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Record levels of cleanliness recorded in Britain’s beach survey
A record number of beaches in England and Wales have been graded at Europe's ‘excellent’ standard - the highest possible - according to the annual cleanliness survey conducted by the Environment Agency.
The survey, which tests the water quality and litter levels at 494 designated bathing sites, revealed that Britain is now enjoying its cleanest beaches for 10 years. The latest findings are a 2% improvement on 2008, continuing the trend which has seen seawater and beach cleanliness increase for the past 20 years.
The monitoring of Britain’s coast found that 97% reached ‘excellent’ standard, a tally put down to dry weather with limited run-off into the sea, and a sustained drive against farm chemical and sewer pollution.
Steve Wright, chairman of the British Cleaning Council, said: "These results, which I understand are the best for a decade, show that Britain has some of the cleanest beaches in Europe. With the holiday season approaching this is a great boost, and we hope that tourists will take the opportunity to enjoy Britain’s beaches with the confidence they deserve.”
www.britishcleaningcouncil.org
MITIE launches graduate leadership programme
MITIE has announced its first graduate leadership programme designed to identify the future leaders of the business and fast-track them into management across the company.
“A career with MITIE will give the most talented graduates the opportunity to experience every aspect of our business first hand and to lead sizeable teams early on in their careers,” said Ruby McGregor- Smith, chief executive of MITIE. “Our 56,000 employees are our greatest asset and deserve the very best leadership. We are seeking graduates with the passion, personality, ambition and hands-on attitude to ensure the MITIE success story continues into the future.”
During the 12 month programme the graduates will work closely with a senior manager or director to develop their customer care, financial and leadership skills. Each will spend time working within business development, operations, project management, HR and marketing and communications, ensuring the broadest exposure to all aspects of a fast-growing FTSE 250 business.
The successful candidates will earn £25,000 along with excellent benefits. Up to 10 graduate places are available in the initial programme, for individuals who have a 2:1 degree in a relevant subject. Candidates can apply via: www.mitie.com/graduaterecruitment.
Spending review and the cleaning industry
The coalition government has outlined more than £6 billion of immediate spending cuts, most of which will be used to reduce Britain's £156 billion fiscal deficit.
The plans will lead to £6.243 billion of cuts this year, with £1.165 billion savings made by decreasing local government funding. The government says it will instead give local authorities greater flexibility over their budgets by removing restrictions on £1.7 billion of grants in 2010-11.
But in a move that signalled possible good news for the cleaning industry, an extra £500 million will be reinvested in apprenticeships and further education, with skills investment labeled a key tool in maintaining the economic recovery which began at the start of this year. The government also announced that extra areas will now be protected.
After honouring its commitment to ring-fence key areas such as the NHS, defence and overseas aid budgets, with any savings identified reinvested in those departments, it expanded the list to include schools, Sure Start centres for young children and education spending on 16 to 19 year-olds.
Steve Wright, chairman of the British Cleaning Council, said: “Local government budgets have been hit hard by these announcements, and some tough decisions lie ahead for local authorities across the country. We hope that officials recognise the importance and value the public places on a clean and hygienic environment, and that this is reflected as they assess their spending priorities. We also welcome the spending guarantees on employer based training skills, and hope that the government recognises the cleaning industry’s £3 billion contribution to the UK economy when this new resource is being allocated.”
www.britishcleaningcouncil.org
The BCC’s Cleaning Conference announces sponsorship partners
The British Cleaning Council has announced that it’s Cleaning Conference has formed sponsorship partnerships with ISS, Selden Research, Asset Skills, Diversey and the British Toilet Association (who will have a presence on the day of the event). More partners are expected to be unveiled in the immediate future - please contact the BCC directly to register your interest. Cleaning &?Maintenance has also been announced as the sole Media Sponsor of the event.
The line-up for the day has also been finalised, with the after lunch speaker Michael Portillo officially confirming his appearance. Portillo, who has commented on the high-level negotiations between the political parties in the aftermath of May’s inconclusive general election result in recent days, will be speaking exclusively at the conference on his experiences and offering his advice on how businesses can best work with the new government through the choppy economic waters on the horizon. He will provide unmissable, first-hand insight into some of the most dramatic political contortions seen in decades, in a fantastic opportunity for the cleaning industry to access top-level government insight.
www.britishcleaningcouncil.org
Jangro hits the airwaves
Hygiene Cleaning Supplies Ltd in Morecambe - one of Jangro’s 37 branches across the UK, Ireland and the Isle of Man - has, for the third time, used local radio to promote the importance of hygiene in the workplace, its next day service and the huge Jangro product range.
Local radio station The Bay brought top presenter Tony ‘Cooky’ Cookson and the morning show team to the Jangro member’s premises to broadcast live from 10am to 2pm. An audience of around 40,000 heard the Jangro hygiene and cleaning messages from interviews and discussions with a range of its suppliers.
Marcus Leeming, general manager at Hygiene Cleaning Supplies, and representatives from Metsa Tissue, Numatic and Jangro manufacturers all made guest interviews on the programme. The main feature was the Jangro Enviro range of cleaning products including phosphate free laundry powders. Jangro customers from all over Cumbria and Lancashire were invited to the event, which was part of the company’s annual open day.
Marcus Leeming said: “Having selected products on their quality, our customers major concerns were environmental issues and cost in use. Manufacturers answered customers questions and gave some demonstrations. We’ve received calls from customers in a 70-mile radius who heard the show. It was a very effective promotion and we have already booked a repeat for 2011.”
www.jangro.net
Virtual Academy pilot to raise skills in FM
A new project is set to alter the training landscape in facilities management by bringing employers together to collaborate on raising the skills of the workforce.
The Virtual Academy in Business Services is a pilot programme being launched by the Sector Skills Council for FM, Asset Skills. There are a number of companies in support of this already and Asset Skills is calling on more to get involved as the pilot develops.
“This project has the potential to have a far reaching impact on the way vocational training is delivered across FM,” said Chris Cracknell, chair of Asset Skills and chief executive of OCS Group Limited. “To ensure its success we need full industry backing. As a fellow employer, I would appeal to facilities companies to participate in this venture as I believe it will be of huge benefit to our sector now and in the future.”
The Virtual Academy will act as a link between business and training providers, offering practical assistance on training issues. The term ‘virtual’ was chosen because it was not the intention to create a new facility, but to harness existing structures and use technology to aid communication.
By acting as broker/facilitator, the Virtual Academy aims to put the right people onto the right courses and ensure employers come together for the benefit of the industry. For example, three companies may wish to put 100 cleaners on to a nationally accredited cleaning course.
Through the Virtual Academy, they can collaborate and choose the right training provider, according to region or number of learners, and economies of scale can be achieved.
“We established the Asset Skills Virtual Academy for Business Services in direct response to what employers in facilities management were telling us,” said Richard Beamish, chief executive of Asset Skills. “There was a real need for more coordination in delivering the range of new vocational qualifications that have been developed in FM. This pilot aims to take the pain away from the employer by having one central body dealing with the lot.”
The Academy is a low bureaucracy organisation and a pioneering venture in that no public funding is being used in its creation. Instead, a modest subscription will be charged to members, details of which can be found in the prospectus available at www.assetskills.org/virtualacademy.
The Academy is a standalone model, not part of the National Skills Academy network. The learning to be delivered will be sourced through a network of further education and private providers who Asset Skills believes are committed and able to meet industry expectations.
One of the Academy’s first tasks will be to recruit candidates onto the new Facilities Management Apprenticeship through pilots being trialled in five English regions. Another will be to ensure people with the right industry knowledge are enlisted as qualification assessors to help ensure the training on offer is a success.
As the Virtual Academy grows, electronic forums will be established to help the flow of information.
www.assetskills.org/virtualacademy
