10 ways councils are making budgets go further
Discover 10 ways councils are stretching budgets further, from digital transformation and energy efficiency to community partnerships and data-driven decision-making.
New forests to ‘unlock growth’ for communities
05/11/2025 The Oxford-Cambridge corridor is to benefit from the addition of a new national forest. |
Government announces £10m sewage repair scheme
03/10/2025 Communities are to receive more than £10m funded by water company fines to support local cleanup projects. |
Green bus shelters rolled out to boost biodiversity
02/10/2025 Three ‘insect friendly’ bus shelters have been introduced across West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. |
School children driven indoors by protective bird of prey
02/06/2025 A north London primary school has sought health and safety advice after a bird of prey bases itself in the children’s play area. |
Council clears tonnes of ‘nurdles’ after North Sea crash
02/04/2025 Teams from East Lindsey DC have cleaned up over 12 tonnes of plastic pellets from Lincolnshire’s beaches following a crash between two ships in the North Sea. |
Biodiversity Net Gain ‘failing to deliver’
06/02/2025 A lack of ambition on Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) has left the scheme failing to deliver, according to new research. |
Lincolnshire residents warned not to disturb seals
07/11/2024 North East Lincolnshire Council has urged residents not to approach seals on the beach over the coming weeks. |
Yorkshire Wolds proposed as new outstanding beauty spot
09/10/2024 Plans have been put forward to designate part of the Yorkshire Wolds as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). |
TfL lets the wildflowers bloom
25/06/2024 Transport for London (TfL) says it has delivered its pledge of doubling wildflower verges in roadside areas to encourage biodiversity. |
Norfolk caught in bitter battle over bats
27/03/2024 A council leader has launched an attack on Natural England after the environment watchdog effectively blocked a £274m road scheme due to its impact on bats. |
Brighton U-turns on pesticide use
25/01/2024 The use of a controversial pesticide will be reintroduced by Brighton and Hove City Council less than five years after it pledged to become ‘pesticide free’. |
Road sign rules changed to protect hedgehogs
21/12/2023 Rules around the wildlife warning signs on roads are set to be relaxed to make it easier for local authorities to alert drivers to the presence of hedgehogs. |
Beavers reintroduced to west London
12/10/2023 Beavers have been returned to west London for the first time in 400 years, Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced. |
New Lincolnshire nature reserve a ‘landmark moment’
19/09/2023 Lincolnshire’s new national nature reserve is ‘a landmark moment for nature recovery in England’, Natural England has said. |
Council defends presence of dead Christmas tree
02/06/2023 A Christmas tree in the market town Beverley remains standing in June because a family of birds have made it their home, according to the town council. |
Peregrine falcons nesting on St Albans Cathedral for first time
06/05/2022 A pair of peregrine falcons are nesting on St Albans Cathedral for the first time ever thanks to a conservation project with the local authorities. |
Mayor Khan announces £600,000 fund to ‘rewild’ London
15/12/2021 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has launched a new fund to help restore wildlife sites and create more natural habitats for plants and animals across the capital. |
Five local authorities chosen to set up nature recovery pilots
14/08/2020 Five local authorities in England will test how the recovery of England’s landscapes and wildlife can be driven locally. |
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Bristol declares ‘ecological emergency’
05/02/2020 Bristol has become the first major city to declare an ecological emergency in response to what it describes as escalating threats to wildlife and ecosystems. |
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Cut road verges less to protect pollinators, research warns
06/08/2019 Roadside verges should be cut less to protect wildflowers and pollinators, new research has found. |
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Brokenshire tells house builders to ‘protect wildlife’
22/07/2019 The communities secretary James Brokenshire has published new guidance to help developers do more to protect wildlife. |
