General News
CIOB: Each year the construction industry generates 109 million tonnes of waste, according to Defra and, in response to a recent consultation on compulsory Site Waste Management Plans (SWMP), the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has called for all construction projects, involving more than 30 days or 500 person days of construction, to plan & implement a SWMP.
This would create a level playing field within the industry, encourage more efficient use of materials and reduce waste crime. The proposed threshold also provides consistency with notified projects under the new Construction (Design and Management) Regulations thereby minimising additional red tape.
The CIOB has also called for the government to consider incentive based schemes that encourage the industry to reduce waste; along with inspection and enforcement tied in with existing regulatory checks.
Press release ~ Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 ~ Site Waste Management Plans (SWMP) ~ Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) ~ Closed Defra consultation
CEL: More than 120 learners attended the inaugural ‘Leading the learner voice awards’ ceremony in London recently. The awards were established by the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) to recognise the work of organisations & individuals leading the learner voice agenda.
Kat Fletcher, CEL's leadership of learners strategic coordinator, said: "Both the Foster review and the further education white paper acknowledged the need to involve learners in their educational experience, and we are working with the National Union of Students to promote the learner voice and encourage effective collaboration between student learners and sector leaders and managers”.
The purpose of these annual awards is to celebrate the best examples of provider, practitioner and learner leadership in recognising and promoting the learner voice and to disseminate examples of best practice, so that leaders can learn and develop from the process”.
Press release ~ Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) ~ Leading the learner voice awards ~ Foster review
BERE: Around 40,000 households will be taking part in energy saving trials in a bid to cut household bills and help in the fight against climate change, Business and Enterprise Secretary John Hutton announced recently. Contracts to conduct the trials are to be funded by £10m from the Government, matched by a similar amount from the companies involved.
The trials will include around 15,000 households receiving state of the art smart meters and 8,000 more receiving clip on real time display units for their existing meters. The other households in the trial will be testing new ways of receiving information to help them cut their energy use including clip on real time display units.
The trials will be carried out throughout the UK and will last two years with results being available on a six-monthly basis. Because it will take a number of years before a new meter and display can be rolled out to every household, the government proposed that between 2008-2010, real time displays, will be available free of charge to any household that requests one. These proposals will shortly be consulted upon.
Press release ~ DTI – Metering and Billing: Changing Customer Behaviour Energy Saving Trust Response ~ Energy White Paper ~ Energy Review ~ Energy Efficiency Commitment ~ Ofgem: Towards effective energy information – Improving consumer feedback on energy consumption ~ National Energy Action (NEA) – smart metering ~ European Environment Agency – climate change ~ EDF Energy ~ E.ON UK ~ Scottish and Southern Energy ~ Scottish Power
Defra: Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has suspended a cross compliance standard to enable farmers to use mechanical equipment & vehicles on waterlogged soil so as to access their crops. The Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition standard, GAEC 3, prohibits farmers from carrying out mechanical operations and using motorised vehicles on waterlogged soil. The standard was put in place to protect soils from compaction and structural damage caused by using vehicles when the soil is too wet.
The Secretary has the power to vary or suspend the requirement in periods of exceptional weather conditions and, in view of the recent weather conditions & flooding in some parts of the country, Mr Benn has temporarily suspended the requirement until 31 July 2007 (subject to review).
CC: The Competition Commission (CC) has published an issues statement as part of its statutory review of the CAA's proposed price controls for Heathrow and Gatwick airports, which will govern how much the airports' owner, BAA, can charge airlines during the five-year period beginning April 2008 .
The CC is carrying out a review of these price controls as well as examining whether the airport owner has pursued any conduct during the last five years which has operated against the public interest. The CC's review must report back to the CAA by 29 September 2007, which will then consider the CC's recommendations before carrying out a final round of consultation and announcing a final decision in March 2008.
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