Good health for the workforce is good for business. In the current economic climate it’s even more important that we cut the £100 billion per year cost of worklessness caused by ill health.
A conference organised by the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA), UNISON, GMB, Unite and Local Government Employers on 15th December at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford will focus on understanding the crucial relationship between health and work. This conference will show how positive management of employees’ physical and mental health can lead not only to a reduction in sickness absence but to greater staff engagement and productivity as well as a reduction in staff turnover and recruitment costs.
The public sector employs around 6 million people – or 22% of the workforce. In recent months, incidents of high absenteeism in the public sector have grabbed the headlines. Every local authority should have effective health and safety policies in place with a clear commitment from management to support them.
The overall statistics are quite staggering.
· Absence levels in the public sector remain the highest at an average of 9.8 days per employee per year;
· Among public services employers, those in the health sector recorded the highest average level of employee absence at 11.7 days per employee per year. These figures compare sharply with those recorded among private sector organisations where the average level of absence remained static at 7.2 days per employee per year;
· Over two million people suffer from illnesses that they attribute to their work – mostly stress, depression and anxiety.
These figures mean not only increased costs for employers due to days lost but also personal suffering, family hardship and costs to individuals.
Dame Carol Black, National Director for Health and Work, who released her groundbreaking report into the health of Britain’s working age population in 2008, will be a keynote speaker at the event. In response, the Government released their ‘Improving health and work: changing lives’ report in November 2008. Lord McKenzie of Luton, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Work and Pensions, will describe the Government’s continuing response to Dame Carol Black’s report one year on.
Other speakers include:
· Graeme Henderson, Department of Health, who will describe the fit for work programme and progress to date.
· Dr Steve Boorman, who is leading the review of health and well being in the NHS which will report later this year
· Jane Willis, Director of Cross Cutting Interventions, Health and Safety Executive
· Steve Sumner, National Health, Safety and Well-being Policy Advisor, Local Government Employers
Cllr Ian Nimmo-Smith, Chairman of EERA’s Local Government Employers’ Panel said: “We know that sickness absence is economically, socially and personally harmful. A healthy workforce with a positive outlook provides better public services and saves money. This conference will provide an opportunity to hear well being case studies both from within the region and more widely.”
Greg Grant, Eastern Regional Director of UNISON, and Chair of this conference said: “Employers would save millions and deliver a better service by digging into and removing the underlying causes of illness in the workplace. We know that many employers are failing to tackle workplace sickness, long hours and job insecurity, all of which take a toll on workers’ health and their families.”
Who should attend
The conference is essential for public sector leaders including Councillors, Chief Executives and other senior managers, Human Resources, Organisational Development and Health and Safety professionals, along with all those who have an interest in employee wellbeing.
The fee for this event is £125 + VAT. To book a place, please visit http://events.eera.gov.uk/4741.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
For further information or to arrange an interview with an EERA spokesperson, please contact:
Claire Sefton, Tel: 01284 729427 Mob: 07920257940 Email: Claire.sefton@eera.gov.uk
Stephen Hinchley, Tel: 01284 729430, Mob: 07710 312237, Email: stephen.hinchley@eera.gov.uk
For further information about the event, contact Sue Houlder, Conference Organiser, EERA, Tel: 01284 729421 or email sue.houlder@eera.gov.uk
East of England Regional Assembly
1. The East of England Regional Assembly is independent of Government and is not a Government agency or quango. It represents the regional interests of people living and working in the East of England.
2. The Assembly has 96 members of which two thirds are elected councillors (from the 52 local authorities in the region) and one third are stakeholder representatives. Its meetings are open to the media and general public.
3. The Assembly is the designated Regional Planning Body for the East of England until March 2010 when it will cease to exist.
4. During 2008/09 EERA’s work included:
£1 billion bid for investment in public transport and roads across the region including final stretch of A11 dualling
Campaigned against a second runway at Stansted Airport
Held EEDA to account at six Economic Summits
Influenced European funding programmes worth £500 million to support employment, skills, climate change and low carbon economic growth
Delivery of 328 training courses to develop thousands of local authority employees and councillors in the region
For more information on EERA, see the website at www.eera.gov.uk
Local Government Employers Panel
Cllr Ian Nimmo-Smith (Chairman), Liberal Democrat, 01223 365484
Cllr Jim Ranger (Panel Group Leader), Conservative, 07831 587342
Cllr Philip Smith (Panel Group Leader), Labour, 01375 361180
Showing posts with label EERA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EERA. Show all posts
9 November 2009
From ‘Sick-Note’ to ‘Fit-Note’ – High profile conference tackles sickness absenteeism in the workplace
Last chance to have your say on the future of the East of England
Less than a month remains for people in the East of England to voice their opinions on plans that will shape the region over the next 20 years. Views are being sought on housing and economic growth while protecting the environment and the quality of life for existing and future residents of the East of England.
These topics form the twelve-week consultation on the East of England Plan > 2031. The Regional Assembly is urging the general public to make their views known before the consultation ends on 24th November. The consultation document is available at: www.eera.gov.uk/What-we-do/developing-regional-strategies/east-of-england-plan/east-of-england-plan-review-to-2031/.
Cllr Derrick Ashley, Chairman of the Regional Planning Panel at the East of England Regional Assembly said: “This is a vital opportunity to get involved in shaping the future development of your locality. The issues being consulted on are critical to creating a more prosperous and sustainable region. We strongly encourage all communities and organisations across the region to have their say”.
“We need to plan for new homes so that first-time buyers, young families and others in housing need can buy or rent a home at a price they can afford. Businesses also need the confidence to invest in our region.
“But we also want to protect the environment and the quality of life for existing and future residents of the East of England. New development must be appropriate and supported by Government investment.
“We will look closely at all the responses to the consultation before publishing a detailed draft plan in March. This plan will propose how and where new homes might be delivered up to 2031.
“Although there may be changes to the planning system in the years ahead, the evidence gathered will be valuable for the continuing need to plan for new jobs and homes.”
The consultation is part of a wider review of the East of England Plan which covers important issues such as transport, the environment, energy and waste as well as new homes.
The revised East of England Plan will not be completed until 2011 and the public will have further opportunities to have their say. It is the responsibility of local councils to determine the exact locations of where new homes should be built through their local development frameworks.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
An information pack on the East of England Plan > 2031 can be viewed at: www.eera.gov.uk/News/public-information-packs
To book a place at the remaining public consultation events on the East of England Plan > 2031, go to http://events.eera.gov.uk/EventDetails.aspx?ID=932
For further information or to arrange an interview with an EERA spokesperson, please contact:
Claire Sefton, Tel: 01284 729427 Mob: 07920257940 Email: Claire.sefton@eera.gov.uk
Stephen Hinchley, Tel: 01284 729430, Mob: 07710 312237, Email: stephen.hinchley@eera.gov.uk
East of England Plan
The long-term planning framework for the sustainable development of the region is provided by the East of England Plan (Regional Spatial Strategy). The East of England Plan provides the basis for local authorities to prepare their local development plans and for other organisations to plan their investment e.g. NHS, Highways Agency, water companies etc.
The current East of England Plan[1] sets out regional planning policy to 2021 but many councils are already preparing local plans stretching to 2026 and beyond. A focused review of the East of England Plan is therefore needed to set out regional planning policy from 2011 to 2031. It will plan for the region’s growth and prosperity, housing needs and respond to issues such as climate change.
The review of the East of England Plan will be completed in 2011. There will be public consultation at key stages of the process to enable members of the public and others to contribute. The review will consider:
· jobs and homes targets for 2011-2031 including affordable homes;
· broad locations for new development;
· regional infrastructure needs e.g. transport;
· targets to reduce the use of natural resources (energy, water) and greenhouse gas emissions;
· priorities for the environment such as the countryside and biodiversity protection.
In undertaking the East of England Plan 2031, the Assembly will be working closely with the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and the Government Office for the East of England (GO-East).
East of England Regional Assembly
1. The East of England Regional Assembly is independent of Government and is not a Government agency or quango. It represents the regional interests of people living and working in the East of England.
2. The Assembly has 96 members of which two thirds are elected councillors (from the 52 local authorities in the region) and one third are stakeholder representatives. Its meetings are open to the media and general public.
3. The Assembly is the designated Regional Planning Body for the East of England until March 2010 when it will cease to exist.
4. During 2008/09 EERA’s work included:
£1 billion bid for investment in public transport and roads across the region including final stretch of A11 dualling
Campaigned against a second runway at Stansted Airport
Held EEDA to account at six Economic Summits
Influenced European funding programmes worth £500 million to support employment, skills, climate change and low carbon economic growth
Delivery of 328 training courses to develop thousands of local authority employees and councillors in the region
For more information on EERA, see the website at www.eera.gov.uk
East of England Regional Planning Panel
Cllr Derrick Ashley (Chairman of RPP), Conservative, 01992 556571
Cllr Alan Crystall (Panel Group Leader), Liberal Democrat, 01702 474047
Cllr Roy Davis (Panel Group Leader), Labour, 01582 730939
Corrine Meakins (Panel Group Leader), Community Stakeholder, 07960 189994
These topics form the twelve-week consultation on the East of England Plan > 2031. The Regional Assembly is urging the general public to make their views known before the consultation ends on 24th November. The consultation document is available at: www.eera.gov.uk/What-we-do/developing-regional-strategies/east-of-england-plan/east-of-england-plan-review-to-2031/.
Cllr Derrick Ashley, Chairman of the Regional Planning Panel at the East of England Regional Assembly said: “This is a vital opportunity to get involved in shaping the future development of your locality. The issues being consulted on are critical to creating a more prosperous and sustainable region. We strongly encourage all communities and organisations across the region to have their say”.
“We need to plan for new homes so that first-time buyers, young families and others in housing need can buy or rent a home at a price they can afford. Businesses also need the confidence to invest in our region.
“But we also want to protect the environment and the quality of life for existing and future residents of the East of England. New development must be appropriate and supported by Government investment.
“We will look closely at all the responses to the consultation before publishing a detailed draft plan in March. This plan will propose how and where new homes might be delivered up to 2031.
“Although there may be changes to the planning system in the years ahead, the evidence gathered will be valuable for the continuing need to plan for new jobs and homes.”
The consultation is part of a wider review of the East of England Plan which covers important issues such as transport, the environment, energy and waste as well as new homes.
The revised East of England Plan will not be completed until 2011 and the public will have further opportunities to have their say. It is the responsibility of local councils to determine the exact locations of where new homes should be built through their local development frameworks.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
An information pack on the East of England Plan > 2031 can be viewed at: www.eera.gov.uk/News/public-information-packs
To book a place at the remaining public consultation events on the East of England Plan > 2031, go to http://events.eera.gov.uk/EventDetails.aspx?ID=932
For further information or to arrange an interview with an EERA spokesperson, please contact:
Claire Sefton, Tel: 01284 729427 Mob: 07920257940 Email: Claire.sefton@eera.gov.uk
Stephen Hinchley, Tel: 01284 729430, Mob: 07710 312237, Email: stephen.hinchley@eera.gov.uk
East of England Plan
The long-term planning framework for the sustainable development of the region is provided by the East of England Plan (Regional Spatial Strategy). The East of England Plan provides the basis for local authorities to prepare their local development plans and for other organisations to plan their investment e.g. NHS, Highways Agency, water companies etc.
The current East of England Plan[1] sets out regional planning policy to 2021 but many councils are already preparing local plans stretching to 2026 and beyond. A focused review of the East of England Plan is therefore needed to set out regional planning policy from 2011 to 2031. It will plan for the region’s growth and prosperity, housing needs and respond to issues such as climate change.
The review of the East of England Plan will be completed in 2011. There will be public consultation at key stages of the process to enable members of the public and others to contribute. The review will consider:
· jobs and homes targets for 2011-2031 including affordable homes;
· broad locations for new development;
· regional infrastructure needs e.g. transport;
· targets to reduce the use of natural resources (energy, water) and greenhouse gas emissions;
· priorities for the environment such as the countryside and biodiversity protection.
In undertaking the East of England Plan 2031, the Assembly will be working closely with the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and the Government Office for the East of England (GO-East).
East of England Regional Assembly
1. The East of England Regional Assembly is independent of Government and is not a Government agency or quango. It represents the regional interests of people living and working in the East of England.
2. The Assembly has 96 members of which two thirds are elected councillors (from the 52 local authorities in the region) and one third are stakeholder representatives. Its meetings are open to the media and general public.
3. The Assembly is the designated Regional Planning Body for the East of England until March 2010 when it will cease to exist.
4. During 2008/09 EERA’s work included:
£1 billion bid for investment in public transport and roads across the region including final stretch of A11 dualling
Campaigned against a second runway at Stansted Airport
Held EEDA to account at six Economic Summits
Influenced European funding programmes worth £500 million to support employment, skills, climate change and low carbon economic growth
Delivery of 328 training courses to develop thousands of local authority employees and councillors in the region
For more information on EERA, see the website at www.eera.gov.uk
East of England Regional Planning Panel
Cllr Derrick Ashley (Chairman of RPP), Conservative, 01992 556571
Cllr Alan Crystall (Panel Group Leader), Liberal Democrat, 01702 474047
Cllr Roy Davis (Panel Group Leader), Labour, 01582 730939
Corrine Meakins (Panel Group Leader), Community Stakeholder, 07960 189994
3 September 2009
Have your say on the future of the East of England
The public are being asked for their views on how the region should grow and develop over the next twenty years in a consultation being launched by the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) today (2nd September 2009).
The consultation will help EERA to develop a new target for the number of new homes and jobs to be planned for in the region between 2011 and 2031.
In this first stage of consultation, EERA is seeking responses to four different approaches to housing and economic growth as follows:
Scenario 1 - 26,060 new homes p/a – continuation of existing target and broadly based on the views of local councils in the region.
Scenario 2 - 30,100 new homes p/a – promotes growth in areas identified by the Regional Scale Settlement Study published in January 2009. Chelmsford would grow to be a regional city, three medium-sized new settlements of up to 20,000 homes located in Central Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire and either Uttlesford or Braintree – and smaller increases in Peterborough, Suffolk and the rest of Essex.
Scenario 3 – 29,970 new homes p/a – promotes growth around successful business locations where new jobs are attracting workers. Additional growth is spread over many districts but with a particular focus on Hertfordshire, south Essex and Cambridgeshire.
Scenario 4 – 33,650 new homes p/a – promotes growth where households are projected to grow. It is based on long-term trends such as people living longer and people moving to the region. It focuses the majority of additional growth in Hertfordshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.
Scenarios 2-4 will test the Government’s view that more homes are needed in the region although EERA has already rejected the highest end of the range of new homes being proposed by the Government – about 39,000 new homes a year.
EERA Regional Planning Panel Chairman Cllr Derrick Ashley said: “We need to plan for new homes so that first-time buyers, young families and others in housing need can buy or rent a home at a price they can afford. Businesses also need the confidence to invest in our region.
“But we also want to protect the environment and the quality of life for existing and future residents of the East of England. New development must be appropriate and supported by Government investment.
“We will look closely at all the responses to the consultation before publishing, in March 2010, a detailed plan for how many new homes are needed up to 2031.
“Although there may be changes to the planning system in the years ahead, the evidence gathered will be valuable for the continuing need to plan for new jobs and homes.”
The consultation is part of a wider review of the East of England Plan which covers important issues such as transport, the environment, energy and waste as well as new homes.
The revised East of England Plan will not be completed until 2011 and the public will have further opportunities to have their say. It is the responsibility of local councils to determine the exact locations of where new homes should be built through their local development frameworks.
Fifteen consultation events are being held across the region beginning at the Forum in Norwich at 7.15pm today (2 September). A place can be booked online at: http://events.eera.gov.uk/conferences/ or contact Jayne Cole, Conference Organiser, EERA, 01284 729405, jayne.cole@eera.gov.uk
The events are being held at 7pm (unless stated otherwise) as follows:
September
2nd The Forum, Norwich, (7.15pm)
3rd Essex Records Office, Wharf Road, Chelmsford
8th Central Bedfordshire Council Chamber, Priory House, Chicksands
9th Robinson House, Hertfordshire Development Centre, Six Hills Way, Stevenage
10th Robinson College, Grange Road, Cambridge
14th Town Hall, Bridge Street, Peterborough
16th Endeavour House, Russell Road, Ipswich
17th The Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn
22nd Luton Borough Council, George Street, Luton
23rd The Council Chamber, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea
24th The Council Chamber, Thurrock Civic Centre, New Road, Grays
29th Harpur Suite, Bedford Corn Exchange, Bedford
30th Commemoration Hall, Huntingdon, Huntingdonshire
October
2nd The Maltings, Ely, East Cambridgeshire (6pm)
EERA has also organised a regional consultation event focusing on the whole of the East of England between 2-4pm on 10th September at Robinson College, Cambridge. This event will be of particular interest to a professional stakeholder audience.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
An information pack including local housing numbers for each scenario is available at: www.eera.gov.uk/News/public-information-packs
The consultation document is available at:
www.eera.gov.uk/What-we-do/developing-regional-strategies/east-of-england-plan/east-of-england-plan-review-to-2031/
For further information or to arrange an interview with an EERA spokesperson, please contact:
Stephen Hinchley, Tel: 01284 729430, Mob: 07710 312237, Email: stephen.hinchley@eera.gov.uk
Claire Sefton, Tel: 01284 729427 Mob: 07920257940 Email: Claire.sefton@eera.gov.uk
East of England Plan
The long-term planning framework for the sustainable development of the region is provided by the East of England Plan (Regional Spatial Strategy). The East of England Plan provides the basis for local authorities to prepare their local development plans and for other organisations to plan their investment e.g. NHS, Highways Agency, water companies etc.
The current East of England Plan[1] sets out regional planning policy to 2021 but many councils are already preparing local plans stretching to 2026 and beyond. A focused review of the East of England Plan is therefore needed to set out regional planning policy from 2011 to 2031. It will plan for the region’s growth and prosperity, housing needs and respond to issues such as climate change.
The review of the East of England Plan will be completed in 2011. There will be public consultation at key stages of the process to enable members of the public and others to contribute. The review will consider:
· jobs and homes targets for 2011-2031 including affordable homes;
· broad locations for new development;
· regional infrastructure needs e.g. transport;
· targets to reduce the use of natural resources (energy, water) and greenhouse gas emissions;
· priorities for the environment such as the countryside and biodiversity protection.
In undertaking the East of England Plan 2031, the Assembly will be working closely with the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and the Government Office for the East of England (GO-East).
East of England Regional Assembly
1. The East of England Regional Assembly is independent of Government and is not a Government agency or quango. It represents the regional interests of people living and working in the East of England.
2. The Assembly has 96 members of which two thirds are elected councillors (from the 52 local authorities in the region) and one third are stakeholder representatives. Its meetings are open to the media and general public.
3. The Assembly is the designated Regional Planning Body for the East of England until March 2010 when it will cease to exist.
4. During 2008/09 EERA’s work included:
£1 billion bid for investment in public transport and roads across the region including final stretch of A11 dualling
Campaigned against a second runway at Stansted Airport
Held EEDA to account at six Economic Summits
Influenced European funding programmes worth £500 million to support employment, skills, climate change and low carbon economic growth
Delivery of 328 training courses to develop thousands of local authority employees and councillors in the region
For more information on EERA, see the website at www.eera.gov.uk
East of England Regional Planning Panel
Cllr Derrick Ashley (Chairman of RPP), Conservative, 01992 556571
Cllr Alan Crystall (Panel Group Leader), Liberal Democrat, 01702 474047
Cllr Roy Davis (Panel Group Leader), Labour, 01582 730939
Corrine Meakins (Panel Group Leader), Community Stakeholder, 07960 189994
The consultation will help EERA to develop a new target for the number of new homes and jobs to be planned for in the region between 2011 and 2031.
In this first stage of consultation, EERA is seeking responses to four different approaches to housing and economic growth as follows:
Scenario 1 - 26,060 new homes p/a – continuation of existing target and broadly based on the views of local councils in the region.
Scenario 2 - 30,100 new homes p/a – promotes growth in areas identified by the Regional Scale Settlement Study published in January 2009. Chelmsford would grow to be a regional city, three medium-sized new settlements of up to 20,000 homes located in Central Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire and either Uttlesford or Braintree – and smaller increases in Peterborough, Suffolk and the rest of Essex.
Scenario 3 – 29,970 new homes p/a – promotes growth around successful business locations where new jobs are attracting workers. Additional growth is spread over many districts but with a particular focus on Hertfordshire, south Essex and Cambridgeshire.
Scenario 4 – 33,650 new homes p/a – promotes growth where households are projected to grow. It is based on long-term trends such as people living longer and people moving to the region. It focuses the majority of additional growth in Hertfordshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.
Scenarios 2-4 will test the Government’s view that more homes are needed in the region although EERA has already rejected the highest end of the range of new homes being proposed by the Government – about 39,000 new homes a year.
EERA Regional Planning Panel Chairman Cllr Derrick Ashley said: “We need to plan for new homes so that first-time buyers, young families and others in housing need can buy or rent a home at a price they can afford. Businesses also need the confidence to invest in our region.
“But we also want to protect the environment and the quality of life for existing and future residents of the East of England. New development must be appropriate and supported by Government investment.
“We will look closely at all the responses to the consultation before publishing, in March 2010, a detailed plan for how many new homes are needed up to 2031.
“Although there may be changes to the planning system in the years ahead, the evidence gathered will be valuable for the continuing need to plan for new jobs and homes.”
The consultation is part of a wider review of the East of England Plan which covers important issues such as transport, the environment, energy and waste as well as new homes.
The revised East of England Plan will not be completed until 2011 and the public will have further opportunities to have their say. It is the responsibility of local councils to determine the exact locations of where new homes should be built through their local development frameworks.
Fifteen consultation events are being held across the region beginning at the Forum in Norwich at 7.15pm today (2 September). A place can be booked online at: http://events.eera.gov.uk/conferences/ or contact Jayne Cole, Conference Organiser, EERA, 01284 729405, jayne.cole@eera.gov.uk
The events are being held at 7pm (unless stated otherwise) as follows:
September
2nd The Forum, Norwich, (7.15pm)
3rd Essex Records Office, Wharf Road, Chelmsford
8th Central Bedfordshire Council Chamber, Priory House, Chicksands
9th Robinson House, Hertfordshire Development Centre, Six Hills Way, Stevenage
10th Robinson College, Grange Road, Cambridge
14th Town Hall, Bridge Street, Peterborough
16th Endeavour House, Russell Road, Ipswich
17th The Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn
22nd Luton Borough Council, George Street, Luton
23rd The Council Chamber, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea
24th The Council Chamber, Thurrock Civic Centre, New Road, Grays
29th Harpur Suite, Bedford Corn Exchange, Bedford
30th Commemoration Hall, Huntingdon, Huntingdonshire
October
2nd The Maltings, Ely, East Cambridgeshire (6pm)
EERA has also organised a regional consultation event focusing on the whole of the East of England between 2-4pm on 10th September at Robinson College, Cambridge. This event will be of particular interest to a professional stakeholder audience.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
An information pack including local housing numbers for each scenario is available at: www.eera.gov.uk/News/public-information-packs
The consultation document is available at:
www.eera.gov.uk/What-we-do/developing-regional-strategies/east-of-england-plan/east-of-england-plan-review-to-2031/
For further information or to arrange an interview with an EERA spokesperson, please contact:
Stephen Hinchley, Tel: 01284 729430, Mob: 07710 312237, Email: stephen.hinchley@eera.gov.uk
Claire Sefton, Tel: 01284 729427 Mob: 07920257940 Email: Claire.sefton@eera.gov.uk
East of England Plan
The long-term planning framework for the sustainable development of the region is provided by the East of England Plan (Regional Spatial Strategy). The East of England Plan provides the basis for local authorities to prepare their local development plans and for other organisations to plan their investment e.g. NHS, Highways Agency, water companies etc.
The current East of England Plan[1] sets out regional planning policy to 2021 but many councils are already preparing local plans stretching to 2026 and beyond. A focused review of the East of England Plan is therefore needed to set out regional planning policy from 2011 to 2031. It will plan for the region’s growth and prosperity, housing needs and respond to issues such as climate change.
The review of the East of England Plan will be completed in 2011. There will be public consultation at key stages of the process to enable members of the public and others to contribute. The review will consider:
· jobs and homes targets for 2011-2031 including affordable homes;
· broad locations for new development;
· regional infrastructure needs e.g. transport;
· targets to reduce the use of natural resources (energy, water) and greenhouse gas emissions;
· priorities for the environment such as the countryside and biodiversity protection.
In undertaking the East of England Plan 2031, the Assembly will be working closely with the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and the Government Office for the East of England (GO-East).
East of England Regional Assembly
1. The East of England Regional Assembly is independent of Government and is not a Government agency or quango. It represents the regional interests of people living and working in the East of England.
2. The Assembly has 96 members of which two thirds are elected councillors (from the 52 local authorities in the region) and one third are stakeholder representatives. Its meetings are open to the media and general public.
3. The Assembly is the designated Regional Planning Body for the East of England until March 2010 when it will cease to exist.
4. During 2008/09 EERA’s work included:
£1 billion bid for investment in public transport and roads across the region including final stretch of A11 dualling
Campaigned against a second runway at Stansted Airport
Held EEDA to account at six Economic Summits
Influenced European funding programmes worth £500 million to support employment, skills, climate change and low carbon economic growth
Delivery of 328 training courses to develop thousands of local authority employees and councillors in the region
For more information on EERA, see the website at www.eera.gov.uk
East of England Regional Planning Panel
Cllr Derrick Ashley (Chairman of RPP), Conservative, 01992 556571
Cllr Alan Crystall (Panel Group Leader), Liberal Democrat, 01702 474047
Cllr Roy Davis (Panel Group Leader), Labour, 01582 730939
Corrine Meakins (Panel Group Leader), Community Stakeholder, 07960 189994
17 July 2009
Full Steam Ahead for £8 million rail route funding
Eight million pounds of European funding has been provisionally allocated to develop the Felixstowe to Nuneaton rail route, it was reported today (17th July) at the Annual General Meeting of the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) in Hertford.
The application for funding was approved by EU Member State government officials in Brussels this week and will go before a Committee of MEPs for final sign-off in September.
The rail line between Felixstowe and Nuneaton is part of a significant European transport route and improvements will allow more freight to be shifted from the port by rail, reducing congestion on the A14.
Cllr Derrick Ashley, Chairman of the Regional Planning Panel, said “This is great news for the East of England. It will boost economic competitiveness and growth by delivering a reliable and efficient rail route; it will reduce carbon emissions and improve safety, security and health by making the roads and transport networks safer.
“The Assembly has worked with partners across the region and our MEPs to realise this project and it has paid off. The East of England’s Brussels Office provided both detailed technical information and crucial intelligence to those working on the bid and provided advice on the application and the lobbying.”
EERA has driven the process throughout with significant lobbying of Network Rail, the Department of Transport, the European Commission and through the organisation of a number of technical meetings and high level political summits which ensured the timely submission of the bid.
The regional support for this application was commended by both the European Commission and Department for Transport. It is hoped that this route will bid for European funding for works planned post 2013.
Two other projects were also provisionally approved which are located in the East of England – one to develop the London Gateway Port and the other for ICT measures to reduce congestion and accidents on the A14. These three projects together will see a total of £30 million of EU funding spent on transport in the region.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
For further information or to arrange an interview with an EERA spokesperson, please contact Claire Sefton, Communications Officer on
tel: 01284 729427 mob: 07920257940 email: Claire.sefton@eera.gov.uk
European Parliament
Trans-European Network – Transport (TEN-T)
The TEN-T scheme is the main source of European funding for transport infrastructure. Funding is split between the Multi-Annual Programme 2007-13 (80-85% of the budget and worth over 6 billion euros) and the annual funding rounds (112 million euros in 2007).
Felixstowe-Nuneaton rail line
Upgrading the Felixstowe-Nuneaton rail line has widespread support from the rail industry, environment groups, the East of England and East and West Midlands Development Agencies
One of the main benefits of upgrading the Felixstowe to Nuneaton rail line is to allow more freight to be carried by rail from the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich to the north and west. This would avoid the existing and congested rail route via North London and may in turn create opportunities for more passenger services into and out of London on the Great Eastern Line and on the Ipswich – Peterborough route.
There are five main elements to upgrading the Felixstowe-Nuneaton rail line as follows:
Gauge enhancement between Felixstowe and Peterborough (funding committed by Hutchison Port through a section 106 agreement)
Gauge enhancements between Peterborough and Nuneaton
Capacity improvements between Felixstowe and Nuneaton to cater for additional rail freight movements
Capacity improvements between Felixstowe and Nuneaton to facilitate an improvement in passenger train services to address future travel demands arising from the planned growth in housing and jobs in both the East of England and the East Midlands; and
Removing speed restrictions imposed on heavy freight trains on the cross country route between Ipswich and Peterborough.
Gauge enhancement would allow taller international containers to be carried on the Felixstowe-Nuneaton rail route.
East of England Regional Assembly
1. The East of England Regional Assembly is independent of Government and is not a Government agency or quango. It represents the regional interests of people living and working in the East of England.
2. The Assembly has 105 members of which two thirds are elected councillors (from the 52 local authorities in the region) and one third are stakeholder representatives. Its meetings are open to the media and general public.
3. The Assembly is the designated Regional Planning Body for the East of England until March 2010 when it will cease to exist.
4. During 2008/09 EERA’s work included:
£1 billion bid for investment in public transport and roads across the region including final stretch of A11 dualling
Campaigned against a second runway at Stansted Airport
Held EEDA to account at six Economic Summits
Influenced European funding programmes worth £500 million to support employment, skills, climate change and low carbon economic growth
Delivery of 328 training courses to develop thousands of local authority employees and councillors in the region
For more information on EERA, see the website at www.eera.gov.uk
East of England Regional Planning Panel
Cllr Derrick Ashley (Chairman of RPP), Conservative, 01992 556571
Cllr Alan Crystall (Panel Group Leader), Liberal Democrat, 01702 474047
Cllr Roy Davis (Panel Group Leader), Labour, 01582 730939
Corrine Meakins (Panel Group Leader), Community Stakeholder, 07960 189994
The application for funding was approved by EU Member State government officials in Brussels this week and will go before a Committee of MEPs for final sign-off in September.
The rail line between Felixstowe and Nuneaton is part of a significant European transport route and improvements will allow more freight to be shifted from the port by rail, reducing congestion on the A14.
Cllr Derrick Ashley, Chairman of the Regional Planning Panel, said “This is great news for the East of England. It will boost economic competitiveness and growth by delivering a reliable and efficient rail route; it will reduce carbon emissions and improve safety, security and health by making the roads and transport networks safer.
“The Assembly has worked with partners across the region and our MEPs to realise this project and it has paid off. The East of England’s Brussels Office provided both detailed technical information and crucial intelligence to those working on the bid and provided advice on the application and the lobbying.”
EERA has driven the process throughout with significant lobbying of Network Rail, the Department of Transport, the European Commission and through the organisation of a number of technical meetings and high level political summits which ensured the timely submission of the bid.
The regional support for this application was commended by both the European Commission and Department for Transport. It is hoped that this route will bid for European funding for works planned post 2013.
Two other projects were also provisionally approved which are located in the East of England – one to develop the London Gateway Port and the other for ICT measures to reduce congestion and accidents on the A14. These three projects together will see a total of £30 million of EU funding spent on transport in the region.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
For further information or to arrange an interview with an EERA spokesperson, please contact Claire Sefton, Communications Officer on
tel: 01284 729427 mob: 07920257940 email: Claire.sefton@eera.gov.uk
European Parliament
Trans-European Network – Transport (TEN-T)
The TEN-T scheme is the main source of European funding for transport infrastructure. Funding is split between the Multi-Annual Programme 2007-13 (80-85% of the budget and worth over 6 billion euros) and the annual funding rounds (112 million euros in 2007).
Felixstowe-Nuneaton rail line
Upgrading the Felixstowe-Nuneaton rail line has widespread support from the rail industry, environment groups, the East of England and East and West Midlands Development Agencies
One of the main benefits of upgrading the Felixstowe to Nuneaton rail line is to allow more freight to be carried by rail from the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich to the north and west. This would avoid the existing and congested rail route via North London and may in turn create opportunities for more passenger services into and out of London on the Great Eastern Line and on the Ipswich – Peterborough route.
There are five main elements to upgrading the Felixstowe-Nuneaton rail line as follows:
Gauge enhancement between Felixstowe and Peterborough (funding committed by Hutchison Port through a section 106 agreement)
Gauge enhancements between Peterborough and Nuneaton
Capacity improvements between Felixstowe and Nuneaton to cater for additional rail freight movements
Capacity improvements between Felixstowe and Nuneaton to facilitate an improvement in passenger train services to address future travel demands arising from the planned growth in housing and jobs in both the East of England and the East Midlands; and
Removing speed restrictions imposed on heavy freight trains on the cross country route between Ipswich and Peterborough.
Gauge enhancement would allow taller international containers to be carried on the Felixstowe-Nuneaton rail route.
East of England Regional Assembly
1. The East of England Regional Assembly is independent of Government and is not a Government agency or quango. It represents the regional interests of people living and working in the East of England.
2. The Assembly has 105 members of which two thirds are elected councillors (from the 52 local authorities in the region) and one third are stakeholder representatives. Its meetings are open to the media and general public.
3. The Assembly is the designated Regional Planning Body for the East of England until March 2010 when it will cease to exist.
4. During 2008/09 EERA’s work included:
£1 billion bid for investment in public transport and roads across the region including final stretch of A11 dualling
Campaigned against a second runway at Stansted Airport
Held EEDA to account at six Economic Summits
Influenced European funding programmes worth £500 million to support employment, skills, climate change and low carbon economic growth
Delivery of 328 training courses to develop thousands of local authority employees and councillors in the region
For more information on EERA, see the website at www.eera.gov.uk
East of England Regional Planning Panel
Cllr Derrick Ashley (Chairman of RPP), Conservative, 01992 556571
Cllr Alan Crystall (Panel Group Leader), Liberal Democrat, 01702 474047
Cllr Roy Davis (Panel Group Leader), Labour, 01582 730939
Corrine Meakins (Panel Group Leader), Community Stakeholder, 07960 189994
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