When a local authority applies for beacon status, we supply information to Communities and Local Government (CLG), via the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), on the authority’s performance within a particular theme. These comments go towards the assessment of the application.
Beacon Scheme Round Eight
Round 8 successful authorities were awarded beacon status on 12 March 2007 and their tenure runs until 30 June 2008. In the East of England, the following authorities were successful:
Essex County Council – Emergency planning
Hertfordshire County Council – Emergency planning
Beacon Scheme Round Nine
The closing date for round 9 applications was 29 June 2007. Successful authorities will be announced at the beacon award ceremony and gala dinner on 4 March 2008.
The round nine themes are:
- Better brighter futures
- Better public places
- Care matters: improving the outcomes for children in care
- Dignity in care
- Improving accessibility
- Local strategic partnerships and local area agreements
- Reducing health inequalities
- Reducing re-offending
- Tackling climate change
- Transforming services: citizen engagement and empowerment
In the East of England, the following authorities have been short-listed:
Chelmsford Borough Council – Better public places
Peterborough City Council – Improving accessibility
Cambridgeshire County Council – Tackling climate change
Beacon Scheme Round Ten
Round 10 regional briefings will take place from 10 to 13 March 2008. The East of England briefing will take place on 13 March 2008 in Cambridge.
For the first time, there are 12 themes and these are:
- After dark: managing the night time economy
- Digital inclusion: tackling exclusion and promoting life chances
- Cohesive and resilient communities
- Homes for the future
- Cutting red tape: delivering real economic and social benefit through better local regulation
- Olympic Games and Paralympics Games Legacy: using the opportunity of hosting the Games to encourage communities to be more active
- Positive engagement of older people to support and promote greater independence and wellbeing in later life
- Preventing and tackling child poverty
- Strategic commissioning
- Supporting adults with a disability to live independently
- Better outcomes for people and places
- Raising economic prosperity through partnership
