Monthly Archives: November 2015

RORY TO NOMINATE PUB CHEF OF THE YEAR

Rory Stewart MP is inviting constituents to vote for their favourite local chefs for the Parliamentary Pub Chef of the Year award.

The British Beer & Pub Association and the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group have launched the Parliamentary Pub Chef of the Year award in partnership with Nestlé Professional. The prestigious new award seeks nominations from all MPs to recognise a pub chef or chefs in their constituency renowned for their great food.

With a national shortage of pub chefs, earlier this year the BBPA, in conjunction with the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) and the Perceptions Group launched the Pub Chef Passion initiative, including a short film aimed at promoting the pub chef as a career option. This award seeks to build on that work, and encourage young chefs towards a career in the pub trade. Pubs are also vital to the local economy in every part of the country, offering valuable and flexible employment, with around 900,000 UK jobs dependent on the trade.

“Pubs, as an industry, are of huge importance to our constituency, its communities, and both the local, and national economy. This County has many, many outstanding chefs – and it will be difficult to choose – but I will be delighted to be able to put one of them forward to receive this prestigious recognition, and promote the industry and its career opportunities.”

Candidates must work within Rory’s constituency of Penrith and The Border, and you can vote for someone by emailing their name, the name and address of the pub, and why you are voting for them to [email protected] with the subject ‘PUB CHEF NOMINATION’ by Wednesday 11th November. Rory will then nominate the chef with the most votes for the award. Entries will be judged by an expert panel and the winner will be announced in the New Year.

FORTHCOMING DROP-IN SURGERIES

Please note that Rory Stewart, MP for Penrith and The Border, will be holding open surgeries at the following locations on Saturday 7th November 2015:

1130-1230 – Market Hall Cafe, Wigton
1630-1730 – Booths Cafe, Penrith

No appointment is necessary, and all constituents are welcome. More information can be found at www.rorystewart.co.uk/surgeries

For more information please call 01768 484 114.

TOUGHER POWERS TO TACKLE WASTE CRIME INTRODUCED

New rules come into effect today that will crackdown on waste crime, creating cleaner communities and protecting our natural environment.

The legislative amendments will speed up prosecutions for rogue waste site operators, making it easier to take action against those flouting the law.

The changes come as part of the Government’s ongoing crackdown on waste crime, which costs the UK economy £568 million a year and diverts as much as £1 billion each year away from legitimate business operations.

They also come ahead of the introduction of fixed penalty notices for small scale fly-tipping next year, giving local authorities an alternative to costly prosecution.

Resource Minister Rory Stewart said:

“Waste crime blights communities and poses a risk to human health which is why we need to crackdown on the dangerous minority that flout the law.

“Tackling the problem at its root will help us to protect our beautiful natural environment, build a more efficient waste industry and support legitimate operations.”

From today waste operators will have their permits suspended if found to be in breach; regulators will also be able to apply to the High Court for an injunction to enforce these suspension notices.

The changes also aim to protect members of the public by allowing regulators to take steps to remove risks of serious pollution and require site operators to display signs explaining that waste cannot be brought onto the site.

Gillian Pratt, Acting Director of Regulated Industry at the Environment Agency, said:

“We welcome the strengthened powers that come into effect today. They will allow us to take faster and even tougher action against waste criminals.

“If an operator breaches their permit we will now be able to act more swiftly than before to bring them back into compliance – or they may face suspension or legal action.”