Thirtysomethings abandon villages as rural housing prices soar

New figures from the National Housing Federation show that the number of people aged 30 -
44 has dropped nearly 9% in rural areas over the last decade, despite numbers rising in urban areas. The figures indicate that younger people are being priced out of the housing market.
Alongside this demographic shift, rural house prices have nearly doubled in ten years, up 82% from £126,016 to £228,742. However, wages have not kept pace, rising 17% slower in rural areas than in urban areas over the last five years.

Read the press release from the National Housing Federation

Urgent support needed for Village Halls

  

Those of you who listen to the Radio 4 PM may have heard the programme last Thursday (13/06/2013).  Becky Milligan was speaking with Peter Bottomley MP and trying to decide a subject for a new All Party  Parliamentary Group.   Listen here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b02147xr     

So the choice is Village Halls or Good Writing (grammar,punctuation etc)

An all Party APPG on Village Halls would be brilliant for Halls in Berkshire so can you all urgently email  http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/pm/contact/  supporting this.  Alternatively contact your MP and ask him contact  Peter Bottomley MP and support Village Halls.

Many thanks, Wendy Dacey, Community Buildings Advisor

Making Sense of Apprenticeships Events

A call for Berkshire voluntary groups to join the Safer Future Communities Network

 

As the Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley I am keen to engage with voluntary and community organisations in the area. Reducing crime and supporting victims of crime can only be done effectively by the partnership of all relevant agencies, including the voluntary sector, which is why I am funding the Safer Future Communities Network for 2013/14.

The Safer Future Communities Network has been established to enable the voluntary sector to communicate and engage with me and other voluntary organisations in the Thames Valley as well share new ideas.

The network will be an extremely useful information sharing platform and will include two events during the year. The first event is coming up on 17 July in Reading. It is free and open to all who join the Network. We hope to include a discussion on my priorities and funding and commissioning at the event.

For more information and to join the Safer Future Communities Network, please contact Kanika Lang at kanika.lang@ocva.org.uk or call 01865 258914.

Anthony Stansfeld

Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley

Changing energy efficiency support

 

The Warm Front Scheme, which helps households on low incomes in England with grants to improve the heating or insulation of their home, closed for new applications on 19 January 2013. Similar schemes in Scotland (Energy Assistance Package), Wales (Nest Programme) and Northern Ireland (Warm Homes Scheme) are still available.

The Warm Front scheme is being replaced by ECO (Energy Company Obligation) scheme, which is part of the new Green Deal energy efficiency carbon emission reducing initiative. Available in England, Scotland and Wales, this aims to save carbon and get efficient boilers and insulation into the homes of vulnerable people.

The Green Deal (also available in England, Scotland and Wales) is a way to make energy improvements to your home without having to pay 'up front'. Instead you pay by instalments on your electricity bill, for a period of up to 25 years.

Find out more about ECO and the Green Deal

Story courtesy of Turn 2 Us

Essential reading for village hall volunteers

An updated suite of seven essential documents for the volunteers who manage England’s 10,000 village halls is now available from ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England).

The charity runs a national advice service for village halls, helping them to cut through red tape and stay on the right side of the law.

The service is delivered through the 38 county-based rural community councils who make up the ACRE Network , of which the Community Council for Berkshire (CCB) is one, and is supported by AON (UK) Limited.  ACRE is grateful to Jonathan Dawson, Solicitor, for his input and support in producing the model documents.

Electronic copies of the seven documents, which help volunteers to ensure their halls are well-managed, are available from Wendy Dacey at CCB for subscribers of the Community Buildings Advice Service.
The documents are:
Transfer of Freehold Land and Trust Deed
Lease of Land and Trust Deed
Both of the above would be used by groups setting up a new hall charity, they are approved by the Charity Commission and groups registering a hall charity using one of these documents are likely to go through more smoothly and possibly quicker.  They will become unincorporated trusts.

If a hall charity wants to become incorporated (i.e. a charitable company limited by guarantee) it can use the model Articles of Association for a Village Hall.  It could choose to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and use Charity Commission approved CIO Constitution.
 
The Hiring Agreement should be used by all halls as it is the contract between the hall charity and the hirers of the hall.  It safeguards both parties as it sets out what can and can’t be done, what licences are held by the hall and how certain issues should be dealt with such as fire or accident.

The Preliminary Declaration of Trust can be used by groups fundraising to build a hall.  It safeguards the funds and sets out what should be done, for instance, with the funds if the group doesn’t reach their target and the hall is not built.

The Occupational Licence is for a hall charity to use if they want to let space for a year or so that is not used for charity purposes to another group for instance if a group want to set up a community shop, post office or nursery in an unused room.  Using a Licence means that security of tenure of charity land and property is not being given to a commercial organisation.

New Neighbourhood Plan Project Tool

For groups that are just setting out down the road to producing a Neighbourhood Plan, the tasks involved can seem daunting. The most important step to take from the very beginning is to have a good Project Plan. A project plan will help to keep the group focussed on each task towards the final plan.

The Planning Advisory Service (PAS) has produced a Neighbourhood Plan Project Management Tool. See the PAS website for full details: http://www.pas.gov.uk/pas/core/page.do?pageId=3650054

You simply input the details of the different tasks to be taken at every stage of your plan and the tool will produce your Project Plan for you.

The Planning Advisory Service is part of the Local Government Association and provides a wealth of information and training for Councillors, Local Authority Officers and other people with an interest in planning issues.

Save up to £310 on your energy bills‏

Under the Government programme, visitors who meet the following criteria could be eligible to replace their old, inefficient boilers with a new A-rated model for free.

The scheme is open to those who:

•     live in privately owned or rented accommodation

•     have a gas boiler that is faulty or old/inefficient

•     you have a wall mounted gas boiler

•     are on certain income related benefits such as Child Tax Credit

Customers can call the Carillion Energy contact centre free on 0800 408 0474 or, enquire online at www.carillionenergy.com

Steps to Work Mentoring Scheme

The West Berkshire Mentoring Network is actively seeking Volunteer Mentors for the Steps to Work programme. The programme aims to help people who have faced challenges in their lives, such as homelessness, prepare for learning or work. Three hours per week will be required and travel expenses will be paid. 

One to one time between a mentor and mentee can:
 • Provide structure and support to enable and empower people to make changes in their lives that will help them into learning or work
• Encourage self-belief and self-confidence
• Raise awareness and aspirations linked to new opportunities and choices
• Show by example
• Help people to manage transitions successfully
• Share and teach practical skills
• Offer an adult relationship that is not about care, protection or control
 

Training is being provided in Newbury on Thursdays 13 and 27 June 2013 from 9.30 am - 3 pm. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please either telephone Rachel Craggs on 01635 264617 or email stepstowork@westberks.gov.uk