Yorkshire Water is investing £406 million over five years to replace more than 1,000km of ageing water mains across the region. The project, the company’s largest infrastructure upgrade in two decades, will install durable plastic pipes to reduce leaks, supply disruptions, and bursts.

In the first year, £89 million will be spent replacing 238km of mains, with 211km scheduled for the second year. Priority areas include Kiveton Park, York, Sheffield, Sowerby Bridge, Harrogate, and Stannington, prone to frequent supply issues. Work will extend across Yorkshire, from South Yorkshire and the East Coast to North Lincolnshire, with York and North Yorkshire set to receive 43km and 90km of new mains by March 2026.

Yorkshire Water is coordinating with local authorities and utility providers to minimise disruption, using trenchless technology to avoid major roadworks. The initiative is part of the company’s broader £8.3 billion environmental investment, which includes £1.5 billion to reduce storm overflows, £360 million to prevent nutrient pollution, and £327 million for smart meter installations.

Lincolnshire County Council funds business advice sessions to support farmers facing financial and regulatory challenges. The initiative, part of the Lincolnshire Farm Support Programme, follows a £50,000 funding boost in December to help farming businesses plan for the future.

Farmers can access one-on-one advice or group workshops on business planning, cash flow management, diversification, and succession planning. Savills delivers the sessions, which are coordinated by the Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub.

The council cited concerns over rising costs from National Living Wage and National Insurance increases and the sudden closure of the government’s Sustainable Farming Initiative, which previously provided guaranteed income for environmental land management.

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has confirmed plans to transition the region’s bus network to a franchised model, ending decades of deregulation. The decision follows a public consultation in which 87% of respondents supported the move.

Under the new system, SYMCA will control depots, fleets, fares, ticketing, and service standards across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and Sheffield. The first phase of publicly controlled services will launch in September 2027, with full implementation by July 2029.

The franchising model will include large contracts for major operators and smaller contracts to encourage SME participation. SYMCA has allocated £350 million from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (2027-32) for fleet renewal and depot acquisition, alongside £5 million in transitional funding for 2025/26.

This move follows the public takeover of South Yorkshire’s Supertram last year and aligns with the region’s plan for an integrated transport system. SYMCA acknowledges financial risks beyond 2042 when a second fleet renewal cycle may create annual deficits, which it plans to offset through earlier surpluses.

The transition will wind down the South Yorkshire Enhanced Partnership Scheme, impacting existing operators like First South Yorkshire, Stagecoach Yorkshire, and TM Travel as they adapt to the new contract-based model.

Katharine Hammond has been appointed Chief Executive of SYMCA, with a salary of £220,000 per year. A full report on the consultation and the authority’s response is available on SYMCA’s website.

Lincolnshire councillors are considering major local government reforms as they prepare to submit proposals on restructuring the county into unitary authorities. The government has requested interim proposals by 21 March, aiming for authorities with at least 500,000 residents while minimising service disruption.

Lincolnshire County Council has outlined two main options. One plan would merge North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire into a single northern authority, with the rest of the county forming another council. The second option proposes combining North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire, West Lindsey, and East Lindsey into one authority, while Lincoln, North Kesteven, South Kesteven, Boston, and South Holland would form another.

Cost projections differ between the options. The first would cost £27 million to implement, with expected savings of £250 million over 10 years. The second option carries a higher setup cost of £42 million but is projected to save £246 million over the same period.

Opposition councillors introduced a third option: splitting Lincolnshire into three unitary authorities to create a more balanced population distribution. Some councillors argue that this alternative could be more efficient and should be explored further.

The government makes the final decision, but the Lincolnshire County Council’s full meeting on 22 March will determine which proposals are formally submitted.