NewzIntel.com

Category: United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Grab a bargain as Revive open third Leeds reuse shop in Hunslet

    Source: City of Leeds

    New store offering recycled goods opens

    PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY REVIVE LEEDS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEEDS CITY COUNCIL 

    Almost 14 years after establishing its first shop reuse in Seacroft, Revive had its grand opening this week of its newest retail outlet in Hunslet.

    The Hunslet store provides everything from quality furniture and electrical items to clothes, music and books, at a fraction of the price of something new, to help local people pass on their pre-loved things.

    Revive’s five retail outlets across West Yorkshire are run by a team of 67 staff, with over 30 volunteers with people on work-based training providing practical retail and warehousing experience to give them a step-up into paid employment.

    Revive carries out electrical testing on all donated items and money from the sales go back into their two member Charities, SLATE’s The Feel Good Furniture Stores who provide work opportunities for people with learning disabilities and The St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales) who are working to alleviate poverty in Leeds.

    Residents can either buy or drop-off donations at the Hunslet store which is open 10am to 5:30pm, seven days a week.

    Revive work in partnership with Leeds City Council to help collect reusable donations deposited at household waste recycling centres. These items including furniture, bric-a-brac and clothing are sold at low prices at their reuse shops including sites at Kirkstall and Seacroft.

    Leeds City Council executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, Councillor Mohammed Rafique said:

    “It’s great to see a third Revive shop being opened in Leeds that helps to build on our successful partnership together. It can only be a good thing that more and more of the fantastic reuseable items we receive at council recycling centres can find a new home whilst benefitting our local communities and the environment.”

    Louise Megson, Director at Revive, said:

    “Revive are proud to yet again open another retail outlet which not only aids in our objective to convert as much, designated waste, into reuse but also brings employment to the local communities where we are based.  Last year we saved 1,650 tonnes from the waste stream providing local people with affordable and quality goods.”

    Editor’s notes

    The Hunslet shop has just under 3,000 square feet of floor space and is open seven days a week with accessible parking for two cars at the front of the store.

    Common items for sale include:

    • House and garden furniture
    • Clothing and footwear
    • kitchen items like cutlery and crockery
    • books, DVDs, CDs, records, board games and toys
    • electrical items like lamps and food mixers

    Last year, Revive helped reuse 1,150 bicycles and sold 40,968 books.

    Find out more about Revive at www.revivereuse.org.uk

    Revive Reuse Community Interest Company was established in November 2010 as a partnership between local organisations which continues today with St Vincent de Paul and SLATE.  Any year-end financial surplus is divided between their member charities to assist in continuing to provide quality services to their own specific client groups. 

    In a joint venture with Leeds City Council, Revive Leeds set up its first re-use shop in August 2011 on the Seacroft household waste and recycling centre designed to catch and divert waste back into valuable reuse. To date, Revive have expanded and now has five stores across Leeds and Kirklees including in Seacroft, Kirkstall, Hunslet, Huddersfield and Batley.

    ENDS

    For media enquiries please email louise.megson@revivereuse.org.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cat Smith MP Joins Celebration of Lancaster’s High Street Heritage Action Zone Cat Smith MP joined Lancaster City Council representatives, local residents and business owners..

    Source: City of Lancaster

    Representatives from Historic England and Lancaster City Council reps with Cat Smith MP & developer Pete Mercer outside Stonewell Spring

    Cat Smith MP joined Lancaster City Council representatives, local residents and business owners, and Historic England to celebrate the successful completion of Lancaster’s High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) project.

    Launched in 2020 by Lancaster City Council and Historic England, the initiative has delivered over £2 million of investment to revitalise the Mill Race area in Lancaster’s city centre.

    Buildings have been revitalised, with eight properties undergoing external restoration. Four buildings have been brought back into use, breathing new life into long-vacant properties. Notable transformations include the former Colonial Amusements, which has been reborn as the Stonewell Spring wine bar and delicatessen, and the restoration of Quality Plus Furniture, on the corner or St Leonard’s Gate and Lodge Street.

    Significant repairs and improvements were made to The Grand Theatre, including render removal, masonry and structural repairs, and the addition of new windows, lighting, and signage.

    Improvements to the streetscape have been made on Damside Street and St Leonard’s Gate. Pavements have been widened with new Yorkstone paving, and pedestrian crossing points have been upgraded with customised bollards providing historical information. These changes have not only improved the look and feel of these streets but have also made them safer and more accessible for pedestrians. Lancaster Footlights who run the theatre shared that their customers had benefitted because of the streetscape enhancements.

    The project’s commitment to heritage preservation featured, with attendees on the visit learning about the support provided for the long-term repair and re-use of the Grade II* listed St John’s Church, a centrepiece of the Mill Race area.

    This year St John’s hosted a summer school run by Historic England for 21 trainees from across northern England to learn under-threat heritage craft skills. The heritage skills developed through this programme are vital, given that an estimated 86,500 new workers a year will be needed until 2050 to retrofit England’s buildings to meet Net Zero targets.

    Community engagement and education initiatives throughout the project included guided tours of the Mill Race area, and a new heritage trail along with signage has been created. Heritage skills training has been provided to over 160 people, covering topics from the care and maintenance of old properties to stained glass repair. A new app featuring archive material, photos, and historic building plans is set to launch soon, providing a valuable resource for local historians and architects.

    The visit showcased improvements for local businesses, including Tailored Hearing on St Leonard’s Gate, who have also delivered internal improvements to strengthen their business offer.

    Cat Smith MP said: “It was fantastic to meet with representatives from Historic England and witness the incredible work they’ve done through the Lancaster High Street Heritage Action Zone. Revitalising treasured buildings such as The Grand Theatre plays a vital role in preserving our city’s rich history.

    “I was also pleased to meet with local business owners from Tailored Hearing Solutions and Quality Plus Furniture who have collaborated with Historic England on this project, which not only safeguards our heritage for future generations but also enhances the experience for all who visit our beautiful city. I thank Historic England for their commitment to ensuring our historical town remains a source of pride and enjoyment for all.”

    Councillor Nick Wilkinson, cabinet member with responsibility for regeneration, skills and digital innovation, stated: “As a result of the investment from Historic England, we have been able to invest in the heritage of this important part of Lancaster and ensure it is ready to play its part in our future by unlocking its economic potential. This has included safeguarding some of our most historic buildings such as the Grand Theatre, improving the streetscape and helping people to learn more about the area’s heritage.”

    Marie Smallwood, Historic England’s Head of Advice North said:  “We’re delighted to see the power of Lancaster’s fantastic heritage being harnessed to get people and businesses back to their high street, strengthening the connection between local people and their city. While the project has now finished, its legacy will continue to benefit Lancaster’s residents and visitors for generations to come.”

    Cat Smith with 3 generations of the Smilie family, Quality Plus Furniture. Photo by Rich Berry.
    Cat Smith MP learning about works to the Grand Theatre, Quality Plus and public realm. Photo by Rich Berry.

    Last updated: 25 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Charged with Violating National Defense Airspace

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    BOSTON – A Boston man was arraigned today in federal court for allegedly flying a drone near the finish line at the Boston Marathon in April 2024. The drone flight prompted law enforcement and bomb technicians to seize the drone mid-air, land it and evaluate its threat to the public. 

    Allan Nip, 30, was charged with unlawfully flying a drone in restricted National Defense Airspace. A deferred prosecution agreement filed along with the charging document reflects that the defendant has agreed to pay a $5,000 criminal fine and to forfeit his drone, valued at approximately $4,000. The United States also filed a civil forfeiture complaint in connection with this matter to forfeit the drone and its related controller.
            
    According to court filings, Nip was flying his drone within a few blocks of the Boston Marathon finish line approximately 20 minutes before the professional men in the wheelchair division were finishing the race The drone was detected by federal law enforcement monitoring the airspace near the finish line, was intercepted mid-flight, and was landed in a secure location in Back Bay. Once the drone was taken down and evaluated by bomb technicians, law enforcement responded to Nip’s apartment on West Springfield Street in Boston, where he allegedly admitted to flying the drone that morning.

    The controller on Nip’s drone, as with most drone controllers, allegedly provided warnings that day that he was flying in a restricted zone. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration had sent out notices warning anyone seeking to fly any type of aircraft (including drones) not to fly near the start or finish lines of the Boston Marathon on race day, without a special permit. Those special permits are not granted for amateur drone operators.

    The charge of operating a drone in restricted National Defense Airspace carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine. 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.

    Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division; Colleen D’Alessandro, Regional Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration in New England; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. McNeil of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is prosecuting the civil forfeiture case.

    The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.  
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New images offer glimpse into the future for Derby Market Hall

    Source: City of Derby

    New images provide a first look at how the inside of the refurbished Derby Market Hall will look once complete.

    The historic venue is being given a new lease of life to transform this heritage asset into an attractive retail and leisure destination fit for the future. The new images giving a glimpse of the retail space, make and trade units and new dining area.

    In all, the transformed market will offer:

    • A carefully curated mix of traditional and themed stalls, including quality fresh produce
    • Make and trade stalls and creative spaces
    • A cosmopolitan food court and bars
    • Events and pop-up activity

    Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council, said:

    “The transformation of Derby Market Hall is a reflection of our collective ambition to create a city that everyone can take pride in, and while people can see the improvements we’ve made externally, many people may still be wondering what the building will look like inside.

    “These new images will give the public the first idea of what the venue will look like as we make this irreplaceable heritage building fit for the future.

    “This project is not just about transforming the Market Hall; it’s about bringing the people of Derby together to create a space we can all be proud of.  We invite traders, entrepreneurs and businesses from across the region to join the vibrant community we are building.” 

    The £35.1m project is partly funded with £9.43m from the Governments Future High Streets Fund (FHSF). The second phase of the transformation is well underway, focusing on refurbishing the interior and developing the public space outside at Osnabruck Square.

    Located at the heart of the city centre, linking Derbion and St Peter’s Quarter with the Cathedral Quarter and Becketwell, the new Market Hall will play a key role in widening the diversity of the city centre and generate £3.64m for the local economy every year.

    Businesses throughout the region are invited to register their interest in operating from the refurbished Market Hall, which will bring together the best of the region’s independent shopping, eating, drinking and entertainment when it reopens in Spring 2025.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Torrential rain represents an opportunity to build a better society

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Maryam Imani, Associate Professor of Water Systems Engineering, Anglia Ruskin University

    A month’s worth of rain has poured down in just a few hours in parts of central and southern England. More than 300 flood-related emergency calls were made, major roads were submerged, trains were delayed, and an enormous sinkhole opened up on a football pitch in south London.

    This follows similar torrential rain across central and eastern Europe two weeks ago, which led to flash floods and widespread damage and deaths. As climate change alters rain patterns and makes extreme downpours more common, and more extreme, such flooding is increasingly the new normal.

    Intense rain doesn’t lead to serious floods every time, of course. Sometimes we get lucky: a well-timed low tide might help, or a rainstorm could be surprisingly localised in a place where water can easily flow into the sea, a river or a pond. And some of the actions taken by humans to minimise the risk of catastrophic floods can actually make life more pleasant anyway, even when it isn’t raining. For this reason, we should see rains like this not just as a challenge, but as an opportunity.

    Minimising the risk of disaster

    There are various things we can do to minimise flood risks before and after torrential rains and prevent smaller floods from escalating into disasters.

    We can build bigger and better drainage and stormwater infrastructure, for instance, and make sure drains are unblocked and flood walls are properly maintained. This is an example of so-called “hard” flood defences.

    Features like ponds and wetlands, larger parks, or trees on hillsides, help slow down or store rainwater and can ensure the flow is spread out over days or even weeks. Water flows much faster over bare ground, and especially over concrete roads and buildings, where urban drainage systems can soon be overwhelmed – causing floods. These features are known variously as “nature-based solutions” or “sustainable drainage systems” or “blue-green infrastructure”.

    We can also use smart technologies for flood warning systems and we can ensure people are aware and prepared. We can ensure people don’t live in flood-prone areas in the first place, through climate-resilient planning, and that those who do live there are insured and have flood-proofed their homes as best they can.

    More sustainable flood management

    In the UK, several exemplary projects address flood management. The most iconic is the Thames Barrier in London, which protects the city from storm surges and high tides coming from the North Sea. Another is the the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme, which protects over 3,000 properties and 500 businesses in the UK’s fourth-largest urban area. It involves a combination of hard defences – weirs, flood walls – and natural solutions like planting trees and constructing water storage areas.

    The National Storm Overflows Plan for England report is being reviewed by the UK government for approval by December 2024. One of its recommendations is to make sustainable drainage systems mandatory.

    A government scheme (Flood Re) also ensures homeowners in flood-risk areas can protect their homes and obtain affordable insurance. And various rivers have been allowed to “wiggle” once again, by flooding over nearby fields. This has proven effective at reducing peak flows during storms, which is especially beneficial downstream where people live and where rivers are often encased in human-made banks.

    The River Derwent flows through the Lake District of northern England.
    RnDmS / shutterstock

    These initiatives are part of a broader trend toward more sustainable flood management practices. Key projects such as the “slowing the flow” project in Pickering, Yorkshire or projects along the River Derwent in Cumbria focus on reconnecting rivers with their floodplains.

    Worldwide lessons

    The Netherlands is one of the world leaders in flood management. The Delta Works, a massive system of dams, sluices, locks, dikes and storm-surge barriers, protects the country, much of which is below sea level, from flooding due to rainfall and rising sea levels.

    The Room for the River programme, started in 2007, manages higher water levels in rivers by lowering flood plains, creating water buffers, relocating levees, increasing the depth of side channels, and constructing flood bypasses. Urban adaptations, such as those in Rotterdam, are also crucial for managing flash flooding.

    Japan, particularly in flood-prone areas like Tokyo, has built massive underground flood tunnels to divert rainwater during storms. This system helps protect the city from excessive rainfall and typhoons. In many European countries, sustainable drainage systems are now integrated into urban planning. This helps absorb excess rainwater during storms, while offering ecological and social benefits too (grass and ponds are ultimately a lot nicer than bare concrete).

    It’s crucial to be aware of the problem of intense rain and view it as a chance to improve society. Prolonged droughts highlight the need to focus on storing and using excess water during high-demand times, which can be done by creating wetlands, storing floodwaters or by enabling the soil to store and retain more moisture.

    Engineers can’t do all this by themselves. Neither can tree-planters or wetland creators. We need a hybrid approach combining engineering solutions with nature and community efforts.


    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get our award-winning weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Maryam Imani is a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a STEM programme ambassador.

    – ref. Torrential rain represents an opportunity to build a better society – https://theconversation.com/torrential-rain-represents-an-opportunity-to-build-a-better-society-239755

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: This is how we can minimise the impact of heavy rain

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Published: 25 September 2024 at 16:00

    VIEWPOINT: ARU expert explains how to reduce flood risks – and build a better society

    By Maryam Imani, Anglia Ruskin University

    A month’s worth of rain has poured down in just a few hours in parts of central and southern England. More than 300 flood-related emergency calls were made, major roads were submerged, trains were delayed, and an enormous sinkhole opened up on a football pitch in south London.

    This follows similar torrential rain across central and eastern Europe two weeks ago, which led to flash floods and widespread damage and deaths. As climate change alters rain patterns and makes extreme downpours more common, and more extreme, such flooding is increasingly the new normal.

    Intense rain doesn’t lead to serious floods every time, of course. Sometimes we get lucky: a well-timed low tide might help, or a rainstorm could be surprisingly localised in a place where water can easily flow into the sea, a river or a pond. And some of the actions taken by humans to minimise the risk of catastrophic floods can actually make life more pleasant anyway, even when it isn’t raining. For this reason, we should see rains like this not just as a challenge, but as an opportunity.

    Minimising the risk of disaster

    There are various things we can do to minimise flood risks before and after torrential rains and prevent smaller floods from escalating into disasters.

    We can build bigger and better drainage and stormwater infrastructure, for instance, and make sure drains are unblocked and flood walls are properly maintained. This is an example of so-called “hard” flood defences.

    Features like ponds and wetlands, larger parks, or trees on hillsides, help slow down or store rainwater and can ensure the flow is spread out over days or even weeks. Water flows much faster over bare ground, and especially over concrete roads and buildings, where urban drainage systems can soon be overwhelmed – causing floods. These features are known variously as “nature-based solutions” or “sustainable drainage systems” or “blue-green infrastructure”.

    We can also use smart technologies for flood warning systems and we can ensure people are aware and prepared. We can ensure people don’t live in flood-prone areas in the first place, through climate-resilient planning, and that those who do live there are insured and have flood-proofed their homes as best they can.

    More sustainable flood management

    In the UK, several exemplary projects address flood management. The most iconic is the Thames Barrier in London, which protects the city from storm surges and high tides coming from the North Sea. Another is the the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme, which protects over 3,000 properties and 500 businesses in the UK’s fourth-largest urban area. It involves a combination of hard defences – weirs, flood walls – and natural solutions like planting trees and constructing water storage areas.

    The National Storm Overflows Plan for England report is being reviewed by the UK government for approval by December 2024. One of its recommendations is to make sustainable drainage systems mandatory.

    A government scheme (Flood Re) also ensures homeowners in flood-risk areas can protect their homes and obtain affordable insurance. And various rivers have been allowed to “wiggle” once again, by flooding over nearby fields. This has proven effective at reducing peak flows during storms, which is especially beneficial downstream where people live and where rivers are often encased in human-made banks.

    These initiatives are part of a broader trend toward more sustainable flood management practices. Key projects such as the “slowing the flow” project in Pickering, Yorkshire or projects along the River Derwent in Cumbria focus on reconnecting rivers with their floodplains.

    Worldwide lessons

    The Netherlands is one of the world leaders in flood management. The Delta Works, a massive system of dams, sluices, locks, dikes and storm-surge barriers, protects the country, much of which is below sea level, from flooding due to rainfall and rising sea levels.

    The Room for the River programme, started in 2007, manages higher water levels in rivers by lowering flood plains, creating water buffers, relocating levees, increasing the depth of side channels, and constructing flood bypasses. Urban adaptations, such as those in Rotterdam, are also crucial for managing flash flooding.

    Japan, particularly in flood-prone areas like Tokyo, has built massive underground flood tunnels to divert rainwater during storms. This system helps protect the city from excessive rainfall and typhoons. In many European countries, sustainable drainage systems are now integrated into urban planning. This helps absorb excess rainwater during storms, while offering ecological and social benefits too (grass and ponds are ultimately a lot nicer than bare concrete).

    It’s crucial to be aware of the problem of intense rain and view it as a chance to improve society. Prolonged droughts highlight the need to focus on storing and using excess water during high-demand times, which can be done by creating wetlands, storing floodwaters or by enabling the soil to store and retain more moisture.

    Engineers can’t do all this by themselves. Neither can tree-planters or wetland creators. We need a hybrid approach combining engineering solutions with nature and community efforts.

    Maryam Imani, Associate Professor of Water Systems Engineering, Anglia Ruskin University

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

    The opinions expressed in VIEWPOINT articles are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARU.

    If you wish to republish this article, please follow these guidelines: https://theconversation.com/uk/republishing-guidelines

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Open day at new crematorium

    Source: City of Plymouth

    The Park, Plymouth’s brand new crematorium, is drawing back the curtain for a free public open day.

    Taking place on Saturday 12 October, residents are being invited to take a look around the entire facility and have a glimpse behind-the-scenes at areas not normally seen by the public.

    As well as organised tours, information about what is on offer to remember a loved ones will be on display while the new café will also be open for visitors to purchase refreshments.

    Funeral services at The Park, which located off Merrifield Road in Plympton, began earlier this summer.

    Councillor Sally Haydon, Cabinet member for Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Libraries, Cemeteries & Crematoria, said: “I’m so pleased to be able to open the door to residents and invite them in to see the incredible facility that we have created for the people of Plymouth.

    “Whilst we often don’t like to think about bereavement during our everyday lives, this marks a great opportunity to take a look behind the scenes, allow our team to dispel any common myths and show the public how we look after their loved ones from the service to final resting place.”

    The Park is built of Plymouth Limestone and inside benefits from light and airy ceremony rooms that look out onto pooled water and the countryside beyond. .

    There are a total of three different ceremony rooms, each catering for a different size congregation. Each of these rooms can be customised by families to suite their wishes, including with changes in the lighting and furniture.

    The site benefits from a new café, which is open to serve refreshments for people attending funerals and also for those visiting the site to pay their respects.

    Crucially, though, it has two rooms available for families to hire for wakes, memorialisation events or other family functions. The rooms will be able to accommodate up to 40 guests or combine both rooms with the retractable wall and it will hold 75 guests.

    More information can be found at https://plymouthcrematoria.com

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Further success for Edinburgh pupils

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Liberton High School pupils celebrate after receiving exam results.

    Edinburgh’s pupils continue to be amongst the best performing in Scotland.

    Results from the SQA Insight report shows Edinburgh’s learners are performing better than their virtual comparators in 14 out of 15 key measures,  with 7% more pupils gaining at least one Advanced Higher than in other areas in Scotland.

    Edinburgh learners are also out-performing their virtual comparators in Literacy and Numeracy for all stages and levels.

    A virtual comparator is a sample of students from other areas of Scotland who have similar characteristics to a school’s students.

    The news builds on the SQA exam results in August showing levels of attainment for pupils across Edinburgh remaining above those achieved before the Covid pandemic.

    Insight provides teachers and lecturers with a summary of how learners have performed in their exams and coursework for each subject at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level over the past year.

    Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said:

    This has been another positive year for our pupils. I want to congratulate them, as well as all our teaching and support staff. Their hard work has certainly paid off and praise should go to them as well as all the parents and carers who have supported the children.

    I welcome the results from the SQA Insights report. We have invested heavily in improving the skills of our workforce and I am confident that our staff will continue to improve the quality of teaching and learning to meet the needs of the city’s young people.

    Let’s not forget there is no wrong pathway for our young people as everyone’s learner journey is different. School is about ensuring all our young people are able to fulfil their potential by attaining the highest level of achievements possible and by receiving the best possible experience. We want all our learners to find their pathways into the world of higher and further education, employment or training and to narrow the gap between those living in different areas of affluence.

    Course reports – written by principal assessors and principal verifiers – are published to give an insight into how learners performed, detailing which areas of the course assessment where learners performed well, and which areas proved to be more demanding.

    Principal assessors and other senior appointees are experienced teachers and lecturers who work with SQA to produce the course reports and highlight examples where candidates have performed well in their external assessments.

    The reports also contain advice for teachers, lecturers, and training practitioners on preparing learners for the coming year’s assessments, as well as statistical data relating to grade boundaries.

    Published: September 25th 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Say ‘hello’ to Citizen Science in the North

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Talking watercourses are asking people in the region to provide information to help shape water quality improvement plans.

    A sign at Windermere asking people to get involved.

    People visiting or living near Lake Windermere, the River Ribble at Edisford Bridge or the River Nidd in Yorkshire are being asked to become citizen scientists by providing a range of information, about what they can see at the sites, to help shape future plans to improve water quality. 

    To support this, the Environment Agency have joined forces with Hello Lamp Post, a two-way communication platform that can reach any member of the community via their mobile phone. 

    Interactive signage, including QR codes, has been placed on fences, benches and walls. Smartphone users can scan the code or text the number on the sign to share their findings and views, get information about local bathing waters and learn more about how to get involved in the Environment Agency’s citizen science work.   

    The data will be used to supplement that already gathered by the Environment Agency, as part of its extensive monitoring programme, to help ensure that as much information as possible is used to inform plans going forward. 

    Citizen science is valuable research carried out by members of the public who help collect scientific data.

    Previous work in Cumbria and Lancashire has included the Big Windermere Survey, which has been supported by the Environment Agency, and activity along the River Douglas in collaboration with the Douglas Catchment Partnership and Groundwork. 

     The Nidd Action Group and Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust are also working alongside the Environment Agency to support the Hello Lamp Post project, and it is hoped that this will complement existing work in the area.

    This includes projects such as iNidd and iWharfe as well as the wider activity of the local catchment partnership.    

    The first interactive objects are now live at four locations at Windermere Rayrigg, four locations at Windermere Millers Ground and four locations at the Ribble at Edisford Bridge.

    Signage will soon also go live at Oak Beck Park, Knaresborough Lido, Valley Gardens, Nidd Gorge and Hookstone Beck.   

    Kelly Haynes, Citizen Science Advisor for the Environment Agency, said:    

    We are pleased to be teaming up with Hello Lamp Post on this innovative project as we look to gather even more data on how people interact with their local watercourses at Windermere and the Ribble at Edisford Bridge.   

    This clever piece of modern technology will explain all the whys, what and the what ifs of bathing water monitoring and our citizen science work. It will also allow participants to become a citizen scientist themselves and tell us about what they can see at the time they visit a specific bathing water. 

    We know how much our rivers and inland waters mean to communities across Cumbria and Lancashire and we hugely value the contribution of England’s enthusiastic citizen scientists. This work is an important step bringing that together to gather real-time observation of the water environment and how it is being used.  

    I would encourage everyone living in the area or visiting to try out this new, interactive service.

    If you are already involved in monitoring the water environment through citizen science, the Environment Agency would love to hear from you! Using this feedback service, you can share details of the citizen science you are involved in and provide feedback on the supporting citizen science information page.

    The feedback survey is open until 31 December 2024.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Conviction for Unlawful Waste Disposal and Illegal Asbestos Site

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    In a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency, PDM Industries Ltd have been fined £60,046.

    Image of the site operated by by PDM Industries.

    PDM Industries has been handed fines and costs totalling £60,046 and its director, Peter Marquis, received a 42-week prison sentence (suspended for 18 months) and 200 hours of unpaid community work for his involvement in the offences. 

    The sentencing follows an investigation conducted by the Environment Agency into operations at two sites in the Northwest of Preston, Stanley Lodge Farm, Salwick Road, Preston, and a yard adjacent to Wards House Farm, Lea Lane, Preston. 

    PDM Industries Ltd disposed of controlled waste, specifically tyres, at Stanley Lodge Farm without obtaining the required environmental permits.

    Although the Environment Agency instructed them to transfer the waste to a legally permitted facility, Marquis opted to illegally bury the waste tyres, thus violating environmental regulations. 

    Between 31 December 2016 and 15 February 2023, PDM Industries Ltd also operated a facility handling asbestos without authorisation by an environmental permit, in violation of environmental protection regulations.

    Expert testimony provided by Gabriela Boca, an environmental specialist, highlighted the controls that should have been in place at the site dealing with asbestos.

    Her evidence demonstrated the seriousness of the offences. The inadequate storage conditions posed significant risks to the environment due to the improper containment of harmful asbestos fibres. 

    Marquis and PDM Industries Ltd acknowledged the offences and cooperated with the investigation by the Environment Agency. The tyres were later removed from Stanley Lodge Farm, along with the asbestos waste from the yard next to Wards House Farm. 

    District Judge Goodwin concluded that both offences were committed with deliberate intent. 

    Shannon Nicholson, Environmental Crime Team Leader at the Environment Agency said:  

    The sentencing demonstrates the importance of following proper procedures, especially when dealing with hazardous materials like asbestos, which pose serious risks. 

    This case highlights our commitment to holding those who violate environmental regulations accountable. Strict enforcement is essential to prevent harm to the environment

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sexual strangulation has become popular – but that doesn’t mean it’s wanted

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hannah Bows, Associate Professor in Criminal Law, Durham University

    Shutterstock

    An act seemingly once confined to bondage and “kink” communities has become mainstream. Despite the many risks to health (including death), sexual choking is now popular, even commonplace, particularly among young people.

    Sexual choking is a more informal label for strangulation. It involves the grabbing, holding or compression of another’s neck either by hands, or limb, or by use of a prop or weapon, and typically involves restriction of blood or air flow. When it is used as part of a sexual encounter, it is frequently referred to as “erotic asphyxiation” or “breath play”.

    In a 2016 survey of Americans aged 18-60 years, 21.4% of women who had sex with men had been choked. And one in five men admitted to choking a partner (male or female) during sex.

    An Australian study from this year found that more than half of 18- to 35-year-olds reported they had been strangled during sex at least once. A similar proportion admitting to strangling a partner at least once. Though strangling is common among both men and women, evidence shows that women are more likely to be strangled and men more likely to do the strangling.

    Separate research suggests strangulation has become so normalised that many do not consider it to be a form of rough or violent sex at all. A 2019 survey found only around a third of participants considered choking to be rough sexual behaviour. Most considered hair pulling, being pinned down, biting, being tied up and slapping as rough sexual behaviour.

    While there have not been many studies on the prevalence of choking until recently, researchers and campaigners have reported that young people are talking about the practise more in recent years.

    According to a 2022 study that surveyed American university students, those who report enjoying being strangled cited a high from the experience – a feeling of euphoria – that heightens sexual pleasure.

    People give various reasons for engaging in sexual strangling, including wanting to be kinky or adventurous, believing it would please their partner, and feelings of power and dominance. But campaigners point out that the often gendered nature of strangulation can feed into wider patterns of coercion and control of women by men.

    Although sexual choking appears to be increasingly common, it is not necessarily wanted by those engaging in or receiving it. A significant proportion of women, in particular, do not consent to being choked, even if the rest of the encounter is consensual.

    A survey for the BBC in 2019 found that in a study of 2,000 young women aged 18–39, 38% had experienced unwanted slapping, choking, gagging or spitting during otherwise consensual sex. And a similar proportion of men admit to choking or strangling a partner during sex without their consent.

    Normalising strangulation

    The act of strangulation has become increasingly normalised and sexualised. The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, a worldwide bestseller, was widely criticised by feminist campaigners, academics and domestic abuse charities for eroticising strangulation and making it socially acceptable. The recent Netflix-produced films Lady Chatterley’s Lover and Obsession also contain strangulation during sex scenes, which are presented as part of a love story.

    A 2020 investigation by the Times found hundreds of images of sexualised choking and strangulation on Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr. The images included pictures of young women being pinned down and strangled by men, women with gags over their mouths and children being gripped by the throat.

    Social media hashtags promoting these images include #Daddy, #ChokingKink, #BreathPlay and #Strangle. Disturbingly, the investigation found hypersexualised tags and descriptions accompanying many of these images, including one which said “bruise my oesophagus”.

    Unwanted strangulation can happen during otherwise consensual sex.
    PPstudio/Shutterstock

    Pornography has also played a role in eroticising strangulation, as part of a wider normalisation of violent sex. And research has found links between people seeing choking depicted in pornography and engaging in it themselves.

    In TV, books, social media or pornography, it is almost always men strangling women. Similarly, the evidence on real life sexual choking shows this is a practice more often done by men to women.

    The creep of strangulation into legitimate and normalised behaviour makes it more difficult for women to escape (and avoid) violent relationships. This normalisation leads many women to feel like they cannot speak up about nonconsensual choking.

    In her recent book exploring rough sex, journalist Rachel Thompson highlights that women feel refusing to participate or responding to non-consensual choking could reflect negatively on them as sexual partners.

    Risky behaviour

    Regardless of consent, strangulation is associated with a range of health risks. These include loss of consciousness, loss of voice, difficulty in swallowing or breathing, bruising, redness, haemorrhages, headaches, depression, PTSD, suicidal thoughts and death (including delayed death occurring days or weeks after the strangulation).

    Strangulation has traditionally been viewed as a violent act and has long been recognised as assault in criminal law. A growing number of homicides of women by men involve claims that the death was an accident resulting from “rough sex” gone wrong.

    Strangulation or asphyxiation is a leading cause in many of these cases, and in some, reference has been made to the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy as the inspiration for engaging in what is alleged to have been consensual sexual choking.

    England and Wales have recently introduced a new offence of non-fatal strangulation as part of domestic abuse legislation, which police appear to be actively using. But the law alone isn’t enough to change the normalisation of this dangerous act.



    Read more:
    Longer sentences for ‘rough sex’ killers may not deliver justice for victims

    Some advocates for safe BDSM practice have suggested that breath play can be done safely if there is clear consent, proper boundaries and certain rules are followed. But clinicians, academics and parliamentarians have argued there is no safe way to choke someone.

    Hannah Bows receives funding from the ESRC, British Academy & Home Office.

    – ref. Sexual strangulation has become popular – but that doesn’t mean it’s wanted – https://theconversation.com/sexual-strangulation-has-become-popular-but-that-doesnt-mean-its-wanted-239235

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Major international business summit coming to London for first time in 2025

    Source: Mayor of London

    • A major international business summit will be heading to London for the first time ever next year.

     

    Today, it was confirmed that the Concordia Europe Summit will be held in the capital in late spring 2025, which will bring together hundreds of global, regional and national policymakers to showcase investment and partnership opportunities across the capital.

     

    The announcement was made at the Concordia Annual Summit in New York, attended by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. The Concordia Summit brings together leaders from the public and private sectors to foster collaboration and create market-led solutions. This year’s theme Navigating a New Era, for the 14th Annual Summit, will cover pivotal topics from the transformative impact of AI on industries to the landscape of international business, geopolitics, migration, healthcare, education, and more. Notable speakers at this years event including Barbara Humpton, CEO Siemens Corporation and Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber – speakers at previous Summits include current American President Joe Biden, former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, as well as business leaders Walmart CEO, Doug McMillon and LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky.

     

    Sadiq was at the annual summit as part of his four-day trip to America to bang the drum for London as the best place in the world to invest and grow a business and discuss the capital as an emerging hub for tech innovation, particularly in AI, fintech, and life sciences.

     

    During his trip the Mayor met with business leaders from Accordion, the world’s leading advisory and tech platform for the private equity market who have announced they will be opening an office in London. Sadiq also met with leaders from CliftonLarsenAllen (CLA) the eight largest accountancy firm in the US who have acquired the London-based AI and analytics platform Engine and will launch their international brand CLA Global in London to run all of their activities outside of North America.

     

    In a further boost to the capital, Constant Contact, an adtech company supporting small and medium businesses will open an office in Marylebone in October 2024 – and Thoropass, a compliance and audit platform from NYC is also opening an office in London. This follows the Salesforce announcement in June of a $4billion investment into the UK including a new office in Southwark.  

     

    Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I am delighted that the 2025 Concordia Europe Summit will be held in London – it really is a perfect match. London is a city teeming with innovations and ideas, and the Concordia summit provides the best forum for them to be shared.

     

    “I look forward to working with the team to make it the best Summit it can be – as we continue to build a fairer and better London for everyone.”

     

    Today’s announcement was made by Concordia Co-founder & Chairman of the Board Nicholas Logothetis.

     

    Matthew Swift, Co-founder, President & CEO, Concordia, said: “Our Europe Initiative is a powerful element of our programming and convening, representative of a significant portion of our global membership community. I could not imagine a better city than London to bring together leaders from across sectors and geographies to address critical issues through our Concilium format. I am grateful for the collaboration and trust placed upon us by the Mayor of London on this exciting development for our 2025 agenda.”

      

    The Mayor is in New York this week during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly to encourage US businesses to expand and invest in London and promote the capital as an unrivalled destination for tourists. He will also remind global leaders that now is the time to take firm action to tackle climate change.

     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ERO Boston arrests Mexican national charged with child sexual abuse material crime in Massachusetts

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON — Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston apprehended an unlawfully present 40-year-old Mexican citizen charged with disorderly conduct, child pornography, and photographing, videotaping or electronically surveilling a partially nude or nude person. Officers with ERO Boston arrested Abraham Malpica Sept. 13 in Roxbury.

    “Abraham Malpica will have his day in court, but he stands accused of some deviant an disturbing behavior,” said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd. M. Lyons. “We cannot tolerate such a threat to the children of our Massachusetts neighborhoods. ERO Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing egregious noncitizen offenders from New England.”

    U.S. Border Patrol apprehended Malpica Aug. 8, 2002, after he unlawfully entered the United States near Benson, Arizona. USBP voluntarily returned him to Mexico.

    On Aug. 19, 2002 and Aug. 22, 2002, USBP arrested Malpica after he unlawfully reentered the United States near Calexico, California. USBP voluntarily returned Malpica to Mexico on both occasions.

    Malpica unlawfully reentered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location, without being inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    The Boston Police Department arrested Malpica Sept. 12. The next day, the Roxbury District Court arraigned Malpica on charges of disorderly conduct, child pornography, and photographing, videotaping or electronically surveilling a partially nude or nude person.

    On Sept. 13, ERO Boston lodged an immigration detainer against Malpica with the Boston Police Department. Later that day, officers from ERO Boston took custody of Malpica at the Roxbury District Court and served him with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge.

    Detainers are critical public safety tools because they focus enforcement resources on removable noncitizens who have been arrested for criminal activity. Detainers increase the safety of all parties involved — ERO personnel, law enforcement officials, removable noncitizens and the public — by allowing an arrest to be made in a secure and controlled custodial setting as opposed to at-large within the community. Because detainers result in the direct transfer of a noncitizen from state or local custody to ERO custody, they also minimize the potential that an individual will reoffend. Additionally, detainers conserve scarce government resources by allowing ERO to take criminal noncitizens into custody directly rather than expending resources locating these individuals at-large.

    ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. The Executive Office for Immigration Review is a separate entity from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 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.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Whip Clark: “We Are Not Going back to a Less Healthy and Less Just America.”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Katherine Clark (5th District of Massachusetts)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) joined Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) to push permanently extend ACA subsidies that keep health care costs low for millions of Americans. 

    “Thank you so much, Leader Schumer and to our bicameral ACA champions. It is a pleasure to be here with Senator Shaheen — a fellow New Englander and neighbor. What a pleasure to be here with our champion of health care in the House, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, who is also a valued member of our House Democratic leadership. We thank you for all your work on the ACA and health care, and also for the very successful hearing exposing Project 2025 [that] you were critical in putting together yesterday.
     
    “But what we have today is the perfect illustration of two very, starkly different agendas that have been presented to the American people. From the Democrats, an offer to preserve, strengthen, and expand access to health care. A proposal that would prevent 5 million Americans from losing their insurance next year. The Republican offer? Repeal the ACA. Don’t just kick those millions of Americans off their insurance — those 5 million — but 21 million people who currently get their health care through the ACA.

    “Don’t just take my word for it, Donald Trump has said it was a low point — a low point — of his presidency, that he failed to repeal the ACA. Not the global pandemic, not the insurrection at our Capitol, not the crimes he committed. His biggest regret is that he failed to tear away health care from the American people. And now he’d like the opportunity to take another run at it.
     
    “Well, we’re not going back. We’re not going back to a less healthy and less just America. We’re not going back to an America where being a woman is a pre-existing condition, where health care is treated like a privilege. We are going forward to a future where health care is upheld — is the fundamental human right that it is.
     
    “And I am so proud to stand with my Democratic colleagues, House and Senate, as we move forward together into the future. I am so grateful for the work of Senator Shaheen on all of this, and for being such a champion for access to health care for American families.”

    Photos of the event can be found HERE, the full event can be viewed HERE. 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM meeting with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine: 25 September 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Prime Minister met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at UNGA in New York this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at UNGA this afternoon.

    The two leaders had a productive meeting, with the Prime Minister paying tribute to the continued courage of the Ukrainian people in the face of Russian aggression.

    The Prime Minister acknowledged that Ukraine is at a critical point in the war, but he reiterated the UK’s support is ironclad and will continue for as long as it takes. 

    President Zelenskyy set out his ambitions for the coming months and thanked the Prime Minister for the UK’s continued backing. 

    They agreed to keep in close contact in the coming weeks.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press release: PM meeting with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine: 25 September 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street

    The Prime Minister met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at UNGA in New York this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at UNGA this afternoon.

    The two leaders had a productive meeting, with the Prime Minister paying tribute to the continued courage of the Ukrainian people in the face of Russian aggression.

    The Prime Minister acknowledged that Ukraine is at a critical point in the war, but he reiterated the UK’s support is ironclad and will continue for as long as it takes. 

    President Zelenskyy set out his ambitions for the coming months and thanked the Prime Minister for the UK’s continued backing. 

    They agreed to keep in close contact in the coming weeks.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK provides essential humanitarian supplies to civilians in Lebanon as the situation deteriorates

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Government re-opens portal for British nationals in Lebanon to register their presence following deployment

    • Government re-opens portal for British nationals in Lebanon to register their presence
    • Follows deployment of military, Border Force and Foreign office officials to Cyprus to support contingency planning
    • £5 million humanitarian package will support thousands of people who have been displaced or forced to flee

    The UK is sending £5m to Lebanon to support humanitarian response efforts, where the United Nations [UNICEF] will distribute supplies to those in need. 

    It comes as the UK also re-opens the Register Your Presence service to support British nationals and provide vital updates.

    The UK has been calling for British nationals to leave Lebanon since October 2023. Yesterday, 700 troops, alongside Border Force and Foreign Office officials, also deployed to Cyprus to continue contingency planning for a range of scenarios in the region.

    The essential humanitarian support comes after further civilian casualties following air strikes in recent hours. Thousands more have been displaced or forced to flee their homes.

    The package includes essential medical supplies, hygiene kits and fuel for water stations, to help thousands of displaced civilians across Lebanon meet their basic needs.

    It will also help emergency teams respond to urgent health and nutrition needs, and provide a series of training sessions for key delivery partners and frontline workers to ensure an effective emergency response.

    Anneliese Dodds, Minister of State for Development and Minister of State for Women and Equalities, said:

    The situation in Lebanon is deeply concerning. While we continue to urge British nationals to leave and have launched our ‘register your presence’ portal to aid their departure, the UK will always be a strong supporter of the Lebanese people. That is why we are providing £5m to UNICEF to support civilians who have been displaced and are facing a humanitarian emergency.

    We need to see an immediate ceasefire from both sides to prevent further civilian casualties and ensure that displaced people can return to their homes.

    At UNGA this week the Foreign Secretary emphasised the need for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese Hizballah when he met G7 ministers. The UK was the first G7 country to call for an immediate ceasefire. The Foreign Secretary will deliver the UK’s intervention at the UN Security Council session on Lebanon.

    Flights from Beirut continue to run, and British nationals should depart on the first available carrier.

    The military teams have joined the already significant UK diplomatic and military footprint in the region, including RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and Royal Navy ships RFA Mounts Bay and HMS Duncan, which have remained in the eastern Mediterranean to support British nationals and allies over the summer.

    The Royal Air Force also have aircraft and transport helicopters on standby to provide support if necessary.

    Notes to editors  

    • Today’s funding announcement comes from pre-existing Official Development Assistance budgets and is already accounted for.
    • The UK is committed to supporting the most vulnerable in Lebanon, including refugees and Lebanese communities, with timely, flexible assistance to address basic needs and reduce suffering.  
    • The UK’s bilateral humanitarian support to Lebanon this financial year (up to £21m through the Lebanon Humanitarian Programme, including this £5m for UNICEF) is focussed on:  
      • supporting the most vulnerable refugee and Lebanese communities to meet their basic needs;     
      • providing essential education and child protection services to over 5,000 of the most vulnerable and marginalised out of school children; and  
      • supporting the Government of Lebanon to develop more inclusive, sustainable, and accountable social protection systems.  
    • Through the Lebanon Humanitarian Programme, the UK is one of the largest donors to OCHA’s Lebanon Humanitarian Fund which has allocated $14.7m to a range of NGOs for preparedness and response to displacement.  
    • Earlier this year, a Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocation of $9m was released to support UN partners response to the rising needs in Southern Lebanon. The UK is one of the largest donors to the CERF globally.    
    • $2.2m Education Cannot Wait (ECW) funding has been released to support 5,000 children affected by the crisis. The UK is the second largest donor to ECW.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Our electricity workforce must double to hit the 2030 renewables target. Energy storage jobs will soon overtake those in coal and gas

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jay Rutovitz, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney

    Wanwajee Weeraphukdee/Shutterstock

    The electricity workforce will need to double in five years to achieve Australia’s 2030 renewable energy target, our new report finds. More than 80% of these jobs will be in renewables. Jobs in energy storage alone will overtake domestic coal and gas jobs (not including the coal and gas export sector) in the next couple of years.

    The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) updates its Integrated System Plan every two years. It’s a blueprint for the energy transition from coal to renewable energy. The plan lays out scenarios for how the electricity system might change to help put in place all the elements needed to make the transition happen.

    AEMO and the RACE for 2030 co-operative research centre commissioned the Institute for Sustainable Futures to undertake modelling on the workforce needed for this transition. The “step change” scenario in the Integrated System Plan is broadly aligned with the 2030 renewables target. Under this scenario, we found the electricity workforce would need to grow from 33,000 to peak at 66,000 by 2029.

    Rooftop solar and batteries together are projected to account for over 40% of these jobs. Wind farms will employ around one-third and solar farms just under 10%. Jobs would also treble in transmission line construction to connect renewables in regional areas to cities and other states in the next few years.

    Job projections in the National Electricity Market under the ‘step change’ scenario that aligns with the 2030 renewables target.
    Author provided

    Job growth would surge in a ‘renewable energy superpower’

    In the “green energy export” scenario, Australia becomes a “renewable energy superpower”. The country uses renewable energy to export green hydrogen and power heavy industry. In this scenario, the electricity workforce would almost treble to 96,000 by the late 2020s.

    By 2033, after construction peaks, more than half of electricity sector jobs will be in operations and maintenance. This applies to both the step change and green energy export scenarios.

    A significant employment downturn is projected during the 2030s. But in the green energy export scenario jobs then climb steeply again to a peak of 120,000. This projection reflects AEMO’s expectations of when green export growth will occur.

    New South Wales is projected to have the most renewable energy jobs in the 2020s. However, Queensland would become the largest state for renewable jobs (especially in wind farms) in the green energy export scenario.

    Projected total job numbers by scenario.
    Author provided

    What are the other possibilities?

    “Progressive change” is another scenario in the Integrated System Plan. For this scenario, we modelled slower growth in renewable energy. It reflects constraints on the economy and supply chains (including labour and minerals) for renewables.

    In an “enhanced manufacturing” scenario, local renewable energy manufacturing increases. Our modelling found it could create a peak of 5,000 extra jobs.

    Importantly, these projections don’t include upstream jobs in supply chains for the sector (for example, increased mining to supply the resources that renewables need) or electrification of homes.

    Creating this many jobs is very challenging

    Our modelling shows the workforce needs to grow very rapidly to make Australia’s energy transition happen. Unfortunately, the challenges of building this workforce are daunting. They include:

    • there’s a shortage of almost all key occupations in demand for the electricity sector – electricians, engineers, construction managers – according to Australia’s Skills Priority List

    • “extraordinary growth” forecast by Infrastructure Australia in other major infrastructure projects, such as transport, which will compete for many of the same skilled workers

    • under AEMO’s scenarios, employment will be subject to boom-bust cycles, which increases the risk of skill shortages and damaging impacts, such as housing shortages, in regional areas

    • Australia has relied heavily on skilled migrants – and will look to do so again – but many parts of the world are chasing the same workers.

    The International Energy Agency has noted:

    Labour and skills shortages are already translating into project delays, raising concerns that clean energy solutions will be unable to keep pace with demand to meet net zero targets.

    What can be done to avoid skill shortages?

    Some action has been taken to increase the workforce. The federal government, for instance, is subsidising apprentices under the New Energy Apprenticeship program.

    But action isn’t happening at the scale and pace required.

    What else can be done?

    Firstly, Jobs Skills Australia and Powering Skills Organisation (which oversees energy skills training) have outlined ways to increase the system’s capacity to train more skilled workers. This includes creating better pathways into renewable energy for students, especially in recognised Renewable Energy Zones.

    Secondly, Jobs Skills Australia has noted the need for renewable energy businesses to increase their intakes of apprentices. It recommends expanding the Australian Skills Guarantee to include generation and transmission projects.

    The guarantee has set mandatory targets for apprentices or trainees to complete 10% of labour hours on Commonwealth-funded major construction and information technology projects (A$10 million plus). It could also be applied to major government funding programs for renewable energy and transmission. These include:

    • the Capacity Investment Scheme, a government tender program to support a large volume of new renewables and storage projects

    • Rewiring the Nation, a $20 billion fund for transmission lines

    • grants from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

    Thirdly, government tenders could moderate the peaks and troughs in employment by limiting the maximum and minimum volumes built each year.

    Fourthly, including more women and First Nations Australians can increase labour supply and workforce diversity. Only one-in-two First Nations Australians are employed compared to around two in three in the wider population. Yet they account for around one-in-ten people in some major Renewable Energy Zones.

    Government pre-employment programs, working with industry and First Nations groups, could also increase the supply of workers. These could have a dramatic social impact too.

    It’s a challenging problem whichever way you look at it. We need rapid change to build renewable energy capacity before coal plants retire and to tackle climate change. But that depends on growing the workforce amid skill shortages.

    There’s a range of ways to increase the supply of workers and improve local outcomes. But we are running out of time. Urgent action is needed.

    The Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney received funding from the Australian Energy Market Operator and the RACE for 2030 CRC for the report upon which this article is based

    The Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney received funding from the Australian Energy Market Operator and the RACE for 2030 CRC for the report upon which this article is based.

    – ref. Our electricity workforce must double to hit the 2030 renewables target. Energy storage jobs will soon overtake those in coal and gas – https://theconversation.com/our-electricity-workforce-must-double-to-hit-the-2030-renewables-target-energy-storage-jobs-will-soon-overtake-those-in-coal-and-gas-239718

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Transcript – doorstop – Western Sydney University

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    ANDY MARKS [PRO VICE-CHANCELLOR WSU]: Morning, everybody. My name is Andy Marks from Western Sydney University. I want to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we’re meeting today and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging. This is a fantastic next stage on a journey that we’ve been on in [the] Hawkesbury that goes back more than a hundred years, in fact, when this facility was one of Australia’s first in pioneering the education and research of agriculture in Australia. What we see today with the announcement of stage one funding for the Agri Tech Hub is something that takes that to another level. It’s about an array of infrastructure investments in Western Sydney on the part of the Federal Government, and how they can do the main game for [the] Hawkesbury, which is generating jobs and jobs of the future. So I won’t say any more today other than to introduce our distinguished guests. First of all, the most distinguished, our local member, Susan Templeman. Susan, please.

    SUSAN TEMPLEMAN [FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MACQUARIE]: Thanks, Andy.

    ANDY MARKS: No offence, guys.

    SUSAN TEMPLEMAN: Yeah. Susan Templeman, Member for Macquarie. It is such a pleasure to be here to bring to fruition a conversation that started several years ago and followed with an election commitment of $16.7 million, and to now be at this point knowing that the investment that we are making as a federal government is going to have long term benefits economically for this community, and importantly, for agriculture across not just New South Wales, but Australia – and, we hope, the world. What we’re able to bring here and what we’ll see grow over time is an agritech precinct that is really going to, as Andy has said, take that story of agriculture in the Hawkesbury, which began when colonial settlers saw how fertile this area was. This is the area that fed Sydney when it was in famine, and these are really significant things in the settlement of Australia. And of course, we looked at how [the] First Nations used this land – they also found it was bountiful. So, this is an exciting next step to take agriculture for the Hawkesbury region and Western Sydney into the 21st century. I’m very pleased to have the Minister for Infrastructure, Catherine King, who has supported this project from the start and was key to it being an election commitment and being able to announce that. And I’m so delighted that she’s here to take this next step.

    CATHERINE KING [MINISTER]: Thanks.

    [Applause]

    Thanks very much. It’s great to be here. Susan, and also with George as well. And it’s my first opportunity to actually come on site to see the delivery. Now we’re releasing- the stage one funding is being released for this project, and an important project it is, not just for the Hawkesbury but for Western Sydney overall, making sure that we are investing in new technology for agriculture. Agriculture we want to grow to a much more significant level in this country than we have currently. It’s incredibly important, and being able to have the sorts of technology, the research and development here, I’m looking forward to being able to look at some of the research that’s being done on vanilla bean producing, barramundi producing out on this site, but also looking at what that means for the future.

    With only sort of 40 minutes to the new Western Sydney International Airport, this university will also be an incredibly important way that our agriculture sector can look at how it can preserve goods to getting them to market much more quickly. That over $5 billion investment we’re investing in building the airport actually is very critical to this university here as well in making sure that we’ve got the technology, the research into the future. So I do want to commend Western Sydney University for the foresight on actually developing this site in the way in which they have. And really, the investment- we’re going to be looking forward to seeing not only lots of students here involved and being part of this site, but very much the research that is to come out of Western Sydney University for agriculture into the future. Making sure we’ve got a sustainable, good and healthy food supply is pretty critical to not just our nation, but the world. So I do want to commend them and very pleased to be here on site today. I might hand over to George.

    GEORGE WILLIAMS [VICE-CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT WSU]: Thank you minister, and thank you to the local member for their [sic] steadfast support of this project. This is something special for Western Sydney and Hawkesbury. It’s special because it’s bringing AI to agriculture in a way that’s going to transform jobs in this area. We expect there’ll be 240 jobs supporting this facility. And it’s a really great example of taking Western Sydney to the world. This is a world-leading facility that is going to be looking at how we have sustainable, effective agriculture from the beginning to the end of the food chain, and it’ll be doing that in ways that will be of enormous international interest. In our case, we’ve already got great interest from India, for example, who want to work with us because of this facility to bring the technology, the expertise not only to India, but to Asia and the Middle East. And that will be a great initiative for us to lead in this area with our researchers and partners, to actually deal something quite special that will be transformative here and more broadly.

    It’s also a particularly special investment because of Western Sydney. And of course, it’s not just an investment in agritech we’re seeing, it’s agritech plus the airport, plus the enormous growth in infrastructure, plus all of the great developments we’re seeing in people around this region. And this is the sort of investment that goes back not only to 1891 when the Hawkesbury College was first established, but of course much further back to colonial times. And it’s expression of that now in a world class, high tech way that will not only drive jobs, but actually drive that investment through the airport and the like, to bring this to the world and to do something that we think not just for Western Sydney University, but more importantly for our students, for our staff, but also the community is going to deliver enormous benefits, not just next year, but over the coming decades. So thank you. We appreciate the support and we believe with this, this is going to be a game changer for agriculture and technology in this region.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ICON Week aims to help parents to cope with infant crying

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    ICON Week aims to raise awareness of infant crying and how parents and carers can cope with it to help prevent serious injury, illness and even death which can result from adults not knowing how to soothe or otherwise safely attend to crying babies.

    Research indicates that some parents and carers may lose control when faced with persistent infant crying, potentially leading to severe outcomes such as shaking a baby. This can cause abusive head trauma, which may result catastrophic brain injuries and lead to death or long term health and learning disabilities.

    ICON consists of a series of key messages:

    I – Infant crying is normal and will eventually stop. 
    C – Comfort methods can sometimes soothe the baby, and the crying will cease. 
    O – It’s OK to walk away for a few minutes if you have ensured the baby’s safety and the crying is overwhelming. 
    N – Never shake or hurt a baby.

    Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, said: “Most babies start to cry more frequently from 2 weeks of age, with a peak usually being seen around 6 to 8 weeks.

    “The ICON Week campaign is about sharing messages of support and advice to parents and carers who might be struggling to cope. We want to normalise the fact that babies do cry and some aren’t easily soothed and we want to share information far and wide about what to do in these situations and, most importantly, how to stay calm.

    “Anyone who needs support, please don’t continue to struggle. Help is available from your midwife, health visitor or GP, or you can go online and find resources on the ICON website.”

    Dr Suzanne Smith, nurse, health visitor, and founder of ICON, added: “Abusive head trauma can occur in any setting when a parent or carer is overwhelmed by persistent crying. The additional pressures from the rising cost of living further strain families, leading to potentially devastating consequences.

    “ICON’s mission is to offer support and advice to parents and carers who may be struggling. We aim to normalise the experience of infant crying, share practical information on managing stress, and ultimately reduce the risk of abusive head trauma.”

    For more information about ICON week, which runs until Sunday (29 September), please visit ICON.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Association sings praises of Music Service at awards

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    It was one of 15 teams and organisations from across the region to be showcased at the annual event, which celebrates and enables councils to share best practice.

    Wolverhampton Music Service provides high quality tuition and musical opportunities for youngsters from schools across the city, including the chance to perform with its flagship groups, Wolverhampton Youth Orchestra and Wolverhampton Youth Wind Orchestra.

    Last year, it delivered around 500 hours of tuition to nearly 7,000 children in 82 schools across the city every week, and runs 15 free ensembles enjoyed by over 500 children and young people on a weekly basis.

    Staff performed concerts to 54 primary schools in May during its #LiveMusicWton week and curated 4 large scale events at The University of Wolverhampton at The Halls enjoyed by over 7,000 pupils. Meanwhile, 66 students took part in a successful tour to Europe this summer where they performed 3 concerts in Italy.

    The Music Service also works with partners to deliver additional Youth Theatre shows, rock and pop projects, inclusive music making sessions for special schools, Indian music provision and continued professional development for school staff.

    Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “Music is an incredibly important part of a child’s education.

    “It helps pupils develop their concentration and memory, improves their confidence and – in an era when you can get everything at a touch of a button – teaches them about perseverance, because learning to sing or play an instrument takes a great deal of time and commitment.

    “Our Music Service does a fantastic job, inspiring and educating thousands of children and young people every week, and I am delighted that it has been recognised for its work by the West Midlands Association for Directors of Children’s Services.”

    Jo Britton, Chair of West Midlands ADCS Network, said: “This year we have a real variety of disciplines represented, including those working in the fields of youth justice, early help and education.

    “For me, this cuts to the core of what we do, and what we do is the best for our children, young people and their families. It doesn’t matter if we are working with a child who may be on the edge of criminality, or supporting another who has a passion to play a musical instrument, because when it comes to it, working holistically means we support each child in the right way and at the right time.”

    To find out more visit Wolverhampton Music Service. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish and UK governments urged to deliver private jet tax

    Source: Scottish Greens

    25 Sep 2024 Climate Climate Breakdown

    Private jets are wasteful and destructive.

    More in Climate

    The Scottish and UK governments must work together to deliver the rollout of Scotland’s Air Departure Tax and drive down aviation, says the Scottish Greens transport spokesperson, Mark Ruskell MSP.

    Air Departure Tax was created by the Scottish Parliament in 2017, but has yet to be introduced. The Scottish Government says this is due to the UK Treasury’s refusal to allow an exemption for lifeline island flights, but a recent report from Oxfam has argued that it could be applied now if the UK Government and Scottish Government worked together.

    Mr Ruskell has written to the Scottish Government Minister for Connectivity and Agriculture, Jim Fairlie, and the UK Government’s Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Mike Kane, calling for a meeting to resolve the stalemate and urgently bring in the tax.

    Oxfam has found that since 2019 – the same year the Scottish Government declared a climate emergency – there have been 54,746 recorded private flights in Scotland. They have argued that using Air Departure Tax on private jets could raise over £21 million a year (based on 2023 figures), which could go towards funding public transport investment, such as permanently scrapping peak rail fares.

    Mr Ruskell said: “There are few things in this world as wasteful, needless and destructive as private jets. It is absurd we are allowing multi-millionaires to pollute the world around us at such an obscene rate.

    “Private jets are used as a decadent and extravagant sign of wealth and status, transporting some of the wealthiest people in the world from one destination to the next. There is no justification for them, especially at a time when global temperatures are rising.

    “The truth is that we cannot even begin to tackle the climate crisis without drastically reducing the number of flights that are taking off and landing every day, both here in Scotland and around the world.

    “A private jet tax is long overdue, but it will take political will and our governments working together.

    “For far too long we’ve had a stalemate, with Holyrood blaming Westminster for inaction while UK ministers have refused to engage. We need to get it solved as soon as possible so that we can finally deter flights, permanently end peak rail fares and raise vital funds for public transport.

    “The Scotland I want us to build is one where rail is always an affordable, accessible and reliable option, not one where private jets are flying overhead as the super-rich disregard our climate and pollute our planet.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Newport’s Lord Louis library set to undergo essential works 25 September 2024 Newport’s Lord Louis library set to undergo essential works.

    Source: Aisle of Wight

    The Lord Louis Library in Newport is scheduled to undergo essential maintenance from Monday 14 October and is expected to be fully completed by the end of December 2024.

    During this time the main library will remain open as much as possible except for Thursday 10, Friday 11 and Saturday 12 October when it will be closed to the general public to allow staff to move books from the areas where work will be completed.

    The library will also be closed for a short time in late December alongside some possible lunch time closures and changes to opening hours during the work.

    For those wanting to use the children’s library, the books will be relocated to a dedicated area within the main library. As space will be limited some activities such as Rhyme Time and adult group sessions will unfortunately not be able to take place. The public computers will still be available for use, as will printing and photocopying facilities.

    Colin Rowland, director for community services “Although there may be some temporary inconvenience due to construction work, the end result will be worth it. Residents will still be able to use all the libraries online services while building works take place. We’d also like to remind and encourage residents to visit the other libraries across the Island, which are open as normal”.

    Councillor Julie Jones-Evans, cabinet member for economy, regeneration, culture and leisure added; “This investment reflects our commitment to the library service and our appreciation of its value to the local community. Please make sure you follow both the library services and council’s Facebook pages for the latest updates.”

    For more information on the libraries online services please visit free online services.

    Residents can also visit our other libraries during this time, a list is available by clicking Isleof Wight Council libraries

    Stay up to date with what’s happening at your local library by visiting facebook/iwlibraries and follow facebook/isleofwightcouncil/ 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 316 stolen vehicles recovered in intensification week

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    Recovered vehicles valued at over £4m in total with 180 arrests made

    • Partnership working to tackle vehicle crime
    • 180 arrests made relating to vehicle crime, including burglary
    • NaVCIS-led operations at ports recovered stolen vehicles destined for overseas

    The first intensification week as part of national policing’s Operation Alliances to tackle serious organised vehicle crime has concluded with 316 stolen vehicles recovered with an estimated value of over £4m.

    The stolen vehicles included cars, motorcycles, lorries, scrap vehicles and various vehicle parts linked to thefts were also recovered.

    Op Alliances is delivered by Opal, policing’s national intelligence team for serious organised acquisitive crime, and brought together a number of organisations working in partnership with policing to stem the flow of stolen vehicles leaving the UK and support enforcement action at ports.

    Vehicle crime is on the increase, with the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) recording a 29 per cent increase in vehicles identified at ports in the second quarter of 2024. There’s evidence from Opal’s analysis that vehicle crime forms a large part of serious organised acquisitive crime, presenting a significant risk which damages communities and industry.

    Op Alliances is policing’s targeted approach to tackling this criminality with partners including NaVCIS, the Ports Police, Home Office, Border Force, manufacturers, Europol, Interpol, the National Crime Agency and many others (see full list in notes to editors).

    Activity took place across nine different ports, acting on intelligence to locate stolen vehicles and parts destined for overseas markets.

    Police forces across England and Wales took part in the week, engaging with local communities to offer crime prevention advice and initiatives to support vehicle owners in keeping their vehicles safe, as well as encouraging reporting of thefts. 180 arrests were made across the country for vehicle crime-related offences, including burglary and theft of car keys which is an increasingly common tactic used by criminals.

    Forces conducted multiple search warrants, locating and closing down a number of ‘chop shops’, (locations where stolen vehicles are broken down into parts) as well as engaging with scrap metal and motor salvage businesses around enforcement and guidance.

    Many seizures were also made of offensive weapons, theft devices, thousands of pounds in cash, suspected stolen tools, suspected stolen plant and agricultural equipment and a large quantity of drugs.

    Assistant Chief Constable, Jenny Sims is National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime. She said:

    “This intensification week has seen policing, local enforcement, partners and the industry coming together in a targeted effort to tackle some of the highest harm offenders in vehicle crime and the results speak for themselves.

    “We know that organised crime groups are responsible for a significant proportion of vehicle thefts, whether to export high-end vehicles overseas or to break them up for parts. We also know that stolen vehicles are used in poly-criminality, for example in other areas of acquisitive crime but also drug offending and modern slavery, so tackling these groups can be extremely impactful.

    “I’m grateful to all of our partner agencies and organisations who are instrumental in this fight against vehicle crime. The intensification activity this week has supported us in driving intelligence gathering and sharing, as well as our operational work together and I look forward to seeing the results continue.”

    Sharon Naughton is Head of NaVCIS. She said:

    “The Port of Felixstowe handles more than four million shipping containers per year. The challenge of locating stolen cars in shipping containers can seem like a needle in a haystack. NaVCIS intelligence and analysis helps to make the needle bigger and the haystack smaller when disrupting this type of criminality.

    “NaVCIS bridge the gap between policing and industry. The vehicle crime intensification week has been a huge success, particularly at ports, where NaVCIS officers work hard every day of the year to intercept and seize stolen vehicles before they are exported overseas. Through our well-established and positive relationships with industry partners and law enforcement colleagues, we proactively investigate this type of serious and organised acquisitive crime to develop intelligence to increase opportunities to bring offenders to justice.

    “Our port operations are vital to tackle vehicle crime, deprive criminals of assets and return cars to their rightful owners.”

    DCI Lee Newman-West is Head of Operations at Opal, the team which coordinated the national activity. He said:

    “Opal is committed to tackling serious organised acquisitive crime (SOAC) and the team work tirelessly with law enforcement agencies and a host of key partners and industry colleagues within the UK and overseas to enhance our intelligence flows and understanding of key threats.

    “We continue to champion and drive multi-agency responses to support collaboration and operational activity, tackling vehicle crime and wider SOAC threats in partnership. We will do all we can to disrupt this criminality and protect our communities.”

    Key partners involved in delivering the intensification activity to date: (not exhaustive):

    • Opal- National Intelligence Unit for Serious Organised Acquisitive Crime (SOAC)
    • NaVCIS- National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service
    • NCA- National Crime Agency
    • JICC- Joint International Crime Centre
    • FLEC- Foreign Law Enforcement Community
    • Europol
    • Interpol
    • Home office intelligence
    • Port of Dover Police
    • UK Police forces
    • Vehicle examiners
    • UKBF- Border Force
    • MACC- Multi Agency cash cell
    • FTT- Federated Tasking team
    • National APMIS team
    • NICRP- National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership
    • BTP- British Transport Police
    • Environment Agency
    • Crime Prevention Initiatives
    • National vehicle crime tactical lead
    • ROCU disruptions teams- Regional Organised Crime Units
    • GAIN- Government Agency Intelligence Network
    • NCATT- National Construction Agricultural Theft Team
    • ANPR specialists
    • Tracker companies including Tracker and W4G
    • MPS Organised vehicle team
    • Essex Stolen vehicle unit
    • Industry partners/ manufacturers
    • Jaguar Land Rover
    • Toyota Lexus
    • Finance companies
    • Association of British Insurers (ABI)
    • US Homeland Security
    • Cargo Secure, Suffolk Police.
    • Home Office
    • Recovery agents and VRS teams

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Time for fair work in the hospitality sector

    Source: Scottish Greens

    25 Sep 2024 Economy

    Every worker deserves a real living wage and protections.

    More in Economy

    Every worker deserves a real living wage and protections, says Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman, who has called on the Scottish Government to support and impelment recommendations from the Fair Work Convention’s Fair Work Hospitality Inquiry Report. 

    The report, launched yesterday, made 12 recommendations, including the creation of tax incentives for businesses who pay the Real Living Wage, developing accredited training for managers to champion fair work practices, and creating a single Fair Work Charter under which hospitality businesses can operate. 

    Speaking after the launch, Maggie Chapman said “The hospitality sector is a vibrant and essential part of our culture and economy, and those working in it deserve clear protections.  

    “The Fair Work Convention has shown what many already know about the hospitality sector: it is plagued by precarity, built into its structures, with a clear lack of collective bargaining and a low expectation for what is considered ‘fair’ in work. 

    “Hospitality workers come from such a diverse range of backgrounds in Scotland, from the small independent coffee shops to the big city centre bars and restaurants.  

    “The Scottish Greens look forward to working further with the Convention as well as trade unions, to ensure that the report’s recommendations are taken forward as quickly as possible.” 

    The recommendations are a response to significant reports of accidents, bullying, and job insecurity, due to a lack of clarity on the protections which hospitality workers are owed. 

    The Convention is also working directly with Unite Hospitality’s ‘Get Me Home Safely’ campaign, which is pushing for employers to ensure their workers can get home safely after late night shifts. This campaign was established after a Unite member was sexually assaulted while walking home from a late-night shift, having been refused a taxi by her employer. 

    Following the report’s launch, Inquiry member from Unite Hospitality, Bryan Simpson added: “This inquiry set a really important precedent, giving workers in the sector the voice they deserve.  

    “Unite Hospitality workers have been working hard to deliver better conditions for their colleagues, and it is high time these voices were heard at the same table as government ministers and industry leaders. For Scotland’s lowest-paid sector, it is vital that these workers are properly recognised. 

    “If the recommendations are accepted and rolled out, it will be transformational for the sector. Workers’ lives will improve. And the industry as a whole will be better for it.” 

    Ms Chapman has also submitted a parliamentary motion recognising the work of the Convention and its report.  

    Text of Maggie Chapman’s Motion 

    Title: Fair Work Hospitality Industry Inquiry 

    That the Parliament recognises what it sees as the important activities of the Fair Work Convention; notes that the Convention undertook an inquiry into fair work in the hospitality industry and how this could be improved for the benefit of both employers and workers; understands that the inquiry recommends the establishment of a voluntary Fair Work Charter for Hospitality that stipulates a range of workers’ protections, from payment of the Real Living Wage and recognition of Real Living Hours to effective voice through trade union access and recognition, robust anti-bullying procedures and “safe home” policies for all workers asked to travel to or from work after 11pm; further understands that Unite Hospitality’s Get Me Home Safe campaign has, and continues to promote, the adoption of “safe home” policies associated with the charter; believes that there is a continued requirement to raise awareness of the Fair Work Convention, its work and the Fair Work Charter for Hospitality, and commends and congratulates the Fair Work Convention on its ongoing work. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Ceramicist’s Garden: Pride in Place Walk

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Wednesday, 25th September 2024

    A walk with Deb Rogers and Maurice Greenham, hosted by Anna Francis.

    Join the Friends of Spode Rose Garden for a series of walks aimed at exploring the city ceramics and the natural world.

    This walk will celebrate the diversity of plants, nature and our city’s green spaces. It will also celebrate Hanley Park as the annual venue for Stoke Pride.

    Stoke-on-Trent Pride Legends Maurice Greenham and Deb Rogers will be there to welcome everyone, and particularly those from the LGBTQ+ community.

    Maurice has been campaigning to support people living with HIV and the older LGBT community and Deb Rogers is an artist and researcher whose practice explores the relationship between humans and animals, and has lead the Stoke-on-Trent Pride Arts programme for many years.

    The walk will begin in the Spode Rose Garden, and end the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Regulator of Social Housing publishes regulatory judgements for ten landlords

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    As part of a set of judgements published today, RSH found that Harlow District Council failed to meet the new consumer standards.

    As a result, RSH has given the landlord a C3 grade, which means there are serious failings and it needs to make significant improvements.

    RSH investigated Harlow Council after reviewing its Tenant Satisfaction Measure (TSM) results. RSH concluded that the council had:

    • Carried out fire risk assessments for only 20% of buildings that it should have done, out of its 9,100 social housing homes.
    • Over 500 high risk fire safety remedial actions overdue, and a further 1,500 medium risk actions overdue (the majority of which are more than 12 months overdue).

    Harlow Council has employed an external consultant to help it to develop a detailed improvement plan as a priority and the RSH will be engaging with the landlord as it addresses these failings

    The Council is working to complete the outstanding fire risk assessments and resulting actions, starting with the highest risk blocks. RSH continues to scrutinise the Council closely and it must demonstrate that it is reducing risks to tenants as it puts these issues right.

    Kate Dodsworth, Chief of Regulatory Engagement at RSH, said:

    It is unacceptable that Harlow Council has failed to meet fire safety requirements. Providing safe, decent homes for tenants begins with robust data, and this must include fire risk assessments for every home that needs one. 

    We identified these failings by scrutinising the council’s TSM results. It is the landlord’s responsibility to notify us themselves of material issues.

    Our new proactive approach and expanded consumer remit is helping to bring issues to the surface earlier. We expect all providers to regularly review and evaluate their services to improve outcomes for tenants.

    The investigation was carried out as part of RSH responsive engagement.

    RSH has also today published a range of other judgements resulting from its ongoing regulatory activity, including seven programmed inspections as well as RSH’s first stability check for a for-profit provider.

    RSH carries out annual stability checks to see whether a provider’s current viability grade is consistent with the financial information submitted in their regulatory returns.

    Provider Governance Viability Consumer Engagement Process Notes
    Saxon Weald G1 Assessed and unchanged V2 Assessed and unchanged C2 First grading Programmed inspection  
    Great Places Housing Group G1 Assessed and unchanged V2 Assessed and unchanged C2 First grading Programmed inspection  
    Calico Homes G2 Assessed and unchanged V2 Regrade C2 First grading Programmed inspection  
    Bolton at Home G2 Assessed and unchanged V2 Regrade C2 First grading Programmed inspection  
    The Havebury Housing Partnership G1 Assessed and unchanged V2 Assessed and unchanged C1 First grading Programmed inspection  
    Rooftop Housing Group G1 Assessed and unchanged V2 Assessed and unchanged C2 First grading Programmed inspection  
    Mossacre St Vincent’s Housing Group Limited G1 Assessed and unchanged V2 Assessed and unchanged C2 First grading Programmed inspection  
    Legal and General Affordable Homes G1* V1* N/A Stability check RSH does not assess consumer grades as part of its annual stability checks
    Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association Limited G2 Downgrade V2 Assessed and unchanged N/A Responsive engagement following a self-referral Responsive engagement related to governance issues, so consumer grade not yet assessed

    Landlords must meet the outcomes of the economic and consumer standards set by RSH.

    Governance and financial viability remain cornerstones of RSH’s regulation of housing associations and other private registered providers (including for-profits). Landlords must manage the risks associated with financial viability and reduced capacity with robust governance in place to meet the outcomes of RSH’s standards.

    A C1 grading means that, overall, the landlord is delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards, and they identify issues when they occur and put plans in place to remedy them and minimise their recurrence. We expect that, even where a landlord is assessed as C1, it will continue to review, evaluate and improve its services to tenants.

    C2 means there are some weaknesses in the landlord delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards, and it needs to make improvements.

    Notes to editors

    1. On 1 April 2024 RSH introduced new consumer standards for social housing landlords, designed to drive long-term improvements in the sector. It also began a programme of landlord inspections. The changes are a result of the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023 and include stronger powers to hold landlords to account. More information about RSH’s approach is available in its document Reshaping Consumer Regulation.
    2. We use an asterisk with a for-profit landlord’s grade (for example, G1, V1, C2*) to make it clear that the assessment refers to a landlord that is designated on the register as being for-profit.

    3. More information about RSH’s responsive engagement, programmed inspections and consumer gradings is also available on its website.

    4. RSH promotes a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver more and better social homes. It does this by setting standards and carrying out robust regulation focusing on driving improvement in social landlords, including local authorities, and ensuring that housing associations are well-governed, financially viable and offer value for money. It takes appropriate action if the outcomes of the standards are not being delivered.

    For general enquiries email enquiries@rsh.gov.uk. For media enquiries please see our Media Enquiries page.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Inside job starts on Guildhall

    Source: City of Plymouth

    We’ve done the outside – now the inside of Plymouth’s Guildhall is to be given a makeover to help bring the buzz back to this landmark building.

    Contractors TEC Construction will take over the building this week to prepare for a major overhaul that will bring this historic landmark bang up to date for gigs, entertainment events, conferences, training and weddings.

    The project will involve installing features such as acoustic curtains in the Great Hall, acoustic panels from the ceiling to improve the sound quality for different types of events. Facility panels will also be provided in the Great Hall to enable event organisers better audio visual connectivity for productions.

    Also in the Great Hall, the roof trusses are being strengthened to enable higher spec lighting to be used and modular staging is to be installed offering organisers who hire the building more flexibility.

    Toilets on the ground floor and within the Lounge Bar will also be refurbished, and a commercial kitchen installed adjacent to the Great Hall, while outside a ramp for wheelchairs and prams is being created to improve access.

    The existing Lounge Bar will be demolished and replaced with a new larger and more modern bar increasing the number of covers and improving the customer experience. The building will also benefit from new lighting in key areas and upgraded WiFi throughout.

    Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, Cooperative Development and Community, said: “This is a massively important building for the city and it deserves to be back in the spotlight and play a bigger part in people’s lives and the life of the city centre.

    “It’s played host to some incredible artists – Bowie, Queen and the Who in the 70s, but the needs of bands, orchestras and events organisers have changed over the years. It’s great to see the work get underway.”

    The alterations are sympathetic to the building’s character and interior which Historic England describe as a ‘rare and unusually rich example’ of an unaltered `Festival of Britain’ interior. There are some glorious touches including an imposing black and white marble staircase, a mural depicting famous sons of Plymouth and the city’s maritime history and three stunning 1950s chandeliers.

    Over the last few months, the Council has been in discussions with the contractor to value engineer the original specification to reduce the price to a more affordable sum that still delivers the scheme’s key outcomes, which is to create a space in the city centre that will attract a new wave of visitors and users.

    A separate programme of restoration for the Guildhall’s exterior has just been completed to clean and repair the effects of decades of pollution and salty sea air, which has damaged stonework and detailing.

    Work was carried out in three phases, initially focussing on the northern Royal Parade-facing side and the western tower. The work started at the end of 2022 and scaffolding has recently down from the front of the building to reveal crisp clean stonework. Repairs were also carried out to the wave-shaped awning over the front doors and roof repairs.

    A compound is being set up in front of the entrance ahead of work starting in full.

    The Guildhall was originally built in the 1870s but reduced to a shell during the Blitz.

    It was one of the few damaged buildings to be restored rather than rebuilt, with the restoration continuing through most of the 1950s.

    The work is expected to be complete by early summer 2025.

    The project will cost in the region of £3.9m and is funded by the Future High Streets Fund.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Preston Pride 2024 Returns to Celebrate Diversity and Inclusivity

    Source: City of Preston

    Preston Pride is set to return in 2024, bringing together people from all walks of life to celebrate diversity, inclusivity, and equality.

    This year’s event will take place on Saturday 28 September in the heart of Preston, offering a day filled with activities, performances, and opportunities to show your support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

    Building on the success of previous years, Preston Pride will feature a wide range of entertainment, including live music, drag performances, and local artists.

    The event aims to create a welcoming space for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or background. Attendees can expect to see a variety of stalls from local organisations, charities, and businesses that support the LGBTQIA+ community.

    There will be road closures between 10:15am – 11:15am for the Pride Parade beginning at Kendal Street on the city’s Adelphi Square at the University of Central Lancashire campus and then runs down Friargate to the Flag Market.

    Councillor Hindle, Cabinet Member for Culture and Arts at Preston City Council said:

    “Preston Pride is a cornerstone event for our city, showcasing our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. 

    It is vital that we continue to support and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, not just during Pride but every day of the year. Preston Pride is an opportunity for us all to stand together, demonstrate our solidarity, and foster a city where everyone feels welcome and valued. I encourage everyone in Preston and beyond to join us for this important day and feel welcome to show our solidarity.”

    Preston Pride is more than just a celebration, it is a statement of solidarity and support. It is an opportunity for the community to come together and promote a message of acceptance.

    The event also serves as an important platform to raise awareness of the ongoing challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals and to encourage dialogue and education.

    Preston Pride is expected to draw a large crowd, as it has in previous years, and preparations are well underway to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees. The family-friendly environment will also include activities for children, ensuring the event is accessible to all ages.

    To learn more about Preston Pride 2024 visit the website Visit Preston – Preston Pride 2024, or follow Visit Preston on social media.

    Additional Information

    Preston City Council actively applies and prioritises the principles of Community Wealth Building wherever applicable and appropriate. Community Wealth Building is an approach which aims to ensure the economic system builds wealth and prosperity for everyone.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Making public ownership of rail work for London

    Source: Mayor of London

    With the Government promising to bring Britain’s railways back into public ownership, how should that look in practice and implementation in London?

    Tomorrow, the Transport Committee will ask guests what needs to be done to ensure that new arrangements result in a better experience for passengers, and what role the Mayor should have in any further devolution of services.
     
    The Committee will also ask the Deputy Mayor for Transport and Transport for London (TfL) for an update on the impact on passengers of the ongoing cyber incident at TfL.
     
    Panel 1 (10am – 10.40am)

    • Prof Iain Docherty, Dean of the Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Stirling

    Panel 2 (10.45am – 1pm)

    • Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport, Greater London Authority 
    • Geoff Hobbs, Director of Public Transport Service Planning, Transport for London

    From 12.30 pm, the Committee will hear how TfL is trying to help passengers affected by the impact of the recent cyber attack.
     
    The ongoing impacts of the attack include passengers being unable to apply for or renew discounted Oyster passes, and delays to the rollout of contactless payments to 47 stations.
     
    The meeting will take place on Thursday 26 September from 10am, in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.
     
    Media and members of the public are invited to attend.
     
    The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.
     
    Follow us @LondonAssembly.
     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –