Following the 2017 terror attacks which targeted crowded places, the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism (OSCT) and Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) launched a £1 million competition on 27 July 2017 to develop innovative approaches to improving crowd resilience.

We are holding a collaboration event to highlight these innovative ideas to suppliers already delivering solutions in the following areas within the crowded places supply chain :

• CCTV hardware
• CCTV software/video analytics
• Thermal imaging camera systems
• Managed Service Providers providing systems integration and/or buildings system management
• Event management companies
• Marketing companies

This is a unique opportunity to discuss collaboration on the five funded projects that are eligible for further Government funding.

To register

If you would like to register your Expression of Interest to attend the event in London on Thursday 3 May 2018, please note that you will need to provide a statement on your registration form regarding which capability your organisation already provides and where it is being delivered, or whether your organisation could offer benefit to the funded projects.

Registration deadline

The deadline for this Expression of Interest is Friday 27 April at 5pm. The DASA team will contact you to let you know whether you’ve been selected to attend.

Fishing licence sales show a huge increase in popularity among children with 1 in 11 anglers being juniors according to new figures released by the Environment Agency today.

The introduction of free fishing licences for children in 2017 has led to a 53% increase with more than 79,000 junior licences issued last year.

The figures were welcomed by the agency in light of challenges in attracting juniors to the sport given the popularity of game consoles, TV and social media.

Kevin Austin, Head of Fisheries at the Environment Agency, said:

While today’s figures are welcomed and encouraging, we mustn’t rest on our laurels. Today’s children are the anglers of tomorrow and it’s important we attract them to the sport early. We’re really pleased to see that a growing number of young people are taking up the offer of a free junior licence, helping them to enjoy the great outdoors and this great sport.

Children today have a wealth of technology at their fingertips, and coupled with the costs parents face, it’s easy to see why fewer children are enjoying outdoor activities. Through our continued investment into fishing, our aim is to ensure the sport continues for generations to come.

From April, the age of free junior licences change from 12-16 to 13-16. Junior fishing licence work will continue to be supported by Environment Agency partners such as Angling Trust, Get Hooked on Fishing and National Fishing Month. Those under thirteen will not be required to purchase a licence.

All fishing licence income is used to fund work to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries. The Environment Agency works in partnership with the Angling Trust, Get Hooked on Fishing and National Fishing Month to offer free fishing events and activities.

To find an event close to you take a look at get fishing. To buy a licence online visit: www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence

Notes to editor

• Figures quoted are for England and Wales
• Juniors still need to get a licence in order to fish but the licence will be free at get a fishing licence.
• These changes have also been implemented across Wales. Natural Resources Wales is the lead.

1. Junior sales

• 2015/16: 60,762
• 2016/17: 52,117

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Northamptonshire Stephen Mold’s proposal to take on responsibility for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue service has today been approved by the Home Secretary, marking an important step in the government’s drive to see police and fire collaborate further and faster to benefit their local communities.

He is now set to join Roger Hirst of Essex, who became the country’s first police, fire and crime commissioner in October 2017, alongside the three other PCCs who have recently had their proposals to take on responsibility for their local fire and rescue services approved. These are John Campion, PCC for West Mercia, Matthew Ellis, PCC for Staffordshire, and Jason Ablewhite, PCC for Cambridgeshire.

Through the Policing and Crime Act 2017, the government has introduced a range of measures to drive greater collaboration between emergency services, enabling services to share best practice and become more efficient and effective. This includes enabling PCCs to take on governance of fire and rescue services where a local case is made.

Before submitting his proposal, the PCC was required to undertake local consultation, considering the views of the public and relevant local stakeholders. Northamptonshire County Council agreed to the PCC’s proposal and the consultation showed high levels of local support from the public and the Fire and Rescue Service.

The Home Secretary carefully reviewed the PCC’s proposal, the results of the consultation and the PCC’s responses to the views expressed when making a decision.

Considering all available evidence, the Home Secretary was of the view that the proposal demonstrated that a transfer of governance would be in the interests of the local economy, efficiency and effectiveness, without having an adverse effect upon public safety.

Delivering on its commitment to tackle energy bills using innovative, low carbon solutions, the government today (Wednesday 11 April 2018) announced a new scheme for consumers and non-domestic users such as hospitals, schools and council buildings to participate in a trailblazing heat networks scheme.

Marking another step forward in the government’s Clean Growth Strategy, a key pillar of the UK’s Industrial Strategy, the government’s £320 million Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) will offer grants and loans to both the public and private sectors in England and Wales, for networks serving 2 or more buildings. The scheme is due to open for applications this Autumn.

Heat networks distribute heat efficiently through insulated pipes from a central source to a variety of different customers. For residents in flats, heating costs could be as much as 30% lower on a heat network than alternatives such as individual gas boilers. As well as lowering bills for domestic and non-domestic consumers, they can reduce the UK’s carbon emissions.

Heat networks could play a vital role in the long term decarbonisation of heating, as they provide a unique opportunity to exploit larger scale renewable and recoverable heat sources. Heat networks could meet up to 17% of heat demand in homes and up to 24% of heat demand in industrial and public sector buildings by 2050.

There are already a number of successful heat network projects already operating in the UK such as one in Sheffield which burns 12,000 tonnes of municipal waste each year as the main fuel source for its network. Or Southampton’s main energy centre which has over 45 energy users ranging from over 1,000 residential properties, a hospital, university, shopping centre, police headquarters and BBC studios.

Today’s announcement and government support of heat networks paves the way for the sector to grow and become a significant clean growth contributor.

Energy Minister Claire Perry said:

The UK has led in the decarbonisation of electricity, and today’s announcement shows we are just as committed to tackling heat. Today’s announcement creates a route to market for innovative energy projects across the country and demonstrates a key objective of the Clean Growth Strategy; to help deliver technologies that can lower bills, cut carbon and improve the quality of life for communities across the country.

Today’s announcement coincides with the publication of high level guidelines for the main scheme, as well as starting the process to find a delivery partner. Applications are expected to open in the Autumn with first funding decisions being made in 2019.

The government investment for the £320 million Heat Networks Investment Project was first announced in the Spring Budget 2015. More details on the HNIP can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-networks-investment-project-hnip.

Further details on heat networks projects in the UK and other countries including Norway and Denmark across various applications, technologies and scales can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-network-case-studies.

ObjectTech chief executive, Paul Ferris (right), signs an agreement with Ali Ibrahim, Deputy Director General of Dubai Economy.