http://www.civicvoice.org.uk/news/ en ian.harvey@civicvoice.org.uk Copyright 2013 2013-05-16T17:53:25+00:00 /news/civic-voice-responds-to-national-audit-office-report-on-high-speed-rail/ /news/civic-voice-responds-to-national-audit-office-report-on-high-speed-rail/#When:17:53:25Z Responding to the National Audit Office report which has described the benefits of HS2 as unclear, Civic Voice Director, Steve Graham, said “Civic Voice is a signatory along with a wide range of voluntary transport, environmental and conservation groups to the Right Lines charter. This reflects our view that there may be a case for high speed rail but we always felt that the current proposals would require significant improvements and would need to be underpinned by a more robust business case”. Civic Voice recognised the benefits that can be provided by strategic investment in rail services… Civic Voice in the News 2013-05-16T17:53:25+00:00 /news/press-release-civic-voice-president-griff-rhys-jones-says-localism-is-just-not-good-enough/ /news/press-release-civic-voice-president-griff-rhys-jones-says-localism-is-just-not-good-enough/#When:11:02:58Z The importance of community involvement in the planning system was put under the spotlight on 13th May at a debate of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Civic Societies when MPs and other interested parties gathered at Portcullis House. Civic Voice President, Griff Rhys Jones said: “With the localism agenda, what the Government is essentially saying is, we want you to get involved, decide what you want locally, but, oh, for the really important decisions we are going to ignore you and do what we want. I am sorry, but that is just not good enough. “ Planning… Civic Voice in the News 2013-05-15T11:02:58+00:00 /news/griff-rhys-jones-mounts-civic-tour-of-kent/ /news/griff-rhys-jones-mounts-civic-tour-of-kent/#When:15:02:35Z Civic Voice President to visit Canterbury, Ramsgate, Faversham and Rochester during three day tour Campaigner and President of Civic Voice, Griff Rhys Jones, kicks off a four day civic tour of Kent region on the 15th of May. This tour coincides with Civic Voice publishing results of a survey that says 63% of individuals say that while they care about where they live, they have no influence when it comes to responding to the major changes that impact on their area. Griff will be calling on individuals to join local community groups and will be touring: … Civic Voice in the News 2013-05-14T15:02:35+00:00 /news/press-release-8th-may-local-shopping-busting-the-myths/ /news/press-release-8th-may-local-shopping-busting-the-myths/#When:11:03:34Z Are local shops more expensive than the supermarkets? An extraordinarily high percentage of grocery shopping ‘leaks’ out of Newent to Gloucester supermarkets, despite the town having a range of independent food and non-food stores offering a wider range of goods than any county supermarket could hope to stock In a bid to find out why so many people shop out of the town, Newent Civic Society and young people from The Chill-Out Zone youth café carried out a ‘shopping basket’ price survey of twenty everyday items in eleven.supermarkets and local independent stores within a 15 mile radius… Civic Society news, Civic Societies in the News 2013-05-10T11:03:34+00:00 /news/queens-speech-reasserts-plans-for-hs2-link/ /news/queens-speech-reasserts-plans-for-hs2-link/#When:10:45:12Z This week’s Queen’s Speech has included two bills vital to construction of the High Speed 2 rail line. The Queen’s speech sets out the Government’s intended legislative programme for the coming year. It will include an HS2 Hybrid Bill to provide the Government with legal powers to compulsorily buy land needed to construct and operate the line. This law would give the Government deemed planning permission to deliver the scheme, although details of planning would still need to be agreed with local authorities. A separate High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill will authorise spending to build the… Civic Voice in the News 2013-05-10T10:45:12+00:00 /news/griff-rhys-jones-to-address-mps-on-the-importance-of-the-community-voice-in-the-planning-system/ /news/griff-rhys-jones-to-address-mps-on-the-importance-of-the-community-voice-in-the-planning-system/#When:14:21:42Z Griff Rhys Jones and the Planning Minister, Nick Boles MP to attend meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Civic Societies.   The importance of community involvement in the planning system will be put under the spotlight when MPs and Peers gather at Portcullis House on May 13th for a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group for civic societies to hear Griff Rhys Jones and Nick Boles MP. Laura Sandys MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Civic Societies said “There are around 50 MP’s and Peers who are members of the… Civic Voice in the News 2013-05-08T14:21:42+00:00 /news/civic-voice-responds-to-comments-from-nick-boles-mp-about-not-being-able-to-defeat-nimbys/ /news/civic-voice-responds-to-comments-from-nick-boles-mp-about-not-being-able-to-defeat-nimbys/#When:14:06:18Z Civic Voice Chair, Paula Ridley, said: "The title NIMBY was invented by my namesake Sir Nicholas Ridley (no relation) and is an emotional word that has been given negative connotations by the media. It is used all too frequently to attack communities who quite reasonably object to inappropriate development. The civic society movement is not against development, but we believe everyone has the right to contribute to making the places in which they live better as a result of new development and not worse. In a free democratic society it is a very important that this right is… Civic Voice in the News 2013-05-07T14:06:18+00:00 /news/big-yes-vote-for-neighbourhood-plan-in-exeter/ /news/big-yes-vote-for-neighbourhood-plan-in-exeter/#When:09:41:35Z Residents of St James gave a resounding endorsement to the Neighbourhood Plan in the referendum on 2 May. The Neighbourhood Plan will now be adopted by Exeter City Council and become a planning document in its own right and part of the Council's Development Plan. Read more here Civic Voice in the News 2013-05-03T09:41:35+00:00 /news/launch-of-95m-neighbourhood-planning-fund/ /news/launch-of-95m-neighbourhood-planning-fund/#When:06:24:39Z Locality’s Supporting Communities in Neighbourhood Planning programme is now open for applications. The programme, which has a £9.5million fund available, aims to provide support and grants to help hundreds of areas across the country create neighbourhood plans. The Localism Act 2011 introduced statutory Neighbourhood Planning in England, enabling communities to draw up a Neighbourhood Plan for their area and intended to give communities more of a say in the development of their local area. These plans will be used to decide the future of the places where you live and work giving opportunities to: Choose… Civic Voice in the News 2013-05-02T06:24:39+00:00 /news/helping-our-high-streets-an-article-by-roberta-blackman-woods-mp/ /news/helping-our-high-streets-an-article-by-roberta-blackman-woods-mp/#When:13:50:29Z Today one in seven of Britain’s shops lie empty. In some places it is as many as one in three. At the same time we are seeing a decline in the variety of businesses that make up our high streets; there are now more than twice as many betting shops on British high streets as all the cinemas, bingo halls, museums, bowling alleys, arcades, galleries and snooker halls combined. There has been a 20% increase in the number of payday lending shops in the past 12 months alone. This is a tragedy. Our high streets and town centres… 2013-04-25T13:50:29+00:00