Latest news with #publicconsultation
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Teddington Thames Water treated wastewater scheme plans go on show
A public consultation has begun into a water recycling scheme that would see treated wastewater pumped into the River Thames in south-west London. The Teddington Direct River Abstraction project is designed to provide 75 million litres of water each day for London during droughts. Under the plans, water would be transferred from the river to a reservoir to be added to the drinking water supply. The Thames would then be topped up with treated wastewater pumped in through an underground pipeline from a nearby sewage treatment plan has been criticised due to safety concerns, but Thames Water said the project was "essential to prevent taps from running dry" in future dry spells. The provider said the scheme was based on a "tried and tested" method and that the water would get an additional level of cleaning before it went back into the the coming weeks, Thames Water is to hold a series of local events to exhibit plans for the scheme as part of the consultation firm, which is the UK's largest water supplier, says it is encouraging customers and local communities to view the proposals and have a say on consultation comes weeks after the water company was fined a record £122.7m for breaching rules over sewage spills and shareholder payouts. 'Critical water security challenge' The stretch of the Thames is popular with swimmers, rowers and Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson previously said she was concerned by the plans and believed the scheme could damage the environment and human health. "Lots of people are very worried about the amount of sewage that is already going into the river," she told the BBC.A spokesperson for Thames Water said no untreated sewage would be added to the river under these provider's head of engagement, Leonie Dubois, said the project was necessary, as London faced a "critical water security challenge"."This spring has already broken records as the warmest and sunniest in over a century and has also been extremely dry, increasing the risk of drought."Our London drought resilience project is therefore essential to prevent the taps from running dry during increasingly frequent droughts."The public consultation will remain open until Tuesday 26 August.
Coin Geek
4 days ago
- Business
- Coin Geek
Maldives makes strides in digital ID as Taiwan faces scrutiny
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Legislators in the Maldives are making strides toward enacting a digital ID legislation, with the most recent development being the initiation of a public consultation. Lawmakers are seeking public comments on the draft of the nation's Digital Identity Bill, which is designed to improve residents' identification by establishing the Maldives Digital Identity System (MDIDS). A community reading of the incoming legislation identifies five key objectives, the first of which is the provision of a system that allows residents to identify themselves in both in-person and online transactions. Furthermore, the system will prioritize privacy and data security while maintaining the economic benefits flowing from digital IDs. There are plans by authorities to use MDIDS as the foundation for a digital payment system akin to India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI). The Maldives is also eyeing the possibility of using the digital ID legislation to crack down on illegal migrants flooding the tiny island nation. Ahead of the legislative hurdles, members of the public are urged to submit written comments on the first draft of the bill. The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology (MoHST) will lead the consultation exercise and release all comments to the public. However, the MoHST will recognize requests for confidentiality provided they are justifiable, but a non-confidential version must be attached to the submission. 'The MoHST seeks comments from government stakeholders, the business community, and the general public on the draft Digital Identity Bill,' read the statement. 'All comments should be supported as much as possible by detailed explanations and must identify the sources that the respondent is relying on.' The Maldives is keen on catching up to regional first-movers in digitization and exploring the possibilities of partnerships. Recently, it partnered with Dubai-based MBS Global to build an $8.8 billion blockchain hub in an attempt to diversify its economy from tourism and fishing. The country has also inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Estonia to explore emerging technology use cases for public services. Despite the forward-thinking initiatives, authorities are clamping down hard against illegal operators of digital currency services and other bad actors within their borders. Taiwan's digital ID system under fire Several months following the public launch of Taiwan's national digital ID system, the initiative has attracted significant criticism concerning the security and privacy risks it presents to the public. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko Ju-chun is leading the barrage of criticisms against the digital ID system, arguing that residents face grave risks. Dubbed the Natural Person Certificate system, over eight million digital certificates have been issued, but only around four million are in active use. The lawmaker revealed that bad actors are using the porous security system in the digital ID system for criminal purposes. Up to four times as many flagged bank accounts were opened using Natural Person Certificates over other means of identification, said Ju in a statement. Ju based his argument on the latest data from the Taiwanese Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC). He added that scammers are gaining access to innocent residents' personal details and using the digital ID system to open a wave of bank accounts for criminal activities. Commercial banks are striking back, with up to 17 institutions halting the use of digital IDs for identification purposes. Ju hints that more financial institutions are poised to pause the use of the Natural Person Certificate system, defeating the entire purpose of their creation in the first place. The lawmaker launched a tirade against the government over the handling of the security breaches in the digital ID system. He terms the government's approach as 'absurd,' noting that a public advisory urging individuals to set limits on transfers and asking banks to suspend withdrawals on inactive accounts is 'untrustworthy.' Ju extends his criticism to the Ministry of Digital Affairs, the National Police Agency, and the Ministry of Interior for failing to take decisive action against bad actors. He recommends new security measures to combat the rising tide of bad actors so the government can gain the waning public trust. 'Government agencies should stop promising lots and delivering little, and instead do their jobs, which is to make Taiwan a haven for digital technology developers, not scammers,' said Ju. Despite the criticisms of its digital ID system, Taiwan is marching on to introduce a wave of digital products for its residents. At the top of the list is a national digital wallet to be launched before the end of 2025 that will hold all citizens' personal information. The country is also rushing to plug the holes in its anti-money laundering (AML) rules, aligning itself with international standards. On the regulatory side of things, Taiwan has unveiled new digital asset rules and an artificial intelligence (AI) draft bill designed to improve economic gains. Watch: Digital identity, digital assets enable Web3 title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="">
BBC News
5 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Oxford congestion charge consultation opens
A consultation on plans for a £5 congestion charge in Oxford has opened. Oxfordshire County Council said action was needed due to traffic issues caused by the long-term closure of Botley Road for works. But it has proved a controversial idea since being announced, with thousands signing a petition in opposition. The consultation will run for six weeks. The scheme would launch in the autumn and last no longer than two years if adopted. The charge would apply to car drivers only, and permits would be available for carers, traders, blue badge holders and those commuting to or living in a central area of the county council said it made the proposal because of delays to a planned trial of traffic filters, which cannot be introduced until Botley Road is route is currently shut because of overrunning works at Oxford Station and the railway bridge, which are now not due to finish until August next charging points for the congestion zone would be in the same places as the planned traffic filters:Hythe Bridge StreetSt Cross RoadSt Clement's StreetThames StreetMarston Ferry RoadHollow WayThe consultation will be hosted on the county council's Let's Talk Oxfordshire engagement platform. A series of online information sessions are also planned by the council ahead of a decision being made in September. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
CTV News
20-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
NCC launches public consultations on new Ottawa-Gatineau interprovincial bridge
Corridor 5, also known as the Kettle Island bridge or eastern bridge, is a proposed sixth interprovincial bridge. (National Capital Commission map) The National Capital Commission has launched the first round of public consultations on a proposed new interprovincial bridge in Ottawa's east end. Last December, the federal government committed to building a new bridge over the Ottawa River to connect Ottawa and Gatineau, reviving the controversial proposal for interprovincial travel. The proposed sixth bridge would cross Kettle Island in the Ottawa River, connecting the Aviation Parkway to Montée Paiement in Gatineau. An online survey is now available until July 10, with the NCC inviting people to share their thoughts on the project's 'early planning and design principles.' 'Your input will also inform the initial project description, which will be submitted to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada as part of the federal Impact Assessment process,' the NCC said. According to the NCC, the feedback from residents will play a key role in identifying the project's 'most important benefits from a community perspective,' understanding 'potential impacts on people, places and the environment' and shaping the initial planning and design principles for the bridge. The survey asks participants to rank what topics are most important to you for the eastern bridge project: transportation and connectivity, community impacts and health, the environment and economic opportunities. Participants are also asked about their concerns for the interprovincial bridge project. The NCC says it is envisioned that the new bridge will provide residents with additional access to public and active transportation modes. The new bridge at Kettle Island could be completed between 2032 and 2034. 'The construction of a new bridge is a long and complex process. This project is in the pre-planning phase,' the NCC said on its website. 'A number of studies and assessments remain to be completed. At this time, the NCC has the authorization to further assess potential impacts and define the required functionality at the identified location.'
BBC News
20-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Bromsgrove residents to be consulted on green belt homes plan
People living in a rural part of the West Midlands are to be invited to take part in a consultation on plans to build thousands of new homes in the District Council voted on Thursday evening to send its Draft Development Strategy, which details plans for 9,000 homes by 2043, out to public authority has to increase its housing provision and create the associated infrastructure in order to meet government consultation will open on 30 June and run for 12 weeks. With about 90% of Bromsgrove designated green belt land, the plans have proved a third of the homes would be built in Frankley, another 2,500 in the town of Bromsgrove itself, and more than 1,200 in hundred would also be built in Alvechurch, Barnt Green, Catshill, Hagley and Stoke Prior. "This consultation is to check the long-term strategy is on the right track," said Kit Taylor, the council's cabinet member for planning."As part of our duty to plan for these government-imposed future housebuilding targets, we are ensuring residents have this early and specially extended 12-week chance to say what they think the planning issues are, in an open and transparent way."Opposition councillors on the Conservative-Independent-run authority had suggested residents should have been presented with a range of potential approaches to the building programme."This is the first sketch of what a plan could look like, drafted from the [more than] 400 sites for building suggested by developers," Taylor said."It's the start of a plan to keep our destiny in our own hands and in ways that we would want - not decided by developers and central government officials." Residents will be able to take part in the consultation on the Bromsgrove District Local Plan's website from next council said in-person events across the district would be announced in the near future. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
