A report published in the middle of August by the Waste Resource Action Programme (WRAP) claims that more than half of all bulky waste items taken to household waste and recycling centres (HWRCs) could be re-used.
It has been announced this afternoon (25th August) that Mouchel Group plc has gone into administration. The assets have been sold by the administrators, KPMG, to a new company, MRBL Ltd, now owned by the lender banks (80%) and management (20%). The banks have had to write off £83 million and the shareholders have lost everything, but at least the 8,000 employees keep their jobs for the moment.
YOUNG OFFENDERS TO UNDERTAKE LOCAL TASKS.
A Hertfordshire rail bottleneck is now well on the way to being removed, thanks to the Coalition Governments infrastructure investment programme. Currently trains for Cambridge and Ely have to cross the East Coast Main Line on the same level just after Hitchin station. This blocks both fast tracks temporarily every time a train turns off to Cambridge, with speed restrictions over the crossing and obvious timetabling problems.
As the school holidays began last week, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg went to a school in Pimlico, London, to see one of the first summer schools in action. He went to find out how the scheme is supporting those pupils most at risk from falling behind in their transition from primary to secondary school.
Three Rivers District Council Parks win National Award : The Aquadrome, Chorleywood House Estate and Leavesden Country Park have all been awarded the Green Flag in recognition of their excellent use of green space, well maintained facilities, and high standards of safety and security. TRDC regards its parks as very important places for the local community to play, relax, exercise, and get the generations together.
The anti-racism campaigning group Hope not Hate yesterday asked their supporters to do a short questionnaire about the Olympic Opening Ceremony and what it meant to them.
After months of prevarication and indecision Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) has finally announced the pay back of penalties wrongly issued in respect of the defective Moor End Road Bus Lane scheme. Letters are being sent out to people who payed the penalties asking them either to apply for the refund of the money or to authorise HCC to pay the money instead to charity. The charity selected is a local one, the important and much appreciated Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted. In my view HCC could really not have made a better choice. The hospice will benefit from all the penalty money where motorists cannot now be traced, or who do not send in an application for refund. The hospice will of course also benefit when motorists voluntarily decide to authorise HCC to pass their refund on.
LOCAL HIGHWAYS MEETINGS ABOLISHED.
The railfreight industry has welcomed today's announcement (16 July 2012) by the Coalition Government of major investments in a new Strategic Railfreight Network. DB Schenker Rail UK described it as "the biggest upgrade to the rail network in years".
Waste regulations are bureaucratic, technical and complex - so it's good news when End of Waste Criteriaare agreed and the commodity can be more easily traded, handled and transported as a secondary raw material.
Liberal Democrat Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced a £266m investment in local green transport schemes, bringing the total invested to more than £1bn.
