General News
Newswire – LGA: Scores of pop-up libraries are opening in shops, pubs, post offices and community centres across the country. Introducing book borrowing points in popular buildings, offering e-book readers & audio downloads and sharing mobile libraries are among a raft of new ideas & services being implemented by councils to ensure libraries can thrive in the 21st century.
Other local authorities are putting existing libraries at the heart of their communities by opening up council customer service points and using them as a venue for police surgeries, health centres and volunteer groups.
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STFC: A number of vacancies have arisen for outstanding individuals to become members of STFC's Committees & Panels. In particular, the Science and Technology Facilities Councilare looking for nominations from under-represented groups.
NE: Natural England announced recently that it has successfully reduced its carbon emissions by 50%. In a 4-year programme, the government’s wildlife & conservation advisor has delivered a series of carbon-saving projects that have cut carbon emissions in half compared to 2007 levels, saving over £1.75m per year in the process.
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Directgov: Britain's biggest sports have signed up to the new Charter for Action, which aims to make sport a welcoming environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. You can also show your support for the Charter by signing up to it on Facebook.
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WAG: The First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, has praised Fire & Rescue personnel from the Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS), recently deployed to Japan to assist in the search & rescue efforts following one of the worst earthquakes in the country's history. This latest response follows the return from New Zealand of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s team where they undertook similar activities in Christchurch.
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HMRC: With less than 500 days until the start of the 2012 Olympic Games, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is reminding anyone thinking of renting out a spare room to visitors to check the Rent a Room Scheme first. Under the scheme, you can receive up to £4,250 a year tax-free if you rent out a furnished room in a residential property.
The scheme does not apply, however, if your home is converted into separate flats that you rent out, if you let unfurnished rooms in your home, or if you let your whole home. In these cases you need to declare the rental income to HMRC and pay tax in the normal way.
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CIPD: The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has announced its partnership with think tank Tomorrow’s Company, with the publication of the first in a series of agenda-setting provocations. HR in Tough Times: Adapting to a Changing World, authored by Philip Sadler, CBE, Senior Fellow, Tomorrow’s Company, urges those business leaders focused overwhelmingly on maximising shareholder value, particularly those that sit on the board, to focus on more progressive people policies.
The ‘provocation’ is a call to arms for business leaders to establish sustainable competitive advantage through building employee commitment. It demonstrates that without clear leadership from the top, employees will contribute little to the long-term success of the organisation.
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ScotGov: A deal has been struck between the Scottish Government and EdinburghUniversity to protect the services provided by the Scottish Sensory Centre. ScotGov will provide £150,000 to enable the Centre - which supports teachers of deaf, visually impaired and deafblind pupils - to remain open for a further 12 months. Its longer-term funding will be considered as part of the Doran review of learning provision for children & young people with complex additional support needs, which is currently underway.
Press release ~ Scottish Sensory Centre ~ Doran review of learning provision for children & young people with complex additional support needs
OFT: The OFT has formally launched a market study into off-grid energy, following a short consultation on its scope. The study will cover both consumer & competition issues and consider the main energy sources available to the 3.6m households off the main gas grid in the UK.
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Directgov: Telephone customers may benefit from cheaper calls and greater choice thanks to a cut in mobile termination rates. These are the wholesale charges that mobile operators make to other operators to connect calls to their networks. From 1 April 2011, Ofcom, the UK’s communications watchdog, will place a cap on the rates charged by all 4 national mobile network operators – 3UK, O2, Everything Everywhere and Vodafone. This will lead to around an 80% reduction in termination rates over the next 4 years.
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Directgov: Are you observant? Do you have an excellent memory? If so, you could apply to work for MI5 as a mobile surveillance officer. Visit their website & take a test to help decide if you would be suited to the role.
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FSA: The Food Standards Agency has written to local authorities in the UK to remind them of the ban on a type of sweet called jelly mini-cups that could pose a choking risk to children. This follows recent seizures of the sweets by environmental health officers. The European Commission banned the jelly mini-cups in 2004 due to concerns the sweets pose a choking hazard, particularly for children.
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HPA: The Health Protection Agency’s radiation protection experts are keeping the situation in Japan under close review and are advising UK government accordingly.
DECC: Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change, Chris Huhne, has set out further detail on the UK Chief Nuclear Inspector’s report into the implications of events at Japanese nuclear reactors on existing and new plants in the UK. The Energy Secretary has asked Dr Mike Weightman for an interim report by mid May 2011 and a final report within six months. Both reports will be made public.
Press release and related links ~ Related EU news
EHRC: Professor Geraldine Van Bueren, Commissioner for human rights at the Equality and Human Rights Commission said last week: “It is really important that any discussion about a potential Bill of Rights goes beyond the usual slanging match which surrounds this most important of subjects. The review … creates an opportunity to show what a positive contribution the Human Rights Act has made to the lives of everyone”.
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PCS: Trade unions representing Forestry Commission staff have written to environment secretary Caroline Spelman to express ‘extreme disappointment’ that workers & campaigners are being excluded from discussions about the commission's future.
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