The Brownfield Land Release Fund
To what extent does this early initiative of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities deliver on the ‘levelling up’ agenda? Lawrence Turner reports.
Think-tank makes call for wellbeing budgets
18/10/2021 The Government should introduce ‘wellbeing budgets’ that look beyond gross domestic product (GDP) to reduce regional health inequalities, a think-tank has urged. |
Councils call for £100m investment in school counselling
15/10/2021 The Government has been urged to invest at least £100m per year to make school-based counselling available to all children. |
One in 10 people will have diabetes within a decade, charity warns
06/10/2021 One in 10 adults in the UK could be diabetic by 2030, according to new analysis by Diabetes UK. |
Public health grant cuts run counter to levelling up, say experts
05/10/2021 Real terms cuts to local public health work against levelling up and the Government must boost funding after years of underinvestment, say two leading health organisations. |
Problem gambling costs society £1.27 billion a year, review finds
01/10/2021 Gambling-related harms costs society at least £1.27bn a year, a review by Public Health England has found. |
Councils call for £1bn investment for ageing sport facilities
16/09/2021 Council leaders are calling for the spending review to include £1bn to modernise sport facilities, after warning nearly two-thirds of the leisure estate is past its replacement date. |
‘No evidence’ integration improves healthcare
03/09/2021 New analysis of health and care integration pilots has questioned the benefits they bring about. |
Why councils should have the power to improve safety of cosmetic treatments
06/08/2021 Tony Veverka argues local authorities must be given new powers to better regulate non-surgical cosmetic procedures. |
Councils warn licensing decisions should cover public health
06/08/2021 Council leaders have called for the power to take public health into account when deciding whether to grant licences to protect communities from harm. |
Drug-related deaths in England and Wales reach record high
04/08/2021 The number of drug-related deaths in England and Wales reached a record high in 2020, official figures have revealed. |
Councils get funding to deliver milk and healthy snack scheme
02/08/2021 Scottish local authorities will receive up to £12m funding to ensure all eligible pre-schoolers get milk and a healthy snack. |
MPs call for a new exercise campaign to get children more active
29/07/2021 The Government should encourage children to become more active by launching a sports equivalent to the '5 A Day' campaign by the end of this year, MPs have said today. |
Eight more regions to become Project ADDER Accelerator sites
28/07/2021 Eight more local authorities will become Project ADDER Accelerator sites to help tackle drug misuse and crack-down on drug-related crime. |
North and Midlands see greatest levels of smoking-related poverty
23/07/2021 The number of smokers living in poverty is concentrated in the North and Midlands, according to new research. |
Vaccinated social care staff no longer required to self-isolate
19/07/2021 Health leaders have been left divided by the Government’s announcement that fully vaccinated social care staff and NHS workers who have been told to self-isolate will be allowed to continue working. |
'Deeply concerning' rise in alcohol-related deaths during pandemic
15/07/2021 Increased alcohol consumption during the pandemic has led to a 'deeply concerning' increase in deaths, new figures have warned. |
Local government funding cuts have ‘cost lives’, study warns
15/07/2021 Cuts in local government funding over recent years have cost lives and reduced life expectancy, academics have warned in a new study. |
Review calls for significant investment in drug treatment
08/07/2021 Local authorities should be given an extra £550m over the next five years to deliver drug treatment in their local communities, an independent review has said today. |
Inquiry finds people in poorest areas 'nearly four times more likely' to die from COVID
06/07/2021 People living in the poorest parts of England were almost four times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those in the wealthiest areas, new research has uncovered. |
People living in poorest areas most likely to be obese, think tank finds
05/07/2021 There has been a 'significant' increase in obesity in the most deprived communities in England, a think tank has warned today. |
A diverse approach to tackling vaccine hesitancy
01/07/2021 Cllr Khtija Malik outlines Luton’s multi-layered approach to tackling vaccine hesitancy within some communities, and says more help is needed from the Government to help the town bounce back from the ravages of the pandemic. |
Councils secure funding for new weight management services
01/07/2021 Councils will receive £30m of new funding to help adults achieve a healthier weight and improve wellbeing. |
Councils need more data for test and trace, says watchdog
25/06/2021 Local authorities’ involvement in test and trace has improved the service – but councils still need more data, the National Audit Office (NAO) has said. |
Pregnant women could be offered vouchers to stop smoking
25/06/2021 Pregnant women could be offered up to £400 in shopping vouchers to encourage them to quit smoking under new guidelines published today. |
Government to set new targets on air pollution
18/06/2021 The Government will increase funding to local authorities and set new legal targets on air pollution in a bid to prevent further deaths. |
Calls to invest £1bn a year in wild spaces to boost public’s health
04/06/2021 A new report has called for an urgent £1bn per year funding package to restore nature at scale. |
New framework for public health approach to modern slavery launched
03/06/2021 A new framework for a public health approach to tackling modern slavery has been made available for local authorities to access. |
Calls for consultation on raising the age of sale for tobacco
28/05/2021 A health charity has called for a consultation on raising the age of sale for tobacco to 21 to help cut the number of smokers by thousands every year. |
Initial lockdown caused 'unprecedented' drop in activity levels
30/04/2021 The pandemic had an ‘unprecedented impact’ on activity levels during the initial restrictions, according to new research. |
MPs call for review of 'dangerous' obesity strategy
09/04/2021 The Government’s Obesity Strategy has been branded as ‘dangerous’ for people with negative body image by MPs. |
Public health funding frozen or cut for 100 councils
06/04/2021 Spending per capita has fallen for 31 authorities and frozen for a further 69 after new spending commitments are taken into account. |
Council reassures residents after Avian Flu detected on farm
30/03/2021 A one kilometre restriction zone has been set up around a poultry farm in Tarporley as Cheshire West and Chester Council respond to an outbreak of Avian Flu. |
New 'Singapore-style' Office will tackle leading health risks
29/03/2021 A new 'Singapore style' Office for Health Promotion will systematically tackle the ‘top preventable risk factors causing death and ill health in the UK’, the Government announced today. |
Councils call for public health funding boost
23/03/2021 The Government should increase the public health grant to at least £3.9bn by 2024/25 to reduce health inequalities and protect from future outbreaks, local leaders have argued. |
Smokers in England cost local care services £1.2bn each year
23/03/2021 Smokers in England need care 10 years sooner than non-smokers, which places a considerable burden on local social care services, research reveals. |
Charity criticises 'small' increase in public health funding
17/03/2021 The Government has increased councils' public health grants by £45m for 2021/22. |
England to miss 'smoke-free’ target by 21 years, research suggests
08/03/2021 It will take 21 years longer than expected for England to become smoke-free at a cost of over £40.4bn in local authority, social care and NHS costs, new analysis has revealed. |
Majority of parents warn pandemic has made children less active
08/03/2021 More than two-thirds of parents have warned their children are less physically active than before the start of the pandemic in a new survey. |
Funding boost for councils’ weight management services
04/03/2021 The Government has announced £100m funding to help adults and children achieve and maintain a healthier weight. |
Councils fear homelessness ‘tidal wave’
01/03/2021 Local authorities are braced for a surge in the number of homeless people as protections put in place for the COVID-19 pandemic are allowed to lapse. |
LGA responds to white paper plans to radically reform the NHS
11/02/2021 Council leaders have warned that local government needs to be an equal partner in the design of any national oversight of social care as the Government sets out its white paper plans to overhaul the NHS. |
Report calls for a joined up public health approach to gangs
08/02/2021 Local authorities are failing to tackle the key drivers for youth violence in their areas, the Children's Commissioner has warned in a new report. |
Councils face funding shortfall for self-isolation schemes
03/02/2021 Funding for council schemes supporting people forced to self-isolate due to COVID-19 do not go far enough, according to new research. |
Alcohol-related deaths hit record high during pandemic
03/02/2021 Alcohol-related deaths in England and Wales rose to record highs during the first nine months of 2020, official figures have revealed. |
Councils welcome £148m funding boost to cut misuse of drugs
20/01/2021 Five areas across England will pilot a new approach to tackling drug misuse under plans announced today by the Government. |
Councils voice concerns over drop in number of children being active
15/01/2021 Less than half of children and young people are physically active for the recommended hour or more a day, a new survey has revealed. |
Cheshire leaders put concerns to Government on jabs, lockdown and schools
13/01/2021 Council leaders in Cheshire and their partners have written to the Government laying out their concerns about the vaccination rollout, the current lockdown arrangements and schools. |
Closure of leisure centres to cost £7.25m in missed health savings
08/01/2021 The continued closure of sport and leisure facilities during the latest lockdown will cost £7.25m in missed health savings, new analysis has revealed. |
Calls for 'credible plan' to keep people active during lockdown
06/01/2021 The Government has been urged to create a 'credible plan' to help people stay active during the winter. |
Majority of adults determined to lead healthier lifestyles in the face of COVID-19
05/01/2021 Seven in 10 adults say that the threat of the coronavirus has motivated them to lead healthier lives this year, a public health survey has revealed. |
Councils resist pressure to reopen schools
04/01/2021 Scores of councils have raised concerns over the return of primary school pupils to classrooms amid soaring COVID-19 infection rates. |
Lack of data is hampering local responses to new virus variant, says Lord Porter
24/12/2020 District councils are unable to deliver a local response to the new variant of COVID-19 due to a lack of ‘accurate, good quality data’, according to Lord Porter of Spalding. |
'Bitter disappointment' greets tiers review
17/12/2020 Millions more people are facing tougher restrictions from this weekend in an effort to curb a rise in COVID-19 cases in the east and south-east of England. |
Government urged to 'Build Back Fairer’ in new Marmot review
15/12/2020 A new generation of children and young people face shorter lives and worsening health, a new report has warned. |
Deaths of homeless people in England and Wales hits record high
15/12/2020 The number of homeless people dying in England and Wales has reached the highest level since records began in 2013, according to official figures. |
London enters tier three restrictions
14/12/2020 The Government’s timetable for COVID-19 tier reviews has been pre-empted with the imposition of extra restrictions on London, Essex and Hertfordshire. |
Rough sleepers to get extra support for drug and alcohol dependency
14/12/2020 Extra funding will be given to 43 areas across England to help rough sleepers recover from drug and alcohol misuse. |
Boost to local test and trace funding
11/12/2020 The increase of up to £200m per month follows criticism from the National Audit Office. |
Council drops COVID tier three legal challenge
09/12/2020 Stratford-on-Avon DC said new information had come to light following a response from the Government. |
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. |
Review of gambling laws should take ‘public health approach’ says alliance
08/12/2020 A ‘public health approach’ should be at the heart of the review of gambling laws, an alliance has urged today. |
Care home workers take vaccine priority over NHS
04/12/2020 Care home workers have been given top priority in the COVID-19 vaccination programme following a revision of Government guidance. |
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. |
PPE supply for care workers was 'inadequate'
24/11/2020 The social care sector was ‘left to fend for itself’ during the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an investigation into supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE). |
‘Forgotten city’ in plea for government aid
17/11/2020 The leader of Hull City Council has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to plead for additional support amid rising COVID-19 cases. |
Councils bid for vaccine role
16/11/2020 Councils have made a bid to play a key role in distributing the new coronavirus vaccine. |
Childhood obesity rises again in past year
30/10/2020 Children living in the most deprived areas are more than twice as likely to be obese as those in the least deprived, new figures have revealed. |
Barking & Dagenham offers same-day testing to key workers
26/10/2020 Barking & Dagenham LBC is thought to have become the first in England to set up a same-day COVID testing service for key workers, to sidestep delays in the national system for tests and results. |
Councils gain COVID enforcement powers
23/10/2020 Councils are to be given new powers to issue businesses with improvement notices and close premises if they breach coronavirus restrictions. |
Greater Manchester will move into Tier 3 as talks collapse
20/10/2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Greater Manchester will head into Tier 3 restrictions on Friday after talks with local leaders broke up without a deal. |
Greater Manchester's mayor will not 'roll over' on COVID cash
19/10/2020 Greater Manchester’s standoff with government on moving to new tier three COVID-19 restrictions continues today, with mayor Andy Burham saying he will not ‘roll over’ at the sight of a cheque. |
Manchester leaders unite to oppose Tier 3 restrictions
15/10/2020 Local leaders across Greater Manchester have rejected plans to put the region into Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions. |
PM pledges extra £1bn for local government amid three-tier system
12/10/2020 Boris Johnson has announced a further £1bn in funding for local government as the country heads into the second wave of COVID-19. |
Northern leaders propose five point plan to manage local lockdowns
07/10/2020 Four northern leaders have called for more local input to bring down COVID-19 infection rates. |
Council leaders call for local track and trace systems
02/10/2020 Five council leaders have called on the Government to ditch the private track and trace system. |
Ten million people may need mental health support due to pandemic, study warns
01/10/2020 Local authority leaders have called for a ‘new national focus’ on mental health as a study estimates that up to 10 million people in England may need support for depression and anxiety as a result of COVID-19. |
Leaders call for a ring-fenced Sports Recovery Fund
22/09/2020 The Government has been urged to ringfence funding for sports and physical activities to avoid creating health problems for a generation. |
Council chiefs call for investment to cope with lockdown addictions
15/09/2020 Local authority leaders have called on the Government to increase investment in public health services to help them tackle drug and alcohol addiction. |
Women struggling to access contraception due to cuts, inquiry finds
11/09/2020 Women in England are struggling to access contraception putting them at risk of unplanned pregnancies, MPs have warned. |
Watchdog warns progress on childhood obesity is 'slow'
09/09/2020 Government efforts to tackle childhood obesity have been slow and uncoordinated, the public spending watchdog has warned today. |
Health experts urge ‘safer sex’ after rise in gonorrhoea cases
03/09/2020 The Government has urged people to practice safer sex after data reveals that gonorrhoea cases in England have risen by 26%. |
Councils call for more investment in suicide prevention
02/09/2020 Local authority leaders have called on the Government to invest more in public health to help councils prevent suicide with a locally-driven approach. |
Health experts raise serious concerns over scrapping PHE
02/09/2020 Health experts have raised 'serious concerns' about Government plans to reorganise the public health system. |
Fifth of care homes took on Covid patients, survey reveals
24/08/2020 One in five care homes had to accept patients discharged from hospital who had tested positive for COVID-19 during the early part of the pandemic, a survey has found. |
Hancock under pressure on anti-obesity plans following PHE closure
24/08/2020 Health secretary Matt Hancock is under growing pressure today to say who will take responsibility for the national fight against obesity following his decision to close down Public Health England (PHE). |
Obesity stigma fuelling ‘severe impact’ on adult social care
20/08/2020 Weight-related stigmas need tackling to help prevent rising levels of obesity having a significant impact on adult social care, local authority leaders say. |
Hancock scraps Public Health England
17/08/2020 Ministers have been accused of making Public Health England (PHE) a scapegoat by scrapping the body for alleged failures in the testing and tracing of coronavirus. |
Council test and trace teams to be rolled out
10/08/2020 Local coronavirus test and trace teams are to be rolled out to all upper-tier English councils. |
Calls for urgent investment in mental health recovery
07/08/2020 Investment in mental health is crucial to seeing the country through the next phases of the pandemic, a new report has said today. |
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. |
A third of council-owned pools will stay closed this year
27/07/2020 Nearly a third of council-owned swimming pools could remain closed until next year, new research has revealed. |
Councils call for public health funding to avert obesity crisis
27/07/2020 Council leaders have warned that the Government must reverse public health funding cuts in order for any new obesity strategy to be successful. |
Millions more people to be offered free flu vaccine
24/07/2020 More than 30 million people in England will be offered a free flu vaccination in a bid to ease the pressure on the NHS this winter. |
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. |
Councils call for action to ensure smoke-free pavements
20/07/2020 Councils have called for pavements outside pubs, bars and cafes to be smoke-free. |
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. |
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. |
Less than one in seven people are now smokers, data reveals
08/07/2020 The number of smokers in the UK has fallen from 14.7% in 2018 to 14.1% in 2019, according to official figures. |
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. |
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.
