Pushing for real reform
The pandemic was a game changer for the central/local government relationship, says Joanne Roney, who has started her two-year stint as president of Solace.
Lessons learned from the pandemic
19/01/2021 Find out how a recent webinar explored for governments are supporting the health and wellbeing of their communities during the pandemic. |
Sampling COVID’s impact on Surrey
14/01/2021 Michael Coughlin describes how Surrey CC is developing a ‘rich and granular’ understanding of how its residents, communities and the local economy are being impacted by the pandemic. |
New proposals to fix Britain's 'fraying social fabric'
12/01/2021 Every local area should be represented by a parish or town council in order to rebuild ‘fraying’ communities after the pandemic, a think tank has argued today. |
Expansion of Dormant Assets Scheme to potentially raise £800m
11/01/2021 The Government has announced that dormant assets are set to be unlocked, with the potential for more than £800m to be made available to support the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. |
What do we want our high streets to look like next Christmas?
05/01/2021 Vidhya Alakeson argues that community businesses provide a tremendous opportunity to create vibrant and resilient high streets and communities. |
Community-led skills devo should be the way forward
03/12/2020 A more comprehensive and community-led approach to devolution would enable skills strategies and local services to be joined up more effectively, says Charlotte Morgan. |
Ministers urged to 'double down on devolution'
17/11/2020 A new study has called for the creation of 'pop up parishes' and 'people's budgets' to give communities greater control over local services and assets. |
Councils bid for vaccine role
16/11/2020 Councils have made a bid to play a key role in distributing the new coronavirus vaccine. |
Report calls for extra investment in women's centres
20/10/2020 The Government has been urged to invest more funding in women's centres to help reduce the number of women in prison, in a new report published today. |
Community involvement in local planning - why Local Plans hold the answer
12/10/2020 Alex Yedigaroff argues the planning white paper presents a great opportunity for local authorities to promote the importance of Local Plans to their communities. |
Council leaders see ‘community wealth building’ as post-COVID priority
07/10/2020 Councils should focus on policies that strengthen the health, wealth and wellbeing of communities as they attempt to recover from the pandemic, report says. |
Research highlights shortfall in community support hubs
30/09/2020 Over 150 local authorities are not operating community support hubs that provide vital services for vulnerable people, research has revealed. |
Councils voice support for new Community Wealth Fund
10/09/2020 Calls for a Community Wealth Fund to transform the most ‘left behind’ neighbourhoods have been backed by 10 councils in England. |
Nottingham agrees governance overhaul
28/08/2020 The council will implement a raft of measures in a bid to improve oversight of its companies after its energy firm incurred a £24m loss. |
Government announces £5m for COVID-19 ‘social prescribing’
17/08/2020 The National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) has been awarded £5m to help people stay connected and maintain their health and wellbeing following the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Funding boost for neighbourhood planning groups
10/08/2020 Grants to neighbourhood planning groups in urban and deprived areas has nearly doubled, the Government has announced. |
Public back investment for ‘15-minute’ communities
07/08/2020 There is a growing trend to create '15-minute communities' through investment in public health, green infrastructure and town centres, a new survey has revealed. |
NLGN report offers four ways for mobilising mutual aid
30/07/2020 Four strategies for rapidly mobilising local mutual aid groups to ensure the most vulnerable have what they need to get through the pandemic are outlined in a new report from the NLGN. |
Think tank calls for sweeping reforms to local taxes
06/07/2020 A group of former Treasury special advisers have called for revaluation of the council tax and reform of business rates to boost the economy post-COVID-19. |
How to get community infrastructure right post-pandemic? Listen, then invest
26/06/2020 Victoria Boelman calls on local leaders to listen to the voices of the local community to ensure we 'build back better'. |
We must all step up to support our communities
18/06/2020 If we are to ensure a just recovery, the feelings of common purpose this crisis has caused must be harnessed, says Steve Butterworth of Neighbourly. |
Luton forced into unavoidable cuts
17/06/2020 Luton BC’s boss has said the council has done all it can but has no other choice than to cut 365 jobs and frontline services. |
Local groups urge PM to support a ‘community-powered’ post-Covid recovery
16/06/2020 Over 100 organisations have called on the Government to support a community-powered economic recovery which they argue would help revive local areas. |
Councils call for clarity on local lockdowns
16/06/2020 Councils this week called for clarity on the legal powers they will have if they are forced to implement local coronavirus lockdowns. |
Free community groups to take on assets - think-tank
03/06/2020 Powers allowing community groups to take on local assets should be kick-started to build on the volunteer spirit generated by Covid says a report released today. |
Community cohesion at 'all-time high' say council leaders
28/05/2020 Community cohesion is at an all-time high despite plummeting economic confidence during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey of local government chiefs and leaders. |
Participatory budgeting
21/05/2020 Evgeny Barkov explains what participatory budgeting means and how it can reveal what citizens need. |
Call for lifting of immigration rules
20/04/2020 Council leaders in England, Scotland and Wales have called for a temporary lifting of the immigration rules that stop some migrants accessing public funds. |
Tactical urbanism
17/04/2020 Nathan Coyle calls on councils to build on community cohesion and have conversations about tactical urbanism when Covid-19 restrictions are over. |
Councils' commissioning must boost communities says report
15/04/2020 The public sector should adopt Community Value Charters as a standardised way of evaluating social value and improving the lives of local residents, a new report has urged. |
Playing outside helps build ‘connected communities’, research says
17/03/2020 Researchers have called on local authorities to ‘recognise and value’ the contribution of residents who organise playing out sessions for children. |
Creating communities for all ages
13/02/2020 Bringing younger and older people together produces dividends, says Stephen Burke, who outlines how councils can encourage more intergenerational care and living. |
Welsh village home of the UK’s ‘best high street’
24/01/2020 Treorchy High Street in the Rhondda Valley has been crowned the UK’s best in this year’s Great British High Street Awards. |
Village halls secure refurbishment funding
20/01/2020 The Government has awarded £1.2m to refurbish village halls in the past year. |
Whitehall issues new armed forces ID card
09/01/2020 A new ID card for armed forces veterans has started to be issued to service leavers, according to the Government. |
Eight councils to receive £20,000 to develop ‘behavioural insights’
08/01/2020 Eight local authorities are to receive £20,000 each in order to help them develop new ways to change the behaviour of residents as part of an effort to reduce demand on overstretched councils. |
Report calls for end of 'age apartheid'
07/01/2020 Radical action is needed to create ‘a country for all ages’ by 2030, according to a report published today. |
Community ownership in Scotland on the rise
11/12/2019 New figures have revealed that community ownership is on the increase in Scotland. |
Measuring the true value of community transport
11/12/2019 ECT Charity explains why community transport is worth its weight in savings. |
Providing sanctuary for refugees
10/12/2019 Neil Merrick finds out what councils across the country are doing to welcome and resettle Syrian refugees. |
Councils taking ‘zero tolerance’ approach to community posters
25/11/2019 Nearly half of councils remove all posters put up by community groups, a new investigation has revealed. |
Survey warns housing developments are 'built too quickly'
21/11/2019 Planners and developers are failing to consider the infrastructure needed to support new house building, according to a report produced with the help of architects. |
Mending a shattered society
17/10/2019 Local government must be the glue that mends the broken bonds of our communities, writes Donna Hall. |
Cambridge’s pioneering cohousing scheme
07/10/2019 Laura Sharman visits Marmalade Lane – Cambridge’s first cohousing development and the largest scheme of its type in the UK. |
It’s time to reboot localism, says think tank
23/09/2019 Local authorities should formally commit to including the neighbourhood in all decision making processes, says Centre for London. |
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. |
This issue of Public Property examines how how flexible workspaces can lead the way in regeneration for local authorities, Why local authority intervention is key to successful urban regeneration schemes and if the Government’s challenge of embracing beauty is an opportunity for communities.
The March issue also takes a closer look at Blackburn with Darwen Council's first digital health hub to help people gain control over health and care services.
