IHBC NewsBlogs

The Land Transaction Tax and Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes (Wales) Bill is to be introduced in the latest legislative programme of the Welsh Government (WG), and its first Welsh tax in almost 800 years.

The Welsh Government writes:

A new Bill will introduce the first Welsh tax in almost 800 years – land transaction tax, which will be a replacement for stamp duty land tax.  The Land Transaction Tax and Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes (Wales) Bill is the first Bill to be introduced as part of the Welsh Government’s new Legislative Programme.  Like stamp duty land tax, land transaction tax will be payable on the purchase or lease of a building or land in Wales over a certain price. It will affect house buyers and businesses, including builders, property developers and agents involved in the transaction process (such as solicitors and conveyancers)…

Key changes include:

• A new overarching general anti-avoidance rule (GAAR) to help prevent and robustly tackle tax avoidance;
• A broad targeted anti-avoidance rule (TAAR) which applies to all reliefs;
• The exclusion of two reliefs in relation to the demutualisation of insurance companies and building societies;
• Amendments to some other reliefs so they operate better or in a more relevant way to Wales;
• The rent element of new residential leases will be exempt from tax under LTT;
• The simplification of rules in relation to leases.

Read more….

One in ten home building projects fail to please home owners, leaving a trail of unhappy customers, according to new research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), as it says that owners can get the best value by using their ‘Keep away from the Cowboys’ checklist.

The FMB writes:

Of the home owners who are unhappy with their building work, the top reasons cited include: shoddy workmanship (49%), cost overruns (27%) and delays (23%).

However, most of these issues can be avoided if home owners stick to the ‘Keep away from the Cowboys’ checklist that the FMB has prepared. Master Builders have to pass an independent inspection, as well as credit and director checks before they can join the FMB. They can also offer warranties on their work and have access to free written contracts that help protect both parties. The FMB also offers a dispute resolution service should any problems arise.

The ‘Keep away from the Cowboys’ checklist is issued by the FMB and includes the following advice for home owners:

Get a contract – make sure everything is agreed in writing to avoid problems later;

• Don’t flash the cash – our research shows that when builders demand to be paid in cash, so that they can avoid paying VAT, they are more likely to cut corners  elsewhere and leave their customers dissatisfied;
• Check for scam schemes – not all rating schemes are the same. Does membership mean the builder has been checked or have they just paid for the logo?

Helen Patterson was one of those who felt let down by her builder: ‘I am absolutely distraught. My emotions are all over the place and my house is in a terrible state of disrepair. It was supposed to be the start of building my dream home and suddenly it was in complete ruins – the man responsible, who I had trusted with my hard-earned cash, just disappeared. This has left me in a financially difficult situation wishing I had used a builder that had been vetted by a more reliable third party to avoid this sort of thing happening.’

On the day that the FMB launches its Master Builder Awards to recognise Britain’s best builders, the FMB is issuing a ‘Keep away from the Cowboys’ checklist to help home owners spot the bad’uns.

The Master Builder Awards is a flagship for high-quality building work. Organised by FMB, the awards programme is unique in that any project entered by the builder must be backed up by the customer – giving home owners the opportunity to support those building companies that have delivered exceptional workmanship and service.

Read more….

DOWNLOAD the checklist

A new survey has found the majority of Londoners living in inner London boroughs want to see restrictions in place for new tall buildings, as a poll of 500 London residents has found many people living in inner London boroughs would like to see restrictions in place for the number of tall buildings.

The survey, which was carried out by market research firm Ipsos Mori on behalf of the Skyline Campaign, found 49 per cent think the amount of tall buildings planned, proposed or under construction in London is too many. Only 42 per cent said the figure, which was 270 at the time of the survey, was ‘about right’. 

Find out more about the Skyline campaign 

Read the background on London’s tall buildings see New London Architecture

Read the article in Planning & Building Control Today

London is outranking other global cities globally for liveability, economic clout and opportunity, according to a new study by PWC US

PWC United States writes:

U.S. cities are demonstrating strength in leading economic and social indicators, but are also revealing dimensions where they are falling behind as engines of global competition and urban well-being, according to PwC’s Cities of Opportunity 7. The report provides an in-depth benchmark of the social and economic health of 30 of the world’s leading centers for business and commerce by measuring their performance against 10 indicators.

In this seventh edition of the study, London claims the top spot due to its strong showing across the leading indicators, and is followed by Singapore, Toronto, Paris and Amsterdam. Cities were assessed based on data from 2014-2015, with findings from the study underscoring a key premise: city success requires balanced social and economic strengths, which finds high scores in the human elements of urban life. While compiled before the recent UK referendum vote to leave the EU, detail in the report’s wide ranging measurements gives an early indication to its competitors of both London’s international strengths and areas it may have to compete harder on post Brexit.

The top three cities in each ‘Cities of Opportunity’ indicator are:

• Intellectual capital and innovation:London, San Francisco, Paris
• Technology readiness:Singapore, London, Amsterdam and New York (tied for third)
• City gateway: London, Paris, Beijing
• Transportation and Infrastructure:Singapore, Dubai, Stockholm
• Health, safety and security:Tokyo, Toronto, Sydney
• Sustainability and the natural environment:Stockholm and Sydney (tied for first), Seoul and Toronto (tied for third)
• Demographics and liveability: New York and Paris (tied for first), London
• Economic clout: London, New York, Beijing
• Ease of doing business: Singapore, Hong Kong, London
• Cost:Johannesburg, Toronto, Los Angeles

See the full ranking and a copy of the report

View the press release

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee debated funding for arts, culture and the creative sector at its meeting on 5 September, with representation from the British Arts Festival Association, The Creative Industries Federation and Cultural and Leisure Officers Association.

The committee was particularly concerned about the Local Authority funding landscape, the impact of Brexit on European funding, and the project to project nature of funding for cultural projects. 

View a video of the committee

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland (NI) has announced that its new phase of the Rural Micro Capital Grants Scheme will provide an additional £450,000, with communities able to use funds for essential repairs and acquisition of equipment.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) writes:

DAERA Minister Michelle McIlveen has announced the continuation of the very successful Rural Micro Capital Grants Scheme designed to improve the lives of those living in rural communities.

Phase III of the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme will be delivered by local Rural Support Networks on behalf of DAERA. The Scheme will be open for applications from Monday 5 September 2016 until noon on Friday 30 September 2016. Grants of between £200 and £1,500 are available to constituted rural community organisations for equipment and minor capital works.

The Minister said: ‘I am aware that the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme has to date provided over 360 rural community and voluntary group with small grants to allow them to take practical steps to modernise or update their premises and to buy pieces of equipment that enables them to provide and deliver enhanced services for their local communities. Community and voluntary groups are the heart and soul of so many rural areas; therefore I am pleased to announce my department’s continuation of the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme, with £450,000 available.

‘Addressing social isolation, creating community spirit and providing people with a sense of belonging is what community and voluntary groups excel at. Their excellent work is strongly linked to the health and wellbeing of those living in rural areas and is fundamental to the fabric of rural areas. These small grants, that are now available, will help sustain and indeed develop this important work.’

The Minister added: ‘The Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme is another example of how my department is actively tackling rural poverty and social isolation. It also demonstrates how government and the community and voluntary sector can work together to improve the lives of those living in rural areas. This Scheme is a real opportunity for community groups to build on their existing roles and to empower local people to make their lives, and the lives of their family, friends and neighbours, better.

‘I strongly encourage rural community and voluntary groups to contact their local Rural Support Network or visit the DAERA website for more information on the Scheme and advice on how to apply.’

View the press release and more information on how to apply

The latest green belt statistics for England has been released, concluding there is a decrease of 1,020 hectares (less than 0.1 per cent) between 31 March 2015 and 31 March 2016 and eight local authorities have made changes in their allocations.

View the full statistics

The RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence are open for entries, with a closing date of 9 December 2016, and categories that include ‘Excellence in Planning for Built Heritage’ and volunteering, while for the first time entry is free.

The RTPI writes:

Entering the RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence is a free, high impact way to highlight planning achievements to potential clients, peers, the media and the wider built environment.

Phil Williams, President of the RTPI said ‘The RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence celebrate the way planning makes great places. This is your chance to get the recognition you deserve for your project, team or for a fellow planner. The awards provide the perfect opportunity to recognise achievement in planning excellence.’

We welcome entries from planning initiatives of all types and sizes. We are interested in the calibre of the achievement, rather than the scale of the project.

Your entry will be considered by a judging panel of industry experts. All winning entries and finalists will be publicised widely, and will have the right to use an awards finalist or winner logo on their own promotional materials to showcase their achievement.

The categories are as below:

Projects

• Excellence in Planning for Built Heritage
• Excellence in Planning for the Natural Environment
• Excellence in Planning for Well-being
• Excellence in Planning to Create Economically Successful Places
• Excellence in Planning to Deliver Housing
• Excellence in Planning for the Innovative Delivery of Infrastructure
• Excellence in Plan Making Practice
• International Award for Excellence in Planning

Teams

• Employer Award for Excellence
• Local Authority Planning Team of the Year
• Small Planning Consultancy of the Year
• Planning Consultancy of the Year

Individuals

• Young Planner of the Year
• Volunteer Planner of the Year

Each year the RTPI presents the Silver Jubilee Cup to the project category winner considered the most outstanding.

Entries can be submitted until midnight GMT on 9 December 2016.  Winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony at Milton Court in Central London on 15 June 2017. Full details on how to enter and eligibility criteria are available on the RTPI website.

View the press release and more details of how to enter

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has announced that the new chief executive is Alex Paterson.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) writes:

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is pleased to announce that Alex Paterson has taken up his new role of Chief Executive Officer as of Monday 12 September 2016.

Alex was previously Chief Executive at Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). During his time there he oversaw the strategy for key national sectors, as well as business and community growth. Alex also worked to improve the region’s infrastructure, increase international trade performance, and promote business innovation.

Historic Environment Scotland was formed late in 2015 by bringing together Historic Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) to create a new public body to care for, protect and promote Scotland’s historic environment.  Alex will be building on the hard work of HES staff, including the launch of the organisation’s first Corporate Plan and Business Plan. He will report to the HES Board, and is responsible for carrying out their vision and strategy. Alex is also the designated Accountable Officer to the Scottish Government.

Read more about the Chief Executive and his role and view the press release.

The long-awaited 2014 report on ‘The Future of Local Government ((LG) Archaeology Services Report’, to which IHBC contributed, has been published by the All Party Parliamentary Archaeology Group (APPAG), and includes recommendations to ‘develop a voluntary developer contribution which would establish a ring-fenced national fund which will help financially secure local authority HER services’.

The authors write:

1.1. This report examines the current situation facing local authority archaeology and wider historic environment services in England, particularly with reference to the role they play in fulfilling the requirements of the planning system. The report was commissioned by the Minister for Culture, Communications and the Creative Industries, Ed Vaizey, and has been undertaken by John Howell MP and by Lord Redesdale with the support of The Archaeology Forum…

1.6.  The report sets out recommendations with the following aims:

• To highlight the importance of local government archaeology services and to remind failing services of their obligations under the planning system;
• To better support local authorities in rationalising current service models in pursuit of optimum availability and sustainability of skills and expertise and the achievement of economic efficiency;
• To outline a mutually beneficial financial arrangement with the purpose of improving the effectiveness and reliability of archaeological services for developers and ease the financial vulnerability of services for local authorities;
• To improve and strengthen sector standards and monitoring and provide reasoning in support of minimum service levels to be instituted and maintained;
• To rationalise local authority advice charges, taking account of varying circumstances;
• To ensure English Heritage/Historic England provide effective regional leadership to local authorities
• To rationalise the system for retention of archaeological material…

The report recommends that:

1. An advisory group should be convened at the earliest opportunity to develop a voluntary developer contribution which would establish a ring-fenced national fund which will help financially secure local authority HER services.
2. A system of approved standards, produced and monitored by the sector, should be applied to local authorities in receipt of this funding with the aim of ensuring the development process runs effectively.

• Research should be conducted into current local authority charging structures with the aim of ensuring a level of readability, consistency, and value for money.

1. English Heritage is strongly advised to consider the creation of a role at Executive Board level within Historic England to provide regional leadership over local planning historic environment functions.
2. English Heritage should also be authorised to prioritise the facilitation of service sharing agreements between local authorities.
3. Programmes for training and skill retention such as apprenticeships and bursaries should be devised by local government in partnership with the sector to address current unsustainable employment and training models.

• Training in archaeology and conservation should be devised for planners and local councillors, run by a coordination of heritage sector bodies to address deficits in cross-sectoral understanding.
• English Heritage should engage further with the Arts Council England and the Museum Sector to pursue long-term strategies for the assessment of archaeological archives.

For background see the IHBC NewsBlog

Read the report

The recent listing of Groves school by the Welsh Government (WG) is to be challenged by Wrexham County Borough Council (WCBC), on the grounds that ‘the building does not meet the criteria for listing’.

Wrexham County Borough Council writes:

The decision to list the former Groves school building is to be legally challenged, following a decision by Wrexham Council’s Executive Board this morning.  In making their decision members balanced the risks and cost of a challenge against the ongoing expense of maintaining and using the building taking account of both its listed status and the restrictive covenants affecting its use.

The building was listed in August by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, Ken Skates AM. A listing which the Council strongly resisted. The Council had decided to demolish the building and build one or two primary schools on the site to be funded from the 21st Century Schools Programme post – 2019.

The report outlined the events leading up to the Secretary’s decision and the options available to the Council. Due to the confidential legal advice presented in the report, press and public were excluded from the meeting.  There were a number of relevant issues which needed to be addressed by the Board in reaching its decision such as the likelihood of success of a legal challenge and the cost. The ongoing cost to the Council of maintaining the building – whether in its existing state or as part of a refurbishment/redevelopment opportunity – and the impact on the Council’s future plans for investment in education on this site and the overall education budget.

The confidential legal advice led members to believe the Secretary’s decision was contrary to all the expert evidence, which concluded that the building does not meet the criteria for listing and in the absence of documentary or expert evidence in support of listing the decision was clearly challengeable.

The minimum ongoing cost of maintaining the building is estimated to be £14,500 per annum plus one off repairs following vandalism. £113,609 has already been spent removing asbestos and if 24/7 security is required this will be in excess of £100,000 per annum to come from the Council’s education budget. Recently repairs to the roof cost £4,756 following a break in. To make the building watertight and repair key features would cost a further £262,000. The site continues to encounter issues with anti-social behaviour and homeless people sleeping rough, which means the police and the Council’s security team are called out to it on a regular basis. The Council’s own mobile control carries out at least five visits a day to the site and significant quantities of rubbish and drug paraphernalia have to be removed from the site.

It is forecasted that increase in the overall population by 2028 will result in pressure on existing school places. Members previously agreed that the Groves site be used for one possibly two new primary schools and to demolish the existing building. Funding for the building is likely to come from the 21st Century Schools Programme post 2019. This would mean the building would be unused for a further four years with the council continuing to incur costs for repairs, maintenance and security.

The report to members also considered using the building as a 21st century primary school, which would need to be designed to enable learners in the Foundation Phase to access the outdoors. This would require doors to be provided where there are currently windows, proper external shading to be installed and appropriate fencing to separate the learning areas and contain and protect pupils. This may not be compatible with the current building.  Modern buildings are also designed to ensure good air and light quality in classrooms and adequate solar shading. Again, the building itself may not be suitable for a conversion that would meet these standards. There is no guarantee that partners involved in developing a replacement school would be happy with the proposals to provide a compromise to the design of a modern primary school.

Cllr Mark Pritchard, Leader of Wrexham Council, said: ‘Executive Board has agreed to challenge the decision based on all the advice contained in the report. It is strongly felt that the Cabinet Secretary’s decision is flawed and does not take into account Welsh Government advice and that of experts involved in the process. We do not believe it has been listed in the national interest or in accordance with the guidance used to make such decisions. I would like to thank everyone concerned with bringing this report to Executive Board today.’

The meeting was held in Part II with press and public excluded from attending because the report presented contained information which falls within the description of exempt information contained in Paragraph 16 of part 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 in that it contains information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

View the press release

See background

IHBC NewsBlogs on Wrexham

Information on the history of Grove Park School

A new historic environment fund has been launched for Northern Ireland (NI), covering Heritage Repair; Heritage Regeneration; Heritage Revival and Heritage Research, with a closing date for first applications of 10 October.

Communities Minister Paul Givan, MLA today launched the Historic Environment Fund in the historic surroundings of Campbell College.  This fund seeks to support and encourage a wide range of actions and initiatives to conserve and realise the potential of our historic environment. Following a public consultation the framework for the Fund has been organised under four themes: Heritage Repair; Heritage Regeneration; Heritage Revival and Heritage Research.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister said: ‘I am delighted to be at Campbell College in this fine listed building to launch what is an important initiative for my Department and to encourage organisations to apply for funding before the closing date of 10 October 2016.  The Historic Environment Fund (HEF) draws together a number of funding streams which are available to support our heritage. This ranges from listed building repairs; to support for communities to investigate their archaeology; enables councils to encourage maintenance activities; schools to help them visit Monuments in State Care; and, communities to regenerate historic monuments in their local area.’

The Minister continued: ‘My intention is that this support will help stimulate action right across the historic environment. Our heritage is a finite resource, as well as a source of great pride with huge potential to contribute to our economy through tourism and the construction industry. It is vital that we work together across all possible routes to ensure that this legacy is protected, valued and highlighted to achieve its maximum potential.’

View the press release

View more information about the fund

Several media reports have highlighted the recent developments within government of the North East of England, with BBC news reporting that ‘Devolution for the north-east of England is off the table’. 

BBC News: Sajid Javid ends North East devolution deal

Chronicle Live – ‘Thanks, but no thanks’: How devolution for the North East was ended in 155 words

Planning Portal news

SAVE Britain’s Heritage writes that Associated British Ports (ABP), the owners of a fine set of Victorian and Edwardian buildings on Grimsby Docks, has begun major demolition today, despite pleas from five national heritage organisations to save and re-use them.

SAVE writes:

The six 19th and early 20th century buildings, collectively called the Cosalt Buildings, make up the principal street in an small area of historic streets known as the Kasbah, stated by Historic England, the government’s national heritage advisers, to be unique in the world.

There are nine listed buildings close to the site in the Kasbah – including the magnificent 1900 Grimsby Ice Factory, the earliest remaining building of its type in Britain.  The area – all owned by ABP – has suffered from neglect for many years, and the Ice Factory, which is grade II * listed, is boarded up and has gaping holes in the roof.

Henrietta Billings, Director, SAVE Britain’s Heritage said: ‘This demolition shows a callous disregard for Grimsby’s world famous fishing heritage. There are examples across the country like Liverpool Docks and Gloucester Docks that show that heritage can be a prime driver for new development and regeneration – and for the local economy. The flattening of the Cosalt Buildings is a major opportunity lost.’

Marcus Binney, Executive President, SAVE Britain’s Heritage said: ‘This is a shocking example of a wasteful and needless demolition to frustrate the pleas of bodies such as SAVE, Historic England and the World Monuments Fund that the Colsalt Buildings are an important feature of Grimsby’s historic docks. It is all the more disgraceful as Associated British Ports has allowed no opportunity for a proper public record of the interiors to be made.’

Our campaign to save the buildings is supported by World Monuments Fund, The Prince’s Regeneration Trust, The Victorian Society, The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, Ancient Monuments Society, The Great Grimsby Ice Factory Trust and the Grimsby Traditional Fish Smokers Group. A petition to save the buildings gathered over 750 signatures and the campaign has been published in the national and local press.

SAVE maintains that the demolition of these lively, varied and well-detailed buildings will harm the setting and the context of the listed buildings on the other side of Fish Dock Road. This radical change is one which national policy states should be taken into account when considering planning applications.

The few remaining groups of historic buildings known as the Kasbah and the grade II* listed Ice Factory constitute a unique and irreplaceable testimony to Grimsby’s position over two centuries as the greatest fishing port in the world. Remarkably a small number of historic buildings in the Kasbah remain in constant use, notably as traditional family owned smokeries which supply leading hotels and restaurants.

Read more….

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) State of Public Parks 2016 report argues that action is needed to avert a crisis after two decades of investment in UK public parks.

The organisation’s second annual UK Public Parks report finds 50% of park managers reporting parks and green spaces have been sold off or transferred to other groups in recent years, with this figure set to increase to 59% over the next three years.

According to the report, 50% of local authorities have also transferred outdoor sports facilities to community groups over the last three years, and 22.5% of their funding now comes from external sources.

Nearly all the park managers surveyed (92%) also reported revenue budget cuts.

The chairman of the Local Government Association’s culture, tourism and sport board, Cllr Ian Stephens, said: ‘As this report recognises, councils are taking innovative approaches to using park spaces, such as providing pop-up spaces for local businesses and giving communities a say in how their parks are run.

‘However, over the previous parliament central government funding for councils was reduced by 40% in real terms. Despite this difficult backdrop, councils are doing everything they can to provide the best possible park services,’ added Cllr Stephens.

HLF writes:

This second State of the UK Public Parks report shows that there is a growing deficit between the rising use of parks and the declining resources that are available to manage them. Based on four surveys of park managers, independent park trusts, park friends and user groups, and the general public, the findings show that while parks are highly valued by the public and usage is increasing, park maintenance budgets and staffing levels are being cut.

Without urgent action the continuing downward trend in the condition of many of our most treasured parks and green spaces is set to continue.  Whilst new ways of working and generating income are showing potential, more support, shared learning and collaboration is needed to support those that manage public parks.  Therefore, this research calls for collaborative action to deliver new ways of funding and managing public parks to avert a crisis.

Read more….

Read the article at UK Local Gov

The UK Government has released an international call for entries from appropriately qualified and experienced architects and designers for a UK memorial to the Holocaust, with a closing date of 17 October 2016.

Government writes:

The UK government is today (14 September 2016) inviting designers, architects and artists from all over the world to enter an international design competition for a striking new national memorial commemorating the Holocaust.

This new national landmark, to be situated in the heart of our democracy, next to Parliament in Victoria Tower Gardens, London, will demonstrate the UK’s commitment to honouring the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, providing a place for quiet reflection as well as large-scale national commemorations.

Following the recommendation of the cross-party UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation, competition entrants are also being invited to incorporate designs for a possible accompanying below-ground learning centre. This world-class centre would give visitors an immediate opportunity to learn more, contextualising the memorial, grounding it in historical fact as events fade from living memory, and inspiring future generations to respect and embrace difference in the fight against hatred and prejudice.

The learning centre would also contain recordings of testimony from British Holocaust survivors and camp liberators, including unheard stories recently recorded as part of the government’s drive to ensure survivors who have never spoken out before have their memories captured for posterity. The centre would signpost visitors to the many further Holocaust educational resources that are available across the United Kingdom.

View the press release and further details of the opportunity.

More than 3,500 churches have switched their electricity from fossil fuels to renewable energy, or have registered to do so, according to research published by Christian charities,  and nearly 700 churches from across denominations have so far individually signed up through the bigchurchswitch.org.uk website promoted by Christian Aid and Tearfund.

Around 2,000 of the switches come from 16 Catholic dioceses which are running entirely on renewable energy, the figures from Christian Aid, Tearfund and Cafod say.

The Big Church Switch writes:

The Big Church Switch calls on churches and individual Christians of all denominations to switch their energy supply from fossil fuels to renewable energy. By using clean, renewable energy the Church can demonstrate its commitment to care for our neighbours and for the earth – our common home.

CivilSociety writes:

The majority of the Salvation Army’s UK sites and a third of Britain’s Quaker Meeting Houses have also made the switch.

In addition, nearly 700 churches from across denominations have so far individually signed up through the bigchurchswitch.org.uk website promoted by Christian Aid and Tearfund.  The charities have announced that in light of the success of the initiative, it will now be extended into the new year.

Another 340 congregations have also signed up to a broader scheme called ‘Eco-Church’, committing to a range of environmental improvements. And 21 Catholic parishes have received a ‘Live Simply’ award, in recognition of commitments to sustainability and solidarity with people in poverty. 

Read more…. 

Named by young people, Kick the Dust is a £10million grants programme from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for ambitious youth-focused projects that transform how heritage organisations engage with young people, and where applicants can apply for a grant from £500,000 to £1m as part of a consortium, which should include heritage and youth organisations.

Application guidance will be published on 23 September 2016, and HLF will hold information workshops across the UK in late September and October.

Kick the Dust is informed by research commissioned in 2015 looking at the new landscape for youth work and the needs of the heritage sector to develop more opportunities for young people. In the consultation for the grants programme heritage organisations said that they needed more time and resource to test, develop and embed high quality, ongoing practice. They wanted longer, larger grants, of up to 5 years, to change how they engage young people. Many felt they needed to build their expertise and confidence in working with young people. They recognised the benefits of working with youth organisations, and wanted to establish stronger relationships with the youth sector to draw in expertise.

The research also found significant need for greater support with evaluation, and a new, more rigorous approach to how evidence is collected and used to inform HLF practice and wider knowledge.

Find out about the workshops and read more….

MPs have urged ministers to stipulate that health should be a material consideration in both planning and licensing law, as the Commons Health Committee has recommended in its report on public health, warning of widening health inequalities now councils have taken over more responsibility in this area at a time of cuts to budgets and front-line services.

The all-party committee considered evidence it would be ‘beneficial’ if health and well-being was treated as material consideration in planning applications.

Issues from the report include:

• it was still harder than it should be to influence planning applications for the benefit of health (para 139)
• the current planning process continues to be a major impediment (para 140)

The report concludes: ‘We urge the Government to be bold, and make good on its commitment to health in all policies, by enshrining health as a material consideration in planning and licensing law’ (para 140).

Ros Jervis director of public health at Wolverhampton City Council told MPs: It could make a real impact rather than us trying to fudge it with some of the other four licencing objectives that we have. They do not have to be onerous, there are some quick mini-health impact assessments, but they need to be systematic, so not ad hoc just when you can persuade them to be undertaken’.

View the report and read more at Planning Portal