The new national indicator set for local authorities and local authority partnerships was announced as part of the Chancellor's Comprehensive Spending Review announcement in October.
The new national indicators will be the only means of measuring national priorities that have been agreed by Government.
The Local Government White Paper Strong and Prosperous Communities committed to a smaller more focused set of priorities as well as radically reducing the number of national indicators.
Of the 198 new indicators ten or more have close links to the “Bloom” as well as another eight PSAs & DSOs. We have attached the document for your information.
Blue Peter gardener launches school grounds competition
Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins has launched South & South East in Bloom's fourth annual School Grounds competition. Green fingered pupils from Kent, Surrey, East & West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and parts of Dorset and Wiltshire, are going head-to-head in the competition launched by Chris at Stoughton Infant School in Guildford, winner of the award for two consecutive years.
The popular children’s TV gardener admired the school’s entry for this year’s competition, which judges will inspect in June. Chris was given a tour of the award-winning school grounds, which as well as two outdoor classrooms, boast a wide range of gardens including a nursery, sensory garden, wildlife area, allotment, pond, and role play garden.
Chris said: “It’s so great to see little ones as young as three enjoying the outdoors and learning about gardening. It’s really important to encourage youngsters from an early age to nurture and care for the environment and to get pleasure and fun from growing things.
“From what I’ve seen across the schools, the kids are really enthusiastic and are putting in a lot of hard work in their efforts to win. I wish all the schools taking part the best of luck and look forward to the result later in the year.”
A total of 77 schools have entered the competition so far, which is designed to encourage young people to learn about their environment as well as water efficiency. This year features a new ‘Champion of Champion’ award for those schools that have been either county or overall winner two years running.
Andy Shaddick, Public Affairs Manager at Southern Water, said: “The School Grounds Award campaign, which is part of the Southern Water sponsored South & South East in Bloom campaign, recognises that young people have an interest in gardening and their environment. The School Grounds Award campaign also gives schools an opportunity to compete against each other for an award which is an added incentive.”
Judges will be visiting schools in June and announcing the results in July.
