Category: 3. Business

The first project in a council scheme to convert derelict hotels into rental homes has been completed.

Brampton Court in the seaside resort of Torquay has been redeveloped into 14 energy-efficient one and two-bedroom apartments.

Torbay Council, which came up with the scheme, said the apartments would be “let at social rents to local households” with the first tenants expected to move in before Christmas.

The council has acquired a second site in Torquay at the Seabury Hotel and said construction there was due to start in the middle of 2026.

There are about 1,600 people on the housing waiting list in the Torbay area of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham.

The council said it wanted to convert “small, prominent and under-used brownfield sites” in the area “such as unviable former hotels, guesthouses and bed and breakfasts”.

Torbay Council said it believed its scheme was the “first of its kind in England” to specifically convert former hotel accommodation to be let as council homes.

Alan Tyerman, Torbay Council’s cabinet member for housing and finance, said: “What has been achieved is excellent and proves that we can deliver the homes we need and protect our precious green spaces.”

Tyerman said the new homes would be “a wonderful Christmas present” for new residents and marked “a significant milestone as we deliver on our ambition to provide more affordable homes in Torbay”.

The new homes at Brampton House are being allocated through Devon Home Choice to households that can prove a local connection to Torbay.

At Maersk, we believe multiple fuel pathways are essential for the shipping industry to meet its climate ambitions. That means consciously exploring different options and technologies.

Ethanol has a proven track record with an established market and existing infrastructure and offers an additional pathway for decarbonisation. By gradually increasing ethanol content, we gain valuable insights into engine performance and combustion impacts, informing fuel sourcing potential.

Gates Cambridge is seeking a Community Platform Officer to strengthen connections across our global community.

The Gates Cambridge mission is to build a global network of future leaders committed to improving the lives of others. We achieve this mission by selecting outstanding scholars from countries outside the UK and providing them with full-cost scholarships to pursue postgraduate degrees in any subject available at the University of Cambridge.

Gates Cambridge Scholars become part of a lifelong global community defined by its core value of commitment to improving the lives of others through leadership. Alongside the 250 or so Scholars who are studying in Cambridge at any point in time, there are over 2000 Scholars in the alumni section of the community, and this number grows every year.

The Gates Cambridge Trust, which was established in 2000 with a generous gift from the Gates Foundation, manages the Gates Cambridge Scholarship and a programme of events and activities for Scholars. The endowment has grown to almost £350 million (2024).

At the Trust, we are a small, friendly and diverse group of colleagues who are dedicated to delivering the Gates Cambridge mission while creating a welcoming and enjoyable working environment.

Purpose of the role

To strengthen connections across the global community of Gates Cambridge Scholars, the Gates Cambridge Trust is developing a digital community platform that enables Scholars to engage with one another and stay connected to Trust. The Trust seeks someone who enjoys working with technology and people; someone curious, adaptable, and excited about helping build a thriving global online community.

The Community Platform Officer will play a central role in supporting the daily operation, development, and engagement of this platform. The postholder will work closely with the Global Engagement Manager, Communications Officer, and the platform vendor to ensure the platform remains relevant and continues to facilitate connections across the global Gates Cambridge Scholar community.

The postholder will provide day-to-day support for the digital community platform, help deliver digital engagement activities that connect Scholars, ensure that content is accurate and engaging and that user queries are resolved promptly, and data remains accurate and up-to-date.

This position offers an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience in digital engagement, communications, and community management within a small, diverse and supportive team.

Main Responsibilities

Platform management and support

• Approve new member registrations and maintain accurate user data.
• Monitor and help moderate online discussions, groups, and events to ensure a positive user experience and adherence to community guidelines.
• Upload and update resources, announcements, and other materials on the platform.
• Troubleshoot user and technical issues, liaising with the supplier and the Global Engagement Manager where required.
• Test and review new platform features and updates, providing timely feedback and suggestions for improvement.
• Produce regular analytics and engagement reports for internal review.

Content and communications

• Support the preparation and scheduling of digital content, including posts, and newsletters for the platform.
• Assist with the creation of campaigns that highlight community initiatives and opportunities.
• Ensure that communications are accessible, accurate, and consistent with the organisation’s tone and branding.
• Collaborate with colleagues to align platform content with broader engagement and communications strategies.

Community engagement

• Help to establish and maintain groups, mentoring schemes, and regional or thematic initiatives within the platform.
• Respond to user enquiries and provide timely, helpful guidance.
• Encourage participation and explore creative approaches to building online engagement.

Continuous improvement

• Identify opportunities to enhance user experience, streamline processes, and increase engagement.
• Stay informed about trends and best practice in digital community building and alumni relations.
• Contribute to wider team projects and initiatives as required.

The Trust actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

To apply for this role, you must submit a cover letter, CV, and names of two references. The deadline for applications is 9:00 a.m. on Monday 5  January 2026.

For full details about the role, including how to apply, please see the candidate pack.

Summary

The paper discusses Bulgaria’s public investment needs and its efficiency and assesses prospects for accelerating economic growth and income convergence through scaling up quality public investment. Utilizing substantial EU grants to fund public investment offers Bulgaria a unique opportunity to finance important infrastructure projects without relying on debt. However, slow absorption of these grant funds and inefficiencies in public investment management remain significant challenges. The analysis highlights the critical role of efficient public investment in boosting productivity and fostering sustainable growth. Using the DIGNAR model calibrated to Bulgaria’s economy, simulations suggest that full EU funds absorption and improved public investment efficiency could boost GDP by 2.3 percent in 2030. The findings underscore the importance of steadfast reforms to accelerate EU fund absorption and improve efficiency, including through enhanced investment planning and procurement processes, to boost growth.

Subject: Econometric analysis, Expenditure, General equilibrium models, Income, Infrastructure, National accounts, Public investment spending

Keywords: Bulgaria, DIGNAR model, dynamic general equilibrium modelling, economic growth, EU funds, General equilibrium models, Income, Infrastructure, public investment, Public investment spending

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised a bank syndicate on Euronext’s €600 million bond issue and a cash tender offer for its existing €600 million bonds due 2026.

The transaction enables Euronext to proactively manage the overall maturity profile of its debt in an efficient manner.

Euronext is the leading European capital market infrastructure that provides markets for issuers, investors, trading members and market participants throughout Europe and beyond. It is a listed public limited liability company and its shares are admitted to trading on European regulated markets.

The White & Case team in Paris which advised on the transaction was led by partners Tatiana Uskova and Olga Fedosova. 

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Tesla has launched the lower-priced version of its Model 3 sedan in Europe in a push to revive sales after a backlash against Elon Musk’s work with Donald Trump and weakening demand for electric vehicles.

Musk, the electric car maker’s chief executive, has argued that the cheaper option, launched in the US in October, will reinvigorate demand by appealing to a wider range of buyers.

The new Model 3 Standard is listed at €37,970 in Germany, €330,056 Norwegian kroner and €449,990 Swedish kronor. The move follows the launch of a lower-priced Model Y SUV, Tesla’s bestselling model, in Europe and the US.

Tesla sales have slumped across Europe as the company faces increasingly tough competition from its Chinese rival BYD, which outsold the US electric vehicle maker across the region for the first time in spring.

Sales across the EU have also been hurt by a buyer backlash against Musk’s support for Trump’s election campaign and period working in the president’s administration.

In his role running theDepartment of Government Efficiency, or Doge, the tech billionaire led sweeping job cuts, but quit in May and after falling out with Trump over the “big, beautiful” tax and spending bill.

He has also alienated customers through other controversial political interventions, including appearing to give a Nazi salute at Trump’s victory rally, showing support for Germany’s far-right AfD party, and accusing Keir Starmer and other senior politicians of covering up the scandal about grooming gangs.

New taxes on electric cars in last month’s budget could undermine UK demand, critics have said. UK electric car sales grew at their slowest rate in two years in November, at just 3.6%, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

“[This] should be seen as a wake-up call that a sustained increase in demand for EVs cannot be taken for granted,” said Mike Hawes, the chief executive of the SMMT. “We should be taking every opportunity to encourage drivers to make the switch, not punishing them for doing so.”

The chancellor’s new pay-per-mile road tax on EVs will charge drivers 3p for every mile from April 2028, costing motorists about £250 a year on average.