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Merseytravel joins elite ‘Beacon’ authorities
MERSEYTRAVEL
is only the second Passenger Transport Authority in UK history to
have secured ‘Beacon’ status.
The coveted ‘Beacon’ title was awarded for the pioneering work
Merseytravel is driving, alongside the five Merseyside local
authorities and Halton Borough Council to help hundreds of
Merseyside residents access jobs, training, education and health
facilities.
The national Beacon awards, led by the Government’s Department for
Communities and Local Government in partnership with the Improvement
and Development Agency (IDeA), recognise excellence and innovation
in local government across ten themes, all of which are key to
improving quality of life for local communities.
At this year’s Beacon award gala, at the Royal Horticultural Halls
in London, Merseytravel and the Merseyside local authority partners
received one of only four special commendations given nationally.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service were one of the other three award
winners.
Councillor Mark Dowd, Chair of Merseytravel, said:- “We are
getting national recognition for what is a brilliant set of
projects. They are helping people find real solutions to their
difficulties accessing public transport, work, training and
healthcare.
This is something to build on because we are never complacent.
Although we have a double “excellent” Local Transport Plan and now
Beacon status, we can always find ways to improve. We want the best
for the people of Merseyside.”
Neil Scales, Chief Executive and Director General of Merseytravel,
added:- “To be chosen from hundreds of national schemes for
our work is a fantastic achievement.
Merseyside is breaking new ground when it comes to linking people to
employment, education, training and healthcare and we are pioneering
new schemes that are taking the UK by surprise – because as well as
being exciting and far-reaching, they are also proving very
successful and local people are reaping the benefits.
So far our varied projects have helped thousands of people to take
up employment, job interviews or training opportunities. Linking
people to opportunities of all types is a key part of what we are
trying to do through our Local Transport Plan so that new employment
and training opportunities are accessible to everyone.”
Judges for Beacon status highlighted Merseyside’s schemes as
“imaginative”, which are “continuing to deliver
customer service excellence and innovation”, and
“break the poverty cycle and enhance community cohesion”.
Some of the unique projects that helped Merseytravel secure the
Beacon award include:-
* WorkWise – which supports residents in priority areas of high
unemployment, low spending power and poor health and environmental
conditions. Funded through European Objective One Measure 29b, its
schemes such as Scooter Commuter and WorkWise Wheels have enabled
people to get to work or training, which they may not otherwise have
been able to reach.
* Scooter Commuter includes the loan of a 50cc scooter to travel to
work, training etc
* WorkWise Wheels includes the use of a pedal cycle to travel to
work, training etc
* The Dial-a-Link service - is a pre-booked bus service available
when there is no alternative public transport
* Travel Training initiatives – helping to promote independent
travel by vulnerable young people and adults through working with
groups such as the Liverpool Voluntary Services for the Blind and
MENCAP.
* Neighbourhood Travel Teams – in each of the districts of
Merseyside using one-to-one contact with residents, travel
surgeries, personalised journey planning etc
* Travel Plans – an important tool in improving access and we are
working well with a number of agencies, including PCTS, NHS Hospital
trusts, Councils and schools
Communities and Local Government minister Parmjit Dhanda said:-
"I would like to congratulate Merseytravel, the Merseyside Local
Transport Plan Partnership and Halton Council for being awarded
Beacon status. These authorities are leading the way in their use of
new ideas and methods, and are ideally placed to drive change
throughout the sector, helping to improve public services for
everyone."
"The most important product of the Beacons is the real improvements
to everyday public services that can be seen in the remit of every
one of the winning authorities, and the sharing of new ideas and
best practice that the Beacons promote will lead to improvement
across the board.
Being awarded Beacon status means that Merseytravel will receive
recognition, from central government and other authorities, for its
expertise in the transport provision. I will be closely following
the work that the Beacon authorities carry out over the next year,
and look forward to working with them in this area." said
Marianne Hood, chair of the Beacons Panel.
This year, the independent Beacon panel received 143 applications,
and using an extensive judging process, they whittled this number
down to a shortlist of 59. |
LSC
launches recruitment campaign to new Regional Councils
THE Learning
and Skills Council (LSC), the organisation responsible for ensuring
the delivery of high quality education and training for young people
and adults, is launching a recruitment drive to encourage
applications for key positions on nine new Regional Councils,
including one in the North West.
The Councils, established as part of the Further Education and
Training Act 2007, will inform the LSC’s decision making at a
regional level, guide progress and make sure the Government’s
strategy for education and skills works on the ground.
The Act streamlines the LSC’s “non-executive tier”
replacing 47 Local Councils with 9 Regional Councils, resulting in a
more simplified, less bureaucratic, structure, as well as being
aligned to the organisation of the LSC executive team.
In this way, the new
Councils will reflect both the local and regional needs of learners
and employers.
John Korzeniewski, Regional Director for the LSC in the North West,
said:- “Regional Councils will provide challenge, support, and
leadership to the LSC’s work; and in doing so will shape a world
class education and skills system for each region.
In this way, Regional Council members will have the opportunity to
make a real and positive difference to the lives of thousands of
individuals and to the success of businesses in the region.”
Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher
Education, Bill Rammell, said:- “Improving the skills of the
nation has never been more important. Skills are the key to building
a cohesive society and to enabling the UK to compete in an
increasingly competitive global economy. Over the next 2 to 3 yrs,
the LSC has a huge job to do, overseeing the investment of £11.6bn
in 2008-09, £12bn in 2009 to 2010 and £12.6bn in 2010-11; including
large sums of capital investment, for the benefit of young people,
adults and employers. The new Regional Councils will have a
key role in ensuring that this investment is spent in the right
way.”
The LSC is looking for applications from people with a strong
commitment to learning and skills. Regional Chairs will have senior
level experience in business and Regional Council Members will have
senior level experience in fields including business, further and
higher education, schools, the voluntary sector, local government
and trade unions.
We are also keen to
receive applications from individual learners or organisations that
can present the views of learners.
As always, the LSC particularly welcomes applicants from people with
disabilities, members of ethnic minority groups and women.
For further information and also to apply you can log onto
this website:-
www.regionalcouncil.co.uk.
Norris Green set to
shine
SCORES of
events and activities to promote and celebrate life in Norris Green
get underway on Monday 10 March 2008.
Proud Norris Green is not only focused on cleaning up the area
through litter picking, improving grot spots and graffiti removal,
but also on helping local people into employment and training though
home visits, job clubs and youth work.
There are also a wide variety of health and fitness events ranging
from baby clinics, arts and crafts and cycle rides to aerobics,
dance classes and assistance with giving up smoking.
The week includes a glitzy red-carpet awards ceremony at Aintree
Racecourse, attended by 200 local people, on Friday, 14 March 2008,
which will be hosted by actor and City Talk presenter Dean Sullivan.
The Norris Green Awards have been organised by Norris Green
Reference Group to promote the unsung heroes of the area who work
tirelessly to improve life in their neighbourhood.
Nominations include young people who successfully bid for funds from
the city council’s Youth Opportunities Fund and are raising cash
themselves for a cultural exchange to New York; a young lad who
helped an elderly person with dementia and a young dad who supports
a tool bank for the local community
The week will culminate in the opening of the new £1.1 million
Scargreen Recreation Ground on Tuesday 18th March.
It includes five brand new grass
pitches, a floodlit all-weather pitch along with a changing pavilion
which will be used by 1,500 local youngsters for sports including
football and rugby.
On the same date, a Market Place open day for the local community at
the nearby Ellergreen Lifestyles is being held which include sports
sessions, a climbing wall together with displays from Merseyside
Fire and Rescue Service and Merseyside Police dogs and horses.
Councillor Colin Eldridge, executive member for community safety
said:- “Norris Green is rapidly improving with new housing and
community facilities such as the Ellergreen estate and Community
Centre, but there is a tremendous amount of excellent work going on
which very often gets overlooked. This week of events is about
telling as many people as possible that it is a thriving community
where lots of good things happen.”
The awards ceremony is being funded through Neighbourhood Renewal
cash along with money from the Home Office.
Councillor Marilyn Fielding, executive member for neighbourhoods,
added:- “This is a great opportunity to bring people together
to celebrate the excellent work that goes on but all too often goes
un-noticed.”
Every home in the area will receive details of the Proud Norris
Green events through their door. For further information
people should call 0151 233 3018. |
