Faith Minister Lord Bourne visited the Stockwood Discovery Centre in Luton today (29 November 2018) to see first-hand the work of a government funded programme, to help school kids learn more about different faiths and backgrounds in their local communities.

The minister joined pupils from a wide variety of backgrounds taking in part in a Schools Linking Programme at the Centre.

Jointly funded with the Department for Education with support from the Pears Foundation, the Schools Linking Programme currently engages with 18,000 children and young people from different backgrounds across the country and provides sustained opportunities for them to meet, build new relationships, work together and contribute to their wider neighbourhoods.

These opportunities include taking part in competitive sports to boost team-working skills, creating collaborative artwork and community volunteering.

Faith Minister Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth said:

Schools Linking is a great example of how children and young people from different backgrounds can come together to meet, learn and share interests that help them prepare for life in modern Britain and make them great citizens of the future.

The government is determined to support programmes such as these to ensure young people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to take part in challenging and rewarding experiences.

In March this year, the government set out an ambitious long-term plan of action to tackle the root causes of poor integration and create a stronger, more united Britain.

The Integrated Communities Strategy green paper, to which £50 million will be committed over the next 2 years, sought views on the government’s bold proposals to boost English language skills, increase opportunities for more women to enter the workplace, and promote British values and meaningful discussion between young people.

Case studies on the success of the Schools Linking Programme

Heaton St Barnabas Church of England Primary School, Bradford and Nessfield Primary School, Keighley

St Barnabas Primary School and Nessfield Primary School started a new link between all 120 of their Year 4 pupils this year (2018). The children met at their local outdoor centre to take part in collaborative activities which helped them find common ground through shared interests including art and poetry. As the children continue to develop their shared interests, facilitators can stimulate dialogue and help children find out more about one another.

Armitage Church of England Primary School, Manchester and North Cheshire Jewish Primary School, Stockport

Pupils from 2 Year 3 classes in each school exchanged names of class members prior to their first meeting. From this exercise the children noticed that they had both different names and different interests and hobbies. There was much excitement for 2 boys who shared the same name which later led to the foundations of a new friendship. As they celebrate their differences the 2 boys look forward to their next opportunity to meet and build on their relationship.

Further information

The Linking Network

The Schools Linking programme is led by the Linking Network charity. It supports schools and communities to develop a positive, cohesive ethos by helping children and young people to explore identity, celebrate diversity, promote community and champion equality.

Working in 26 areas across the country, the Network in partnership with local authorities and charities directly delivers school linking programmes by supporting local schools with guidance for facilitators, training for teachers and tried and tested classroom resources.

Following a joint patrol with the Environment Agency, Angling Trust and Gloucestershire Police, Frank Cole was found guilty in his absence at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on 26 November for fishing during the closed season and fishing without a licence on the River Severn on 31 May 2018. A charge that the 52-year old of Bibury Road, Gloucester, failed to give his name and address to an Environment Agency bailiff when requested to do so, was also proved. Magistrates fined him £660 in total, and imposed costs of £127.47 and a victim surcharge of £30. Angling is not allowed during the closed season in order to protect spawning fish stocks.

A spokesperson from the Environment Agency said:

Working with the Angling Trust’s Voluntary Bailiffs and Gloucestershire Police is a great way we can jointly tackle rural and wildlife crime.

Dilip Sarkar MBE, Angling Trust National Enforcement Manager added:

Part of the overall partnership enforcement strategy is raising awareness of the crucial need to report incidents to the police and Environment Agency. This case was detected because information was provided to our Fisheries Enforcement Support Service by anglers. This was passed on to the authorities who worked together to decisively deal with the offender. This is a perfect example of team-work in action.

Working with partners is an essential way the Environment Agency works to tackle illegal fishing. In partnership with the Angling Trust, there are Voluntary Bailiffs in action across the country helping us keep watch on their local waters and report incidents. The Environment Agency also works closely with local police as part of the overarching National Wildlife Crime Unit initiative, to tackle wildlife and rural crime.

An annual fishing licence costs just £30, yet a small number of anglers continue to flout the law and risk prosecution for fishing without a licence and breaching byelaws in place to protect fish stocks.

Money from fishing licence sales is invested in England’s fisheries and is used to fund a wide range of projects to improve facilities for anglers including; protecting stocks from illegal fishing, pollution and disease, restoring fish stocks through re-stocking, eradicating invasive species and fish habitat improvements. Fishing licence money is also used to fund the Angling Trust to provide information about fishing, to encourage participation in the sport and to manage a voluntary bailiff scheme.

Children under 13 fish for free. Anyone aged 13 to 16 also fish for free, but they do need to have a valid Environment Agency fishing licence. Anyone over 16 must pay for an Environment Agency fishing licence to fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel in England.

Anyone witnessing illegal fishing can report it directly to the Environment Agency hotline, 0800 80 70 60. Information on illegal fishing and environmental crime can also be reported anonymously to Crime stoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt. Hon Karen Bradley MP today announced a number of appointments to the Probation Board for Northern Ireland. In the absence of Northern Ireland Ministers, these appointments were made possible by the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018, which received Royal Assent on 1 November.

The current Chair and Board members are due to stand down on 30 November 2018. Dale Ashford will take up the position of new Chair from 1 December 2018 and will be joined by Neil Bodger, Jonny Byrne, Kelly Clarke, Kieran Donaghy, Theresa Donaldson, Paul Douglas, Patricia Keenan, Max Murray, and Alastair Ross as new Board members. The Secretary State has also re-appointed Judith Gillespie, Gearoid O’hEara and David Wall to the Board.

Mrs Bradley said:

I am delighted to make these appointments to the Probation Board for Northern Ireland.

The Board has a unique role in that it provides oversight and strategic direction to the Probation Service within Northern Ireland with the overarching aim of “Changing Lives for safer communities

I am confident these new appointments will enable the Board to fulfil its statutory role. The reappointments of Judith Gillespie, Gearoid O’hEara and David Wall will also ensure a degree of continuity on the Board.

In October 2018, I introduced the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018. The legislation enabled me to make key public appointments to a number of bodies including the Probation Board for Northern Ireland.

Whilst I am pleased to announce these appointment and we will continue to make the necessary interventions to ensure good governance and the delivery of public services, this can never be a substitute for local decision making. It would be much better for devolved Ministers to be in place to make these decisions – including on key public appointments.

That is why I will be engaging the parties urgently, along with the Tanaiste in line with the well-established three stranded approach, to work to find a solution that gets the Executive restored and delivering for the people of NI.

Probation Board for Northern Ireland

The Probation Board is a Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Department of Justice; its statutory responsibilities are set out in the Probation Board (NI) Order 1982. The Board is normally appointed by, and accountable to, the Department of Justice. The Board consists of a Chair, a Deputy Chair and not less than 10 or more than 18 other members.

In October 2018, the Secretary of State for NI introduced legislation in Parliament; the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018 received Royal Assent on 1 November. This legislation provides for the appointment of members to the Board by the Secretary of State.

More information can be found on the Probation Board website

Terms of appointment

The positions are part-time appointments.

The Chair position attracts a fixed remuneration of £33,010 per annum for a commitment of two days per week.

The Board members positions attract a fixed remuneration of £5,050 per annum for a minimum time commitment of 2 days per month.

Biography of Appointees

Dale Ashford QSFM – Chair

Dale Ashford served the public of Northern Ireland for 30 years in various roles within the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue service before retiring, in 2017, having been Interim Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive, and serving in operational roles at every level. During his time in NIFRS he served as head of training and development and was responsible for regulatory enforcement as well as leading on the Services approach to prevention and community engagement. He has served as an independent Member of the NI Prison Service Management Board and a Non-executive Director of the NI ambulance Service Health and Social Care Trust Board. He was awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal in 2015 in recognition of his services.

Neil Bodger

Mr Bodger has been involved in managerial and company finance at Senior Manager or Director Level for over 30 years. He was a Senior Management Consultant in corporate financial reconstruction for 8 years, 1986-94; and board Director of a German manufacturing company from 1994-2000. Mr Bodger has been the Panel Chair of the Education Authority Appeals Tribunals for 19 years, 1998 to date. He has worked as a Chair of Audit and Risk Management Committees for 22 years. He is currently a board Member on the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (£6,000p.a.), and Governor and Audit and Risk Management Committee Chair for South Eastern Regional College (£3,500 p.a.).

Jonny Byrne

Dr Byrne is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Applied Social and Policy Studies at Ulster University. He is also a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board’s young people’s reference group, and is an independent member of the PSNI culture, Ethics and Diversity Board. He has a wealth of experience of engaging with a diverse range of audiences in the public and private sector.

Kelly Clarke

Dr Kelly Clarke is Managing Director at Orryx where she works alongside organisations to help them innovate and transform for the future. Kelly was Head of Public Sector Reform Division in the Northern Ireland Civil Service (DoF) where she led a range of significant Executive reform programmes. She previously worked for KPMG and led internal consultancy services for the Northern Ireland Civil Service (DoF).

Kieran Donaghy

Kieran Donaghy retired as Director of Human Resources & Organisational Development from the Southern Health & Social Care Trust in August 2016. He currently sits on the Audit Committee of the Charity Commission as independent member. He has held this voluntary role since 2015. Mr Donaghy brings to the role a wealth of experience in change management, and has extensive knowledge of corporate governance issues, particularly within the public sector.

Theresa Donaldson

Dr. Theresa Donaldson achieved Chartered Director status with the Institute of Directors in 2018.She was Chief Executive of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council (June 2014-September 2018) and Chief Executive Craigavon Borough Council (2010-2014). Prior to this Theresa held several senior management positions in health and social care and legal services in NI including as Director of Policy and Civil Service Delivery in the Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission. Theresa is currently Vice Chair of Eirgrid remunerated at £8700 p/a. Theresa held a public appointment as Chair of a Health and Social Services Research Ethics Committee for 6 years (2004-2010) and a Judicial Appointment as Lay Member Charity Tribunal (2012-2014).

Paul Douglas

Mr Douglas was District Manager and then District Commander in the PSNI, where he worked closely with the District Policing Partnerships. He was previously a Non-Executive Director in the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland; a member of the NI Audit Committee and a Lay Representative in the Pharmaceutical Society; and is currently a Lay Commissioner for the Northern Judicial Appointments Commission (£294 per day). He also currently holds a non-executive role within the Environment Agency (£500 per day)

Judith Gillespie

Judith Gillespie left the Police Service of Northern Ireland as Deputy Chief Constable in March 2014. She is currently a Commissioner with the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland for which she receives remuneration of £5,000 per annum and a serving Probation Board Member remunerated at £5,050 per annum. Mrs Gillespie brings to the role a wealth of experience in leading and setting the strategic direction of a large organisation.

Patricia Keenan

Ms Keenan is a consultant and has worked with a diverse range of groups. From 2010 to 2014 she was a Board member for the Local Action Group in the Armagh and Newry council areas, which delivered rural development funding to the local voluntary and business community.

Max Murray

Mr Murray worked for the Northern Ireland Prison Service for 37 years, and was both a Governor and a Director, before retiring. During his time in the Prison service he was Governor of Magilligan Prison, Director of Offender Services, Director of Operations and Director of Estates. He is currently a consultant for the Council of Europe.

Gearoid OhEara

Gearoid OhEara has served on the Board of Directors of public bodies for over 30 years including Foras na Gaeilge, Arts Council NI, WELB the Northern Ireland Policing board, and is currently a member of the Probation Board remunerated at £5,050 per annum. He was an elected member of Derry City council and was Mayor in 2004-05.

Alastair Ross

Mr Ross was a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly from 2007-2017, where he had a number of roles including: Junior Minister in the Executive Office, Chair of the Justice Committee, Chair of the Standards and Privileges Committee, Chair of the ad hoc Committee on the Mental Capacity bill and Deputy Chief Whip. He is currently a Commissioner of the UK Electoral Commission Board.

David Wall

David Wall worked in the voluntary sector for twenty years followed by 15 years in the civil service as a Director in the Department of Social Development; he has also held a number of public and voluntary appointments. He is currently on the Board of Governors at Braidside Integrated Primary School, and is a serving Probation Board Member remunerated at £5,050 per annum. He brings to the Board a detailed knowledge of the public sector and has extensive experience in dealing with the dynamics of local neighbourhoods and socially deprived areas. He is currently carrying out research as part of a part time PhD at Ulster University investigating methods of evaluation for community development in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

CPANI Code of Practice

The appointment process has been regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments NI (CPANI) and the appointments have been made in accordance with the CPANI Code of Practice.

Political Activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published.

As highlighted in their bios, Gearoid O’hEara and Alastair Ross have undertaken political activity in the last 10 years. Dale Ashford has also declared that he has canvassed for the Alliance party.

Statutory Requirements

These appointments are made by the Secretary of State with regard to the equality provisions set out in section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998; Probation Board (NI) Order 1982; and, the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018

• Combustible materials ban follows announcement in the summer
• Local authorities to carry out emergency remediation work on private residential buildings above 18 metres which still contain ACM cladding
• Costs to be recovered from building owners

The government is banning combustible materials on new high-rise homes and giving support to local authorities to carry out emergency work to remove and replace unsafe aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding.

Regulations have been laid in Parliament today (29 November 2018) which will give legal effect to the combustible materials ban announced in the summer. The ban means combustible materials will not be permitted on the external walls of new buildings over 18 metres containing flats, as well as new hospitals, residential care premises, dormitories in boarding schools and student accommodation over 18 metres.

Schools over 18 metres which are built as part of the government’s centrally delivered build programmes will also not use combustible materials, in line with the terms of the ban, in the external wall.

The Communities Secretary is also taking action to speed up the replacement of unsafe ACM cladding, like the type used on Grenfell Tower.

Local authorities will get the government’s full backing, including financial support if necessary, to enable them to carry out emergency work on affected private residential buildings with unsafe ACM cladding. They will recover the costs from building owners. This will allow buildings to be made permanently safe without delay.

The government is already fully funding the replacement of unsafe ACM cladding on social sector buildings above 18 metres.

Secretary of State for Communities, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP said:

Everyone has a right to feel safe in their homes and I have repeatedly made clear that building owners and developers must replace dangerous ACM cladding. And the costs must not be passed on to leaseholders.

My message is clear – private building owners must pay for this work now or they should expect to pay more later.