Four things you should know in Yorkshire today…

The door was closed on deep coal mining and public schools were put in the spotlight. Here are four things you need to know so far today...

Public concern is growing about standards in private schools

Some of Yorkshire’s most famous private schools, including Ackworth School and Queen Ethelburga’s near York have been given notice to improve by Government inspectors.

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They are among 110 private schools across the country to have breached independent school regulations in the last 12 months.

The government is being accused of ‘betraying’ miners

As Kellingley Colliery closes with the loss of the last 400 jobs in the UK deep coal mining industry, Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper has blasted the Government over redundancy payments.

Many miners who leave Kellingley today will walk away with a fraction of the payments their fathers took with them 30 years ago.

Leeds police expect surge of 999 calls on ‘Mad Friday’

It is the last Friday before Christmas, traditionally one of the busiest of the year, so police are bracing themselves for around 50 per cent more calls than normal this weekend. Today is dubbed as ‘Mad Friday’, with an expectation of a high volume of alcohol-related incidents caused by festive drinking.

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West Yorkshire Police says its officers, special constables and police community support officers will be operating across a wider area.

Plans for a £50m motorway service area have been revealed

There are set to be 700 jobs created because of a new motorway service area and the plans have been put on show. The new ‘concept’ Motorway Service Area will be constructed at junction 45 of the M1 near Leeds.

If the proposals are approved by planners then the service station could be opened for Autumn 2017.