Happy New Year and welcome to the
first 2010 issue of BEFS e-bulletin.
This week Historic Scotland has published their analysis of
responses to the Historic Environment (Scotland) (Amendment) Bill
report.
28 January: BEFS Historic Environment Working Group will
hold a meeting, open to all BEFS members, focusing on the Historic
Environment Bill. 12-3pm at RICS,
Edinburgh. HEWG meeting: 3.15-4.15pm. More information
from BEFS office.
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| Publications | Scottish Government News Release | News Release | Recent Parliamentary Questions | Recent Parliamentary Answers | Other parliamentary activity | Events Training Job Vacancies
Consultation
Consultation
on options for future charity appeals route in Scotland (SG 13/01/10)
The Scottish Charity Appeals Panel has received a fewer than
anticipated number of appeals and as a result the Scottish Government took
the decision to abolish SCAP and consult on where its functions would best
sit. Consultation period 11/1 - 5/4/10. Consultation link
Publications
The Historic Environment (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill Analysis
Report (HS 01/10)
Historic Scotland has published
their analysis of responses to the Historic Environment (Scotland) (Amendment) Bill
report. Report
Siting and designing windfarms in the landscape (SNH 12/01/10)
New guidance on Siting and
Designing windfarms in the landscape. This
follows a public consultation exercise in September 2008 and a workshop
held at Battleby in March 2009. The guidance has
been developed by SNH staff drawing on
experience of windfarm development across Scotland and taking into
account the views raised during the consultation. It is technical guidance
aimed, primarily, at those involved in the detailed design of windfarms as well as planners engaged in strategic
planning for windfarms. Report
Planning Enforcement Charter - A guide to enforcing planning
controls (SG 23/12/09)
This Charter explains how the enforcement process works, the
role of the Council and the service standards it sets itself. It also
explains what happens at each stage of what can be a lengthy process.
Enforcement is one of the most complex parts of the planning
system. The aim of this Charter is to ensure that adopted procedures are
fair and reasonable, and that interested parties are kept informed and are
made aware of what is required.
This is an issue that concerns many members of the public.
We hope you will find this Charter useful and will let us know if you think
we could improve the service further. Publication
Scottish Government News Release
News Release
Scottish Government SCIO Consultation (SCVO 13/01/10)
On 16 November 2009 the Scottish
Government launched a consultation on policy options for a new form of
incorporation for Scottish charities, developed by the SCIOs
Working Group. The consultation is accompanied by a shorter guide and a
separate response form. All are available on the Scottish Government website or by
contacting:
Email: CharityAct@scotland.gsi.gov.uk. They
will be holding consultation events in January and early February 2010 as
detailed below. We strongly encourage wide participation by the sector in
these events. Lunch will be provided. Read more.
Heritage Lottery grants bring New Year Cheer to Churches (HS
07/01/10)
Five distinguished churches and one cathedral are to have
urgent and essential repairs carried out thanks to a funding package
announced today by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Scotland. From an
exposed cliff side location to the urban inner city landscape, from
Romanesque to Gothic Revival, each one is of important architectural merit
and in need of attention. Read more
Community regeneration and tackling poverty (SCR 29/12/09)
Embedding an Outcomes Approach - Invitation to Participate
The Improvement Service and the Scottish Centre for
Regeneration (SCR) will be working
with four local community planning partnerships to help embed an outcomes
approach to tackling poverty and community regeneration. The deadline for
applying to participate in this project is January 18, 2010.
OSCR Integrated Reporting Consultation - SCVO Response (SCVO
23/12/09)
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is the
national body representing the interests of the voluntary sector in Scotland. It does so
through its policy committee which is elected from its membership of around
1300 Scottish voluntary organisations. SCVO's
mission is to advance the values and shared interests of the voluntary
sector to provide them with information and assistance; to improve their
effectiveness and efficiency and to represent their views to Government and
other public bodies. Further details about SCVO can be found here. Read more
Bid to conserve heritage woodland pasture (FCS 23/12/09)
Conserving the last surviving traces of enlightened,
centuries-old land use practices are the focus of new Forestry Commission
Scotland guidance, published this week. 'Managing Ancient Woodland Pasture'
offers practical guidance to land managers and their advisers on
identifying and managing these important sites.
Roland Stiven, who wrote the
guidance note for Forestry Commission Scotland, said: "These sites are
part of Scotland's rich cultural
heritage. They offer evidence of how, in years gone by, rural communities
managed to very successfully combine farming and forestry. Read more
Recent Parliamentary Questions
Questions
marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Scottish Executive in order
to facilitate the provision of information to the
Parliament. Questions in which a member has indicated a declarable
interest are marked with an "R".
S3W-30260
Liam McArthur: To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the
powers provided under section 18(3) and (4) of the Marine (Scotland) Bill
will not be used to require private sector organisations to collect
information for generic public use beyond that required to support
development applications. (SP 06/01/10)
S3W-30267 Liam McArthur: To ask the Scottish Executive how
frequently it expects the exception under section 85(1)(b)
of the Marine (Scotland) Bill to be disapplied by marine conservation orders in order to
restrict the generation of renewable electricity in marine protected areas.
(SP 06/01/10)
S3W-30269 Liam McArthur: To ask the Scottish Executive what
the definition is of public authority under the Marine (Scotland) Bill. (SP 06/01/10)
Recent Parliamentary Answers
Parliamentary Questions and Answers
Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the
Scottish Executive in order to facilitate the provision of information to
the Parliament.
Q S3W-29877 - Peter Peacock (10/12/09): To ask the Scottish Executive
what statutory obligations local authorities have to audit dangerous and
defective buildings.
A Answered by Stewart Stevenson (08/01/10): Local authorities do not have
statutory obligations to audit dangerous or defective buildings. However,
there are powers within the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 which
enable local authorities to deal with defective and dangerous buildings,
including serving notices requiring rectification work to be carried out.
Q S3W-29881 - Peter Peacock (10/12/09): To ask the Scottish Executive
how many defective building notices have been issued in each of the last
three years, broken down by local authority area.
A Answered by Stewart Stevenson (08/01/10): This is a matter for local
authorities. The information requested is not held by the Scottish
Government. Limited information on defective building notices issued by
individual local authorities may be available on each authority's online
Building Standards Register.
Q S3W-29882 - Peter Peacock (10/12/09): To ask the Scottish Executive
what the cost has been to local authorities of rectifying defective
buildings in each of the last three years and whether any of these costs
were recovered from the owners of those buildings.
A Answered by Stewart Stevenson (08/01/10): This is a matter for local
authorities. The information requested is not held by the Scottish
Government.
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Other Parliamentary activitiy
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Events
"Building the future today" - Carbon Trust report
and briefing & round table discussion
22 January 2010, 12.30 to 2.30pm, Radisson Blu Hotel, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh
Senior stakeholders' briefing and round table discussion on
the Carbon Trust's major new report, 'Building the Future Today' which
draws upon new in-depth analysis by the Carbon Trust to highlight that
non-domestic buildings can and must play a leading role in the UK's
transition to a low carbon economy. Rapid, far-reaching action by
Government and the commercial buildings industry can make this happen and
will maximise the economic benefits.
Please join them at 12.30pm for a buffet
lunch, followed by a presentation and round table discussion of all these
opportunities and challenges. Numbers for this event will be limited. To
confirm your place contact Linsay Colville, Fenix Events Ltd; Tel 07962 002689 email: linsay@fenixevents.co.uk
Discovering Places meeting for the heritage sector in
Scotland
Monday 25th
January 2010, 2pm, National Trust
for Scotland, 28 Charlotte Sq, Edinburgh EH2 4ET
The purpose of the meeting is to bring together those with
an interest in the historic environment in Scotland to discuss the
Cultural Olympiad, Discovering Places and 2014 Commonwealth Games and how
best to work together to ensure that it is delivered coherently and to
maximum effect.
If you would like to attend, please contact
AWilkinson@befs.org.uk
Healthy Environment Network Meeting - Working Together to
Create Healthier Sustainable Places Across Scotland
4 February 2010, 9.30 am - 3.30 pm, Stirling Tolbooth, Jail Wynd, Stirling, FK8 1DE
The Gathering - the voluntary sector's two-day event
18-19 February 2010, 9am - 5pm, Edinburgh International
Conference Centre
Employees and volunteers from charities, social enterprises
and voluntary organisations; MSPs, MPs and local
councillors; policy makers and researchers; journalists and broadcasters;
local government; community councillors; students; anyone interested in
making more connections and getting involved! Thousands of people will
attend over the two days - there is something for everyone. You'll have a
chance to hear cutting edge debate, meet the sector's movers and shakers
and find out what's going on in Scotland's vibrant
voluntary sector at the popular exhibition. Further information and programme of events.
Edinburgh - The Next 5 Years, in partnership with Essential
Edinburgh
22 February 2010, at 09:30, The Hub, Royal Mile, Edinburgh
This conference is equally relevant to the public and
private sector as it covers key themes where the two need to work together.
It will also be of interest to a wide range of third sector bodies who want
to know where Edinburgh is heading as a
city - and how the changes will affect them. The public and private sector in
the wider city region will also benefit from attending, as Edinburgh is a key driver
of the wider economy in the Lothians and beyond.
Cost £99 - £199 (excl vat). Read more
Training
Sustainable communities mentorship programme - Regional
training workshop and support
25th & 26th February in Glasgow, 11th & 12th
March in Aberdeen, 18th & 19th
March in Inverness
This programme offers training and support to individuals in
Scotland who want to
inspire their own communities to take action on Sustainability and Climate
Change and aims to develop a network of Sustainable Community Mentors
throughout Scotland through a series
of regional training workshops and ongoing support. There is no fee for
participants; costs are covered by BTCV Scotland in partnership with the
Sustainable Development Commission Scotland and the Forum for Environmental
Volunteering Activity.
More information and registration forms are available here
Please note the closing dates for registration: Glasgow: 12th February, Aberdeen: 26th February, Inverness: 4th March
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Vacancies
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Information
in the Bulletin is extracted from a number of websites; including the
Scottish Government (SG); the Scottish Parliament (SP); Architecture
and Design Scotland (A+DS); Historic Scotland (HS); Scottish Natural
Heritage (SNH); Scottish Council for Voluntary
Organisations (SCVO); English Heritage (EH); Commission for Architecture
and the Built Environment (CABE); Department of Communities and Local
Government (DCLG); Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS);
Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA); National Assembly for
Wales (NAW); Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS); Scottish
Building Standards Agency (SBSA). For further
information, links are provided to the relevant documents.
If you have any questions or comments on the above, or would like to submit
information to be included, please get in touch
with Anne Wilkinson awilkinson@befs.org.uk or tel: BEFS Office on 0131 220 6241. We hope that
you find the Bulletin useful, however if you wish to be removed from the
circulation list, please get in touch.
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