Apply now for the 2018 Transformative Action Award

The award celebrates the ambition of cities and municipalities to create sustainable communities

The 2018 Transformative Action Award is now open. The competition rewards current or concluded actions that use the pathways of the Basque Declaration related to three categories: socio-cultural transformation, socio-economic transformation and technological transformation.

The Basque Declaration was adopted in Bilbao in April 2016 with the presence of Markku Markkula, former CoR president and now first vice-president.

The Basque Declaration includes 15 pathways to meet current economic, environmental and social challenges through the implementation of sustainable solutions that create value for local populations, be that through clean energy systems, low-emission mobility patterns or projects targeting biodiversity protection.

The competition is open to any local or regional authority and civil society organisation located in an EU Member State, EEA country or EU candidate or accession country that has endorsed the Basque Declaration. The applicant must be behind the implementation of a Transformative Action which must have been in place for at least three months, but no longer than five years, at the time of submission.

With the presence of President Karl-Heinz Lambertz and the chair of the ENVE commission Cor Lamers, the CoR hosted the 2017 ceremony of the Transformative Action Award on 22 November.

“The Transformative Action Award celebrates the ambition of cities and municipalities to create sustainable communities. It sends a clear message that local democracy and citizen engagement are the driving force for a sustainable future”, said President Lambertz.

Cor Lamers (NL/EPP) is once again part of the jury for this 2018 edition. “The Transformative Action Award gives Europe-wide recognition to cities that are leading the way in terms of sustainability. Actions that reduce our environmental impact are urgently needed and this initiative is an invaluable tool to make those actions happen”, says the Mayor of Sheridan.

The award is organised by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, the Basque Country and the City of Aalborg (Denmark) and has the support of the European Committee of the Regions. EU’s assembly of local and regional authorities will host the award ceremony on 22 November 2018.

Please click here to apply

TIMELINE

Submission opens: 28 February 2018

Closing date: 30 June 2018

Shortlisted candidates revealed: September 2018

Transformative Action Award ceremony:

November 2018



News story: Home Office announces new round of funding to tackle knife crime

As part of a new step-change to tackle the threat of violent behaviour, the Community Fund – which supports community projects to work with young people about the dangers of carrying knives – will have its funding increased to up to £1 million.

Over 40 charities, including the Ben Kinsella Trust, have already benefited by receiving grants of up to £20,000 through the first round of the Community Fund which was launched in October 2017.

In addition, further funding has been secured for Young People’s Advocates until at least the end of March 2019, to provide support for vulnerable women and girls at risk of exploitation by gangs.

Minister for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability Victoria Atkins said:

Knife crime has devastating consequences for families and local communities and I am determined to provide necessary support for those most at risk.

Tackling this crime needs a change in young people’s attitudes so they are not tempted to carry a knife and understand that they risk inflicting serious injury or even a tragic loss of life if they do.

This new funding will allow communities to work with young people so they do not want to carry knives. This will be a commitment in the forthcoming Serious Violence Strategy which will be published later this spring, in which there will be a strong emphasis on early intervention.

The Home Office has already provided around £2.5 million of funding for 13 Young People’s Advocates over 6 years (April 2012 to March 2018) in London, Manchester and Birmingham. In recognition of the important services these professionals deliver to vulnerable women and girls affected by gangs, funding will continue in order to ensure effective delivery of these services.

Early intervention and prevention will be one of the main messages in the new Serious Violence Strategy to be published later this spring. It will place a new emphasis on steering young people away from crime, while continuing to promote the strongest possible law enforcement approach.



Company fined £1million after delivery driver killed

A plastic product manufacturer has been fined £1million after a delivery driver was fatally injured.

Cambridge Crown Court heard how Gareth Wilson, a delivery driver for Mark Doel Transport Ltd, was fatally injured when he was struck by a fork lift truck which had large coils suspended from the forks.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Glynwed Pipe Systems Ltd failed to properly manage workplace transport in the yard area where employees and members of the public were exposed to the risk of being hit.  The investigation also found that the systems of work in place were not, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe.

Glynwed Pipe Systems Ltd of St Peter’s Road, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and have been fined £1million and ordered to pay costs of £27,942.57

Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Roxanne Barker said:  “There are more than 5,000 accidents involving transport in the workplace every year, and, like in this case, sadly some of which are fatal.

“The HSE investigation found the yard was not organised to allow safe circulation of people and traffic as appropriate routes were not identified and therefore insufficient in number. A properly implemented Traffic Management Plan should have identified sufficient measures for the separation of vehicles and people including protected walkways, clear signage and barriers.”

Notes to Editors:

  1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We  prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
  2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ and www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg136.htm
  3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

Journalists should approach HSE press office with any queries on regional press releases.



Our action on STEM education and training

Research suggests that 65 per cent of children in preschool today will work in jobs or careers that don’t yet exist.

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Indicative programme – Justice and Home Affairs Council, 8-9 March 2018

Press contacts

Veronica Huertas Cerdeira
Press officer
+32 2 281 45 48
+32 470 88 21 99
Romain Sadet
Press officer
+32 2 281 89 14
+32 473 86 54 37

Place:           Europa building, Brussels

Chair(s):      Valentin Radev, Minister for the Interior of Bulgaria
                     Tsetska Tsacheva, Minister for Justice of Bulgaria

All times are approximate and subject to change

HOME AFFAIRS – Thursday, 8 March

+/- 08.00
Arrivals – Home affairs (live streaming)

+/- 08.30
Doorstep by Minister Radev

+/- 10.00
Meeting of Home affairs ministers (roundtable)
 Adoption of the agenda
 Approval of non-legislative A items

+/- 10.10
Cooperation between CSDP missions/operations and EU JHA agencies

+/- 10.30
PNR Directive: Implementation

+/- 11.30
Cooperation with the Western Balkans in the area of Internal Security and Counterterrorism

+/- 13.15
Working lunch on terrorism content online

+/- 15.00
EU JHA agencies’ role in counter-terrorism

+/- 15.30
Meeting of Mixed committee
Adoption of the agenda

Interoperability of EU Information Systems
Any other business – Current legislative proposals

+/- 16.45
Meeting of Home affairs ministers (resumes)
Migration
Any other business

+/- 17.45
Interoperability between EU information systems (live streaming)
Any other business

+/- 18.00
Press conference (live streaming)

JUSTICE – Friday, 9 March

+/- 08.30
Arrivals (live streaming)

+/- 09.10
Doorstep by Minister Tsacheva

+/- 10.00
Meeting of Justice ministers (roundtable) (live streaming)
Approval of the legislative “A” items

+/- 10.05
Brussels IIa Regulation: recast (live streaming)

+/- 11.05
Non-cash fraud Directive (live streaming)

+/- 12.05
Any other business (live streaming)

+/- 12.10
EPPO Regulation: Implementation

+/- 12.40
Improving cross-border access to e-evidence

+/- 13.25
Any other business

+/- 13.45
Working lunch on radicalisation in prisons

+/- 15.15
Press conference (live streaming)