Tag Archives: HM Government

A call for evidence has today (23 January 2017) been launched to seek views on the educational experiences and outcomes for some of the country’s most vulnerable children.

Minister for Vulnerable Children and Families Edward Timpson has asked Dame Christine Lenehan to conduct an independent review looking at the outcomes and experiences of children and young people attending residential special schools and colleges.

The review is designed to find practical outcomes for the government and other agencies who work with this group of young people, who often have the most complex needs and require more intensive support.

It will look at the characteristics of this group, how and why they are placed in residential special schools and colleges, the support that’s available to them during and after their placement and the ways in which families say their experience of these settings could be improved.

To ensure that the review is informed by a wide range of views and evidence from the sector, Dame Christine has launched a call for evidence and is asking for contributions from people working in residential settings, students attending these residential schools and colleges, their parents or carers, and children, young people and adults who have now left these settings. Councils, academics and other sector groups are also encouraged to take part.

Director of the Council for Disabled Children since 2003, Dame Christine will be supported in the review by Mark Geraghty, chief executive of the Seashell Trust, which runs an outstanding residential special school and college for children and young people with complex needs.

A Department for Education spokesperson said:

Every child, no matter the obstacles they face, should have the same opportunities for success as any other. This independent review will look at how the experiences of children and young people attending residential special schools and college can be improved, to ensure the right support is in place.

We are grateful to Dame Christine Lenehan and to Mark Geraghty for conducting this review. Together they bring a wealth of experience from across the education and social care spectrum.

The call for evidence runs until March 17. The review will report back to the government later this year.

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Following the launch of the industrial strategy green paper today – International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, visited a leading advanced technology business in Oxfordshire to reiterate the government’s commitment to supporting UK business to grow at home and abroad.

On the visit to Prodrive in Banbury – a successful independent British engineering innovation business – the International Trade Secretary outlined the steps government is taking to support trade and investment across the country which can have a crucial impact on the growth of local economies.

The industrial strategy green paper sets out a plan to improve living standards and economic growth by increasing productivity and driving growth across the whole country. To achieve that goal, the green paper sets out ten strategic pillars to underpin a new government approach.

Encouraging trade and inward investment policy is one pillar and is key to opening up markets for UK firms, boosting productivity and growth across our economy, including by increasing competition and helping to bring new ways of doing things to the UK.

The Secretary of State for International Trade, Dr Liam Fox, said:

Trade and investment is a vital part of building an economy that works for all, creating jobs and transforming local communities and industry.

Across the UK we’re pioneering a whole host of new technologies, working with industry and universities to ensure Britain remains the location of choice for many sectors, such as the next-generation automotive industry. Prodrive is a fantastic example of innovative British automotive engineering at its best and a great illustration of our how we can and should be exporting our world-class expertise to benefit our economy.

The UK is open and ready for business and the launch of the Industrial Strategy today shows our commitment to improving growth and productivity across the whole country.

The Department for International Trade is leading government work to continue to champion free trade and ensure it helps deliver an economy that works for everyone.

The strategy lists how the department will:

• build future trade relationships – The UK remains committed to pursuing free trade. That includes seeking to achieve continuity in our trade and investment relationships with third countries thereby minimising disruption for business as we leave the EU
• build global prosperity
• improve market access for exporters
• create a more active approach to winning overseas contracts
• increase defence exports
• double export finance capacity
• make government trade services easier to use for firms – the department has recently launched a ground breaking new digital platform to provide digital services to help exporters and investors;
• join up trade and inward investment promotion with local areas
• strengthen the value from trade shows and
• develop a new, more strategic approach to inward investment

Following the decision to leave the European Union, the UK has the opportunity to develop its new trading arrangements and take forward its ambition to become a global trading nation and champion of free trade.

On the visit to Prodrive the Secretary of State had a tour of the factory and saw first-hand how the company makes bespoke parts for race and rally cars using traditional metalworking techniques and the advanced technology workshop where the company develops innovative projects for some of the company’s biggest clients such as Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo and McLaren.

Further information

The Automotive Investment Organisation which now sits within DIT, has since it was set up by the Automotive Council in 2013, helped create or safeguard over 20,000 jobs in the UK automotive supply chain, and by attracting inward investment helped increase local content in UK-built cars from 36% to 41%.

Car-making in the UK is thriving – with more cars built last year than any year since 1999.

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I am delighted to join you this morning to support the publication of our new Ambition document. I hope it’s a great opportunity to really look at some of the practical proposals it makes to help libraries thrive in the future.

It’s the first time central and local government has joined with sector stakeholders to draw up a strategy for public libraries in England and commit to a plan to deliver that. It’s built on – and I hope you would recognise this – extensive consultation and input from the sector. We have all signed up to what it says, and to a successful future for libraries.

And why have we done that? Libraries are hugely important for the communities they serve. They not only provide access to books and other literature, but also help people to help themselves and improve their own opportunities. They bring people together and they provide practical support and guidance.

And libraries support people in different ways at each stage of their lives, and they can help government to achieve strategic priorities by delivering services in communities – whether related to health, social cohesion, information and digital literacy, jobs and business support or the enjoyment that literature and cultural activity brings.

Now I’ve been a councillor myself; I know councils have to make important decisions about resources, to meet local needs and also legal requirements as well.

But I believe that if councillors think imaginatively about how libraries can help deliver their priorities, providing real leadership, then Local Authorities will start to see libraries as an asset to be developed. Ambition challenges government at all levels to think ‘Libraries First’ in planning services for communities – and I’ll be championing that message with ministerial colleagues and councillors.

Ambition challenges councils and the library services they run to think and act differently. Standing still isn’t an option. The way people use libraries and other public services is continuing to change. So we all need to think in innovative ways.

There are great examples of Local Authorities doing interesting and positive things – the Taskforce shares stories and ideas through its blog to stimulate original thinking. I’ve seen some great approaches during my own library visits; so for example,

• the new Curve in Slough, which is a part of the entire town’s regeneration process. Alongside the library, it hosts Slough Museum, a multi-purpose community and performance space, community learning spaces, the Council’s registrars services and a café with garden terrace.

• And Farnham Common, a thriving library run by a community group with financial and professional support from the council. It raises extra income to support the library service from renting space to the children’s centre and police who share the building and also through community events and fundraising.

Councils should embrace change; should seek to do things differently, and to be as bold as possible. If they do, DCMS will help them. We are already helping to spark creative new approaches – for example through grants from our new £4 million ‘Libraries: Opportunities for Everyone’ innovation fund to assist libraries helping people living in disadvantaged areas. We’ve received over 100 bids, which Arts Council England is currently evaluating.

We’re also providing advice and support to councils that want to find different and more effective ways to run their library services, such as public service mutuals; 4 library services have already successfully gone down this particular route.

I believe this is a really positive direction to take as I want to see more staff owning part of the service they run – so we will offer support to Councils who want to do go down this route. The challenge is to think strategically about reform and service delivery and not to tinker piecemeal.

Some changes will of course be more challenging. People often think of libraries as buildings – But it’s not just the buildings that make libraries, it’s the service that’s important. Sometimes their location or layout no longer suits the things local councils and local communities want.

If so, then changes – such as co-location with other services or sometimes closures may be actually justified, and indeed required, in favour of providing library services in other ways; maybe through outreach into communities or online.

But, and I want to make this absolutely clear, councils should make decisions like this based on robust evidence – rather than reducing provision in ad-hoc or very reactive ways.

Councils should be marshalling evidence about local needs, then actively discussing options to meet these with the community and with library professionals. I’ll also expect councils to consider a full range of funding and delivery options before making significant reductions to their library services.

And if we receive complaints as part of our superintendence role, and where local authorities do not appear to be meeting their statutory duties, we will investigate. Where needed, I will take action under the 1964 Act. Libraries will not be seen as a soft option.

These sector events today and around the country are a start – I hope a useful and enjoyable start – to spreading the word about Ambition and sharing learning about things we can all do to help libraries succeed. But they aren’t the end – keep an eye out for future masterclasses the Taskforce will be running to delve into some of these areas in more depth.

That way we can all work together to take library services forward into a sustainable and successful future.

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The following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of Friday 20 January and could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible. Drivers looking for roadworks information (such as overnight carriageway closures) for individual schemes should now visit Traffic England.

Some of our larger schemes have project pages giving other information. These can now be accessed from a dedicated regional page.

M6 junctions 16 to 19: Cheshire smart motorway

Work is underway to upgrade the M6 to a smart motorway between Crewe and Knutsford, converting the hard shoulder to an extra lane and introducing new variable speed limits. The project is due to be completed in spring 2018. The northbound carriageway is due to be closed overnight (10pm to 6am) between junctions 18 and 19 on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 January. A diversion will be in place.

The closures are as follows:

• Wednesday 25th January, full closure M6 south bound J19 to J18 10pm-6am.
• Thursday 26th January, full closure M6 northbound J18 to J19 10pm-6am.
• Friday 27th January, full closure M6 northbound J18 to J19 10pm-6am.

M6 junction 22 Newton-le-Willows

Essential bridge maintenance work is underway to replace 40 corroded bearings on the M6 junction 22 bridges. Average speed cameras and a 50mph speed limit are in place. The work, between junctions 21a and 23, is due to be completed in the spring.

M6 junction 34 Lancaster

Lancashire County Council’s new link road between junction 34 of the M6 and Heysham has now opened but finishing work will require lane and hard shoulder closures along the M6 through junction 34 to continue for the time being.

More information is available on the scheme website.

M6 North of Tebay services

20 January to 5 March. Night time single lane running will be in place southbound between 8pm and 6am with 2 lanes open daytime. A 50mph speed limit will be in force. Tebay services exit slip closure is required for 1 night only for resurfacing works.

M60 junction 8 Sale to junction 20 Rochdale

A major smart motorway scheme is taking place to cut congestion and improve journey times on parts of the M60 and the M62 in Greater Manchester. The scheme involves overnight slip road and carriageway closures, with narrow lanes and a temporary 50mph speed limit in place for the safety of drivers and road workers.

Details on overnight closures are available on our Facebook page.

M61 junctions 4 Atherton to junction 5 Westhoughton

A scheme is taking place overnight to replace the central reservation barrier between junctions 4 and 5 on the M61. The work is being carried out between 9pm and 5am, Monday to Friday, and is due to be completed by February. Temporary lane closures will be in place.

M61 to A580 Kearsley

The southbound link road from junction 2 of the M61 near Kearsley to the eastbound A580 East Lancashire Road is closed overnight for resurfacing. The work will take place between 8pm and 5am, Monday to Friday, and until 7am at weekends. The scheme is due to be completed by early February.

M6/M62 Croft Interchange

Work has begun to install smart motorway technology on the link road between the two motorways.

The following closures will be in place:

• night-time full closures of the M62 East-bound on Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday (23/24/25 Jan) for establishment of the narrow lane
• night-time full closures of the M62 West-bound on Thursday (26 Jan) for establishment of the narrow lanes

M66 Junction 2 Bury to Junction 4 at M60/M62

Resurfacing work started on Monday 16 January between junctions 2 and 4 of the M66. Some bridge repairs and electrical work will also take place. The work will be carried out between 8pm and 6am and will require some lane or full carriageway closures. A temporary 50mph speed limit will also be in place, and the scheme is due to be completed by March.

A556 Knutsford to Bowdon

A £192 million project is being delivered to build a new dual carriageway linking the M56 to the M6 in Cheshire. The A56 Lymm Road will be closed at the junction with Bowdon roundabout between 6am and 6pm on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 January.

A585 West Drive to Fleetwood Cycleway

Work is taking place on a new shared footpath and cycleway between West Drive and Fleetwood. Narrow lanes and a temporary 30mph speed limit are being used along the route to help provide a safe space for workers constructing the new shared paths. Work will take place between 7am and 7pm each day with occasional overnight work. The project is due to be completed by the end of March.

A585 Esprick

20 to 24 January. Daytime traffic signals are in place to replace an existing damaged fire hydrant frame and cover 9.30am to 3.30pm.

A590 Lindal in Furness

Work is being carried out to tackle flooding between Pennington Lane and Bank End Cottages. Narrow lanes and a temporary 30mph speed limit will be in place until completion at the end of March.

A590 Quebec Street

Daytime traffic signals will be in place 9.30am to 3.30pm for 1 day on 23 January. They be re-erected on 26 January for 7 days between the same times. Quebec Street and Swan street will be closed and diversions in place from 23 Jan for 2 weeks for removing the existing tarmac and replacing it with a new asphalt surface and new road markings.

A595 Egremont

Repairs are taking place to the safety barriers adjacent to Wyndham Place on the A595 and are due to be completed by the end of February. A contraflow system is in place on the southern approach to the Main Street/East Road roundabout.

A55 Junction 40 Nantwich

The southbound entry slip road at junction 40 of the A55, where it meets the A51, will be closed overnight for resurfacing and electrical work for two nights from Saturday 21 January. The slip road will be closed between 8pm and 7am, with a diversion in place.

A66 Brough

Resurfacing work started on Monday 14 November and will continue until the end of January. Overnight lane closures will be in place, between 8pm and 6am, with traffic led through the roadworks by a contractor’s vehicle.

A66 Embleton

Work is taking place to install new signs and paint white lines at the Embleton junction. Temporary night time traffic lights will be in place 23 to 26 January traffic lights are in place, and the scheme is due to be completed later this month.

A66 Bassenthwaite Lake

A contraflow system is in place while work is carried out on the embankment in the central reservation next to Bass Lake. The scheme is due to be completed in the spring.

A66 Thornthwaite (Osprey Site)

Construction work is being carried out to protect the A66 from flooding, at the Osprey Site near Thornthwaite, by raising the height of the carriageway. Temporary traffic lights are in place along with a 40mph speed limit. The scheme is due to be completed in the spring.

A66 Marron Bridge

Maintenance work begins on 27 January on Marron Bridge, between Broughton Cross and Bridgefoot on the A66. Temporary traffic lights will be in place, mainly during off-peak hours, for the first phase of the scheme. A 30mph speed limit will be in place. Night time closures will take effect from 27 January. The project is due to be completed by March.

A665 Bury Old Road

A scheme is taking place to upgrade the safety barriers on the A665 bridge on Bury Old Road over the M60 near junction 17. The work will be carried out between 8.30am and 11pm, Monday to Friday, with temporary traffic lights and lane closures in place from 6.30pm. Some overnight and weekend working may also be required. The Kenilworth Avenue junction with Bury Old Road will be closed throughout the scheme, with a diversion in place. The project is due to be completed by March.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

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