内容摘要：Councillor Jo Bird, co-leader of Wirral's Green Party, said the authority "sorely needs a new style of leadership".

Councillor Jo Bird, co-leader of Wirral's Green Party, said the authority "sorely needs a new style of leadership".

The MP said that resigning as a minister meant she could focus on local issues such as getting aand pushing for new housing in the area.

"I need to find a different way to try and influence things," she said."Certainly I believe I can do that from the backbenches."A government trial which scrapped peak-time rail prices ends on Friday after almost a year.

The Scottish government previously concluded the costs did not justify continuing the trial as it had not achieved its aim of persuading people to swap car journeys for rail travel.Around £40m has been spent on the scheme, which began on 2 October last year.

The end of the trial means that from Monday, an anytime return ticket between Glasgow and Edinburgh will cost £31.40 instead of £16.20.

Ministers published research in August which found the trial had"Most of the people who work or volunteer here fit that description and we provide them with an environment where they can develop skills they can take into any workplace," she said.

Sophie, a young chef from the Whitehawk estate who works at Sussex Surplus, added: "I love that I'm now giving back to my community."A man who was told he would not live until 30 is to celebrate his birthday doing a lake swimming challenge.

Adam Ball, who lives with cystic fibrosis which affects his ability to breathe, will swim the length of 13 lakes in the Lake District over the summer.Mr Ball, who is from South Shields, said swimming did "wonders for his lungs" and the sport had an "uncanny resemblance" to his treatment.