Sustainable development indicators in your pocket
2009
A free booklet published by Defra provides a
statistical overview of the country's progress in tackling key economic,
social and environmental issues, by bringing together an extensive range
of indicators that can literally fit in your pocket. They cover a wide
range of topics of everyday concern such as health, housing, jobs,
crime, education, and our environment, all of which may affect whether
we can live more sustainably in the future
Over £1bn funding for extra schools places and new
school buildings
Schools Secretary Ed Balls and Schools
Minister Vernon Coaker confirmed that the Government will provide
£300 million to provide extra primary school pupil places in local
authorities across the country. They also announced the next phase of
the Building Schools for the Future Programme.
Of the £300 million announced, £270 million will be provided to
build permanent classrooms and facilities across 34 local authorities
facing exceptional growth in the number of four and five-year-olds.
The remaining £30 million will be available for local authority areas
which did not apply, but which may be eligible under the revised criteria
which support these allocations. This is not new money, but has been
provided from flexibility in other programmes.
Meeting climate change challenge will establish new era
of local government
Strong leadership, clear vision and ambition from councils could deliver
reductions in carbon emissions of millions of tonnes annually and
potentially unlock £1 billion in income for councils, Communities
Secretary John Denham said.
Local authorities are already at the forefront in taking the decisions and
actions that will help the nation meet the country's climate
change targets - from waste plans through to transport policies.
In a speech at the Local Action on Climate Change Summit, Mr Denham
outlined his vision for radically enhancing the role of councils with
greater autonomy and powers to drive low carbon living - changing the
expectations of what local government is and what it does for people.
