Press release: Work starts on multi-million pound North East flood scheme

Work has started on site on a £2.5million project which will help protect around 100 homes and businesses in a South Tyneside community from flooding.

Monkton flood alleviation scheme will also see a section of the Bede Burn running underground opened up – known as ‘daylighting’ – and green space created for the community to enjoy.

The scheme is being delivered by South Tyneside Council and its partners at the Environment Agency and Tyne Rivers Trust. It’s expected to be completed in the winter.

It will tackle surface water flooding, which happens when rainwater does not drain away or soak into the ground, but lies or flows over the ground instead.

Communities better protected

Councillor Moira Smith, Lead Member for Area Management and Community Safety at South Tyneside Council, said:

We are delighted to see work get underway to reduce the risk of flooding to properties which have been badly affected in the past.

It is never possible to guarantee that an area will be flood free. However by working with our partners we can certainly help to increase the level of protection and reassurance by delivering long-term sustainable schemes such as this.

These measures will go a long way to controlling the flow of surface water and diverting it away from local residents and businesses. Once complete, communities will be better protected with the added benefit of an enhanced local environment.

The scheme involves managing surface water where problems have been identified around the Monkton Burn, Lukes Lane Estate and Leam Lane area, Mill Lane, Lilac Walk/College Road, Devon Road, Campbell Park Road/ Thirlmere Court and Mountbatten Avenue areas.

The plan includes improved drainage and landscaping next to Toner Avenue School and as part of uncovering the Bede Burn an attenuation basin to store run-off water during storms will be created.

The scheme will have wider social and environmental benefit, encouraging local people and children involved in creating valuable new habitat.

The scheme is largely funded by the Environment Agency, as well as a contribution from the local levy – which is money raised by local authorities for flood projects.

Leila Huntington, Flood Risk Manager for the Environment Agency in the North East, said:

This is an excellent example of partners working together to not only develop a scheme which reduces the risk of surface water flooding but also creates valuable habitat and a space for the community to enjoy.

We’ve been working with the council and Tyne Rivers Trust to raise awareness of the importance of understanding flood risk and taking care of their environment and there’ll be opportunities for the community to get involved. This is something they really can be proud of.

Liz Walters, Project Manager at Tyne Rivers Trust added:

This is a great example of using environmentally friendly ways to reduce the risk of flooding. As part of the project we’ll be working with the local community and schools to create a green space for local residents to enjoy as well as creating new habitats for wildlife.

Anyone who’d like to volunteer to help with planting at Bede Burn should get in touch with Tyne Rivers Trust on 01434 636904.

The latest information on the scheme can be found at the Monkton Flood Alleviation Scheme website

News story: Foreign Office Minister for Europe and the Americas visits Chile

Minister Duncan arrives in Santiago de Chile today (9th March) to attend the inauguration of the new President of Chile, Mr Sebastian Piñera and discuss the future of UK-Chile bilateral relations with the incoming administration.

As well as meetings with Interior Minister Andres Chadwick and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Ampuero, Sir Alan will meet Chilean business leaders to discuss future commercial opportunities under the Global Britain agenda, host an event for Chilean alumni of the UK’s Chevening Scholarship and International Leaders programmes, and deliver a foreign policy lecture to students at the prestigious Universidad del Desarrollo.

Sir Alan Duncan said:

My first official visit to Chile comes at an important time, as our two countries continue to work closely on regional and international issues such as human rights, security and peace keeping, climate change and protection of the oceans.

The UK and Chile have strong historical links that go back over 200 years. Our relationship will continue to go from strength to strength in the 21st century, as we further our collaboration in fields as diverse as trade and investment, science and innovation, and green sector growth.

Press release: PM commissions industry taskforce on social impact investment

The taskforce will progress the recommendations in the ‘Growing a Culture of Social Impact Investing in the UK’ report, published by an advisory group chaired by Elizabeth Corley.

The Prime Minister has asked the taskforce to provide a progress report to Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Culture and John Glen, Economic Secretary to the Treasury by the summer. The government is also expected to announce its policy response in the summer.

The Prime Minister said:

The UK is a pioneer in impact investing. Our financial institutions have long-recognised the importance of using their investments to generate a positive social impact as well as a financial return.

The challenge now is for industry to unlock the capital to boost impact investment even further, finding solutions to some of the burning injustices we face as a society, and helping make sure the country works for everyone.

Social impact investing gives people the opportunity to put their money to work for social good, as well as financial return.

The taskforce will work on generating a faster rate of innovation in the financial services industry to provide products that give savers and investors the opportunity to make a social impact.

Elizabeth Corley, Vice-Chair of Allianz Global Investors said:

Government has a vital role to play in accelerating the development of UK social impact investing, so it is very encouraging to hear the Prime Minister voice her support for creating a culture of social impact investing in the UK and the work of the taskforce going forward.

With research showing that more than half of people in the UK are interested in purchasing social impact investment products but that only 9% have done so, this is a market with enormous potential, waiting to be unlocked by the type of focus and commitment announced today.

Today’s announcement follows a meeting the PM held last week with senior executives from some of the UK’s largest financial firms and impact investing pioneers, where she threw her weight behind social impact investment.

And the PM has asked Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Housing to consider what measures government could take to unlock and boost social impact investment, particularly in tackling issues like left-behind parts of the country, homelessness and housing for vulnerable people.

News story: Home Secretary praises first responders and emergency services

Today, the Home Secretary was in Salisbury to meet the first responders and emergency services following the incident in Salisbury.

She also met Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who is being treated at Salisbury District Hospital, as well as the medical staff there who are looking after the victims.

The Home Secretary heard from business owners and residents on how the local community had responded and not letting the attack affect them going about their daily lives.

During her visit, the Home Secretary praised the emergency services and saying:

They reacted with the sort of professionalism and indeed compassion that we would hope our emergency services do and I’m in awe of their sympathetic approach and their professionalism as they engage with these people.

They have all said to me they wouldn’t have done anything differently.

We are really lucky with our emergency services.

While in Salisbury, the Home Secretary also praised the resilience of the local community, saying she was impressed at how people had not let the terrible events affect them going about their daily lives.

News story: IPO helps the cultural sector understand intellectual property

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has published a report on Digital Culture. The report, Culture is Digital, follows a Digital Culture project launched in April 2017 by the Secretary of State for DCMS, Matt Hancock with the #CultureisDigital online consultation.

That project focused on three areas:

driving audience engagement
unleashing the creative potential of technology in the cultural sector
boosting the capability of cultural organisations

The capability area identified that there are intellectual property (IP) skills gaps in the cultural sector when creating digital content such as digital art installations in galleries or dance performances streamed online.

This lack of expertise limits the content makers’ ability to create and exploit digital content. To help address these gaps, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) have included two commitments in the new report:

the IPO will work with the British Library’s Business and Intellectual Property Centres (BIPCs) and representatives from the cultural sector to develop guidance and training. This will help cultural organisations better understand the IP framework and its relevance to them.
the space helps artists and organisations make great art and reach new audiences digitally. It will lead work with cultural organisations, cultural rights holders and seek guidance from the IPO to develop a Cultural Digital Rights Code of Practice