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(Alliance News) – UK manufacturing showed further signs of stabilisation at the end of 2025, with output and new orders edging higher and the sector recording its strongest reading in more than a year, according to survey data published by S&P Global on Thursday.
The seasonally adjusted S&P Global UK manufacturing purchasing managers’ index rose to 50.6 points in December from 50.2 in November, marking a 15-month high and remaining above the 50.0-point threshold that separates expansion from contraction.
The final reading was, however, below the earlier flash estimate of 51.2 points published in mid-December.
Manufacturing output increased for a third consecutive month, supported in part by stock building and efforts to clear backlogs of work. New orders rose for the first time since September 2024, with domestic demand cited as the main driver, while the decline in export orders eased to one of the weakest rates seen in nearly four years.
Growth was uneven across the sector. Output rose across consumer, intermediate and investment goods producers, the first time this has occurred since August 2024, but the expansion was concentrated among large manufacturers. Small and medium-sized firms continued to report declines in both output and new orders.
Employment remained in contraction territory, with job losses recorded for a 14th straight month, although the pace of decline eased to its weakest level during that period.
Price pressures picked up in December. Input cost inflation accelerated as manufacturers reported higher prices for a range of materials, including energy, metals, and electronics, and as suppliers passed on higher payroll-related costs. Output prices also rose after falling in November.
Rob Dobson, director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said: “Further signs of growth emanated from the UK manufacturing sector before the turn of the year. Output rose for the third successive month and new order intakes improved, albeit slightly, for the first time since September 2024.”
He added: “UK manufacturers benefited from several reduced headwinds towards the end of the year, as the negative impacts of the uncertainty surrounding the autumn budget, tariffs and the JLR cyber-attack all moderated.
“The start of 2026 will show if growth can be sustained after these temporary boosts subside.”
The UK manufacturing PMI is compiled by S&P Global from responses to questionnaires sent to purchasing managers at around 650 manufacturers, with data collected between December 4 and 18.
The UK’s services and composite PMIs will be published on Tuesday.
By Eva Castanedo, Alliance News reporter
Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com
Copyright 2026 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Zoetis says now, ahead of lambing season, is a good time to be engaging with farmers on importance.
Zoetis has called on vets to engage with farmers ahead of the lambing season on the importance of orf prevention.
The company is also calling on vets to ensure they are providing farmers with clear guidance to counter inconsistent vaccination practices.
The NOAH Livestock Vaccination Guideline categorises orf vaccination as a category two vaccination recommended in flocks where orf is present, but research suggests not all farmers carry out vaccination correctly, with only 27% of respondents using the correct site, the axilla1.
A further 37% use the vaccine up to a week after opening a vial, when the shelf life is 8 hours, 33% vaccinate too close to making and 73% do not separate their vaccinated and non-vaccinated animals.
Zoetis, which has the vaccine Scabigard, said it had an extensive range of information, including leaflets and videos, to help vets with conversations with farmers.
Tim Potter, national veterinary manager at Zoetis, said: “Orf can spread quickly through a flock having stayed on equipment and in the environment for months, and potentially years.
“We are encouraging vets to highlight the benefits of vaccination for orf with Scabigard on any farms where orf is known to be present and our comprehensive vaccination guidelines will help ensure effective and consistent protection for flocks at risk of the disease.”
1. Small S et al (2019). Do UK sheep farmers use orf vaccine correctly and could their vaccination strategy affect vaccine efficacy? Vet Record 185(10): 305.
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Councillor Hardyal Dhindsa, Cabinet Member for Digital and Organisational Transformation, reflects on a year of pioneering innovation which is delivering tangible results.
I am committed to ensuring our Council is not only fit for the future but also more responsive to the needs of every resident.
This year, we have moved from discussing the potential of technology to seeing tangible benefits in the hands of our residents. Our mission remains clear: using digital tools to make processes smoother, while protecting the essential services we all rely on.
Residents who call Derby City Council are now greeted by an improved and more inclusive telephone version of our digital helper, Darcie. By upgrading Darcie to a generative AI model, we have placed Derby at the forefront of local government innovation. Darcie is more than a chatbot; she understands context and provides quick, detailed answers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Darcie resolves 57% of queries directly, ensuring residents no longer wait in long queues for simple tasks, and allowing staff to dedicate more time to those with complex needs.
Importantly, Darcie is now more inclusive, supporting nine of the city’s most widely spoken languages, from Punjabi to Polish. This pioneering work has gained national recognition, winning prestigious awards for AI innovation and collaborative excellence. Our progress was even highlighted in the House of Lords, where the Bishop of Derby, the Right Revd Libby Lane, cited our work as a national blueprint for best practice.
Innovation at the Council is always built on trust. This December, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) awarded us a high assurance rating, confirming that our data security is as robust as our technology is ambitious.
Following resident feedback, we have also simplified registering for paperless billing and, from 1 April, we are launching a more generous Council Tax Support scheme. This is a significant step in making our support fundamentally fairer for low-income households.
Our progress extends to our physical spaces too. Registration services have relocated to Riverside Chambers, offering two new ceremony rooms against the backdrop of the River Derwent. I’m looking forward to officially launching the new registry office in the new year.
Looking toward 2026, we will continue to explore how technology can further reduce administrative burdens, ensuring our systems and staff are fully prepared for the significant shifts ahead. By building a smarter, fairer, and more connected Derby now, we are laying the essential foundations for a successful transition through Local Government Reorganisation.
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A toy car, a dog bowl and a traffic cone – these are just some of the strangest and unexpected items South West Water’s teams came across while inspecting the region’s sewers in 2025.
Also among the discoveries were a trolley wheel that had clearly gone the wrong way, a hand brush which had taken an unexpected detour, a football that missed its goal, and even a tyre that made its way underground – a collection of bizarre finds that raised more than a few eyebrows.
Spotted during routine inspections by South West Water’s teams, with many highlighted using new AI-assisted analysis of CCTV footage, these unusual items left teams wondering how such an unusual mix of objects ended up making their way beneath our streets.
While operators are used to dealing with everyday culprits such as wet wipes, fats, oils and greases blocking the sewers, these discoveries were a little harder to explain!
Throughout 2025, South West Water piloted advanced AI technology to improve sewer inspections across its network, helping teams review footage more efficiently and flag unusual items more quickly.
Traditionally, teams use specialised CCTV cameras lowered into pipes to record thousands of hours of footage, which technicians and office staff then manually reviewed to locate faults, structural issues, and blockages.
In 2025, this process was enhanced by AI systems trained to automatically label and highlight objects and anomalies in the footage, reducing manual effort and helping teams identify unusual finds and potential problems sooner.
Training the AI involves processing tens of thousands of images from the network. These images teach the system what typical sewer conditions look like, as well as the many variations of faults an operator might encounter.
Behind these strange discoveries is a serious message.
Blockages caused by inappropriate items in the sewer can lead to wastewater backing up into homes and gardens, damage to infrastructure, and environmental pollution to local watercourses and seas. It can cause flooding in streets, roads, and other public spaces, especially during wet weather.
In the last year, South West Water has cleared around 7,000 avoidable blockages from its net-work, working 24 hours a day to keep our sewers flowing.
However, all of these blockages could be prevented with a little more care about what goes down the loo or sink and especially down the drains.
Andy Pettifer, Wastewater Operations Manager at South West Water, said: “Finding a toy car or a football in a sewer might raise a few eyebrows, but it’s a serious issue that our teams are facing each year.
“Our sewers are designed for wastewater only, and anything else can cause blockages that affect homes, businesses, and the environment. So please, only flush the three P’s and if it’s not pee, poo or paper, please put it in the bin or dispose of your waste responsibility.”
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