Local authorities in four areas will benefit from 310 million pounds in Private Finance Initiative Credits to help divert more than a million tonnes of waste away from landfill. Defra says the projects will make a significant contribution towards Britain meeting its landfill directive targets.
All the projects aim to reduce the overall amount of waste created in line with the objectives set by the councils involved. 

New statistics show that almost half a million more people have signed up to be able to vote in time for next month’s local elections. Figures covering the period from December 2006 to the end of last year show registered voter numbers have increased to a record 46 million.
The report from the Ministry of Justice shows that in the past two years nearly a million new voters have joined the electoral register and are eligible to vote in the local elections. 

By Baroness Neuberger
This report focuses on volunteering in health and social care. There is huge potential for the expansion of volunteering in this area, particularly in relation to the role of volunteers who are also service-users. Much of this expansion cannot be unlocked without a change of culture within the public sector, particularly in the level of understanding of volunteering.