Latest news with #campaigners
BBC News
3 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Welsh environment law aims to protect rivers and nature
A new law which is intended to protect nature and reverse the loss of wildlife has been introduced by the Welsh government. If passed in the Senedd, it will allow members of the public to challenge organisations in Wales, including councils, on environmental issues such as water pollution. Public bodies in Wales will also be forced to publish nature recovery action plans, with targets set by the Welsh say the bill is long overdue, citing the "systemic failure" of the Welsh government and regulatory bodies "to keep our rivers clean and prosecute those who pollute them". Campaigners and politicians have repeatedly told the government to "crack on" and criticised the time it has taken to plug what has been seen as a gap in environmental protections after used to be able to complain free of charge to the European Commission if they felt their government and its public bodies were not doing enough to abide by green laws and protect nature. It could decide to investigate on their behalf and force member states to take action - notable examples involving Wales included a failure to tackle sewage discharges, addressing emissions of harmful pollutants from Aberthaw coal-fired power station in the Vale of Glamorgan as well as air pollutions levels on some of Wales' busiest roads. The UK government set up an independent Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) in 2021 to carry out a similar role for England and Northern Ireland, while the Scottish government set up an organisation called Environmental Standards Scotland in the same left Wales as the only part of the UK without permanent arrangements in repeated criticism of campaigners will now be addressed with the establishment of the Office of Environmental Governance Wales. Its role will include ensuring public authorities, such as the Welsh government, Natural Resources Wales and councils, are complying with and implementing the law. Other elements of the bill include ensuring Welsh government ministers and the regulator Natural Resources Wales apply environmental protection when making also puts "ambitious" targets focused on reversing the loss of wildlife into law with public bodies tasked with preparing and publishing a nature recovery action plan for their areas. The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs Huw Irranca-Davies described it as "crucial legislation that will empower us to address climate and nature emergencies, safeguard our environment from harm and ensure a sustainable future for Wales"."Wales is facing unprecedented challenges in respect of climate change and biodiversity with severe weather events like floods, heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires significantly impacting our communities, our ecosystems and even our economy," he said. "The urgency to act has never been greater, and this Bill is an important step in strengthening our response and oversight of action in Wales." Alex Phillips of WWF Cymru said he was "very happy" at the bill's introduction but "it has been more than eight years in the making so is long overdue". Specific targets on saving and restoring particular species and habitats will only be decided on after the bill becomes law, and with the latest stocktake of Wales' wildlife in 2023 revealing that one in six species were at risk of disappearing."Other parts of the UK have moved ahead of us in this regard and quite a number of areas," Mr Phillips said. "We've known we've had to do this for nearly a decade now, and those major issues like water pollution haven't just come overnight."Mr Phillips said research WWF had commissioned showed "a systemic failure" of Welsh government and other public bodies (as well as subsidiary bodies such as Natural Resources Wales) to act to address river pollution, "which is principally being caused by agriculture and sewage". He said: "Seven out of nine of Wales' iconic rivers protected for species and habitats of international importance are now deemed to have reached excessive levels of phosphorus pollution."The Welsh government talks a good game about nature recovery and the meeting of international commitments, but the evidence shows that this isn't being delivered on the ground." Anthony Slaughter who is the leader of Wales' Green Party described the bill as "recklessly weak".He said: "The lack of urgency for people and planet is astounding. "Communities suffering regular flooding, damaged infrastructure, land slips, and vanishing wildlife will wonder what on earth Labour are waiting for."Annie Smith, RSPB Cymru's head of nature policy and casework, said she was "delighted" that the 'Nature Positive' Bill had "finally" been laid but said she "would like to see it go even further". "As it is coming right at the end of the Senedd term, it will place the tools to drive change in the hands of the next Welsh government and Senedd and it must leave no room for doubt over the urgency of stepping up action to reverse biodiversity loss," she said.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Forceful bike campaigners can undermine UK cycle lane planning, report finds
Few things rouse the ire of disgruntled road users more than cycle lanes. But a report has unveiled a surprising obstacle for local councils when planning bike infrastructure: cyclists. The study, based on interviews with dozens of councillors and local officials who lead on transport projects across the UK, found that opponents of bikes lanes and similar projects were the most uniformly hostile, but sceptical cycle campaigners were some of the harshest critics. The research, published in the journal Local Government Studies, found that slightly less than one-third of interactions about new projects with pro-cycling voices were seen as negative. One respondent to the research wrote: 'Cycling campaigners are mostly counterproductive due to their rudeness.' Another said they felt that councils 'find it harder to advocate for more cycle infrastructure, not because people don't like it, but because people feel that (from their impression from social media) nothing we ever do will make cyclists happy'. As another put it, while social media posts from cyclists might be aimed at pushing for more action, they 'can massively undermine [cycling's] case, particularly with sceptical councillors'. In a wider lesson for campaigners of all stripes, the nearly 50 councillors and officials who responded to the study said that while people on social media were often opinionated and noisy, they tended to be listened to less then those who chose other ways to communicate. Asked to list the forms of engagement most influential on eventual decisions, the councillors and officials almost all cited emails and face-to-face chats, with posts on Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites seen as much more peripheral. The study, by Dr Alexander Nurse, a reader in urban planning at the University of Liverpool, found multiple concerns about a 'very toxic' and 'often abusive' debate about cycling, although this was primarily down to opponents, and often those posting anonymously on social media. This occasionally went beyond virtual targeting, with one councillor describing having details of their address and family published as a threat, while another respondent said they were followed in the street and their family was abused. Such extreme opposition, the report concluded, generally seemed to be less a reflection of actual local sentiment than, as one person called it, 'misinformation … from the libertarian fringe or organisations'. Nurse said: 'This study reveals the shocking extent of abuse directed at public officials, some of which spills into real-world intimidation. One respondent even feared for their children's safety. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'While social media is a powerful tool, it doesn't replace traditional methods when it comes to meaningful community engagement. 'Interestingly, we also found that well-meaning but overly forceful advocacy –particularly from pro-cycling campaigners – can sometimes undermine the very schemes they are trying to support. 'Although focused on cycling infrastructure, the study has broader implications for local democracies worldwide, especially those grappling with complex issues, such as climate action, urban planning, housing and public space.'
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Families 'disheartened' at proposed Broxtowe grave rules
Campaigners have said they are upset at a council's response to their bid to get more freedom for tributes on graves in Broxtowe.A group of families has been lobbying Broxtowe Borough Council since October, when it said it would restrict remembrance items on plots in cemeteries it Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said the objections led to the change of the rules being suspended by the authority for a campaigners said their trust had been broken by the council ahead of its cabinet meeting to discuss future cemetery rules on Tuesday - as council papers showed new collaborative rules for tributes have been rejected as some are "not acceptable". The initial dispute led the council's leader, Milan Radulovic, to call for a 12-month suspension on the ruling in October was to create a collaborative working group between impacted families and the council – to find a "common sense" then, updated, collaborative rules have been developed and these proposals were finalised in March include those with existing grave plots – purchased before August 2023 - with existing decorations and memorial gardens remaining as they are, in line with health and safety rules. Safety risks They also said hazardous items would have to be removed – even from graves bought prior to August the collaborative rules were approved, they would also allow grave plots purchased after August 2023 to have tribute items within two and a half feet (76cm) from the front edge of the headstone documents from the council's bereavement service released ahead of next week's cabinet meeting show a rejection of the rules, citing some are "not acceptable".Officers said: "The council has inadvertently weakened its own position by granting a 12-month extension for the removal of decorative items and memorial trinkets despite clear, ongoing well-documented health, safety and accessibility risks associated with them." Bereaved families in a joint statement called on cabinet members to reject it."We are disappointed with how things have been handled, but remain firm on our stance and will continue to push for council support on the original compromises and proposals agreed."It's been extremely disheartening to have our trust broken by [the bereavement service]."We have all suffered so much emotional and mental distress since October, we are just ready for closure on all of this." A council spokesperson said: "A number of departments have been involved in producing the report, not one individual officer."We understand our Democratic Services Team have spoken with one of the families and advised them how our cabinet system works."The report makes recommendations which will be debated at the meeting before a decision is taken. "They are also free to lobby their local councillor with their views on the matter to inform their decision-making process if they wish."
The Guardian
6 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Up to 2.5 million people in England could have ADHD, says NHS
ADHD campaigners have accused the NHS of presiding over a 'widely failing system' as it emerged that as many as 2.5 million people in England could have the condition, with more than one in five waiting for an assessment. According to the first figures of their kind published by the health service, 3-4% of adults, and 5% of children and young people, in the country have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. There are 549,000 people in England awaiting an ADHD assessment, according to the figures, which were produced using estimates from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), and 144,000 of these have been waiting for about two years. The numbers are the first time an estimate has been made publicly available of how common the condition may be among the population. Of the 2.5 million people estimated to have ADHD across England, more than a third (741,000) are children. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with symptoms including impulsiveness, disorganisation and difficulty focusing. Previous research has found that prescriptions for ADHD medications have risen 18% year-on-year since the pandemic, increasing from about 25 per 1,000 people in 2019/20, to 42 per 1,000 in 2023/24. The analysis also found a strong association between factors such as ethnicity and deprivation and ADHD prescription rates. The researchers said south-east England and north-west England, which have significant white populations, show higher prescription counts overall compared with more ethnically diverse regions like the Midlands and London. Henry Shelford, the chief executive of ADHD UK, said that the NHS is currently presiding over a 'wildly failing system' for the condition. 'At ADHD UK we did this same population analysis years ago and arrived at similar numbers,' he said. 'While it is great to see NHS England catching up, we need to note that Nice first published guidelines for ADHD in the year 2000. For NHS England to take 25 years to create any population estimate is an expression of their abject failure to properly manage and resource ADHD. That failure has meant ruined lives, wrecked families, and lost lives. Shelford added: 'Worse still, ADHD assessment and support is being excluded, and squeezed, by the government's NHS improvement schemes. ADHD is excluded from the government's 18-week waiting list target. ADHD is not counted towards, so excluded from, the required expansion of mental health services in the NHS. NHS England has finally twigged that there are over 2 million of us. It now needs to mandate every area to have an NHS ADHD service that fits our need and numbers.' Louise Ansari, chief executive of Healthwatch England, said the figures were 'a first step in understanding the scale of demand for ADHD care'. 'Our new research highlights that many people with ADHD may simply be going without support,' she said. 'Long waits for assessments are one of the reasons people who show ADHD traits don't seek help, while those waiting for an assessment struggle to navigate the long waits. 'While we welcome today's publication, however, there is a way to go to ensure data is comprehensive and robust. A move to official waiting list data in the longer term would give a clearer picture of waiting times, including who is experiencing the longest waits and why.' NHS England has been approached for comment.
BBC News
7 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Decision on Swanmore's cottage demolition plan delayed
The decision on a plan to demolish a cottage that hundreds of people have opposed will not be taken until at least owner of the building has applied to knock it down and replace it with two new two-storey homes with parking in Swanmore, opposed to the project told Winchester City Council that it dates back to the 16th Century but Historic England experts said it was first built in the mid-19th online petition has been signed by about 900 people and another 200 people have submitted objections to the local authority. A document submitted by a council case officer shows the application will not be decided until at least 18 grandson of the house's previous owners set up the online petition because he said they sold it believing that it would be lived in by the new owners. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
