Workplaces in Leicester & Leicestershire are being pitted against each other for a fun challenge to see who can get the most staff to leave their cars at home.  The Let’s Go – Betterpoints Workplace Challenge is inviting anyone who travels to work to walk, run, wheel, ride or use public transport to help their team climb the leaderboard. And there’s the chance to get rewarded for your efforts, with participants going into a prize draw to win prizes including an electric bike from Rutland Cycling, a FitBit, and £400 worth of outdoor gear. The challenge takes place throughout March and is easy to join. Simply download the free Betterpoints app, register and join the Choose How You Move and Let’s Go challenges. You can then track your activities – such as walking or cycling to work – and earn points and rewards. Workplaces based in Leicester or Leicestershire can register to take part at any time throughout the challenge and workplaces of all sizes can take part, from self-employed individuals to those with hundreds or thousands of staff on site. Email customercare@betterpoints.uk to get started. Throughout the challenge, there will be daily opportunities to win points, plus weekly prizes such as shopping vouchers and family experiences on offer. There will also be the chance to win free monthly passes for Santander Cycles Leicester, the city’s e-bike share scheme, or to win credit for your Santander Cycles Leicester account. A £500 charity donation will also be given as a reward and split across the five workplaces in each size category which get the most employees taking part. All public transport, walking, cycling and running activities recorded within Leicestershire, of at least half a mile, will count towards the challenge. If you are working from home, all walking, cycling and running completed will also count. Deputy city mayor for environment and transport Cllr Adam Clarke said: “This is a great challenge with some really good prizes on offer. We know how popular last year’s Beat The Street game was with schools and families, where you could collect points for walking and cycling – so this is a chance for workplaces to get involved in something similar. “We’re facing a climate emergency and it’s never been more important to think carefully about how we travel and whether car journeys are the best option for the environment, our health and the air quality in our city. This is a chance for people to try out different ways of getting around, discover the benefits of active travel, and get rewarded for doing so.” The workplace challenge is being supported by a project called Choose How You Move Leicester and Leicestershire. This is a Department for Transport-funded programme to promote walking and cycling, supporting active travel across the city and county.

The East Midlands Freeport has secured formal Government approval for its plans to offer businesses locating in the Freeport special incentives. The UK’s only inland freeport is set to deliver over 61,000 jobs for the East Midlands and an extra £8.9bn for the local economy over the next 30 years. The greenlight means that from 22nd March 2022, eligible companies investing in designated areas within the Freeport’s boundary will be able to access a range of benefits offered through the Government’s Freeport policy. These areas, known as ‘tax sites’, cover the Freeport’s three main locations at East Midlands Airport and Gateway Industrial Cluster (‘EMAGIC’), East Midlands Intermodal Park (‘EMIP’) and the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station Redevelopment Site. The special incentives will be offered to companies whose development plans support the Freeport’s main objectives, including promoting growth in advanced manufacturing and logistics, and turbocharging the drive towards Net Zero. By building on the Freeport’s other unique advantages as the nation’s only inland Freeport with unparalleled global transport links, these benefits will help attract and accelerate new high value, low carbon investment that promises to create thousands of skilled green jobs. By creating much-needed jobs and boosting the economy, the Freeport is set to benefit communities across the East Midlands and make a critical contribution to the Government’s levelling-up agenda. It is one of eight Freeports being established across England. Hailing a pivotal moment in the development of the Freeport, Penny Coates, chair of the East Midlands Freeport Board, said: “The Government’s approval for our tax sites means that the East Midlands Freeport now offers a total of 533ha of prime, strategic development land where companies can not only benefit from a fantastic location with fantastic global transport links; they can also benefit from a comprehensive package of special incentives that make our Freeport one of the best places to invest in the UK. “That’s why today’s announcement is the moment when we can really start to turn our ambitions for the Freeport into reality, delivering well-paid green jobs for communities, supporting levelling-up and helping achieve a Net Zero economy.” Nick Rushton, leader of Leicestershire County Council, said: “Freeports are a key element of levelling up the UK and I’m delighted to have reached this major milestone. This is a big moment for the East Midlands. As the UK’s only inland freeport, the innovative plans will power up the region’s economy, create much-needed jobs and put the East Midlands firmly on the map. We can now get to work on starting to deliver its promise.” Clare James, East Midlands Airport’s Managing Director, said: “We look forward to continuing our work with public and private sector partners to make a success of the UK’s only inland Freeport, and to playing our role in the future prosperity of the East Midlands. By building on the strengths of the region’s leading sectors including advanced manufacturing, logistics and R&D, the Freeport is well-placed to drive future investment and economic growth which will create new and diverse jobs for local people.” Andrew Pilsworth, Managing Director, National Logistics, SEGRO, said: “As a long-term investor in the Midlands, we believe warehouse infrastructure can contribute to wide socio-economic benefits, from creating sustainable employment opportunities and stimulating economic growth to enhancing infrastructure and enabling better consumer choice. We welcome the approval of the East Midlands Freeport as a way of accelerating the contribution SEGRO, our customers and partners can make to delivering these benefits as well as driving forward the levelling up agenda.” John Williams, Maritime Transport’s executive chairman, said: “Maritime Transport is excited about the Governments’ confirmation of Tax Site designation for EMF. The designation and accompanying benefits will undoubtedly attract and accelerate investment into the region, where Maritime’s Rail Terminal, located within the EMAGIC Tax Site, is the key freight gateway for East Midlands Freeport global connectivity.” Dave Johnson, site manager for Uniper, said: “Uniper welcomes the Government’s statement confirming Tax Site designation for the EMF. As landowner of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station site, Uniper continues to work with regional stakeholders to progress plans for the redevelopment of the site into a zero carbon technology and energy hub for the East Midlands, with the potential to create employment opportunities based around modern industrial and manufacturing uses. “The benefits associated with the designation of Ratcliffe as a Tax Site within the freeport will significantly enhance its attractiveness as a location for new businesses; boosting future employment and growth opportunities.”

A raft of new jobs will be created throughout the Midlands as a result of the Electric Vehicle (EV) boom. Analysis by WSP for Midlands Connect shows that nearly 30,000 jobs could be created due to the projected boom in EV use. The analysis shows that 4,575 jobs could be created in EV charge point installation, 4,548 in charge point operation, 665 manufacturing jobs, 1,383 retail jobs, 3,157 energy distribution and storage jobs and 1,754 new energy production roles. The figures also show that 10,872 jobs would be created in energy retail and 1,556 in value-added services. These figures come alongside data released by Midlands Connect which suggests that the Midlands is on the brink of an EV boom and could see over 1.7 million electric cars on its streets by the end of the decade. Figures suggest that the Midlands will see a 2,475% increase in uptake in electric vehicles by the end of 2030, with projections predicting to rise from 68,713 EVs today to 1,769,855 on its roads by the end of 2030. This means nearly a third (28.4%) of all vehicles registered in the Midlands Connect area could be an electric vehicle by the end of 2030.

Nottingham City Council has reinforced its commitment to reaching carbon neutrality by 2028 after receiving accreditation as a Bronze Level Carbon Literate Organisation (CLO). The City Council is the first local authority in Nottinghamshire to achieve this status. This award from the Carbon Literacy Project is internationally recognised and shows that the council is prioritising climate change action through the training of its senior colleagues. City Council Deputy Leader Councillor Sally Longford, along with fellow councillors Zafran Khan and Rosemary Healy, and Director of Carbon Reduction, Energy and Sustainability Wayne Bexton, have all successfully completed their Carbon Literacy Training, becoming among the first people to do so at the City Council. Carbon Literacy Training is an immersive, one-day learning experience which allows participants to better understand the impacts of climate change and the role they play in reducing carbon emissions in the workplace and their own lives. By having senior leaders at the council undertake this training, the council can integrate climate change awareness into strategic decisions that are made. Having Carbon Literate leadership is vital for Nottingham as it provides an opportunity to influence decisions needed to become a more sustainable city and improve its transition to carbon neutrality. The Carbon Literate councillors can use the knowledge they gained through the training in their work – creating a low carbon culture across the council. In January 2020, Nottingham City Council declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency, acknowledging that urgent action is needed to prevent further damage to the environment. The council has committed to work with Nottingham’s residents, business owners and visitors to reduce emissions in the city, aiming to be carbon neutral by 2028. This target will be achieved by following Nottingham’s Carbon Neutral Action Plan, which includes actions such as further developing climate change awareness, understanding and knowledge among the council’s own staff. Councillor Sally Longford, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Energy, Environment and Waste Services, said: “Becoming the first Bronze Level Carbon Literate local authority in Nottinghamshire is another step on the city’s journey to reaching carbon neutrality. “We’re already making great progress towards our climate change targets, through the electrification of our fleet, retrofitting homes across the city and engaging with citizens through the Green Light in the City pop-up space. Undertaking Carbon Literacy Training will allow the council’s leaders to further embed an awareness of carbon emissions into how we work and will help us to mitigate the impacts of the climate emergency on the city. “We know there’s still lots to do, so I would like to encourage everyone in Nottingham to help us achieve our ambition. Everyday actions all add up to make a positive difference, no matter how small they may seem.” Wayne Bexton, Director of Carbon Reduction, Energy and Sustainability, said: “I’m really pleased to be one of the first key leaders within Nottingham City Council to achieve a Carbon Literate accreditation and delighted that we have achieved our bronze status for the whole organisation. The commitment of the council on the sustainability agenda is well known, and this is another step towards our carbon neutral ambitions.”

Commenting on confirmation that the East Midlands freeport has secured formal Government approval, East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “A year on from the exciting plans being unveiled for the East Midlands freeport, today’s confirmation is a huge moment for the region – which can now look forward to a huge economic boost in the decades ahead. Following the end of all Covid-19 restrictions in February, this is another big boost for business confidence. “Our region already has fantastic national and international trading links – something highlighted during the pandemic – and freeport status means we can cement our role at the centre of Britain’s post-Brexit global trading relationship. “We are in a unique position as the only inland freeport among the 10 designated zones, which is testament to East Midlands Airport’s reputation as the country’s most important mover of international freight and the catalyst for the explosive growth we’ve witnessed in our region’s logistics sector in recent years. “This free trade zone, which will have a focus on innovation, low carbon and trade, signals the direction of travel for the East Midlands economy – giving investors something tangible to back in order to deliver the inward investment and jobs that will enable growth. “We’ve already been notified about interest from companies both inside and outside our region that may want to locate themselves at the freeport in order to take advantage of tax breaks at sites including East Midlands Airport, so the green light should pave the way forward for more companies moving into our region. “For our workforce, it will provide much-needed new opportunities for high-skilled, well-paid and more productive jobs – a key priority of this Government and an important driver of growth for the East Midlands economy.”

North East Derbyshire District Council has pledged its long term support to its businesses, working with them to help them thrive. The council played an important role in helping businesses who they regulate be compliant and competitive, to help stop any unnecessary costs and burdens on the business, particularly throughout the pandemic and recovery phase. This friendly advice and support hasn’t gone unnoticed, as a recent survey with food businesses showed glowing feedback for the authority and gratitude for the help and professional manner in which inspectors undertook their visits. One business owner said, “The inspection was carried out in a very pleasant and professional way. I was given lots of advice and tips which was very helpful”. North East Derbyshire District Council Cabinet Member for Environmental Health, Cllr Charlotte Cupit said, “We aren’t just about enforcement and being a hard hitting service. We are when we need to be, but the headline of prosecutions, fixed penalty notices and enforcement campaigns only tell part of the story”. “We work closely with the vast majority of businesses in the district, helping them with regulatory advice and support and guidance so they can thrive and our help is there when needed”. “This support means our residents and communities who visit these premises can enjoy great quality food and drinks, of which we have many fantastic eateries and café’s to enjoy”.