News UK December 2007

*Government publishes airport noise maps, December 18 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, December 18 topic, topic
*Government could face legal challenge over East of England Plan, December 18 Friends of the Earth, December 18 topic
*Boost for local renewable energy from new planning rules, December 17 Communities and Local Government, December 17 topic
*World's leading climate scientist issues challenge to Brown - end UK moves to build new coal-fired power stations, December 14 Greenpeace, December 14 topic
* Sustrans' Connect2 wins The People’s £50 Million Lottery contest, December 12 The People's 50 Million, December 12 topic, topic
*UK's official CO2 figures an illusion - study, December 10 The Guardian, December 10 topic
* Government plans two million pounds PR campaign to promote incineration, December 10 Friends of the Earth, December 10 topic
*Government announces massive boost for offshore wind, December 10 Friends of the Earth, December 10 Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform topic
*Government issued with clear legal threat over nuclear power, December 10 Greenpeace, December 10 topic
*Compact disputes between charities and local public bodies triple, December 5 National Council for Voluntary Organisations, December 5 As Government is increasingly seeking to devolve power and decision making to a local level, the Compact Advocacy Programme has seen local cases overtake national cases, taking on 30 national cases in 2006/07 compared to 50 local. According to NCVO, while the programme's 2006/07 case report shows that charities are using the Compact in order to resolve disputes, it also shows worrying practice at a local level. Top local Compact breaches were ending funding without proper notice, not consulting organisations in a meaningful way and not involving charities in designing new programmes of work. topic
*Government’s strategy against poverty and social exclusion losing momentum, say authors of Monitoring poverty and social exclusion 2007, December 3 Joseph Rowntree Foundation, December 3 topic
*Councils can play a major role in tackling climate change, but many have failed to put appropriate strategies and action plans in to place, according to a new report by the Local Government Association Independent Climate Change Commission, December 5 Friends of the Earth, December 5 2007 topic
*Participatory budgeting pilots - areas where people are given a say in how their own 'community kitty' is spent - to be increased from 10 to 22, December 4 Communities and Local Government, December 4 topic
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