Publications

Learning from the 2012 legacy

As part of our on-going research work for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, JLGC staff (including from Tokyo Metropolitan Government) visited Thames Water’s non-potable water recycling plant at Old Ford, East London in May. As well as inspecting the facility, set up as part of the Olympic Delivery Authority’s ‘Sustainable Water Strategy’ (which had a target to reduce potable water use by 40% but managed 58%), staff were able to tour Thames Water’s critical infrastructure in and around the Olympic Park.

We are grateful to all the Thames Water staff involved for their considerable time and expertise.

European Election Experience – JLGC joins the European Parliament vote count in Kettering

JLGC was kindly invited by Japan Study Tour participant David Cook, Chief Executive of Kettering Borough Council, to observe the vote counting process for the European Parliament election on Sunday 22 May. We were given a tour of the facilities and the count supervisors explained the rules and regulations and the counting system. We were each paired with a supervisor and allowed to help with the distribution and collection of votes from our own counting teams, as the candidates watched on. We were impressed by the speed and efficiency with which the count progressed.

As well as counting votes from the borough, Kettering acted as a regional hub, collating votes from across the East Midlands constituency. We were given access to the media centre where results from all boroughs were received and observed the preparations for the live broadcast of the official announcement later in the evening.

JLGC would like to thank David Cook, the vote count supervisors, and all at Kettering Borough Council who welcomed us on the day, for what was a one off experience and a great opportunity to learn about the election system in England.

Toyota City at Derbyshire Food and Drink Fair

From 17-18 May, specialist goods from Toyota City were promoted by a group of staff as well as volunteers from the city in Aichi Prefecture at the Derbyshire County Food and Drink Festival.

Also taking part in the event were two newly arrived staff from JLGC, who were also able to get some on site experience in how the local authority organised the event.

Toyota City in Aichi Prefecture, home city and headquarters of the car manufacturer Toyota Motor Corporation, also has a great number of associated industries there. Further, it is also a city rich in green forests and blessed with great agricultural produce such as peaches, pears and tea.

Derbyshire County Council, South Derbyshire District Council and Derby City Council have all been involved in various exchanges since the signing of Sister City Agreement in the advent of Toyota establishing a subsidiary in the area in 1998. From last year Toyota City Council has been taking part in the fair annually. This year, as part of a new initiative, sales were conducted of food products and confectionery using local Toyota City agricultural produce, as well as tastings of special products using tea leaves, a speciality of Toyota City, such as pasta sauces.

Some of the remarks about the pasta sauce included comments such as “the scent of the tea leaves is really good” and “moreish”, and it was very popular. This year’s tastings of saké was as popular as last year with the same queues. There were many customers wanting to buy liqueurs and saké, cakes made with soy bean and miso and so on who said they were “delicious”. However, after trying the pickles, it became apparent these were an acquired taste. In Japan pickles are often eaten with rice, so in the UK maybe the question is how and what it should be eaten with. The question for many of these foods from Japan for producers wanting to export to new markets is matching them with the food and cooking habits habits of ordinary British people. This was a really good opportunity for Japanese local government staff who took part to get experience of what to consider when introducing Japanese foods and products overseas, a role Japanese local authorities are very much involved in. Through this two day exhibition Toyota City was able to promote its “delicious” appeal and not its image as being the ‘automobile city’