Other News In Brief

Motorist Dies In Crash

Police in Cardiff are appealing for information after an 18-year-old man died after his car collided with two other vehicles. The man, from the city, was fatally injured in the crash with a van and another car at Stalling Down near Cowbridge. He had been driving a Vauxhall Corsa. Two people in the van suffered minor injuries. They were taken to Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales.

Three In Court Over Armed Robbery

Three people are due to appear in court today in relation to an armed robbery of a post office in north Oxfordshire. It has been alleged a man dressed as a postal worker demanded cash at gunpoint from the post office in Bicester, and fled with the full moneybags. Travis Stone, 24, of Nuthatch Way, Bicester, Tara Holland, 20, and Lee Graham, 22, both of Spindleside, are charged with conspiracy to steal. They will appear for magistrates later. About £68,000 has been recovered. A 22-year-old man has been released without charge.

Galliford Try Awarded £25m Contract

Galliford Try has announced its appointment as preferred bidder for a £25 million contract to provide 178 mixed tenure apartments for One Housing Group in Stratford, East London. The enabling works will commence in early 2009 with completion due early in 2012. The scheme embraces sustainable construction techniques, including the provision of heating by a biomass boiler using renewable fuels. Greg Fitzgerald, Chief Executive, commented: "We are delighted to continue Galliford Try's strong presence in the regeneration of East London, adding to the portfolio of projects carried out in partnership with One Housing Group."

Carrier Bag Reduction Pledge

Environment Minister Jane Kennedy and Britain's leading supermarkets have agreed a 50% cut in the number of carrier bags given out by spring 2009. The Government agreement with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) covers seven of Britain's major supermarket chains. The agreement to reduce the volume of carrier bags provided to customers by 50 per cent against 2006 levels, covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The number of bags saved by spring next year through this agreement would fill 60 Olympic-sized swimming pools, or fill the Royal Albert Hall one and a half times.

UK Restrictions Continue For Bulgarians And Romanians

Bulgarians and Romanians will not get free access to the British labour market, the Government announced today. The decision, which was taken following advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), ensures that the interests of British workers are protected and that those migrant workers who can come here to work are the people we need - and no more. Access to British jobs for Bulgarians and Romanians has been restricted since they joined the European Union in January 2007. This meant that the skilled and highly skilled workers the country needs have been able to come here to work but access to low-skilled jobs has been restricted to the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS) and the Sector Based Scheme (SBS) for food processing.

(JM)