Tuesday 21 June 2011

Cathays PACT Meeting

Last night was the Cathays PACT Meeting, PACT meetings (Partnerships And Communities Together) are an opportunity for the Community to have a say on what matters the most in their areas, helping paint an accurate picture of what is happening locally.





To find the next meeting please visit here

At this meeting cardiffdigs updated on the following:

Thank you to the PACT chair for attending the sustainability conference on behalf of the community and participating in one of the workshops you can read about the conference here

This year’s ‘You’re In. Now What?’ posters are being printed as we speak – so I will have copies ready to distribute – they obviously reflect the September waste changes so are for display in preparation for the start of term – if people are interested in me posting any posters to them then please just e-mail me (cardiffdigs @ gmail.com) with an address and quantities to find out about the poster read here
I am pleased to say I have somewhere in the region of 3,000 pre orders of the posters from letting agents and landlords – I am very pleased with the response but if there are still letting agents and landlords that haven’t requested copies then please get in touch

Issues 6 of Unity news is now live here, we have a new reader on the website to make it easier to use

We have a subscription service on the homepage so if anyone would like to keep updated on news, issues and campaigns then please subscribe to our enews letter at http://www.cardiffdigs.co.uk/ - we are also on twitter @cardiffdigs

I am really enthused by a environmental champions scheme that I alongside waste management and the SVC are setting up in preparation for the start of term – we have recruited two coordinators and have a stand at the SVC (Student Volunteering Cardiff October 3rd) fair to recruit volunteers – the champions will look at waste and recycling education and awareness alongside other sustainable issues. To kick things off we will be organising:

Three waste/recycling door to door education awareness will take place on the Tuesday’s before collection day – 4th, 11th, 18th October

Each week will target a different theme – and suggestions have included:

4th general waste collection awareness

11th – general collections and tidy text

18th general collections and food waste

I would like to invite members of the community to come help us on these evenings and consider becoming an environmental champion for their street again please contact me if you are interested

The community gave some great feedback on the first of three Get It Out For Cardiff collections that took place last Saturday and even spotted the milk float around the streets the week before – for more details on Get It Out which runs for two more Saturdays and our charity success with the milk float see below

http://cardiffdigs.blogspot.com/2011/06/opinion-how-were-dealing-with-student.html

http://cardiffdigs.blogspot.com/2011/06/milk-floating-success.html

Thursday 16 June 2011

First city wide cycle festival

A city wide cycle festival starts in two days, as part of Cardiff’s Sustainable Travel City project, Cardiff Council is launching a cycle festival which will run in Bike Week from June 18 until June 26. The festival will include over 30 events at different location across the city.




Events include Re:Fash a unique fashion show featuring urban cycle wear and Gwdihw Cycle Festival a mix of live music and cycle entertainment , Dr Bike sessions will be held for people to learn how to spot problems with their bikes and how to fix them. The festival also features Papergirl Cardiff, which will hand out original artwork, sourced from recent workshops and exhibitions in Cardiff, to the public by cyclists on the move.

Along with the more unusual activities, a variety of riding events has been planned, from rides taking in the peace of the Taff Trail to fast paced BMX pump tracks and a charity ride which takes a loop from Whitchurch to Cardiff Bay and back.

The festival is being organised by Cardiff Council working with community organisations and local companies including, The Gate, ARKlab, Cycle Training Wales, Pedal Power , Hungry Planet, Buffalo Bar, Gwdihw Cafe & Bar, Welsh Cycling, Maindy Flyers, Cardiff Ajax Cycling Club , Ely Wheelies, and Cardiff Cycle Tours.

Further details of what’s on during the festival can be found on the dedicated Cardiff Cycle Festival website www.kcmevents.co.uk/festival

Any students interested in knowing how to make a ‘cardifference’ – don’t bring a car to Cardiff and sustainable travel options including cycling should visit:

http://www.cardiffdigs.co.uk/cardifference.htm

Wednesday 15 June 2011

Unity news issue 6


Unity news issue 6 now released
 Issue 6 is now online at http://www.cardiffdigs.co.uk/unity.htm

UNITY news is your opportunity to find out about how the universities and student unions of Cardiff engage the community.

We have installed a shiny new reader which should make it easier to read; click over the issue to view in full screen and flick through the pages.

We have also launched a new enews subscription service so that you can keep updated on news, issues and campaigns.

Sign up to receive enews on the link right off the homepage:

http://www.cardiffdigs.co.uk/

Don’t panic we will only send these out when we have a new unity news to promote or a very pressing issue and won’t be forever spamming you.

Also you can now follow us on twitter @cardiffdigs so there is no excuse not to be in the know when it comes to student issues and partnership working

Tuesday 14 June 2011

Opinion: How we’re dealing with student waste in Cardiff

Thank you @yourcardiff and @ed_walker86 for the yourcardiff opinion post on how we’re dealing with student waste issues and empowering the community. You can read the full post here





Waste issues are high on everyone’s agenda and I was disheartened to read of the recent resident anger around waste. In this post I don’t want to go into the in and out’s of the collections, I believe the new waste strategy and proposals will go a long way to assisting all residents not just students with reducing their waste and recycling more, but I would like to highlight some of the things partnership working and cardiffdigs.co.uk has been undertaking for the end of term and in preparation for the new academic year and how people in Cardiff can help.


Get it Out for Cardiff, now in its seventh year, is the Keep Cardiff Tidy, Cardiff Council initiative in association with Cardiff University, UWIC and Glamorgan University and Unions which helps Students to clear out their rubbish at the end of the academic year. The aim is to re-use and recycle as much of it as possible

The 2010 campaign saw 225 tonnes of waste and unwanted items collected, with over 62 tonnes recycled and over six tonnes re-used by students donating them in charity collections.

Residents of Cathays, Roath and Gabalfa will have extra rubbish and recycling collections on three Saturdays in June and July:

-Sat 18th June

-Sat 25th June

-Sat 2nd July

This scheme is open to all residents and we are putting a real focus on items that can be re-used by charities, there are ‘Green Zone’ collection points in Cardiff University, UWIC, Liberty Living and Victoria Hall student halls. Green Zones situated in the main reception area of Cardiff Students Union, in UWIC and the Atrium

Keep an eye out for the Raise and Give (RAG) Milk Float - they're coming to Cathays and Roath over the weekend of 11th & 12th June to collect your items

You can read about the success of the milk float here


Here's a list of the items we are collecting for re-use this year

-British Heart Foundation: Small electrical items such as kettles, toasters, printers, mobile phones, irons etc

-Fareshare: In date, un-opened foods (not fresh) eg. tins, packets etc

-Barnardos: Clothes, belts, shoes and bags. No duvets though please.

-Cardiff Council/ Media Bank: Books including textbooks, DVDs, CDs and tapes

-Kitchen bric-a-brac such as utensils and cutlery is being collected for (Raise And Give) (RAG) for resale at the Union this September.




Any items stored over the summer are being kept at Cardiff Self Storage who have kindly supported GIOFC 2011 by supplying a storage container.

We all appreciate that students are a transitory population and each year we must make sure that we educate at the start of each academic year. We have various ways of getting out the message, we attend freshers fayres, use innovative media like podcasts and videos, work closely with the universities and unions on communications through mailing lists, what’s on guides, social media and websites, and use Unity news as your opportunity to find out about how the universities and student unions of Cardiff engage the community. The latest issue and past issues are now live at http://cardiffdigs.co.uk/unity.htm

But we have also been concentrating on:

Environmental champions scheme In preparation for the start of the academic year Waste management, cardiffdigs.co.uk, Cardiff Students Union and Student Volunteering Cardiff (SVC) are coming together to recruit volunteers to look at sustainability issues. We will be working with two coordinators and volunteers who will adopt a street or area to help raise the education and awareness of waste responsibilities as well as broader sustainability issues.

Tidy Text – this is an amazing and innovative initiative. A free text reminds you when recycling/waste collected; text ‘Tidy' with house number and postcode to 60066 for your FREE reminder of waste and recycling collection days. Waste management and the Keep Cardiff Tidy group are looking into ways of sharing data on students so that they are automatically signed up for the service.




Cardiff’s student plan for the future

Thinking globally but acting locally was the key message at an event to revise our Cardiff Student Community Plan. Professor Ken Peattie from Cardiff University’s Sustainable Places Research Institute addressed delegates at the Sustainability and the Environment – Student Community Action Plan event to revise the Plan, outlining how thinking globally can help have an impact locally.

Partnership And Communities Together (PACT) chairs from student wards were among 45 delegates and partners who gave valuable feedback and ideas at the workshops; Green Travel (including travel and wellbeing), Recycling and Waste Management and Housing and Energy Efficiency

The Plan has been developed in partnership with Cardiff, UWIC, and Glamorgan universities and Cardiff Council to address a wide range of local issues. It contains a number of key actions that will seek to address the needs of Cardiff’s student population and its impact on the local community.

Commenting on the plan, Councillor Judith Woodman, Cardiff Council Deputy Leader for Communities said: “I would like to thank all those who have been involved in developing this important action plan. The document will play a critical role in sustaining partnership working between the Council, local universities and our stakeholders in order to both maintain Cardiff’s success as a university city and to improve the quality of life of students and residents alike.”

And finally I would like to appeal for your help through the 'You're In, Now What' poster



You're In. Now What?


Last year we created the free poster 'You're in. Now what?' to support students in the private rented sector.

It provides advice and assistance on the four main issues that concern students: Neighbour relations including noise and parking, waste and recycling responsibilities, security advice and health and safety.

This facilitates an easier, safer, greener transition for students into the private rented sector and into the community with heightened awareness of social responsibilities.

I am currently updating this poster and intend a larger print run which would enable me to again offer free copies of the poster. We are working to empower the community so I am able to offer the poster out to members of the community to display and distribute to their new student neighbours to help them during the start of term; an often difficult and contentious time.

I will be presenting the poster for distribution around PACT meetings and other community channels. I have also been writing to my contacts through letting agents and landlords and am pleased to say that all letting agents who are an accredited ALMA agent have taken up this opportunity along with many others and Douglas Haig and the Landlords Forum are again very supportive.

My appeal is to any landlord, letting agents and community members to get in touch (cardiffdigs@gmail.com) if they are interested in receiving this information which may assist their neighbours, company, clients and tenants. I will send posters to them to distribute and display throughout their properties, give them out during property inspections, distribute at key exchange or, give to new student neighbours. Please contact me with the number of copies that you require and a delivery address.

Come September, the start of term is often the first time many students move out of halls or home and take on such a wide range of responsibilities – it can be very daunting.

Everyone can help with this transition and get the message of community out to those who need help and education. We encourage students to introduce themselves to their neighbours, and to respect the fact that not everyone works to a student calendar. I would appeal to the community that the warmer the welcome, the greater the ownership and respect we will secure from the newcomers. So if you can offer this information poster to your new neighbours, introduce yourself and make them feel a welcome part of the community we can hopefully contribute to a more sustainable community with heightened social awareness.

'You're in. Now what?' is produced and supported in association with http://www.cardiffdigs.co.uk/ a one stop website for student housing and living needs containing useful information and practical tips about living and studying in Cardiff.

If you would like to receive copies of the poster in preparation for September then please get in contact.

Kieran McCann is Cardiff council's student liaison officer and works in partnership with Cardiff, UWIC and Glamorgan universities. Email him cardiffdigs@gmail.com

Monday 13 June 2011

A Milk floating success

Over the weekend volunteers from Raise and Give (RAG), the students union and cardiffdigs were out and about in Cathays and Roath collecting charity donations and door knocking the area reminding everyone about Get It Out For Cardiff starting this coming Saturday http://www.cardiffdigs.co.uk/getitout.htm

Volunteers armed with wheelbarrows and the trusty milk float were collecting donations from residents and reminding everyone to donate unwanted goods to the ‘Green Zone’ at the Student unions and halls of residences at the end of term.

Milk Float collections
Here's a list of the items we are collecting for re-use this year

-British Heart Foundation: Small electrical items such as kettles, toasters, printers, mobile phones, irons etc

-Fareshare: In date, un-opened foods (not fresh) eg. tins, packets etc

-Barnardos: Clothes, belts, shoes and bags. No duvets though please.

-Media Bank: Books including textbooks, DVDs, CDs and tapes

-Kitchen bric-a-brac such as utensils and cutlery is being collected for Raise And Give (RAG) for resale at the Union this September.

To save lugging these items home with you why not give them to us and we will donate them to charity on your behalf. If you have any items that can be re-used by charities, there are Green Zone collection points in Cardiff University, UWIC, Liberty Living and Victoria Hall student halls or in the Green Zone in the main reception area of Cardiff Students Union. The Green Zones are open everyday for the next few months.


Grace - one of our RAG volunteers with some of the donated items

Kieran McCann, Student Liaison Officer said:


‘Although we got some strange looks walking the streets armed with wheelbarrows and being followed by a milk float everyone was very receptive to us. We are very grateful to those that donated items on the day and our thanks to all those who promised to take their unwanted items to the green zone when they have a clear out. My personal thanks to Darryl Light and Raise and Give volunteers for all their help and enthusiasm on the day’



Get It Out for Cardiff, is now in its seventh year, helping students to clear out their rubbish at the end of the academic year. The aim is to re-use and recycle as much of it as possible.

So if you are a resident of Cathays, Roath and Gabalfa you will have extra rubbish and recycling collections on three Saturdays in June and July:

-Sat 18th June

-Sat 25th June

-Sat 2nd July

For a comprehensive list of items that can be recycled in your green bag collections see www.cardiff.gov.uk/recycling

Any items stored over the summer are being kept at Cardiff Self Storage who have kindly supported GIOFC 2011 by supplying a storage container.

Fire hazard landlords sentanced

A Cardiff landlord with a series of housing regulation breaches and unpaid council taxes to his name has been fined £7000 this week at Cardiff Crown Court for three offences of failure to licence and one of failure to comply with licensing conditions.

Licensing of larger houses in Multiple occupation became law in June 2006 and is intended to protect the tenants of these higher risk properties from unsuitable landlords.

You can read all about what additional licensing means for students here:

http://www.cardiffdigs.co.uk/licensing.htm

And full details on the council’s webpage here




Mohammed Zafar Malik is a professional landlord with a portfolio of about 27 properties in the City and was aware of the requirements to licence such properties as early as November 2006, By July 2009 he had licensed 6 properties, but in November 2009, inspections identified 3 properties owned by Mr. Malik which were licensable, but for which no application to licence had been made.

In addition, in another property which Mr. Malik had licensed on Treherbert Street, he had failed to comply with the licence conditions in respect of the fire precautions in that the fire alarm was faulty and there was no fire door between the lounge/kitchen and the hallway. This was a 3 storey property with 8 tenants.

Mr. Malik pleaded guilty to all the charges. Following this plea, the Council asked the Magistrates to refer the matter to the Crown Court for sentencing and for consideration of a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation (POCA) which was granted. At the subsequent POCA hearing, it was agreed that Mr Malik would pay £6000.

At this week’s sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court, Mr. Malik was fined £4,000 for failure to comply with the licence conditions at 20 Treherbert Street and £1,000 for each of the offences of failure to obtain a licence. He was ordered to pay the Council’s costs of £200. His Honour Judge Llewellyn-Jones QC also confirmed the confiscation order. Mr. Malik was instructed that failure to pay the fines within 6 months would attract a prison sentence of 6 months. In addition, failure to pay the confiscation order within 6 months would lead to a consecutive prison sentence of a further 6 months.

Mr. Malik has previously been prosecuted by the Council for failure to comply with an Improvement Notice under Section 11, Housing Act 2004 relating to provision of fire precautions for which he was fined £4,000, and has also been prosecuted under planning legislation.

Mr. Malik is known to owe the Council around £80,000 in unpaid Council Tax and a further sum in unpaid Building Control fees. During the licensing of Mr. Malik’s properties, inspections have confirmed that he has frequently carried out extensions and conversions either without planning approval or not in accordance with the planning permission given. In addition, works have been

carried out without consultation or inspection by Building Control officers. In some cases these have lead to property layouts which present a significant risk to the tenants. In one case, it became necessary to serve a Prohibition Order under Section 20, Housing Act 2004 in respect of one room in a house as there was no safe means of escape from fire.

As a result of the above matters, the Council will now have to consider whether Mr. Malik can continue to be considered, under Section 66, Housing Act 2004, a fit & proper person to hold licences.

Executive Member for Communities, Housing and Social Justice, Deputy Leader, Cllr Judith Woodman said, “I am pleased that the court has acknowledged the seriousness of Mr Malik’s offences and punished him accordingly. The message has to go out that landlords have a duty of care to their tenants and must comply with licensing requirements for their safety. Where we find these requirements breached, action will be taken by our committed Private Housing Sector enforcement team and could lead to prosecution.”

Wednesday 8 June 2011

My milk float brings all the re-usable items to the yard…

Keep an eye out for the cardiffdigs.co.uk, Cardiff Student Union and Raise and Give (RAG) Milk Float - they're coming to Cathays and Roath this weekend (11th & 12th June) to collect your charity items.

With our trusty milk float and wheelbarrows we are collecting clothes, books, DVD’s, CDs, small electrical items, kitchen utensils and cutlery and un-opened food (not fresh) so have them ready for us when we come down your street. We will also door knock houses to encourage the use of the Green Zones around the city and to promote the extra rubbish and recycling collection dates; Saturday 18th, 25th June, 2nd July.

Any community volunteers; students or non-students who would like to come door knocking with us and on the collection run are more than welcome please just e-mail me


Green Zones located around all student halls and unions
Get it Out for Cardiff, now in its seventh year, is the Keep Cardiff Tidy, Cardiff Council initiative in association with Cardiff University, UWIC and Glamorgan University and Unions which helps Students to clear out their rubbish at the end of the academic year. The aim is to re-use and recycle as much of it as possible.

This scheme is open to all residents and we are putting a real focus on items that can be re-used by charities, there are ‘Green Zone’ collection points in Cardiff University, UWIC, Liberty Living and Victoria Hall student halls. Green Zones situated in the main reception area of Cardiff Students Union, in UWIC and the Atrium

Here's a list of the items we are collecting for re-use this year

-British Heart Foundation: Small electrical items such as kettles, toasters, printers, mobile phones, irons etc

-Fareshare: In date, un-opened foods (not fresh) eg. tins, packets etc

-Barnardos: Clothes, belts, shoes and bags. No duvets though please.

-Cardiff Council/ Media Bank: Books including textbooks, DVDs, CDs and tapes

-Kitchen bric-a-brac such as utensils and cutlery is being collected for (Raise And Give) (RAG) for resale at the Union this September.

Any items stored over the summer are being kept at Cardiff Self Storage who have kindly supported GIOFC 2011 by supplying a storage container.


Look out for our Get it Out QR code around the Green ZOnes for more information on the scheme

Tuesday 7 June 2011

Gearing up for Get it Out

GET IT OUT FOR CARDIFF 2011





Get It Out for Cardiff, is now in its seventh year, helping students to clear out their rubbish at the end of the academic year. The aim is to re-use and recycle as much of it as possible

So if you are a resident of Cathays, Roath and Gabalfa you will have extra rubbish and recycling collections on three Saturdays in June and July:

-Sat 18th June
-Sat 25th June
-Sat 2nd July

For a comprehensive list of items that can be recycled in your green bag collections see www.cardiff.gov.uk/recycling

CHARITY GREEN ZONES

If you have any items that can be re-used by charities, there are collection points in Cardiff University, UWIC, Liberty Living and Victoria Hall student halls.

If you don't live in halls, please bring them to the Green Zone in the main reception area of Cardiff Students Union or keep an eye out for the Raise and Give (RAG) Milk Float - they're coming to Cathays and Roath over the weekend of 11th & 12th June to collect your items!

Here's a list of the items we are collecting for re-use this year

-British Heart Foundation: Small electrical items such as kettles, toasters, printers, mobile phones, irons etc

-Fareshare: In date, un-opened foods (not fresh) eg. tins, packets etc

-Barnardos: Clothes, belts, shoes and bags. No duvets though please.

-Media Bank: Books including textbooks, DVDs, CDs and tapes

-Kitchen bric-a-brac such as utensils and cutlery is being collected for Raise And Give (RAG) for resale at the Union this September.

Any items stored over the summer are being kept at Cardiff Self Storage who have kindly supported GIOFC 2011 by supplying a storage container.

Look out for the Green Zones across the halls and unions to donate your unwanted items