Sharpening the commercial edge
The case for well-managed council commercial activity is one that needs to be defended if we want a mature and sustainable local state, argues Jonathan Werran.
Pandemic has increased attendance inequalities in schools, study finds
25/05/2021 Disadvantaged pupils are the least likely to return to school after lockdown, a new study has revealed. |
Poorer areas see greatest fall in park visits
13/05/2021 The poorest areas have reported the largest fall in the number of people visiting parks and green spaces during the pandemic, new research has uncovered. |
Public call for underlying inequalities laid bare by COVID to be addressed
05/05/2021 More than three quarters of UK adults are calling for action to address the underlying inequalities exposed by COVID, a new poll has revealed. |
Everyone with a learning disability should have their voices heard in the local elections
04/05/2021 Emma Fraser explains why having a learning disability should never be a barrier to taking part fully in elections. |
Only a third of local election candidates are women
04/05/2021 New research has shown that only a third of candidates in the English local elections are women, leading to concerns about a lack of gender equality in local government. |
Council chiefs in Wales commit to become ‘diverse councils’
09/03/2021 Local authority leaders in Wales have agreed to ensure council chambers are more representative of their communities following the upcoming local elections. |
COVID-19 has 'exacerbated inequalities'
17/02/2021 While the pandemic has brought communities closer together, 44% of people also believe it has increased social divisions, according to a new report. |
Women on the frontline are 'exhausted' survey warns
17/02/2021 Women working in local government have warned the emotional, physical and financial impact of the pandemic is taking its toll, a new survey has revealed. |
Disabled people accounted for six in 10 deaths from COVID-19 last year
12/02/2021 Figures have shown that six out of 10 people who died from COVID-19 last year were disabled. |
School closures could costs hundreds of billions in lost earnings, study predicts
01/02/2021 The long-run cost of lost schooling could be as much as £350bn, a new study from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned. |
New funding to improve life of mothers and babies
22/01/2021 The 19 projects chosen to share a £7.6m fund to reduce health inequalities among new mothers and babies have been announced by the Government. |
London boroughs vow to do more to tackle racial inequalities
09/12/2020 The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minorities shows there’s ‘so much more to do’ to promote racial equality, London borough leaders have said. |
Public health cuts biggest in North East
09/12/2020 The Midlands and the North have suffered the biggest public health cuts in England, new analysis has revealed. |
Tracing COVID-19 less successful in deprived areas, analysis reveals
07/12/2020 Tracing positive COVID-19 cases and their contacts is less successful in more deprived local authority areas when compared to the least deprived areas, according to a new analysis. |
Report calls for an improved public health system to prevent thousands of premature deaths
30/11/2020 The public health system should be reformed to prevent at least 77,000 premature deaths every year, a new report has argued. |
Ombudsman tells council to review its housing allocations policy
19/11/2020 East Lindsay District Council agreed to review its housing allocations policy to ensure it meets its equality duties following investigation by the Ombudsman. |
Nearly 80 health groups join forces to press the Government to tackle health inequalities
26/10/2020 A coalition of nearly 80 organisations has been launched in order to pressure the Government into tackling health inequalities. |
Child poverty has risen most in Northern areas and Midlands, research finds
14/10/2020 Child poverty has risen fastest in parts of the Midlands and Northern towns and cities in the past four years, new research has revealed. |
Levelling up agenda would add £242bn to economy each year, research finds
05/10/2020 Successfully delivering on the levelling agenda would boost the economy by £242bn a year, new research has argued today. |
Black people three times more likely to experience homelessness, figures reveal
02/10/2020 Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups are being disproportionately impacted by homelessness, new figures have revealed. |
Black working-class pupils criminalised by ‘two-tier education system’
29/09/2020 Black working-class young people in England are being unfairly excluded and criminalised by a ‘two-tier education system’, a new report says. |
Progress on closing the learning gap has stalled, report warns
26/08/2020 The attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers in primary schools has increased for the first time since 2017, new figures have shown. |
Waste incinerators more likely to be built in deprived areas, research uncovers
03/08/2020 Waste incinerators are three times more likely to be built in poorer areas than in the UK’s richest areas, an investigation has revealed. |
Progress on ethnic diversity at leadership level has stalled, report finds
28/07/2020 Ethnic diversity in public sector leadership roles has failed to improve over the past three years, a new report has warned today. |
Voter ID plans will have a disproportionate impact on BME people, campaigners warn
23/06/2020 Mandatory voter ID plans could bring ‘US-style voter suppression to the UK’, anti-racist and BME organisations have warned today. |
Children 'cut adrift' due to four-year rise in poverty, campaigners warn
20/05/2020 Child poverty is ‘rising rapidly’ in Britain’s poorest communities, a report has warned today. |
Think tank warns of growing educational gap during lockdown
18/05/2020 Children from better-off families are spending more time on educational activities than those from the poorest households, a think tank has found. |
Two councils join forces to address health inequalities
06/05/2020 Two councils have joined together to tackle health inequalities affecting Black African and Caribbean communities. |
Migrant women left unsupported during crisis, report warns
05/05/2020 Migrant women are at risk of being left without support during the Covid-19 crisis due to ‘hostile’ immigration rules, a new report has warned. |
Deprived areas see twice as many deaths from Covid-19
01/05/2020 The most deprived areas have experienced twice as many deaths from Covid-19 than the least deprived, new figures show. |
Life expectancy stalls for the first time in a century
25/02/2020 Life expectancy has stopped improving for the first time in more than 100 years, and has actually declined for England’s poorest women, according to a new study. |
Government fails to 'break the grip of poverty'
07/02/2020 Poverty has risen for children and pensioners in the past five years despite efforts to ‘level up’ Britain, new research has revealed. |
Newcastle first council to be named UK’s most LGBT inclusive employer
30/01/2020 Newcastle City Council has become the first local authority to claim the top spot of Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers list. |
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. |
Parish councillors call for childcare support
23/12/2019 Local councillors have urged the new Government to reform rules which prevent them from being able to claim childcare costs. |
‘Horrifying’ lack of support for vulnerable men
18/11/2019 Only three councils are providing accommodation for male victims of domestic violence, a new investigation has revealed. |
Tackling race inequality
06/11/2019 As Bristol approaches the first anniversary of its Equality Charter, Cllr Asher Craig says the city has forged ahead with initiatives to begin delivering real change to BAME communities. |
Men dominate top table at combined authorities, research warns
04/11/2019 Only one in five with a vote at the top table in combined authorities are women, new research has found. |
Tackle racial inequalities to promote growth in the North, think tanks says
16/08/2019 A new policy briefing has called for racial inequalities to be tackled as part of an inclusive economic growth agenda for the North. |
Majority of top 1% of earners in South East, study reveals
06/08/2019 More than half of the top 1% of earners in this country live in London and the South East, new research has revealed. |
Education disadvantage gap has ‘stopped closing’, think tank reveals
30/07/2019 Poorer pupils in the North are struggling to keep up with their peers, an education think tank reveals, as research shows the education disadvantage gap has stopped closing. |
Homeless people denied access to healthcare, study finds
17/07/2019 Homeless people are being denied access to basic healthcare, a new study has revealed. |
Councils still dominated by male politicans, says Fawcett Society
02/07/2019 Women’s representation in local government is ‘at a standstill’ according to the Fawcett Society. |
Regional inequality and later life
18/06/2019 Amy McSweeney explains why action is needed to tackle the regional economic imbalance. |
MPs to investigate UK's regional imbalances
14/06/2019 A new inquiry into regional imbalances in the UK economy has been launched by the Treasury Committee. |
A crackdown on sexism is the first step towards equality
14/06/2019 For a senior woman in local government to be subjected to comments about her 'good breeding hips' is appalling, says Heather Jameson - and 'let's not even get started on BAME representation'. |
Two councils given funding to help women back to work
13/06/2019 Seven successful projects to be given funding to help support women and carers back return to work have been named. |
Some schools 'discouraging' admission of special needs children
11/06/2019 Children with special needs are being discouraged from attending some primary schools, education experts 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. |
Helping to tackle bullying and harassment
28/05/2019 Sylvia Sage outlines how councils can tackle inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. |
Campaigners question validity of survey on transgender rights
23/05/2019 Women's campaigners have questioned a survey by the City of London on transgender rights after nearly half the respondents were excluded from the results. |
Council elections: Warning over lack of progress on female representation
02/05/2019 Only 34% of all candidates running in today’s local elections are women, new research has revealed today. |
Peers call for a rebalancing of policies ‘in favour of the young’
25/04/2019 House of Lords committee has recommended ending free TV licences for over-75s, lowering the age for free bus passes and scrapping the triple-lock on pensions. |
Scottish councils ‘lack diversity’, report reveals
11/03/2019 Women and ethnic minorities are underrepresented at the local level in Scotland and many face harassment, an equalities study has revealed. |
Black Londoners ‘under-represented in local government’
05/03/2019 Black people are still under-represented in London's local councils, a new study has revealed. |
Brokenshire gets Brexit breakdown from chiefs
31/01/2019 Chief executives have told communities secretary James Brokenshire Whitehall needs to be more joined up between departments and in its communications with councils over Brexit. |
Holyrood urged to promote gender equality in education
25/01/2019 The Scottish government is being urged to establish a new commission to promote equality for girls and women in education. |
Newcastle named best council for LGBT staff
21/01/2019 Newcastle City Council is the best local authority for LGBT staff inclusion, according to Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers 2018. |
Glasgow CC offers ‘olive branch’ in equal pay row
25/10/2018 Talks were taking place today in a bid to settle the equal pay row that led to a two-day strike by more than 8,000 women in Glasgow this week. |
Council staff to strike over equal pay claims
22/10/2018 Thousands of women at one of the UK's biggest councils are set to walk out on strike for two days this week over equal pay. |
Damning report on leadership diversity
11/10/2018 ‘Little progress’ is being made in increasing the diversity of senior leadership in local authorities, a report published today has found. |
Council chiefs to launch campaign to recruit female councillors
12/09/2018 Local government leaders are set to launch a campaign to recruit more women as councillors. |
Overcoming the gender gap in local government
12/09/2018 The decision by the Local Government Association to launch a campaign to recruit women councillors is a timely move. |
Local government still male dominated, analysis reveals
10/09/2018 There has been 'virtually no progress' in women's representation in local government with nearly all councils being dominated by men, a damning new report has revealed. |
Appointment panels hold unconscious bias
23/08/2018 Ian Thomas demands proportionate positive action to increase diversity in leadership positions. |
Council facing £5m equal pay bill
26/06/2018 Fife Council has been warned it could face a £5m bill from a new round of equal pay claims. |
Data on racial inequalities ‘inconsistent’, MPs say
11/06/2018 The collection of data regarding racial inequalities in public services is ‘inconsistent’, MPs have found. |
Gender pay gap: what next for councils?
05/06/2018 Mark Whitehead finds out why two London councils have signed up to a new scheme to help women climb the career ladder. |
Disabled people 'trapped' in unsuitable homes
11/05/2018 The equality commission has called for a national strategy to ensure disabled people have access to suitable housing as survey reveals only 7% of England’s housing stock meets minimum standards. |
Funding for new peer reviews of children's services
01/05/2018 The Government has announced a £8.5m programme to help councils work together to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children. |
Whitehall defends voter ID reform against accusations of ‘discrimination’
23/04/2018 The Government has defended its plans to require voters to produce ID when voting after watchdog warned reform may discriminate against ethnic minorities. |
Inequality holding back growth potential of places warns report
19/04/2018 Inequality is holding back the full growth potential of places, according to the results of the annual Vibrant Economy Index. |
Projects training women to be community leaders awarded £600,000
11/04/2018 Over £600,000 has been awarded by the Government to eight schemes, including projects that train women to become leaders in their communities. |
Gender pay gap data - treat with caution
10/04/2018 Mark Whitehead explains why the new gender pay gap figures reveal a somewhat more mixed picture of what is actually going on. |
Political parties must report ‘gender gap’, campaigners say
05/04/2018 Campaigners are calling on the Government to enact legislation to force political parties to report their 'gender gap' when it comes to election candidates. |
The gender pay gap: local government's national perspective
05/04/2018 Why do some councils have a gender pay gap and how are they going to address it? Mark Whitehead investigates. |
Councils praised for narrowing the gender pay gap
04/04/2018 Local government leaders have pointed to the high proportion of women in in lower-paid part-time jobs as the main reason for the differences in average rates compared to men. |
Early figures suggest men earn 6% more than women in local government
28/03/2018 Men in local government earn on average 6% per hour more than women according to the latest data being collected by the Government. |
Children should be at ‘the heart’ of the Northern Powerhouse, commissioner says
26/03/2018 Children should be placed at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse, commissioner says as report reveals wide inequalities between children depending on where they are born. |
Building a future: women in construction
26/03/2018 Women working in the construction industry are very much in the minority, but they could be a valuable source of much-needed skills. Mark Whitehead attended a round table discussion focusing on the issue and considering some solutions. |
PM announces £90m to address ethnic inequalities in youth unemployment
19/03/2018 The prime minister today announced a £90m programme to address ethnic disparities in youth unemployment in the wake of the Government’s study of inequality within public services. |
Research highlights lack of male staff in council nurseries
15/03/2018 New figures have revealed that only 5% of staff in the Early Years sector are male, leading to calls to 'widen the talent pool'. |
North Ayrshire settles 500 equal pay claims
06/03/2018 North Ayrshire Council has settled hundreds of outstanding equal pay claims after months of delay. |
A benchmark for website accessibility
20/02/2018 Bryn Anderson explains why all council websites and apps must meet minimum accessibility standards from this September. |
Key factors for making local area ‘thrive’ revealed
19/02/2018 A Bristol-based charity launched a new report today into the key factors that make up a ‘thriving’ local area - and it goes beyond a narrow focus on gross domestic product. |
Council faces legal action over outstanding equal pay awards
13/02/2018 Fife Council is facing fresh legal proceedings over the non-payment of equal pay awards, a trade union has warned. |
LGBT - Routes to inclusion in local authorities
06/02/2018 How did Newcastle become the best council for LGBT staff to work for? Mark Whitehead finds out more. |
Report calls for investment in education and skills to boost Northern Powerhouse
01/02/2018 A new report has called for a £300m increase in Government funding for disadvantaged areas across the North to ensure every child is school ready by the age of five. |
Newcastle named best council for LGBT staff
01/02/2018 Newcastle City Council is the best council for LGBT employees to work for, according to the latest results of Stonewall’s annual review. |
Council to review policy of charging disabled people £3,300 to park near home
25/01/2018 Cornwall Council has confirmed it will ‘urgently review’ its policy to charge people with disabilities over £3,000 for disabled parking spaces near their homes. |
Centenary of women’s suffrage should see push for gender equality, campaigners say
17/01/2018 The centenary of women’s suffrage will be a ‘missed opportunity’ unless barriers to political participation are removed, say campaigners. |
Ethnic minorities ‘under-represented’ in public sector leadership roles, PM says
10/10/2017 Ethnic minorities are under-represented at senior levels across the public sector, a fact the Prime Minister says society needs to ‘explain or change’. |
CEOs at top unitary authorities are 100% white, research reveals
05/10/2017 Not a single CEO at the top 50 unitary authorities comes from a Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) background, new research has revealed today. |
Local government is too white
28/09/2017 The lack of non-white chief executives and senior managers in local government is embarrassing. Atif Shafique calls for radical action to redress the balance. |
All-male Liverpool City Region cabinet told to nominate a woman
11/09/2017 A group of civil society leaders have come together to demand the all-male Liverpool City Region (LCR) cabinet includes one woman among their number. |
Gov 'lacks ambition' in tackling gender inequality in councils
08/09/2017 Whitehall has been accused of a ‘complete lack of ambition’ after it rejected calls to ensure 45% of local government candidates are female through the use of fines and new laws. |
Muslims face ‘greatest economic disadvantages’ of any faith group, report finds
07/09/2017 Muslims experience the greatest economic disadvantages of any faith group in UK society, a social mobility commission report warns. |
A third of equal pay claims still not settled by Scottish councils
07/09/2017 Councils in Scotland have spent £750m settling equal pay claims since 2004, with 27,000 claims still outstanding, a public spending watchdog has revealed. |
Disabilities in a time of austerity
06/09/2017 Are councils really complicit in the humans rights violation of disabled people? William Eichler investigates. |
Thousands of council staff in Glasgow win equal pay ruling
22/08/2017 Glasgow City Council will look into making payments to potentially thousands of women workers after a court ruling suggested that the council might have been paying them less than their male colleagues. |
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.
