Plans to improve transport links in Cornwall moved a step closer today after Transport Minister Rosie Winterton approved a £34million Government contribution towards a major new scheme in the region. The £44million project includes a new road between Redruth and Camborne, a new dual carriageway linking the A30 to new housing and employment areas and the conversion of the A3074 into a bus priority corridor. It also includes improvements to walking and cycling routes in the area. The regeneration of the Camborne-Pool-Redruth area is one of the most important projects in Cornwall, with proposals set to create around 2,300 jobs and 600 new homes. The funding announced today will help secure the necessary road and public transport capacity to support the developments by improving access and reducing congestion.

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23 June 2008
© eGov Monitor

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Over 100 volunteers got their hands well and truly dirty when they helped The Waterways Trust Scotland plant 12,000 trees and shrubs at the sensory garden and nature trail at Auchinstarry Basin, near Croy on Wednesday 12 March. People of all ages, including nursery children from Holy Cross Primary school, pupils from Bartholomew’s Primary School and Coatbridge Primary School, employees from Royal Bank of Scotland and members of the public from Kilsyth, Linlithgow, Paisley and Edinburgh, turned out to complete this mammoth task. This project is part of British Waterways Scotland’s and the Trust’s plan to transform the environment surrounding the canal basin on the Forth & Clyde Canal. Alison Morrison, Development Officer for The Waterways Trust Scotland, said: “Through all our projects we like to encourage as many people as possible to get involved in improving the environment around their local canal. Once complete, the sensory garden and nature trail will be a real attraction for people from across the area. It is absolutely fantastic so many of them will be coming along to lend a hand.” The trees and shrubs have been specially chosen for their smells, textures and colours. Together they will tantalise the senses, bringing the sensory garden and nature trail to life.

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18 March 2008
© Waterways Trust

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment has given CAB £1.2m to extend its money advice service for another three years. Economy Minister Nigel Dodds has announced a £1.2million contract enabling Citizens Advice to continue provision of money guidance to consumers. The £1.2million contract, awarded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI), will extend the service by Citizens Advice for another three years, as well as provide 12 full-time money advice workers and a central research and development post. The contract enables Citizens Advice to continue to offer free, effective, high quality debt advice at centres across Northern Ireland, with a particular emphasis on one-to-one debt advice in areas where consumers have limited access to this kind of help and assistance. Welcoming the continuation of the service Mr Dodds said:  “My department has provided £800,000 to Citizens Advice over the last two years to place debt advisers throughout Northern Ireland. This new contract, worth an additional £1.2million, extends this service for a further three years, meaning continued support for the provision of debt advice centres in Antrim, Belfast, Ballymena, Coleraine, Enniskillen, Londonderry, Lurgan/Portadown, Omagh and Newry. This is a very important and welcome service for customers across Northern Ireland, and it will supplement the valuable work that continues to be done in the wider voluntary sector.”

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18 March 2008
© Community Northern Ireland

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment has given CAB £1.2m to extend its money advice service for another three years. Economy Minister Nigel Dodds has announced a £1.2million contract enabling Citizens Advice to continue provision of money guidance to consumers. The £1.2million contract, awarded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI), will extend the service by Citizens Advice for another three years, as well as provide 12 full-time money advice workers and a central research and development post. The contract enables Citizens Advice to continue to offer free, effective, high quality debt advice at centres across Northern Ireland, with a particular emphasis on one-to-one debt advice in areas where consumers have limited access to this kind of help and assistance. Welcoming the continuation of the service Mr Dodds said:  “My department has provided £800,000 to Citizens Advice over the last two years to place debt advisers throughout Northern Ireland. This new contract, worth an additional £1.2million, extends this service for a further three years, meaning continued support for the provision of debt advice centres in Antrim, Belfast, Ballymena, Coleraine, Enniskillen, Londonderry, Lurgan/Portadown, Omagh and Newry. This is a very important and welcome service for customers across Northern Ireland, and it will supplement the valuable work that continues to be done in the wider voluntary sector.”

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18 March 2008
© Community Northern Ireland

Getting all sectors to work together will be the toughest challenge in carrying out the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Volunteering, according to Volunteering England after its first meeting to discuss implementation plans. Marg Mayne, director of public affairs at the commission, said the recommendations, which include developing a recognised accreditation scheme for volunteers, posed significant challenges to third sector organisations. “Many organisations are already doing the things the commission has demanded, but these things cost money, and many of our members are already stretched to a level where it’s difficult to prioritise training of volunteers,” she said. “We welcome the funding the Government has offered, but it will never be enough.” She added: “At least there has been a recognition of the need for proper resourcing. The report is a useful step forward, but we hope that the Government is able to respond in an appropriate manner.” A spokesman for the Office of the Third Sector said its response to the report, which was originally expected in February, was still unavailable.

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5 March 2008
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Local authorities will face tough choices between spending cuts and above-inflation council tax rises following the introduction of free nationwide bus travel for the elderly, council leaders have warned. Research by the LGA shows councils in many seaside resorts, tourist hotspots and popular shopping centres may be left with funding shortfalls of up to £1.8m each when the national scheme comes in next month. Pensioners already enjoy free bus travel in their local area. But on April 1, the scheme will expand to allow the over 60s and disabled people to travel for free on buses anywhere in England. The government is providing £212m for councils to fund the scheme, which it insists should be enough to cover local costs. But councils, like Nottingham and Brighton & Hove, which are expecting a large number of visitors, say the funding will not be enough to cover their costs. The LGA is calling on the Treasury to review its calculations for how much money will be given to individual councils. It also wants to see the government set aside a contingency fund for councils experiencing financial pressures as a result of the new arrangements. Cllr David Sparks, chairman of the LGA’s regeneration and transport board, said free bus travel throughout England would benefit millions of elderly and disabled people but would leave many councils to bear much of the costs. “Authorities along the coastline or in places popular with visitors could be forced to cut meals on wheels to pay for visiting pensioners’ free bus travel. Councils want free bus travel for the elderly and disabled but the Treasury must make sure it is not at the cost of vital services or an increase in council tax,” he said.  The fare will be paid for by the council in the area from which the passenger starts their journey. Among the worse affected councils are Brighton & Hove, which faces an estimated £1.79m shortfall; Nottingham, which believes it will be down by £1.65m; and Harrogate which says it will have to find an extra £0.77m to fund the scheme.

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29 February 2008
© LGA

New research reveals challenges for growing voluntary sector workforce. New research has revealed a significant increase in the number of people working for a charity, voluntary organisation or community group in the last decade. The first UK Voluntary Sector Workforce Almanac published today (Wednesday 31 October 2007) by the UK Workforce Hub and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) shows an increase of 26% in the last ten years to a voluntary sector workforce of 611,000 employees, bigger than the number of people working for banks and building societies.
Nevertheless, the UK Workforce Hub’s 2007 Voluntary Sector Skills Survey, also published today, reveals a number of challenges for the sector’s employers with one-quarter reporting hard to fill vacancies within their organisation and skills gaps in IT, legal knowledge and fundraising. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is therefore pressing the Government to back a dedicated Skills Council for the voluntary and community sector.

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31 October 2007
© Politics.co.uk