The amount spent by Welsh councils on landfill has fallen by more than 23% in the last four years, according to figures obtained by BBC Wales.

The total weight of landfill has dropped from 641,000 tonnes in 2012/13 to 450,000 tonnes in 2014/15 - a 30% fall in three years.
Since, 2011/12, the annual cost has dropped from more than £62.5m to £47.7m.
The Welsh government said Wales was "continuing to lead the way in the UK".
National Resources Minister Carl Sargeant said: "As the only UK nation to set statutory recycling targets our approach is clearly paying dividends."
Welsh Conservatives leader Andrew RT Davies argued a bottle deposit scheme could boost recycling rates further and promised to introduce a pilot scheme should his party form a government in May's assembly election.
While most councils have cut their landfill bill since 2011/12 - Torfaen slashed theirs by 89% - others have seen costs remain flat or even rise.
Conwy's bill increased by 27% over the period, while Denbighshire's was up 7% and Gwynedd rose 18% from 2012/13.
All three authorities said the increase was attributable to increases in landfill tax, not an increase in waste.
Only Ceredigion refused to provide figures for the last four years, saying they were "part of a commercial contract".
After Torfaen, the top performers were Blaenau Gwent, with an 80% drop, and Pembrokeshire, down 62%.
The overall drop in Wales could be even greater as some figures were not provided.
The reasons for the variation between councils' varying costs were "complex", according to Clare Walters, director of Powys firm Ceri Environmental Consulting.
"Authorities often enter into contracts for waste management and so some may have been tied into contracts which do not optimise recycling whilst others may have been able to renew contracts and may have been able to take advantage of new recycling or recovery opportunities." she said.
The Welsh government has targeted all councils with recycling 58% of waste by this year - last year's rate stood at 56% - with the latest figures due for release on 18 February.
Seven authorities have already hit the mark.
Wales' overall rate compares favourably with England's, which stands at nearly 44%; the EU target for the UK is for 50% of household waste to be recycled by 2020.
The aim is to reduce landfill tonnage to just 5% of Wales' total waste by 2024/25, with 100% of all waste recycled by 2050.
65.9%
Denbighshire
65.4% Pembrokeshire
63.2% Monmouthshire
61.6%  Ceredigion
Several councils have forced down their costs by disposing of more rubbish using an energy from waste process, when waste is superheated to release gases then collected and burned to produce steam which drives turbines to generate electricity.
Solutions in Wales have seen paint and nappies recycled.
Councils body, the Welsh Local Government Association, said the latest landfill figures showed Wales had cemented its place as a "world leader for sustainable waste management.".


A father who started a campaign asking celebrities to send birthday greetings to his son who is being bullied said he has been overwhelmed by the response.

Chris Hope-Smith, from Leeds, posted on Twitter asking if people could send positive messages to his son, Ollie, who is celebrating his ninth birthday.
He said what started as a request to try and cheer Ollie up turned out to be a "wonderful adventure".
"It has been an experience we will never forget," he said.
More on this and other local stories from across Yorkshire
As well as celebrities, the appeal also attracted a lot of interest from the general public.
Mr Hope-Smith said: "I initially asked for well-known/famous [people]. I then very quickly corrected myself and asked for any messages."
"And you didn't half make me proud," he said.
End of Twitter post  by @J_Ennis
Many people also offered to send Ollie gifts or free tickets for events, but Mr Hope-Smith said the appeal had not been about financial gain.
"I have laughed, I have cried at these messages, they were your gift to my son," he said.
He added that anyone who had made an offer to consider giving to the Grenfell Tower victims, We Love MCR, the Diana Award's Anti-Bullying Campaign or the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Scores of celebrities responded to the appeal, including British grime artist Stormzy, who wrote: "Happy birthday Ollie! You're a lil legend."
Astronaut Tim Peake wrote: "Hope your 9th birthday is out of this world Ollie. Just remember - a bully is a person too scared to do the right thing. Aim high dude!".
Others included Simpsons character designer Eric Keyes who sent a message to Ollie along with a personalised drawing of Bart Simpson.
Other famous names who sent well-wishes to the schoolboy included:
Mr Hope-Smith said he has been surprised by the level of media attention his post attracted, but said it was "now time for us to be normal again".


Teachers are complaining about the way that the Sats have been marked this year.

The tests for year six pupils are meant to see how well children are doing in reading, maths, spelling, punctuation and grammar.
But some teachers say that schools and pupils didn't know about some of the marking rules, and they aren't always being applied properly anyway.
One example given seems to show a pupil losing marks for writing a letter in an answer box too untidily...
Another shows a student losing marks for making punctuation too big when it's being added to a sentence.
Some schools also say there are also examples of questions being marked as wrong for some pupils and as correct for others.
Teacher groups don't think it's fair to mark children according to rules they say no one knew about, and that 'correct' answers shouldn't be marked as 'wrong' over small mistakes like these.
The government says they believe the tests are fair but that getting the marking right is really important.
They say head teachers can ask for marks to be reviewed if they think there's a problem.


For 200 years of the industrial revolution, much of human kind has prospered as a result of one particular business model.

We dig up finite raw materials, turn them into products, and after they have brought utility to the consumers who buy them, the things are thrown away as waste.
Simple, linear, straightforward... and now being seen as horribly wasteful.
Now that we are well into the 21st century, many people are becoming more conscious of living in a finite world.
And one of them is the British record-breaking, solo round-the-world yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur.
During her circumnavigation voyage in 2004-5, she became very aware of self sufficiency. Everything she needed for her 73-day trip had to be chosen and carried on her yacht. This practical fact led her to wider considerations.
It brought home to her the realisation that the globe we live on was no different from her trimaran. The earth carries everything with it necessary for life. And we are using up much of that everything, very fast.
Ellen MacArthur was awarded a damehood as soon as she arrived home, part of a long tradition of British circumnavigation. She is a self-possessed and thoughtful woman.
The ideas that had taken root sailing round the world were translated into an organisation launched in 2010 - the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. It is devoted to what is called the "circular economy".
The concept has been developing for some time. In particular, the Swiss architect and economist Walter Stahel put forward the concept of a "cradle to cradle" economy in a paper he wrote for the European Union in 1976.
In contrast to the conventional economic system based on taking, making and disposing of things, he described a non-linear economy running in loops, reusing materials, and with big implications for job creation, competitiveness, resource savings and waste creation.
Mr Stahel went on to found the Product-Life Institute in Geneva in 1982, refining the idea of the circular economy and attempting to eliminate the idea of "waste" altogether.
There is no waste in nature, goes the argument... waste is food. This is a revolutionary (and frightening) way of thinking about our human all-consuming world.
Other ideas have converged around this concept - a closed-loop system whereby factories send nothing to landfill and reuse their products at the end of their life.
The key proposal is that products should be leased by manufacturers, not sold to consumers. In this way, companies become service providers retaining overall ownership of the things they make. Tyre manufacturers selling travel kilometres, not tyres, for example.
There is also the concept of "natural capitalism", evolved by Paul Hawkins and Amory and Hunter Lovins, and set out in their book of the same name in 1999.
They argued that the world view of most corporations has not changed since the start of the industrial revolution. But 200 years ago natural resources were abundant, and it was the availability of labour that was the thing that limited production.
In the 21st century, things are different - labour is abundant, but it's natural capital that is running short: natural resources and our environmental support system.
For a long time, the proponents of natural capitalism and the circular economy were voices crying in a business wilderness.
One corporate leader who did take notice was the founder of one of the world's biggest carpet companies, Interface.
The late Ray Anderson had what he called an epiphany 20 years ago, when his company was already 21 years old.
It was then that he read an earlier book by Paul Hawken - The Ecology of Commerce. This argued that only industry leaders could reverse the destructive harm industry was doing to the planet.
Ray Anderson was stunned by this. In response, he turned it into a company cause, pledging to turn Interface into a sustainable company without any negative impact on the environment by 2020.
Sadly, he died in 2011 before that could be achieved, but the mission continues. And other businesses are waking up to this imperative.
Now, back to Ellen MacArthur in her Foundation's headquarters in what is said to be Henry VIII's former gunpowder store in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. She is a persuasive woman.
Inspired by living alone on her yacht for more than two months, she found herself nagged by the question: how can our world continue to function with the economic model we've been living with for two centuries?
Back on land, she asked questions of experts, commissioned weighty research from the consultants McKinsey, and eventually launched the Foundation around the idea of the circular economy.
It is a concept much larger than just recycling, she insists. It's about maintaining the value of everything we use for as long as possible. Inspired by the way there is no waste in nature, it looks for other uses for the by-products discarded during conventional production.
And, as number-crunching by the brain boxes at McKinsey showed, there are huge economic advantages to industry if this is adopted - potentially hundreds of billions of pounds or euros or dollars a year.
The circular economy sounds high-minded but remote from everyday business life. But that is beginning to change. It is now the sort of thing business leaders talk about at the World Economic Forum at Davos, which took place this week.
The significant thing about the foundation is the way Ellen MacArthur has persuaded a clutch of big companies to join her campaign, including Cisco, BT, Renault and Philips.
Another very prominent supporter of the circular economy is Unilever, with a vast global reach for its household goods. Unilever's Dutch chief executive, Paul Polman, says the company has long been concerned about industry's reliance on diminishing supplies of raw materials.
"We need a way of decoupling our growth from environmental impact," is how he put it to me. That's why Unilever is backing Ellen MacArthur, and finding ways of putting the circular economy principles to work, factory by factory, product by product.
For the companies lining up behind the foundation, it is - I think - more than just public relations.
They have done the maths. They see the consequences of a growing global consumer society, and they realise that tackling looming raw material shortages (as well as energy and water) requires some energetic rethinking of the way things have been done in business up to now.
But change on this scale is hard to do, especially when big companies have investors breathing down their necks about the quarterly results. Investor attitudes will have to change, too.
Ellen MacArthur and Paul Polman talk to Peter Day about the circular economy in the radio programme Global Business on the BBC World Service. This is already available to listen to via podcast.  It will also be broadcast again on Sunday, 25 January at 01:32 GMT and 10:32 GMT.


Hull KR have sacked head coach Chris Chester just three matches into the Super League season.

They lost at home to Wakefield on Sunday and have one point from their opening three games.
Assistant coach Willie Poching has been placed in temporary charge for Friday's home game against St Helens.
"The sole focus of everybody at the club at this time is on Friday's game and securing two much needed points," the club said in a statement.
"Any further comment on the situation, future plans and expectations will follow after the weekend," it added.
Chester, 37, was in charge for 18 months and led the club to last year's Challenge Cup final at Wembley, where they lost 50-0 to Leeds Rhinos.
He signed a three-year contract when he was appointed to replace Craig Sandercock in 2014.
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BBC Radio Humberside's Simon Clark
"Chris Chester was at pains last week to say that his side's game against Wakefield was not a must-win game. In the end it turned out it was and the defeat to his home-town club cost him his job.
"Chester's squad had suffered injury blows even before a ball was kicked in anger. Captain Terry Campese and Kevin Larroyer have yet to play this season and James Donaldson suffered a serious wrist injury in the Robins' second game which is likely to keep him out for 10 weeks.
"Attention now turns to Chester's replacement with former England coach Steve McNamara among those strongly tipped for the role."


Premiership club Gloucester have signed full-back Jason Woodward from relegated Bristol for next season.

The New Zealand-born 26-year-old was called up to an England strength and conditioning training camp on Sunday.
He made 17 Premiership appearances for Bristol in 2016-17, scoring four tries and contributing a total of 85 points.
A former Under-20 World Cup winner with New Zealand, he also played for Super Rugby side Hurricanes, after spells at Melbourne Rebels and Wellington Lions.
Gloucester's director of rugby David Humphreys told the club website: "Jason is a player who we have been aware of for some time now, even before he played against us this season, and we are delighted to have agreed a deal to bring him to the club.
"Jason's arrival gives us some great selection options at a number of positions. He has been a stand-out player for Bristol since his move to Europe in November."
Woodward also previously studied and played at Gloucestershire-based Hartpury College, where the Cherry and Whites train.


A young couple have attempted to commit suicide in the grounds of the Taj Mahal, India's famed monument to love.

Police say the pair - a Hindu and a Muslim - slit their own throats after their parents had refused to let them marry because of different religions.
They were found in a pool of blood, and are now said to be in a stable condition.
Marriage outside religion or caste still attracts censure, and even honour killings, in parts of India.
"The girl cut her throat first followed by the boy," said deputy superintendent Aseem Chaudhary, the AFP news agency reports.
The Times of India quoted the young man as saying that the couple had tried to convince their parents to change their minds, but that "the boundaries of religion remained the biggest hurdle".
"We did this after failing at all possible ways to be together," he said.
The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his wife Mumtaz Mahal in the 17th Century.
It is the top tourist attraction in India.


Fans of Ronnie Corbett have been remembering the comedian with one of his best-known sketches after the news of his death.

Arguably one of the most famous created by the Two Ronnies was the mix-up between "fork handles" and "four candles".
People have been using the hashtags #fourcandles and #forkhandles as a tribute and images likes these have been shared online.
Jonathan McKendry tweeted this
Four candles on fork handles, as tweeted by Dave.
Birdie tweeted this drawing of four candles.
Jack Lambert tweeted an image of various forks.
Marlborough Rug Co. has been there and got the t-shirt.
And this appropriate image of four lit candles from #dothejobbetter.
Compiled by Andree Massiah


Wednesday marks 100 days until the start of 2016 European Championship finals, the first major tournament to include Wales since the 1958 World Cup.

Preparations are under way as Slovakia, England and Russia await in Group B, with a training base chosen in France and friendly matches arranged for March and June.
One of the most important tasks facing manager Chris Coleman between now and Wales' opening game of the competition against Slovakia in Bordeaux on 11 June is to select his 23-man squad.
Former Wales internationals Danny Gabbidon and Iwan Roberts join BBC Wales football correspondent Rob Phillips in choosing their teams for the Slovakia match, their 23-man squads and assess the choices facing Coleman and his coaches.
Former Wales striker Iwan Roberts: (5-3-2) Hennessey; Gunter, Collins, A. Williams, Davies, Taylor; Ledley, Allen, Ramsey; Bale, Robson-Kanu.
Former Wales defender Danny Gabbidon: (5-3-2) Hennessey; Gunter, Collins, A. Williams, Davies, Taylor; Allen, Ledley, Ramsey; Bale, J Williams.
BBC Wales football correspondent Rob Phillips: (5-3-2) Hennessey; Gunter, Collins, A. Williams, Davies, Taylor; Allen, Ledley, Ramsey; Bale, Robson-Kanu.
Roberts: "It's so important we have a strong backbone to the team in the likes of Wayne Hennesey, Ashley Williams, Joe Allen, Joe Ledley and Hal Robson-Kanu - the battling and hard work these players produce will give the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale a platform to go and show their class."
Gabbidon: "There are three cogs in the Wales wheel. Captain Ashley Williams marshals the defence, Joe Ledley and Joe Allen give added protection and instigate the attacks, while Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey are the match-winners."
Phillips: "Wales have x-factor in Gareth Bale, a player any other side in the finals would welcome. Ashley Williams, Wayne Hennessey and Aaron Ramsey need to be on form, too. Don't underestimate Joe Ledley - a midfielder who does the unheralded ugly stuff."
Roberts: "I think the likes of Jonny and George Williams, two young and lively creative players, have done enough in the last two years to win a place in the squad. Young full-back Jazz Richards has performed admirably when called upon in four of the qualifiers - including the win over Belgium - and in my opinion should be on the plane to France."
Gabbidon: "George Williams and Wolves midfielder Dave Edwards must be among those who will have to prove themselves after time on the sidelines because of injury."
Phillips: "I tried hard to fit George Williams into the squad as searing pace is a must at international level. Birmingham attacker David Cotterill could still make it as he battles back from injury. Dave Edwards is included, but for reasons of injury may still be a 'maybe'."
Roberts: "I don't think there will be many, if any, surprises in Chris' squad. I think it's too late for Regan Poole, Manchester United's newest debutant, to break in. The 17-year-old is definitely one for the future but but hasn't done nearly enough up to now to warrant a place in the squad.
"Tom Bradshaw has had a decent season for Walsall but, with the emergence of Tom Lawrence and after his performance against the Netherlands in our last game, Lawrence deserves to go to the Euros."
Gabbidon: "No outsiders can make the squad unless there are injuries. But if Chris Coleman is looking to give someone his 50th cap, I'm available gaffer!"
Phillips: "It comes down to two for me. Begging the pardon of Walsall fans but, had Tom Bradshaw moved to a higher club in January, he might have clinched a place. A run of goals now might still clinch him a spot as a wildcard substitute if Wales need a goal.
"Regan Poole's entry at Manchester United might have just come too late but I can't help thinking if Chris Coleman wanted to take one for the future - like England's Theo Walcott at the 2006 World Cup - Poole is the one."


Police have released a CCTV image of a man they want to trace following a "violent assault" on a man outside a KFC in Glasgow city centre.

The 22-year-old victim was treated in hospital after being attacked near the restaurant, on Argyle Street, at about 02:30 on Monday 25 January.
Police said the man in the image may be able to help with their inquiry.
The man is described as being white European in appearance and in his mid-to-late 20s.
Det Con Gordon Walker said: "A violent assault like this within Glasgow city centre cannot be tolerated and we seek the assistance of the public in tracking down those responsible.
"Anyone with information is asked to contact Greater Glasgow Police."


Scottish authors Alexander McCall Smith and Irvine Welsh are among six writers nominated for an award celebrating the year's funniest books.

Comedienne Helen Lederer, columnist Caitlin Moran and Ireland's Joseph O'Neill are also up for this year's Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize.
The award is presented at the Hay Festival to the book thought to best capture PG Wodehouse's comic spirit.
Former nanny Nina Stibbe completes this year's shortlist.
As part of the prize, the winner is presented with a Gloucestershire Old Spot pig which is named after the winning novel.
The shortlisted novels are:
"These astonishingly gifted writers can turn phrases, create characters to love and rattle good yarns," said Hay Festival founder Peter Florence.
The winner will be announced shortly before this year's festival opens on 21 May.
Previous recipients of the prize include the late Sir Terry Pratchett, Will Self and Howard Jacobson, who won the inaugural prize in 2000 and again in 2013.


Glamorgan captain Jacques Rudolph believes the new Twenty20 tournament planned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) could benefit the county game.

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The competition is set to start in 2020 and Glamorgan will bid for their Cardiff home to be among eight new city venues playing 36 games in 38 days.
The host city bidding process starts on Wednesday, 29 March.
"I think it's exciting for the game of cricket," Rudolph told BBC Wales Sport.
"Potentially the ECB realise that in terms of T20 competitions around the world they're just lagging behind, and they need something new to try and bolster county cricket."
Squads of the eight T20 teams will be made up of 15 players and include three overseas players.
That will leave 96 players being selected from the 18 counties, which averages out at just over five apiece.
"I think it's potentially a great incentive for young players coming through the ranks, the young Aneurin Donalds and Kiran Carlsons [both Glamorgan players] of this world," added Rudolph.
"I don't think I will be around that time, but I'm happy for guys who can potentially play in that."
ECB chief executive Tom Harrison hopes the new competition will rival the Indian Premier League and Big Bash in Australia as the leading T20 tournaments in the world.
On Monday, the ECB presented a detailed overview of its proposals for a new Twenty20 competition to its 41 members. These included:
A referendum has been sent out, inviting stakeholders to sanction a tournament including eight teams, rather than the 18 counties, who traditionally contest the main domestic competitions.
The ECB is made up of 41 stakeholders, which includes the 18 first-class counties, the MCC, the Minor Counties Cricket Association and the recreational boards, and a minimum of 31 will need to vote in favour for the plans to progress.
"I will ask the ECB board to trigger a change in our Articles of Association to enable the introduction of the proposed new T20 competition," said ECB chairman Colin Graves.
"We face a ground-breaking opportunity in the weeks and months ahead - and if our members embrace it, the ECB will work with everyone in the game to ensure this huge potential and the investment that will come with this delivers an even stronger future for the game."


A young migrant who set fire to a homeless man at a Berlin underground station on Christmas Day last year has been jailed for nearly three years.

The 21-year-old was among a group of seven Syrian and Libyan migrants who attacked the man as he slept.
Three 17 and 18 year olds were found guilty of attempted grievous bodily harm and received suspended sentences.
None of the suspects charged attempted to assist the victim, who was unharmed. The incident was captured on CCTV.
All of the men linked to the attack came to Berlin as asylum seekers in 2014 and 2016, some as unaccompanied minors, according to the prosecutor's office.
The victim, a 37-year-old Polish man, was sleeping on a bench under sheets of paper in the Schoenleinstrasse underground station in the southern Berlin district of Neukoelln when he was targeted at about 02:00 (01:00 GMT).
He had a cover over his head and was using a rucksack as a pillow, which caught fire and started to burn.
A train driver used a fire extinguisher to control the flames as passers-by helped to put them out.
The 21-year-old ringleader, whose name has not been released under German privacy rules, argued in court that he had only intended to "startle" the victim, local media report.
Prosecutors had requested the more serious charge of attempted murder after footage emerged of the suspects, six of whom are from Syria and one is from Libya, laughing as they left the scene and entered a train.
Two other teenagers must serve community service for failing to help the man, who managed to escape serious injury.


About 600,000 payments that failed to enter the accounts of RBS customers overnight may not be completed until the end of the week, the bank has said.

Payments of wages, tax credits and disability living allowance were among those that failed to be credited to accounts.
RBS initially said some payments were "missing", but it had now identified and fixed the underlying problem.
Delayed payments would be processed "no later than Saturday", it said.
Such a timescale was declared "unacceptable" by the chairman of an influential committee of MPs.
In 2012, the RBS group was hit by a major IT meltdown that led to a large fine.
Customers from RBS, NatWest, Coutts and Ulster Bank - all part of the same banking group - have been affected by the latest issue, which was caused by a segment of information not being inputted into the system.
Some 600,000 transactions were delayed and the banking group said it was now trying to update accounts as a "priority".
"We are aware of an issue which has resulted in a delay to payments and direct debits being applied to some customer accounts," said a spokesman for RBS.
"We have fixed the underlying issue, we apologise for the inconvenience caused and we are working flat out to get these payments updated for our customers no later than Saturday.
"To any customers concerned about the implications of this issue, we advise them to come into a branch or get in touch with our call centres, where our staff will be ready to help. We will ensure no customers are left out of pocket as a result of this issue."
Some customers reported waiting up to an hour for an answer from the bank's call centre, on calls which could be charged at a geographic rate. The bank said it was experiencing a "high volume of calls".
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which oversees some benefits payments, said that some tax credits and child benefit payments had not gone through, and that those affected should contact their bank.
Publican Craig Peacock, who runs The Barleycorn Inn in Wiltshire, conducts his business banking through NatWest.
"I have got bills to pay and this needs to be sorted, quickly," he said.
"I run a small pub and bed and breakfast and have to pay every Wednesday for my beer delivery to come, so I might be beerless this weekend at this rate!
"I found out about the problem when I checked the account this morning. The payments overnight hadn't gone through. Then I read the news.
"I waited over an hour on the phone to NatWest. I gave up, with the volume of calls they are getting and the phone bill rising."
He said Saturday - by which time all payments should be processed - was "ages away".
Penny Lanning, from Peterborough, has two children and is living with a disability.
"I am currently very poorly in hospital and was rather panicky when I discovered via mobile banking that my tax credits had not gone in. It is so stressful," she told the BBC.
"My husband has been phoning me, panicking about finance."
Another customer told the BBC: "Missing a tax credit payment and then a 30-minute wait on the NatWest helpline with no answer."
The problem only affected a relatively small proportion of payments, the bank said.
However, it is an embarrassment for the group which was fined Â£56m by regulators after a software upgrade in June 2012 left millions of customers unable to access accounts.
On that occasion, the IT failure affected more than 6.5 million customers in the UK over several weeks. The banking group said it had invested hundreds of millions of pounds to improve its computer systems since then.
Andrew Tyrie, who chairs the Commons Treasury committee, commenting on the latest IT failure, said: "Many thousands of individuals and businesses have once again been badly hit. Customers that have suffered loss should be reimbursed in full by RBS. It is also important that credit scores remain unaffected.
"RBS is suggesting that the delayed payments will be processed no later than Saturday. This looks unacceptable.
"Restoration of payments should be a top priority. It is crucial for those in the greatest financial need and also those who find it difficult to go to a branch."


Former England captains Michael Vaughan and Alec Stewart say they are interested in becoming the country's new director of cricket.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is creating the job as part of a restructure after the departure of managing director Paul Downton.
Vaughan, 40, said he was "more than open" to the role.
Stewart, who played a record 133 Tests, said: "If the ECB want to speak to me, of course I'll speak to them."
But the Surrey director of cricket, 52, added that the ECB would have to seek permission from his county first.
"You'd be silly not to listen," said Stewart. "That's not just me, that's anyone involved in the game who feels they can make a difference at the top level."
Vaughan won more Tests - 26 - than any other England captain and scored 5,719 Test runs at an average of 41.44.
"I am certainly one of the few who would have the phone ready to have a conversation, whether in this role, another role, or a forward-thinking visionary trying to move English cricket forward," he said.
Downton, 58, left his post on Wednesday, a month after England were knocked out of the World Cup in the group stages.
He was also involved in the sacking of former England captain Kevin Pietersen in February 2014.
Downton's departure came on the day Wisden editor Lawrence Booth accused the ECB of having "repeatedly lost touch", citing its handling of the Pietersen affair, concerns with the decline of the Test and one-day sides, and a fall in grassroots participation.
ECB chief executive Tom Harrison said Downton's departure was about being "accountable for reaching the standards we aspire to".
He added that the new role would have "a clear focus on delivering a world-class performance environment for all formats".
Vaughan, a fan of Harrison, said: "English cricket has to look deeper than just removing one person. Structurally the game has to change. Removing Paul Downton is not going to turn it around overnight."
Former England bowler Steve Harmison backed Vaughan to come up with a plan that would ensure England "are a massive force in world cricket".
But ex-England all-rounder Derek Pringle said the role of guiding England's fortunes had become "a bit of a poisoned chalice".


More white working class students must be recruited onto degree courses, England's universities have been told.

Only 10% of boys from the poorest fifth of areas enter higher education, official statistics show.
Universities Minister Jo Johnson said too many students were missing out and universities needed to do more.
Director of Fair Access Professor Les Ebdon said no one with the potential to go to university should be deterred from going because of their background.
However, poor white boys are also among the lowest achievers at school and are less likely to take A-levels than richer pupils.
The guidance comes just weeks after the Prime Minister announced universities would have to publish data on the backgrounds of their applicants.
All universities which charge more than Â£6,000 a year for tuition fees are required to draw up an agreement showing how they will improve access for disadvantaged groups.
Under these new plans, they will have to set themselves specific targets for recruiting such under-represented groups. These will then have to be agreed by the Office of Fair Access in the usual way.
Mr Johnson said: "We are asking universities to go further and faster than ever before, especially the most selective institutions.
"This guidance for the first time identifies the groups of students where most attention is needed, such as white boys from the poorest homes and students with specific learning difficulties.
"We want to see smarter spending from universities, with more outreach into neighbourhoods with low university entry rates, and much deeper partnerships with local schools."
Universities will also be required to:


For many people chat rooms on sites like BeatBullying and MindFull UK are a lifeline.

But if you've gone online this week, or tried calling either charity, you'll have had no luck.
That's because the group who look after both charities has got money problems and have shut down their services.
The BB Group told Newsbeat they had "faced a challenging financial environment" for some time.
So bosses have agreed to bring in an administrator - that's someone who oversees the money side of a company to see if it's possible to keep the firm running and make sure everyone gets paid.
But thousands of young people, as well as many of the group's large volunteer base, have been left in the dark as to what is happening to the service itself.
If you want to talk about bullying, the BBC Advice pages have links to charities which can help.
Chloe, 16, used BeatBullying and Mindfull and says she's gutted.
"A lot of people are very lost now the site has gone," she told Newsbeat.
"I know there are lots of alternatives, like the Samaritans and Childline, obviously they do offer support but I think the main factor of MindFull and BeatBullying was the community and the other people that were going through the same situations as you. just to connect to other people.
"It sounds kind of sad, but in a way it was like someone had died.
"The community it created was really strong and the relationships that you built up with people, really inspirational people, who had lots of inspirational story, stories that you would learn from. It was like a big family."
Nikki Bailey is a life mentor for BeatBullying in Brighton.
"I've heard absolutely nothing. I just feel like somebody has died. It may sound crazy, but it's so important to me," she said.
"I'm getting children messaging me saying they're in absolute despair and they don't know what to do."
Neil Poole is another mentor for the charity.
"BeatBullying have the email addresses of all of its mentors and users. It's required when signing up to the site, so I don't see why they haven't told us.
"What I find most shocking is that given the charity prides itself on caring about people's mental health, they apparently did not give any notice to users that their counselling sessions were going to stop. I think ending a counselling relationship suddenly can be very harmful to the counselee's emotions."
BeatBullying has over 50,000 followers on Twitter and Mindfull UK has around 13,000. They were tweeting as recently as last Friday encouraging people to wear their wristbands.
Both websites provide young people with a forum to discuss their problems with other teenagers and trained adult mentors.
One user of MindFull UK told Newsbeat that she's "sad" the website has closed and that it feels like she's "lost a family of people I can trust".
In a statement sent to Newsbeat BB Group said: "This is clearly a difficult time for anybody connected with The BeatBullying Group, particularly the people who have come to depend upon the services and support that they have received.
"Our aim is to resolve this difficult situation as soon as possible. In the meantime we would like to thank the supporters, staff and advisers who continue to work with us."
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube


Remi Matthews has joined Hamilton as a replacement for Northern Ireland keeper Michael McGovern after signing a new two-year contract with Norwich City.

The 22-year-old Englishman will spend a season on loan with Accies in the Scottish Premiership.
He becomes Accies' second signing of this week after the arrival of full-back Jack Breslin, released by Celtic.
Former manager Alex Neil, now Canaries boss, said: "Remi needs to go out and get some games."
Matthews has already had two loan spells with Burton Albion and ended last season playing nine times for Doncaster Rovers in England's League One.
"He'll go up to Hamilton and hopefully get a good season under his belt," said Neil.
"You've got Celtic and now Rangers in that league, so it will be really competitive for him."
Matthews, whose new deal with the English Championship club includes with the option of a further 12 months, arrives at New Douglas Park as McGovern considers his options after rejecting a new contract amid fresh offers following his fine performances at Euro 2016.
He will make his debut as Accies kick-off their season with a Scottish League Cup tie away to Ayr United on Saturday.
"It's always nice to have that security behind me, so to have another year under my belt is a positive step," Matthews told Norwich's website.
"I was out on loan twice last year and felt like I was improving with every game, so I'm looking to build on that and show everyone what I can do."
Breslin has signed a permanent deal with Accies from Celtic after the 19-year-old played seven times in his second loan spell with Annan Athletic in League Two.
Accies player-manager Martin Canning had already added to his defensive options by signing centre-half Jordan McGregor after the 19-year-old was released by Hibernian after a loan spell with Berwick Rangers.


Fourteen-year-old amateur Atthaya Thitikul has become the youngest known winner of a professional golf tour event with victory at the Ladies European Thailand Championship.

The Thai player finished five under after a level-par 72, two shots clear of Ana Menendez who carded a 75.
Due to her amateur status, Thitikul is not eligible for the 45,000 euros prize money (£40,000) - Mexican Menendez will receive the top prize.
Thitikul turned 14 on 20 February.
She said: "It makes me feel very happy and so proud of myself. This trophy, I give to Thailand and the Thai people.
"My family do not play golf. When I was younger, aged six, my father told me to play sport and he offered tennis or golf and I watched golf on TV and I liked it."
Canada's Brooke Henderson had held the previous record, winning an event on the Canadian Women's Tour in June 2012 aged 14 years, nine months and three days.
Henderson's record for a male or female player came in a 36-hole event, bettering the mark by two days set by New Zealand's Lydia Ko in January 2012 at the New South Wales Women's Open.
Ko held the record on the Ladies European Tour, having won the 2013 New Zealand Open aged 15 years, nine months and 17 days.
Menendez had started the final round at Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club in Pattaya with a one-shot lead over Thitikul.
The 14-year-old opened with a two-under round of 70, shooting 71 in round two and a 70 in round three on Saturday.
Wales' Amy Boulden, 23, finished tied for fourth after a 73.


England are one year on from the debacle of their World Cup campaign in Brazil and one year out from Euro 2016 in France - the midpoint in a crucial process of recovery.

Qualification for France looks little more than a formality from a favourable group that offered England and manager Roy Hodgson the perfect rehabilitation period after their embarrassing early retreat from South America at the group stage.
The thrilling victory against Slovenia in Ljubljana on Sunday made it six wins out of six in Group E and with a six-point lead and four games remaining, it gives Hodgson and England the chance to make amends for events in Brazil when they reach France, as they surely will, next summer.
It was also, however, a win that exposed cracks in England's make up as well as demonstrating some of the quality they can offer in attack.
England's chaotic win, which contained some excellent passages of play, was the perfect antidote to those who believe they are entirely functional under Hodgson - but much of it was the wrong sort of excitement, especially in defence.
So how far have England come since the World Cup and that defeat by Italy in Manaus a year ago? And can they make a serious impact in France?
On results alone, England and Hodgson are above criticism - so it seems churlish to add any rider to a perfect qualifying campaign that is unblemished and a season that has seen them go unbeaten for the first time since 1990-91.
This has been, however, "The Group of Death" only when it comes to excitement. Once England skilfully negotiated what appeared to be the most hazardous fixture on their schedule, a 2-0 win in Switzerland in September courtesy of two goals from Danny Welbeck, the tone was set for routine qualification.
Hodgson will rightly argue England can only beat what has been put in front of them, which they have, but none of the qualifying games will provide any sort of accurate measure to how they would cope when confronted with an elite power in a competitive environment.
And of course comfortable qualification for last summer's World Cup counted for little when England were effectively out after two games.
The bottom line is that heads would have rolled had England failed to qualify from this Euro 2016 group, with an inquiry to follow presumably, but it has been negotiated efficiently if not spectacularly.
Hodgson is entitled to ask what more England could have done - but it may be that friendlies arranged between now and the Euros will actually tell us more than the qualifying campaign.
There is no better plus point than an unblemished record of six from six - and there are other factors Hodgson can point to as he engenders hope and optimism ahead of Euro 2016.
Hodgson often talks of his squad being young and this is true. There is a younger, fresher look to England's squad, in part because of the retirement of the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard and the decision to move away from experienced players such as Glen Johnson. This feels like a new generation.
Joe Hart remains one of the best goalkeepers in the world and Hodgson will look to develop young players in and around the team in the next 12 months - with an eye on talent emerging during the under-21 Euros later this month.
Despite his contract impasse at Liverpool, 20-year-old Raheem Sterling will surely be a star of England's future and huge hopes remain for Everton's Ross Barkley, a wonderful talent who must rebuild after a disappointing 12 months.
Jack Wilshere has been a great hope for England over the last couple of seasons. He has seen his career curtailed by injuries but he rose to the occasion in Slovenia.
He was not simply the strong-running, creative Wilshere loved by Arsenal's supporters, he was a controlling influence in times of trouble and produced two spectacular strikes, his first for England on his 28th appearance.
If he can stay fit and build on that next season, Hodgson will finally have the midfield gem he has been waiting to polish.
And in Gareth Southgate's Under-21 squad, there are players who will be earmarked to progress at such a rate to possibly make their mark in France, particularly Tottenham striker Harry Kane, Everton's elegant defender John Stones and West Brom forward Saido Berahino.
Hodgson will also hope striker Danny Ings's move to Liverpool will speed his development.
Add this to the quality and experience already provided by the likes of captain Wayne Rooney and with hopes Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge may actually stay fit (a long shot admittedly) and Hodgson will feel he can head into the Euros in good heart.
Watch a video of England's defensive performance here in Ljubljana. They are easy to spot.
England lacked defensive leadership, organisation, lacked a leader who, according to BBC Radio 5 live pundit Martin Keown, is in the mould of his former Arsenal captain Tony Adams, a defender who takes concession of a goal personally.
A crass error from Phil Jones, a foul throw-in that went unpunished but straight to a Slovenia player, led to the first goal and weakness in the air brought the second.
Defence is England's soft underbelly and better teams than Slovenia will have noticed its failings here.
The worry for Hodgson is that this is an old problem that remains uncured.
Before leaving for the World Cup, England's defence was pinpointed as an area of potential trouble, a flaw that could be unpicked by players of the highest class.
And so it proved - not so much in defeat by Italy but in the decisive loss to Uruguay, where Luis Suarez, despite not being fully fit, tormented the central defensive duo of Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka to score twice.
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Those questions remain about England's defensive quality, where Manchester United pairing Phil Jones and Chris Smalling have failed to convince and Jagielka, despite a superb personal season at Everton, is unlikely to be the answer in France.
Neither convinced in Slovenia and Jones, in particular, looks all at sea at international level. Hodgson seems obsessed with finding him a place in the team - remember the failed holding midfield experiment against Italy in Turin? - but he has rarely looked accomplished for England.
This is where Stones may come in and partner Cahill, who is nowhere near as assured for England as he is at club level for Chelsea when he has John Terry alongside him for support.
Stones is untested at the highest level for all of his talent while the full-back spots are up for grabs, with Southampton's Nathaniel Clyne and Everton's Leighton Baines (who suffered badly at the World Cup) likely to emerge in pole position.
England's midfield may see off the lower orders in the international pecking order but is its ball retention good enough against the best? It certainly was not at the World Cup and again this qualifying campaign has not offered a firm solution.
And for all those who snipe, England are still heavily reliant on the goals, inspiration and leadership of captain Rooney - too reliant given the retirement of Gerrard and Lampard.
Rooney will be 30, and surely England's record goalscorer, by the time Euro 2016 starts. He has not had any significant impact on a major tournament since he burst on the scene as an Everton 18-year-old at Euro 2004 and yet it looks certain he will still be shouldering the heaviest burden of responsibility.
For all those who have questioned his place in the past, England have never, ever looked better without him.
It is perhaps a sign of England's lack of development that no-one has yet come forward to ease that strain on a player and personality so desperate to do well for England.
No - try asking a different question.
Can England make an impact at Euro 2016? Yes… if all their best players fire.
It takes too much of a leap of the imagination to see England troubling the likes of Germany and Spain but they will give plenty of others a run for their money if Hodgson can somehow make all the pieces fit and prove he can inspire, and relate to, this younger group of players.
In flashes, admittedly against a Slovenia side ranked 48th in the world, they showed they have quality in attack. It is elsewhere that the failings are found.
There is talent within the squad that can get a result on a given day but when it comes to major tournaments England do not have enough given days.
It is not as big a task as the World Cup but surely England will survive the group but questions remain about how much further they would drive into the tournament.
Hard to assess. Results have been excellent but little excitement surrounds this England team under Hodgson, not helped by the standard of opposition in their Euro qualifying group and performances like the dross served up against the Republic of Ireland.
There has been that move towards the next era of younger players led by the likes of Wilshere, Sterling, Barkley but they still have so far to go.
Hodgson is satisfied with England's progress, saying: "We started with a new group and we didn't know where that would lead but I've been quite pleased with what they've done so far."
He added: "Grieving is too strong a word but there's a process. You have to give yourself time to get back in some sort of balance, But I'm satisfied we were able to get over it and to get off to a good start in the group in September and we've kept that going.
"It won't be forgotten. You don't forget bad moments in your life, no more than you do the good moments.  It's part of your life and part of your football life. Everyone in football has to develop the mental strength to deal with that and we've dealt with it."
Measured by results - the most important gauge of any team - England have progressed but the reality states that no-one will work out exactly how far, if at all, they have really come forward until they meet that first serious opposition at the Euros.


Running Portsmouth FC would have "daunting" financial implications, according to the man who wants to take over the League Two club.

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Former Walt Disney chief executive Michael Eisner has told BBC Sport he thinks he is "the reasonable choice".
He has bid £5.67m to buy a 100% stake and invest a further £10m in equity.
"Fans have to decide if I'm the reasonable choice or if there's some other choice or other direction," he told BBC South Today.
Eisner will address shareholders and members of the Pompey Supporters' Trust (PST) at a town hall-style meeting at the city's Guildhall on Thursday.
"I've analysed what it's going to take financially and it's daunting," Eisner said. "It's not just the acquisition of the team, that's the least daunting.
"It is the stadium, it's the academy, the pitch, it's all the way I'm used to serving the public. Coming out of Disney, we're interested in everything. Every single detail, every seed, every piece of food.
"We've made an offer, which we believe is completely fair, completely consistent with what you would make in account of the investment and offer I make.
"I hope the fans and the investors see it that way. If they don't see it that way, they have an alternative, which is not ridiculous. So if that's the way they want to go, that's fine."
Portsmouth will be playing in League One next season after winning automatic promotion from the fourth tier and there is a possibility they could finish as champions if they win their final game at home to Cheltenham on Saturday.


People will be consulted over plans for a new community hospital in Denbighshire.

Progress on the business case for the North Denbighshire Community Hospital in Rhyl will be outlined this week.
Drop-in events next month will give people a chance to offer feedback.
The project includes a same day care centre for minor ailments, one for intravenous therapy and a new facility to help people regain skills needed to live independently.
If the outline business case is approved by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in January it will be submitted to the Welsh Government.
Work will begin in 2018, pending planning consent and final approval.


Labour has increased its majority in Swansea and held on to control of Neath Port Talbot council.

In Swansea, the party added one seat to hold 48 out of 72 seats, while Plaid Cymru made inroads picking up seven new seats in neighbouring NPT.
Pembrokeshire remains in the hands of independents, while Carmarthenshire has no party in overall control.
Swansea council leader Rob Stewart said Labour's success in the city was because it had offered hope.
"We came into this election on a very positive manifesto, offering people hope, aspiration, a better city, a better life," he said.
"We'd just delivered the City Deal for Swansea, the city centre is being rejuvenated, we're after the Tidal Lagoon - we're hoping to land that very shortly, and we're bidding to be the city of culture in 2021.
"We've demonstrated we can deliver for the people of Swansea and we're standing on an even more ambitious programme for the next five years."
In Swansea, independents took nine seats, Conservatives eight and Liberal Democrats seven.
Meanwhile in Neath Port Talbot, Plaid Cymru made inroads picking up seven new seats.
In Pembrokeshire, former deputy council leader Rob Lewis lost his seat in Martletwy to Di Clements of the Conservatives.
Independent candidates won 34 seats in the county, Conservative had 12, Labour seven, Plaid Cymru six and the Lib Democrats gained just one.
In Carmarthenshire, Plaid Cymru won the most seats with 36, while Labour gained 22 and the independents 16.


The producers of the smash hit Harry Potter stage play have confirmed they are "in advanced discussions" to bring the production to Broadway in 2018.

Plans have been hatched to remodel New York's Lyric theatre for the arrival of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Potter creator JK Rowling said she was "delighted" her team were "one step closer" to transferring the play.
The two-part production has been a sold-out success since opening at London's Palace Theatre in June.
Formerly known as the Foxwoods Theatre, the 1,900-seat Lyric was bought by the Ambassador Theatre Group in 2013.
It is proposed that the theatre - one of Broadway's largest - be reconfigured into a "more intimate playhouse" with approximately 1,500 seats.
According to producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender, the remodelling will result in "a unique theatre space tailored to the specific needs of the production".
Rowling, who devised the play's story with playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany, said she was "very excited by the proposed plans".
The Lyric currently plays host to Cirque du Soleil show Paramour, tickets for which are available until the end of July.
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We have launched new versions of our cricket and rugby union homepages to create a more consistent experience whether you are on a computer, tablet or mobile.

We have been running test versions of both pages for the past few months, making minor tweaks along the way based on your feedback to our surveys.
Below we answer the most common questions relating to the new pages.
You can also read more about the process here.
Provide feedback on the new version of the cricket homepage.
Provide feedback on the new version of the rugby union homepage.
Why have you made these changes?
We are in the process of moving our site over to a responsive design - this means it adapts automatically to the screen size of the device it is being shown on.
This move will allow us to provide the same content irrespective of the device a user is looking at the site on, giving visitors the best experience no matter how they are looking at the site. It will also cut down on the extra production effort needed to maintain separate indexes for both the desktop and mobile versions of the site.
We will eventually make the whole site responsive, including all the individual sport homepages, articles and audio and video pages. However, not all indexes will necessarily have exactly the same design - for example, the depth of content on our front page will likely mean there will be some differences between that page and the homepage for a singular sport like cricket or rugby.
We have started using responsive pages for our live events, such as Saturday football commentaries, Test cricket, Sportsday and Wimbledon, so you may well have experienced these changes already.
What improvements are there in the new versions of the cricket and rugby union indexes?
The differences will be most apparent to visitors of the desktop site: the biggest being that, while previously many stories were shown as part of a list of headlines, now more of the content has an accompanying image and stories are more spaced out on the page.
An earlier test version of these new indexes actually took this design further, however in response to audience feedback on that design we launched a version which should feel more familiar to you.
We have also made improvements to how we show audio and videos, while towards the bottom of the page we have added new ways to showcase the best stories both from around the UK and other sports.
Has the content changed?
No. We will still cover cricket and rugby union in the same way, including comprehensive coverage of the Rugby World Cup.
The new designs will ensure the same content is available on all devices, whereas previously some items only appeared on larger screens.
Which other pages have this design?
Since early 2014, we have been moving parts of the site over to a design which automatically changes layout depending on screen size. All our indexes for 2014's major sports events - the Winter Olympics, World Cup and Commonwealth Games - had an earlier version of these new pages. Our FA Cup and FA Cup video indexes use it, as do the Get Inspired, Sports Personality of the Year, motorsport and curling indexes.
Our aim is to ultimately make the entire sport site responsive, which will mean all pages undergo a degree of redesign.
Will all pages eventually get the new design?
Yes, although the football homepage and sport front page need special consideration due to the amount of content produced for both. The feedback received for these new versions of the cricket and rugby union indexes has also help shape how those pages develop and we will of course offer further chances to feedback as we progress.
Are we making other changes?
We are also looking at the way our individual news stories are laid out, again so that they offer a more consistent experience no matter how you are looking at the site.
At the moment there are some elements of our stories which will only appear when you are on a larger device. Initially our focus will be to ensure users get a more consistent experience, but after that we will look to add new functionality to these pages.
An example of this is the inclusion of our new quizzes, which until recently only worked on the desktop version of the site. Now they work on all browsers and devices.


The lowest figure since February 2009; the biggest fall since the figures started to be collected in 1996.

For those hunting for poor economic data since the referendum result, today's Purchasing Managers' Index for the crucial services sector certainly provides significant pickings.
And it builds on pretty poor figures from the construction and manufacturing sectors.
It is now clear from the data that has been published that economic activity slowed markedly in the weeks following the referendum.
Of course, part of that is down to uncertainty about the shape of the economy as the UK negotiates its way out of the European Union.
Questions abound.
What kind of trade deal will we have with the rest of the European Union?
What effect will the dramatic fall in the value of sterling have - from exporting industries (likely to be pretty positive) to inflation (which is likely to be pushed up as import costs rise)?
Answers to those questions will only become clear as the shape of the Brexit negotiations crystalises and more data becomes available.
But it is important to remember that the economic shock we are seeing evidence of is not a simple reaction to Brexit.
It is also a reaction to the political turmoil that followed, which to all intents and purposes gave the UK a new government.
So, a political shock built on a referendum shock.
That could mean - and it is only a "could" at this stage - that with a greater level of political certainty, businesses will feel more comfortable about investment decisions over the next few months than they did during the torrid weeks of July.
Economists are still hedging their bets.
UBS suggests there "may" be a recession.
The National Institute of Economic and Social Research puts the probability of a recession over the next 18 months at "evens".
Growth is likely to fall, by how much is not yet clear.
What does this mean for the Bank of England's interest rate decision tomorrow?
Many economists agree with Chris Williamson, the chief economist at Markit, which compiles the Purchasing Managers' Index, that a cut is a "foregone conclusion".
Although I wouldn't go quite that far, it is clear that Mark Carney, the governor, favours more monetary easing up to and including an interest rate cut and has significant allies on the Monetary Policy Committee such as Andy Haldane, the Bank's chief economist.
The MPC's nine members voted 8-1 against a cut at its July meeting.
Expect the 1 - the external member of the MPC, Gertjan Vlieghe, who argued for a 0.25 percentage point cut in July - to be joined by many more this time around.
There are a couple of flies in the "let's cut interest rates now" ointment.
Yes, the economy has slowed, but can a small cut in interest rates - from already historically low levels - really make a difference?
And second, inflationary concerns are growing.
The Markit report suggests that "cost pressures" have hit a three month high, and with the pound weak, it is likely that as well as downgrading growth forecasts the Bank will also warn tomorrow that inflation could rise more rapidly than expected.
Particularly if global growth strengthens.
The Bank is treading a delicate line.
Position monetary policy so that it supports the economy and mitigates any effects of uncertainty.
But don't make policy so loose that inflation momentum builds quickly, making it far harder to, ultimately, control.


Action is needed to reduce the amount of prisoners detained at Wiltshire's Erlestoke Prison beyond their minimum tariff, inspectors have said.

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) said about 170 men are on open-ended sentences at the jail near Devizes.
A lack of funding has led to the withdrawal of mandatory courses those prisoners are required to undertake in order to qualify for a parole hearing.
The IMB said the matter is causing "a destabilising influence in the prison".
Its report claimed the cost of keeping each prisoner who is over tariff at the Category C jail amounts to more than Â£20,500 per annum.
Inspectors advised the government to implement a "finite action plan" to address the needs of prisoners affected which must include funding of courses to "reduce the wait times, and increase the number of parole boards".
The report also recommended a national database to identify prisons which deliver interventions and match prisoners to appropriate courses.
However, the Ministry of Justice said those who remain in custody do so because the independent parole board "has assessed them as posing an unacceptable risk to the public".
The Criminal Justice Act 2003 introduced indeterminate sentencing for public protection for serious sexual and violent offenders.
The Prison Reform Trust said: "A lack of resources means that prisoners are unable to prove their reduced risk and are waiting longer and longer for a parole decision, with no means of knowing when, or if, they will be released.
"To right this wrong would not only save over Â£40m a year but should also be done on grounds of simple humanity."
Erlestoke Prison did not wish to comment on the report.
HMP Erlestoke houses about 500 men and specialises in rehabilitating long-term prisoners and preparing them for release.


Detectives have been granted more time to question seven suspects detained in two separate counter-terrorism operations in London on Thursday.

Khalid Mohammed Omar Ali, 27, was arrested on 27 April near Parliament Square in Whitehall.
In an unrelated incident, six people were arrested following evening raids in Willesden and Kent, including 21-year-old Mohamed Amoudi.
The maximum terror suspects can be held for with judicial approval is 14 days.
Police have been given authorisation by a court to detain all the suspects for several more days.
Mr Ali was found carrying knives near the Houses of Parliament and was detained by armed police.
He is a British national who is believed to have gone to school in Tottenham, north London, but was not born in the UK.
The Metropolitan Police said he had been detained on suspicion of terrorism offences.
He had been on the force's radar for some time and it is thought police acted after a concerned family member contacted them.
It also emerged on Saturday that he had spent time in Afghanistan, returning to the UK at the end of last year.
The second operation took place at a house in Harlesden Road, which had been under observation by police.
It was revealed on Saturday that Mr Amoudi had previously been quizzed by British authorities under suspicion of trying to travel to Syria to join so-called Islamic State
He was arrested alongside a 20-year-old woman, a 16-year-old boy, and a man and woman both aged 28, as well as a 43-year-old woman, who was arrested at another raid in Kent.
All of them were detained on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of terrorist acts.
A 21-year-old woman was also shot during the raid and remains in hospital. She is likely to be questioned when she is well enough to be discharged.
The Met said the two incidents were unrelated.
Neil Basu, deputy assistant commissioner, said that in both cases he believed the force "contained the threats that they pose".
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Roy Hodgson has rejected claims that it has never been easier to win an England international call-up.

Former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher made the accusation after Tottenham teenager Dele Alli was brought into the squad for the final two Euro 2016 qualifiers against Estonia and Lithuania after only three Premier League starts.
Alli made a two-minute international debut as a substitute in Friday's 2-0 win against Estonia at Wembley and will seek a second cap as England attempt to make it a perfect 10 wins from 10 in qualifying against Lithuania in Vilnius on Monday.
England manager Hodgson, who has used 31 players in qualifying, said: "With Dele Alli, you have to bear in mind the number of injuries we've had. When I thought of the group in June, and what it was going to be like in October when we play our final two matches, there would have been six or seven who would have been with us."
Arsenal's Jack Wilshere, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and Manchester City midfielder Fabian Delph all started in the 3-2 win in Slovenia in June but were out of contention for this squad because of injury - opening the door for Alli.
Liverpool's James Milner has stayed behind to rest after playing against Estonia while Manchester United's Michael Carrick pulled out of the squad with injury.
Hodgson said: "People like Dele come in because an opportunity has opened up for them with others moved aside."
Carragher, writing in his column in the Daily Mail, said: "It has never been easier to win an England call-up. If anyone doubted that, Roy Hodgson's latest squad proved how quickly a young player can be elevated. Dele Alli's inclusion in the group for the games against Lithuania and Estonia caused eyebrows to be raised."
Hodgson added: "I think you have to be careful with those sorts of comments because I don't think it's a situation where the moment you kick the ball correctly from A to B you'll get in the England team. It's not like that at all.
"But if you do come in and make an impact as a young player and there are a lot of injuries in the first team, there may be opportunities."
Hodgson, however, has warned the gifted Alli that while he has moved into the full England set-up, he must not regard himself as a permanent senior player.
"I said to him that I'm pleased to have him here, he's here on merit and he can handle the pressures," said Hodgson. "But I did say to him that there's a good chance he will be with the under-21s next time. I said: 'Don't think you're a senior player. You're an England player but that could be in the seniors or in the Under-21s.'
"But if he turns out to be one of the best players in the Premier League for the rest of the season, you'll be wanting him."
Phil Jagielka will take over the captaincy, with Wayne Rooney injured and Gary Cahill left out as a precaution against a back problem - the first Everton player to be handed the honour from the start of an England game.
Stoke City's Jack Butland will get an opportunity in goal as Joe Hart is rested while Swansea City's Jonjo Shelvey gets another chance in midfield. Leicester City's in-form striker Jamie Vardy is expected to figure at some stage.


UKIP has apologised for a tweet which said the death of a police officer under investigation in relation to the Rotherham abuse scandal was "karma".

The tweet from @PlymouthUKIP said: "South Yorkshire police says PC Hassan Ali who was under investigation in relation to child abuse in Rotherham has died in a car crash KARMA!"
PC Ali, 44, died in hospital nine days after he was hit by a car in Sheffield.
A UKIP spokesman said the tweeter had been rebuked.
Mr Ali was being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) over allegations made about him, the BBC understands.
South Yorkshire Police said his death was being treated as a "tragic accident". Officers are continuing to investigate the collision.
A UKIP spokesman said the karma tweet was deleted "rapidly" after it appeared on Friday.
The twitter account @PlymouthUKIP has also been deleted.
"It does not reflect what the party thinks," he said.
"We believe in justice and innocence until proven guilty."
The spokesman said that the tweet was down to a party volunteer's "freewheeling amateur past".
"We can understand there is a great deal of anger about the investigation but it is not appropriate to vent it in that way," he added.
Comments on twitter included from @AndrewReverand: "The #ukip #karma comment demonstrates yet again just how little class and integrity this party contains."
@ThomasevansUKIP tweeted: "What on Earth were you thinking with that tweet earlier?"
A report published in August 2014 said about 1,400 children were abused by gangs of men, mainly of Pakistani origin, from 1997 to 2013 in Rotherham.
In September, the IPCC said it was investigating 10 South Yorkshire Police officers referred to the watchdog by the force over the handling of child sexual exploitation in the town.
The latest report in the wake of the scandal branded the council "not fit for purpose" and it will be taken over by government commissioners.


A man in his 20s has died after he was hit by a lorry in Omagh, County Tyrone.

The victim was walking on the Great Northern Road at the time of the collision early on Sunday morning.
Traffic diversions are in operation between Dromore Road and Derry Road roundabout.
Police have advised motorists to take an alternative route for their journey.


A pensioner has gone on trial accused of murdering a woman at a house in Inverness.

Michael Taylor, 71, has pleaded not guilty to a charge which alleges he killed Elizabeth MacKay, who was also known as Muir, last year.
Mr Taylor, whose address has been given as being a prisoner at HMP Inverness, also denies another charge of stealing items from the house.
The trial at the High Court in Edinburgh continues.
Prosecutors allege that between 28 March and 31 March 2016, Mr Taylor assaulted Ms MacKay by seizing hold of her body and her hair at a property in Kintail Court.
It is claimed that Mr Taylor repeatedly punched her on the head and caused her to fall to the ground.
The Crown alleges that Mr Taylor then repeatedly struck Ms MacKay on the head and body with a blunt object before removing her clothing and handling her breasts.
Prosecutors also allege that Mr Taylor bit her breast and that he "did murder her".
The second charge alleges that at the same address on the same dates, Mr Taylor searched through a handbag before stealing groceries, pots, cutlery and keys.
Mr Taylor has pleaded not guilty to the charges.


Muse have announced details of a new single, album and six UK tour dates.

The British band will kick off their Psycho tour in Belfast on Sunday, before playing venues in Glasgow, Newport, Exeter, Manchester and Brighton.
The album, which is released on 8 June, will be called Drones.
"The world is run by drones utilising drones to turn us all into drones. To me, drones are metaphorical psychopaths," said Matt Bellamy.
The first single from the album, Dead Inside, will be out on 23 March.
Download 2015 headliners say they'll premiere some of their album tracks on their YouTube channel in early March.
Muse have sold 17 million albums worldwide.
Their last album, The 2nd Law, topped the chart in 21 countries including the UK.
It was their highest ever debut in the USA, entering the chart at number two.
They've also announced that Marmozets will be supporting them on their Psycho tour.
15 March - Belfast Ulster Hall
16 March - Glasgow Barrowlands
19 March - Newport Centre
20 March - Exeter Great Hall
22 March - Manchester Academy
23 March - Brighton Dome
1. Dead Inside
2. Drill Sergeant
3. Psycho
4. Mercy
5. Reapers
6. The Handler
7. JFK
8. Defector
9. Revolt
10. Aftermath
11. The Globalist
12. Drones
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube


Games of Thrones broadcaster HBO has sent "take down" notices to Periscope, the live-streaming video app owned by Twitter, after users of the app broadcast episodes of the hit show on Sunday night.

HBO also said Saturday's online leaks of four episodes had come from within a group that had received preview DVDs.
Twitter maintains that the Periscope app complies with US copyright law.
But HBO indirectly criticised the video streaming company.
"In general, we feel developers should have tools which proactively prevent mass copyright infringement from occurring on their apps and not be solely reliant upon notifications," HBO said in a statement.
Periscope's terms and conditions make it clear that users should respect intellectual property rights, but the app currently only reacts to copyright infringement allegations rather than trying to prevent them happening in the first place, HBO believes.
The long-awaited series five of Game of Thrones aired in the US on Sunday and in Europe on Monday.
Copyright infringement has been a huge issue for HBO.
Episodes of the first four series of Game of Thrones were illegally downloaded more than seven million times between 5 February and 6 April this year, according to piracy specialist Irdeto, as marketing for the new series ramped up.
This was a 45% increase on the same period last year, the company said.
But over the history of the series, illegal downloads had run into the "hundreds of millions", Ernesto Van der Sar, of the Torrentfreak news website, said.
And the first episode of the new series had been downloaded up to five million times, he said.
"In my view, Periscope is a non-issue [for Game of Thrones] because the show is already posted online at very high quality on several other services," he says.
"But mobile live streaming could be more of an issue for live sporting events like football matches."


England's Ricky Evans came from two sets down to beat Australia's Simon Whitlock in round one of the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.

Whitlock, seeded 10, missed two darts at a double to win 3-0 and Evans hit back to level before winning the deciding set with a 130 checkout.
Earlier, England's number nine seed Ian White was beaten 3-1 by Belgian outsider Dimitri Van den Bergh.
Phil Taylor lost only one leg as he beat qualifier Keita Ono 3-0.
The 55-year-old, winner of 16 world titles, maintained his record of never losing in the first round of the event, producing a finish of 167 and then wrapping up the match with a 121.
Taylor, who last won the world title in 2013, said: "Listen, I want to improve. I am sick of Michael van Gerwen. I am sick of getting beaten. This is my job. I could retire tomorrow - of course I could - but I want to improve."


Yorkshire have signed Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed from the start of August to the end of their T20 Blast campaign.

The wicketkeeper, 30, led Pakistan to Champions Trophy glory last month.
Sarfraz will replace Australia's Peter Handscomb, who is returning home after the North Group game against Nottinghamshire on 30 July.
"I've always wanted to play county cricket so this is an exciting opportunity," Sarfraz told the club website.
"Yorkshire are a big club with a rich history and huge reputation and I'm proud to be following in the footsteps of other Pakistanis who have played at Headingley like Younus Khan and Inzamam-ul Haq.
"It's a dream come true for me and hopefully it can help me become an even better professional."
Sarfraz is expected to feature in the Vikings' final five group matches and any subsequent knockout games.
Handscomb's departure means compatriot and fellow batsman Shaun Marsh will be Yorkshire's overseas player for their five remaining County Championship matches.


Two East Lothian NHS workers have each been jailed for nine months after they admitted stealing dental equipment worth £75,000.

Darren Lawson, 41, from Dunbar, took the items from storerooms at NHS Lothian and Gianni Donofrio, 47, of Prestonpans, sold them on eBay.
They stole from Duncan Street Dental Centre in Edinburgh and Edenhall Hospital in Musselburgh in 2013.
They were sentenced at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Frank Crowe said: "Both of you were in positions of trust. You were previously of good character and admitted the offences at an early stage, but I do find that taking advantage of the NHS and stealing items is a matter the public would be concerned about."
Lawson, a storeman and driver for NHS Lothian, had pled guilty previously to stealing dental equipment between 5 March and 5 September 2013.
Donofrio, a facilities site supervisor at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, pled guilty to resetting the stolen goods between the same period.
Sentences had been deferred for background reports.
The thefts came to light when a dentist, who had bought some of the equipment, contacted the manufacturers to ask if it was covered by warranty.
Checks by the company showed the equipment was part of a consignment sold to NHS Lothian.
Mary Moultrie, defence solicitor for Lawson, said at the time of the theft her client's financial situation was "extremely difficult".
She said: "He is genuinely ashamed and embarrassed about his actions. He is assessed as being at low risk of re-offending, but the report says he has suicidal tendencies, anxiety and depression."
Angela Craig, Donofrio's lawyer, said he had told the social worker: "You should not take what is not yours," and said such actions were "immoral".
Sheriff Crowe told the men: "Clearly there was some laxity in the system, but you took advantage of that and you had a duty of trust to your employers."


The actor Abe Vigoda, who played a doomed Mafia soldier in The Godfather, has died aged 94.

His family said he died peacefully in his sleep.
Vigoda played Sal Tessio, an old friend of Marlon Brando's Don Corleone, who plots to take over the family after the Don's death by killing his son.
The role made him recognisable to millions and led to many more roles, including as detective Phil Fish in the 1970s TV series Barney Miller.
His most memorable line in The Godfather comes just before his character Tessio is taken to his death, when he tells family adviser Tom Hagen: "Tell Mike it was only business. I always liked him."
Before the Godfather films Vigoda had worked in relative obscurity in TV and on the New York theatre circuit.
Many of his later roles were as gangsters, but in Barney Miller he became much-loved in the comedy role and in 1977 his character got his own series, focusing on domestic life.
He also appeared in films such as Cannonball Run II, Look Who's Talking and North.
Towards the end of his life, he often appeared on lists of living celebrities believed to have died and he played along with the hoaxes on TV chat show appearances.
Vigoda was married twice and is survived by a daughter from his first marriage, two grandchildren and a great-grandson.


Real Madrid have sent Norway attacking midfielder Martin Odegaard on an 18-month loan to Dutch side Heerenveen.

Odegaard joined Real in a high-profile move as a 16-year-old from Stromsgodset two years ago, having been a target for most of Europe's top sides, including Manchester United and Liverpool.
But he has only played twice for Real's first team, scoring five goals in 62 third-tier games for their B team.
He made his senior Norway debut at the age of 15, and has won nine caps.
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Tata Steel is beginning the formal process of selling its loss-making UK plants, inviting interested bidders to submit their offers.

So far, the only company to have publicly expressed an interest is Liberty Steel, owned by Sanjeev Gupta.
Thousands of workers in England and Wales risk losing their jobs if a deal cannot be struck.
However, the BBC understands that a City investment firm will agree to buy Tata's Scunthorpe plant on Monday.
Greybull Capital has been in talks to buy the business for several months and is expected to invest up to Â£400m.
The move would safeguard more than 4,000 jobs but workers are being asked to accept a pay cut and less generous pension arrangements.
Meanwhile, Mr Gupta said in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph that he felt there was "a very clear opportunity to turn things around, make money and create a sustainable business".
But he added: "I feel passionately about this and would like to do it, but I am not married to it.
"It is too big a deal for us to get wrong. It could put the whole company at risk."
Tata is known to want a quick sale. Business Secretary Sajid Javid said last week after talks in India that Tata had told him it would allow a "reasonable amount of time" for the sale process.
He added that he expected other interested parties to come forward once the formal sale process had begun.
Sajid Javid was meeting Tata chairman Cyrus Mistry for the first time since the firm announced the sale a week ago.
'Substantial support' needed for steel
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Tata Steel UK: What are the options?
Is China to blame for steel woes?
Mr Javid, who was on a business trip to Australia when Tata first announced it was planning to sell its UK steelworks, is under pressure over his handling of the crisis.
The business secretary has admitted he was caught unaware by Tata's announcement, telling the BBC that while he had known the firm was reviewing its UK operations, the firm had gone "much further than we expected".
Unions have accused the business secretary of "taking his eye off the ball" and have called for him to stand down if a buyer for the steelworks is not found.
Tata Steel directly employs 15,000 workers in the UK, across plants in Port Talbot, Rotherham, Corby and Shotton, and supports thousands of other jobs.
German Group ThyssenKrupp has also been reported to be interested in acquiring part of Tata's UK steel operations.
Tata Steel has said there is "no fixed timeline" for the sale process, but has stressed that urgency is needed to avoid "a long period of uncertainty" for employees and customers.
The steel industry crisis has been driven by falling prices and a global oversupply. In the UK, high energy costs and cheaper Chinese imports have exacerbated the issue.


The death toll from a lorry fire in Pakistan last week has risen sharply, with more than 200 people killed.

The tanker carrying fuel burst into flames near Ahmedpur East on 25 June.
Villagers had gathered, reportedly to collect fuel leaking from the crashed tanker, when it caught fire. Dozens are being treated in hospital.
The death toll in the hours after the fire hit 150, but local officials now say it is at least 206, after more victims died in hospital.
The fire was sparked by a passer-by lighting a cigarette, a rescue services spokesman told the BBC.
Some of the victims may only be identified by DNA sampling, as the bodies were so badly burned in the incident, reports said.
A mass funeral for 125 of the victims was held last week.
Police sources told Pakistani news agency APP that the tanker had been transporting 25,000 litres (5,500 gallons) of fuel from Karachi to Lahore. It appears the tanker blew a tyre while rounding a sharp bend in the road.
Police sources said that people in nearby villages had rushed to the scene to collect fuel in pots, and also made phone calls to their relatives in other villages to come to collect fuel.
Traffic police had tried in vain to keep the crowds away from the tanker as local people, including women and children, continued collecting fuel, the sources said.
A huge fire then erupted, engulfing all the people standing around the vehicle, they said.
Emergency services struggled to find burns units to treat the injured, APP reported.
Motorway police spokesman Imran Shah told the AFP news agency that a government inquiry had concluded five police officials were guilty of concealing information after the fire.


The ex-tennis coach whose daughters accuse him of cruelty has admitted the fun appeared to be going out of the game for his elder child when she was just six years old.

John De'Viana is accused of subjecting daughters Monaei and Nephe to years of physical and emotional abuse.
He told the jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court he had reported so-called pushy parents.
Mr De'Viana, of Ilford, east London, denies two counts of child cruelty.
He said he first had concerns about Monaei, now 21, as she became better at the sport.
Mr De'Viana, 55, said: "It got to a point where I started to recognise the fun element of her own success was waning.
"I began to understand the crossover line between coach and father. I felt that Monaei and I weren't enjoying all the fun things that we used to do."
He added: "As a father and a coach there was a fine line and I was already struggling to stay on balance."
But Mr De'Viana said he had recognised potential issues early on and sought advice from the Lawn Tennis Association.
The court heard how the girls were described in various terms including "idiot", in expletive-ridden statistics sheets showing their performance in matches.
Earlier jurors heard evidence from Mr De'Viana's former partner Michelle Horne, who denied lying about the allegations against him.
She said their daughters were made to train from a young age whether they wanted to play or not.
Ms Home told the court Mr De'Viana was "very controlling".
"He did everything he wanted to do," she said. "Nobody really got a say."
Ms Horne said Monaei was made to hold a tennis racquet from the age of 10 months and made to play aged three.
"By the age of three she didn't really have a choice as to what he made her do," she said.
But Tara Adkin QC, defending, suggested no-one could not force a three-year-old to do something they did not want to do.
Ms Horne replied: "Yes, you can, because he did."
The jury heard that the couple split up several years ago and Ms Adkin suggested Ms Horne had lied in giving evidence to help in her battle for contact with her daughters.
She said: "You have tried throughout giving your evidence to rewrite the childhood of your two girls. You have tried to present it as cruelty during tennis training when it was nothing of the sort."
Ms Horne replied: "It was cruel."
The trial continues.


Winger Matt Done has joined Rochdale for a third time, the latest move a free transfer from Sheffield United.

The 29-year-old scored 20 goals in 110 games across two previous spells at Spotland, the last of which ended with a move to Bramall Lane in 2015.
Done, who has signed a two-year deal, helped the Blades win promotion to the Championship last term and scored a total of 17 goals in 87 appearances.
"I'm excited to be back. I've had some good times here," said Done.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


Partick Thistle have made Blair Spittal their first signing of the summer, landing the 21-year-old winger on a two-year deal.

Spittal leaves Dundee United under freedom of contract after two seasons at Tannadice.
He scored five goals in 40 appearances in the latest campaign as United lost out in the Premiership play-off final.
"He is an exciting player who will add a really strong threat to our wide areas," said Jags boss Alan Archibald.
"I think Blair will bring a creative force to our team and I hope he can continue the excellent form he showed at the end of last season.
"We have a really good group of lads and I definitely think Spittal compliments what is already here."
Thistle have also recruited goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon on a two-year contract.
The 19-year-old has been with Cowdenbeath since 2014, making 34 first team appearance over the past two campaigns.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


The ancient tradition of firing cannons to signify the end of the daily fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan is thought to have taken place in the Arab world for hundreds of years.

It is believed to have started in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, but long ago the practice was also adopted just outside the Old City of Jerusalem.
Wherever cannons are used, Muslims do not break their dawn until dusk fast until they hear its booming sound.  The call to prayer follows and then it is time for the iftar meal.
In Jerusalem, the responsibility of sounding the cannon has fallen upon the same family for the last 120 years.  The Sanduqas have proudly handed down the tradition from father to son.
Rajai Sanduqa, an actor and puppeteer, took over the task in 1992.  He fires a rusty 1918 cannon from the top of a Muslim cemetery close to a bustling shopping street in East Jerusalem which overlooks the walls of the Old City.
"Two months before Ramadan, people come up to me and ask me to check that my timings will be correct as they want to break their fasts as soon as they can," he says.
"I know that in Jerusalem no Muslim eats before they hear the cannon and the mosques don't start their prayers until they hear the sound.  I feel so proud doing this."
However he recalls one occasion when his timing did not go to plan.
"One year, I made a terrible mistake and fired the cannon one minute early," he says.  "The next day everyone started shouting at me and wanted to hit me and I realised how important my role was in and around the city."
Tensions in East Jerusalem, which was occupied by Israel in 1967, mean that the Israeli army puts restrictions on the use of the cannon.
Previously it was heard every morning and evening to signify the start and end of fasting, but now its use is limited to the evenings only and the types of explosives that are used have changed.
"Before I used to pack the cannon with gunpowder and light some cloth and then point the barrel into the air and fire 15 feet [4.5m] up," Mr Sanduqa says.  "Now it's more like a big firework going off."
"We have to do what the authorities tell us or the cannon will remain silent and that cannot happen."
In recent years, he even took an explosions course required by the Israeli authorities.  "We now have permission to carry on with firing the cannon," he says.
Mr Sanduqa was taught how to carry out the Ramadan ritual by his father but he also remembers watching his grandfather firing the gun.  He used to receive a signal from the nearby al-Aqsa mosque that it was time to ignite the fuse.
The mosque is the third most important site within Islam, where the Prophet Mohammed is said to have ascended to heaven.
Rajai Sanduqa is a popular man amongst Jerusalem's Muslim community but at home his Ramadan duties can bring him into conflict with his wife and children.  He is always late to join them in breaking their fast.
"My wife always fights with me and says, 'Why can't we sit together as a family and enjoy our prayers and fasting?' and my children also complain that I am not at home during iftar to eat with them," he says.
"Because of my public duties I always end up eating on my own during Ramadan but that's ok".
While Mr Sanduqa stresses his commitment to the community he looks forward to the day when his son takes over his job so he can listen to the blast of the Ramadan cannon at home.
He is determined the tradition will stay in the Sanduqa family.
"It is a great responsibility and my family have been doing this for generations so I am training my son to take over from me when his time comes," he says.


MK Dons have signed defender Paul Downing on a two-year deal after he rejected a new contract offer from League One rivals Walsall.

Downing, who had only been offered a one-year deal by the Saddlers, made 183 appearances for the club following his release by West Brom in August 2012.
The 24-year-old centre-back has also previously been out on loan at Hereford United, Shrewsbury Town and Barnet.
"I've always liked Paul as a player," said Dons boss Karl Robinson.
The transfer will officially be completed once Downing's existing Walsall deal expires on Thursday.
Downing was one of three out-of-contract mainstays from last season's beaten League One play-off semi-finalists to leave the club, having turned down their respective offers.
Jason Demetriou signed last week for another League One side Southend, while Romaine Sawyers, remains linked with former Saddlers boss Dean Smith at Championship side Brentford.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


A group of Royal Navy mine clearance divers based in Portsmouth have walked a marathon underwater for charity.

The 14 divers from Fleet Diving Squadron, at Horsea Island, completed the 26 mile (42km) walk in the lake at their base in 25 hours.
The divers took turns to walk the 1km (3,280ft) length of the lake in pairs, wearing air cylinders and lead-lined boots.
They completed the challenge five hours under their target time of 30 hours.
They expect to raise Â£5,000 for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) which helps sailors, marines and their families from the event.


Martin Shkreli is facing a lawsuit claiming that his $2m (£1.38m) Wu-Tang Clan album includes work ripped off from a New York artist.

Jason Koza said he did not allow his illustrations to be used in packaging for the album bought by Mr Shkreli.
The former drug executive - who owns the only copy of the album - has not issued any comment.
Mr Shkreli, 32, became infamous after his pharmaceutical firm hiked the price of an HIV drug by 5,000% last year.
Who is Martin Shkreli
Mr Koza, 34, said he thought his nine works would appear only on the website Wu Disciples.
In a legal complaint quoted by the Reuters news agency, Mr Koza said he was happy to have his work featured on the website, but had not given permission for it to be copied or displayed anywhere else.
He has blamed the band's leader Robert "RZA" Diggs for including them in the album, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, bought by Mr Shkreli in an auction last year.
Mr Shkreli claimed at the time that he had no intention of listening to the album and had only bought it to "keep it from the people".
Mr Koza has also accused Mr Shkreli of allowing three works depicting three of the group's members to accompany a story on the Vice website.
The artist, a fan of the group, is seeking unspecified damages for copyright infringement.
Other defendants include Paddle8, which auctioned the album, and Wu Tang-affiliated producer Tarik "Cilvaringz" Azzougarh.
Wu Tang and Paddle8 have not commented on the case.
Last week, Mr Shkreli, former head of Turing Pharmaceuticals, refused to answer questions at a US congressional hearing on the company's pricing policy for the drug Daraprim, used by many AIDS patients.
Turing purchased the patent to the drug for $50m in July and, a month later, came to public attention for raising its price from 13.50 (£9.22) for a single dose to $750.
The Federal Trade Commission is also investigating whether Turing violated anti-trust laws when it raised the price of Daraprim.
In December, Mr Shkreli was arrested on securities fraud charges in a separate case. He denied the charges and was released on bail of $5m (£3.45m).