A guided walking tour of Mytholmroyd to share plans for the new £30m flood alleviation scheme proposed for the village has been hosted for ward councillors.

They were invited to meet the Environment Agency’s project team on Friday 18 August to share their plans for the project on site and ask any questions.

Mark Tupman, senior advisor with the Environment Agency, said:

Our aim is to explain to the local councillors, who represent the people of Mytholmroyd, our plans for the scheme so that they fully understand the timing of various activities and have a point of contact throughout the two-year project.

We would like to give them an opportunity to ask any questions and raise any concerns and see first- hand the plans by taking a walk around the site.

The Calderdale Flood Partnership Board recently approved the allocation of funding of the major flood scheme to improve the protection for homes and businesses in Mytholmroyd

The Environment Agency will be submitting a series of submissions for planning permission this week, with further submissions planned for September and construction is expected to commence in the Autumn.

The scheme for Mytholmroyd has been developed in partnership with Calderdale Council, the local community, and partners. As design work is finalised, the current options for the scheme include:

• New, raised flood and improved walls
• The relocation of Caldene Bridge
• Widening of the river channel at key locations
• Strengthening and waterproofing of buildings next to the river.

The Leader of Calderdale Council, Cllr Tim Swift, said:

The works in Mytholmroyd are part of an ongoing programme to reduce the risk of flooding across Calderdale. We’re keen for people in the local community to keep up to date with the work, which they can do by visiting www.eyeoncalderdale.com or popping in to the Mytholmroyd flood information centre during opening hours.

The second phase of a demolition is currently being carried out at a site on the main A646 Burnley road through the village which is expected to take a further six weeks. This involves demolishing three two-storey buildings, including a former post office, which has been relocated to the nearby Grange Dene complex.

The demolition of the buildings is being done carefully in order to deal with the constraints associated with their proximity to the highway, the river, and the fact they are within a conservation area. Historic England, the Environment Agency and Calderdale Council are all keen that the stone is re-used. The properties are being demolished to prevent any further collapse during another flood event.

Plans are for the scheme to be completed in phases and widening the river at Greenhill Industrial Estate will continue to be explored.

A flood information centre is open in the village offering the public advice on flood resilience and the opportunity to speak to Environment Agency staff about plans for flood schemes in Calderdale.

Following the flooding of December 2015, the Environment Agency has completed six new schemes, reducing flood risk to 500 homes as part of a £9million recovery programme across Calderdale. In Mytholmroyd, significant work to clear the channel, repair damaged walls and make safe damaged buildings has already been carried out.

Thousands of teenagers will receive additional support to improve their mental health as part of a new youth initiative, the Prime Minister announced on 17 August.

On A Level results day, Prime Minister Theresa May unveiled a new course is to be developed by National Citizen Service (NCS), to raise awareness of mental health among young people and improve their knowledge of how to get help.

Mental health issues disproportionately affect young people, with over half of mental health problems starting by the age of 14 and 75 per cent by the age of 18.

The course will be developed with mental health experts and NCS graduates and be delivered as part of the organisation’s programme to prepare young people for the challenges of adult life and work.

Prime Minister Theresa May said:

Mental health issues can have a devastating effect on young lives and that’s why making sure young people are fully supported both inside and outside of the classroom is a key priority for me.

It is not only the pressures of school and exams, though that is in the front of our minds today, but also self-esteem issues, struggles with home life or friendships, and getting into university or finding a job that can all affect mental wellbeing.

We know that early intervention, along with giving young people the confidence to access support, is key – that’s where NCS plays such a vital role. NCS helps young people forge friendships across social divides and enhance their confidence and self-esteem.

This excellent enhancement to the NCS programme will build on the work we are already doing in schools and ensure young people get the knowledge and help they need.

The package of measures delivered by NCS will include:

• a dedicated mental health awareness course for teenagers talking part in NCS
• new mental health training for more than 10,000 frontline NCS staff to improve support to young people
• a new network of young NCS graduates to champion mental health awareness

Michael Lynas, chief executive of NCS, said:

NCS brings young people from all backgrounds together for a shared experience that changes their lives for good.

By experiencing the great outdoors, building new friendships and serving their community these young people not only build important skills for life and work, they also improve their health and wellbeing.

As our country’s flagship programme for sixteen year olds, we know just how important the issue of mental health is to this age group and we hope this initiative will help the next generation to live healthier and happier lives.

On 17th August, the Prime Minister met young people who are benefitting from the NCS programme as well as graduates of the scheme and staff.

The new mental health initiative being delivered by NCS, which is fully funded by the government, builds further on the Prime Minister’s existing commitment to improve mental health training within schools.

The first training sessions for secondary school teachers and staff on how to identify and respond to the early signs of mental health problems began in June. All secondary schools will be offered this training by 2020, and all primary schools by 2022.

In 2017 more than 100,000 young people will take part in an NCS programme. Independent evaluations of NCS have shown it has positive impacts on young people’s confidence as well as their mental wellbeing.

Traffic officers will be at the three-day event next week, organised by BBC Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans in aid of Children in Need, to run a kids’ driving school.

Motorists heading off on long journeys and holidays this summer are being urged to make sure their vehicles are ready for the road in a bid to cut the number of breakdowns.

And Highways England will be challenging both children and their parents at CarFest South to learn what vehicle checks need to be completed before they go on long journeys, to keep them safe.

Highways England chief highways engineer, Mike Wilson, said:

We’re delighted to be supporting the kids’ driving school at this year’s CarFest South event.

It will be a great opportunity for families to meet our traffic officers who provide vital support to the travelling public, keeping our network moving and our customers safe.

We’re also asking motorists heading off on holiday this summer to get their vehicles ready for the road in a bid to cut the number of breakdowns by undertaking a few simple checks focusing on tyres, fuel, water and engine oil.

CarFest South takes place at Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire from 25th to 27th August. The brainchild of Chris Evans, it combines cars, food, live music and family entertainment and, in the last five years, the annual events have raised £7.4 million for BBC Children in Need.

Highways England has produced five short instructional videos on how to check tyre pressure, tyre tread, oil and water levels and lights to help prevent needless breakdowns and cut the unnecessary delays they cause.

Almost half of all breakdowns are caused by simple mechanical problems which could be avoided with simple checks and nearly a quarter are caused by tyre problems.

Meanwhile, around 22 motorists broke down each day during July and August last year because they had run out of fuel.

The videos cover:

• checking tyres – prior to setting off on a long/significant journey, check your tyre pressure and the condition of your tyres, including the spare. Look out for cuts or wear and make sure the tyres have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, which is the legal limit
• checking engine oil – use your dipstick to check oil before any long journey, and top up if needed. Take your car back to the garage if you’re topping up more than usual
• checking water – to ensure you have good visibility, always keep your screen wash topped up so you can clear debris or dirt off your windscreen
• checking lights – if your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not functioning properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. In addition, light malfunctions can be a reason for your vehicle to fail its MOT
• checking fuel – before setting out, check your fuel levels and make sure you have enough to get to your destination.

For more detailed information on how to carry out your vehicle checks, visit the Think campaign page.

Those wishing to find out more about driving on smart motorways can head to guidance on GOV.UK.

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

A Foreign Office spokesman said:

Our thoughts are with the victims of these terrible attacks and the people of Spain.

We are currently assisting a small number of British people affected and are working to find out if any more need our help. We have deployed additional staff to Barcelona and have offered support to the Spanish authorities.

The helpline for people calling from Spain is 112 and 012. From abroad it is 0034 93 214 21 24 and 0034 900 400 012.

Follow the British Embassy in Spain and the Foreign Office on Twitter and the Foreign Office on Facebook.

Flags on Whitehall government buildings will fly at half-mast on Friday 18 August 2017, as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives and all others that were affected by the attacks in Barcelona on Thursday.

Other organisations and local authorities may follow suit.