Simon Collyer
Rushing to a Job Interview Think Again?
Speeding fines have been increased massively and these have just come into force.
The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and 3 penalty points added to your licence. You could be disqualified from driving if you build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of 3 years.
By law, the vehicle’s registered keeper must be sent a notice of intended prosecution within 14 days of the alleged speeding offence.
If you’re still within 2 years of passing your driving test, your driving licence will be revoked (withdrawn) if you build up 6 or more penalty points.
The average speeding fine in 2015 was £188 with over 150,000 falling prey to speed cameras. Fines have risen by 50% and the average fine could be increased to £282, although the average fine of £100 could reduce that.
You can get 6 penalty points and a £200 fine if you use a hand-held phone. You can also be taken to court where you can:
- be banned from driving or riding
- get a maximum fine of £1,000 (£2,500 if you’re driving a lorry or bus)
- If you passed your driving test in the last 2 years, you’ll lose your licence.
It’s illegal to use your phone while driving or riding a motorcycle unless you have hands-free access, such as:
- a bluetooth headset
- voice command
- a dashboard holder
The law still applies to you if you’re:
- stopped at traffic lights
- queuing in traffic
- supervising a learner driver
- Hands-free
If you use your phone hands-free, you must stay in full control of your vehicle at all times.
The police can stop you if they think you’re not in control because you’re distracted and you can be prosecuted.
When you can use a hand-held phone
You can use a hand-held phone if either of these apply:
- you’re safely parked
- you need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it’s unsafe or impractical to stop
SNP Criticism of Hidden Disability Cuts
The Scottish National Party has said the UK government should be “ashamed” after Disability Rights UK raised concerns about three “hidden” social security cuts to disabled people that have not been subject to a specific government announcement, a statement of policy intent, impact assessment or prior consultation before being introduced.
The devastating cut of £30 a week to Employment Support Allowance for claimant’s placed in the work related activity group (ESA Wrag) also includes a 55% cut in the rate of ESA for disabled people under the age of 25.
The lower disabled child addition for universal credit will also remain frozen - at £126.11 - despite the amounts for both the higher disabled child element of universal credit and child tax credit for disabled and severely disabled children all increasing.
And full time students who receive disability living allowance or personal independence payments are now not treated as having limited capability for work so are therefore not entitled to universal credit until they have been assessment so face long delays without support.
Image: Neil Gray MP
Neil Gray MP, the SNP’s Fair Work and Employment spokesperson, who has led parliamentary opposition to the cuts to ESA, said:
“Sneaking out these cuts when disabled people and those on low to middle incomes are already facing a barrage of cuts from the Tories at Westminster is disgraceful. In a week when the abhorrent rape clause was introduced, the Tories have now sunk to a new low.
“The UK government is well aware of the staunch opposition to the devastating £30 a week cut to ESA and though they have completely ignored concerns from MPs, Lords and third sector organisations representing disabled people there has at least been the opportunity for debate.
“These cuts fly in the face of the Tory party’s manifesto commitment to help more disabled people into the workplace and creating more barriers to work and study for young people is inexcusable.
“Damian Green must immediately halt these cuts and allow these measures to be fully scrutinised.”
Images: Damian Green Work and Pensions Secretary
Easter Bank Holiday Benefits Payments
Benefits are usually paid straight into your bank, building society or credit union account.
If your payment is due on a bank holiday, you’ll be paid on the last working day before the holiday.
IPPR Explains Incapacity Benefits Cuts
As the rate of Employment and Support Allowance for many claimants falls by £30 per week, IPPR Senior Research Fellow Joe Dromey writes on how slashing the benefit is the wrong approach to reducing the incapacity benefits bill.
The Wefare Cap Discussed
The welfare cap is a limit on the amount that government can spend on certain social security benefits and tax credits. The cap aims to better control spending in an area that can be difficult for government to control.
The cap included 56% of total welfare spending in 2015/16. It excludes pensions and Jobseekers’ Allowance, but includes tax credits, child benefit and disability benefit.
The cap was first introduced in Budget 2014 and the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) – the UK’s fiscal watchdog – first reported on whether the cap had been met or exceeded alongside Autumn Statement 2014. The operation of welfare cap is laid out in the Charter for Budget Responsibility – the document that sets out the Government’s policy and targets for the public finances.
The Government revised its approach to the welfare cap in Autumn Statement 2016. The new approach, agreed by a vote in the House of Commons, means that spending on welfare must be within the cap and a 3% margin in 2021/22. The cap will only be formally assessed at the first Budget or first fiscal update of each new Parliament. The previous approach saw the OBR make a formal assessment at each Autumn Statement, and the cap applied for each year of the OBR’s forecast.
At Autumn Statement 2015 and Autumn Statement 2016 the OBR judged that the previous version of the welfare cap was being breached. A member of the Government had to come to the House of Commons on each occasion to explain why the breach of the cap was justified.
Letting Agents Consultation Process Starts
The government has finally unveiled its formal consultation process on proposal to ban letting agents levying fees on tenants in England. Commenting, Baroness Olly Grender, who was instrumental in forcing the government to do this consultation said:
“Too many renters are being ripped off by unfair letting fees and left behind by our broken housing market. A total ban on all tenant fees must be brought in as soon as possible, including renewal and exit fees, to avoid agents getting around the ban by the back door.
“The only fair system is where landlords pay the fee, to stop agents double-charging.
“The Government must not bow to pressure from letting agents who are lobbying hard to protect their profits. They have had time to improve voluntarily but they have failed to act. Unscrupulous letting agents must clean up or close down.”
Herts Young Homeless Launches New Scheme
Herts Young Homeless is an independent charity that has been supporting vulnerable people in Hertfordshire for over 15 years. We have offices throughout Hertfordshire with over 50 staff and many more volunteers.
In Hertfordshire, the charity has just launched its 18+ night stop scheme, which gives young people a bed for between one and five nights.
The charity's 18+ helpline has also been operating for a few months, providing housing advice to rough sleepers and anyone who is concerned about their situation.
Ms Martins said: "The hosts are volunteers, obviously, they are fully checked out, but it's to help to prevent young people who have nowhere to go to at least have a place to stay in the short term."
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US Job Creation Slows
The US unemployment rate fell in March to 4.5 per cent, its lowest level in nearly 10 years, but job creation tumbled unexpectedly, underscoring the challenges President Donald Trump faces to fulfill his 25-million-job pledge.
After months of pumping out new jobs at a steady clip, the world's largest economy added only 98,000 net new positions last month, the Labor Department reported today -- a figure far below analyst expectations.
Central bank policymakers have been split over the amount of slack in labor markets and the dangers of inflation.
Advertising Standards Authority Praise Misplaced Says The ABC
The ABC has dismissed the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) report by Dame Janet Paraskeva which praises the ASA performance against their Commitment to Good Regulation.
Companies are advertising jobs, the terms of which are unlawful with impunity. Some of the job advertisements are carried by the DWP’s Universal Jobsmatch website.
The DWP’s contactors that run the website are evidently prepared to ignore this, despite many job advertisement terms clearly breaking the law. We have contacted the Advertising Standards Authority several times for clarification and no one answers the telephone? The service is poor to say the least.
Civil Servant and Cabinet Insider Dame Janet Paraskeva praise is given too lavishly we feel. Rich peoples tax cuts and their subsidization by the working poor are leaving many organisations failing the public.
Dame Paraskeva efforts to convince us everything is going really well falls on deaf ears here at the ABC.
Image: Dame Janet Paraskeva
£70,000 Fine For the Tory Party by the Electoral Commission
SNP MP and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Pete Wishart has written to Theresa May concerning the record £70,000 fine imposed on the Tory party by the Electoral Commission and has asked – once again - for ‘total clarity about the whole sorry tale’.
The fine was imposed by the Commission because of the Tory party’s conduct during the 2015 general election campaign and Pete Wishart has raised the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions but Theresa May refused to answer – suggesting it was a ‘party’ matter.
Pete Wishart has now written to Mrs May – in her capacity as Leader of the Conservative party – in the hope she might deal with some of the issues raised by the fine.
Up to a dozen police forces are now investigating – which could result in reports being sent to the Crown Prosecution Service and the Electoral Commission has passed on its concerns to the metropolitan police.
Wishart was for 15 years a member of the Scottish group Runrig, and was the first MP to have appeared on the TV show Top of the Pops. Before Runrig, he had been in one of the lineups of Big Country.
Note: The ABC are Electorial Commission partners promoting registering to vote.
Image: Pete Wishart MP SNP Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Executives
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Simon Collyer
Position: Founder & Director
Simon Collyer hails from Brightlingsea in Essex, a small town on the coast between Colchester & Clacton. Simon worked very successfully in the leisure marine industry in the UK and in Australia. Later in London Simon worked in the web development and publishing fields, founding a below-the-line sales promotion agency in the early nineties and then later a software company Red Banner in South Africa (2002-06). Here in South Africa, Simon became interested in the Third Sector and starting his own organisation.
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Christopher Johnson
Position: Bookkeeping and Administration
Chris lived in Oxford for twenty years, having been educated at Magdalen College School. Chris sought a career with British Rail and spent twenty years in railway retail management ending with Virgin Trains at Euston Station. Christopher retrained in bookkeeping and accounts in 2000 and now works for Chelmsford Community Transport.
A strong, enthusiastic team player with a meticulous eye for detail, Christopher brings a range of skills to the ABC.
Team
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Frances Rimmer
Position: Researcher
When not charming snakes Frances is a Modern History student at the University of Essex, focusing specifically on social history. The lives and experiences of the ordinary person rather than on politics or the military. Outside of her studies, Frances enjoys film and writing. As a keen roller skater who plays roller derby with the Kent Roller Girls, Frances secret wish would be to become a skating instructor and open her own rink, as she has always wanted to help people in some way, and feels it would be great to do so while also sharing her passion with like-minded people.
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Stuart Meyers
Position: Researcher
Stuart Meyer, is a final year American Studies student at the University of Essex. Stuart focussed his academic life on global justice and the rights of migrants. Additionally Stuart has a passion for writing, both creatively and with the aim of providing accessible information to those who need it most Stuart has made a great contribution to our library of Advice Guides demonstrating his versatility by writing intelligently on a wide range of topics.
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Louis Jones
Position: Film Maker
Louis is a 19 year old TV and film student studying at Colchester Institute. Along with hand-picked fellow students, Louis made the ‘Membership’ video that can be seen on the ABC website. Louis volunteers at, Hospital Radio Colchester, as a football commentator. A true fan of the ‘Great Game’ Louis insights have been sought after on occasions by key local media, the Colchester Daily Gazette & even BBC Essex.
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Marcus Pierpont
Position: Film Director
Talented student film maker, Marcus Pierpoint, directed the ABC 'Membership' film which can be seen on the organizations website. Marcus has recently graduated from a BTEC course, studying Creative Media Production at Colchester Institute and he claims a true passion for films and filmmaking. Marcus also enjoys radio work and volunteers at the local hospital radio station, producing and presenting his own show. Marcus is enrolled at the University of Greenwich, and dreams of a career in the media industry.
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Shane Mitchell
Position: Film Maker
Shane Mitchell, is another Colchester Institute Film and TV student that aspirers to be a Director of Photography in the future. Shane was the camera operator for the ABC Membership video, fun to make says Shane but it is also work he is very proud of. Shane loves all things ‘film’ and he makes videos even in his spare time.
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Joe Corlett
Position: Film Director
Ex-student script writer/director, Joe Corlett, directed the ABC's corporate video (About Us) which is now viewable on the main website. Joe graduated from the Colchester Institute with a BTEC diploma in the field of media. Joe is passionate towards film making and hopes to continue making more that are constructed form his own material. On the side he's loves being out jogging in all terrains and when not out side he's writing scripts for future projects. Joe is now out in the world ready to start his life goal of working in the Media industry.
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Jon Taylor
Position: Film Maker
Jonathan Taylor has been working in the media sector for 3 years and for our filming projects he worked as the production manager. John worked on graphical elements of our film, About Us for example, rendering images and making them look good on screen.
Jon is also experienced in animation and he made the logo and animation sequences in the ABC corporate videos.
Part of Jon’s brief was to also organise the administration side of filming, known collectively to admin experts the world over as ‘the paperwork’.
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Thomas Hearn
Position: Film Maker
Thomas Hearn, has been involved in media, for about three years. Tom likes to work a lot at a computer, particularly the editing suite. For the ABC project, Tom worked on the edit itself; created and pieced together both the footage and the music, Tom created the visual elements of the ABC ‘About Us’ video and put most of the visual effects on the video.
I think we can agree that along with the rest of our youthful student team; Tom has done a very fine job indeed.
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Max Gillard
Position: Film Maker
The last of our film team Max Gillard has recently finished college studying Creative Media Level 3 and Max hopes to continue the course on to University to someday gain a job in the media industry.
We wish Max the best of luck.
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Harry
Position: Film Maker
My name is Harry Genge and I am an aspiring film maker. I have skills in the majority of film orientated jobs, though I am most interested in the creative roles such: Directing, Director of Photography and Writing. In my spare time I make short films, write, read, draw/paint and take the dog out for long walks.
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Ned
Position: Producers
My name is Ned Woodcraft and I’m an aspiring Producer. As well as completing a diploma in media production I have also had a number of jobs in the professional market. I’m also a keen sailor and water sport enthusiast.
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Brandon
Position: Producer
My name is Brandon and I’m an aspiring producer and actor. I enjoy bringing a production together with planning and preparations to create a great finished product. My hobbies also include street magic and bass playing.
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Callum
Position: Writer and Director
My name is Callum Olive and I’m an aspiring writer and director. I’m always looking for a new project and love writing new stories and screenplays at home and on the move. My hobbies include playing the piano and street magic.
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Joanie DeMuro
Joanie joined ABC team in early 2017. She was one of six student volunteers from the University of Essex in that cohort. The student team focused on a range of projects, including creation of Wikipedia page,‘training manual’ and most importantly, researching and adding entries to the website directory of organisations that assist the unwaged, or those on low incomes. “This placement was very helpful - thanks for the opportunity Simon.”
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Cherry Lam
Cherry Lam has been volunteering for ABC for one month. Although it is a short period of time, she knows a lot more about the running of a charity organisation. Cherry is responsible for adding directories to the organisation website according to categories. Joining this placement helped her improving skills and gaining new experiences. Cherry says is extremely appreciative of the support she has received from ABC which allowed her to improve skills.
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