CPRE has real concerns about the Government’s eco-town proposals. We strongly support the principles of ‘eco-development’, but we are concerned that too many of the proposed eco-towns will fall short of the high standards required. We are calling on the Government to focus on one or two truly exemplary schemes, scrap sub-standard proposals and rethink its eco-town programme. We want Hazel Blears to take on board local communities’ concerns about the eco-towns proposals and press for a Government rethink. We have prepared a letter for you to send, which you are welcome to amend. All you need to do is fill in your name and address, then press submit and your letter will be emailed to Hazel Blears.

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6 October 2008
© CPRE

The IT Diploma Supporters’ Club met for the first time in London recently. The group has been formed to champion the new diploma for 14-19 year olds, and to provide a forum to discuss its development and delivery. Around 70 participants from the IT and Telecoms sector, Higher Education Institutions, schools, colleges and Education Business Partnerships came together to focus on three main areas - employer engagement, higher education engagement and support for schools and colleges. Karen Price, CEO of e-skills UK attended the event and said: “Effective collaboration between educators and employers is vital to the success of the diploma. This club brings together key partners keen to help make the diploma the best possible experience for students.” The Diploma in IT is one of a suite of new qualifications for 14-19-year-olds in England. Developed in partnership with employers and universities, the diploma blends general education and applied learning to provide a motivating and challenging programme of study. For more information about the Diploma in IT, visit www.e-skills.com/diploma

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6 October 2008
© e-skills uk

The Daisy Daisy project is run by Warrington Borough Council and funded by the Communities for Health fund. It enables people who would not normally be able to cycle to use specially adapted cycles, where necessary, to take part in activities. The pilot project focused on: people with mental health problems, people aged over 65. Over the pilot’s 11 weeks, 49 people took part in 66 sessions. There were 51 attendances from people who had a mental health problem and 165 from over-65s. Questionnaires were distributed to all participants at the start and end of the programme. These were to assess the impact of the project on their quality of life and fitness. All participants completed questionnaires.

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6 October 2008
© IDeA

Graham Russell, CRC Director of Practice, will be taking part in a discussion group on ‘Debt Advice, money guidance and credit unions’ as part of this year’s Northern Financial Inclusion conference. CRC have been working to promote good practice for financial inclusion in rural areas through our Quids In campaign. We’re also taking the rural lead on DWP’s Financial Inclusion Champions Initiative. The Rural Financial Champion will will seek to achieve high level outcomes across three main areas: Helping people to manage their money day to day; Helping people to plan for the future and cope with financial pressure; Helping people to deal with financial distress. Visit the Northern Financial Inclusion conference website to find out more about the event: http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/HEA/financialinclusion/96380.htm

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6 October 2008
© Commission for Rural Communities

Natural England has today (Friday 3 October) published new Environmental Stewardship (ES) handbooks to provide farmers with a comprehensive guide to ES and how to apply. A dedicated Environmental Stewardship phone number has also been established: 0300 060 1115; and for the first time applicants for Entry Level Stewardship schemes (ELS) can now apply online at www.naturalengland.org.uk The new handbooks, which cover every available ES scheme, apply to all agreements starting on or after 1 October 2008. The handbooks have been re-designed and include information on new options and changes to the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) bringing farmers up to date on how ES can help their farm business and how they can apply. Almost £3 billion is earmarked for ES and other agri-environment schemes from 2007-2013, under the RDPE. Dr Helen Phillips, Chief Executive of Natural England, said: “Environmental Stewardship remains essential to the health of our natural environment and the success of certain species and we know this can go hand in hand with a successful farming enterprise. We will work closely with the farming industry to ensure these ES schemes continue to work for the benefit of farming, the countryside and wildlife.” View the handbooks: www.naturalengland.org.uk/planning/grants-funding/es/default.htm
View the ELS: www.naturalengland.org.uk/planning/grants-funding/es/els/online.htm

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6 October 2008
© Natural England

The Mayor of London and CABE Space have today (29 September) published for consultation new planning guidance that encourages local authorities to make best use of our parks and public open spaces. The Open Space Strategies guidance will be of use to all local authorities, whether they already have an open space strategy or if they are putting one together for the first time. The updated guidance provides advice on assessing the quantity and quality of open spaces and on identifying the needs of local communities and other users of open spaces, including wildlife. Open Space Strategies is an updated amalgamation of two separate guides that were produced by CABE Space and the GLA in 2004. Boris Johnson, Mayor of London said:
“In the face of new environmental, social and economic challenges, preserving our open spaces has never been more important for a good quality of life and a more sustainable future. The new guidance will be an invaluable tool to help local authorities plan, design, manage and maintain their open spaces. The preparation and publication by the London boroughs of an up to date Open Space Strategy will be one of the matters I will consider when assessing their Development Plan Documents for general conformity with the London Plan.” Open Space Strategies gives advice to councils on how to prepare and implement their Open Space Strategies using practical examples of different approaches. It is based on updated best practice from the London Plan and lessons learnt from work CABE Space has done with local authorities across England over the past five years. Open Space Strategies can be downloaded from the GLA website at www.london.gov.uk/mayor/strategies/sds/open_space.jsp

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2 October 2008
© LONDON

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today announced the appointment of a Legacy Board of Advisors to assist him in securing the best possible future for the Olympic Park after the 2012 Games. The Board will be chaired by David Ross, Deputy Chairman of The Carphone Warehouse, who was the Mayor’s nominee to the Board of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). The new Board will advise the Mayor on all aspects of the legacy programme for London. It will, in particular, focus on the emerging proposals for physical development and regeneration in and around the Olympic Park after the Games and the business plan for the Olympic Park and legacy venues. It will advise the Mayor on how to maximise the regeneration benefits for existing and new communities in East London while ensuring an appropriate return on the public investment in the Park. It will also focus on high standards of management and maintenance of the Park and venues while delivering viability, affordability and the best possible use of the venues by Londoners and by elite athletes.

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2 October 2008
© LONDON

Reacting to today’s speech by Eric Pickles MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, CPRE’s Senior Planning Campaigner Paul Miner said: ‘We are glad to see the Conservatives state their support for the Green Belt as a green lung. This is particularly pleasing as recent pronouncements of a think-tank close to the party have given us cause for concern. We also welcome the clear statement that a Conservative Government would abolish the proposed Infrastructure Planning Commission, which will be unelected, expensive, ineffective and unnecessary.’

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2 October 2008
© CRDP

Major regeneration projects in some of England’s biggest cities are unlikely to reach their potential if they rely on the government’s latest funding mechanisms, it was claimed this week. Core Cities Group and accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers conducted research focused on Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham and Sheffield to establish whether the new mechanisms are up to the job. They concluded that the community infrastructure levy (CIL) and business rate supplements (BRS) would struggle to generate enough revenue to fund essential infrastructure like transport, schools and hospitals. CIL is a development tax to raise cash for infrastructure schemes and will be introduced next year, while BRS will allow local authorities by 2010 to raise local supplements on the national business rate to finance economic development projects. In order for regeneration schemes to reach their potential, the group and PricewaterhouseCoopers believe two other funding tools should be introduced to support infrastructure.

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1 October 2008
© NewStart

Waste facilities in Leicestershire and the South West will see major improvements thanks to a combined £181.6 million in funding announced by Defra today. In Leicestershire, the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project is expecting to divert 98,000 tonnes of Biodegradable Municipal Waste from landfill in 2020. In the South West the PFI project will divert 293,000 tonnes from landfill in 2020 - making an important contribution to the UK’s landfill directive targets. Leicestershire plans to build on its already successful recycling and composting record. Not only does the county expect to reach the Government’s 2020 recycling target of 50 per cent 10 years early, but with further plans it aims to reach 58 per cent by 2017. In the South West, 92 per cent of the biodegradable waste in the area will be diverted from landfill.

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2 October 2008
© Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (National)