Digital public services that deliver
Nick Pike explores the challenges facing chief digital officer in driving forward Local Digital Declarations.
Northants gives green light to 17 community-run libraries
23/08/2019 Northamptonshire County Council has approved the business cases of 17 community-run libraries as part of a plan to safeguard the future of the authority’s library service. |
Wales and Scotland identified as ‘rising stars’ in participative government
26/07/2019 A comprehensive review of participative, outcomes-based, joined-up policy making across the UK has identified Wales and Scotland as ‘rising stars’. |
Neighbourhood services cut by £8.9bn
22/07/2019 Funding for neighbourhood services across Britain has fallen 27% over the last decade, according to new research. |
How South Tyneside became Co-operative Council of the Year
16/07/2019 An unusual way of providing public services has proved successful in an area hit by unemployment and huge cuts in government funding, as Mark Whitehead found out. |
Government announces £28m to ‘ease pressure' of migration
15/07/2019 Councils across England are to receive £28m to help ease the pressures on services resulting from recent migration, the Government announced over the weekend. |
Council drops plans to close ‘third of libraries’ after outcry
10/07/2019 Essex County Council has done a U-turn on its plan to close nearly a third of its libraries after a consultation received thousands of responses opposing it. |
The power of the community
05/07/2019 Tony Armstrong writes about why and how we must commission public services locally, and the growing Keep it Local movement. |
Why we need place-shaping technologies
28/06/2019 Michael White of BT looks at how digital technology can enhance placeshaping. |
Local authority named ‘co-operative council of the year’
26/06/2019 South Tyneside Council has been named ‘co-operative council of the year’ thanks to their commitment to the co-op principles in the face of deep funding cuts. |
Poorest areas could lose billions after Brexit, campaigners warn
11/06/2019 The poorest areas of Britain could lose billions of pounds in post-Brexit funding, campaigners have warned. |
National strategy to tackle inequalities in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities
07/06/2019 Communities minister Lord Bourne has launched a national strategy to tackle inequality and improve the lives of gypsy, roma and traveller communities. |
Councils struggle to tackle 'nuisance' urban gulls
21/05/2019 Councils across the UK are using a wide range of measures to deal with the nuisance posed by urban gulls, according to new research. |
Councils sell more than 200 sites to community led housing groups
16/05/2019 A third of councils in England are supporting community led housing development in a bid to tackle the housing shortage, new research has revealed. |
Celebrating 25 years of paint recycling
01/05/2019 Community RePaint network appeals for local authority support as it celebrates 25 years of paint recycling. Sarah Burns reports. |
Think tank calls for ‘new relationship’ between employers and communities
24/04/2019 A new relationship is needed between major employers and their local communities, according to a new report. |
Somerset council signs six ‘community library partnerships’
08/04/2019 Somerset County Council signed six ‘community library partnerships’ last week in a move that will help maintain library services in the face of cuts. |
Protecting public spaces
22/03/2019 Local Government News finds out why local community organisations and councils must work together to save public spaces. |
Veterans given better access to services with new ID cards
19/02/2019 A new ID card to help armed forces veterans gain access to specialist support and services has started to be issued. |
New funding to get people more involved in local issues
15/02/2019 Funding has been announced in 16 boroughs, town and cities across England to encourage more people to get involved in local issues. |
Brokenshire announces plans to improve integration
11/02/2019 The Government has announced new measures to help immigrants integrate with their communities. |
125 years and the issues remain the same
01/02/2019 Spending time poring over issues of The MJ from the past 125 years it is remarkable how much things change and yet they remain the same, says Heather Jameson. |
Thousands of community-led homes ‘at risk’ due to cuts
31/01/2019 An estimated 3,500 community-led homes are at risk due to the Government’s decision to close a multi-million pound housing fund. |
The growing impact of civic tech
15/01/2019 Mark Cridge explains how civic tech can give councils better outcomes and enhance civic participation for millions of people. |
Whitehall announces £1m ‘pocket park’ fund
05/12/2018 Community groups can bid for a share of a £1m fund to help them develop ‘pocket parks’. |
The long journey towards rebuilding trust at Kensington and Chelsea RLBC
13/11/2018 The Grenfell tragedy and its aftermath were devastating, says Elizabeth Campbell - and she pledges to listen more closely to local people to ensure they 'have a real stake in what is happening on their own doorsteps and in their own lives'. |
Whitehall announces ‘refresh’ of hate crime legislation
16/10/2018 The Government today announced a series of measures aimed at tackling hate crime, including £1.5m for community groups that challenge prejudice and hatred. |
Perfect partners for community growth
26/09/2018 Michelle Ovens explains how partnerships between local government and small businesses can dive more social impact at a low cost. |
Communities urged to bid for £163m housing fund
18/09/2018 Community-led groups are being invited to bid for a share of £163m housing fund to help deliver new affordable housing schemes. |
Councils should ‘step back’ from service provision, think tank says
13/09/2018 Local authorities should shift their focus away from direct service provision and focus more on enabling communities to ‘step up’, new study argues. |
Whitehall announces £6m English learning programme
05/09/2018 Local authorities will soon be able to bid for funding from a £6m English language learning programme, the communities secretary has announced. |
Whitehall to give communities ‘more direct role’ in decision-making
09/08/2018 The Government has launched a new strategy aimed at giving communities a more direct role in decisions that affect their local areas. |
Funding unveiled to tackle poor integration
10/07/2018 A new £7m fund to help tackle the causes of poor integration in England has been launched by local government minister, James Brokenshire. |
Whitehall launches £163m ‘affordable’ home fund
03/07/2018 Whitehall has launched a £163m ‘affordable home’ fund available to community-led housing groups across England. |
Council leaders dismiss 'Dickensian' perception of authority
12/06/2018 The residents of an East Anglian borough see their council as 'Dickensian', according to its mayor - even though leading councillors claim it as a national success story. |
Councils to share £19m to boost integration
11/06/2018 Councils in England will receive £19m to help ease pressures on housing, education and health services due to recent migration. |
Housing should be ‘more resilient’ to flood damage, architects say
04/05/2018 The Government needs to help homes and communities become more resilient to flood damage rather than focus on keeping the water out, charity says. |
Survey reveals extensive support for community-run businesses
04/05/2018 Over 34 million members of the public would like to see more community action to save local resources and provide local services, a new poll finds. |
Government launches £23m neighbourhood plan
20/03/2018 The Government yesterday launched a £23m fund to help local residents plan their own communities. |
Councillors to be equipped with 'community organising' skills
16/03/2018 A new partnership will soon equip councillors with ‘community organising’ skills to help them engage more effectively with their local communities. |
Councils urged to unlock £7bn of untapped assets
12/12/2017 Councils should assess the 'social value' of community businesses to help keep local areas strong and vibrant, according to a new report. |
Charity calls for protection of 'crucial' rural post office
20/11/2017 Citizens Advice has called on the government to invest more in post offices in rural areas. |
Rural life is ‘disappearing fast’ warns new research
14/11/2017 Rural schools, pubs and post offices are being forced to close down due to ageing and dwindling populations, a new report has warned. |
Communities to share £1bn shale gas funding
13/11/2017 A £1b fund has been announced for communities near fracking sites to pay for extra facilities including parks, sports centres and libraries. |
Launch of grass-roots project to tackle local inequality
26/10/2017 Seven areas have been chosen to share £8m to create a network of new community businesses in their areas. |
Guidance to help councils benefit from youth programme published
25/10/2017 New guidance has been launched to help local authorities benefit from a Government-backed youth empowerment programme. |
One million people blighted by ‘dirty’ communities
16/10/2017 One million people in Scotland are living in ‘dirty’ communities due to budget cuts and a lack of civic pride, a new report has revealed. |
Report explores how councils are dealing with service change
12/10/2017 Councils in Wales have been urged to monitor the impact changes to services are having on local communities, in a new report published today. |
Satisfaction with Scottish public services falls to lowest level in a decade
27/09/2017 The number of adults satisfied with three public services in Scotland has fallen to its lowest level since 2007. |
Councillors should take ‘backseat’ to encourage community collaboration, report says
28/07/2017 Councillors should learn to take a ‘backseat’ in local projects in order to encourage community collaboration and build trust in local government, report says. |
Councils ‘failing’ community activists
19/07/2017 Councils are failing to support local volunteers despite a recent survey finding nearly one third of residents would like to get involved as community activists. |
Whitehall announces £1m of refugee support funds
19/07/2017 The home secretary today announced £1m of extra funding to help communities support Syrian refugees. |
Prevent ‘toxic’ brand in need of repackaging, councillor says
05/07/2017 Prevent has become a ‘toxic’ brand and needs repackaging, councillor says during a discussion on how to promote integration. |
Manchester announces first LGBT care scheme for elderly
17/02/2017 Manchester City Council has announced its ambition to create a community aimed at older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. |
Care of the elderly should be a shared responsibility
07/02/2017 Tony Pilkington calls on councils to develop new models of care in order to empower local communities. |
Council health funded community projects are huge success
01/02/2017 Cheshire East Council has enjoyed huge success with the recent launch of participatory budgeting – the authority’s answer to getting communities more involved with projects that positively impact on the borough’s health. |
Public service delivery should be ‘local by default’, argues community group
25/01/2017 The current trend among councils of standardising services and outsourcing contracts to big national charities and multinational companies is ‘counterproductive’, campaigners warn. |
DCLG announces £210,000 to support community projects
24/01/2017 Over £200,000 of extra funding will be available for community projects that bring together diverse communities and different faiths, the DCLG has announced. |
An evidence base for tackling social cohesion
04/01/2017 Professor Richard Webber explains how Big Data has been used to identify the level of diversity in every street in Britain and how councils can use this information to tackle social cohesion. |
How councils can better understand minority communities
13/12/2016 Professor Richard Webber calls for a new strategy to help local authorities understand minority communities. |
Councils urged to tackle segregation by Casey
05/12/2016 Public sector leaders have done too little to stop communities from becoming segregated for fear of being branded racist, Dame Louise Casey has claimed. |
New powers must be driven beyond town halls says new report
15/11/2016 Devolution to local government will only be successful if power is driven beyond town halls and into local communities, a new report from the Co-operative Party has argued. |
Croydon Council to pilot community decision-making scheme
15/11/2016 Three local communities in south London are to be given more responsibility for services as part of a six-month pilot scheme launched by Croydon Council. |
Report calls for £1bn fund to transfer public assets to communities
08/11/2016 The Government should invest £1bn to help transfer public buildings and land into the hands of community groups. |
How are councils using the Social Value Act?
04/11/2016 Take part in our reader survey exploring how local authorities are using the Social Value Act when procuring and commissioning services. |
Online community action toolkit launched
28/10/2016 The Local Government Association (LGA) has launched an online toolkit to help councils involve their residents in the design and delivery of services. |
May appoints new communities secretary
14/07/2016 Sajid Javid has been appointed local government minister in the new cabinet. |
The June issue of Local Government News contains the full details of all the winning schemes in the 2019 Street Design Awards. From Children's Play to Pedestrian Environment, find out who has been recognised for their innovation and use of best practice.
This issue also explores how local government pension funds can hedge currency risk, how councils can best address the shortfall in school places, and an update on the number of authorities banning the use of Roundup over safety fears.
