Maintaining performance
The 15 strongest performing councils in adult social care have been highlighted in IMPOWER’s latest productivity INDEX. Ralph Cook looks at the results.
Freeports ‘will need to justify special status’
10/02/2020 Government plans to open up to 10 'Freeports' in the UK have been met with scepticism, despite claims that they would ‘unlock a new era of jobs and prosperity’. |
Pothole breakdowns fall as Beast impact fades
15/01/2020 The RAC attended significantly fewer breakdowns for pothole-related faults in 2019 than the previous year, despite a surge in the last quarter. |
HS2 based on false prospectus, Berkeley claims
06/01/2020 HS2 will cost at least £107bn to complete and its business case is based on unrealistic claims about how many trains could run on the new line, according to the former deputy chair of the Government’s review into the scheme. |
Road run-off 'is pollution risk to London rivers'
02/01/2020 Sadiq Khan has called for more Government cash to tackle road run-off after a ‘pioneering’ study found that it is a pollution risk to the capital’s rivers. |
Siemens launches 'great model' for EV charging network
17/12/2019 Siemens Mobility has announced a partnership to deliver a series of charging hubs and more than 120 electric vehicle connections across the West of England. |
Bristol backpedals on diesel vehicle acquisition
03/12/2019 Bristol City Council has suspended its roll-out of a new vehicle fleet after purchasing dozens of diesel vehicles despite a planned city centre diesel ban. |
Glasgow considering default 20mph limit
27/11/2019 Councillors in Glasgow have recommended the adoption of 20mph speed limit for most roads in the city, but with limited, if any, traffic calming measures. |
Oakervee report 'backs full HS2 network'
12/11/2019 The Oakervee review into HS2, commissioned by the government, has recommended the full high speed rail network go ahead including the eastern leg, according to reports. |
Birmingham backs parking levy to cut pollution and congestion
18/10/2019 Birmingham City Council is to take forward work to develop a workplace parking levy (WPL) of £500 per space per year. |
Not so fast - HS2 could be cut at both ends
07/10/2019 Council leaders in West Yorkshire have warned of ‘grave consequences’ after it was reported that the leg of HS2 from the Midlands to Leeds could be axed. |
Health chiefs recommend new air pollution curbs
19/09/2019 Environment and public health chiefs have made a raft of recommendations to tackle air pollution in London, including new local measures to reduce car use. |
TfL to roll out 20mph limits in central London
09/09/2019 Transport for London (TfL) is set to take forward plans to lower speed limits on its roads across central London. |
Jenrick announces £9m Brexit cash for councils
22/08/2019 The Government has announced £9m to help local areas and major ports prepare for Brexit. |
Javid announces £600m housing infrastructure winners
19/08/2019 Five councils will share £600m of Government funding to support the delivery of up to 50,000 new homes in high demand areas. |
Think tank calls for fuel duty rise to tackle pollution
12/08/2019 A think tank has called for tough action to tackle air pollution, particularly from road transport, including higher fuel prices and a default 20mph urban speed limit. |
London boroughs eye £750 workplace parking charge
25/07/2019 Several London boroughs are considering introducing workplace parking levies (WPLs) of at least £750 a year to cut pollution and encourage active travel. |
MPs call for dedicated funding for active travel
23/07/2019 MPs have criticised the Government for inadequate and ‘piecemeal’ active travel investment and called for a dedicated funding stream for local walking and cycling. |
Calls for 'two clear actions' to cut road casualties
05/07/2019 A leading safety charity has called on ministers to set safety goals for the proposed major road network (MRN) of local authority roads and for over £500m to be spent across Great Britain to improve high risk routes. |
Burnham jumps aboard franchising bus
24/06/2019 Andy Burnham has become the first mayor in the country to recommend bus franchising, as part of a plan to create a ‘modern public transport system’. |
Bus users outline plan to reverse rural decline
13/06/2019 A group representing bus users across the UK has published a 10-point plan to reverse the decline in rural services. |
This issue of Public Property examines how public sector organisations can unlock the hidden value in their land, and why a new approach to construction could help boost the outcomes of the Government’s One Public Estate programme.
The December issue also considers why learnings from ancient cities could provide the key to promoting wellbeing in the modern built environment. It also contains a case study on how the London Borough of Westminster has provided high quality care for the elderly alongside a block of luxury apartments.
