|
Happy New Year, 2016 is
here, what install?
IT'S hard to think it's over 15
years since the millennium, but as 2015 passes into the history books, what
2016 has in store is anyone's guess. From the introduction of the new
Pension System to immigration, sports and more, we are in for a very active
year, that promises to be interesting. What we can say is that 2016, if you
did not already realise is the 16th year of 21st Century. 2016 is also a
leap year and there will be an extra day in February. Yes 1 extra day to
work… 29 days not 28! With loads of issues, that will affect us all in the
UK, we would like to know what you think will be the biggest things that
will affect you this year? Please email your thoughts and predictions to:-
News24@southportReporter.com.
With banking, we are expecting quite a few more banks to face legal action,
as well as more movement over the high fees charged by Pay Day Loan
companies. On the technology side, Contactless Card Security will become a
very hot topic. Should we be worried about our credit cards in 2016? While
the current daily spending limit for contactless cards in the UK remains at
£30 for now, some banks want to increase this! But the worry is that thieves
could easily continue using cards on a daily basis without reproach, after
being stolen if they are contactless enabled. As 2015 closed, The Guardian
newspaper found that UK Banks may not be able to cancel cards in their
entirety, as not all contactless payments are checked immediately. Recent
security scares within the UK have highlighted the risks involved with such
technology. Talking about technology, the convenience of the Web of Things (WoT)
is ever growing, but this will become more of a target for hackers in 2016
and after... If you are not aware of what the term is about, it describe
approaches, software architectural styles and programming patterns that
allow real world objects to be part of the World Wide Web. Other technology
issues will include more focus on drones, as insurance companies start to
block the ability to calm on policies following accidents with any remote
controlled equipment. Interestingly, that might also impact on Web of
Things! Small businesses are also increasingly at risk from hackers, so
expect insurance policies to start to include hacking covers as standard,
and moves by insurers for tests of business IT security. If introduced, this
cover might require mandatory levels of security levels being widely
introduced for all businesses in the UK. With the news, IMPRESS is looking
at being launched, but as of yet its full remit and who and is not covered
by them, still remains up in the air, as does a launch date. Other things to
watch out for will be in November... Lots of sport as the 2016 Olympics will
be held in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil...
With health of the nation being headline news throughout 2015, it will also
pop up again, like a bad apple in 2016. Sadly, this bad apple includes the
apple might just keep the doctors at bay for real this year, as well as
other health care professionals. 1 of the issues that will be of huge
concern will be the introduction of far stricter immigration rules for
working people. This new law being comes into effect from April 2016, and it
is alleged that this may result in nearly 3,500 nurses being kicked out of
the country under this legislation, according to the Royal College of
Nursing! This is due to the low pay nurses have in the UK and the new rules
that state, if you come from outside the EU and you've been working here for
more than 5 years, you must be earning more than £35,000 a year! If you do
not earn over that you will be shipped off back to your country of origin
and there is no there is no apparition obligation under the new rules to
consider that some jobs are essential, and that people like nurses are asset
to our society and need protection. Watch this space such of legal action
hitting the headlines over this issue!
Also with work, the headlines are going to be filled over 2016 with warnings
about the move to get the national minimum wage of £9 per hour by 2020. Many
small businesses are struggling to keep up, and now larger businesses are
also issuing words of warning to the press. With the minimum wage, for
workers over the age of 25, increasing to £7.20, in April 2016, in the
largest real terms increase since 2007, putting added pressure on what
businesses say is a fragile recovery, giving those warnings causes even more
concern.
Gender pay gap in workplaces must be reported from this year. This new
legislation being rolled out in 2016 will be forcing employers to disclose
this information each year, so expect some high profile headlines over the
pay gap between men and women. Will this have any real time effect or is
this just added paperwork to make the government look like it is making the
workplace more equal?
EU legislation could see 'vapes' and 'e-cigs'
disappearing from our public spaces. This will probably be a bigger issue
over 2016, as will issues over the use of so called:- 'hoverboards.'
Within Rugby, will England and France start to change their fortunes under
new coaching regimes? In Super Rugby, Japan and Argentina throw teams into
the ring as the global games are expected to continue to grow.
Football, Liverpool FC have had many pundits and national media having their
say, but expect to see some interesting changes ahead that could see the
team having another major winning streak. The massive improvements and
expansion of Anfield Stadium, are currently on target for completion during
the 2016/17 season will be bound to boost morale in the team.
Prophecies of Nigerian pastor Enoch Adeboye, are making the rounds on the
internet, with the influential pastor issuing some dire predictions for the
coming year. Will he be the next Notradarmus? Expect lots more globe warming
issues, flood related issues and even drought warnings to hit headlines,
nationally and locally.
Development will be a major hot topic of 2016 locally, as many building
firms try to build on flood plains across the region and other areas, which
the public feel should be protected. But it will not be all bad news. Not
only the 54,000 seats at:- 'The Reds' stadium that has already
made a huge change to the skyline is set to open as we said above, this
summer, Liverpool will have some amazing developments due to be finish in
2016.
The Shankly Hotel redevelopment is set to be completed in 2016, as well as
Signature Living's 'Eden' rooftop bar and wedding venue, built
onto the roof of the hotel.
This year the low cost airline Easyjet is celebrating its 20th birthday. But
for Liverpool it will also be marked by the airline opening a new offering
to Liverpool's hotel accommodation. The 'super budget'
EasyHotel in former office space above Castle Street's Salthouse Bacaro, is
set to open later this year.
Herculaneum Quay is set to be completed late next year on the Liverpool
Waterfront. This development will also radically change the skyline.
60 Old Hall Street, next to the Liverpool Echo has been called:- "the
ugliest building on Old Hall Street", but that is about to change
thanks to Signature Living.
Then in Liverpool you have Baltic Village, Pullman Hotel, Club House,
Liverpool ONE and many more.
In Southport, keep an eye on Pleasureland as new rides are set to be brought
in and with Formby, RAF Woodvale will find out soon what its long term
future will be.
Commuters travelling from Kirkby, Ormskirk or Southport or to Hunts Cross
will have to go to Liverpool Central are to be facing an interesting time as
over 2016, facing some disruption to their journeys as Moorfields Railway
Station is temporarily closed for refurbishment. We will also start to see
new services from Southport and Liverpool being introduced on the rail
network, along with more news about the replacement of the old rolling stock
on the Merseyrail lines. With the Mersey Ferries, major announcements are to
be made, for both replacement of the old ferries and also possible change to
services. On the buses, a brand new, updated bus time display system will be
introduced across the Merseyside area. It is hoped that it will deliver what
bus firms say will be correct, up to date estimated times of arrival for
buses at most major bus stops.
This year we are expecting some fantastic entertainment with many of
blockbuster movies, like:- "X-Men: Apocalypse" and the "Deadpool"
plus many others… Also expected to hit the headlines over and over again
through out 2016 will be the animated film called:- "Rogue One: A Star
Wars Story" that's due out in December 2016.
On 9 May 2016, a fantastic astronomical event will take place, when Mercury
will make a rare transit between the Earth and the Sun. The next transit
will happen in 2019 and then again sometime after 2039. Also NASA's New
Frontiers Program, Juno is due to reach Jupiter on 4 July 2016.
Expect lots of Terrorism headlines though out 2016, as well as lots of news
about our armed forces.
China will be celebrating its New Year on 8 February and according to the
Chinese calendar, 2016 is the:- "Year of Red Fire Monkey."
Events, well take a look at our event calendar for some of the amazing
events on offer over 2016 by clicking on
here now. Also, if you are running an event
on or near Merseyside, please let us know in advance and we will look at
adding it to our listings for you.
We are also making some major changes to our service, so keep an eye on here
for news on that over 2016!
Please do email your thoughts and predictions for 2016 to our Newsroom via:-
News24@southportReporter.Com or post on our Facebook
Page. |
