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LOCAL
NEWS - Jan 2008
HAMPSHIRE-WIDE
NEWS
Hampshire Police Recognised as Equal Opportunity Employer
Hampshire Police has been ranked third out of 100 businesses and organisations of the best employers for gay staff in the country. Gay rights group Stonewall put the list together. Hampshire Police has been praised for its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender group which was set up six years ago to support staff. Diversity awareness training for managers is also run by the force and it also offers pension entitlements to surviving same sex partners.
Source: www.portsmouthtoday.co.uk, 9th January 2008
Closure of Post Offices Announced
The Post Office has announced that there are a number of Post Offices which are going to be closed down. Branches in Gosport, Fareham, east Hampshire, Portsmouth and Havant will all be affected. Across Hampshire 61 post offices will be closed down in total. This announcement has led to disappointment for a number of campaigners who have been fighting to keep post offices open.
Source: www.portsmouthtoday.co.uk, 9th January 2008
Language Lesson Support for Primary Teachers
Over half of the primary schools in Hampshire provide language lessons to their pupils. Languages taught include French, German, Spanish, Italian and Polish. In order to support this, Hampshire County Council are running a number of initiatives to offer support to teachers. One such initiative is the Regional Support Group (RSG) which provides free training to teachers six times a year. Each session gives teachers the chance to network with other teachers, look at resources and listen to speakers on topics linked to languages in the primary classroom. The next RSG will be held at Church Crookham Junior School on Tuesday February 12th starting with refreshments at 4pm. The session is aimed at anyone who is interested in languages in primary schools. More details can be found by emailing janet.atlee@hants.gov.uk
Source: www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk, 4th January 2008
South East Employers Encouraged to Enter Apprenticeship Awards 2008
Employers from across the South East region are being encouraged to enter the apprenticeship awards 2008 run by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The awards seek to highlight and congratulate the work of apprentices who have improved themselves and their organisation’s performance as well as employers for trying to combat skills shortages. Employers of all sizes can enter the awards whose regional winners will be held on May 22nd 2008 at Ascot Racecourse. These winners will then be considered for a place at the national awards which will take place on July 10th. Entries must be in by February 29th. For more information, call 0800 954 8896 or visit http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/awards.
Source: Kent Messenger, 3rd Jan 2008
Increase in Rail Fares
Train fares in Hampshire have increased by an average of 4.8 percent. Increases have taken place on South West Trains, Southern and First Capital Connect. Rail bosses have claimed that the increases are necessary so that improvements can be made to the services.
Source: www.dailyecho.co.uk, 2nd January 2008
Results from the Public Library User Survey
7,852 people recently completed the Public Library User Survey and this has shown that 93 percent of people in Hampshire think their Hampshire County Council-run library is very good or good. 80 percent of library users thought that library staff were very helpful and 92 percent were able to find a book that they wanted to read. 95 percent of users were also able to go on a computer when they wanted to.
Source: www.portsmouth.co.uk, 31st December 2007
Christmas Bonuses for John Lewis Staff
John Lewis employees from Hampshire have received record bonuses averaging £2,200 after John Lewis had its best ever Christmas sales. Around 2,000 Hampshire based John Lewis Partnership staff, including Waitrose staff, will receive a share of an annual bonus which is the equivalent of at least a fifth of their salary. The final full week of Christmas shopping saw sales up by 6.1 percent in John Lewis stores. Popular items included iPods, eframes, beauty, lingerie, cashmere and decorations.
Source: www.dailyecho.co.uk, 31st December 2007
Praise from Ofsted for New School
The Mary Rose School opened in Portsmouth last February. It replaced the former Futcher and East Shore Schools. Ofsted inspectors have recently rated the school as ‘good with several outstanding features.’ The Ofsted report noted that lessons were well planned and that the children learnt effectively. Excellent use is made of the school building and the pupils’ moral and social understanding was rated as outstanding. Ofsted were also pleased with the way two very different schools were effectively forged together.
Source: www.portsmouthtoday.co.uk, 5th January 2008
Closure of Post Offices Announced
The Post Office has announced that there are a number of Post Offices which are going to be closed down. Branches in Gosport, Fareham, east Hampshire, Portsmouth and Havant will all be affected. Across Hampshire 61 post offices will be closed down in total. This announcement has led to disappointment for a number of campaigners who have been fighting to keep post offices open.
Source: www.portsmouthtoday.co.uk, 9th January 2008
Positive Ofsted Inspection at Henry Cort Community College
Henry Cort Community College in Fareham has been rated as ‘good’ by Ofsted inspectors. Over the past two years the school has seen a rise in exam results, with 56 percent of students gaining five good GCSEs in 2007 compared with 45 percent in 2005. Ofsted noted that the majority of students were enthusiastic about the school and enjoyed learning. The students were also reported as behaving well around campus. Inspectors also noted that students’ involvement in the specialist sports college and the wider community was outstanding.
Source: www.portsmouth.co.uk, 31st December 2007
Relocation for Havant Borough Talking Newspaper
Havant Borough Talking Newspaper is a charity that gives blind people the chance to keep up to date with the news. Recently the charity has been trying to raise £13,000 so that it can move into its own building in East Street. The charity has now successfully reached its target after a £4,500 donation from Waitrose. Other donations were made by members of the public.
Previously the charity operated from an upstairs back room at St Faith’s Church in Havant. The new premises will be more open and there will be space for people who are blind or partially sited to visit. Currently around 300 people use the services which are provided by the charity. Services include fortnightly news tapes and CDs, which are taken from The News and Hayling Islander and sent free to homes in Havant.
Source: www.portsmouth.co.uk, 31st December 2007
Hampshire Enterprise Challenge
Five Year 11 students at Portchester Community School have won the Hampshire Enterprise Challenge because out of 100 teams the group made the most money. They sold 120 calendars for the Enterprise Challenge and made £1,039 for the Faith and Football charity. This is a Christian Charity which helps needy youngsters and their families in the UK. It also supports Christian projects which are run abroad.
As a result of winning the competition the group visited Goa in India to see how the money would be spent there and, in the UK, they visited orphanages and deprived communities.
Source: www.portsmouth.co.uk, 27th December 2007
Plans to Ease Traffic Congestion in Southampton
Transport bosses are looking to transform congested waterfront roads in Southampton. The scheme will run from the De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel to Southwestern House where shoppers, residents and ferry passengers often compete for limited space. The plans include widening the road and also removing the De Vere roundabout. A number of new developments are scheduled for Southampton such as an Ikea store, new cinema, shops and flats. It is hoped that the transformation of the roads will ease any further congestion that these developments may bring. The council are currently investigating whether the transport scheme is viable.
Source: www.dailyecho.co.uk, 3rd January 2008
Plans for New Facilities in Ringwood are Rejected
Plans to transform a shopping centre in Ringwood have been rejected. Proposals had included creating a new theatre, town square and multi-storey car park in the south-western corner of Furlong car park next to the High Street. A public consultation was held and 534 respondents backed the plans but 588 were opposed to them. As a result council officials have decided to reject the plans.
Source: www.dailyecho.co.uk, 3rd January 2008
Plans for New Cinema Complex in Southampton
Developers have offered to buy wasteland in Southampton from the local authority and transform it by creating shops, cafes, restaurants, a hotel, cinema and apartments. The site is situated between the Quays Swimming and Diving Complex and the West Quay shopping centre. The council believes that if the scheme goes ahead it will be very important for the status of Southampton and its economic wellbeing.
Source: www.dailyecho.co.uk, 2nd January 2008
Closure of TML in Whiteley
Mortgage broker TML (The Mortgage Lender) looks set to close down because administrators have been unable to find a buyer to buy it. 250 staff are set to lose their jobs, 190 of these lost their jobs before Christmas. Customers who have mortgages will not be affected by the closure because the company did not actually lend money but acted as a middleman between borrowers and lenders.
Source: www.dailyecho.co.uk, 2nd January 2008
Gluten Free Menu Available at Hampshire Pub
The Horse and Jockey pub has become one of the first pubs in the country to offer its customers a gluten free menu. This means that coeliacs have a safe place to eat and don’t have the worry that they may eat wheat, barley or rye which could make them ill. Helen Hill runs the pub with her son Daniel and they both have the condition. They took over the pub in October and thought it would be a good opportunity to offer a gluten free menu. They now attract customers from all over the country.
Source: www.dailyecho.co.uk, 1st January 2008
Teenager Works Hard to Lose his ASBO
Charlie Taylor is a 19 year old from New Milton. When he was 16 he received an ASBO (Antisocial Behaviour Order) but he is now one of the first people in the country to have his antisocial behaviour order removed because of his good behaviour. He is now seen as a role model in New Milton and is working on a project to provide a youth café for local teenagers.
Charlie’s ASBO meant that he had a 9pm curfew on Fridays and Saturdays and he was not allowed to go to certain areas in New Milton, he could also not buy alcohol once he was 18. He feels that he got into trouble through boredom and he and his friend Liam Tosdivine thought that a youth cafe would be a good place for young people to go to. They worked with Action for Youth in New Milton to get the council on board with their idea and the council are now loaning them a building in New Milton Recreation Ground for the venture. The café is due to open in the next few months and a youth worker will help to run it. Charlie is now studying criminology at Plymouth University but he also intends to help out at the café on his holidays.
Source: www.dailyecho.co.uk, 31st December 2008
Hospitality Training Partnership Awards
The achievements of employers and learners have recently been recognised at the Hospitality Training Partnership (HTP) awards. Every year the training company rewards the achievements of businesses and employees in a number of categories. Awards were given to learners who had shown a commitment to learning and greatest personal achievement in hospitality and catering, business services and employment entry. Employers received awards for their commitment to training and apprenticeships.
HTP has also recently received an accreditation for excellence and was one of six training providers to receive the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) award. The award standard highlights responses to employers’ needs and also excellence in a particular vocational subject. The accreditation is verified by employers, which shows that the standard for achieving excellence reflects their needs.
Source: www.iwcp.co.uk, 4th January 2008
Award for Isle of Wight College Website
The Further Education Marketing Network has named the Isle of Wight College Website as the best college website in the UK. College Marketing Officer, Mary Silk and Website Designer, Samuel Adams attended a gala awards ceremony in Coventry where they were presented with a winner’s certificate and trophy.
The College Marketing Network FE First Awards are designed to showcase the excellent work that is achieved in further education colleges across the UK. There are 15 categories in the awards which each have a specialist, independent judge.
Source: www.iwight.ac.uk, 4th January 2008
Increase in Bus Fares
Southern Vectis bus fares have been put up by 20p a journey on all single fares which are under £3. All fares over £3 will increase by 30p. However travellers who use Rover and Freedom tickets will see fares frozen. The evening return scheme which ran from Sunday to Thursday has been replaced by a new Night Rider scheme will run every evening. Half price travel is also available for all members of the National Union of Students (NUS). The price increases are down to three factors: rises in fuel prices, personal insurance and injury claims and also wage costs.
Source: www.iwcp.co.uk, 4th January 2008
Successful Year at Marine Safety Company
Marine safety company, SeaSafe Systems based in Cowes has had a successful year since its move to a new industrial unit on Somerton Business Park. The firm has also increased its workforce by 20 percent. New staff were taken on to go alongside the launch of a number of new products. The company are confident that the success they saw in 2007 will remain for 2008.
Source: www.iwcp.co.uk, 4th January 2008
Textphone Rental Business for the Hard of Hearing
National Textphone Rental, based in Freshwater has developed a scheme for deaf and hard of hearing people to rent special textphones. National Textphone Rental covers the whole of the UK and supplies a number of different phones for people with hearing problems. Phones are delivered to customers by the post and they will replace phones if they develop a fault. The company has more than 20 years experience in the telecommunication and customer service field.
Source: www.iwcp.co.uk, 4th January 2008
Beacon Status for IOW COOLspot Centres
The Isle of Wight College COOLspot (Centres of Open and On-Line Learning) Learndirect centres have been awarded Beacon Status by The Association of Colleges (AoC). Winners of the Beacon Awards were announced at the AoC annual conference. The awards are held each year and recognise excellent teaching and learning. To enter a competition for the award, Learndirect centres have to supply a 3,000 word report on their provision. These applications are then assessed and those centres that are short listed are visited by two assessors.
Source: www.iwight.ac.uk, 14th December 2007
New Chief Executive for Hampshire County Council
Andrew Smith has taken over the position of chief executive of Hampshire County Council following the retirement of former chief executive Peter Robinson. Andrew Smith received an OBE in 2006 for services to local government. He was previously director or property, business and regulatory services. He has said that a key priority in his role will be to improve the prospects for children and young people in Hampshire.
Source: www.basingstokegazette.co.uk, 6th January 2008
Entrepreneurial Dreams
A survey of Basingstoke workers conducted by Learndirect has shown that almost one in three workers in Basingstoke would love to follow a dream of setting up a restaurant or an online shop. The work-based skill that most people in the city would like to learn is speaking a foreign language, with 53 percent thinking that this would help improve their career prospects. The survey also looked at practical skills and found that there was a noticeable age difference, with 93 percent of older people reporting that they would be able to wire a plug, compared with 79 percent of people under 35.
Source: Basingstoke Gazette online, 8th January 2008
Annual Achievement Awards with Learndirect
Learndirect has recently launched its annual Achievement Awards to show the difference that skills can make and also to recognise people’s learning. The awards acknowledge the achievements of learners, employers and businesses. Learndirect are looking for nominations for Achievement Awards. The closing date is 28th March 2008 and nominations can be made by visiting http://www.learndirect.co.uk/awards
Source: www.basingstokegazette.co.uk, 6th January 2008
Winchester School Wins Sportsmark Award
The Westgate School in Winchester has received the Sportsmark Award. A National Physical Education Sports Survey was conducted across the whole country. Those schools which received the award showed a high quality of physical education both in and out of curriculum time. At The Westgate School pupils can take part in 28 different sports and there are a number of teams, clubs and individuals that perform to a high level of standard both locally and nationally.
Source: www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk, 4th January 2008
Businessman’s Donation to Night Shelter Organisation
Basingstoke businessman Graham Jones recently donated hundreds of hats, coats and gloves to the Winchester Churches Night Shelter in Jewry Street, Winchester. The night shelter provides a shelter for homeless people in Winchester. Mr Jones runs Global International Trading Zone Ltd which buys out companies that have gone into receivership. The clothing that he donated came from a ski and snowboard centre which had closed down. It was one of the largest donations that the night shelter had ever received.
Source: www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk, 4th January 2008
Traders Want More Promotion in Winchester District
A number of independent stores and firms in central Winchester have formed a group called The Forgotten Traders. The traders want to attract more customers but feel that civic chiefs are not doing enough to promote the area east of King Alfred’s statue. The traders feel that The Business Improvement District which was backed by Winchester City Council and the City Centre Partnership was of little benefit to them. The plan was voted through in July 2007 and a 1.5 percent levy will be added to business rates to be used to brighten up retail areas. Those in the Forgotten Traders group feel that they may be overlooked in these plans. They want better promotion of their area so that more visitors to Winchester are aware of where they are. As a result some of the traders have started using radio adverts and there are also promotions planned for St Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.
Source: www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk, 30th December 2007
The Queen’s New Year’s Honours List
Three residents from Winchester have been recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List. Brian Wareham has been awarded an OBE for his work with Crimestoppers, Clair Du Boulay received an OBE for her services to medicine and Michael Reynolds received an MBE for services to community sport through his work with Sportsmatch.
Source: www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk, 29th December 2007
