WasteShark collecting rubbish from Thames

17 March 2023
WasteShark collecting rubbish from Thames
A new WasteShark has been deployed on the River Thames to collect rubbish.
The shark has been deployed in Canary Wharf as part of a programme to clean up the area and make it healthier and more biodiverse.
The battery-powered WasteShark can travel up to 5km in one charge, about 8-10 hours of cleaning time. The WasteShark can collect around 500kg of waste in one day - around 21,000 plastic bottles.
The waste that is collected is brought back to land to be sorted and then recycled or disposed of responsibly.
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£63 million for swimming pools

16 March 2023
£63 million for swimming pools
In his most recent budget, chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced £63 million for public leisure centres and pools.
In his speech in parliament, Hunt said: "I have listened to representations from the hon members for East Devon, North Cornwall, Colne Valley and Central Suffolk and North Ipswich about the risk to community facilities, especially swimming pools, caused by high costs. When times are tough, such facilities matter even more."
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Government Property Agency rated best UK public sector workplace experience

16 March 2023
Government Property Agency rated best UK public sector workplace experience
The Government Property Agency (GPA) has been rated the best employee workplace experience in the public sector.
A Leesman+ certification for the Birmingham office was awarded following rigorous surveying analysis and testing. Those who work in the office and those who visit more flexibly from other offices were surveyed. The hub was awarded a score of 76 out of 100, claiming first place in the UK's public sector. The office is also only the second public sector building in the world to achieve this.
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Hunt unveils budget

15 March 2023
Hunt unveils budget
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has shared the contents of his budget.
The budget includes the extension to the energy price cap that had been unveiled earlier along with £200 million to bring energy charges for prepayment meters into line with prices for customers paying by direct debit.
£63 million will be made available for leisure centres to help with swimming pool heating costs and energy efficiency.
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Government hub opens in Peterborough

15 March 2023
Government hub opens in Peterborough
A new government hub in Peterborough has been officially opened by Cabinet Office Minister Alex Burghart.
Fletton Quays will house more than 1,000 staff from several departments and government bodies including the Home Office and DEFRA.
The hub is part of a £120 million regeneration project for Peterborough.
Cabinet Office Minister Alex Burghart said: "It’s fantastic to be in Peterborough to open our brand new Government Hub. This is a very important day for the city.
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Energy bill support extended for three months

15 March 2023
Energy bill support extended for three months
Ahead of the budget, the chancellor has announced that energy bill support will continue for another three months.
The Energy Price Guarantee will be kept at £2,500 for an extra three months from April to June, which is expected to save a typical household £160.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "We know people are worried about their bills rising in April, so to give people some peace of mind, we’re keeping the Energy Price Guarantee at its current level until the summer when gas prices are expected to fall.
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Swimming spots set to become designated bathing water sites

13 March 2023
Swimming spots set to become designated bathing water sites
The water minister has announced that four swimming sites in England are being considered to become designated bathing water sites. This means they will benefit from regular water quality monitoring from the spring.
The sites include Sykes Lane Bathing Beach and Whitwell Creek at Rutland Water, Firestone Bay in Plymouth, and a section of the River Deben at Waldringfield, Suffolk. There are currently 420 designated sites.
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Consent for floating wind farm in Wales

13 March 2023
Consent for floating wind farm in Wales
The Welsh Government has granted consent for Wales's first floating wind farm which will be located 40km off the coast of Pembrokeshire.
Seven 14MW turbines on floating platforms will provide enough low carbon energy to power 93,000 homes.
Project Erebus is part of the first phase of a 4 gigawatt renewable energy development in the Celtic Sea, which is set to generate enough power for 4 million homes. The project is part of a move away from being dependent on fossil fuels.
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