The headteacher of Castle Rushen High School is to retire at the end of August. 

Andrew Cole, who will be 60 this year, has led the 840-student secondary school for five years. 

He has worked for the Department of Education and Children for 15 years and, before his appointment to the southern secondary school, was a member of the leadership team at Ramsey Grammar School, including seven years as deputy headteacher. 

Mr Cole has worked in education for 38 years. For 12 years he taught science at a large comprehensive school in South Yorkshire, ending this period as head of biology. He then trained in careers education and guidance with a view to making a positive impact in an area where there was almost 50% unemployment following the 1984 miners’ strike.  

As well as continuing to teach science, he served as head of guidance for the next nine years and was motivated by seeing positive results for both students and colleagues who were determined to succeed against all odds.  

This aspect of learning has continued to drive his efforts ever since and he is always delighted to see someone move successfully forward to their next phase of life. 

As a result, he has also worked closely with education partnerships, work-related learning providers and the National College for School Leadership. Recently, he has been a member of the Employability Working Group that is heading the Isle of Man Government’s effort to further support students to make the school/work transition. 

At Castle Rushen High School, Mr Cole was challenged with defending traditional high standards and maintaining community values while achieving a more workable, affordable and effective curriculum, along with developing the right staffing structure. 

He said:

‘There is never a good time to leave the teaching profession because you cannot see all students through to the end of their time at school, but this is as good a time as any. I have always thoroughly enjoyed my job, so I will be sad to leave but I have achieved my main objectives for the school and I have other aspirations for the next stage of my life.  

‘We are fortunate to have a school with an outstanding group of teaching and non-teaching staff who are loyal to their students and their community. Parental and student feedback is overwhelmingly positive and student achievement continues to be very good. We were especially pleased with our excellent GCSE results for English and maths last summer. We continue to enjoy extremely high levels of cross-age community support and excellent music and sporting involvements. 

‘I am impressed by both the high standards of behaviour and learning and teaching and by the core intent of staff to always support the wellbeing and progress of our young people. I believe that we have reason to be proud of the work that has been done during the past few years, including that of my predecessors in leadership, teaching and support areas.’ 

Mr Cole and his wife Christine live in Ballaugh. They have two children, a daughter studying medicine at Bristol University and a son who works in Surrey after completing his Masters in quaternary science at Royal Holloway University. 

Mr Cole has a long wish list for his retirement and his new, more relaxed, timetable will ‘almost certainly include voluntary work here at home, plenty of practical activities, good music-making and further exploration of the English canal system’. 

Martin Barrow, Director of Education, said:

‘Mr Cole’s leadership over the last five years has provided Castle Rushen High School with a clear vision and sense of purpose. He is passionate about education and about its powerful role in supporting young people to achieve their aspirations and, under his leadership, the school has continued to strive for improvement so that it is able to offer the young people of the south of the Island the best secondary education possible. 

‘Mr Cole will be greatly missed by everyone at the school as well as by the wider education community and I am sure everyone who knows him would want to join with the Department in wishing him a long, healthy and happy retirement.’ 

The post will be advertised shortly.

The Isle of Man has now become the best place to stargaze in the British Isles as the Dark Sky Discovery Network has announced that the Island now has a total of twenty six designated “Dark Sky Discovery Sites”*.(*Awarded by the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council) 

The Isle of Man now has the largest concentration of Dark Skies sites in the British Isles, lying in some of the Island’s best beauty and heritage sites such as Cregneash historical village, Rushen Abbey and Peel Castle. 

Laurence Skelly MHK, Political Member with responsibility for Tourism said: 

‘To have one site given Dark Sky Discovery status is an honour, but to have 26 in total is quite unbelievable. We really hope that this accolade inspires people to visit us and experience our incredible surroundings, which of course include the night sky and we are working with partners around the Island to offer a selection of dark sky events throughout 2014.’ 

The announcement yesterday (6 January) by the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council has been picked up by UK media today (7 January) with several images by local photographer Ron Strathdee being published in national newspapers such as The Times, The Independent, The Sun, The Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph. 

Mr Skelly continued: 

‘I would also like to thank Ron Strathdee for the fantastic images. They have really helped us to promote our Dark Skies status and will no doubt help raise awareness of the Isle of Man to a wider audience.’ 

Howard Parkin FRAS, who runs his own astronomy consultancy company AstroManx and is chairman of the Isle of Man Astronomical Society, started the bid for Dark Sky Discovery status on the Isle of Man two years ago. 

Howard Parkin said:

'It’s great news that the Isle of Man now has so many Dark Sky Discovery Sites because they are so rare around the rest of Britain. With light levels so low, the night sky on the Isle of Man really will amaze anyone who takes the time to look up, from the novice to the seasoned professional.' 

Light pollution means that more than 85 per cent of the British population has never seen a truly dark sky, but with a low population density and few built-up areas, the Isle of Man provides the perfect spot for stargazing. 

Manx Telecom Mobile customers now benefit from three exclusive offers thanks to a new partnership with Manx National Heritage’s caterers at the House of Manannan and Niarbyl Bay Café. 

Until Friday 7 February 2014, Manx Telecom mobile customers can benefit from 2 for 1 table d’hôte dining on Friday evenings at the Niarbyl, saving £22.95 per customer. Customers simply need to go to www.manxtelecom.com/loyalty to print off their 2 for 1 voucher. Two additional offers include 10% off your bill at Niarbyl and the Coffee Station in Peel, when showing you’re on the Manx Telecom mobile when paying your bill.  

Chris Wilson, Managing Director of Coastline Catering operates both Niarbyl and the Coffee Station at the House of Manannan said: 

'This is a fabulous deal for Manx Telecom’s mobile customers and we hope this is the first of many in 2014'. 

Voirrey Barron, Marketing Communications Manager for Manx Telecom added: 

'We’re delighted to be working with Manx National Heritage. The new loyalty offers, allow us to give something back to our valued mobile customers and we are looking forward to working together to agree further benefits in the future.' 

To benefit from the 2 for 1 offer, print your voucher, pre-book your table by calling Niarbyl on +44 1624 843300 and show your Manx Telecom mobile when paying the bill.  

Free Manx Telecom WiFi is also available at both locations, helping to ensure visitors can make the most of their visit.  Customers should be aware that 2 for 1 Fridays and 10% discounts at Niarbyl, cannot be used in conjunction with one another.

Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK has praised the work of the emergency services in responding to the impact and aftermath of the recent severe weather.

The Isle of Man Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Service, Emergency Services Joint Control Room and Civil Defence Unit were at the forefront of efforts to deal with problems caused by tidal flooding on Friday and Monday.

They worked alongside officers from the Department of Infrastructure, Water and Sewerage Authority, Coastguards and Ambulance Service to help householders and businesses affected by the storm surges.

As the big clean-up operation continues, Minister Watterson has thanked all those who responded to the Island’s most significant tidal flooding events since 2002.

He said:

‘The severe weather brought the work of the emergency services into sharp focus and once again they responded in a professional and effective manner. Officers dealt with flooding at several locations across the Island and helped to get traffic moving and people back to their properties as soon as it was safe to do so. Public safety is always our primary concern, particularly when vulnerable members of the community are affected.’

He added:

‘The flooding was accurately predicted by the Met Office, so officers from a number of Government agencies were able to work together to put contingency measures in place. There are always lessons to be learned from major incidents such as this and we will be reviewing our planning and response procedures in the time ahead.’

Castletown and Ramsey faced the biggest impact from the flooding, as gale force winds combined with high tides to create significant storm surges in coastal areas.

Ian Young, Emergency Planning Officer, said:

‘In addition to the work of the emergency services, DoI and other Government Departments, I’d like to pay tribute to the volunteers from the Civil Defence Unit who play such a crucial role in multi-agency incidents such as this. Their support is extremely valuable and provides added reassurance to the local community.’

THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1999, ORDERS AND REGULATIONS 

Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013
Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005
Registered Buildings Regulations 2005
The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2005
The Town and Country Planning (Certificates of Lawful Use or Development) Regulations 2005 

The following applications have been submitted to the Department for consideration. 

In accordance with the aforementioned Orders and Regulations, the above applications have been validated for consideration. A laminated Site Notice has been sent to the applicant for displaying at the site. Copies of the applications are available for viewing at the Office of Planning and Building Control, via the appropriate Local Authority, or the detail can be viewed and commented on online by visiting the Isle of Man Government’s online services. 

Any person may make written representation or submission to the Department with respect to the application before 31 January 2014. 

Whilst criteria for the submission of comment may differ under each instrument of legislation, to give weight to any representation or submission, and to enable assessment of parties for interested person status (as defined in the 2013 Order) persons are encouraged toclearlyindicate the relationship between their land or buildings and the land that is the subject of the application. They must express sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application if they wish to take part in any subsequent proceedings. 

Please also be aware that any anonymous representations or submissions will not be considered as part of any planning determination. 

Applications submitted under the 2005 Orders and Regulations will be determined in accordance with the processes and procedure defined by that legislation. Planning applications received under the Town & Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 (after August 1 2013) will be considered under this Order. 

Any persons wishing to make written representation or submission must direct them to:

ensuring that such comment is submittedby 31 January 2014. 

Please be aware that all written representations OR SUBMISSIONS will be available for PUBLIC scrutiny and will form part of any proceedings arising in connection with the application. 

In order to consider parties for interested person status (as defined in the 2013 Order) persons making written submissions mustclearlyindicate the relationship between their land or buildings and the application site and give details of their interest in the subject matter of the application. 

PLEASE NOTE: Applications made by the Department of Infrastructure or in which the Department has an interest (below) are treated differently. 

Planning Applications 13/91533/B (DOUGLAS)& 14/00003/B (PEEL) referred to previouslyare applicationsby the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) or are in which the Department is deemed to have a vested interest. As such theseapplicationswill not be determined by the DOI, but will, following a period of 21 days be referred to the Council of Ministers. Persons may view these applications and submit written representations or submissions to the DOI, Murray House. However, such representations or submissions will be conveyed by the DOI to the Office of the Chief Secretary, Government Office, Douglas who will there after manage the administration of the applicationson behalf of the Council of Ministers.

Educationalists, politicians, public sector personnel, industry leaders and those working in the charity sector are invited to register for a place at the second Employability conference. 

The event will build on the success of the first gathering, held in October 2012, in exploring ways to assist young people into employment and bridge the gap between school and the workplace – something that’s becoming ever more important in challenging economic times. 

The conference will be held on Wednesday 2 April, 8am to 2pm, at the Mount Murray Hotel and Country Club. Santon. Priority will be given to delegates who attend the inaugural event. The remainder of the 160 places will then be released to new attendees.   

The initiative is led by the Employability Working Group, which comprises representatives of the Departments of Education and Children and Economic Development and business and voluntary organisations. 

From the inaugural gathering, the working group identified three priorities: communicating job-related information digitally; involving employers more directly in careers education and enhancing work experience opportunities. Sub-committees are developing these areas and will update the conference and seek fresh input and ideas. 

Annette Baker, Deputy Headteacher of Ballakermeen High School and chairman of the working group, said:

‘This second gathering will allow educationalists, industry and charity executives and political members and officials of the Isle of Man Government to gain updates on the work our group has done since the first conference and to suggest initiatives that will further benefit young people moving from study to work.’ 

It was announced in November that home-grown blues star Davy Knowles would be the keynote speaker at the event. Davy, who hails from Port St Mary and went to Castle Rushen High School, has found fame as one of the world’s most highly acclaimed young blues artists. His appearance will be a highlight of Island of Culture 2014 and is being supported by the Isle of Man Arts Council. 

The conference title, ‘Reach Higher’ (the name of Davy’s anthem, commissioned by the Arts Council, for the 2011 Commonwealth Games) reflects the message conference organisers wish to send to young people stepping onto the career ladder for the first time. 

The impressive line-up of speakers will also include Professor Tony Watts CBE, an international consultant on careers development who is a founding fellow of the National Institute for Careers Education and Counselling, and John Loughton, winner of TV’s first ‘Big Brother Celebrity Hijack’ and the founder and CEO of Dare2Lead, who was special guest at Employment & Skills 2013 at the Villa Marina in November. 

Returning for a second time are Kieran Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of Greater Merseyside Connexions, one of the UK’s leading career guidance organisations, and Doug Strycharczyk, Managing Director of AQR Business Consultants. 

Mrs Baker said:

‘We are delighted to welcome such leading specialists to the conference and look forward to continuing the momentum in an area that’s so important for the future of our young people and our economy.’ 

To request a place at the conference, email cpdbookings@doe.sch.im (stating your name, title, organisation, a contact email address and whether a returning or new delegate). Places will be confirmed and joining instructions will be issued once the deadline for bookings has passed on Monday 10 March. 

For more information about the Employability Working Group or the conference, contact Mrs Baker on +44 1624 648700 or via email at a.baker@bhs.sch.im.

The headteacher of Bunscoill Rhumsaa, the Island’s biggest primary school, is to retire this summer. 

Jacqueline Barrow completed her degree and teacher training in Durham and began her teaching career at Ballaugh Primary School in 1978. 

She moved to Albert Road Junior School, Ramsey, where she worked until taking a career break to care for her two children. 

Once the boys were settled at school, she had a brief period as a supply teacher, providing cover at several northern schools. During this time, she completed a full year back at Albert Road and knew she was ready to return to work full-time. 

She resumed her career at Auldyn Infants’ School, where she was appointed co-ordinator for science and design and technology. She later added the role of ICT co-ordinator to her responsibilities. 

In 2001 Mrs Barrow was appointed deputy headteacher at Albert Road, where she enjoyed completing the National Professional Qualification for Headship. She then took up her first headship, at Ballasalla School in 2005. 

Mrs Barrow said she enjoyed her time at the southern school and had no intention of moving on until the headship of Scoill Ree Gorree (the renamed and relocated Albert Road) was advertised in 2009. 

‘The lure of returning to the north of the Island, to the school in which I had taught three times before, and at which my children had been pupils, was too great and I applied for the job,’

she said. 

Mrs Barrow served as only the second headteacher of Scoill Ree Gorree for three years before being told by the Department of Education and Children that the decision had been made to amalgamate the by now neighbouring infant and junior schools in September 2013. For the school year 2012-2013 she was the head of Ree Gorree and Auldyn schools, overseeing the formal amalgamation to the present 472-pupil Bunscoill Rhumsaa. 

Commenting on her retirement, Mrs Barrow said:

‘I have enjoyed working with so many wonderful children and dedicated professionals over the years. I am now at the stage of having in school the children of many of the children I taught earlier in my career and I think I am retiring just before the third generation starts school.’ 

Mrs Barrow’s husband Martin, the Director of Education with the Department of Education and Children, is retiring at Easter and she hopes he will have done lots of jobs on the house before she joins him in July. 

Their children are now grown up. Following his graduation from Cambridge University, Christopher took up a post in London with PwC in project finance. Timothy, who followed his mother in attending Durham University, now teaches in Leicestershire. 

Mrs Barrow is looking forward to having more time to travel, read and take on new challenges. 

Professor Ronald Barr, Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Education and Children, said:

‘Jacqueline Barrow has worked for the DEC for her entire professional life and has been a popular and energetic headteacher, leading first Ballasalla School and in recent years the primary schools in Ramsey. Over the last couple of years she has led the merger of Auldyn School and Scoill Ree Gorree to form Bunscoill Rhumsaa and the DEC is very grateful for the commitment she has shown in leading this project to a successful conclusion. 

‘I know that she will be greatly missed by everyone at the school and also by the wider education community. I am sure everyone who knows Mrs Barrow would want to join with the Department in wishing her a long, healthy and happy retirement.’ 

The headship will be advertised shortly.

The next phase in the regeneration of Ramsey town centre is underway, with work focused on improvements to Parliament Street between East Street and Tower Street.

The latest scheme will involve the widening of the footways, enhanced lighting and a flat table-top traffic calming feature on Parliament Street at the junction of East Street/Parliament Street.

Footpaths will be reconstructed and finished with the same granite pavers used in previous phases of the Ramsey regeneration project in order to improve the pedestrian environment and provide a more easily cleaned surface.

As part of the scheme, rainwater downpipes that currently discharge onto the footway will instead discharge into a gully which will be piped to the road gutter.

A new surface water drainage system will also be introduced in Parliament Street to overcome problems associated with localised flooding caused by heavy rainfall. In addition the public utilities service providers will take the opportunity to renew their underground services along Parliament Street while the highway is being refurbished.

The new roadway will be finished with a coloured bitumen macadam rather than stone in order to reduce the construction time, reduce the costs, and reduce staining by vehicle oil.

On completion of these works, vehicular traffic will continue to be accommodated along Parliament Street in a one-way direction from East Street towards Court Row.

Alan Bell MHK, Chairman of the Ramsey Regeneration Committee, said:

‘There is no doubt the investment that has been made in the centre of Ramsey is benefiting the local economy. Figures compiled by Ramsey Town Commissioners show that new businesses are setting up in the town and the community is working hard to make the most of the new public space created in the heart of the town.

He added:

‘From the outset, the Town and Village Centre Regeneration Scheme has been focused on supporting economic growth in our retail hubs and Ramsey is now a shining example of what can be achieved when the community works together to direct funding where it is needed.’

Pedestrian access will be maintained to every business, retail and domestic building adjacent to the works and an unobstructed pedestrian route along Parliament Street will be provided throughout the construction period.

Parliament Street will be temporarily closed to through traffic between East Street and Tower Street until 27 April 2014. Vehicles are being diverted along Christian Street, Albert Road and Tower Street.

Prior to 17 February, vehicular access to shops and buildings located on Parliament Street between Christian Street and East Street will be maintained from the Christian Street/Parliament Street junction by making Parliament Street two-way between Christian Street and East Street.

From 17 February until the completing of the works, access to these premises will be maintained by allowing through traffic to travel along Parliament Street as far as East Street and then onto West Quay via East Street.

Work on the future phase that will connect the stretch of Parliament Street from Tower Street to Court Row will follow on from this scheme. Details of road closures and diversion plans will be provided in advance of the works.

Castletown's long-serving former MHK, Tony Brown OBE, is to formally open an extension at Victoria Road Primary School next month. 

Mr Brown, who represented Castletown in the House of Keys for 30 years, was a pupil at the school in the late 1950s and early 1960s and has maintained lifelong links. 

He will unveil a plaque at an event being held at 3.30pm on Wednesday 5 February to commemorate the addition of classrooms, a multi-purpose hall and improvements throughout the school. 

An open afternoon will precede the ceremony and the public is invited into school from 3pm to see the new facilities. 

The £3.2million project was carried out by Auldyn Construction and was completed in phases, with the hall coming into use in March 2013 and with overall completion in September 2013. 

Mr Brown – who was the Island’s Chief Minister for the five years prior to his retirement from politics in 2011 – said he was delighted to be asked to carry out the formalities at the school he and his son and daughter attended. 

He started visiting the school in an official capacity when he chaired Castletown Commissioners and, throughout his time as MHK for Castletown, he gave talks to pupils and arranged visits to Legislative Buildings. He is a long-serving school governor and, with his wife, Rachel, he has rarely missed an event such as a concert or a fund-raiser. 

Mr Brown said:

‘I was very much involved, along with the other governors, in developing and progressing the scheme, providing advice to the school and colleague governors on how best to advance the project to achieve an early start. 

‘I am absolutely delighted to have been invited to open the extension. I feel very proud and honoured to have been chosen, especially being a former pupil and as someone who has retained a keen interest in, and enjoyed being involved with, the school. 

‘The facilities provided by the extension are a fabulous asset to the school and, most importantly, provide excellent new provisions for the pupils, the staff and Castletown as a whole.’ 

Ian Postlethwaite, acting Headteacher at the 217-pupil school, said:

‘The additional classrooms have provided spacious learning environments for our rising pupil numbers and the new Reception classroom and outdoor area development has made a huge difference to what we offer in the Foundation stage. 

‘We are all delighted with our fabulous new hall. It has provided the children and staff with many more opportunities in terms of physical, creative and personal development and, more recently at Christmas, provided an excellent performance space. 

‘The children were in awe when they saw the hall for the first time and really enjoyed the two major productions we have staged, neither of which would have been possible without the new lighting and sound equipment and stage area/community room.’

The 43rd Primary Chess Congress takes place at Cronk-y-Berry Primary School on Saturday 8 February. 

Seven schools are taking part – Buchan, Cronk-y-Berry, Laxey, Peel, Phurt le Moirrey, Rushen and Victoria Road. All these schools took part last year. 

Each enters a team of six, with players ranked in order. The winning school receives the Bob Kermeen Trophy. 

Play commences at 9am with a 20-minute break at 10.20am. The presentations will take place no later than 11.45am. 

There will be prizes for the best individual, who receives the Tom Karen Trophy; the best youngest player, who takes home the Henry Krebs Memorial Cup, provided by Ruth Coombes in memory of her father; the best girl competitor (prize presented by Ann Cottier); the best reserve (a competition kindly organised by Simon Jones, former Headteacher of Peel Clothworkers’ School). 

The Rotary Club of Onchan will be generously sponsoring the Congress, as usual. 

Arthur Taggart (retired Headteacher of Onchan School and long-time supporter of the Congress) will be presenting the trophies on behalf of the Rotary Club of Onchan. 

Last year the Cronk-y-Berry School almost swept the board. It was the winning school, Callum Crompton was the primary school’s champion and Tobey Cheng the best young player. Esther Walters from Peel Clothworkers’ School and Shannon Primrose -Smith from Scoill Phurt le Moirrey shared the best girl’s trophy and Alec Ecolango from Peel Clothworkers’ was the best reserve.

For interview/queries/to arrange to attend: Tom Thomson, Organiser and Headteacher, Rushen Primary School, +44 1624 833308

Radical proposals to streamline Government’s structure and strengthen its policy co-ordination will be moved at the January Tynwald by Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK.

The changes will come into effect from April this year if approved by Members at their sitting starting on the 21 of this month.

The plan aims to cut bureaucracy by reducing the number of separate Government organisations, with the loss of two Departments, one Statutory Board and one Office. The Council of Ministers would shrink to include eight Ministers instead of nine.

To achieve a more joined-up approach to the challenges facing the Island, the central co-ordination of policies would be reinforced through the creation of a Cabinet Office and a new Minister for Policy and Reform.

The Chief Minister commented:

‘These proposals are all about making Government smaller, simpler, and less bureaucratic in line with public and political expectations. They will also strengthen the centre of Government so that it can drive forward the changes that are needed to overcome the unprecedented challenges facing our Island.’

Mr Bell will ask Tynwald to receive the Council of Ministers report on Modernising Ministerial Government, published in December, and to approve six recommendations from the report:

Recommendation 1

The Chief Secretary’s Office, the Office of Human Resources, the Information Systems Division of the Department of Economic Development and the Economic Affairs Division of Treasury should be combined to form a Cabinet Office.

Recommendation 2

A Minister with responsibility for Policy and Reform should be appointed to work within the Cabinet Office, who will also be appointed as Chair of the Civil Service Commission and the Business Change Steering Group and lead the Transforming Government Programme.

Recommendation 3

The existing Departments of Health and Social Care should be dissolved and a new single Department of Health and Social Care created, with the Social Security Division transferred to the Treasury.

Recommendation 4

The Manx Electricity Authority and the Water and Sewerage Authority should be merged to form a Manx Utilities Authority.

Recommendation 5

The Department of Community, Culture and Leisure should be dissolved and its functions transferred, as appropriate, to the Departments of Economic Development, Education and Children, Infrastructure and Environment, Food and Agriculture.

Recommendation 6

The Council of Ministers should consider: opportunities for further reforming the criminal justice system; the potential benefits that could be achieved by streamlining certain corporate services and regulatory functions; whether there is merit in creating the Isle of Man Government as a single legal entity, and report to Tynwald on these matters by July 2014.

The Chief Minister will also move three separate Transfer of Functions Orders in relation to the creation of a Manx Utilities Authority, the dissolution of the DCCL, and merger of Health and Social Care.

The Department of Home Affairs is seeking the views of the public on proposals to modernise the Isle of Man’s fire and rescue service legislation.

The Fire and Rescue Service Bill 2013 is intended to replace primary legislation including the Fire Precautions Act, which dates back to 1975, and the Fire Services Act, which dates back to 1984.

A key feature of the proposed new Bill is an extension of the core functions of the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service.

This recognises that in addition to dealing with fires, the Service attends road traffic incidents, hazardous material incidents, flooding and other environmental emergencies. It also promotes community fire safety initiatives, as part of the Department’s focus on protecting local communities.

The proposed legislation would also see the Fire and Rescue Service take on primary responsibility for promoting fire safety in all relevant premises, including the workplace. This function is currently undertaken by health and safety inspectors.

Other proposed changes include a move away from the issuing of fire certificates to a risk-assessment approach to fire safety within premises – a measure that will help to reduce bureaucracy.

The new legislation would also give the Fire and Rescue Service the power to charge for non-statutory functions or call-outs due to malice or recklessness. There would continue to be no charge for genuine emergencies.

The Department of Home Affairs is consulting at an early stage in the development of the legislation in order to gain feedback from interested parties.

These views will be taken into consideration before the Bill is finalised and submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval to introduce into the branches of Tynwald.

Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK said:

‘The Department is committed to promoting the Island as a safe place to live and do business. A key element of this vision involves equipping the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service with the legal powers to carry out the functions expected of it in the 21^st Century.’

David Quirk MHK, Member of the Department with responsibility for the Fire and Rescue Service, added:

‘This is an important piece of legislation designed to better reflect the role and responsibilities of a modern fire and rescue service. The promotion and enforcement of fire safety has changed a great deal over the past 30 years. I would encourage people to submit their views on the draft Bill, in particular by responding to the questions highlighted in the consultation document.’

The Fire and Rescue Service Bill 2013 consultation document and appendices are available to view on the Government website.

People can respond via email or by writing to:

The closing date for the receipt of comments is Monday 10 March.

With sea level rise of between 11cm and 78cm (approx. 4in and 2 ½ft) expected by the year 2100 coastal flooding events like we have witnessed over the last week will become more frequent in the future and increasingly severe events will occur if we fail to adapt. 

The latest round of damage and disruption will remind many of the storm surge only 12 years ago which caused flooding in coastal towns and is estimated to have cost the private sector alone in excess of £8M. Nearly two thirds of those losses were thought to be uninsured and the cost to utility and infrastructure providers were estimated at a further £4M. The conditions which led to this event were, at the time, estimated to coincide once every 20 years. The conditions which led to the most recent flooding have been described as a 1 in 50 year event but sea level rise over the coming decades will mean that, even with no storm surge, we can expect low lying areas such as the Tongue in Douglas harbour to flood more frequently. 

Minister Gawne said:

'It is important that both current and future generations are able to adapt critical infrastructure to additional unprecedented sea level rise at minimal cost. With this in mind, and in line with the Isle of Man Government's Agenda for Change, we will bring forward proposals for a new Bill which if approved, will require Government Departments to assess the current and future risks posed by our climate and implement plans and policies to cope with these risks. We will also be inviting key speakers to the Isle of Man to raise awareness of climate change and hopefully dispel a few myths along the way'

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture has published details of its submission that was recently provided as evidence to the Tynwald Environment and Infrastructure Policy Review Committee (EIPRC). This committee was formed following a resolution agreed by Tynwald Court in May 2013 to hold an enquiry into the Countryside Care Scheme and other agricultural policy matters.

The Countryside Care Scheme, approved by Tynwald in April 2008 forms one of the main components of Manx Agricultural Policy. The Scheme has followed changes to European Agricultural policy by ‘decoupling’ agricultural support. Farmers no longer receive a subsidy linked to production and instead are paid for maintaining their land in good agricultural and environmental condition. This recognises the importance of farming in maintaining the unique and beautiful Manx landscape, whilst allowing farmers the freedom to diversify and produce based on market demands rather than be stifled by following the rigid requirements of previous subsidy schemes.

DEFA Minister, Phil Gawne, MHK said:

'The Countryside Care Scheme has been in place for 5 years now and I am pleased that it is still broadly achieving its original objectives. The majority of farmers are supportive of the Scheme, but I acknowledge that there are still some voices of discontent that want to go back to the old way of doing things. It would be unrealistic to think that the Department could ever have developed a Scheme that would have been to the satisfaction of all, but I welcome this review as an opportunity to look at ways to ensure that the Scheme is as effective as possible in helping Manx farming become more resilient and market focussed.

I would stress that I do not envisage this review resulting in any major changes to the overall workings of the Scheme. I view this as a crucially important message to the industry, as we have followed a well signposted direction of travel for the last 5 years and the majority of farmers have adapted their businesses to follow this direction of travel. To reintroduce uncertainty to an industry that relies on long-term planning for its success would be a backwards step'.

The Departments responses to the Committee have been compiled into a publicly available document and can be viewed on the Departments webpage.

Hansard transcripts of the Committee meetings are also available and can be found at http://www.tynwald.org.im/business/committee/eiprc/Pages/default.aspx

DEFA will be inviting representatives of the Island’s major retailers to meet with the Department, to discuss their stance towards stocking local produce and their role in supporting the community and economy by offering as much choice of Manx food and drink as possible. 

The meetings will contribute to the development of a Food Security Strategy for the Isle of Man, to meet the short and long term challenges posed by a range of factors including climate change (and its’ impact on local weather), rising world food prices and population levels.  As an Island nation, the Isle of Man faces particular challenges in ensuring the security and affordability of its supply of food products. 

DEFA Minister Phil Gawne, MHK said:

'Supermarkets and other retailers in the Isle of Man have an important role to play in ensuring consumers have access to local alternatives to imported products.  I am pleased to see that this is already happening in some areas, but we would like to see more choice available and this will require closer working together throughout the supply chain. Large retailers also have a corporate social responsibility to ensure that they make a positive contribution to the local community. By supporting local producers and processors, they can maximise their contribution to the Island's economy as there is a notable 'multiplier effect' to the Manx Treasury when local produce is bought, compared to imported equivalents. This in turn creates more on-Island employment, cuts down on the amount of packaging used and on the emissions which result from transporting of goods'.

Following recent changes in responsibility for delivering civil registration services, the General Registry wishes to inform the public that as from 1 January 2014 persons required to register a birth or a death can do so at any of the following places: 

• the Civil Registry in Deemsters Walk, Bucks Road, Douglas, open from 9.30am until 4.30pm, Monday to Thursday and from 9.30am until 4.00pm on Friday. Contact Douglas Registry to make an appointment: tel, +44 1624 687039. 

• the offices of Ramsey Town Commissioners in Parliament Square, Ramsey open from 9.30am until 3.30pm, Monday to Friday. 
  Contact Ramsey Registry to make an appointment: tel, +44 1624 817762 or the 
  Commissioners: tel, +44 1624 810100. 

• the offices of Castletown Town Commissioners in Farrants Way, Castletown,  open from 10.00am until 11.00am, Monday to Friday. Contact Castletown Registry to make an appointment: tel, +44 1624 825005. 

• the offices of Peel Town Commissioners in Derby Road, Peel from 9.00am until 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Contact Peel Registry to make an appointment: tel, +44 1624 842341. 

Couples wishing to give notice of a civil partnership or marriage can do so, and indeed hold their ceremony, at the Civil Registry or at the offices of Ramsey Town Commissioners or Peel Town Commissioners. 

A unique celebration of the beauty and diversity of the Isle of Man will be showcased at the Sayle Gallery from 17 January to 2 February.

The special exhibition will feature the leading entries in the Biosphere Vannin photography competition organised by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture.

A preview event will take place during the evening of Thursday 16 January at the gallery on Harris Promenade in Douglas.

The powerful and striking images have been shortlisted by a panel of judges to support DEFA’s bid to include the Isle of Man as a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserve.

Biosphere reserves are designated by UNESCO as areas that balance the needs of people, business and nature. Their main purpose is to encourage conservation, sustainable development and active involvement in the environment. 

In a similar way to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, biosphere reserves are acknowledged as shining examples to the rest of the world. DEFA is currently working with a number of partners with a view to submitting a bid for UNESCO status later this year. 

If successful, the Isle of Man would become the first country in its entirety to be designated as a biosphere reserve and join an illustrious list of international sites, including Uluru (Ayres Rock) in Australia, Cape Winelands in South Africa and the Camargue Delta in France. 

It would help to raise global awareness of the Isle of Man as a place that successfully brings together a thriving business community, rich cultural heritage, outstanding landscapes and varied wildlife ecosystems. This in turn could have major benefits for education, tourism and a number of other economic activities. 

The winning photographs from the DEFA competition will become a focal point of the Biosphere Vannin campaign and appear in publicity material to support the Isle of Man’s nomination.

The competition attracted a very strong entry, with 243 digital images submitted by professional and amateur photographers across six categories - Coast, Culture, Farmland, Glens, Towns/Villages, and Uplands.  

The challenge was to capture the real essence of what makes the Isle of Man such a special place to live, work and visit and show people interacting with the Island’s amazing natural environment.

Peter Longworth, DEFA's Environmental Protection Officer – Sustainability and Climate Change, said:

‘The judges were impressed by the exceptionally high standard of the submissions. Photographers grasped the idea of capturing a living landscape, rather than simply showing the beauty of nature in isolation. The images depict people interacting with our environment - enjoying it, working with it and helping to take care of it.’ 

He added:

‘We are delighted that the Sayle Gallery has agreed to host an exhibition of the shortlisted photographs and I would encourage as many people as possible to call in and take a look.’

Specialist business advisor to the creative industries David Parrish will deliver a free talk on creativity and business at the iMuseum, Douglas on Thursday 30 January. 

Through his theme, T-Shirts and Suits, David offers simple advice on how creative individuals can develop more opportunities for themselves. His approach to business development combines creatively talented people ("T-Shirts") with smart entrepreneurial thinking ("Suits"). 

Internationally recognised as a creative industries management consultant, David is author of the highly-acclaimed book and eBook 'T-Shirts and Suits: A Guide to the Business of Creativity'. The book is a guide specifically written and designed for entrepreneurs in the creative, digital and cultural industries. 

David has spoken at conferences worldwide presenting to entrepreneurs and business support organisations in the creative, digital and cultural industries, including Korea Creative Economy Forum, the Industrias Creativas Conference in Chile and the Shanghai Creative Industry Week. 

Mike Reaney, Business Development Manager for Film and Creative Industries at the Department of Economic Development, said: 

‘With the Isle of Man celebrating Island of Culture 2014, David’s visit is very timely. The Island is packed with talented, creative people and David’s advice will be invaluable for them. The talk should also interest ICT professionals, lawyers and accountants and will be a great opportunity to get inspired by new kinds of products and services.’ 

T-Shirts and Suits will run from 6pm to 8pm at the iMuseum, Kingswood Road Douglas on Thursday 30 January. Entry is free but spaces are limited. Seats are reserved on a first come, first served basis. To reserve your seat, email mike.reaney@gov.im or telephone +44 1624 687173. 

The Tri Partite Agreement (TPA) is a formal agreement* between Ireland, United Kingdom and France which provides that certain categories of horses may move between these three Member States, without prior inspection or certification.

The three signatory Member States have agreed and signed a new agreement that will come into force on 18 May 2013. For the first time the Island has been formally recognised under the TPA, being seen as part of the UK for horse movement purposes.

DEFA Minister, Phil Gawne said:

'while we expect this agreement to facilitate a small number of horse movements each year, it is pleasing to see the Isle of Man being formally recognised within the TPA. This will ensure that anyone wishing to move eligible horses from and to the Isle of Man can do so easily and reliably under clear guidelines'.

Under the new TPA movements between the UK and France will be limited to:

• Thoroughbreds and non-thoroughbred registered horses being moved for racing, breeding, training or moving to a sale (also French registered AQPS horses).
• Sporting horses being moved to compete in a competition being held under FEI Regulations.

Instead of having to be inspected and certified, the movement of eligible horses will be recorded under the EU TRACES system with entries being made by Weatherbys for Isle of Man horses. The commercial document generated accompanies the horse during the movement.

All other types of horse movement will not be included in the TPA and should respect the normal EU health certificate rules.

The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is bringing forward a Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Order (BVD Order) to control the prevalence of BVD infection, with the aim of eradicating the disease in the medium term.

BVD is a commonly occurring disease, which has serious financial implications for cattle producers and dairy herds. Calculations by the Department have indicated that total direct and indirect losses due to this disease amount to around£750,000/per yearwithin the Isle of Man National Herd.  With the average Dairy herd losing £13,500/year and the average Beef herd losing £4,600/year.

The new Order follows the success of the 2013 BVD control strategy, where calves born on the island were voluntarily tested for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea using a special official ear tag provided by the Department: this ear tag takes a tissue sample that is submitted for laboratory analysis allowing detection and removal of Persistently Infected (PI) animals.

The results from the 2013 strategy are:

• 66% of holdings that breed cattle have joined the voluntary tagging scheme (138 of 208 holdings)
• 7150 calves have been officially registered and tested
• 80.2% of all calves born this year have been tested for BVD using the special tags
• Only 55 persistently infected (PI) calves (0.76% of calves tested) have been identified so far on 14 different holdings (as at 31^st December 2013)

Minister commented:

'this is very good news. The low number of holdings with PI calves demonstrated by the voluntary scheme has given us the opportunity to move on to an eradication strategy. I am very encouraged by the industry’s strong support for these disease control measures. The views expressed to me by the industry, continue to reflect the high level of voluntary take up'.

Government Veterinary Officer Richard Ashworth MRCVS added:

'we are pleasantly surprised with the current results, the number of holdings with PI calves is less than expected; although we recognise that not all calves born on the Island are included in the voluntary scheme.  However, this current situation brings with it the need to be vigilant and prevent BVD from entering the majority of farms that are fortunate enough to have little active disease.

Now that many farms have identified PIs, and hopefully removed them, we are moving to the next phase, which will identify any remaining adult PIs.

Chief Veterinary Officer, Stuart Jaques MRCVS commented:

'I urge all farmers to actively consider taking precautions against introducing or spreading BVD. Please make it an important part of Herd Health Planning.

Our further investigations have shown that at least two cows purchased when already pregnant, brought BVD with them, because the calf born to them was shown to be persistently infected (PI) by the tag test. These positive calves (PIs) are the primary means of sustaining the disease, so we need to identify them as soon as possible. Equally importantly, please keep bought in “in calf” animals away from home bred cows and heifers less than 120 days pregnant; this is the critical period when PI calves are created. Only when purchased animals calve and their calf is tested negative should they be mixed with pregnant animals.'

'We also see strong circumstantial evidence of the movement of bulls being related to multiple PI births later. This is unsurprising as the movement of animals of unknown BVD status will increase the risk of disease. As a result the new order requires breeding bulls to be proven not to be PI before moving.'

Animal Health has produced a comprehensive FAQ on BVD that will hopefully answer most questions: however, please contact us if you need additional information:

Further information:

[*BVD: Bovine Viral Diarrhoea causes diarrhoea, reproductive failure and ill-thrift in cattle. It does not affect people or any other species. It also weakens the immune system increasing the animal’s susceptibility to other infections, especially lung problems. BVD is very infectious, being spread by animal wastes. As a consequence BVD is the cause of serious economic loss and illness in cattle, especially young cattle raised in groups which facilitate the spread of disease. The disease is maintained by PI calves created via infection of the dam in the first 120 days of pregnancy; such calves never clear the virus from their system and generate prodigious amounts of virus that infects others. The majority of PI calves are repeatedly ill and never reach adulthood (50% die before reaching one year old). Dams infected during pregnancy may become ill, but never become PI themselves. ]

There are a number of strategies that will assist in controlling disease: information on Biosecurity will be available on the DEFA website; advice can also be obtained from your own veterinary surgeon on the suitability of vaccination, purchasing animals of known BVD status, and a Health Plan strategy for all bought in cattle.