News Items 2007

CLAW commitment to help mitigate the causes of climate change

CLAW has signed a declaration with the Carbon Trust acknowledging the impact that climate change will have on the principality and committing the consortium to tackling the causes and effects of a changing climate.

 

CLAW Chairman, Councillor Peter Rees and Mike Batt of the Carbon Trust sign the CLAW / Carbon Trust Climate Change Declaration in 2007

CLAW Autumn Meeting and AGM 2007

The 2007 CLAW Autumn Meeting and AGM was hosted by Cardiff City and County Council on the 1st and 2nd November. Members met at the “The Tube” for an informative presentation by Corporate Director for Economic Development, Tom Morgan, detailing the work undertaken on the Cardiff Bay redevelopment project. Members were interested to learn about the impact of this investment for the regeneration of the former dockland areas of Cardiff and Penarth. The visit included a trip on one of the tour boats from Mermaid Quay around the Bay to see landmark buildings and much of the work that has been carried out, including the barrage, lock gates together with ongoing work along the banks of the rivers feeding the Bay.

 

Members also visited Cardiff Castle and shown parts of the extensive restoration programme underway in various rooms and the grounds.

 

A highlight of the Autumn Meeting was the dinner where the CLAW Annual Awards were announced. The 2007 Building of the Year Award went to Caerphilly County Borough Council for the Blackwood Interchange. The 2007 Sustainability Award went to Bridgend County Borough Council for the Kenfig National Nature Reserve.

The picture above shows the presentation of the CLAW 2007 Building of the Year Award to Councillors David Poole and Gwyn Price of Caerphlly County Borough Council.

 

At the Members Meeting Chris Brain of IPF gave a detailed update on the development of national performance indicators for property. The importance of effective property and asset management was also stressed by Helen James of Local Government Data Unit who gave information on the recent pilot and proposals for the new national performance indictors for Wales under the Core Asset Management dataset.

The picture above shows Cardiff City and County Councillor Judth Woodman with the Chairman of CLAW Councillor Peter A. Rees of Neath-Port Talbot and the Chairman of CLAW Nominated Officers Mike Barton of Ynys Mon prior to the Autumn dinner.

CLAW 2007 Spring Meeting

Conwy County Borough Council was the host authority for the CLAW 2007 Spring Meeting which was held on 24 and 25 May at the Imperial Hotel, Llandudno. Elected members with Property Portfolio responsibility and senior property officers from Welsh local authorities attended the event and were shown around the restored St. George's National School and Great Orme Tramway.  

Among items under discussion at the meeting was a review of the Welsh Assembly Document “Making the Connections: Delivering Beyond Boundaries”. Members considered how CLAW could best assist Councils in delivering the changes proposed in the document.  CLAW had undertaken a survey of all Councils in order to share information about existing initiatives, identify existing resource levels in Councils and to gauge support for joint working on an all Wales level, as suggested in the Assembly document.

The picture above shows Neath-Port Talbot County Borough Councillor Peter A. Rees, the Chairman of CLAW with the driver of the tramcar prior to the ascent of the Great Orme tramway.

CLAW support Spring 2007 ACES Conference

CLAW supported the Wales Branch of ACES (the Association of Chief Estate Surveyors and Property Managers in Local Government) in hosting the ACES Conference on 10-11 May 2007. ACES presented a wall plaque to Peter A. Rees, the Chairman of CLAW in recognition of the support given.

2006 Building of the Year plaque unveiling ceremony

Tamsin Dunwoody AM, Deputy Minister for Environment, Planning and Countryside and Economic Development and Transport unveiled the plaque at Tredomen Gateway Offices, winner of the 2006 CLAW Building of the Year.