Category: United Kingdom

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Reeves: I am going further and faster to kick start the economy
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Chancellor unveils new plans to deliver the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor that will boost the UK economy by up to £78 billion by 2035.
Rachel Reeves will today vow to go ‘further and faster’ to deliver the government’s Plan for Change to kick start economic growth and put more pounds in people’s pockets.

Chancellor to unveil plans to unleash the potential of the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor that will add up to £78 billion to the UK economy according to industry experts, catalysing growth of UK science and technology.

Comes after Chancellor last week announced National Wealth Fund and Office for Investment will take new approaches to spur regional growth across the UK.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will today vow to go “further and faster” to kick start the economy, as she unveils new plans to deliver the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor that will boost the UK economy by up to £78 billion by 2035 according to industry experts.

In a speech in Oxfordshire, the Chancellor will tell regional and business leaders that economic growth is the number one mission of this government and its Plan for Change. She will declare that Britain’s economy has “huge potential” and is at the “forefront of some of the most exciting developments in the world like artificial intelligence and life sciences.”

She will back the redevelopment of Old Trafford and will review the Green Book – the government’s guidance on appraisal – in order to support decisions on public investment across the country, including outside London and the Southeast.

The speech comes after the Chancellor last week announced a new approach for the National Wealth Fund (NWF) and the Office for Investment (OfI) to work with local leaders to build pipelines of incoming investment and projects linked to regional growth priorities. This includes the NWF trialling Strategic Partnerships in Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, and Glasgow City Region and the OfI piloting an approach in the Liverpool City Region and the North East Combined Authority to connect their regions to central government and industry expertise in order to unlock private investment.

Reeves will say “low growth is not our destiny, but that economic growth will not come without a fight. Without a government that is on the side of working people. Willing to take the right decisions now to change our country’s course for the better.”

The Chancellor is expected to say:

Britain is a country of huge potential. A country of strong communities, with local businesses at their heart.

We are the forefront of some of the most exciting developments in the world like artificial intelligence and life sciences. We have great companies based here delivering jobs and investment in Britain.

And we have fundamental strengths – in our history, our language, and our legal system – to compete in a global economy.

But for too long, that potential has been held back. For too long, we have accepted low expectations, accepted stagnation and accepted the risk of decline. We can do so much better.

Low growth is not our destiny. But growth will not come without a fight. Without a government that is on the side of working people. Willing to take the right decisions now to change our country’s course for the better.

That’s what our Plan for Change is about. That is what drives me as Chancellor. And it is what I’m determined to deliver.

In her speech the Chancellor will announce:

The Environment Agency has lifted its objections to a new development around Cambridge that could unlock 4,500 new homes and associated community spaces such as schools and leisure facilities as well as office and laboratory space in Cambridge City Centre. This was only possible as a result of the government working closely with councils and regulators to find creative solutions to unlock growth and address environmental pressures.

That the government has agreed for water companies to unlock £7.9bn investment for the next 5 years to improve our water infrastructure and provide a foundation for growth. This includes nine new reservoirs, such as the new Fens Reservoir serving Cambridge and the Abingdon Reservoir near Oxford.

Confirming funding towards better transport links in the region including funding for East-West Rail, with new services between Oxford and Milton Keynes this year and upgrading the A428 to reduce journey times between Milton Keynes and Cambridge.

Prioritisation of a new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital as part of the New Hospitals Programme bringing together Cambridge University, Addenbrookes Hospital and Cancer Research UK.

Support for the development of new and expanded communities in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor and a new East Coast Mainline station in Tempsford, to expand the region’s economy.

That she welcomes Cambridge University’s proposal for a new large scale innovation hub in the city centre. As the world’s leading science and tech cluster by intensity, Cambridge will play a crucial part in the government’s modern Industrial Strategy.

A new Growth Commission for Oxford, inspired by the Cambridge model, to review how best we can unlock and accelerate nationally significant growth for the city and surrounding area.

Appointment of Sir Patrick Vallance as Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor Champion to provide senior leadership to ensure the Government’s ambitions are delivered.

The Chancellor is expected to say:

Oxford and Cambridge offer huge economic potential for our nation’s growth prospects.

Just 66 miles apart these cities are home to two of the best universities in the world two of the most intensive innovation clusters in the world and the area is a hub for globally renowned science and technology firms in life sciences, manufacturing, and AI.

It has the potential to be Europe’s Silicon Valley. The home of British innovation.

To grow, these world-class companies need world-class talent who should be able to get to work quickly and find somewhere to live in the local area. But to get from Oxford to Cambridge by train takes two and a half hours.

There is no way to commute directly from towns like Bedford and Milton Keynes to Cambridge by rail. And there is a lack of affordable housing across the region.

Oxford and Cambridge are two of the least affordable cities in the UK. In other words, the demand is there but there are far too many supply side constraints on economic growth in the region.

Designed to take advantage of the region’s unique strengths and potential, the announcements are further evidence of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy in action as it seeks to create the right conditions to increase investment in our leading growth sectors like life sciences, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.

She will add:

Taken together, these announcements show that for the first time a government is providing real leadership to deliver this project with a clear strategy for the entire region backed by funding for the housing and infrastructure we so badly need.

The speech comes after the Chancellor last week announced a package of investment reforms to spur regional growth across the UK. Rachel Reeves set out a new approach for the National Wealth Fund (NWF) and the Office for Investment (OfI) to work with local leaders to build pipelines of incoming investment and projects linked to regional growth priorities. Putting local knowledge and leadership at the forefront, there will be tailored strategies for each region to ensure investment matches local needs and drives sustainable growth. Putting the government’s Plan for Change into action, the Chancellor set out that the goal is to harness growth everywhere to rebuild Britain and usher in a decade of national renewal. Measures included the NWF trialling Strategic Partnerships in Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, and Glasgow City Region and the OfI piloting an approach in the Liverpool City Region and the North East Combined Authority to connect their regions to central government and industry expertise in order to unlock private investment.

Science Minister, Lord Patrick Vallance said:

The UK has all the ingredients to replicate the success of Silicon Valley or the Boston Cluster but for too long has been constrained by short termism and a lack of direction.

This government’s Plan for Change will see an end to that defeatism. I look forward to working with local leaders to fulfil the Oxford-Cambridge corridor’s potential by building on its existing strengths in academia, life sciences, semiconductors, AI and green technology amongst others.

Together we will build the infrastructure and partnerships needed to join up this region’s academia, investors and business so that we can boost growth, deliver innovations and create new jobs that improve all our lives.

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander said:

Well connected communities are a cornerstone for growth. East West Rail will not only provide better links and lasting benefits to Oxford and Cambridge, but to all the surrounding areas.

I’m also delighted to announce a brand new station at Tempsford, which will be game changing for the region – allowing a new community and businesses to grow, unlocking faster and smoother access to opportunities, and delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.

More details

Yesterday, Moderna completed the build for their new vaccine production and R&D site in Harwell, Oxfordshire. They have committed to invest over £1 billion in R&D in the UK, strengthening our position as a global leader in biopharmaceutical innovation.

£78 billion added to the UK economy. Source: Public First research for the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board (2025).

Dr Andy Williams, Chair of the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board said:

The announcements today are extremely positive for the region and for the country. As Chair of the OxCam Supercluster Board, which comprises 45 members across business, academia, and investors, we know that the region has the potential to deliver truly remarkable growth in the coming decade and beyond, as evidenced by the research published this week. Achieving £78 billion in cumulative economic value by 2035 requires us to work dynamically and pro-actively across government, the private sector, educational institutions, and the investment community, to fully harness OxCam’s strengths and address its weaknesses. With the experience and knowledge of Sir Patrick Vallance leading this effort, we are excited by the opportunity to co-design a policy prospectus that will allow the OxCam Growth Corridor to realise its potential as a global centre for science and innovation.

Dipesh J. Shah OBE, Chair of the Oxford to Cambridge Partnership said:

I welcome the Chancellor’s drive to accelerate growth in the Oxford to Cambridge corridor and her support for strategic investments in enabling infrastructure. The region houses internationally acclaimed clusters of innovation in each of the growth sectors for the nation. Already one of the world’s great science powerhouses, the region’s full potential will rely on connecting its incredible ecosystems of businesses, places and communities. Investments announced today will spur more and will help local leaders to deliver on their ambitious plans for their communities.

Professor Alistair Fitt, Chair of Arc Universities Group and Vice-Chancellor Oxford Brookes University said:

This region hosts a great diversity and scale of universities. Together we offer a wide range of key contributions: globally renowned research brilliance, the powerhouse of skills provision provided by cutting edge teaching, world class knowledge transfer and commercialisation. Our universities, working in close partnership, in alliance with others – particular the private sector – are organised into the Arc Universities Group. We stand ready for the challenge. We welcome the oversight and experience that the leadership of Sir Patrick Vallance brings to the region, and we look forward to helping deliver the Chancellor’s aspirations for growth.

Darius Hughes, UK General Manager for Moderna said:

We are proud to call Oxfordshire our home with the recent completion of construction of the Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre in Harwell. Today’s announcement demonstrates the government’s commitment to growth and innovation, and we look forward to delivering British-made vaccines to the UK public, advancing cutting-edge research, and strengthening partnerships in this globally significant region.

Steve Bates, CEO of the UK Bioindustry Association said:

The UK is a global leader in biotech innovation and attracts the most venture capital in Europe. New figures we’ve published this week show that biotech is a vibrant growth sector of the UK economy with an exceptional ability to attract global investment. Delivering the infrastructure needed to support the growth at pace – especially in the Oxford Cambridge growth corridor- is key to the success of our sector.

The government is continuing to work with local partners to deliver sustainable growth in Cambridge, with the additional homes and infrastructure the city needs. Peter Freeman and the Cambridge Growth Company are building the evidence base for an infrastructure-first growth strategy to realise the full potential of Cambridge and improve lives for residents.

The Chancellor today announced that delivery of a new East Coast Mainline station in Tempsford will be accelerated by 3-5 years. The station will link services directly to London, with services in under an hour. It will eventually also be an interchange with the East West Rail station.

The A428 (Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet) scheme will improve journeys between Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge. The scheme will see a new 10-mile dual carriageway delivered, as well as three grade separated junctions, three tier at Black Cat roundabout (A1/A421) and two tier at Cambridge Road (B1428) and Caxton Gibbet (A428/A1198) junctions, respectively. Main construction began in December 2023 and the road is expected to open in 2027.

The Environment Agency have lifted their opposition to new development around Cambridge (Waterbeach and the Beehive centre). This unlocks the delivery of 4,500 new homes and associated community spaces such as schools and leisure facilities as well as office and laboratory space in Cambridge City Centre. This demonstrates how the government, councils, and regulators are working together to find solutions that unlock growth and address environmental pressures.

The government has agreed water companies’ water resources management plans, including Cambridge Water’s, unlocking a now-confirmed £7.9bn investment in water resources in the next 5 years to provide a foundation for growth and improving our water infrastructure. These plans include nine new reservoirs, including the new Fens Reservoir serving Cambridge to South East Strategic Reservoir Option (Abingdon Reservoir) near Oxford.

The Chancellor will announce a new Growth Commission for Oxford, similar to the Cambridge Growth Company to bring together key stakeholders across the city and review how best to tackle the barriers that are constraining development of new housing and infrastructure to accelerate growth in the city.

AI Growth Zones, as recommended in the AI Action Plan launched by the PM earlier this month, are designated areas designed to fast-track the development of AI-focused data centres and supporting infrastructure. By concentrating government support on planning and energy, AIGZs aim to attract significant private investment, accelerate the build-out of critical AI infrastructure, and drive local economic regeneration. The first AI Growth Zone will be in Culham, Oxfordshire and the Chancellor today announced a ‘call for expressions of interest’ from regional and local authorities and industry, to inform the next stage of the AI Growth Zones programme. This will help us understand early opportunities and inform the next stage of the programme in what the government regards as a key growth sector in its modern Industrial Strategy.

On Monday 20th January the Health Secretary announced the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital is being prioritised for investment as part of wave 1 of the New Hospital Programme. This scheme will improve cancer survival rates by centralising Cambridge University Hospital cancer services under one roof and will further improve the proposition for the life sciences sector in the region, with AstraZeneca and CRUK researchers co-located at the facility, integrating the clinical and research models of cancer services. In doing so it will help create three new research institutes to be integrated with NHS clinical care helping to provide 10 new clinical trials per year and foster increased collaboration between top scientists and clinicians.

The Chancellor will welcome Cambridge University’s plans for a new largescale innovation hub in the heart of the city. The Global Innovation Index (GII) 2024 has ranked Cambridge as the world’s leading science and technological cluster by intensity for the third consecutive year.

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Published 28 January 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to report by World Weather Attribution looking at climate change attribution of the LA wildfires

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

January 28, 2025

A report by by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) looks at climate change and the likelihood of wildfire disaster in LA.

Prof Gabi Hegerl FRS, Professor of Climate System Science, University of Edinburgh, said:

“Given the short timeline that WWA aims for this is a very thorough analysis of the role of climate change and also El Nino conditions contributing to the fires in Los Angeles. The authors determine several factors that have contributed to this disaster, from severely dry conditions to high fire weather indices, late arrival of winter rains etc. Several of these factors point to high fire risk, both due to El Nino conditions and global warming. Overall the paper finds that climate change has made the Los Angeles fires more likely despite some statistical uncertainty. This is a carefully researched result that should be taken seriously. El Ninos come and go, but as long as the climate warms we will continue to see increasing risk of this hazard. Adapting to it will help, and the authors make some suggestions, but this example is one of many of how climate change increases the risk of deadly and costly disasters.”

Dr Karsten Haustein, Climate Scientist, Leipzig University, said:

“I remember a stark and dire warning of an US-based weather forecaster just before the fires. Sadly, he was absolutely spot on. The extremely hazardous mix of dry and windy conditions led to unprecedented destruction, displacing tens of thousands of people and costing billions of dollars. Naturally, folks want to know what role climate change played in this catastrophic disaster.

“Following two very rapid attribution studies by teams from UCLA (California) and IPSL-CNRS (France), now WWA has released their comprehensive rapid attribution study. The former two have already highlighted that climate change did play a role and made the fires more likely. Especially the so-called ‘hydroclimate whiplash’, where wetter than average years are followed by drier than average years, contributed to the devastating outcome. While these year-to-year variations are normal given the strong ENSO teleconnection in the region (El Niño leads to wetter conditions and vice versa for La Niña), now wet gets wetter and dry gets drier for longer.

“Hence one of the key messages of the WWA study is that the dry season in the region lasts longer than it used to be (23 days), increasing the risk for very dry conditions to overlap with strong (St Ana) winds, which occur mainly in winter. While WWA does not find increasing wind speeds during St Ana events, they do find that the risk for such a dry season has already increased by 35%, with a 6% increase in fire intensity.

“WWA highlights that a more in-depth analysis is required to make conclusive statements about changes in atmospheric circulation that favour such cut-off lows. But the thermodynamic climate change fingerprint (drier and warmer) is clearly present. So is the problem of exposure in the region. Houses are not build to withstand fire. Instead, they are fuelling the fires. A tinderbox when combined with built up vegetation from the preceding two wet seasons. All these aspects are meticulously discussed in WWA’s new attribution study.

“Their press release accurately summarises the scientific findings. The team involved was larger than ever, including the UCLA colleagues mentioned above. All methods used to conduct the analysis are peer-reviewed. The results do confirm prior research such as, for example, the hypothesised ‘hydroclimate whiplash’. The team also mentions the deficits of global climate models to simulate such wind events, which is why no attribution statement regarding the frequency of occurrence or magnitude of the St Ana winds is made.”

‘Climate change increased the likelihood of wildfire disaster in highly exposed Los Angeles area’ by Clair Barnes et al. was published by World Weather Attribution at 22:00 UK time on Tuesday 28 January 2025.

Declared interests

Prof Gabi Hegerl: “No competing interests, occasional collaboration with some of the study’s authors.”

Dr Karsten Haustein: “No conflict of interests.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Member of Violent Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering and Firearm and Drug Trafficking Offenses

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

BOSTON – A Boston-area man pleaded guilty today to his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.

Jonathan Darosa, a/k/a “Jeezy,” 31, of Boston, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy); one count of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition; one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and oxycodone; and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for May 1, 2025.

Over the course of a two-year investigation, Darosa was identified as a member of Cameron Street. On two separate occasions, Darosa distributed cocaine and oxycodone to a cooperating witness. Additionally, in an interaction with law enforcement, Darosa threatened officers, telling them “If I had a gun on me, I would have shot at you,” “I am not going back to jail,” and “I keep it on my hip.” In April 2021 in Dorchester, local law enforcement observed Darosa wearing a “waist bag” across his chest – law enforcement had recovered firearms from similar bags in the past. During a search of Darosa’s person, a Taurus 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol containing 12 rounds of assorted 9 millimeter ammunition, including one round in the chamber, was recovered.

According to court documents, Cameron Street is a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that used violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear and enhance its reputation.

Darosa has been convicted on three prior occasions of unlawful possession of a firearm, including a 2016 conviction in Suffolk Superior Court for which he served a three-year prison sentence.

The charge of RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by force or violence each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of distribution of cocaine and oxycodone provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release up to life and a fine of $1 million. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release up to life and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.

This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MIL Security OSI –

January 29, 2025

MIL-OSI: Western New England Bancorp, Inc. Reports Results for Three Months and Year Ended December 31, 2024 and Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

WESTFIELD, Mass., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Western New England Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company” or “WNEB”) (NasdaqGS: WNEB), the holding company for Westfield Bank (the “Bank”), announced today the unaudited results of operations for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024. For the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company reported net income of $3.3 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, compared to net income of $2.5 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, for the three months ended December 31, 2023. On a linked quarter basis, net income was $3.3 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, for the three months ended December 31, 2024, as compared to net income of $1.9 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, for the three months ended September 30, 2024. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, net income was $11.7 million, or $0.56 per diluted share, compared to net income of $15.1 million, or $0.70 per diluted share, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023.

The Company also announced that the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.07 per share on the Company’s common stock. The dividend will be payable on or about February 26, 2025 to shareholders of record on February 12, 2025.

James C. Hagan, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “I am pleased to report the results for the fourth quarter of 2024. Our strong, diversified, core deposit base was integral in effectively managing our funding costs over the last two years during a rising rate environment. Our disciplined approach to managing our funding costs resulted in an increase in net interest income for the second consecutive quarter in 2024.

As we continue to manage the balance sheet, we remain focused on identifying initiatives to mitigate top line pressures and improve efficiencies over the Company’s long-term. In 2024, total deposits increased $118.9 million, or 5.6%, and core deposits represented 68.9% of total deposits as compared to 2023. The loan-to-deposit ratio decreased to 91.5%. We continue to focus on extending credit within our markets and servicing the needs of our existing customer base while ensuring new opportunities present the appropriate levels of risk and return.

Our asset quality remains strong, with nonaccrual loans at 0.26% of total loans, and classified loans, which we define as special mention and substandard loans, at 1.9% of total loans as of December 31, 2024. Our loan portfolio continues to perform well and we continue to proactively identify and manage credit risk within the loan portfolio, consistent with our prudent credit culture.

The Company is considered to be well-capitalized and we remain disciplined in our capital management strategies. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, we repurchased 934,282 shares of the Company’s common stock at an average price per share of $7.94. We continue to believe that buying back shares represents a prudent use of the Company’s capital. We are pleased to be able to continue to return value to shareholders through share repurchases. Although the banking environment has been challenged, our capital management strategies have been critical to sustaining growth in book value per share, which increased to $11.30, while tangible book value per share, a non-GAAP financial measure, increased $0.33, or 3.2%, to $10.63 at December 31, 2024.”

Hagan concluded, “Over the last few years, the banking industry as a whole experienced challenging headwinds, however, our team remains focused on serving our customers and supporting our community. Our commitment to strong capital and liquidity levels gives us a strong foundation to take advantage of opportunities in the markets we serve and to enhance shareholder value in the long term.”

Key Highlights:

Loans and Deposits

Total loans increased $42.9 million, or 2.1%, from $2.0 billion at December 31, 2023 to $2.1 billion at December 31, 2024. Residential real estate loans, including home equity loans, increased $53.5 million, or 7.4%, commercial real estate loans decreased $4.0 million, or 0.4%, commercial and industrial loans decreased $5.7 million, or 2.7%, and consumer loans decreased $1.1 million, or 19.8%.

Total deposits increased $118.9 million, or 5.6%, from $2.1 billion at December 31, 2023 to $2.3 billion at December 31, 2024. Core deposits, which the Company defines as all deposits except time deposits, increased $26.7 million, or 1.7%, from $1.5 billion, or 71.5% of total deposits, at December 31, 2023, to $1.6 billion, or 68.9% of total deposits, at December 31, 2024. Time deposits increased $92.2 million, or 15.1%, from $611.4 million at December 31, 2023 to $703.6 million at December 31, 2024. Brokered time deposits, which are included in time deposits, totaled $1.7 million at December 31, 2024 and at December 31, 2023. The loan-to-deposit ratio decreased from 94.6% at December 31, 2023 to 91.5% at December 31, 2024.

Liquidity

The Company’s liquidity position remains strong with solid core deposit relationships, cash, unencumbered securities, a diversified deposit base and access to diversified borrowing sources. At December 31, 2024, the Company had $1.1 billion in immediately available liquidity, compared to $643.6 million in uninsured deposits, or 28.4% of total deposits, representing a coverage ratio of 171.8%.

Uninsured deposits of the Bank’s customers are eligible for FDIC pass-through insurance if the customer opens an IntraFi Insured Cash Sweep account or a reciprocal time deposit through the Certificate of Deposit Account Registry System. IntraFi allows for up to $250.0 million per customer of pass-through FDIC insurance, which would more than cover each of the Bank’s deposit customers if such customer desired to have such pass-through insurance.

Allowance for Credit Losses and Credit Quality

At December 31, 2024, the allowance for credit losses was $19.5 million, or 0.94% of total loans and 362.9% of nonperforming loans, compared to $20.3 million, or 1.00% of total loans and 315.6% of nonperforming loans, at December 31, 2023. At December 31, 2024, nonperforming loans totaled $5.4 million, or 0.26% of total loans, compared to $6.4 million, or 0.32% of total loans, at December 31, 2023. Total delinquent loans decreased $1.0 million, or 16.7%, from $6.0 million, or 0.30% of total loans, at December 31, 2023 to $5.0 million, or 0.24% of total loans, at December 31, 2024. At December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company did not have any other real estate owned.

Net Interest Margin

Stock Repurchase Program

On May 22, 2024, the Board of Directors authorized a new stock repurchase plan (the “2024 Plan”) under which the Company may repurchase up to 1.0 million shares, or approximately 4.6%, of the Company’s then-outstanding shares of common stock.

During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company repurchased 220,000 shares of common stock under the 2024 Plan, with an average price per share of $9.00. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, the Company repurchased 934,282 shares of common stock under the 2024 Plan and the previously existing share repurchase plan, as applicable, with an average price per share of $7.94. As of December 31, 2024, there were 472,318 shares of common stock available for repurchase under the 2024 Plan.

The repurchase of shares under the stock repurchase program is administered through an independent broker. The shares of common stock repurchased under the 2024 Plan have been and will continue to be purchased from time to time at prevailing market prices, through open market or privately negotiated transactions, or otherwise, depending upon market conditions. There is no guarantee as to the exact number, or value, of shares that will be repurchased by the Company, and the Company may discontinue repurchases at any time that the Company’s management (“Management”) determines additional repurchases are not warranted. The timing and amount of additional share repurchases under the 2024 Plan will depend on a number of factors, including the Company’s stock price performance, ongoing capital planning considerations, general market conditions, and applicable legal requirements.

Book Value and Tangible Book Value

The Company’s book value per share was $11.30 at December 31, 2024, compared to $10.96 at December 31, 2023, while tangible book value per share, a non-GAAP financial measure, increased $0.33, or 3.2%, from $10.30 at December 31, 2023 to $10.63 at December 31, 2024. See pages 20-22 for the related tangible book value calculation and a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures.

Net Income for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2024 Compared to the Three Months Ended September 30, 2024

The Company reported an increase in net income of $1.4 million, or 72.7%, from $1.9 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, for the three months ended September 30, 2024, to $3.3 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, for the three months ended December 31, 2024. Net interest income increased $545,000, or 3.7%, the provision for credit losses decreased $1.7 million, non-interest income increased $113,000, or 3.6%, and non-interest expense increased $520,000, or 3.6%. Return on average assets and return on average equity were 0.49% and 5.48%, respectively, for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 0.29% and 3.19%, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2024.

Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

On a sequential quarter basis, net interest income, our primary driver of revenues, increased $545,000, or 3.7%, to $15.3 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, from $14.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024. The increase in net interest income was primarily due to an increase in interest income of $746,000, or 2.7%, partially offset by an increase in interest expense of $201,000, or 1.5%.

The net interest margin was 2.41% for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 2.40% for the three months ended September 30, 2024. The net interest margin, on a tax-equivalent basis, was 2.43% for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 2.42% for the three months ended September 30, 2024. During the three months ended December 31, 2024 and during the three months ended September 30, 2024, the Company had a fair value hedge which contributed to an increase in the net interest margin of one basis point for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to an increase of seven basis points during the three months ended September 30, 2024. Excluding the interest income attributed to the fair value hedge, the net interest margin increased seven basis points from 2.33% for the three months ended September 30, 2024 to 2.40% for the three months ended December 31, 2024, respectively. The fair value hedge matured in October of 2024.

The average yield on interest-earning assets, without the impact of tax-equivalent adjustments, was 4.52% for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 4.54% for the three months ended September 30, 2024. Excluding the impact of the fair value hedge discussed above, the average yield on interest-earnings assets, without the impact of tax-equivalent adjustments, increased four basis points to 4.51% during the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 4.47% during the three months ended September 30, 2024. The average loan yield, without the impact of tax-equivalent adjustments, was 4.86% for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 4.90% for the three months ended September 30, 2024. Excluding the impact of the fair value hedge discussed above, the average yield on loans, without the impact of tax-equivalent adjustments, increased two basis points to 4.84% during the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 4.82% during the three months ended September 30, 2024. During the three months ended December 31, 2024, average interest-earning assets increased $75.8 million, or 3.1% to $2.5 billion, primarily due to an increase in average loans of $24.2 million, or 1.2%, an increase in average short-term investments, consisting of cash and cash equivalents, of $44.8 million, or 139.7%, and an increase in average securities of $6.8 million, or 1.9%.

The average cost of total funds, including non-interest bearing accounts and borrowings, decreased four basis points from 2.24% for the three months ended September 30, 2024 to 2.20% for the three months ended December 31, 2024. The average cost of core deposits, which the Company defines as all deposits except time deposits, increased five basis points to 0.98% for the three months ended December 31, 2024, from 0.93% for the three months ended September 30, 2024. The average cost of time deposits decreased 13 basis points from 4.44% for the three months ended September 30, 2024, to 4.31% for the three months ended December 31, 2024. The average cost of borrowings, including subordinated debt, decreased one basis point from 5.05% for the three months ended September 30, 2024 to 5.04% for the three months ended December 31, 2024. Average demand deposits, an interest-free source of funds, increased $20.0 million, or 3.6%, from $559.2 million, or 25.7% of total average deposits, for the three months ended September 30, 2024, to $579.2 million, or 25.6% of total average deposits, for the three months ended December 31, 2024.

Provision for (Reversal of) Credit Losses

During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company recorded a reversal of credit losses of $762,000, compared to a provision for credit losses of $941,000 during the three months ended September 30, 2024. The provision for credit losses includes a reversal of credit losses on loans of $553,000 and a reversal of credit losses on unfunded loan commitments of $209,000. The reversal of credit losses on loans was due to changes in the economic environment and related adjustments to the quantitative components of the CECL methodology as well as changes in the loan portfolio mix. The provision for credit losses was determined by a number of factors: the continued strong credit performance of the Company’s loan portfolio, changes in the loan portfolio mix and Management’s consideration of existing economic conditions and the economic outlook from the Federal Reserve’s actions to control inflation. The decrease in reserves on unfunded loan commitments was due to an decrease in commercial real estate unfunded loan commitments of $19.5 million, or 10.0%, from $195.3 million at September 30, 2024 to $175.8 million at December 31, 2024. Management continues to monitor macroeconomic variables related to increasing interest rates, inflation and the concerns of an economic downturn, and believes it is appropriately reserved for the current economic environment.

During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company recorded net recoveries of $128,000, compared to net charge-offs of $98,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2024.

Non-Interest Income

On a sequential quarter basis, non-interest income increased $113,000, or 3.6%, to $3.3 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, from $3.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024. During the three months ended December 31, 2024, service charges and fees on deposits decreased $40,000, or 1.7%, to $2.3 million from the three months ended September 30, 2024. Income from bank-owned life insurance (“BOLI”) increased $16,000, or 3.4%, from the three months ended September 30, 2024 to $486,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2024. During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company reported $187,000 in other income from loan-level swap fees on commercial loans, compared to $74,000 during the three months ended September 30, 2024. During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company reported a loss of $11,000 from mortgage banking activities, compared to income from mortgage banking activities of $246,000, during the three months ended September 30, 2024. During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company reported unrealized losses on marketable equity securities of $9,000, compared to unrealized gains of $10,000, during the three months ended September 30, 2024. During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company reported gains on non-marketable equity investments of $300,000 and did not have comparable income during the three months ended September 30, 2024.

Non-Interest Expense

For the three months ended December 31, 2024, non-interest expense increased $520,000, or 3.6%, to $14.9 million from $14.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024. Salaries and related benefits increased $317,000, or 3.9%, primarily related to incentive compensation accrual adjustments due to revised payout estimates and an increase in health insurance benefits. FDIC insurance expense increased $51,000, or 15.1%, occupancy expense increased $39,000, or 3.2%, primarily due to snow removal costs of $47,000, advertising expense increased $39,000, or 14.4%, data processing expense increased $31,000, or 3.6%, software expenses increased $30,000, or 4.9%, furniture and equipment expense increased $22,000, or 4.6%, and other non-interest expense increased $116,000, or 8.8%. These increases were partially offset by a decrease in professional fees of $69,000, or 12.8%, and a decrease in debit card processing and ATM network costs of $56,000, or 8.6%.

For the three months ended December 31, 2024 and the three months ended September 30, 2024, the efficiency ratio was 80.6%. For the three months ended December 31, 2024, the adjusted efficiency ratio, a non-GAAP financial measure, was 81.9% compared to 80.7% for the three months ended September 30, 2024. The increase in the adjusted efficiency ratio was driven by higher expenses during the three months ended December 31, 2024. See pages 20-22 for the related adjusted efficiency ratio calculation and a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures.

Income Tax Provision

Income tax expense for the three months ended December 31, 2024 was $1.1 million, with an effective tax rate of 24.6%, compared to $618,000, with an effective tax rate of 24.5%, for the three months ended September 30, 2024.

Net Income for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2024 Compared to the Three Months Ended December 31, 2023

The Company reported net income of $3.3 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to net income of $2.5 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, for the three months ended December 31, 2023. Net interest income decreased $903,000, or 5.6%, provision for credit losses decreased $1.2 million, non-interest income increased $540,000, or 19.9%, and non-interest expense increased $141,000, or 1.0%, during the same period. Return on average assets and return on average equity were 0.49% and 5.48%, respectively, for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 0.39% and 4.31%, respectively, for the three months ended December 31, 2023.

Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

Net interest income decreased $903,000, or 5.6%, to $15.3 million, for the three months ended December 31, 2024, from $16.2 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023. The decrease in net interest income was due to an increase in interest expense of $2.7 million, or 25.7%, partially offset by an increase in interest and dividend income of $1.8 million, or 6.8%. During the three months ended December 31, 2024 and the three months ended December 31, 2023, the Company had a fair value hedge which contributed $74,000 to interest income during the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $459,000 during the three months ended December 31, 2023. The fair value hedge matured in October of 2024. The increase in interest expense was a result of competitive pricing on deposits due to the continued high interest rate environment and the unfavorable shift in the deposit mix from low cost core deposits to high cost time deposits.

The net interest margin was 2.41% for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 2.64% for the three months ended December 31, 2023. The net interest margin, on a tax-equivalent basis, was 2.43% for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 2.66% for the three months ended December 31, 2023. The decrease in the net interest margin was primarily due to an increase in the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities and the unfavorable shift in the deposit mix from low cost core deposits to high cost time deposits, which was partially offset by an increase in the average yield on interest-earning assets. During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company had a fair value hedge which contributed to an increase in the net interest margin of one basis point, compared to an increase of eight basis points during the three months ended December 31, 2023. The fair value hedge matured in October of 2024.

The average yield on interest-earning assets, without the impact of tax-equivalent adjustments, was 4.52% for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 4.38% for the three months ended December 31, 2023. The average loan yield, without the impact of tax-equivalent adjustments, was 4.86% for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 4.71% for the three months ended December 31, 2023. During the three months ended December 31, 2024, average interest-earning assets increased $89.9 million, or 3.7%, to $2.5 billion, primarily due to an increase in average loans of $45.7 million, or 2.3%, an increase in average short-term investments, consisting of cash and cash equivalents, of $34.0 million, or 79.3%, an increase in average securities of $6.4 million, or 1.8%, and an increase in average other investments of $3.8 million, or 31.4%.

The average cost of total funds, including non-interest bearing accounts and borrowings, increased 39 basis points from 1.81% for the three months ended December 31, 2023, to 2.20% for the three months ended December 31, 2024. The average cost of core deposits, which the Company defines as all deposits except time deposits, increased 22 basis points to 0.98% for the three months ended December 31, 2024, from 0.76% for the three months ended December 31, 2023. The average cost of time deposits increased 53 basis points from 3.78% for the three months ended December 31, 2023 to 4.31% for the three months ended December 31, 2024. The average cost of borrowings, including subordinated debt, increased 21 basis points from 4.83% for the three months ended December 31, 2023 to 5.04% for the three months ended December 31, 2024. Average demand deposits, an interest-free source of funds, decreased $9.6 million, or 1.6%, from $588.7 million, or 27.0% of total average deposits, for the three months ended December 31, 2023, to $579.2 million, or 25.6% of total average deposits, for the three months ended December 31, 2024.

Provision for (Reversal of) Credit Losses

During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company recorded a reversal of credit losses of $762,000, compared to a provision for credit losses of $486,000 during the three months ended December 31, 2023. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in unfunded commercial real estate loan commitments, as well as changes in the economic environment and related adjustments to the quantitative components of the CECL methodology. The provision for credit losses was determined by a number of factors: the continued strong credit performance of the Company’s loan portfolio, changes in the loan portfolio mix and Management’s consideration of existing economic conditions and the economic outlook from the Federal Reserve’s actions to control inflation. Management continues to monitor macroeconomic variables related to increasing interest rates, inflation and the concerns of an economic downturn, and believes it is appropriately reserved for the current economic environment.

The Company recorded net recoveries of $128,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2024, as compared to net charge-offs of $136,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2023.

Non-Interest Income

Non-interest income increased $540,000, or 19.9%, from $2.7 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023, to $3.3 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024. Service charges and fees on deposits increased $18,000, or 0.8%, and income from BOLI increased $54,000, or 12.5%, from the three months ended December 31, 2023 to the three months ended December 31, 2024. During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company reported $187,000 in other income from loan-level swap fees on commercial loans and did not have comparable income during the three months ended December 31, 2023. During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company reported a loss of $11,000 from mortgage banking activities and did not have comparable loss during the three months ended December 31, 2023. During the three months ended December 31, 2024 and the three months ended December 31, 2023, the Company reported $9,000 and $1,000, respectively, in unrealized losses on marketable equity securities. During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company reported a gain on non-marketable equity investments of $300,000 and did not have comparable non-interest income during the three months ended December 31, 2023.

Non-Interest Expense

For the three months ended December 31, 2024, non-interest expense increased $141,000, or 1.0%, to $14.9 million from $14.8 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023. During the three months ended December 31, 2023, the Company reached an agreement-in-principle to settle purported class action lawsuits concerning the Company’s deposit products and related disclosures, specifically involving overdraft fees and insufficient funds fees. This agreement-in-principle reflects our business decision to avoid the costs, uncertainties and distractions of further litigation. Excluding the legal settlement accrual of $510,000 during the three months ended December 31, 2023, non-interest expense increased $651,000, or 4.6%, from $14.3 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023 to $14.9 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024.

Salaries and related benefits increased $690,000, or 8.9%, to $8.4 million, primarily related to incentive compensation accrual adjustments due to revised payout estimates and annual merit increases. Data processing expense increased $112,000, or 14.2%, occupancy expense increased $58,000, or 4.8%, FDIC insurance expense increased $51,000, or 15.1%, software related expenses increased $44,000, or 7.4%, debit card processing and ATM network costs increased $34,000, or 6.0%, and furniture and equipment related expenses increased $11,000, or 2.2%. These increases were partially offset by a decrease in professional fees of $203,000, or 30.1%, a decrease in advertising expense of $67,000, or 17.8%, and a decrease in other non-interest expense of $589,000, or 29.1%. Excluding the $510,000 legal settlement accrual, other non-interest expense decreased $79,000, or 5.2%.

For the three months ended December 31, 2024, the efficiency ratio was 80.6%, compared to 78.3% for the three months ended December 31, 2023. For the three months ended December 31, 2024, the adjusted efficiency ratio, a non-GAAP financial measure, was 81.9% compared to 78.3% for the three months ended December 31, 2023. The increase in the efficiency ratio and the non-GAAP adjusted efficiency ratio was primarily driven by lower revenues during the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to the three months ended December 31, 2023. See pages 20-22 for the related adjusted efficiency ratio calculation and a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures.

Income Tax Provision

For the three months ended December 31, 2024, income tax expense was $1.1 million, with an effective tax rate of 24.6%, compared to $1.1 million, with an effective tax rate of 30.6%, for the three months ended December 31, 2023. For the three months ended December 31, 2023, the effective tax rate was negatively impacted by discrete items totaling $285,000.

Net Income for the Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2024 Compared to the Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2023

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, the Company reported net income of $11.7 million, or $0.56 per diluted share, compared to $15.1 million, or $0.70 per diluted share, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. Net interest income decreased $8.1 million, or 11.9%, provision for credit losses decreased $1.5 million, non-interest income increased $2.0 million, or 18.4%, and non-interest expense increased $78,000, or 0.1%, during the same period in 2023. Return on average assets and return on average equity were 0.45% and 4.93% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, respectively, compared to 0.59% and 6.47% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, respectively.

Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, net interest income decreased $8.1 million, or 11.9%, to $59.8 million, compared to $67.9 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. The decrease in net interest income was primarily due to an increase in interest expense of $16.8 million, or 50.6%, partially offset by an increase in interest and dividend income of $8.7 million, or 8.6%.

The net interest margin for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 was 2.45%, compared to 2.82% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. The net interest margin, on a tax-equivalent basis, was 2.47% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 2.84% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023.

The average yield on interest-earning assets, without the impact of tax-equivalent adjustments, increased 30 basis points from 4.20% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 to 4.50% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024. The average yield on loans, without the impact of tax-equivalent adjustments, increased 32 basis points from 4.54% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 to 4.86% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, average interest-earning assets increased $33.5 million, or 1.4%, to $2.4 billion, compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, primarily due to an increase in average loans of $29.0 million, or 1.4%, an increase in average short-term investments, consisting of cash and cash equivalents, of $12.8 million, or 62.5%, and an increase in average other investments of $2.2 million, or 18.1%, partially offset by a decrease in average securities of $10.6 million, or 2.9%.

During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, the average cost of funds, including non-interest-bearing demand accounts and borrowings, increased 70 basis points from 1.44% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 to 2.14%. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, the average cost of core deposits, including non-interest-bearing demand deposits, increased 24 basis points from 0.65% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, to 0.89%. The average cost of time deposits increased 129 basis points from 3.03% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 to 4.32% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024. The average cost of borrowings, which include borrowings and subordinated debt, increased 16 basis points from 4.84% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 to 5.00% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024.

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, average demand deposits, an interest-free source of funds, decreased $41.4 million, or 6.9%, from $602.7 million, or 27.8% of total average deposits, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, to $561.3 million, or 25.8% of total average deposits.

Provision for (Reversal of) Credit Losses

During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, the Company recorded a reversal of credit losses of $665,000, compared to a provision for credit losses of $872,000 during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. The decrease in reserves was primarily due to changes in the economic environment and related adjustments to the quantitative components of the CECL methodology. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, the Company recorded net recoveries of $87,000, compared to net charge-offs of $2.0 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. The charge-offs during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 were related to one commercial relationship acquired in October 2016 from Chicopee Bancorp, Inc. Specifically, the Company recorded a $1.9 million charge-off on the acquired commercial relationship, which represented the non-accretable credit mark that was required to be grossed-up to the loan’s amortized cost basis with a corresponding increase to the allowance for credit losses under the CECL implementation.

The decrease in the provision for credit losses was primarily due to changes in the loan mix as well as economic environment and related adjustments to the quantitative components of the CECL methodology. The provision for credit losses was determined by a number of factors: the continued strong credit performance of the Company’s loan portfolio, changes in the loan portfolio mix and Management’s consideration of existing economic conditions and the economic outlook from the Federal Reserve’s actions to control inflation. Management continues to monitor macroeconomic variables related to increasing interest rates, inflation and the concerns of an economic downturn, and believes it is appropriately reserved for the current economic environment.

Non-Interest Income

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, non-interest income increased $2.0 million, or 18.4%, from $10.9 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 to $12.9 million. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, the Company recorded a non-recurring final termination expense of $1.1 million related to the defined benefit pension plan termination. During the twelve months ended, December 31, 2023, the Company also recorded a non-taxable gain of $778,000 on BOLI death benefits and did not have a comparable gain during the twelve months ended December 31, 2024. Excluding the defined benefit pension plan termination expense and the BOLI death benefit, non-interest income increased $1.6 million, or 14.6%.

During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, service charges and fees increased $346,000, or 3.9%, and income from BOLI increased $91,000, or 5.0%, from $1.8 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 to $1.9 million. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, the Company recorded other income from loan-level swap fees on commercial loans of $261,000 and did not have comparable income during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, the Company reported a gain of $1.3 million on non-marketable equity investments, compared to a gain of $590,000 during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, the Company reported a loss on the disposal of premises and equipment of $6,000, compared to a loss of $3,000 during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, the Company also reported unrealized losses on marketable equity securities of $1,000, compared to unrealized gains on marketable equity securities of $13,000 during the twelve months ended December 31, 2024.

Non-Interest Expense

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, non-interest expense increased $78,000, or 0.1%, to $58.4 million from the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, the Company reached an agreement-in-principle to settle purported class action lawsuits concerning the Company’s deposit products and related disclosures, specifically involving overdraft fees and insufficient funds fees. This agreement-in-principle reflects our business decision to avoid the costs, uncertainties and distractions of further litigation. Excluding the legal settlement accrual of $510,000, non-interest expense increased $588,000, or 1.0%, from $57.8 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 to $58.4 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024.

During the same period, salaries and related benefits increased $472,000, or 1.5%, software expenses increased $208,000, or 9.0%, data processing expense increased $320,000, or 10.1%, debit card processing and ATM network costs increased $298,000, or 13.9%, occupancy expense increased $146,000, or 3.0%, due to higher repair and maintenance costs, real estate taxes, and depreciation expense. FDIC insurance expense increased $139,000, or 10.5%. These increases were partially offset by a decrease in professional fees of $571,000, or 20.9%, which is comprised of legal fees, audit and other professional fees. During the three months ended December 31, 2023, professional fees included legal fees related to the settlement of the purported class action lawsuits. Advertising expense decreased $226,000, or 15.1%, and other non-interest expense, excluding the $510,000 legal settlement accrual, decreased $199,000, or 3.5%.

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, the efficiency ratio was 80.4%, compared to 74.0% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, the adjusted efficiency ratio, a non-GAAP financial measure, was 81.8%, compared to 74.3% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. See pages 20-22 for the related efficiency ratio calculations and a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures.

Income Tax Provision

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, income tax expense was $3.3 million, with an effective tax rate of 22.0%, compared to $4.5 million, with an effective tax rate of 23.1%, for twelve months ended December 31, 2023. The decrease in income tax expense for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 compared to the twelve months December 31, 2023 was due to lower income before taxes in 2024.

Balance Sheet

At December 31, 2024, total assets were $2.7 billion, an increase of $88.5 million, or 3.5%, from December 31, 2023. The increase in total assets was primarily due to an increase in total loans of $42.9 million, or 2.1%, an increase in cash and cash equivalents of $37.6 million, or 130.4%, and an increase in investment securities of $5.5 million, or 1.5%.

Investments

At December 31, 2024, the investment securities portfolio totaled $366.1 million, or 13.8% of total assets, compared to $360.7 million, or 14.1% of total assets, at December 31, 2023. At December 31, 2024, the Company’s available-for-sale securities portfolio, recorded at fair market value, increased $23.6 million, or 17.2%, from $137.1 million at December 31, 2023 to $160.7 million. The held-to-maturity securities portfolio, recorded at amortized cost, decreased $18.4 million, or 8.2%, from $223.4 million at December 31, 2023 to $205.0 million at December 31, 2024.

At December 31, 2024, the Company reported unrealized losses on the available-for-sale securities portfolio of $31.2 million, or 16.2% of the amortized cost basis of the available-for-sale securities portfolio, compared to unrealized losses of $29.2 million, or 17.5% of the amortized cost basis of the available-for-sale securities at December 31, 2023. At December 31, 2024, the Company reported unrealized losses on the held-to-maturity securities portfolio of $39.4 million, or 19.2% of the amortized cost basis of the held-to-maturity securities portfolio, compared to $35.7 million, or 16.0% of the amortized cost basis of the held-to-maturity securities portfolio at December 31, 2023.

The securities in which the Company may invest are limited by regulation. Federally chartered savings banks have authority to invest in various types of assets, including U.S. Treasury obligations, securities of various government-sponsored enterprises, mortgage-backed securities, certain certificates of deposit of insured financial institutions, repurchase agreements, overnight and short-term loans to other banks, corporate debt instruments and marketable equity securities. The securities, with the exception of $4.6 million in corporate bonds, are issued by the United States government or government-sponsored enterprises and are therefore either explicitly or implicitly guaranteed as to the timely payment of contractual principal and interest. These positions are deemed to have no credit impairment, therefore, the disclosed unrealized losses with the securities portfolio relate primarily to changes in prevailing interest rates. In all cases, price improvement in future periods will be realized as the issuances approach maturity.

Management regularly reviews the portfolio for securities in an unrealized loss position. At December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company did not record any credit impairment charges on its securities portfolio and attributed the unrealized losses primarily due to fluctuations in general interest rates or changes in expected prepayments and not due to credit quality. The primary objective of the Company’s investment portfolio is to provide liquidity and to secure municipal deposit accounts while preserving the safety of principal. The available-for-sale and held-to-maturity portfolios are both eligible for pledging to the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) as collateral for borrowings. The portfolios are comprised of high-credit quality investments and both portfolios generated cash flows monthly from interest, principal amortization and payoffs, which support’s the Bank’s objective to provide liquidity.

Total Loans

Total loans increased $42.9 million, or 2.1%, from December 31, 2023, to $2.1 billion at December 31, 2024. The increase in total loans was due to an increase in residential real estate loans, including home equity loans, of $53.5 million, or 7.4%, partially offset by a decrease in commercial real estate loans of $4.0 million, or 0.4%, a decrease in commercial and industrial loans of $5.7 million, or 2.7% and a decrease in consumer loans of $1.1 million, or 19.8%. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, the Company sold $20.1 million in fixed rate residential loans to the secondary market with servicing retained.

The following table presents the summary of the loan portfolio by the major classification of the loan at the periods indicated:

	December 31, 2024		December 31, 2023
	(Dollars in thousands)

Commercial real estate loans:
Non-owner occupied	$	880,828	$	881,643
Owner-occupied		194,904		198,108
Total commercial real estate loans		1,075,732		1,079,751

Residential real estate loans:
Residential		653,802		612,315
Home equity		121,857		109,839
Total residential real estate loans		775,659		722,154

Commercial and industrial loans		211,656		217,447

Consumer loans		4,391		5,472
Total gross loans		2,067,438		2,024,824
Unamortized premiums and net deferred loans fees and costs		2,751		2,493
Total loans	$	2,070,189	$	2,027,317

Credit Quality

Management continues to closely monitor the loan portfolio for any signs of deterioration in borrowers’ financial condition and also in light of speculation that commercial real estate values may deteriorate as the market continues to adjust to higher vacancies and interest rates. We continue to proactively take steps to mitigate risk in our loan portfolio.

Total delinquency was $5.0 million, or 0.24% of total loans, at December 31, 2024, compared to $6.0 million, or 0.30% of total loans at December 31, 2023. At December 31, 2024, nonperforming loans totaled $5.4 million, or 0.26% of total loans, compared to $6.4 million, or 0.32% of total loans, at December 31, 2023. At December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there were no loans 90 or more days past due and still accruing interest. Total nonperforming assets totaled $5.4 million, or 0.20% of total assets, at December 31, 2024, compared to $6.4 million, or 0.25% of total assets, at December 31, 2023. At December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company did not have any other real estate owned. At December 31, 2024, the allowance for credit losses was $19.5 million, or 0.94% of total loans and 362.9% of nonperforming loans, compared to $20.3 million, or 1.00% of total loans and 315.6% of nonperforming loans, at December 31, 2023. Total classified loans, defined as special mention and substandard loans, decreased $1.1 million, or 2.8%, from $39.5 million, or 1.9% of total loans, at December 31, 2023 to $38.4 million, or 1.9% of total loans, at December 31, 2024. Our commercial real estate portfolio is comprised of diversified property types and primarily within our geographic footprint. At December 31, 2024, the commercial real estate portfolio totaled $1.1 billion, and represented 52.0% of total loans. Of the $1.1 billion, $880.8 million, or 81.9%, was categorized as non-owner occupied commercial real estate and represented 325.2% of the Bank’s total risk-based capital. More details on the diversification of the loan portfolio are available in the supplementary earnings presentation.

Deposits

Total deposits increased $118.9 million, or 5.6%, from $2.1 billion at December 31, 2023 to $2.3 billion at December 31, 2024. Core deposits, which the Company defines as all deposits except time deposits, increased $26.7 million, or 1.7%, from $1.5 billion, or 71.5% of total deposits, at December 31, 2023, to $1.6 billion, or 68.9% of total deposits, at December 31, 2024. Non-interest-bearing deposits decreased $14.0 million, or 2.4%, to $565.6 million, and represent 25.0% of total deposits, money market accounts increased $27.1 million, or 4.3%, to $661.5 million, savings accounts decreased $5.8 million, or 3.1%, to $181.6 million and interest-bearing checking accounts increased $19.3 million, or 14.7%, to $150.3 million.

Time deposits increased $92.2 million, or 15.1%, from $611.4 million at December 31, 2023 to $703.6 million at December 31, 2024. Brokered time deposits, which are included in time deposits, totaled $1.7 million at December 31, 2024 and at December 31, 2023. The Company has experienced growth and movement in both money market accounts and time deposits as a result of relationship pricing, the current interest rate environment, and customer behaviors, as opposed to time deposit specials or interest rate adjustments. We continue our disciplined and focused approach to core relationship management and customer outreach to meet funding requirements and liquidity needs, with an emphasis on retaining a long-term customer relationship base by competing for and retaining deposits in our local market. At December 31, 2024, the Bank’s uninsured deposits represented 28.4% of total deposits, compared to 26.8% at December 31, 2023.

The table below is a summary of our deposit balances for the periods noted:

	December 31, 2024		September 30, 2024		December 31, 2023
	(Dollars in thousands)
Core Deposits:
Demand accounts	$	565,620	$	568,685	$	579,595
Interest-bearing accounts		150,348		140,332		131,031
Savings accounts		181,618		179,214		187,405
Money market accounts		661,478		635,824		634,361
Total Core Deposits	$	1,559,064	$	1,524,055	$	1,532,392
Time Deposits:		703,583		700,151		611,352
Total Deposits:	$	2,262,647	$	2,224,206	$	2,143,744

FHLB and Subordinated Debt

At December 31, 2024, total borrowings decreased $33.4 million, or 21.3%, from $156.5 million at December 31, 2023 to $123.1 million. At December 31, 2024, short-term borrowings decreased $10.7 million, or 66.5%, to $5.4 million, compared to $16.1 million at December 31, 2023. Long-term borrowings decreased $22.6 million, or 18.8%, from $120.6 million at December 31, 2023 to $98.0 million at December 31, 2024. At December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, borrowings also consisted of $19.8 million and $19.7 million, respectively, in fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes.

The Company utilized the Bank Term Funding Program (“BTFP”), which was created in March 2023 to enhance banking system liquidity by allowing institutions to pledge certain securities at par value and borrow at a rate of ten basis points over the one-year overnight index swap rate. The BTFP was available to federally insured depository institutions in the U.S., with advances having a term of up to one year with no prepayment penalties. The BTFP ceased extending new advances in March 2024. At December 31, 2023, the Company’s outstanding balance under the BTFP was $90.0 million. There was no outstanding balance under the BTFP at December 31, 2024.

As of December 31, 2024, the Company had $461.6 million of additional borrowing capacity at the Federal Home Loan Bank, $382.9 million of additional borrowing capacity under the Federal Reserve Bank Discount Window and $25.0 million of other unsecured lines of credit with correspondent banks.

Capital

At December 31, 2024, shareholders’ equity was $235.9 million, or 8.9% of total assets, compared to $237.4 million, or 9.3% of total assets, at December 31, 2023. The change was primarily attributable to an increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss of $1.5 million, cash dividends paid of $5.9 million, repurchase of shares at a cost of $7.8 million, partially offset by net income of $11.7 million. At December 31, 2024, total shares outstanding were 20,875,713. The Company’s regulatory capital ratios continue to be strong and in excess of regulatory minimum requirements to be considered well-capitalized as defined by regulators and internal Company targets.

	December 31, 2024				December 31, 2023
	Company		Bank		Company		Bank
Total Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)	14.38	%	13.65	%	14.67	%	13.94	%
Tier 1 Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)	12.37	%	12.64	%	12.59	%	12.88	%
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)	12.37	%	12.64	%	12.59	%	12.88	%
Tier 1 Leverage Ratio (to Adjusted Average Assets)	9.14	%	9.34	%	9.40	%	9.62	%

Dividends

Although the Company has historically paid quarterly dividends on its common stock and currently intends to continue to pay such dividends, the Company’s ability to pay such dividends depends on a number of factors, including restrictions under federal laws and regulations on the Company’s ability to pay dividends, and as a result, there can be no assurance that dividends will continue to be paid in the future.

About Western New England Bancorp, Inc.

Western New England Bancorp, Inc. is a Massachusetts-chartered stock holding company and the parent company of Westfield Bank, CSB Colts, Inc., Elm Street Securities Corporation, WFD Securities, Inc. and WB Real Estate Holdings, LLC. Western New England Bancorp, Inc. and its subsidiaries are headquartered in Westfield, Massachusetts and operate 25 banking offices throughout western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut. To learn more, visit our website at www.westfieldbank.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, with respect to the Company’s financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, future performance, and business. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of such words as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “planned,” “estimated,” and “potential.” Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, estimates with respect to our financial condition, results of operations and business that are subject to various factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from these estimates. These factors include, but are not limited to:

unpredictable changes in general economic or political conditions, financial markets, fiscal, monetary and regulatory policies, including actual or potential stress in the banking industry;
the duration and scope of potential pandemics, including the emergence of new variants and the response thereto;
unstable political and economic conditions which could materially impact credit quality trends and the ability to generate loans and gather deposits;
inflation and governmental responses to inflation, including recent sustained increases and potential future increases in interest rates that reduce margins;
the effect on our operations of governmental legislation and regulation, including changes in accounting regulation or standards, the nature and timing of the adoption and effectiveness of new requirements under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, Basel guidelines, capital requirements and other applicable laws and regulations;
significant changes in accounting, tax or regulatory practices or requirements;
new legal obligations or liabilities or unfavorable resolutions of litigation;
disruptive technologies in payment systems and other services traditionally provided by banks;
the highly competitive industry and market area in which we operate;
operational risks or risk management failures by us or critical third parties, including without limitation with respect to data processing, information systems, cybersecurity, technological changes, vendor issues, business interruption, and fraud risks;
failure or circumvention of our internal controls or procedures;
changes in the securities markets which affect investment management revenues;
increases in Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation deposit insurance premiums and assessments;
the soundness of other financial services institutions which may adversely affect our credit risk;
certain of our intangible assets may become impaired in the future;
new lines of business or new products and services, which may subject us to additional risks;
changes in key management personnel which may adversely impact our operations;
severe weather, natural disasters, acts of war or terrorism and other external events which could significantly impact our business; and
other risk factors detailed from time to time in our SEC filings.

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in these forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We do not undertake any obligation to republish revised forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except to the extent required by law.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES Consolidated Statements of Net Income and Other Data (Dollars in thousands, except per share data) (Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended															Twelve Months Ended
	December 31,			September 30,			June 30,			March 31,			December 31,			December 31,
	2024			2024			2024			2024			2023			2024			2023
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Loans	$	25,183		$	25,134		$	24,340		$	24,241		$	23,939		$	98,898		$	91,169
Securities		2,273			2,121			2,141			2,114			2,094			8,649			8,370
Other investments		214			189			148			136			140			687			558
Short-term investments		916			396			173			113			597			1,598			1,021
Total interest and dividend income		28,586			27,840			26,802			26,604			26,770			109,832			101,118

INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits		11,443			11,165			10,335			9,293			8,773			42,236			26,649
Short-term borrowings		60			71			186			283			123			600			1,589
Long-term debt		1,557			1,622			1,557			1,428			1,444			6,164			3,957
Subordinated debt		253			254			254			254			254			1,015			1,014
Total interest expense		13,313			13,112			12,332			11,258			10,594			50,015			33,209

Net interest and dividend income		15,273			14,728			14,470			15,346			16,176			59,817			67,909

(REVERSAL OF) PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES		(762	)		941			(294	)		(550	)		486			(665	)		872

Net interest and dividend income after (reversal of) provision for credit losses		16,035			13,787			14,764			15,896			15,690			60,482			67,037

NON-INTEREST INCOME:
Service charges and fees on deposits		2,301			2,341			2,341			2,219			2,283			9,202			8,856
Income from bank-owned life insurance		486			470			502			453			432			1,911			1,820
Unrealized (loss) gain on marketable equity securities		(9	)		10			4			8			(1	)		13			(1	)
(Loss) gain on sale of mortgages		(11	)		246			–			–			–			235			–
Gain on non-marketable equity investments		300			–			987			–			–			1,287			590
Loss on disposal of premises and equipment		–			–			–			(6	)		–			(6	)		(3	)
Loss on defined benefit plan termination		–			–			–			–			–			–			(1,143	)
Gain on bank-owned life insurance death benefit		–			–			–			–			–			–			778
Other income		187			74			–			–			–			261			–
Total non-interest income		3,254			3,141			3,834			2,674			2,714			12,903			10,897

NON-INTEREST EXPENSE:
Salaries and employees benefits		8,429			8,112			7,901			8,244			7,739			32,686			32,214
Occupancy		1,256			1,217			1,218			1,363			1,198			5,054			4,908
Furniture and equipment		505			483			483			484			494			1,955			1,954
Data processing		900			869			846			862			788			3,477			3,157
Software		642			612			566			699			598			2,519			2,311
Debit/ATM card processing expense		593			649			643			552			559			2,437			2,139
Professional fees		471			540			581			569			674			2,161			2,732
FDIC insurance		389			338			323			410			338			1,460			1,321
Advertising		310			271			339			349			377			1,269			1,495
Other		1,431			1,315			1,414			1,250			2,020			5,410			6,119
Total non-interest expense		14,926			14,406			14,314			14,782			14,785			58,428			58,350

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES		4,363			2,522			4,284			3,788			3,619			14,957			19,584

INCOME TAX PROVISION		1,075			618			771			827			1,108			3,291			4,516
NET INCOME	$	3,288		$	1,904		$	3,513		$	2,961		$	2,511		$	11,666		$	15,068

Basic earnings per share	$	0.16		$	0.09		$	0.17		$	0.14		$	0.12		$	0.56		$	0.70
Weighted average shares outstanding		20,561,749			20,804,162			21,056,173			21,180,968			21,253,452			20,899,573			21,535,888
Diluted earnings per share	$	0.16		$	0.09		$	0.17		$	0.14		$	0.12		$	0.56		$	0.70
Weighted average diluted shares outstanding		20,701,276			20,933,833			21,163,762			21,271,323			21,400,664			21,016,358			21,610,329

Other Data:
Return on average assets (1)		0.49	%		0.29	%		0.55	%		0.47	%		0.39	%		0.45	%		0.59	%
Return on average equity (1)		5.48	%		3.19	%		6.03	%		5.04	%		4.31	%		4.93	%		6.47	%
Efficiency ratio		80.56	%		80.62	%		78.20	%		82.03	%		78.27	%		80.35	%		74.04	%
Adjusted efficiency ratio (2)		81.85	%		80.67	%		82.68	%		82.04	%		78.26	%		81.80	%		74.25	%
Net interest margin		2.41	%		2.40	%		2.42	%		2.57	%		2.64	%		2.45	%		2.82	%
Net interest margin, on a fully tax-equivalent basis		2.43	%		2.42	%		2.44	%		2.59	%		2.66	%		2.47	%		2.84	%
(1) Annualized.
(2) The adjusted efficiency ratio (non-GAAP) represents the ratio of operating expenses divided by the sum of net interest and dividend income and non-interest income, excluding realized and unrealized gains and losses on securities, gain on non-marketable equity investments, loss on disposal of premises and equipment, loss on defined benefit plan termination and gain on bank-owned life insurance death benefit.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES Consolidated Balance Sheets (Dollars in thousands) (Unaudited)

	December 31,			September 30,			June 30,			March 31,			December 31,
	2024			2024			2024			2024			2023
Cash and cash equivalents	$	66,450		$	72,802		$	53,458		$	22,613		$	28,840
Securities available-for-sale, at fair value		160,704			155,889			135,089			138,362			137,115
Securities held to maturity, at amortized cost		205,036			213,266			217,632			221,242			223,370
Marketable equity securities, at fair value		397			252			233			222			196
Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and other restricted stock – at cost		5,818			7,143			7,143			3,105			3,707

Loans		2,070,189			2,049,002			2,026,226			2,025,566			2,027,317
Allowance for credit losses		(19,529	)		(19,955	)		(19,444	)		(19,884	)		(20,267	)
Net loans		2,050,660			2,029,047			2,006,782			2,005,682			2,007,050

Bank-owned life insurance		77,056			76,570			76,100			75,598			75,145
Goodwill		12,487			12,487			12,487			12,487			12,487
Core deposit intangible		1,438			1,531			1,625			1,719			1,813
Other assets		73,044			71,492			75,521			76,206			74,848
TOTAL ASSETS	$	2,653,090		$	2,640,479		$	2,586,070		$	2,557,236		$	2,564,571

Total deposits	$	2,262,647		$	2,224,206		$	2,171,809		$	2,143,747		$	2,143,744
Short-term borrowings		5,390			4,390			6,570			11,470			16,100
Long-term debt		98,000			128,277			128,277			120,646			120,646
Subordinated debt		19,751			19,741			19,731			19,722			19,712
Securities pending settlement		8,622			2,513			102			–			–
Other liabilities		22,770			20,697			23,104			25,855			26,960
TOTAL LIABILITIES		2,417,180			2,399,824			2,349,593			2,321,440			2,327,162

TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY		235,910			240,655			236,477			235,796			237,409
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	$	2,653,090		$	2,640,479		$	2,586,070		$	2,557,236		$	2,564,571

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES Other Data (Dollars in thousands, except per share data) (Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended
	December 31,	September 30,	June 30,	March 31,	December 31,
	2024	2024	2024	2024	2023
Shares outstanding at end of period	20,875,713	21,113,408	21,357,849	21,627,690	21,666,807

Operating results:
Net interest income	$ 15,273	$ 14,728	$ 14,470	$ 15,346	$ 16,176
(Reversal of) provision for credit losses	(762)	941	(294)	(550)	486
Non-interest income	3,254	3,141	3,834	2,674	2,714
Non-interest expense	14,926	14,406	14,314	14,782	14,785
Income before income provision for income taxes	4,363	2,522	4,284	3,788	3,619
Income tax provision	1,075	618	771	827	1,108
Net income	3,288	1,904	3,513	2,961	2,511

Performance Ratios:
Net interest margin	2.41%	2.40%	2.42%	2.57%	2.64%
Net interest margin, on a fully tax-equivalent basis	2.43%	2.42%	2.44%	2.59%	2.66%
Interest rate spread	1.63%	1.60%	1.66%	1.85%	1.96%
Interest rate spread, on a fully tax-equivalent basis	1.65%	1.62%	1.67%	1.86%	1.98%
Return on average assets	0.49%	0.29%	0.55%	0.47%	0.39%
Return on average equity	5.48%	3.19%	6.03%	5.04%	4.31%
Efficiency ratio (GAAP)	80.56%	80.62%	78.20%	82.03%	78.27%
Adjusted efficiency ratio (non-GAAP) ⁽¹⁾	81.85%	80.67%	82.68%	82.04%	78.26%

Per Common Share Data:
Basic earnings per share	$ 0.16	$ 0.09	$ 0.17	$ 0.14	$ 0.12
Earnings per diluted share	0.16	0.09	0.17	0.14	0.12
Cash dividend declared	0.07	0.07	0.07	0.07	0.07
Book value per share	11.30	11.40	11.07	10.90	10.96
Tangible book value per share (non-GAAP) ⁽²⁾	10.63	10.73	10.41	10.25	10.30

Asset Quality:
30-89 day delinquent loans	$ 3,694	$ 3,059	$ 3,270	$ 3,000	$ 4,605
90 days or more delinquent loans	1,301	1,253	2,280	1,716	1,394
Total delinquent loans	4,995	4,312	5,550	4,716	5,999
Total delinquent loans as a percentage of total loans	0.24%	0.21%	0.27%	0.23%	0.30%
Nonperforming loans	$ 5,381	$ 4,873	$ 5,845	$ 5,837	$ 6,421
Nonperforming loans as a percentage of total loans	0.26%	0.24%	0.29%	0.29%	0.32%
Nonperforming assets as a percentage of total assets	0.20%	0.18%	0.23%	0.23%	0.25%
Allowance for credit losses as a percentage of nonperforming loans	362.93%	409.50%	332.66%	340.65%	315.64%
Allowance for credit losses as a percentage of total loans	0.94%	0.97%	0.96%	0.98%	1.00%
Net loan (recoveries) charge-offs	$ (128)	$ 98	$ 10	$ (67)	$ 136
Net loan (recoveries) charge-offs as a percentage of average loans	(0.01)%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.01%

____________________________

The adjusted efficiency ratio (non-GAAP) represents the ratio of operating expenses divided by the sum of net interest and dividend income and non-interest income, excluding realized and unrealized gains and losses on securities, gain on non-marketable equity investments, loss on disposal of premises and equipment, loss on defined benefit plan termination and gain on bank-owned life insurance death benefit.
Tangible book value per share (non-GAAP) represents the value of the Company’s tangible assets divided by its current outstanding shares.

The following table sets forth the information relating to our average balances and net interest income for the three months ended December 31, 2024, September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 and reflects the average yield on interest-earning assets and average cost of interest-bearing liabilities for the periods indicated.

	Three Months Ended
	December 31, 2024								September 30, 2024							December 31, 2023
	Average						Average Yield/		Average					Average Yield/		Average					Average Yield/
	Balance		Interest				Cost⁽⁸⁾		Balance		Interest			Cost⁽⁸⁾		Balance		Interest			Cost⁽⁸⁾
	(Dollars in thousands)
ASSETS:
Interest-earning assets
Loans(1)(2)	$	2,062,822		$	25,311		4.88	%	$	2,038,593	$	25,253		4.93	%	$	2,017,089	$	24,052		4.73	%
Securities(2)		361,476			2,273		2.50			354,696		2,121		2.38			355,078		2,094		2.34
Other investments		15,924			214		5.35			15,904		189		4.73			12,119		140		4.58
Short-term investments(3)		76,795			916		4.75			32,043		396		4.92			42,826		597		5.53
Total interest-earning assets		2,517,017			28,714		4.54			2,441,236		27,959		4.56			2,427,112		26,883		4.39
Total non-interest-earning assets		155,538								153,585							158,435
Total assets	$	2,672,555							$	2,594,821						$	2,585,547

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Interest-bearing liabilities
Interest-bearing checking accounts	$	149,231			264		0.70		$	131,133		271		0.82		$	139,894		260		0.74
Savings accounts		179,122			38		0.08			179,844		38		0.08			187,047		39		0.08
Money market accounts		654,965			3,553		2.16			621,340		3,172		2.03			657,407		2,716		1.64
Time deposit accounts		700,324			7,588		4.31			688,797		7,684		4.44			603,860		5,758		3.78
Total interest-bearing deposits		1,683,642			11,443		2.70			1,621,114		11,165		2.74			1,588,208		8,773		2.19
Borrowings		147,748			1,870		5.04			153,317		1,947		5.05			149,585		1,821		4.83
Interest-bearing liabilities		1,831,390			13,313		2.89			1,774,431		13,112		2.94			1,737,793		10,594		2.42
Non-interest-bearing deposits		579,168								559,224							588,748
Other non-interest-bearing liabilities		23,380								23,466							27,847
Total non-interest-bearing liabilities		602,548								582,690							616,595
Total liabilities		2,433,938								2,357,121							2,354,388
Total equity		238,617								237,700							231,159
Total liabilities and equity	$	2,672,555							$	2,594,821						$	2,585,547
Less: Tax-equivalent adjustment(2)					(128	)						(119	)						(113	)
Net interest and dividend income				$	15,273						$	14,728						$	16,176
Net interest rate spread(4)							1.63	%						1.60	%						1.96	%
Net interest rate spread, on a tax-equivalent basis(5)							1.65	%						1.62	%						1.98	%
Net interest margin(6)							2.41	%						2.40	%						2.64	%
Net interest margin, on a tax-equivalent basis(7)							2.43	%						2.42	%						2.66	%
Ratio of average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities							137.44	%						137.58	%						139.67	%

The following tables set forth the information relating to our average balances and net interest income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 and reflect the average yield on interest-earning assets and average cost of interest-bearing liabilities for the periods indicated.

	Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024							2023
	Average Balance		Interest			Average Yield/ Cost		Average Balance		Interest			Average Yield/ Cost
	Average Balance		Interest			Average Yield/ Cost		Average Balance		Interest			Average Yield/ Cost
	(Dollars in thousands)
ASSETS:
Interest-earning assets
Loans(1)(2)	$	2,035,149	$	99,369		4.88	%	$	2,006,166	$	91,640		4.57	%
Securities(2)		357,631		8,649		2.42			368,201		8,371		2.27
Other investments		14,669		687		4.68			12,425		558		4.49
Short-term investments(3)		33,254		1,598		4.81			20,459		1,021		4.99
Total interest-earning assets		2,440,703		110,303		4.52			2,407,251		101,590		4.22
Total non-interest-earning assets		155,056							155,511
Total assets	$	2,595,759						$	2,562,762

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Interest-bearing liabilities
Interest-bearing checking accounts	$	136,861		1,022		0.75	%	$	142,005		1,041		0.73	%
Savings accounts		182,678		166		0.09			202,354		181		0.09
Money market accounts		631,197		12,242		1.94			697,621		9,529		1.37
Time deposit accounts		666,917		28,806		4.32			524,827		15,898		3.03
Total interest-bearing deposits		1,617,653		42,236		2.61			1,566,807		26,649		1.70
Short-term borrowings and long-term debt		155,560		7,779		5.00			135,532		6,560		4.84
Total interest-bearing liabilities		1,773,213		50,015		2.82			1,702,339		33,209		1.95
Non-interest-bearing deposits		561,264							602,652
Other non-interest-bearing liabilities		24,541							24,885
Total non-interest-bearing liabilities		585,805							627,537

Total liabilities		2,359,018							2,329,876
Total equity		236,741							232,886
Total liabilities and equity	$	2,595,759						$	2,562,762
Less: Tax-equivalent adjustment (2)				(471	)						(472	)
Net interest and dividend income			$	59,817						$	67,909
Net interest rate spread (4)						1.68	%						2.25	%
Net interest rate spread, on a tax-equivalent basis (5)						1.70	%						2.27	%
Net interest margin (6)						2.45	%						2.82	%
Net interest margin, on a tax-equivalent basis (7)						2.47	%						2.84	%
Ratio of average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities						137.64	%						141.41	%

(1)	Loans, including nonaccrual loans, are net of deferred loan origination costs and unadvanced funds.
(2)	Loan and securities income are presented on a tax-equivalent basis using a tax rate of 21%. The tax-equivalent adjustment is deducted from tax-equivalent net interest and dividend income to agree to the amount reported on the consolidated statements of net income.
(3)	Short-term investments include federal funds sold.
(4)	Net interest rate spread represents the difference between the weighted average yield on interest-earning assets and the weighted average cost of interest-bearing liabilities.
(5)	Net interest rate spread, on a tax-equivalent basis, represents the difference between the tax-equivalent weighted average yield on interest-earning assets and the weighted average cost of interest-bearing liabilities.
(6)	Net interest margin represents net interest and dividend income as a percentage of average interest-earning assets.
(7)	Net interest margin, on a tax-equivalent basis, represents tax-equivalent net interest and dividend income as a percentage of average interest-earning assets.
(8)	Annualized.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP to GAAP Financial Measures

The Company believes that certain non-GAAP financial measures provide information to investors that is useful in understanding its results of operations and financial condition. Because not all companies use the same calculation, this presentation may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures calculated by other companies. A reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures is provided below.

	For the quarter ended
	12/31/2024			9/30/2024			6/30/2024			3/31/2024			12/31/2023
	(Dollars in thousands)

Loan interest (no tax adjustment)	$	25,183		$	25,134		$	24,340		$	24,241		$	23,939
Tax-equivalent adjustment		128			119			114			110			113
Loan interest (tax-equivalent basis)	$	25,311		$	25,253		$	24,454		$	24,351		$	24,052

Net interest income (no tax adjustment)	$	15,273		$	14,728		$	14,470		$	15,346		$	16,176
Tax equivalent adjustment		128			119			114			110			113
Net interest income (tax-equivalent basis)	$	15,401		$	14,847		$	14,584		$	15,456		$	16,289

Net interest income (no tax adjustment)	$	15,273		$	14,728		$	14,470		$	15,346		$	16,176
Less:
Fair value hedge interest income		74			434			447			443			459
Adjusted net interest income (non-GAAP)	$	15,199		$	14,294		$	14,023		$	14,903		$	15,717

Average interest-earning assets	$	2,517,017		$	2,441,236		$	2,400,633		$	2,403,086		$	2,427,112
Net interest margin (no tax adjustment)		2.41	%		2.40	%		2.42	%		2.57	%		2.64	%
Net interest margin, tax-equivalent		2.43	%		2.42	%		2.44	%		2.59	%		2.66	%
Adjusted net interest margin, excluding fair value hedge interest income (non-GAAP)		2.40	%		2.33	%		2.35	%		2.50	%		2.57	%

Book Value per Share (GAAP)	$	11.30		$	11.40		$	11.07		$	10.90		$	10.96
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Goodwill		(0.60	)		(0.59	)		(0.58	)		(0.58	)		(0.58	)
Core deposit intangible		(0.07	)		(0.08	)		(0.08	)		(0.07	)		(0.08	)
Tangible Book Value per Share (non-GAAP)	$	10.63		$	10.73		$	10.41		$	10.25		$	10.30

	For the quarter ended
	12/31/2024			9/30/2024			6/30/2024			3/31/2024			12/31/2023
	(Dollars in thousands)

Efficiency Ratio:
Non-interest Expense (GAAP)	$	14,926		$	14,406		$	14,314		$	14,782		$	14,785

Net Interest Income (GAAP)	$	15,273		$	14,728		$	14,470		$	15,346		$	16,176

Non-interest Income (GAAP)	$	3,254		$	3,141		$	3,834		$	2,674		$	2,714
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Unrealized losses (gains) on marketable equity securities		9			(10	)		(4	)		(8	)		1
Gain on non-marketable equity investments		(300	)		–			(987	)		–			–
Loss on disposal of premises and equipment		–			–			–			6			–
Non-interest Income for Adjusted Efficiency Ratio (non-GAAP)	$	2,963		$	3,131		$	2,843		$	2,672		$	2,715
Total Revenue for Adjusted Efficiency Ratio (non-GAAP)	$	18,236		$	17,859		$	17,313		$	18,018		$	18,891

Efficiency Ratio (GAAP)		80.56	%		80.62	%		78.20	%		82.03	%		78.27	%

Adjusted Efficiency Ratio (Non-interest Expense (GAAP)/Total Revenue for Adjusted Efficiency Ratio (non-GAAP))		81.85	%		80.67	%		82.68	%		82.04	%		78.26	%

	For the twelve months ended
	12/31/2024	12/31/2023
	(Dollars in thousands)

Loan income (no tax adjustment)	$ 98,898	$ 91,169
Tax-equivalent adjustment	471	472
Loan income (tax-equivalent basis)	$ 99,369	$ 91,641

Net interest income (no tax adjustment)	$ 59,817	$ 67,909
Tax equivalent adjustment	471	472
Net interest income (tax-equivalent basis)	$ 60,288	$ 68,381

Net interest income (no tax adjustment)	$ 59,817	$ 67,909
Less:
Fair value hedge interest income	1,398	1,085
Adjusted net interest income (non-GAAP)	$ 58,419	$ 66,824

Average interest-earning assets	$ 2,440,703	$ 2,407,251
Net interest margin (no tax adjustment)	2.45%	2.82%
Net interest margin, tax-equivalent	2.47%	2.84%
Adjusted net interest margin, excluding fair value hedge interest income (non-GAAP)	2.39%	2.77%

Adjusted Efficiency Ratio:
Non-interest Expense (GAAP)	$ 58,428	$ 58,350

Net Interest Income (GAAP)	$ 59,817	$ 67,909

Non-interest Income (GAAP)	$ 12,903	$ 10,897
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Unrealized gains on marketable equity securities	(13)	1
Loss on disposal of premises and equipment, net	6	3
Gain on bank-owned life insurance	–	(778)
Gain on non-marketable equity investments	(1,287)	(590)
Loss on defined benefit plan curtailment	–	1,143
Non-interest Income for Adjusted Efficiency Ratio (non-GAAP)	$ 11,609	$ 10,676
Total Revenue for Adjusted Efficiency Ratio (non-GAAP)	$ 71,426	$ 78,585

Efficiency Ratio (GAAP)	80.35%	74.04%

Adjusted Efficiency Ratio (Non-interest Expense (GAAP)/Total Revenue for Adjusted Efficiency Ratio (non-GAAP))	81.80%	74.25%

For further information contact:
James C. Hagan, President and CEO
Guida R. Sajdak, Executive Vice President and CFO
Meghan Hibner, First Vice President and Investor Relations Officer
413-568-1911

The MIL Network –

January 29, 2025

MIL-OSI Australia: Doorstop – Jerrabomberra

Source: Australian Ministers for Education

KRISTY McBAIN, MINISTER FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TERRITORIES: It’s a pleasure today to welcome Minister Jason Clare to Goodstart Jerrabomberra where 90 places a day are filled, and we have a wait list. Jerrabomberra is the heart of the Queanbeyan region, it’s fast growing, and this childcare centre is one of many that have benefitted from the Albanese Labor Government’s Cheaper Childcare plan.

We know families right across our region have benefitted from this, and it’s so great to be able to introduce Minister Clare to the wonderful staff here, the wonderful centre manager and State manager and the wonderful kids that come here each and every day to enjoy this beautiful centre.

JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: Thanks very much, Kristy. It’s absolutely fantastic to be with you here at Jerrabomberra at the Goodstart Centre here. You are an absolutely fantastic Member of Parliament, and we are so lucky to have as part of the Albanese Labor Government and this community is lucky to have you as their Labor Member.

When we were elected two and a half years ago, childcare costs had sky rocketed, childcare costs under the Liberals went up by 49 per cent over just under a decade, and that was double the OECD average.

We’ve cut the cost of childcare now for more than a million Australian families. In the first 15 months of our Cheaper Childcare laws this has meant that for an average family on about 120 grand a year combined income with one child in early education or care saved them about 2,700 bucks, and that’s real money that’s making a real difference for families right across the country.

And when we were elected two and a half years ago childcare workers were leaving the sector in droves, that’s the truth of it, and we’re now starting to see that turn around. Data that’s been released today shows that vacancy rates in the childcare sector are down 22 per cent, and at Goodstart, where we are today, all of their centres across the country, we’re seeing job applications now jump by 35 per cent, and expressions of interest jump by 50 to 60 per cent. Vacancy rates at Goodstart Centres are down by a massive 28 per cent.

So that’s fantastic news. It shows that when you pay people more, more people want to do the job, and there aren’t many jobs that are more important than the work that our early educators do, getting young people ready for school.

If we win the next election, the next big thing that we need to do is build more centres where they don’t exist at the moment and help to make sure that more young people get the chance that the children we’ve met here today get, help young people who can’t get into early education and care now, either because there’s no centre in their town, or because they can’t get access to the subsidy through no fault of their own.

And that’s why if we win the next election, we’ll set up a $1 billion fund to build more centres in the outer suburbs and in the regions where they don’t exist at the moment, and implement a three day guarantee, to guarantee that every child who needs it will get access to three days a week of government supported early education and care.

Why? To make sure that more children are ready to start school, because the evidence is, that if children spend more time in early education and care in centres like this, they’re more likely to start school ready to learn.

And just while talking about school, last week the Prime Minister announced that South Australia and Victoria have become the fifth and sixth States to sign up to our public school funding and reform agreement, the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement, that’s along with WA, Tassie, ACT, the Northern Territory and of course now South Australia and Victoria.

On the weekend, teachers backed this agreement, on the weekend principals backed this agreement, and now today the Business Council of Australia backed this agreement. This is real funding, to fix the funding of our public schools, and it’s not a blank cheque, it’s tied to real reform; things like phonics checks in Year 1 and numeracy checks in Year 1 to identify children who might already be falling behind, and then using that funding to make sure that children who do fall behind catch up early, because we know that children who catch up early are more likely to go on and finish high school.

So, it’s backed by teachers, backed by principals, backed by the business community. The only people that are against it are Peter Dutton and the Liberal Party, they’re against cutting the cost of childcare for Australian parents, they’re against pay rises for childcare workers, they’re against building more childcare centres where they don’t exist, and they’re against fixing the funding of our public schools and tying that funding to evidence based teaching and real reform to help more young children to catch up, keep up and finish high school.

Happy to take some questions.

JOURNALIST: When do you expect that Queensland and New South Wales will sign on to that school agreement?

CLARE: I won’t give you a date, but negotiations are going well.

JOURNALIST: Fresh polling is showing that it’s really tight. Are your cost-of-living measures cutting through with the voters?

CLARE: We know that Australians are doing it tough, a lot of Australians are doing it tough, that’s why creating a million jobs is really important, that’s why cutting inflation by more than half is really important, that’s why boosting real wages is really important as well.

We’re making progress, there’s more work to do, but the evidence that came out on the weekend shows that if Peter Dutton had been the Prime Minister of Australia for the last 12 months, Australian families would be over $7,000 worse off.

Why? Well, because he was against the tax cuts that delivered a lot of support for Australian families, he’s against cheaper childcare, he’s against cutting the cost of medicine, he’s against lifting real wages, he’s against cutting the cost of people’s energy bills through that $300 rebate, and when you add all that up, it means that Aussie families would be thousands and thousands of dollars, $7,200, worse off under Peter Dutton.

JOURNALIST: On the School Agreement, so New South Wales and Queensland you would assume are trying to get more than 25 per cent. Are you open to that?

CLARE: Don’t assume that. But I’m not going to negotiate through the media. What’s important here is that we fix the funding of our public schools, and we tie that to the sort of reforms that are going to help make sure that more kids that fall behind can catch up and keep up and finish high school.

Private schools, non government schools are funded at the level that David Gonski said they should be at, public schools aren’t, and this agreement is about fixing that, but also tying that to real targets and real reforms.

The current agreement doesn’t do that. There aren’t any real targets, there aren’t any real reforms. I want to make sure that we fix the funding of our schools and tie it to the sort of reforms that we know work. I want this money to get results.

At the moment in public schools, over the course of say, you know, the last eight years or so, we’ve seen the percentage of kids finishing high school drop from 83 per cent to 73 per cent. Just think about that for a second. That’s happening at a time where it’s more important to finish school than it was when we were little.

We’ve got to turn that around if we’re going to make sure that more people get a chance to go to TAFE and university and get the jobs that are being created today. That’s why this funding is important, but that’s why the reforms that it’s linked to are just as important.

JOURNALIST: The States that signed on to it earlier, are they now pushing for 25 per cent as well, and will you grant that?

CLARE: I’ve already spoken to those States, and we will offer to them the same deal, which is we’ll lift our offer from 20 to 25 if they get rid of that 4 per cent which is usually aligned to things like capital depreciation costs. So, we’re having great conversations with states like WA and Tassie.

JOURNALIST: Is there a willingness though to go above 25 per cent for the two states that have paid off, and then does that open up the chance for increased funding for other states?

CLARE: No. That’s why when I answered your previous question, I said don’t assume that the States are asking for more than 25 per cent. What the states have been asking for, for the last 12 months is that we increase our offer from 20 to 25 per cent, and we said, “Yeah, we’ll do that, but we need you to chip in as well”.

It’s always been my view that the Commonwealth’s got to chip in and the states have to chip in as well. That’s why we’re saying to the states, if we can lift our funding from 20 to 25 per cent, let’s get rid of that other 4 per cent, which is used for things like capital depreciation that don’t actually go to real funding for schools at the moment.

JOURNALIST: Is the absolute cap 25?

CLARE: Well, again, I’m not going to go into the details of the conversation, but we’re not talking beyond 25.

JOURNALIST: How exactly are you going to address high rates of absenteeism due to bullying or mental health issues, do you actually have a stepped plan in place for the next school year?

CLARE: Yep. This is a complicated thing. There is absolutely no place for bullying in our schools. That’s why the work that we’re doing in putting together a National Bullying Action Plan with the states is so critical, so important; that’s why getting rid of mobile phones in schools is so important; that’s why the ban on access to social media for young people under the age of 16 is so important as well.

We know fundamentally that children are less likely to be at school if they’re suffering from bullying or they’re suffering from mental health challenges. And young people with mental health challenges, by the time they’re in Year 9 are about a year and a half to two years behind the rest of the class, and less likely to finish school.

And so the sort of things that we want to tie this funding to are early intervention when children are young at primary school to make sure that they keep up and catch up, but also more investment in things like mental health workers and paediatric nursing support in our schools.

That investment in health is not just about health, it has real education outcomes as well.

JOURNALIST: Donald Trump overnight said that sorry, a couple of days ago said that he proposed “cleaning” unquote “cleaning out Gaza and resettling Palestinians”. What is the Government’s response to that?

CLARE: The Government’s position for a very, very long time, I think since December of 2023, has been to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, and we’re glad that that has finally happened. We want to see an end to the killing in the Middle East, we want to see trucks come in with food and with medicine and with aid. We want to see the hostages returned.

JOURNALIST: And what about resettling Palestinians though? What is your response directly to that suggestion that they should be moved to Jordan or Egypt?

CLARE: The position of the Australian Government, which I think is still the position of the Opposition as well is that we believe in a two-state solution, two countries living side by side, two peoples living side by side in two nations where people can live in safety and security without having to go through checkpoints or fear that their lives will be taken from them the next day.

JOURNALIST: Just on that language though, you know, “cleaning out”, do you think that’s triggering language or insensitive language?

CLARE: Repeating my previous answer, we want two peoples able to be live side by side in safety and security.

JOURNALIST: Do you have a set price tag on the number of those professional healthcare workers you want in schools?

CLARE: No, there’s no set number, but this investment in South Australia’s an extra billion dollars over the next 10 years, in Victoria it’s an extra two and a half billion dollars over the next 10 years.

The agreements that we’re striking with the states are all going to be slightly different depending on the needs in those states, but it’s designed to invest in real practical reforms that we know are going to get the results that we need.

Just to add to what we’re talking about here, we’re talking about fixing the funding of our public schools. Now one in 10 children at the moment, when they sit for their NAPLAN tests in third grade, are identified as being below the national average, so one in 10 sorry, below the national minimum standard, so one in 10. But amongst children from poor families, from really disadvantaged backgrounds, it’s one in three, and most of those children go to public schools.

So our public schools are the places that do the real heavy lifting where the challenge is three times as big, and they’re the ones that were underfunded at the moment. We want to fix that funding and tie that funding to help those children to catch up and keep up and finish high school.

JOURNALIST: On that pay rise for early educators, do you know how many centres have used that as an excuse to immediately increase their fees by 4.4 per cent?

CLARE: Here’s the thing, they can’t, because a condition of getting the funding for the pay rise is they can’t increase their fees by more than 4 per cent.

JOURNALIST: Yeah. That’s why I’m asking how many have increased their fees to that 4.4?

CLARE: I suspect that most centres will increase their fees somewhere between zero and up to that 4 per cent over the next 12 months. The key thing is they can’t go beyond that, and that’s a big part of this deal. Number one, we want to make sure that the money goes to the worker, not the centre, and number two, in order to get that funding, they cannot increase their fees by more than 4 per cent.

JOURNALIST: Do you know how many though have hit that cap?

CLARE: It’s too early to give you that number.

JOURNALIST: This billion-dollar strategy for outer suburbs and regional areas, do you have any hotspots, any, you know, regional areas that you’re concerned about that don’t have enough facilities?

CLARE: You can look at data that shows where there are what’s called sometimes “childcare deserts” right across the country. This fund is designed to help to make sure that we build centres where they’re needed most, and in particular, if you look at the Productivity Commission report released last year it talks to this, it’s the outer suburbs, and it’s in Regional Australia.

Just talking to the team at Goodstart here is the only childcare centre in Jerra that provides full service from six week old children right through to four year olds.

JOURNALIST: I did just want to ask you about – there was evidence at a Parliamentary Committee last week about an online meeting of ANU to delete the Nazi salute. The investigation to my understanding is that they found that that wasn’t the case. What else do you think was happening there?

CLARE: I make the general point, whether it’s at ANU or whether it’s at QUT that there is absolutely no place for the poison of antisemitism in our universities or anywhere in this country or anywhere in the world.

There is a commemoration that’s just happened of the 80th Anniversary of the Holocaust and Auschwitz. You know, in the lifetime of our grandparents we’ve all seen the true terror of what antisemitism can wreak and there is no place for it, and that’s why I’ve made it very clear to every university leader in the country that they must enforce their Codes of Conduct, and that includes saying that directly to the Vice Chancellor of QUT.

JOURNALIST: Do you believe though that it was appropriate that an ANU student who went on radio said that terrorist designated organisation, Hamas [indistinct] unconditional support was able to overturn her expulsion on appeal. You’ve just spoken about the poison of antisemitism; we have a growing issue in Australia. Is that an appropriate thing to do?

CLARE: No.

JOURNALIST: Are we any closer to a governance review what’s the latest with the university governance review?

CLARE: Yeah, last week we announced the members of the panel that will be responsible for implementing that review.

JOURNALIST: Are you confident with the members of that panel?

CLARE: I am.

JOURNALIST: And then I might just Ms McBain something if that’s okay.

CLARE: Sure.

JOURNALIST: [Indistinct] would like to see councils auctioning off properties. What do you think of this decision?

McBAIN: Look, every Council has the opportunity to take action when someone doesn’t pay rates for a period of time. My understanding, and it was a unanimous decision of Queanbeyan-Palerang Council to take this route, is that these rates have been unpaid for more than five years. A lot of those properties that attempted to make contact by door knocking them, letter boxing them, serving them, there’s been no contact made with any of those individuals for a variety of reasons. It is an avenue open to them, but as I said, it’s a unanimous decision of Queanbeyan-Palerang Council to take this action, which I’m sure that hasn’t been done lightly either.

JOURNALIST: Are you concerned about the financial stability of councils if they are having to resort to methods like this just to try and stay out of debt?

McBAIN: Look, I think when you look at it, it’s about a million dollars in unpaid rates that they are going to attempt to recruit through auction. I don’t think this goes anywhere near dealing with some of the ongoing issues that councils have, but what we’ve done since we’ve been in government, you know, there’s been more collaboration with local councils than in any time before that.

I’ve personally met with over 250 councils either in their communities or in Canberra or at a Local Government Association conference. We have doubled Roads to Recovery funding and that means regional councils across the country have now more money than ever before to deal with road issues.

Across Eden Monaro that’s $26.3 million extra for our local councils resulting in over $65 million for roads alone. We’ve increased road black spot funding, we’ve created the new safer local road and infrastructure program, $200 million a year, you know, we’ve been really putting our shoulder to the wheel making a difference for local councils, and just last week I was able to announce $27.2 million for Marulan Sewer Treatment Plant, you know, which is something that Council had called from but hadn’t been supported in getting.

So, the Albanese Government takes seriously the priorities of local councils and local communities and we’ve been delivering for all of them.

JOURNALIST: Thank you.

MIL OSI News –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The UK is deeply alarmed by the events in Goma: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The UK is deeply alarmed by the events that have unfolded in eastern DRC.

Since we met on Sunday, M23, with support from the Rwandan Defence Forces, have closed in on Goma. M23 have declared that it is now under their control.

The humanitarian impacts are dire. The advances have displaced close to one million people in North and South Kivu. Civilian casualties are rising.

Hundreds of thousands of people who have already fled from M23’s advances, many of them several times before, are now on the move again, with virtually nowhere safe to go.

How many times must they pack up their lives and flee? The cycle must end.

The UK is also deeply concerned by the limited ability of humanitarian actors to get help to those who need it.

Key humanitarian routes – land, water and air – are closed and hospitals are overcrowded, with staff risking their own lives to provide emergency assistance.

More than 800,000 people in the area who were prioritised for support may no longer receive vital food and nutritional assistance.

We call on the parties not to obstruct the vital services that humanitarians are providing, and to cease hostilities and uphold the protection of humanitarian workers, as required in international humanitarian law.

We also urge all parties to consider essential humanitarian corridors to allow the resupply and delivery of essential life-saving items and the freedom and safe movement of civilians and humanitarian actors.

President, the UK is deeply concerned by the continued endangering of peacekeepers’ lives.

On Sunday I expressed my condolences to the families of the thirteen who have already been killed. Since then, four more peacekeepers have tragically been killed. We urge an immediate end to this violence.

We commend the leadership of MONUSCO and your courage under fire, and we thank you for their vital work.

Finally, President, the UK’s Foreign Secretary and Minister for Africa have spoken with Rwanda at the highest levels, as well as with wider partners in the region.

And we have made clear that there can be no military solution.

We urge all parties to cease hostilities and return to diplomatic talks immediately without preconditions.

We remain committed to ensuring this Council takes the necessary action to support an end to this conflict.

Updates to this page

Published 28 January 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: New Permanent Representative of Nauru Presents Credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva

Source: United Nations – Geneva

Frederick W. Pitcher, the new Permanent Representative of Nauru to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented his credentials to Tatiana Valovaya, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Prior to his appointment to Geneva, Mr. Pitcher had been serving as the Chief Executive Officer for the Nauru Maritime and Port Authority and the Nauru Shipping Line since 2023.

He was a member of Parliament from 2004 to 2013, served as Nauru’s Minister for Commerce, Industry and Environment from 2004 to 2010, and was elected briefly as President in 2011. Prior, Mr. Pitcher held the position of Nauru’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York from 2000 to 2004.

Mr. Pitcher began his career in Nauru’s Public Service in 1993, where he held several positions, including as the Director of the Bureau of Statistics (1993-1995); Private Secretary to the President (1995-1996); and Secretary for Finance (1996–1997).

Since 2013, he had been working mainly in the private sector.

Mr. Pitcher obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Management and Business Administration from the Edinburgh School of Management in Scotland (1997-2000); a Graduate Certificate and United Nations Fellowship in Statistical Analysis from the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific, in Tokyo, (1992-1993); and a Bachelor of Arts in Pacific Studies from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia (1988-1991), among other professional certificates. He was born on Nauru in February 1967 and is married with three adult children.

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CR.12.048E

Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the information media; not an official record.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Treasurer to hold key meetings in United States and United Kingdom

Source: New South Wales Government 2

Headline: Treasurer to hold key meetings in United States and United Kingdom

Published: 28 January 2025

Statement by: Treasurer

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey will travel to the United States and United Kingdom holding key meetings to ensure NSW keeps borrowing rates low and to explore investment opportunities for the state.

During a nine-day trip beginning today, Treasurer Mookhey will visit Washington, New York and London, accompanied by TCorp’s Chief Executive Officer David Deverall.

Treasurer Mookhey will hold events with a range of bond holders, fund managers and investors including JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, Nasdaq, the Bank of England and Capital Group, as well as meetings with ratings agencies.

The NSW Treasurer will also meet leaders including Australia’s Ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd, Australian Consul-General in New York Ms Heather Ridout AO and will attend an industry event with former NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.

This is Treasurer Mookhey’s first international trip since taking office.

MIL OSI News –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City’s iconic Grade I listed building planning to open later this year

Source: City of Norwich

Published on Tuesday, 28th January 2025

Councillors are set to approve new investment in The Halls as part of its on-going and extensive refurbishment programme at a cabinet meeting next month.

The Halls, a medieval friary complex dating back to the 14th century, have been undergoing extensive refurbishment and improvement works, however, a recent survey to Blackfriars Hall roof has identified further repairs and investment to ensure its longevity.

It means The Halls are likely to open later this year.

Councillor Claire Kidman, cabinet member for a Prosperous Norwich, said: “We were on target to reopen the beautifully restored building within the next couple of months. But after discovering some pretty major repair work that needed to be done to Blackfriars roof, it means that will now come a bit later in the year. So, we will build that into our new programme of work as we need to make sure we get this right and ensure The Halls are properly restored to their former glory and rightful place as one of Norwich and England’s medieval gems.”

The survey revealed that works carried out to the roof approximately 80 to 100 years ago had caused a build of moisture in the timber structure due to a plastic sheeting installed at the time.

It means councillors will be asked to approve repairs and upgrades to the cornices, rafters and bosses in the roof, and some electrical upgrades of around £900,000, from the council’s capital fund to make The Halls fit for public use. In addition to the repairs councillors will be asked to approve a tender exercise, to consider an outside organisation to take over the day-to-day operations of The Halls.

Cllr Kidman added: “Once open, the newly refurbished Halls will be one of the most iconic venues in East England and further bolster the city’s status as one Europe’s most go-to historic and cultural destinations.”

Councillors will discuss the reports at the cabinet meeting on 5 February.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art is now charging for entry. It’s a sign our cultural sector needs help

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chiara O’Reilly, Senior Lecturer in Museum Studies, University of Sydney

From January 31, Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) will reintroduce ticketed entry, charging adults $20 for general admission and $35 for combined special exhibitions and museum entry. Entry will remain free for Australian students and people under 18.

This decision, which reverses 24 years of free general entry to the museum, reflects broader challenges faced by museums globally.

Driven by philanthropy

The MCA was opened in 1991, established through the bequest of Australian expatriate artist John Power. As an independent, not-for-profit organisation, its administrative and financial structure is different from major cultural institutions in Sydney.

Unlike the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Australian Museum, which are statutory bodies of the NSW government, the MCA receives a far smaller proportion of state funding.

For 2023-2024, the NSW government delivered A$46.2 million in recurrent funding to the Art Gallery of NSW and $47.4 million to the Australian Museum. The MCA received $4.2 million, which represented just 16% of its total revenue.

This funding disparity has always required the MCA to secure the bulk of its budget through other revenue streams. Corporate and philanthropic partnerships have been vital.

In 2000, financial support from Telstra allowed the museum to offer free admission. In 2012, philanthropists including Simon and Catriona Mordant contributed greatly to fund the museum’s expansion.

The MCA has also been proactive in leveraging its venue to maximise income. In 2023, 41% of revenue was earned through commercial services including venue hire, retail and commercial leases.

Why there’s no more free entry

Despite reducing its opening hours to six days a week post-COVID and scaling back audience engagement, the MCA’s financial pressures continued. According to director Suzanne Cotter, the museum “didn’t have any choice” but to implement an admission fee.

While ticketed admission creates a financial barrier, it also provides visitors a way to invest directly in the museum’s future and sustainability.

The MCA has consistently demonstrated its value, generating impressive visitor numbers. In 2019, attendance surpassed one million visitors, setting the museum ahead of many international peers.

But the effects of the COVID pandemic have lingered. In 2022-23, the museum attracted 859,386 visitors – a 15% decline compared to 2019.

In comparison, the Art Gallery of NSW welcomed almost two million visitors to its expanded campus in 2023, representing a 51% increase from pre-COVID figures.

The MCA isn’t struggling alone

Internationally, there are clear signs of an industry under immense pressure.

Major US institutions such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Guggenheim and Whitney have all increased general adult admission fees to US$30.

The Met’s shift away from a pay-what-you-can model to fixed admission for most visitors in 2018 was driven by speculation of a US$40 million deficit. However, New York state residents and students, as well as New Jersey and Connecticut students, can still pay what they wish – even as little as one cent.

Similarly, at the Whitney, a US$2 million donation last year by Trustee and artist Julie Mehretu has helped enable free entry for under-25s.

These examples show how paying visitors can support a museum’s sustainability while preserving subsidised access for priority groups.

Across Europe, major museums including the Louvre and Uffizi are also increasing prices, though many retain periodic free days to ensure accessibility.

In the UK, smaller regional museums are resorting to admission charges for the first time in their histories.

Meanwhile, commentators such as cultural historian Ben Lewis argue major institutions such as the British Museum should start charging general admission fees to supplement stagnant government funding and decrease dependence on potentially unethical corporate donors.

This would allow the museums to pay competitive wages and fund essential work, Lewis argues.

Lewis’s concerns about corporate donations accord with debates taking place internationally and in Australia around the role of big oil, mining and pharmaceutical companies that use the arts to “greenwash” their public brand.

Can accessiblity be prioritised in Australia?

The MCA’s situation, which reflects international trends, raises questions about arts funding and access.

Both the NSW and federal governments’ arts policies recognise the value of providing access to the arts. As the NSW government’s Creative Communities policy notes, “the right to participate in arts, cultural and creative activities is a fundamental human right.”

The MCA excelled in this regard under its free admission policy, attracting a diverse audience that other museums often struggled to reach. In 2023, about half of the museums on-site visitors were under 35, and 45% were from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The NSW government’s policy – along with its national counterpart Revive – also emphasises the importance of telling Australian stories. This is another area the MCA has excelled in.

The question then is: if the state and federal governments value equitable access to the arts and appreciates the platforming of Australian stories, will they commit to a more sustainable funding arrangement for organisations like the MCA?

Without such a commitment, the gap between those who can afford to attend museums and those who can’t will continue to widen – compromising the democratic ideal of an accessible cultural sector.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art is now charging for entry. It’s a sign our cultural sector needs help – https://theconversation.com/sydneys-museum-of-contemporary-art-is-now-charging-for-entry-its-a-sign-our-cultural-sector-needs-help-247458

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 29, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: As the Black Summer megafires neared, people rallied to save wildlife and domestic animals. But it came at a real cost

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Celermajer, Professor of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Sydney

As the 2019-2020 megafires took hold across eastern Australia, many of us reeled at the sight of animals trying and often failing to flee. Our screens filled up with images of koalas with burned paws and possums in firefighter helmets.

The death toll was staggering, estimated at up to three billion wild animals killed or displaced. Millions more were severely injured. Tens of thousands of domesticated animals were killed or had to be euthanised.

In fighting these fires, authorities focused almost entirely on protecting human lives and property, other than targeted rescue efforts for the last remaining wild stand of Wollemi pine. The role of rescuing and caring for domesticated and wild animals fell almost entirely to community groups and individual carers, who stepped up to fill the gap at significant cost to themselves – financially, emotionally and sometimes even at a risk to their safety.

Our new research draws on more than 60 interviews with wildlife carers and groups in the Shoalhaven region south of Wollongong in New South Wales. These people spontaneously organised themselves to care for thousands of domesticated, farm and wild animals, from evacuating them from fire zones to giving them shelter, food, water and healthcare.

The lengths our interviewees went to were extraordinary. But these rescue efforts were largely invisible to authorities – and, as our interviewees told us, sometimes even condemned as irresponsible.

What did our interviews tell us?

The standard view in Australia is that only humans matter in the face of bushfires. But the way affected communities reached out to save as many animals as they could shows many people think we ought to be acting differently.

One interviewee told about screaming for “her babies” as Rural Fire Service firefighters evacuated her. In response, the firies searched the house for human babies to no avail. When they found out she meant her wombat joeys, they laughed in relief. But to our interviewee, the joeys were like her babies. The joeys were safe inside her house.

People cared for a wide range of species, from horses, chickens, bees and cows to native birds, possums, wombats and wallabies. Despite this, we found common themes.

Many people felt the system had let them down when it came to protecting animals. This is why many of them felt they had to take matters into their own hands to ensure that animals survived.

As one interviewee told us:

one thing that you have to realise, is people’s animals are their children, and they are their life. If you let someone think that their animal isn’t safe, they will put themselves in danger to try and get to that animal or save that animal […] That’s one thing the firies — you know, if they’re not an animal compassionate person, they don’t get that.

While some guidance on disaster preparation talks about how to protect pets such as cats and dogs, wildlife carers, farmers and horse owners often found themselves facing incoming fires with little or no information or support.

People also told us about a lack of information on how to care for different types of animals during disasters. Information was often nonexistent or hard to locate, making decision-making during the crisis very difficult.

As one farmer told us:

there’s not any information on realistically what you do with your animals in a case of […] a massive disaster. I mean, it’s like someone said about cutting the fences. But now you’ve got stocking cattle running through the bush and they don’t know where the fire’s going to turn or what’s going to happen.

The needs of animals differ significantly. It’s harder to find shelter for a horse than a smaller animal, for instance. Wildlife being cared for already need assistance, due to being orphaned, injured or ill. It’s harder to evacuate injured animals or joeys who need regular feeding than it is to evacuate healthy adult animals.

Our interviewees reported price spikes for transport, food, temporary fencing and medicines during the 2019-2020 emergency season. Caring for animals always comes with costs, but the cost burden intensified over the Black Summer and afterwards.

Caring for animals came with another cost too, to mental health. Many of our interviewees told us they still felt traumatised, even though our interviews were two or three years after the fires.

As one interviewee told us:

the people at Lake Conjola […] said it was like an apocalypse. They said there was dead birds dropping out of the sky. Kangaroos would come hopping out of the bush on fire […] I know it really heavily affected most people on the beach, the horrific things that they saw.

Despite facing a lack of formal support and with limited information, people organised themselves very quickly into networks to share access to safe land, transport, food, labour and information. Dedicated people set up social media groups to allocate tasks, call for help and so on. This unsung animal rescue effort was almost entirely driven by volunteers.

What should we do before the next megafires?

Australia will inevitably be hit by more megafires, as climate change brings more hot, dry fire weather and humidity falls over land.

What would it mean to include animals in our planning? To start with, more and better information for wildlife carers, farmers, pet owners and the wider community. It would mean directing more funds to animal care, both during and after disasters, and including animal care in local, state and federal disaster planning. It would mean improving communication networks so people know where to go.

To this end, we developed a new guide for communities wanting to be better prepared to help animals in the next disaster. We prototyped an app designed to help communities organise themselves in order to help animals during disasters.

The scale of the Black Summer fires found governments and communities largely
unprepared. But we are now in a position to learn from what happened.

As authorities prepare for the next fires, they should broaden how they think about disaster preparation. Our research suggests disaster planning needs to take place at a community level, rather than a focus on individual households. And vitally, authorities need to think of communities as made up of both humans and animals, rather than just humans.

This research project was funded by the Australian government via a Bushfire Recovery Grant from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. It was conducted in partnership with the Shoalhaven City Council. This article was prepared solely by the University of Sydney research team and reflects our research and analysis only.

This research project was funded by the Australian government via a Bushfire Recovery Grant from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. It was conducted in partnership with the Shoalhaven City Council.

– ref. As the Black Summer megafires neared, people rallied to save wildlife and domestic animals. But it came at a real cost – https://theconversation.com/as-the-black-summer-megafires-neared-people-rallied-to-save-wildlife-and-domestic-animals-but-it-came-at-a-real-cost-248432

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 29, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: What’s in the supplements that claim to help you cut down on bathroom breaks? And do they work?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Macquarie University

Christian Moro/Shutterstock

With one in four Australian adults experiencing problems with incontinence, some people look to supplements for relief.

With ingredients such as pumpkin seed oil and soybean extract, a range of products promise relief from frequent bathroom trips.

But do they really work? Let’s sift through the claims and see what the science says about their efficacy.

What is incontinence?

Incontinence is the involuntary loss of bladder or bowel control, leading to the unintentional leakage of urine or faeces. It can range from occasional minor leaks to a complete inability to control urination and defecation.

This condition can significantly impact daily activities and quality of life, and affects women more often than it affects men.

Some people don’t experience bladder leakage but can sometimes feel an urgent need to go to the bathroom. This is known as overactive bladder syndrome, and occurs when the muscles around the bladder tighten on their own, which greatly reduces its capacity. The result is the person feels the need to go to the bathroom much more frequently.

There are many potential causes of incontinence and overactive bladders, including menopause, pregnancy and child birth, urinary tract infections, pelvic floor disorders, and an enlarged prostate. Conditions such as diabetes, neurological disorders and certain medications (such as diuretics, sleeping pills, antidepressants and blood-pressure drugs) can also contribute.

While pelvic muscle rehabilitation and behavioural techniques for bladder retraining can be helpful, some people are interested in pharmaceutical solutions.

What’s in these products?

A number of supplements are available in Australia that include ingredients used in traditional medicine for urinary incontinence and overactive bladders. The three most common ingredients are:
- Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin seed extract)
- glycine max (soybean extract)
- an extract from the bark of the Crateva magna or nurvala (Varuna) tree.
The supplements have common ingredients.
Author

How are they supposed to work?

Pumpkin seeds are rich in plant sterols that are thought to reduce the testosterone-related enlargement of the prostate, as well as having broader anti-inflammatory effects. The seed extracts can also contain oleic acid, which may help increase bladder capacity by relaxing the muscles around the organ.

Soybean extracts are rich in isoflavones, especially daidzen and genistein. Like olieic acid, these are thought to act on the muscles around the bladder. Because isoflavones are similar in structure to the female hormone oestrogen, soy extracts may be most beneficial for postmenopausal women who have overactive bladders.

Crateva extract is rich in lupeol- and sterol-based chemicals which have strong anti-inflammatory effects. This has benefits not just for enlarged prostates but possibly also for reducing urinary tract infections.

Do they actually work?

It’s important to note that the government has only approved these types of supplements as “listed medicines”. This means the ingredients have only been assessed for safety. The companies behind the products have not had to provide evidence they actually work.

A 2014 clinical trial examined a combined pumpkin seed and soybean extract called cucurflavone on people with overactive bladders. The 120 participants received either a placebo or a daily 1,000mg dose of the herbal mixture over a period of 12 weeks.

By the end of study, those in the cucurflavone group went to the bathroom around three fewer times per day, compared with people in the control group, who only went to the bathroom on average one fewer time each day.

In a different trial, researchers examined a combination of Crateva bark extract with herbal extracts of horsetail and Japanese evergreen spicebush, called Urox.

For the 150 participants, the Urox formulation helped participants go to the bathroom less frequently when compared with placebo treatment.

After eight weeks of treatment, participants in the placebo group were going to the bathroom to urinate 11 times per day. Those in the Urox group were only going around to 7.5 times per day. And those who took Urox also needed to go to the bathroom one fewer time during the night.

Finally, another study also examined a Creteva, horsetail and Japanese spicebush combination, but this time in children. They were given either a 420mg dose of the supplement or a placebo, and then monitored for how many times they wet the bed.

After two months of taking the supplement, slightly more than 40% of the 24 kids in the supplement group wet the bed less often.

While these results may look promising, there are considerable limitations to the studies which means the data may not be reliable. For example, the trials didn’t include enough participants to have reliable data. To conclusively provide efficacy, final-stage clinical trials require data for between 300 and 3,000 patients.

From the studies, it is also not clear whether some participants were also taking other medicines as well as the supplement. This is important, as medications can interfere with how the supplements work, potentially making them less or more effective.

What if you want to take them?

If you have incontinence or an overactive bladder, you should always discuss this with your doctor, as it may due to a serious or treatable underlying condition.

Otherwise, your GP may give you strategies or exercises to improve your bladder control, prescribe medications or devices, or refer you to a specialist.

If you do decide to take a supplement, discuss this with your doctor and local pharmacist so they can check that any product you choose will not interfere with any other medications you may be taking.

Nial Wheate in the past has received funding from the ACT Cancer Council, Tenovus Scotland, Medical Research Scotland, Scottish Crucible, and the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance. He is a fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, a member of the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Nial is the chief scientific officer of Vaihea Skincare LLC, a director of SetDose Pty Ltd (a medical device company) and was previously a Standards Australia panel member for sunscreen agents. Nial regularly consults to industry on issues to do with medicine risk assessments, manufacturing, design, and testing.

– ref. What’s in the supplements that claim to help you cut down on bathroom breaks? And do they work? – https://theconversation.com/whats-in-the-supplements-that-claim-to-help-you-cut-down-on-bathroom-breaks-and-do-they-work-245755
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Tribute to Emrys Roberts

Source: Party of Wales

Emrys Roberts was extremely influential on Welsh politics for three decades. His contribution to the Party was exceptional from the 60s, when he was an energetic General Secretary, and as the Party’s candidate in the Merthyr by-election in 1972.

His greatest electoral achievement was leading the Party to control a local council for the first time – in Merthyr in 1976. He was a great influence on a generation of nationalists, and there is a very warm memory of him in Plaid Cymru.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: REACTION: Westminster WASPI compensation vote

Source: Scottish Greens

28 Jan 2025 Equality

WASPI women deserve justice.

More in Equality

The House of Commons has voted in favour of WASPI compensation by 105 votes to zero, with MPs from the Tories and Labour government refusing to vote.

Reacting to the news, Scottish Greens Social Justice spokesperson Maggie Chapman said:

“This is great news. I am delighted that MPs have joined the Scottish Parliament in calling on the Labour government to properly compensate the WASPI women who have been so unfairly treated by our political system.

“The fact that Labour and the Tories even failed to turn up and vote shows exactly what is wrong with Westminster’s ruling elite. We need radical change to put people and planet first: the same old and tired rhetoric from Starmer won’t cut it.

“It’s clear that the consensus in Holyrood and Westminster is clear: Labour must pay up for the mistreatment of the WASPI women.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New approaches to eradicating child poverty

Source: Scottish Government

Wrap-around support delivering improved outcomes for families.

Lessons learned from innovative work with families in Inverclyde are helping deliver new approaches to eradicating child poverty.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville will visit Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde in Greenock tomorrow (Wednesday 29^th January) to see work funded under the Scottish Government’s Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund, which is helping to reshape services locally and elsewhere in Scotland.

The Social Justice Secretary will meet staff at the project as well as parents who have benefited from the work which focuses on providing early intervention to support families, particularly those with children under five and those affected by poor mental health.

Learning from the project is supporting Inverclyde’s Fairer Futures Partnership, which is supporting local services to test and improve how they deliver services to promote family wellbeing, maximise incomes and support people towards education and into sustained employment.

Ms Somerville said:

“Eradicating child poverty is the Scottish Government’s top priority and a national mission. 

“I’m keen to hear more about how whole family, person-centred support is being developed in Inverclyde through the Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund and the Fairer Futures Partnership.

“Through close partnership between Home-Start and Inverclyde Council, this project provides holistic support so that families can maximise their household incomes, and parents can improve their employment prospects through upskilling and volunteering. Putting this kind of vital support in place means that we don’t just help families in a crisis but enable them to thrive in the longer term.

“The Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund was set up to support local areas to test new ideas and innovate to improve local approaches to eradicating child poverty. I’m pleased to have the opportunity to learn more about how this funding is informing Inverclyde’s overall approach to supporting families out of poverty.”

Background:

The Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund supports local areas to test innovative approaches to eradicating child poverty, including testing new approaches to a known problem, adapting an approach from elsewhere to work in a new area, and evaluating promising approaches.

Fairer Futures Partnerships in Clackmannanshire, Dundee and Glasgow are working to ensure families get the help they need, where and when they need it. Building on these successful partnerships the programme is expanding into Aberdeen City, East Ayrshire, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire and Perth & Kinross Councils.

The Scottish Government made over £2 million available in financial year [2024/25] to these eight local authorities and their partners to deliver the programmes. 

The budget for the Partnerships has been increased budget to £6 million for next financial year [2025/26]. £2.4 million of this will be made available to the eight existing partnerships to continue the work underway, as well as exploring opportunities to expand.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: What the looming federal election could mean for the Bank of Canada’s independence

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Andrew Allison, Philosophy PhD Student, University of Calgary

The independence of central banks from the democratic process has been a bedrock of economic policy for decades. The Bank of Canada is no exception, maintaining distance from elected officials to ensure monetary policy is free from political pressures.

However, a clear division between central bank and government could be tested with Mark Carney, former governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England who’s running for leadership of the Liberal Party and, in turn, the role of prime minister.

Read more:
Mark Carney might have the edge as potential Liberal leader, but still faces major obstacles

His bid raises concerns about how central bank independence might be perceived under a Carney-led government. Could his tenure as a central banker result in the Bank of Canada’s independence being clawed back? After all, he has demonstrated his ability to manage monetary policy at the highest levels.

The answer, if we want to preserve the economic benefits of central bank independence, is clear: the Bank of Canada’s independence must be preserved. And Carney, who has championed the importance of politically neutral monetary policy, would likely agree.

Incentives, not ignorance

The idea that central banks should operate independently of the democratic process is a widely held view among economists and central bankers. This is largely because there is an extremely low likelihood of elected officials committing to implement monetary policy that produces low inflation and stable prices.

If elected officials controlled monetary policy, incumbent governments would be tempted to “juice” the economy with “loose money” by reducing the interest rates right before elections.

In the short run, this would reduce unemployment, raise wages and potentially boost the chances of incumbent governments being re-elected. But, in the long run, citizens would pay the price in the form of inflation.

With repeated political interference, market entities would no longer react to injections of loose-money by investing in capital and labour and low interest rates would no longer produce the desired short-term benefits of more jobs and higher wages. But inflation would still persist. As economist Garrett Jones puts it, it would be “all hangover, no buzz.”

Empirical evidence bears this out. Central banks that with greater independence tend to have more price stability and less inflation.

This is why governments delegate monetary policy to independent central banks. Central bankers are able to implement monetary policy without the temptation to manipulate the economy for electoral gain.

It’s worth noting that the need for central bank independence is not exclusively due to politicians’ ignorance about managing monetary policy. Rather, it’s because the electoral incentives they face prevents them from being trusted to pull the levers of monetary power effectively.

This principle applies even to someone like Carney. If he were to become prime minister, he would face the same incentives as all other incumbent governments. Despite his expertise, he would still need independent central bankers to ensure monetary policy remains insulated from the political cycle.

Central bank independence in Canada

Central bank independence is not a binary, but exists on a spectrum. When studying the effects of independence, central banks are usually scored on a number of indicators, including whether central bankers can be fired by elected officials, how long central bankers’ terms are, and the extent to which they can be instructed by democratically elected bodies.

Widespread support for central bank independence among economists only began in the mid-1980s. Prior to that, central banks often gained their independence due to political and legal circumstances, rather then a deliberate attempt to adhere to a principle of independence. Both the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Canada have this in common.

The independence of the Bank of Canada had a tumultuous 25 years after its establishment in 1935. When pressed, finance ministers could not answer whether they or the Bank of Canada were ultimately responsible for the country’s monetary policy, often giving conflicting answers.

It would not be until 1961 that this uncertainty would come to a head during the Coyne Affair. Prime Minister John Diefenbaker wanted James Coyne, governor of the Bank of Canada at the time, fired for embarrassing his government and taking a hefty pension. The House of Commons passed a one-line bill that fired Coyne, but the Senate refused to pass it. Coyne resigned the next day.

After the Coyne Affair, central bank independence grew into the de facto status quo. In 1985, the Bank of Canada Act was passed, setting some limits on the power of the governor and their responsibility to the finance minister. As a result, Canada’s central bank independence falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum compared to other wealthy, western nations.

Carney on central bank independence

In 2022, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre threatened to fire the governor of the Bank of Canada, Tiff Macklem, if he became prime minister.

While the Bank of Canada Act does permit this through a formal procedure, setting the precedent that cabinets can and will fire governors could undermine central bank independence. It would risk making central bankers more beholden to the political aims of incumbent governments and more likely to produce inflationary monetary policy.

Compared to Poilievre, Carney is the conservative choice, likely aiming to maintain the status quo by leaving central bankers alone. During and after his time as a central banker, Carney has favoured central bank independence. And, as it stands, it doesn’t appear that he’s changed his mind now that he’s running for Liberal leader.

So, what would a Carney government mean for the Bank of Canada’s independence? Likely, not much — and from a monetary economic perspective, that’s a good thing. Preserving the status quo would ensure the Bank of Canada remains insulated from political interference, allowing it to focus on long-term price stability.

Andrew Allison receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

– ref. What the looming federal election could mean for the Bank of Canada’s independence – https://theconversation.com/what-the-looming-federal-election-could-mean-for-the-bank-of-canadas-independence-247886

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Omagh bombing: why a public inquiry is being held more than 25 years after the atrocity

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Peter John McLoughlin, Lecturer in Politics, Queen’s University Belfast

The 1998 Good Friday agreement is commonly seen to have ended what were euphemistically termed “the Troubles” in Northern Ireland. However, just four months after the peace accord was signed, an attack on the town of Omagh resulted in the greatest loss of life in any single incident of the conflict.

The bombing, on August 15 1998, killed 29 people and injured an estimated 220 more. Among those who lost their lives were nine children and a woman who was pregnant with twins.

A group called “the Real IRA” claimed responsibility for the atrocity. It was one of the so-called “dissident” republican factions which broke away from the mainstream IRA after its political wing, Sinn Féin, turned toward peaceful politics. The Real IRA’s assault on Omagh was clearly intended to derail the Northern Ireland peace process and destroy the Good Friday agreement.

It could be argued, however, that the bombing had the opposite effect. The atrocity encouraged Northern Ireland’s politicians to come together and redouble their commitment to the peace process.

Public outcry over the attack also forced the Real IRA to announce a ceasefire. It later returned to violence, but widespread revulsion against the Omagh atrocity would undermine the support base that any dissident republican faction might draw upon.

Political representatives of the Real IRA and other such groups have never been able to mobilise electoral support in the way that Sinn Féin was able to, in spite of its association with the IRA.

The Omagh bombing also aided the ability of Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams and others to steer mainstream republicans towards purely peaceful politics. The atrocity had shown the utter futility of violence.

Adams’ condemnation of the attack provoked accusations of hypocrisy as he had previously defended IRA violence. Nonetheless, Adams continued to lead republicanism in ways that would cement its commitment to peaceful methods.

The indiscriminate nature of the Omagh attack also helps explain the galvanising effect that it had on the peace process. People from both sides of the communal divide in Northern Ireland were killed, and from both sides of the Irish border. Two Spanish tourists also died visiting a region which the Good Friday agreement seemed to have made safe.

The visit of Bill Clinton a month after the attack also brought global attention to Omagh. The US president had first visited Northern Ireland following the paramilitary ceasefires of 1994, receiving a rapturous reception when he turned on the Christmas lights in Belfast.

But his return was as sombre as his first visit had been joyous. Despite this, the obvious sincerity of Clinton’s words and actions in Omagh would encourage the people and politicians of Northern Ireland to continue their efforts to build a peaceful society.

Bill and Hillary Clinton visit the site of the Omagh bombing with Tony and Cheri Blair.
Clinton Digital Library

Unanswered questions

More than 25 years on from the attack, they have largely succeeded in this endeavour. However, serious questions remain about the Omagh atrocity. Authorities in both parts of Ireland have been criticised for their response.

In Northern Ireland, a former policing watchdog has argued that the security services failed to properly act on intelligence that might have prevented the attack.

In the Irish Republic, where the bomb was constructed, the only person that was ever jailed over the attack would later see his conviction overturned. The latter ruling was also seen to result from the mishandling of evidence, this time by the Irish police.

This explains why survivors and families of those killed and injured in the Omagh bombing have fought long and hard for an independent investigation into the attack. Neither the British nor the Irish government seemed eager to allow this, but legal action by members of the Omagh families led to a ruling by Belfast’s High Court in July 2021 which found it plausible that the attack might have been prevented by security services. This bolstered support for a public inquiry.

Finally, in February 2023, the British government acceded and Lord Turnbull, a senior Scottish judge, was appointed to chair the investigation. The Irish government has not followed suit, but has committed to supporting the British inquiry.

The inquiry officially opened in July of last year, but is only now beginning in earnest with a period of commemorative and personal statement hearings.

Over four weeks, it will receive testimony from people who were injured, those who responded to the attack, or who were simply witnesses to the atrocity and its aftermath. Each submission will be read by Turnbull, and he has said that they will “inform the direction and approach of the Inquiry”.

The inquiry begins

There has, however, been some controversy regarding contributions to the investigation, and specifically that of a former British Army agent who infiltrated republican paramilitaries. This operative took legal action after being refused key status at the inquiry, a role which would have entitled him to make opening and closing statements, and to propose lines of questioning.

He was instead granted witness status, and the inquiry will naturally be expected to examine evidence relating to information passed on to the police in the time leading up to the bombing.

As a result, Turnbull has sought to assure those who might doubt the value of the investigation: “My inquiry may be the final opportunity to get to the truth of whether the bombing could have been prevented by the UK state.”

Survivors and victims’ families will surely hope that this is the last time that that they will have to relive their trauma, and that the end result will indeed establish the truth as to what exactly the authorities knew about the Omagh attack. Then, the families may finally experience some closure, and be able to move on from what remains the deadliest attack in Northern Ireland’s history

Peter John McLoughlin has received funding in the past from the AHRC, Leverhulme Trust, the Irish Research Council, and the Fulbright Commission. He is a member of Greenpeace.

– ref. Omagh bombing: why a public inquiry is being held more than 25 years after the atrocity – https://theconversation.com/omagh-bombing-why-a-public-inquiry-is-being-held-more-than-25-years-after-the-atrocity-248192

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Charges to be introduced at on-street parking bays in St Albans and Harpenden, and a brand new Access Pass for older residents using the Council’s car parks
Source: St Albans City and District

Publication date: 28 Jan 2025

Charges are to be introduced at some limited waiting on-street parking bays in St Albans and Harpenden following an extensive public consultation.

St Albans City and District Council’s original proposals have been modified in response to feedback from residents, Councillors, businesses and community groups.

One aim of the proposals is to encourage active travel, such as cycling and walking, where possible, rather than car use, to improve the local environment.

Another aim is to ensure a greater turnover of premium parking places and improve enforcement by enabling new methods such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition.

Four new disabled bays are also being created to provide improved parking facilities for motorists with Blue Badges in Harpenden’s town centre.

The charges will affect an additional 243 bays in Harpenden and an additional 70 in St Albans, and are due to come into effect on Monday 17 February.

Motorists will have several payment options, including contactless via pay and display machines with new equipment to be installed at key locations, the mobile phone app PayByPhone and, soon after implementation, by cash or chip and pin at PayPoint outlets.

The decision to introduce charges required a Traffic Regulation Order authorised by the Council’s Strategic Director for Community and Place Delivery in consultation with Councillor Helen Campbell, Lead for Parking.

Cllr Campbell said:

I fully understand that some people will be disappointed at being charged for a service that they have been getting for free.

In making the decision, we analysed the responses to the consultations and engaged with stakeholders such as ward Councillors and Harpenden Town Council.

We listened to the feedback and we made some significant changes as a result, such as changing the start of the controlled hours to 9am in Harpenden to help parents dropping off for school, and meeting requests for a longer free period of 30 mins. In addition, we will also be improving access to Harpenden town centre for Blue Badge holders.

Cllr Campbell added:

The charges are benchmarked against other local authorities, with many towns of a similar size to Harpenden having long had charges for on-street bays. As with other parking charges, we will monitor the impact of the changes and review if necessary.

The charges will:
- Apply from 9am to 6pm in Harpenden and, reflecting local conditions, 8.30am to 6.30pm in St Albans, both Monday to Saturday, with no charge outside these hours.
- Allow for a 30-minutes free period once a day.
- Be £1.25 for 30 minutes, so the charge for a one-hour stay will be £1.25 while the two-hour cost will be £3.75, both including the free period.
- Cover a maximum stay of two hours with no return for two hours.
Charges will not be considered at bays in York Road, St Albans, as originally proposed, until a wider review of parking in the area takes place.

Five limited waiting bays in Leyton Green, Harpenden, will be converted into resident parking bays for the benefit of local households.

Revenue from charges will go towards the Council’s on-street car parking services budget, which is currently running at a deficit, and towards greater levels of parking enforcement.

Cllr Campbell added:

The Secretary of State is clear that parking services should be self-sufficient, funded by fees and charges, instead of subsidised by other Council services as is the case at the moment. The revenue generated will help reduce the on-street parking service deficit, which is in the interest of all Council taxpayers as it will ensure we can better protect some of our other services.

Should any surplus income arise from on-street car parking, it would have to be kept in a ring-fenced budget and only be invested in parking, highways and environmental improvements.

ACCESS PASS

Alongside these changes to the way on street parking operates, the Council has also approved a brand new Access Pass to help older people who may have difficulties with digital applications. This pass will be made available for purchase from Thursday 13 February and will cover all the District Council car parks.

The pass will cost £190 a year and be valid for one visit a day for up to three hours.

To be eligible for the pass, a person would need to be a resident of the District and aged 70 or over.

Media contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727- 819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The UK urges Israel to ensure that UNRWA can continue its lifesaving operations: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on UNRWA.

2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government“>

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

I want to offer my condolences again to all UN and humanitarian staff who have been killed in this conflict, including 273 members of your team, Philippe.

President, after 15 months of conflict, we now stand at a rare moment of hope for Palestinians and Israelis. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the United States, Qatar and Egypt we have a ceasefire deal that has seen seven hostages returned, reunited with their families and an end to the violence in Gaza that has claimed so many Palestinian lives.

We cannot and must not forget the suffering that has brought us to this moment. Lives brutally cut short by Hamas. Men, women and children abducted from their families – many of whom are still being held while their loved ones suffer in anguish.

This conflict has also seen over 47,000 Palestinians killed. At least 35,000 children are thought to have lost one or both parents. And an estimated 20% of the population has been left with lifelong disabilities.

The levels of destruction in Gaza are beyond belief.

We must turn the page on this cycle of violence. I want to highlight key actions to support this.

It is vital that we now see the release of all remaining hostages, and a sustained ceasefire to allow us to move from phase one of the agreement through to further phases. Only then can we achieve a lasting peace.

We welcome reports that there has been an increase in humanitarian aid into Gaza. This needs to be sustained and complemented by much-needed supplies of commercial goods.

To support this vital effort, my Minister for Development has today announced a further $21 million in funding to ensure healthcare, food and shelter reaches tens of thousands of civilians and to support vital infrastructure across the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

However, the implementation of Knesset legislation on UNRWA risks upending this humanitarian response as well as threatening the fragile and hard-won gains made through the ceasefire deal.

The vital work of UNRWA in ensuring that Palestinians have access to education and healthcare must also be protected in Gaza as well as the West Bank and East Jerusalem. These represent the most fundamental of human rights.

For this reason, the United Kingdom urges Israel, once again, to ensure that UNRWA can continue its lifesaving operations and provision of essential services across the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

We call on Israel to work urgently with international partners, including the UN, so there is no disruption to this vital work. Israel is obligated under international law to facilitate humanitarian assistance by all means at their disposal. We stand ready to work alongside Israel, the UN and our partners to assist.

We also call on UNRWA to continue to deliver their commitment to neutrality. Implementation of reforms to strengthen their neutrality remains critical. We welcome UNRWA’s commitment to fully investigate any allegations against their employees and the continued implementation of the Colonna Report’s recommendations. We have earmarked over $1.2 million of our funding to UNRWA to support their implementation.

President, the UK will play our full part in the coming days and weeks to seize the opportunity of this ceasefire for a better future. To ensure it leads to a credible pathway towards a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace.

Thank you.

Updates to this page

Published 28 January 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Veganuary momentum fades as participants struggle to maintain meat-free options beyond January Academics at the University of Aberdeen have compared attitudes and knowledge around sustainable eating – and willingness to reduce the amount of meat consumed – over a 10-year period. They found that although initiatives like ‘Veganuary’ were helpful in introducing people to alternative diets, this was not sustained in most of…

Source: University of Aberdeen

Academics at the University of Aberdeen have compared attitudes and knowledge around sustainable eating – and willingness to reduce the amount of meat consumed – over a 10-year period.
They found that although initiatives like ‘Veganuary’ were helpful in introducing people to alternative diets, this was not sustained in most of those questioned.
Overall awareness about the need for sustainable diets has improved since ‘Veganuary’ was introduced in 2013, but the same barriers to sticking to them persist, the researchers at the Rowett Institute found.
And now they are stepping up efforts to understand why by recruiting volunteers willing to go meat-free a few days a week to take part in a detailed study.
The report – titled Still Eating Like There’s No Tomorrow – is based on analysis of similar populations to those the team spoke to in 2013 to establish what, if anything, has changed in the last decade.
They reported in 2023/14 that resistance to the idea of reducing personal meat consumption was common across all sociodemographic groups, with meat being seen as pleasurable, social, and traditional.
The results from the current study suggest participants had a greater willingness to reduce meat consumption a decade on but that there is disparity in attitudes between socioeconomic groups, with those in areas of high deprivation less willing to reduce meat consumption.
Emily Cleland, the lead author of the study undertaken by a team from the Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen said: “Many of the barriers described towards reducing meat consumption have not changed over the decade between studies.
“This is important because of the urgent need to change diets to meet the targets set by the Climate Change Committee, which advises the UK and devolved governments.
“With just over five years to go until the Climate Change Committee’s interim targets for a 20% reduction in meat consumption, it is vital to take stock of progress and identify barriers and enablers, which is the aim of this study.”
Participants reported that campaigns such as ‘Veganuary’ were successful in reducing their meat consumption for a time-limited period but the ability to continue a meat-free dietary pattern throughout the rest of the year was questioned. Other initiatives such as ‘Meat free Mondays’ were deemed more attainable in terms of enjoyment and health, and having environmental benefit.
“Our study shows that resistance to dietary change persists due to scepticism about how this would benefit the climate, cost concerns and the sensory appeal of meat,” she added.
“The greater availability of plant-based alternatives to meat and campaigns such as ‘Meat-free Mondays’ show promising opportunities for change, but we require tailored interventions to overcome entrenched cultural and economic barriers.
“It is therefore necessary to acknowledge the differing experiences and perceived barriers and facilitators from different groups to create interventions that address specific obstacles, making it easier for individuals to adopt more sustainable dietary practices and ultimately contribute to achieving environmental and public health goals.”
The new study – led by report co-authors Dr David McBey and Dr Ben McCormick – is looking for anyone willing to reduce their meat consumption for three months.
They will be asked to keep food diaries, fill in questionnaires and be interviewed about their eating habits during the trial period.
Dr McBey says: “Eating less meat is important to help the planet and save resources, but it can be hard because of habits, traditions, or not having other options. Our study wants to find out what makes it tricky for people, so we can help them make changes more easily.”
To sign up go to: Screening Questionnaire or contact lessmeat@abdn.ac.uk for more details.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Wednesday weather update28 January 2025 Jersey Met is forecasting persistent rain from around 9am tomorrow, Wednesday 29 January 2025, until around 7am on Thursday 30 January 2025, which could cause localised flooding around the Island. As… Read more

Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

28 January 2025

Jersey Met is forecasting persistent rain from around 9am tomorrow, Wednesday 29 January 2025, until around 7am on Thursday 30 January 2025, which could cause localised flooding around the Island.

As a precaution the Infrastructure and Environment department has been clearing drains and raising the level of preparedness.

Advice to Islanders on how to prepare can be found via: Flooding: how to prepare, cope and clean up (gov.je).

Stay up to date with weather forecasts at: gov.je/weather.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Work poised to start on affordable extra care housing scheme in Leeds

Source: City of Leeds

Construction work is set to begin on an extra care housing scheme that will make a hugely-positive difference to life in a Leeds community.

Leeds City Council’s Middlecross development in Armley will be home to 65 high-quality, energy efficient and affordable apartments providing independent living opportunities for older people.

The three-storey complex – to be built on brownfield land between Armley Grove Place and Simpson Grove – will also have care facilities and communal spaces, including a 50-seat dining area.

It is anticipated that construction will get under way in March this year, with completion scheduled for early 2027.

The scheme – which is being delivered via Leeds’s Council Housing Growth Programme (CHGP) – will regenerate a two-acre site that has been unused following the demolition of Middlecross Day Centre in 2018.

Its transformation will also support Leeds’s net zero ambitions, with the apartments being built to energy efficient specifications and benefiting from high levels of insulation and the use of ground source heat pump technology.

And, by making the new homes available for affordable rent, the council has underlined its commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of all local residents while tackling issues such as fuel poverty.

The bulk of the funding for the development is being provided by the council’s housing service via Right to Buy receipts and borrowing, with £1.3m of grant support due to come from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Brownfield Housing Fund.

The scheme is due to be delivered for the council by Morgan Sindall Construction and will benefit the wider community by creating employment, skills and apprenticeship opportunities.

Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing, said:

“We are committed to ensuring that Leeds is a city synonymous with safe, warm and good-quality homes, with the increased provision of affordable housing having a key role to play in that.

“It’s really encouraging news, therefore, that construction work on the Middlecross scheme is due to begin shortly.

“At a time when there is a well-documented shortage of affordable extra care housing in Leeds, this development will make a real difference to the lives of its residents.

“The start of construction will also be another notable milestone for our Council Housing Growth Programme, which is working – with the support of partners – to bring positive and lasting change to communities across Leeds.”

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:

“Our investment in this new site in Leeds will help build more much-needed, high-quality homes.

“I believe that having a safe and secure place to live is a fundamental right, so it’s only right that we invest vital funds to deliver thousands of homes across West Yorkshire.

“Together with our partners like Leeds City Council, we’re dedicated to building a greener, more secure region for future generations.”

More than 350 new homes have been built via the council’s CHGP since 2018. More than 340 homes have also been acquired as part of the programme, with these properties and the new-builds both playing a crucial role in efforts to ease local affordable housing pressures.

Furthermore, they have – by increasing the number of appropriate properties available to tenants looking to downsize – helped free up some homes that are best suited to larger families.

The provision of additional social housing stock is seen as a vital way of driving inclusive growth and improving the population’s general health and wellbeing.

Locations where new housing has recently been delivered by the CHGP include Barncroft Close in Seacroft and Scott Hall Drive in Chapel Allerton as well as a site in Middleton formerly occupied by Throstle Recreation Ground and Middleton Skills Centre.

The Middleton development includes Gascoigne House, an extra care scheme that won the best purpose-built accommodation prize at last week’s LABC Building Excellence Awards.

ENDS

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government opens discussions with Community Pharmacy England over 2025 to 2026 funding contract
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

The consultation will set the future direction for the community pharmacy sector.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has entered into consultation with Community Pharmacy England (CPE) regarding the 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026 funding contractual framework.

The discussions will set the future direction for community pharmacy as it plays a vital role in supporting delivery of the reforms set out in the government’s Plan for Change.

A letter signalling the start of the consultation was sent to CPE on Monday, 27 January 2025.

Moving the focus of care from hospitals into the community is one of the 3 core shifts outlined in the 10 Year Health Plan, which will be published later this year. The government has previously outlined its ambition to make better use of pharmacists’ skills and training to deliver more services for patients within their local communities.

Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock said:

Community pharmacists are at the heart of local healthcare, and they have a vital role to play as we shift from hospital to community, giving patients better access to care, closer to home, through our 10 Year Health Plan.

We have inherited a sector that is suffering from years of underfunding and neglect, but we recognise the hard work pharmacists undertake every day to deliver for patients.

I am committed to working closely with Community Pharmacy England to agree a package of funding that is reflective of the important support that they provide to patients up and down the country. I am confident that together we can get the sector back on its feet and fit for pharmacies and patients long into the future.

Janet Morrison, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy England said:

We are relieved that discussions on the arrangements for community pharmacy are now commencing.

Community Pharmacy England will consider very carefully if the proposals that the government is putting on the table address the severity of the funding crisis in community pharmacy.

Everyone in community pharmacy shares the government’s ambition for a vibrant community pharmacy sector, playing a vital role in delivering long term health plans, but this can only be achieved if the sector is put on a sustainable financial footing.

Amanda Doyle, National Director for Primary Care for NHS England, said:

The NHS knows just how important pharmacies are to local communities – they offer people convenient care close to home which is a key ambition of the 10 Year Health Plan.

We recognise that pharmacies are under pressure, and we are committed to working with the sector and government to ensure that patients can continue to receive high-quality care building on the exceptional work of teams over the past few years to develop and expand new services for patients.

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Updates to this page

Published 28 January 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICE Boston arrests Honduran illegal alien charged with sex crimes, assault and battery, armed robbery

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Boston apprehended an illegally present, previously removed Honduran when officers with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston apprehended Juan Alberto Rodezno-Marin in Boston Jan. 22. Rodezno, 39, was charged in Massachusetts with indecent assault and battery on person over 14, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, masked armed robbery and assault to rape.

“Mr. Rodezno will have his day in court, but he stands accused of some horrific crimes,” said acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde of ICE ERO Boston. “Not only did he repeatedly break U.S. immigration laws, but he apparently presents a substantial threat to the residents of Massachusetts. ICE ERO Boston cannot tolerate illegal criminal threats to our neighborhoods. We will continue our mission to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing the illegal criminal elements from our New England communities.”

U.S. Border Patrol arrested Rodezno Oct. 10, 2007, after he illegally entered the United States without inspection or admission by an immigration officer. The Border Patrol issued Rodezno an order of expedited removal and

ERO Harlingen removed Rodezno to Honduras Nov. 22, 2007.

Immigration officials twice arrested Rodezno for illegally re-entering the U.S. between Aug. 10, 2008, and Dec. 8, 2009, and removed him after each occasion.

Officers from ICE ERO Boston encountered Rodezno Dec. 20, 2022, at the Middlesex House of Correction and issued an immigration detainer against Rodezno later that day.

The Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn, Massachusetts, arraigned Rodezno March 9, 2023, for the offenses of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, masked armed robbery, and assault to rape.

Middlesex Superior Court ignored the ICE detainer and released Rodezno back into the community Dec. 4, 2024.

Officers from ERO Boston arrested Rodezno Jan. 22 in Boston and he remains in ERO custody.

ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. EOIR is a separate entity from DHS and ICE. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case, determining if a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal or eligible for certain forms of relief from removal.

ERO is one of ICE’s three operational directorates and is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

Members of the public with information regarding child sex offenders can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ERO Boston’s mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBoston.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Universal Periodic Review 48: UK Statement on Iraq
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

UK Statement at Iraq’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.
Thank you, Mr President,

The United Kingdom welcomes the steps taken by Iraq in 2024 to implement the Yazidi Survivors Law, a groundbreaking piece of legislation and an important first step to provide justice for survivors.

We urge the Government to ensure the protection of freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly, and to strengthen legal protection guarantees for journalists, the media and civil society.

We recommend that Iraq:

Protects the right to freedom of assembly, including by holding accountable any perpetrators of violence against protestors.

Strengthens the capacity and independence of the judicial system to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of sexual violence, and provide effective and necessary support for victims.

Ensures that amendments to Iraq’s Personal Status Law, including the code to be subsequently developed, are in line with Iraq’s International Commitments on women and children’s rights.

Thank you.

Updates to this page

Published 28 January 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Universal Periodic Review 48: UK Statement on Iran
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

UK Statement at Iran’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.
Thank you, Mr President.

The United Kingdom welcomes Iran’s engagement with the UPR.

We have noted President Pezeshkian’s election campaign comments on human rights issues, including the negative implications of hijab enforcement and internet filtering.

We remain deeply concerned about Iran’s failure to uphold its international legal obligations. In particular, its violent enforcement of mandatory veiling, intimidation of human rights defenders and journalists, and discrimination against minority groups.

We recommend that Iran:

Guarantees all individuals, but especially those facing charges carrying the death penalty, a fair trial, consistent with obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Right, including access to a lawyer of their choosing.

Grants access to Human Rights Council mandate holders, including the Special Rapporteur on Iran.

Ratifies the UN Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Updates to this page

Published 28 January 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Reappointment of Ofgem Chief Executive
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

Jonathan Brearley reappointed as Chief Executive Officer of Ofgem.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has today (14 January 2025) confirmed the reappointment of Jonathan Brearley as Chief Executive Officer of Ofgem.

The reappointment will run from 1 February 2025 until 31 January 2030.

The Secretary of State has also extended the terms of 2 non-executive directors – Myriam Madden to 31 March 2025 and Barry Panayi to 16 March 2027.

Biographies

Jonathan Brearley – Chief Executive Officer

Jonathan Brearley was appointed as an executive member of the Ofgem Board in 2018. Jonathan became Ofgem’s Chief Executive Officer on 3 February 2020. This follows his previous appointment as Executive Director for Systems and Networks in April 2018.

He has wide-ranging energy sector experience, having led Electricity Market Reform as the Director for Energy Markets and Networks at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

Prior to this, he was Director of the Office of Climate Change, a cross-government strategy unit focussed on climate change and energy issues, where he led the development of the Climate Change Act. Earlier in his career, Jonathan was a senior adviser in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit.

Appointed: 3 February 2020
Reappointed: 1 February 2025
Term ends: 31 March 2025

Myriam Madden – Non-Executive Director

Myriam was appointed to the Ofgem Board in January 2020. She has held senior executive finance and operational positions in global technology companies, financial services in the UK, US and Europe, as well as the public sector. An experienced Executive Director, Myriam specialised in business transformation, operational restructuring and finance in both the private and public sectors.

Myriam is a chartered management accountant and a Board member of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA). She is a Board member of Home Group, chairman of their Scottish subsidiary, a board member of the Traverse Theatre and chairman of their Audit committee.

Myriam previously served as a non-executive member of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee of BEIS. She was also a Board member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and President of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, both global accounting bodies.

Appointed: 1 January 2020
Extended: 1 February 2025
Term ends: 31 January 2030

Barry Panayi Madden – Non-Executive Director

Barry was appointed to the Ofgem Board in March 2020. He specialises in data and digital transformation and has worked in data for the whole of his career. He is currently Chief Data and Insight Officer for John Lewis.

Prior to John Lewis, Barry spent the majority of his early career at Ernst & Young helping to lead the data and analytics practice and has subsequently headed up data and digital teams in organisations such as Bupa, Virgin and Lloyds Banking Group.

Appointed: 16 March 2020
Extended: 1 February 2025
Term ends: 16 March 2027

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Published 14 January 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Universal Periodic Review 48: UK Statement on Egypt
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Statement at Egypt’s Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the UK, Simon Manley.
Thank you, Mr President.

The United Kingdom recognises Egypt’s progress, including the 2021 National Human Rights Strategy.

The arbitrary detention of journalists, activists and human rights defenders remains deeply concerning. The continued detention of Alaa Abd El-Fattah, detained for spreading false news, who has now served his five-year sentence including pre-trial detention, is unacceptable.

We recommend that Egypt:

Releases Human Rights Defender Alaa Abd El-Fattah,

Releases all detainees held for exercising their right to freedom of expression and lifts restrictions on news and social media websites in line with the ICCPR.

Ensures the new Criminal Procedures Code guarantees fair trial standards, and ends the practice of ‘rotating’ detainees in pre-trial detention,

Updates to this page

Published 28 January 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sudan and Eastern DRC: Foreign Secretary’s statement

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

The Foreign Secretary made a statement to the House of Commons on the situation in Sudan and Eastern DRC on 28 January.

With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will make a statement on the situation in Sudan and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The latest conflict in Sudan has now lasted twenty-one months.

This weekend, the Rapid Support Forces attacked the last functional hospital in the besieged city of El-Fasher, in Darfur.

The World Health Organisation assess some seventy patients and their families were killed.

This attack is far from isolated.

In recent weeks, the RSF shelled the ZamZam camp, where displaced people are trapped outside El-Fasher.

While there are widespread reports of extrajudicial killings by militias aligned to the Sudanese armed forces in Wad Medani.

The Government condemns these attacks in the strongest possible terms.

They show a callous disregard for international humanitarian law and innocent Sudanese civilians.

Exact figures for those killed and displaced in Sudan are hard to come by.

But we know aid is being blocked from reaching those in need.

And this is without a shadow of a doubt one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophes of our lifetimes.

I saw this for myself, Madam Deputy Speaker, last week in Adré, on the Chad-Sudan border.

This was the first ever Foreign Secretary to visit Chad.

I felt it was my duty to confront the true horror of what is unfolding.

To bear witness.

And raise up the voices of those suffering, mainly women, so horrendously.

88 per cent of the refugees at Adré are women and children.

I met nurses in a clinic, fighting to save the lives of starving children.

I met a woman who showed me her scars.

She had been burned.

She had been beaten.

She had been raped.

Turning to DRC, conflict there has gripped the east for over thirty years.

An M23 rebel offensive at the start of this year had already seized Masisi and Minova.

This weekend saw them enter Goma, the region’s major city, which M23 last occupied in 2012.

Brave UN peacekeepers from South Africa, Malawi and Uruguay have tragically been killed.

And with hundreds of thousands having already fled M23 to Goma, there is potential for a further humanitarian catastrophe.

I have not yet travelled as Foreign Secretary to meet those fleeing Eastern DRC

But the reports speak for themselves.

This is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman or girl with children as young as nine reportedly attacked and mutilated by machete-wielding militias.

Around a quarter of DRC’s population are facing acute food insecurity.

And frequent bombardment of the makeshift camps which shelter those who have fled their homes.

I regret to say, Madam Deputy Speaker, that Foreign Secretaries updating the House on conflicts in Africa is something of a rarity.

As I discussed yesterday with African Ambassadors and High Commissioners, the surge of conflict globally includes the number in Africa almost doubling in the past decade.

This is causing untold damage and holding back economic growth – the bedrock of our future partnership with African countries.

But where is the outrage?

Again and again in Adré, I was asked:

What is the world doing to help us?

The truth is, if we were witnessing the horrors of El-Fasher and Goma on any other continent, or, for that matter, seeing the extremist violence in the Sahel and Somalia anywhere else in the world, there would be far more attention across the Western world.

Indeed, one recent survey of armed conflict in 2024 contained spotlights on Europe, Eurasia, Asia and the Americas, but none on Africa.

There should be no hierarchy of conflicts, but there is one.

Every human life is of equal worth.

The impact of these wars, Madam Deputy Speaker, is clear for all to see.

You only have to be willing to look.

I could not see atrocities such as these, and shrug my shoulders.

However, the House will also understand the UK’s national interest in addressing these conflicts.

Irregular migration from Sudan to Britain alone increased by 16% last year.

Unscrupulous smuggling gangs are looking to profit from the misery in places such as Sudan and DRC.

And the longer these wars last, the greater their ripple effects.

Neighbours like Chad and many others are working hard to manage this crisis alongside others nearby.

But further escalation only increases instability and the risks of conflict elsewhere.

With Sudan sitting along the major trade routes of the Red Sea and eastern DRC one of the most resource-rich regions in the world.

This is something we cannot tolerate.

This Government therefore refuses to let these conflicts be forgotten.

Working with Sierra Leone, the UK prepared a UN Security Council Resolution on Sudan to address the humanitarian catastrophe.

Shockingly, despite support from every other member, including China, Russia wielded their veto.

But Russian cynicism will not deter us.

We will continue to use our Security Council seat to shine a light on what is happening and work with our African partners on broader UN reform.

We have also doubled UK aid, supporting over one million displaced people.

I saw our impact at the Adré crossing, and announced a further twenty million pounds to support food production and sexual and reproductive services.

The UK is the third largest humanitarian donor on the crisis, having offered almost 250 million pounds in support this financial year.

We have been redoubling our diplomatic efforts as well.

In the spring, I am looking to gather Ministers in the UK to galvanise international support for peace.

We need to see three things.

First, the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces committing a permanent ceasefire and protection of civilians.

Second, unrestricted humanitarian access into and within Sudan, and a permanent UN presence.

And finally, an international commitment to a sustained and meaningful political process.

Instead of new and even more deadly weapons entering the conflict, we want to see consistent calls for all political parties to unite behind a common vision of a peaceful Sudan.

We will engage with all those willing to work on bringing the conflict to an end.

On DRC, the UK, has also reacted quickly to the current crisis, we now advise British Nationals not to the Rubavu district in Western Rwanda on the border with Goma.

And we are continuing our humanitarian assistance , having provided 62 million pounds this financial year.

This enables lifesaving assistance such as clean drinking water, treatment for malnourished children, and support for victims of sexual violence.

Ultimately however, we need a political solution.

We know that M23 rebels could not have taken Goma without material support from Rwandan Defence Forces.

My Noble Friend, Lord Collins of Highbury, and I have been urging all sides to engage in good faith in African-led processes.

Lord Collins spoke to the Rwandan and Angolan Foreign Ministers last week.

And in the last few days, I have spoken to both Rwandan President Kagame and South African Foreign Minister Lamola.

For all the complexities of such a long-running conflict, we must find a way to stop the killing.

Madam Deputy Speaker, civilians in Sudan and eastern DRC must feel so powerless.

Power seems gripped by those waging war around them.

The Government, our partners, cannot simply will a ceasefire into being.

But this is not a licence for inaction.

As we have seen in Gaza, it can take hundreds of days of diplomatic failure to reach even the most fragile of ceasefires.

So for our part, Madam Deputy Speaker, the UK will keep doing all in our power to get the world focused on these conflicts.

And, somehow, to bring them to an end.

I comment this statement to the House.

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Published 28 January 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Duchess of Edinburgh opens Sandhurst facility for army musicians
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

A new band facility on the Sandhurst Estate, Surrey has been formally opened by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh.
HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh talks to some of the musicians during her visit. (MOD Crown Copyright)

Her Royal Highness opened the facility in her role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Corps of Army Music (RCAM).

The new purpose-built band facility – named The Duchess of Edinburgh Hall – houses two distinguished bands from RCAM: the Band of the Coldstream Guards and the Army Engagement Ensemble. The building provides a modern, sustainable acoustic space for rehearsals and performances.

The RCAM, which performs at State Ceremonial events, has received significant MOD investment under the £5.1 billion Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Portfolio.

The facility was delivered by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) contracting to Willmott Dixon, Pick Everard and HLM Architects. It was funded under the DEO Army Programme, which makes up the largest share of the DEO Portfolio, and is delivering a better structured and more sustainable defence estate. This supports military capability and enhances the lived experience of service personnel.

Major General Richard Clements CBE, Director of Basing and Infrastructure, said:

The new band facility at Sandhurst will enable army musicians to carry out their supporting state and ceremonial duties and national and international engagement for defence, both today and into the future. It is a fantastic example of the significant investment we are making to deliver benefits for our people, support military training and capability, and build a more sustainable estate.

Combining modern buildings with the refurbishment of existing infrastructure, the Duchess of Edinburgh Hall comprises a glass-roofed atrium for ensemble performance practice, rehearsal rooms, an instrument store, music library, offices, storage space and a crew room. The design also includes solar panels and air source heat pumps.

Sherin Aminossehe, MOD Director of Infrastructure and the Senior Responsible Owner for the DEO Portfolio, said:

DEO is committed to delivering the highest quality buildings that improve the lived experience of our military personnel. This is evidenced in these impressive new facilities being opened today, which not only provide bespoke and very modern spaces for these prestigious bands to train in, but do so in a way that carefully integrates itself within the existing infrastructure to preserve the important history of the site.

Historic stables dating back to the 1800s have been transformed into modern changing facilities, including the refurbished ‘Sullivan Block’, which is named after Thomas Sullivan who served as Bandmaster at The Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst from 1845 to 1857. He was the father of Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan of ‘Gilbert and Sullivan’ fame.

Warren Webster, DIO MPP Army Programme Director, said:

It’s fantastic to see this excellent new facility being opened by HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh. The different elements of the facility were carefully designed to meet the needs of army musicians and it was a pleasure to see Her Royal Highness’s reaction to them. The musicians have been making great use of the Duchess of Edinburgh Hall since its completion and we look forward to hearing their music fill these spaces for decades to come.

The Band of the Coldstream Guards is a 54-piece symphonic wind band that supports a variety of high-profile events, including state ceremonies, public duties, commemorative and celebratory events, and repatriations. Additionally, it contributes to the UK’s defence efforts both domestically and internationally through community engagement and events. The Army Engagement Ensemble focuses on recruitment, supporting Recruiting Group and the army’s main effort to attract future soldiers.

Major Justin Teggarty, Director of Music and Officer Commanding, Band of the Coldstream Guards said:

This new facility is perfect for the Band’s needs. The quality of the design and finish is highly impressive, and we now have a comfortable, purpose-built, modern building in which to rehearse, collaborate and function to the highest standard. I am particularly impressed with the acoustics in the atrium: it is fantastic to be able to play together in a space that does justice to the talent and professionalism of army musicians.

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Published 28 January 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 29, 2025

Category: United Kingdom

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January 28, 2025

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Biographies

Jonathan Brearley – Chief Executive Officer

Myriam Madden – Non-Executive Director

Barry Panayi Madden – Non-Executive Director

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