RAAC identified in Welsh social housing

14 March 2024
RAAC identified in Welsh social housing
The Welsh Government has announced that RAAC has been identified in a small number of Trivallis-run social housing properties in the Hirwaun area.
In summer summer 2023, the UK Department for Education reported incidents of RAAC had emerged at schools over the summer period which gave rise to concern over a potential higher safety risk.
In September 2023 the Welsh minister for finance and local government and the minister for education and welsh language set out the actions being taken to assess the wider public estate, including social housing.
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Building plans

Government announces updated 'extremism' definition

14 March 2024
Government announces updated 'extremism' definition
The Government has announced "an updated, more focused" definition of 'extremism' "to tackle the ever-evolving threat of extremism in the UK".
The new definition will be used by government departments and officials alongside a set of engagement principles, "to ensure they are not inadvertently providing a platform, funding or legitimacy to groups or individuals who attempt to advance extremist ideologies that negate our fundamental rights and freedoms and overturn the UK’s system of liberal parliamentary democracy."
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Managing risk and saving lives

13 March 2024
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A row of fire extinguishers.
Zoe Giles, fire risk consultant at the Fire Protection Association discusses the fundamentals of protecting buildings through fire risk assessments and her own journey as a fire risk consultant.

UK and Irish local authorities discuss place branding

13 March 2024
UK and Irish local authorities discuss place branding
Local authorities from the UK and Ireland have met to discuss place branding.
16 local authorities (eight from the UK and eight from Ireland) met in Dublin to discuss the topic and how the associated techniques and strategies can be applied to the economic, political and cultural development of cities and regions.
The event was hosted by Dublin City Council in collaboration with the British Embassy and Connected Places Catapult and aimed to identify the strengths and potential benefits of branding places.
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More women than men in Scottish government, research finds

13 March 2024
More women than men in Scottish government, research finds
Statistics published by Scotland's chief statistician show that there are slightly more women in Scotland's government workforce.
This is part of the latest quarterly Scottish Government Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Information statistics.
It covers the diversity of Scottish Government permanent staff in core directorates, some agencies and some non-ministerial departments and the experiences of different demographic groups.
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A jigsaw set with some pieces missing. The jigsaw is of lots of people in black and white holding hands. The blank spaces are coloured yellow.

Welsh Government publishes plans to improve Senedd gender balance

12 March 2024
Welsh Government publishes plans to improve Senedd gender balance
The Welsh Government has published proposals designed to increase the proportion of women standing as candidates in future Senedd elections.
The Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill aims to make the Senedd more effective by being more representative of Wales.
The Bill is based on recommendations made by the Special Purpose Committee on Senedd Reform. The recommendations were endorsed by a majority of Senedd Members in June 2022.
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Councils falling behind with EV infrastructure plans

12 March 2024
Councils falling behind with EV infrastructure plans
Local authorities are struggling to implement their electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure plans, according to research from Believ.
This is despite the UK Government’s ambition to have 300,000 public charge points available by 2030.
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