Policy Statements and Initiatives
WAG: A £25m project designed to support the growth of Welsh businesses has been announced by Ieuan Wyn Jones, Deputy First Minister. Enterprise Networks which has received £12m from the Convergence European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government is geared to help 4,200 businesses and 155 social enterprises over the next 7 years. It could also lead to the creation of up to 1,200 jobs.
The project will have a specific focus on creating, developing & supporting strategic supply chains in key sectors of industry to help them identify new buyers for their products and help them bid for more public sector tenders.
WAG: The first credit union current account in Wales has been launched by Minister for Social Justice, Dr Brian Gibbons, at Llandudno & District Credit Union. The Welsh Assembly Government has provided £100,000 of funding to assist the credit union in setting up the current account, which will allow account holders to withdraw money from ATMs, access Visa debit facilities and make standing order & direct debit payments. In addition, account holders can have their benefits or salary paid directly into their account.
This is the next step in developing the credit union network, in which the WAG has invested £1.75m since 2000. They have also promised another £1.75m to deliver the One Wales commitments on credit unions, including all-Wales coverage, establishing access for secondary pupils and helping more to offer child trust fund accounts.
DH: Care for people with dementia will be ‘transformed’ with the appointment of dementia advisers, better training for GP's and the establishment of memory services staffed by specialists to provide early diagnosis and treatment, Health Secretary Alan Johnson has claimed.
The first National Dementia Strategy, backed by £150m over the first two years, will hopefully increase awareness of dementia, ensure early diagnosis & intervention and radically improve the quality of care that people with the condition receive.
The strategy calls for specialist memory services to be established throughout the country, which will ‘allow people with dementia to have their diagnosis made accurately and early in the course of the illness as well as get access to treatment and intervention that can help them live well with the condition’.
Press release ~ DH – National Dementia Strategy ~ DH – Older people ~
CLG: A new scheme to provide safe accommodation for people at serious risk of violence associated with gang or weapon crime will begin this month in Southwark. Southwark Council's new initiative 'SERVE' - Southwark Rehousing Victims of Violence Enterprise - will provide properties across London and the South East through an innovative agreement between the Council and a number of registered social landlords.
SERVE will mean people who are in danger in and around their home can move into a safe property in a different area for up to 12 weeks. During their stay the Council and its partners will help them to plan their next steps and secure long term housing.
Defra: The Government has accepted all 26 of the main recommendations made by Sir Iain Anderson on the response to the 2007 outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). The Government's response also comments on Sir Iain's personal recommendation to reposition the Institute for Animal Health (IAH), based at Pirbright, as a new nationalInstitute of Infectious Diseases.
Press release ~ Anderson Review on 2007 Foot and Mouth Outbreak ~
HO: Representatives from charities, public and private sector organisations including the police, Association of British Insurers, Age Concern, Citizens Advice Bureau and Norwich Union have met with Home Secretary Jacqui Smith at a special crime prevention summit to discuss practical measures to help keep crime down.
Press release ~ New home security pages on the Home Office website ~ Interactive home security assessment tool ~ Norwich Union/Aviva joint project with neighbourhood police teams in Norwich ~ Safety advice for elderly
DfT: Passengers in many parts country could benefit from a new approach to Government funding of new local and regional train services. The Department for Transport could take over long-term financial support for new or enhanced rail services that are promoted successfully by local authorities and Passenger Transport Authorities.
Many local authorities have found it difficult to take forward improved services because of the potentially high running costs involved. Under this new approach, after a successful trial period, local authorities could ask the DfT to consider supporting the services through a franchise agreement.
