On Monday 6 October 2008, Conor Murphy, Minister of the Department for Regional Development (DRD), launched 30 new accessible minibuses for use by Rural Community Transport Partnerships supported by the Rural Transport Fund. This investment updates and increases the number of accessible community transport vehicles across rural Northern Ireland. The £1.3 million investment compounds DRD’s investment to supply transport solutions in rural areas for people who find it difficult to access or use conventional transport because of age, disability or rural location.Kellie Armstrong, CTA’s Acting Director for NI said: “We are delighted the Minister has launched the vehicles during Community Transport Week. This is a fantastic start to the week and focuses attention on the types of services community transport provides in our community. This investment replaces and increases the number of community transport vehicles. The more accessible vehicles there are in the community means the more people can access transport that meets their needs. All vehicles are fully accessible meaning they are fitted with a passenger lift, lower side steps and have high visibility handrails, exit signs and comfortable seating. The design of the vehicles particularly meets the needs of people with limited mobility such as someone who finds it difficult to climb stairs (bus steps) or who use wheelchairs or have a visual disability. Community Transport aims to ensure transport is fully inclusive. This investment in accessible vehicles demonstrates the DRD’s commitment to ensure all needs are met. Getting out and about in a rural area is made easier for everyone”

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6 October 2008
© CommunityNI

The Crofting Counties are to be expanded following a public consultation. Arran, Bute, Greater and Little Cumbrae, Moray and parts of Highland not currently within the Crofting Counties are to be designated as new crofting areas. Scottish Ministers are allowed to designate new areas of Scotland where crofts can be created, with the approval of the Crofters Commission. A Scottish Statutory Instrument proposing this extension of crofting areas will be laid before the Parliament shortly. Speaking at the Highlands and Islands Convention, Environment Minister Michael Russell said, “Crofting has a real role to play in not only maintaining vibrant populations and thriving communities in Scotland’s less accessible areas but enabling them to grow and prosper. We want to see inclusive and dynamic crofting communities and the designation of new crofting areas will aid the sustainable economic growth of these areas. The consultation provoked a number of responses but it’s fair to say that a strong majority were favourable. We will now look at extending the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme (CCAGS) to the whole of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise Area to ensure crofters in the new area can fully benefit from this funding.”

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6 October 2008
© Rural Gateway

The charity has warned that 20 per cent of its placements could go unfilled this year because the economic downturn is affecting people’s willingness to volunteer. Only 48 professionals have gone overseas on two-year placements since April, VSO said, and enquiries from prospective volunteers have slumped. The charity’s target of recruiting 335 volunteers for two-year placements is under threat. If current trends do not change, 70 jobs will be left unfilled by the end of March.

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6 October 2008
© Third Sector Online

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

Councils around the country are gearing up for this year’s local democracy week, which takes place on Wednesday, 8th October 2008 at 9:30am Location: Hilton London Metropole
We’ll be attending this Housing Corporation event about the complex challenges of ensuring the right mix of housing is delivered for rural communities. ‘Housing: Investing in Rural Futures’ will help ensure organisations are best placed to benefit from the forthcoming changes in affordable housing provision and regeneration, as well as making sure you are fully appraised in the latest rural housing policy: http://www.housing-investinginruralfuturesevent.co.uk/

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6 October 2008
© Commission for Rural Communities

Following a government commitment in response to the Commission on the Future of Volunteering’s report ‘Manifesto for Change’ earlier this year, Jobcentre Plus, part of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), has published its renewed guidance on volunteering whilst on benefits. The Office of the Third Sector has worked closely with the DWP to ensure the renewed guide makes clear the message to potential volunteers and volunteer involving organisations, that volunteering should not affect an individual’s benefits. It responds to concerns voiced by the third sector that individuals in receipt of benefits are not always aware of their right to volunteer and can be put off if they think volunteering will affect their benefits. The guidance offers clear advice on how volunteering relates to benefits such as Jobseeker’s Allowance and Working Tax credits. The guide is now available: www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/stellent/groups/jcp/documents/websitecontent/dev_015837.pdf

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6 October 2008
© WCVA

Housing pressures in British cities partly result from the net migration of people to Britain over the past ten years. Immigration has also changed the nature of minority ethnic communities, while longestablished minority ethnic communities are changing with successive generations. What does recent research tell us about the nature of these changes, and their impact on policy and practice in housing and neighbourhood renewal? Download: http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/housing/pdf/2305.pdf

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7 October 2008
© Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Councils around the country are gearing up for this year’s local democracy week, which takes place from Monday 13 to Sunday 19 October. Resources on offer from the LGA include a resource pack for citizenship teachers, featuring successful lesson ideas from up and down the country, and advice on how to hold political speed dating sessions, mock elections and more. Councils can order the information packs from Ben Dudley, the LGA’s local democracy week co-ordinator, by emailing ben.dudley@lga.gov.uk. There is also a wealth of information online at http://localdemocracy.lga.gov.uk

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6 October 2008
© LGA

The Vegetarian and Vegan Foundation (VVF) has launched a guide that promotes healthy eating as a way to help prevent cancer. A campaign by the charity called One In Nine has led to the production of A Fighting Chance, the guide which provides practical advice on what to eat. The booklet explains how certain foods such as meat and dairy could trigger the disease and offers recipes to try that may help prevent cancer. VVF’s senior health campaigner and author of A Fighting Chance said it should be read by all women and it is important to get the information in the public domain. “Women diagnosed with breast cancer receive very little, if any, guidance on what can help them fight this disease,” she said. The One In Nine campaign focuses on the fact that one in nine women will be affected by breast cancer at some point in their lives and the VVF believes healthy eating can reduce this. Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in Britain and since 1971 the number of people with the disease has risen by 80 per cent.

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1 October 2008
© CLA

The CLA, Friday, 3 October, agreed that a new government department is needed to deal with the increasing twin challenges of energy security and climate change. However, the CLA would stress the need for cohesion between Defra and the new department. CLA President Henry Aubrey-Fletcher said: “The CLA supports the need to give the two increasing global challenges of energy and climate greater resource but we hope the vital role land management plays in both creating renewable energy options and mitigating the effects of climate change will not be overlooked as a result of the split between departments. Defra will be key to ensuring every opportunity is made of the contribution that land management plays in meeting the twin challenges of not just environmental security but also the growing issue of food security. We look forward to working with Ed Miliband and continuing our relationship with Hilary Benn.”
The CLA President said: “The CLA hopes that the new Defra will have greater focus and clarity on rural issues and more time to concentrate on things it has not properly addressed in recent times. This includes a renewed effort in dealing with the abolition of set-aside by rewarding current good practice and ensuring any offsetting measures must retain the competitiveness of English agriculture and should be flexible and practical enough to fit into agricultural systems whilst still delivering the environmental outputs we all want.” The recently published Defra response to the draft Marine bill which includes proposals to create coastal access ignored many of the recommendations by both the EFRA committee and the Joint Committee, both tasked with scrutinising the proposals. The CLA hopes a fresh look can taken at this and that the Government will reconsider its position.

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3 October 2008
© CLA