Health trust advertises for 11 new roles - days after telling 40 staff their jobs are to go

Eleven new finance jobs worth at least £400,000 have been advertised at a health trust - days after nearly 40 staff in the same department were told their jobs are to go.

The move has angered the workers facing redundancy, who today described it as “just another smack in the face”.

If the 11 new staff were appointed at the bottom of the pay scale their wages would still cost South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust nearly £400,000 a year.

At the top end the wages would be closer to half-a-million pounds.

Most of the jobs were advertised on the website jobs.nhs.uk just days after 37 payroll workers were told their roles were being “outsourced” to Lancashire.

As reported, the shock news - two days before Christmas - left staff reeling.

One staff member told the Gazette: “We are mad that jobs are going from Teesside.

"Our area suffers enough and it’s the knock-on effect for our families.”

Trust chiefs say the review of financial services is part of a programme to save £90m over three years - “that will eventually touch all areas of the organisation”.

From April 2015 services provided by the trust’s payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable teams will move to East Lancashire Financial Services, part of Calderstone Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Among the 11 new positions now being advertised in the trust’s finance department are a head of financial management on £65,922-£81,618 per annum, head of financial governance and control, also on £65,922- £81,618, and financial controller on between £39,239-£47,088.

One of the payroll staff, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “We all feel appalled and let down by the way we have been treated.

“The timing of advertising the positions in finance is just another smack in the face.

“How can the trust possibly justify this sort of spending at a time when it is in such deficit and other departments trust-wide are being told job losses are inevitable?”

Payroll staff will be subject to TUPE transfer, under which they would keep certain employment rights, to East Lancashire Financial Services, say the trust.

But chief executive, Professor Tricia Hart said: “The board recognises that moving may not be a viable option for some staff.

“In those cases the trust will work with individual staff members to look for alternative roles at South Tees, in line with the trust’s policies.”

Responding to the job adverts a South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokeswoman said: “The trust is working hard to achieve a number of savings plans and financial initiatives which have been developed to ensure the organisation makes the required savings over the next three years.

“In order to achieve these plans it is crucial that financial support is available. We have looked at our current structure and are recruiting to essential posts.

“In line with our savings plans any posts which are not essential will be removed from our structure.”

Ingleby Barwick ace Martin Peters masters weather at Croft

Martin Peters already has some special memories of competing at Croft - and now he can add the Swift Signs Christmas Stages to the collection after storming to his best ever rally result.

The Ingleby Barwick ace - a rallycross star with a host of national titles to his name - had a day to remember in the annual festive rally which again attracted a bumper 86-car starting line-up.

Now he and stand-in Stokesley co-driver Darren Wilcox are hopinging for more of the same in the forthcoming Jack Frost Stages Rally after taking their Citroen Saxo to an impressive 19th overall and second in class two, for over 1400cc, up to and including 1600cc.

The event, staged in cool and icy conditions, attracted one of its biggest ever crowds and Peters rose to the occasion.

He had been forced into a late change of navigator after regular partner Jason Leaf from Stokesley suffered a thumb injury at work but he and Wilcox - a successful rally and rallycross driver in his own right - made a stunning start in the below-zero conditions and never looked back.

“It was spot on,” said a delighted Peters, who was recently crowned BTRDA production class 16-valve rallycross champion.

“It was unbelievably icy in the morning. When I went outside first thing I had to scrape the car and I thought ‘I’m not looking forward to this’.”

But on the opening stage the pair were an incredible joint second overall after setting the exact same time as eventual winners Kevin Procter and Dave Bellerby in their mighty Subaru Impreza.

And they managed to keep a host of accomplished crews and more powerful machinery behind them as the ice began to thaw.

“That time in the first stage set us up for the day,” said Peters.

“As the ice began to thaw we were reeled in by some of the proper cars but we managed to open enough of a gap in that first stage to finish where we did.

“I’m delighted, considering the strength of the field.

“The bad weather suits us because we haven’t got as much power as some of the other cars.

“I’d had to ring around for a co-driver after Jason cut his thumb badly at work but Darren was up for it - I think he’s looking forward to the Jack Frost now!

“It doesn’t look like Jason will be ready for the Jack Frost so I expect to have Darren with me again.

“Can we do it again in the Jack Frost? It would be nice, wouldn’t it?

“It looks like there’s going to be a good entry for that too.

“We’ll have to see how weather turns out but we’ll be giving it a good go.”

Also looking for a repeat in the Darlington and District MC-organised Jack Frost Stages a fortnight tomorrow is Darlington’s Paul Swift.

The autotest legend and TV stunt man claimed a superb class four victory and seventh overall finish with wife-to-be Jessica Bell on co-driving duties.

That put him second in the fledgling ASPerformance.com North of England Tarmacadam Championship table.

With the JBM team only finishing building his new Millington-engined Ford Escort Mk 2 the night before the event, Swift opted for the cautious approach on the opening test rather than destroying the car after a year of hard work in building and emerged in 44th place.

However, with the sun starting to thaw the track out, Swift upped the pace on stage two to set the eighth fastest time to place him 16th overall after the first loop.

With Pirelli wets now the order of the day, yet still with the odd patch of ice in the shade, Swift continued his fight back on the next two stages to end up in fifth overall with the class lead in hand.

Swift was hoping to increase his pace in the afternoon but a delay in getting SS5 started resulted in the car overheating slightly.

He’d expected the fan to kick in, as it did on his previous cars, but the new configuration meant it had to be done manually which led to a severe misfire that dropped him down to seventh overall going into the final two tests.

With the temperatures again plummeting as darkness started to fall, a big push earned them the eighth fastest time on SS7 before saving their best until the final stage in total darkness with the fifth fastest time.

They were the first two-wheel drive car home and took the class four win by a minute and 47 seconds.

“All things considered, seventh overall and a class win is a fantastic achievement especially given we didn’t finish the car until the night before,” said Swift.

“The ice made things interesting early on but the plan was always to bring the car home safely so I was determined not to do anything silly.

“The overheating problem was just one of those things and was typical of the little teething problems we were expecting but we now know what caused it.

“Thereafter it was just a case of being quick and safe which is what we did and ended up with a decent result.

“Thanks to my JBM team who have done a wonderful job in getting the car built and ready and to all our sponsors.”

Christmas Stages kings Procter and Bellerby clinched their sixth overall victory in the last seven years after hitting the front following SS3.

They finished ahead of David and Matthew White, also in an Impreza, with the MG Metro 6R4 of Peter Smith and Patrick Walsh third.

Billingham businessman Peter Stephenson and co-driver Ian Windress had fought their way up to ninth when they were forced out with just one stage left while Chop Gate brothers Mark and John Gaskin (Citroen Saxo) were in the top half of the field when steering damage ended their involvement two stages from the finish.

Top Tees finishers were East Cleveland brothers Ian and Nick Colman in their Nissan Sunny GTi-R in 14th overall and ninth in class five, while brothers Ian and Stephen Woodhouse from Hutton Rudby ended the day in 16th overall and third in class four in their Escort Mk 2.

Guisborough taxidermist Dave Hornbrook, partnered by Ann Foster, finished 25th overall and 13th in class five.

The pair were well down the order after the icy early stages but charged up the leaderboard as conditions improved.

Not far behind them in 27th (seventh in class three) were Marton’s Neil Marshall and Guisborough’s Dave Scrimgour in their Peugeot 205 GTi.

Ian Horn from Stokesley and co-driver Bob Brown from Brotton were 63rd of the 68 finishers (11th in class two) in their Vauxhall Nova.

Meanwhile entries for the Jack Frost Stages are now up to 74.

Among the notable confirmations is that of Darlington Northern Sports and Saloon Car Championship stalwarts Dave Cox and Paul Moss who will team up in a Rover 25.

Former Stockton school teacher rewarded with publishing deal almost 18 months after leaving post

After swapping the classroom for the keyboard a former Stockton secondary school teacher has been rewarded with a publishing deal almost 18 months after leaving her pupils behind.

Catherine Banner secured the deal for two historical novels in December after leaving Bishopsgarth School, Stockton, in summer 2013.

The 25-year-old, who has already published a trilogy of young adult fiction, left her post as an English teacher in a bid to research her novel The House at the Edge of Night.

She made the move despite having no cash advance or offers of a publishing deal.

But the leap of faith has been rewarded and now the Durham-based writer has a two book deal with Hutchinson, part of the Random House publishing group, which is set to secure her future for the next two to three years.

She said: “Bishopsgarth was a really nice school and a really nice place to work and I really enjoyed it but I’ve been writing for 10 years now and it’s always been in the back of my mind to try and do it full time.

“I’ve no regrets about leaving, at the time it was a difficult decision and I miss the children, obviously, but I think it’s worked out really well.”

Catherine spent the past 18 months researching and writing the novel which tells of the Esposito family, who live on the fictional island of Castellamare, off the coast of Sicily.

It covers a 95-year time span, from the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 to 2009, when the after-shocks of the financial crisis were hitting ordinary people.

She added: “My family-in-law are from Italy so I’ve spent quite a bit of time there.

“When they went out to work I would talk to people to find out about some of the settings.”

Along with her trips to Italy Catherine turned to reference books and archives to help supplement her story, in a nod to her time as a teacher and a former English student at Cambridge University.

The House at the Edge of Night has only just gone to her publisher, but the deal already takes in Britain, America, Canada and several other countries, including Germany and Spain — though not yet Italy.

Catherine said: “Day to day it’s very different to being in the classroom, there are some things I miss about teaching.

“As a writer you’re working all day by yourself where as when you’re teaching you’re with the kids all the time.

“I’ve always enjoyed teaching, at present I tutor some people one to one and I’ll probably continue that.”

The House at the Edge of Night is due to be published in 2015.

Conversion to Islam raises questions about patriotism: VHP

The VHP on Friday claimed “ghar wapsi” was essential for the “improvement of the nation” and said that conversion to Islam raised questions about the individual’s “nationalism” and “patriotism”. The outfit, in a statement issued during a press conference in the Capital on Friday, also linked conversions to Christianity with terrorism in the Northeast.

The VHP also evoked Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda to defend “ghar wapsi”. The VHP claimed Swami Vivekananda had said that converting to another religion from Hinduism meant that the “Hindu society has another enemy”. The outfit further claimed that Gandhi believed that the “goal of Christian missionaries is to uproot Hindutva completely and to establish a different ideology in its place”.

The VHP statement further said, “As a result of conversion (to Islam), questions are raised on their nationality and patriotism.” The statement was issued by VHP national secretary Dharma Narayan Sharma and Jugal Kishore, functionary in charge of “ghar wapsi”.

With the VHP planning a “ghar wapsi” of over 3,000 Muslims in Ayodhya in February, secretary general Champat Rai claimed the “need of the hour” was to ensure that anyone “who has converted to Christianity or Islam and is willing to join Hindu society, is reintegrated into Hindu society and returns to their mool jaati (original caste)”.

Reiterating VHP president Praveen Togadia’s view that “ghar wapsi” didn’t imply conversion, Rai said conversion to other religions from Hinduism leads to individuals becoming disconnected from their ancestors. “We are not asking people to forsake anything. We want them to reconnect with their ancestors, their culture and traditions,” he said.

On day 2, Bathinda ‘ghar wapsi’ still a damp squib

For the second consecutive day Friday, none of the 200 Christian families turned up for the ‘ghar wapsi’, organised by the VHP here.

On Thursday, the VHP had organised ‘ghar wapsi’ for 100 Christian families, who were to be “reconverted” to Sikhism and Hindusim. When they failed to show up, the VHP had claimed that 200 such families would be reconverted Friday.

The VHP has now indefinitely postponed the programme in Bathinda, but “efforts are on to convince families to return to Hinduism/Sikhism by Maghi, and the programme may be held on January 13 or 14”.

VHP state secretary Sukhpal Singh Sran cited “worsening relations between SAD and BJP” as the main reason for the families refusing to turn up. “The programme for ghar wapsi of around 200 families is postponed as of now. There was immense pressure on us and the families from Christians and local Sikh organisations,” he added

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Middesbrough nightspot The Crown suddenly shuts its doors 'for final time'

An iconic Middlesbrough town centre nightspot has closed suddenly.

The popular Crown pub on the corner of Linthorpe Road shut its doors for the last time last night.

The doors at The Crown pub on Linthorpe Road shut last night with owners suggesting it was for the final time.

The Crown, run by Stonegate Pub Company, has been a meeting place for generations of pubgoers.

It is also a prominent live music venue, hosting gigs for numerous bands and vocalists.

The venue has also played host to live music during the town’s annual music festivals and was home to Middlesbrough’s oldest running rock night every Saturday.

The shock announcement was made public through the venue’s Facebook page which stated: “It is with great regret that I have to inform you all that the Crown has closed its doors for the final time".

“Thank you for all the memories we have all shared over the past years.

“It’s an emotional day today for everyone involved with the Crown, whether that be employees or customers”

The status ended with: “Thank you all and goodnight! Team Crown!”

A further status posted on the page announced that they were in talks "trying to organise one last Monday night party at a different venue to say thank you for the love you've shown us over the years! Watch for details!"

The venue was the town’s Elite cinema in the 1920s. It then turned into the Crown Bingo club and remained so until the late 90s when it bacame the Crown Public House.

The news of the closure came as a surprise to many of the pub’s regulars with hundreds sharing their memories online.

Sam Simpson commented: “Sorry to hear this. Met my partner at the Crown and this year we have been together 10 years and we are getting married.”

Graham Mockler wrote: “Good night and God bless. Lots and lots of awesome memories in there.”

David Wanless added: “Bye, bye Crown! Over the years my friends and I have had some great nights. Some of my favourites were the atmosphere during the World Cups and Euros. Lets hope they turn it into something else we can all enjoy.”

Stonegate Pub company were unable to comment this morning.

Bathinda ‘ghar wapsi’ postponed as Christians fail to show up

A ‘ghar wapsi’ organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Bathinda on Friday was postponed as none of the 100 Christian families, who were to be reconverted to Hinduism and Sikhism, turned up at the venue.

The VHP said that the families — 20 of whom were to be converted to Hinduism and 80 to Sikhism — refused to show up because of “pressure and threats from Christians and local Sikhs who support Akali Dal”.

“We are extremely saddened that on New Year’s day, we were not able to give good news of ghar wapsi of almost 100 families, who were converted into Christianity years back. It is all because of the influence and pressure of Christians that the families refused to come today.

However, tomorrow we will perform ghar wapsi of 200 families,” VHP state secretary Sukhpal Sran Sran told The Indian Express.

“Today we were informed that Christians and some Sikh organisations might try to instigate violence at our ghar wapsi programme. It is mainly because the participants include four pastors who want to return to Sikhism,” he added.

Sran said that ghar wapsi is nothing new, but “pressure has now increased from the high command to perform ghar wapsi of maximum persons”. Other parties should support the BJP on a law against forcible conversions, he added.

The venue of today’s programme was Satyanarayan Temple, a temple located in the dingy streets of Rambagh area. According to Sran, the “small temple hidden in the streets was deliberately chosen as the venue as sources hinted at the possibility of an attack from the Christian community”.

The VHP had arranged auto-rickshaws to pick up and drop the families, mostly from neighbouring villages like Jangiana, Raike Kalan, Bhagi Bander and Jalal. The proverbial red carpet was laid out for them at the temple, and the priest, Ashwani Shukla, was ready with the ‘havan samagri’ and lockets of Hindu deities and Sikh gurus, which were to be gifted to the families after the reconversion.

Asked about the 100 more families who were expected to come tomorrow, Sran said, “Our volunteers are in touch with them. They are Sikhs who were forcibly converted to Christianity.”

‘No difference between temples, gurdwaras’

The ‘ghar wapsi’ for Sikhs and Hindus will both be performed at the temple as the VHP believes there is “no difference” between the two religions. “For us, all temples are the abode of Vishnu, the creator of the whole world, and Sikhs too will be re-converted in the temple,” said Sran. “Japuji ardaas will be performed for Sikh conversions at the temple.”

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Durham teaches quits Stockton school after landing publishing deal

After swapping the classroom for the keyboard a former Stockton secondary school teacher has been rewarded with a publishing deal almost 18 months after leaving her pupils behind.

Catherine Banner secured the deal for two historical novels in December after leaving Bishopsgarth School, Stockton, in summer 2013.

The 25-year-old, who has already published a trilogy of young adult fiction, left her post as an English teacher in a bid to research her novel The House at the Edge of Night.

She made the move despite having no cash advance or offers of a publishing deal.

But the leap of faith has been rewarded and now the Durham-based writer has a two book deal with Hutchinson, part of the Random House publishing group, which is set to secure her future for the next two to three years.

She said: “Bishopsgarth was a really nice school and a really nice place to work and I really enjoyed it but I’ve been writing for 10 years now and it’s always been in the back of my mind to try and do it full time.

“I’ve no regrets about leaving, at the time it was a difficult decision and I miss the children, obviously, but I think it’s worked out really well.”

Catherine spent the past 18 months researching and writing the novel which tells of the Esposito family, who live on the fictional island of Castellamare, off the coast of Sicily.

It covers a 95-year time span, from the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 to 2009, when the after-shocks of the financial crisis were hitting ordinary people.

She added: “My family-in-law are from Italy so I’ve spent quite a bit of time there.

“When they went out to work I would talk to people to find out about some of the settings.”

Along with her trips to Italy Catherine turned to reference books and archives to help supplement her story, in a nod to her time as a teacher and a former English student at Cambridge University.

The House at the Edge of Night has only just gone to her publisher, but the deal already takes in Britain, America, Canada and several other countries, including Germany and Spain — though not yet Italy.

Catherine said: “Day to day it’s very different to being in the classroom, there are some things I miss about teaching.

“As a writer you’re working all day by yourself where as when you’re teaching you’re with the kids all the time.

“I’ve always enjoyed teaching, at present I tutor some people one to one and I’ll probably continue that.”

The House at the Edge of Night is due to be published in 2015.