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Scotland
has been assured by a report from the Committee on Climate Change that
it's climate change targets are 'challenging but achievable' if the EU
framework is tightened.
Cut the
VAT Coalition has published a research report outlining the benefits of
cutting the VAT. If you wish to support the coalition or just find out
more, click here.
In
response to a parliamentary question, Fiona Hyslop, the Minister for
Culture, has shared her views on the importance of the built environment.
BEFS
meetings
4 March:
BEFS General meeting, 3pm, followed by an open seminar and discussion 4
-5.30pm: Townscape - the urban landscape. How can it be developed and
managed sustainably on an integrated basis? What is BEFS role? Read more
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Consultation
Publications
Charities
and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005: Proposals for Minor Amendments
to the Act and to the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations: Scottish
Government Consultation Analysis Report (SG 26/02/10)Charity
Law Consultation - Proposals for Minor Amendments to the Charities and
Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts
(Scotland) Regulations 2006 Consultation Analysis. Read more
Scotland's path to a low-carbon economy (24/02/10) The
Committee on Climate Change
The Committee on Climate Change provides advice to the
Devolved Administrations on climate change. Following on from the adoption
of the Climate
Change (Scotland) Act in August 2009, the Committee were asked to
advise the Scottish Executive on their climate change targets.
"Scotland's path to a low-carbon economy" sets out the Committees
advice on how Scotland can meet its ambitious 2020 target, to reduce
emissions of all greenhouse gases by 42%, and on the level of annual
targets in Scotland. It also provides advice on the inclusion of aviation
and shipping emissions and the path to building a low-carbon economy in
Scotland, as well as on economic and social impacts of meeting the targets.
Report and SG press release
The Opportunities and Costs of Cutting VAT: The effects of
selected reductions in the rate of VAT on the labour element of housing
repair, maintenance and improvement - A Report for the Cut the VAT
coalition. (IHBC 23/02/10)
A report produced by Experian for the "Cut the
VAT" coalition, says that 55,000 jobs would be created by levelling
the VAT rate to the 0% charged on new-build housing. Of the new jobs,
24,000 would be in the construction industry and 31,000 in the wider
economy, contributing £1.4bn to the economy in 2010. The coalition also
said the move would allow an extra £450m to be invested in improving the
country's social housing stock, potentially paying for improvements to
19,000 social homes. It said a cut would also have a much larger impact on
reducing emissions from housing than building low carbon new homes. The
research report was funded by the Federation of Master Builders, The Royal
Institution of Chartered Surveyors, The National Trust, The Country Land
& Business Association, The Bathroom Manufacturers Association and The
Countryside Alliance, on behalf of the coalition, which includes 19
organisations in total. Read more
National Park Proposals: Consultation Report and Responses (SG 22/02/10)
This contains a report on the consultation on two
National Park Proposals; these proposals are to modify the original
National Park Designation Orders. It also contains the consultation
responses. Read
more
Scottish Government News Release
News Release
First
Chair for Central Scotland Green Network (FCS 24/02/10)
Europe's biggest greenspace project now has a champion to drive forward the
transformation of Scotland's central belt into a more attractive place to
live and work. With vast experience in local government, environmental
bodies and public relations, Keith Geddes will become the first Chair of
the Central Scotland Green Network partnership board. Keith's job will be
to guide the strategic development of the ambitious project, which aims to
green up landscape settings and bring back to life the area's
post-industrial legacy of derelict and vacant land. Read more
SCT appoints new Director (SCT 23/02/10)
Following a national recruitment campaign the Scottish Civic
Trust has appointed a successor to Terry Levinthal, who is moving on after
10 years of service. John Pelan will take up the post on 1 April. John
Pelan is currently director of John Pelan Associates, an architectural
communications consultancy. Prior to this he worked for the Royal
Incorporation of Architects in Scotland as Depute Secretary/ Director of
Communications. Read
more
Over £15.7 Million for England's Historic Places of Worship (EH 18/02/10)
English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)
announced more than £15.7 million to support urgent repair work to 154
Grade I and II* listed places of worship across England. The grants were
awarded under the organisations' joint Repair Grants for Places of Worship
scheme. Read more
Castle restoration register expansion (HS 15/02/10)
Five new entries have been added to Historic Scotland's
Scottish Castle's Initiative register to assist their owners in any plans
to restore them from their current state. The register contains the details
of protected castles and tower houses that the Scottish Government's
historic environment agency believes could be sympathetically repaired
without compromising their national importance. Read more
A+DS seeks Design Review Panellists (A+DS 11/02/10)
Following a recent Scottish Government review of the
organisation, A+DS now wishes to appoint up to thirty key design and
development professionals with a diverse range of skills and experience to
make up its Design Review Panel. These new Panellists will have a unique
opportunity to influence the design quality of significant developments and
contribute to A+DS's promotion of high quality design and placemaking. The
findings of Design Review will play a key role in informing A+DS's future
direction and strategy. Read more
SCT launches My Place Awards (SCT 03/02/10)
In recognition of the importance of good places for local
communities, the Scottish Civic Trust announces its new awards programme
dedicated to finding Scotland's thriving architectural design successes
that contribute to making local places better. The Scottish Civic Trust's
My Place Awards aim to celebrate quality developments as nominated by the
civic organisations that care passionately about their neighbourhood. In
this, its first year, a Scottish Civic Trust My Place Award will be made to
a winning project that contributes positively to local place-making. Read more
Deadline for entries is extended to 8 March 2010. More information,
including guidelines and forms for entry.
Recent Parliamentary Questions
Parliamentary
Questions
Questions marked with a (^) 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".
Recent Parliamentary Answers
Questions
marked with a (^) are initiated by the Scottish Executive in order to
facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.
Q
S3O-9638 Aileen Campbell: To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it
attaches to Scotland's built heritage. (SP22/02/10)
A The
Minister for Culture and External Affairs (Fiona Hyslop, 25/02/10): The
Scottish Government shares with all the people of Scotland a pride in our
nation's built heritage. It inspires us and gives us our sense of place.
Our built heritage makes an important contribution to the Scottish
Government's purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth. The
Scottish Government demonstrates its commitment to the built heritage by
investing more than £12 million a year in direct support through grants to
owners and local communities, and in the work that Historic Scotland does
to grow our traditional skills base.
Aileen Campbell: The minister will be aware of many
historical monuments and buildings across the South of Scotland, including
the world heritage centre at New Lanark. Does she agree that Scotland's
world heritage sites are not only historically important but culturally and
educationally important as they provide useful places of learning about
Scotland's past? Will she accept my invitation to visit New Lanark to see
for herself the impressive work that is carried out by the dedicated team
of educationists and conservationists?
Fiona Hyslop: I acknowledge Aileen Campbell's passion
for New Lanark and I am delighted to accept her invitation to visit it and
to see its contribution as a world heritage site through its historical
significance and through education. I am sure that members across the
chamber look forward to inviting me to their areas so that I can see and
benefit from understanding the passion and commitment to our built
environment.
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
Since the minister asked, will she consider the Abbotsford project in my
constituency, which has not only national but international recognition?
The local authority and the Abbotsford Trust have raised more than £6.5
million towards an exciting £10 million scheme for the area, which the
minister has agreed to meet me to discuss, following positive moves from
her predecessor. Will she ensure that the scheme suffers no funding gap
that could put it at risk? Given her enthusiastic support for other areas,
will she ensure that the Abbotsford project is also a success?
Fiona Hyslop: Jeremy Purvis has previously asked me to
visit Abbotsford, when I said that I would be delighted to do so. I put on
record the Government's recognition of the fabulous fundraising effort to
support Abbotsford, and I look forward to learning more about the project
and to addressing some of the serious issues that he raises about where the
project will go from here.
Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab):
My constituency has so many listed buildings-more than anywhere else in
Scotland-that I could not possibly invite the minister to them all. I
acknowledge Historic Scotland's excellent work, but does the minister share
my concern about the inflexibility that has often been shown when
environmentally friendly adaptations-particularly the installation of
double glazing-are made? I am dealing with an example of that, in which the
minister obviously cannot become involved, but will she urge Historic
Scotland to be more in tune with her Government's laudable climate change
objectives?
Fiona Hyslop: Historic Scotland has made a significant
effort in recent times to become more flexible in order to address some of
the legitimate concerns that Malcolm Chisholm raises. The agency has a keen
interest in seeing what it can do to contribute to the climate change
agenda. I hope that it will announce something shortly that might satisfy
the member's inquiry.
Q
S3W-31227 - Liam McArthur SP (29/01/10): To ask the Scottish
Executive whether it will list those public authorities to which section 72
of the Marine (Scotland) Bill will apply.
A Answered
by Richard Lochhead (11/02/10): I refer the member to the answer to
question S3W-31225 on 10 February 2010.
Answer to 31225 Answered by Richard Lochhead (10/02/10): The
Scottish Government cannot say definitively which authorities will be
covered but does not think that there will be many cases where there will
be any real doubt as to whether an authority is covered or not.
Other Parliamentary activitiy
Events
Delivering
Planning Reform Workshops
22 March 2010, Radisson Blu, High Street, Edinburgh
23 March 2010, Hilton Grosvenor Hotel, Great Western Road, Glasgow
24 March 2010, Ramada Inverness, Church Street, Inverness
25 March 2010, Hilton Dundee, Earl Grey Place, Dundee
These workshops provide opportunities to discuss how we can work better
together. It is not about detailed procedural elements of the new system. Read more
Development and Scotland's Heritage - How do we Strike the
Balance? - Annual Scottish Young Planners Conference
26 March 2010, 9.30am - 5pm, City of Glasgow Council
As the development industry continues to suffer the effects of the economic
downturn and with new development greatly reduced, now is an ideal time to
reflect on the contribution made by our existing natural and built heritage
assets, to the social, environmental and economic well being of Scotland.
Scotland's rich heritage affects many people in many way. Our diverse built
and natural environment provides us with homes and opportunities for making
a living, as well as encouraging a sense of well being and opportunities
for recreation and entertainment.
This Conference asks does Scotland's built and natural heritage continue to
have contemporary relevance? Are we making the most of it? How do we strike
the right balance between conserving what is good now and creating
opportunities to grow in the future? Cost: £80 + VAT. Read more
Contact information Tel: 0845 082 1171or Email
People Changing Places: Sustainable Communities =
Sustainable Places
30 March 2010 , 9am - 5pm, Auditorium, Berrick Saul Building, University of
York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD
Learn about different ways to creatively engage communities in regeneration
through exemplar projects; Hear inspirational stories from members of the
public who have actively taken a lead in the regeneration of their towns
and cities; Gain an insight into the economic, social and environmental
benefits of investing in the public realm, from both community and policy
maker's perspective; Have an opportunity to explore the concept of
sustainable communities; Gain knowledge about the benefits of actively
engaging local talents. Read more
Organised by Beam on behalf of City of York Council and CABE
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Training
Job Vacancies
LHIS
(Little Houses Improvement Scheme) Project Officer, Edinburgh
£24,314-£25,530 (pro-rata) maternity cover initially for 6 months, although
an extension to this contract may be possible.
The National Trust for Scotland is looking for an enthusiastic and
motivated individual to deliver specified packages of work relating to the
delivery of current and potential LHIS projects, as well as provide general
assistance to the Head of Buildings and the LHIS Project Manager as
required. To be successful in the role you will have experience of working
in the heritage sector and, specifically, experience of developing and
delivering building conservation projects. This experience will be combined
with excellent organisational skills and an ability to work effectively
without supervision. The role will involve some travel to our properties
and other locations so flexibility and a driving licence are required.
For full job details and information about how to apply, visit website .
Closing date Friday 5 March 2010. Interviews are likely to take place in
Edinburgh on 18 or 19 March 2010
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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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