ahead of the Hartlepool by-election in May 2021.

And he said: “Where does this end? Are you going to be calling for Tory ministers to publish their legal and tax advice going back over the last 15 years? That is where this ends.”

The defence of Ms Rayner came after Greater Manchester Police confirmed it was “reassessing” its initial decision not to investigate allegations made about her living arrangements after receiving a complaint.

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Labour shadow minister defends Rayner

The Labour MP has come under the spotlight in recent weeks over the sale of an ex-council house she previously owned in Stockport, having been accused of avoiding capital gains tax – something she has denied.

But she has also faced scrutiny over claims that in 2010, she may have lived primarily at her then husband’s address, despite registering to vote under her own – which could be a breach of electoral rules.

Ms Rayner has said she paid bills and council tax and was registered to vote at the home she brought through Margaret Thatcher’s “right-to-buy” scheme. If it was her primary address, as she has claimed, she would not have had to pay capital gains tax on it when she sold it in 2015 for £127,500 – making a £48,500 profit

However, there have been claims that despite registering at Vicarage Road, she was primarily living at Lowndes Lane, Mr Rayner’s address.

Greater Manchester Police looked into the claims and initially said there was no evidence of an offence being committed.

However, James Daly, the Tory MP for Bury North who filed the original complaint about Ms Rayner, followed up with the force and said they had failed to properly investigate the allegations – prompting them to reassess their initial decision.

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Angela Rayner pleads for ‘privacy’ after row over house sale

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In a fresh statement released on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the force said: “We have received a complaint regarding our decision not to investigate an allegation and are in the process of reassessing this decision.

“The complainant will be updated with the outcome of the reassessment in due course.”

The claims first surfaced in a book about Ms Rayner by former Conservative Party deputy chairman and Tory donor Lord Ashcroft, which has been serialised in the Mail On Sunday.

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Thames Water boss refuses to rule out bill increases of up to 40% to secure company’s future

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Thames Water boss refuses to rule out bill increases of up to 40% to secure company's future

The chief executive of Thames Water has refused to rule out bill increases of up to 40% for customers as the troubled company tries to secure its future.

It comes as the business, which serves nearly a quarter of the UK’s population, struggles with more than £15bn of debt and the huge interest payments required to service it.

Earlier on Thursday, its situation got worse when it was revealed that a £500m funding injection from shareholders expected by the end of this month would not be forthcoming.

When asked by Sky News’ Ian King if bills could be hiked to fill the gap, Thames Water chief executive Chris Weston replied: “I don’t think we have been at all secretive about that.

“But the plans that we have put forward – which are very much in accordance with what customers are asking us to do – require an investment of around £20bn in that 2025-2030 period, and that would result in a bill (increase) of around 40%.”

Mr Weston added: “It is very clear listening to our customers that what they value most is high-quality clean drinking water and that we do all that we can to protect the environment.

“Those two things are primarily what is driving the investment that we are having to make in our network in that five-year period.”

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The rise in bills would – if approved – come at a time when the cost of living is still rising, albeit at a slower rate than in recent months.

Mr Weston said he recognised any increase in bills “could be very, very difficult for people”, adding that the company was looking at what could be done to help the most vulnerable.

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Earlier on Thursday, nine shareholders turned their anger on water company regulator Ofwat for the company’s cash crisis.

They said it had “not been prepared to provide the necessary regulatory support for a business plan which ultimately addresses the issues that Thames Water faces.

“As a result, shareholders are not in a position to provide further funding to Thames Water.”

As well as the rise in bills, Thames Water had been seeking an easing of capital spending requirements and leniency on forthcoming penalties.

Thames Water has come under intense pressure in recent years because of its poor record on leaks, sewage contamination, executive pay and shareholder dividends.

It is facing multiple fines and regulatory investigations, including into the payment of dividends to Kemble Water, its parent company.

Ofwat said: “Today’s update from Thames Water means the company must now pursue all options to seek further equity for the business to turn around the performance of the company for customers.”

In total, tens of billions of pounds have been handed to shareholders in water utilities across Britain since privatisation, stoking public and political anger given the industry’s frequent mismanagement.

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