Are enough local governments acting on climate emergency declarations?
Hannah Callingham says councils must start to develop and deliver climate change strategies in order to meet declarations.
Aberdeen goes into local lockdown following COVID-19 cluster
06/08/2020 Localised restrictions have been put into place in Aberdeen City following an outbreak of coronavirus cases. |
Luton mayor resigns after breaking lockdown rules
06/08/2020 The mayor of Luton has resigned after being pictured at a social gathering during lockdown. |
Council chiefs call on Government to help local creative industries
05/08/2020 New guidance has been published to help over-stretched councils support their local creative industries recover from the coronavirus pandemic. |
Closing schools should be the 'last option' says Children's Commissioner
05/08/2020 Schools should be the last place to close and first to re-open in future lockdowns, the Children's Commissioner for England has warned today. |
Council launches local test and trace system
05/08/2020 Blackburn with Darwen Council has launched a local coronavirus tracing system in partnership with Public Health England. |
Extra £50m funding for Scottish social care
04/08/2020 Social care in Scotland will be given a £50m funding boost to help meet the cost of the coronavirus crisis. |
Adult social care in Wales gets extra funding boost
03/08/2020 Adult social care providers in Wales will receive an extra £22.7m in funding to help cover the cost of the coronavirus crisis. |
Major incident declared in Greater Manchester
03/08/2020 A major incident has been declared in Greater Manchester following a rise in COVID-19 cases. |
Adult specialist care 'robust' in face of pandemic
31/07/2020 Adult specialist care has ‘stood up well’ to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, a report has found today. |
'Breathable billboard' unveiled as part of air quality campaign
31/07/2020 A 'breathable billboard' has been launched to help encourage local authorities to tackle air pollution as part of the COVID-19 recovery strategy. |
Hancock's new rules to halt COVID spread
31/07/2020 New rules on social gatherings have been introduced in Northern England as the number of COVID cases has started to rise. |
Counties warn oversight of social care must remain with councils
30/07/2020 County councils have warned against a ‘knee-jerk’ centralisation of the social care system in the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis. |
Councils urged to 'raise their game' to tackle fraud
30/07/2020 Welsh councils have been urged to 'raise their game' when it come to tackling fraud by the Auditor General for Wales. |
Pandemic leaves one in five teenagers unhappy with their lives
30/07/2020 More than a million teenagers are unhappy with their lives, according to new research looking at the impact lockdown has had on well-being. |
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. |
Government handling of social care during pandemic attacked
29/07/2020 MPs have delivered a blistering attack on the Government’s handling of social care during coronavirus. |
Minister unveils grants to fast track digital innovation
27/07/2020 The Government has announced a series of grants to councils in a bid to capitalise on fast-track digital programmes introduced during the pandemic. |
Luton takes steps to avoid a local lockdown
23/07/2020 Luton Borough Council has urged residents to get tested for coronavirus after a rise in infections rates in the area. |
New guidance to allow care homes to open to visitors
23/07/2020 Public health directors will start to assess care homes to see if they can re-open for visits from family and friends, under new government guidance. |
MSPs to explore COVID-19 impact on council finances
23/07/2020 The impact of the coronavirus crisis on local government finances in Scotland is to be investigated by a Holyrood Committee. |
Shared Lives in health
22/07/2020 Personalised care must be high on the agenda as we look to create a stronger, kinder and more connected society, writes Alex Fox OBE. |
Leicester calls for permission to spend unallocated grant money
22/07/2020 Leicester City Council has asked for permission to use £10m of unallocated business grants to help struggling local businesses after its lockdown was extended. |
Nottingham Council to cut more than 150 jobs
22/07/2020 Nottingham City Council has announced 154 jobs will be lost as part of emergency plans to save an additional £12.5m. |
London boroughs face £23m rent arrears due to Universal Credit
22/07/2020 The rollout of Universal Credit is leading to thousands of council tenants falling behind on rent payments, new research commissioned by London Councils has found. |
Hancock announces plans to share more data
20/07/2020 Health secretary Matt Hancock has announced plans to share more data with local government in a bid to help track and trace COVID-19 cases more effectively. |
Jenrick unveils extra funding to help house vulnerable people
20/07/2020 Councils are being encouraged to apply for the government’s £266m fund to help vulnerable people move into long-term accommodation. |
Mayor anticipates Covid-19 election disruption
20/07/2020 London mayor Sadiq Khan has urged voters in the capital to register for postal ballots ahead of next year’s elections to avoid disruption from the COVID-19 crisis. |
Leisure centres under threat, warn councils
20/07/2020 Hundreds of leisure facilities are under ‘immediate threat of closure’ due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, English and Welsh councils have warned ministers. |
Councils call for clarity on income guarantee
17/07/2020 Council leaders have urged the Government to provide further details on the promised compensation for loss of income due to the pandemic. |
Leicester mayor ‘frustrated’ by extended lockdown
17/07/2020 The Government has been accused of taking a ‘sledgehammer approach’ to the local lockdown of Leicester by mayor Sir Peter Soulsby. |
PM announces new powers for local lockdown
17/07/2020 Councils will get new powers to shut down premises in a bid to control the spread of coronavirus as we head towards the next phase of the pandemic, the Prime Minister has announced. |
Coronavirus is jeopardising child welfare
16/07/2020 Chris Lloyd-Smith examines how the coronavirus is endangering child welfare, posing a challenge to local authority childcare and protection services. |
Better response to pandemic from European councils, says think-tank
16/07/2020 Local government across Europe has been able to react to the coronavirus crisis with greater power and autonomy than in the UK, a report published today has found. |
Prospect of local economic recovery 'weak' warn LEPs
15/07/2020 The majority of local leaders warn the prospect of economic recovery is poor over the next six months. |
A million smokers quit during pandemic
15/07/2020 More than a million smokers have quit the habit since the start of the coronavirus crisis, figures have revealed today. |
Blackburn with Darwen announces new local measures to control virus
15/07/2020 Blackburn with Darwen Council has introduced five new local measures to control the spread of coronavirus, including wearing masks in all enclosed public spaces. |
Council steps in after Herefordshire farm goes into lockdown
13/07/2020 Herefordshire Council is supporting vegetable producers AS Green and Co after an outbreak of coronavirus was discovered at their Mathon farm. |
Planning changes to protect theatres and music venues
13/07/2020 New planning rules to protect theatres, concert halls and live music performance venues from being demolished or redeveloped will come into effect next week. |
Ministry was 'blind' to council investment risks says watchdog
13/07/2020 Ministers have been blind to the risk of commercial investments by councils, Parliament’s spending watchdog has claimed. |
Space-enabled technologies to aid coronavirus support
10/07/2020 Space data will soon help local authorities to identify ‘hidden’ vulnerable people under new plans announced today. |
Third of social workers looking to quit profession, survey reveals
10/07/2020 A third of social workers are are thinking of leaving the profession putting the system at risk of collapse, new research has warned. |
Pools, gyms and leisure centres set to re-open
10/07/2020 Councils leaders have welcomed the news that gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres will be allowed to re-open later this month. |
Councils yet to hand out £1.7bn of business grant money
09/07/2020 Councils are yet to distribute £1.7bn of funding given to them to support small businesses through the pandemic, new figures have revealed. |
Fast-tracking technologies during the crisis
09/07/2020 Anthony Singleton explains how technology is helping local government deal with the huge spike in demand for services due to COVID-19. |
Government 'failed to prepare' on PPE, say MPs
08/07/2020 The Government has failed to ensure there is enough personal protective equipment (PPE) in the event of a second wave of coronavirus, a watchdog has warned today. |
Coronavirus could create a ‘lost generation’ of vulnerable teenagers
07/07/2020 Thousands of vulnerable teenagers are at risk of falling through gaps in the school and social care systems, the Children’s Commissioner for England has warned today. |
Care chiefs reject Boris' COVID claims
07/07/2020 Care chiefs have rejected claims by Boris Johnson that it was their lack of vigilance that led to a high number of coronavirus deaths in care homes. |
Government unveils £1.57bn rescue package for arts and culture
06/07/2020 The Government has announced a £1.57bn funding package to help cultural and heritage organisations survive the coronavirus crisis. |
Charity warns 230,000 renters at risk of 'Covid-eviction'
06/07/2020 Nearly a quarter of a million private renters have fallen into arrears since the pandemic started, a homelessness charity has warned today. |
Beach capacity revealed following Bournemouth's major incident
03/07/2020 New analysis of beach capacity has revealed that only 78,000 people can fit onto Bournemouth beach if social distancing guidelines are followed. |
Councils in local virus data call
03/07/2020 Councils have called for the Government to go further after it finally started to publish more coronavirus testing data. |
Local authorities need extra resources to lead contact tracing now
02/07/2020 Pascale Robinson explains why local public health teams are best placed to lead contract tracing services. |
Vulnerable people still struggling to get basic food, report warns
02/07/2020 More than a quarter of vulnerable people are still struggling to access basic goods and essential groceries, new research has found. |
Jenrick announces more cash, income compensation and tax delay
02/07/2020 Local government secretary Robert Jenrick has announced more cash and new ways councils will be reimbursed for income lost as a result of coronavirus. |
Nurseries in most deprived areas most risk from closure, report reveals
02/07/2020 A third of nurseries in the most disadvantaged areas may be forced to close down permanently due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, a new report has warned. |
Local public health teams should manage contact tracing, poll reveals
02/07/2020 Two-thirds of the public want local public health teams to be in charge of the contact tracing system, a new poll has revealed. |
Starmer warns coronavirus has created a 'perfect storm' for councils
01/07/2020 The coronavirus crisis and government’s inaction has caused a 'perfect storm' for councils, Keir Starmer will warn later today. |
Rent arrears could see homelessness treble this year, campaigners warn
01/07/2020 Homelessness could treble this year due to financial impact of coronavirus, campaigners have warned today. |
COVID funding gap hits £7.4bn, LGA estimates
01/07/2020 The funding gap created by COVID-19 now stands at £7.4bn, the Local Government Association has said. |
Changing the face of public realm design post-Covid
30/06/2020 What has Covid taught us about public realm? Peter Hogg explores. |
Johnson launches planning reforms to help 'build, build, build'
30/06/2020 Boris Johnson is expected to bring forward £5bn of investment in hospitals, roads and schools later today. |
Research suggests 84,000 fewer homes will be built this year due to Covid-19
30/06/2020 More than 80,000 new homes will not be delivered this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, research has revealed today. |
Leicester locks down after surge in coronavirus
30/06/2020 England’s first local lockdown will begin in Leicester this week in a bid to combat a surge in COVID-19 cases. |
Landlords urged to factor pandemics into future business plans
29/06/2020 Landlords must factor in the threat of future pandemics into long-term business planning, according to research carried out amongst social housing leaders. |
Leicester could be first city to face local lockdown
29/06/2020 Leicester could be the first place in England to be placed in a local lockdown following a rise in the number of coronavirus cases, the home secretary warned over the weekend. |
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'. |
Council declares major incident as thousands flock to beach
26/06/2020 A council was forced to declare a major incident yesterday after thousands of people flocked to the beach on the hottest day of the year. |
Delivering a better post-pandemic public realm
25/06/2020 Chris Hodson explores how established and new techniques can help transform streets and public spaces to meet new challenges. |
Report warns childcare sector at risk of mass closure
25/06/2020 A quarter of early years providers warn they expect to close within the year due to the impact of coronavirus, a new survey has revealed. |
Eight in ten councils can't meet Covid-19 costs, report warns
24/06/2020 More than eight out of ten upper tier councils in England do not have enough money to cover the extra costs and reduced income caused by coronavirus, a report has warned today. |
The new normal for public sector debt collection
24/06/2020 Richard Haymes asks what lessons will be learned after the crisis and how will policy, such as the FCA’s persistent debt and breathing space rules, be implemented in a post-coronavirus landscape. |
Councils pledge to deliver inclusive growth post-Covid-19
24/06/2020 Councils are taking steps to ensure their communities and local economies are more inclusive post-Covid-19, a new report has revealed. |
£105m funding boost to help homeless off the streets after lockdown
24/06/2020 Ministers have unveiled a further £105m of funding to help keep rough sleepers off the streets after the pandemic. |
Scots councils to get COVID cash top up
23/06/2020 The Scottish Parliament has agreed to top up its funding to councils to deal with the coronavirus crisis. |
Council launches petition over coronavirus funding promise
23/06/2020 Redbridge Council has launched a petition urging the Government to honour its promise to fully compensate local government for all Covid-19 related costs. |
Ten ways for councils to rebuild local economies post-Covid-19
23/06/2020 Alexander Jan sets out ten ideas to help local authorities get started in rebuilding local economies post-Covid-19. |
Javid urges reorganisation and devolution post-COVID
23/06/2020 Council tax reform and local government reorganisation should both play a part in the post COVID economic recovery, former communities secretary Sajid Javid has said. |
Saliva coronavirus test to be trialled in Southampton
22/06/2020 Southampton City Council will be piloting a new ‘no-swab’ saliva test for coronavirus. |
Councils call for 100,000 social homes for key worker 'heroes'
22/06/2020 A new report has called for 100,000 social homes to be built each year for health, care and other key workers. |
Councils issue warning over test and trace scams
22/06/2020 Councils have warned that criminals are trying to exploit the test and trace system by trying to convince people they must pay for the testing kit. |
IFS urges government to relax the rules on council finance amid crisis
22/06/2020 Finance experts have called on the Government to temporarily relax rules that prevent councils borrowing to cover day-to-day spending as they deal with the coronavirus crisis. |
Government announces measures to prevent company evictions
19/06/2020 The Government has extended measures to prevent struggling companies from eviction over the summer until the end of September. |
Council chiefs welcome £1bn Covid school ‘catch up’ package
19/06/2020 Local authority leaders have welcomed the Government’s announcement of a £1bn Covid ‘catch up’ package to tackle the impact of lost teaching time. |
Khan calls for face masks to be mandatory
19/06/2020 Mayor of London yesterday called on the Government to make the wearing of face coverings mandatory for customers in shops and other confined public spaces. |
Coronavirus has turned 'financial cracks into craters'
18/06/2020 The new president of the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) has warned that coronavirus has turned ‘financial cracks into craters’. |
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. |
Paediatricians urge PM to make school reopenings ‘a priority’
18/06/2020 Over 1,500 paediatricians have signed an open letter to the Prime Minister urging him to make the reopening of schools a priority. |
Nearly two thirds of families on Universal Credit stuck in debt ‘nightmare’
18/06/2020 Two charities have called on the Government to increase the child element of UC by £20 to help struggling families ‘stay afloat’ during the Covid lockdown. |
Social care is running out of cash, experts warn
18/06/2020 Social care could run out of money to deal with the fallout of the coronavirus crisis by the end of the summer unless the Government steps in with more cash. |
Combined authority 'spending reserves like it's going out of fashion'
17/06/2020 Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s chief executive has expressed doubts about whether his region would be able to cope with a second wave of coronavirus infections. |
Leeds council concerned £200m of Covid costs will lead to cuts
17/06/2020 The leader of Leeds City Council has called for urgent Government support as the costs of coronavirus in the city approaches £200m. |
Moving to the cloud
17/06/2020 Cllr Dominic Twomey explains how the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham maintained and improved contact centre performance during a crisis. |
Unpaid carers ‘pushed’ into using food banks
17/06/2020 Unpaid carers are twice as likely as the general public to have relied on a food bank during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to charity. |
Art charity announces £2m to support museums and galleries
17/06/2020 Museums and art galleries are to receive a much needed funding boost to help them weather the impact of Covid-19. |
Khan warns of ‘significant cuts’ to deal with economic impact of Covid
17/06/2020 London Mayor today warned that he will be ‘left with no choice’ other than to make cuts unless the Government acts to support local and regional authorities. |
Care home deaths drop but council chiefs still ‘seriously’ concerned
17/06/2020 Council chiefs welcome decrease in the number of Covid-related care home deaths but warn that it is ‘seriously concerning’ that the death rate remains so high. |
Racism raises the risk from COVID-19 for minorities
17/06/2020 Racism has raised the risk of people from black and ethnic minority communities developing COVID-19 and dying from the disease, says an official report. |
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. |
‘Generation of children’ losing out due to lack of lockdown education
16/06/2020 Children who are locked down at home spend an average of 2.5 hours a day doing school work, a new study has revealed. |
EXCLUSIVE: 'Make local elections a "mini-referendum" on fair funding'
16/06/2020 The main parties at the Local Government Association could turn next year’s local elections into a ‘mini referendum on fair funding for all councils’, according to the director of the Political Skills Forum. |
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.
