LIVCOM

That this House congratulates Gateshead on winning first place and a Gold Award at the finals of Livcom; notes that Livcom is endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme and is the world's only awards competition focusing on best practice regarding the management of the local environment, the objective of which is to improve the quality of life of individual citizens through the creation of liveable communities; is pleased that such a prestigious award ranks Gateshead as among the best places in the world to live; agrees with John Robinson, Gateshead Council Group Environment Director, who made a presentation to the international panel of judges, which listened to presentations from 47 communities and projects from 16 countries, that `Gateshead's landscape has changed beyond recognition over the last 40 years'; and encourages everyone to visit Gateshead in the near future to see for themselves why it has achieved international prominence and why it is an ever-more attractive place with a great future.