The five human impacts of ransomware attacks
Jonathan Lee examines the human impact that five cyber attacked on public services had.
Oxford first council to approve city-wide air pollution target
21/01/2021 Oxford City Council has become the first local authority in the UK to approve a city-wide air pollution reduction target. |
Councils plan to install 35 on-street EV chargers each by 2025
20/01/2021 Councils are planning on installing just 35 on-street electric vehicle chargers each by 2025 on average, an investigation has revealed. |
New homes will need to reduce emissions by at least 75% by 2025
20/01/2021 All new buildings will have to meet tough new energy efficiency standards under plans published by the Government. |
Campaigners call on councils to help reduce car use
19/01/2021 Environmental campaigners have called on local authorities to cancel spending on road building and to redirect funds to boost public transport and active travel. |
Local authorities can lead green agenda by taking advantage of government incentives
11/01/2021 With the right support, UK local authorities can lead the charge on introducing new energy efficiency measures – but tapping into government funding is key, explains Dr Tanja Groth. |
Towards Net Zero
07/01/2021 Join us on 26 January to discover break-through technology supporting the UK’s green recovery |
Coventry and Oxford prepare to run UK’s first all-electric bus services
07/01/2021 Coventry and Oxford are set to receive up to £50m to help them become the first parts of the UK to run all-electric bus services, the transport secretary has announced. |
How schools can combat waste
22/12/2020 Michael Taylor, general manager at Skip Hire UK, looks at how schools can combat waste. |
Top 100: Our most popular local government stories of 2020
16/12/2020 Although the dispute over council pay caused the most stir in the local government sector this year, the impact of dealing with the pandemic obviously dominated the headlines as well. |
Coventry named best for EV infrastructure for mainland UK
16/12/2020 Coventry City Council provides the most electric car chargers in mainland Britain, according to new research. |
Local authorities need greater clarity and commitment from government to make our homes greener
16/12/2020 Mike Thornton argues local authorities cannot be successful in reducing carbon emissions in their areas without the backing of a clear national policy framework. |
Eight in ten councils hit by climate-related incidents
14/12/2020 Eight in ten councils have suffered climate-related incidents in the last five years, new research has revealed. |
Councils warned to push ahead with clean air zones
10/12/2020 Air pollution exceeds pre-pandemic levels in 80% of places despite continued lockdown restrictions, new research has uncovered today. |
Scope 3 emissions - what are they and why are they so important?
09/12/2020 George Beechener explains how Scope 3 emissions work and why they’re so important. |
Whitehall failing to harness councils’ enthusiasm on climate action
04/12/2020 The Government will fail to meet its 2050 net zero carbon target without working in partnership with local authorities, a new report has warned. |
Regions urged to apply to host UK's prototype fusion power plant
02/12/2020 Local communities and regions are being invited to put forward proposals to host the UK’s prototype fusion energy power plant. |
Big Issue eBikes: Biking for good!
01/12/2020 Lord John Bird explains why The Big Issue has launched 'Biking for Good' with ShareBike to boost employment in the UK. |
Flood funding for councils may not be enough, watchdog finds
27/11/2020 The Government is unable to prove councils have enough funding for flood defences, a spending watchdog has discovered. |
Council raises £1m for solar panels through ‘community investment’
19/11/2020 Warrington Borough Council’s first Community Municipal Investment (CMI) has reached its £1m target thanks to investments from over 500 people across the UK. |
Creating a greener local government
19/11/2020 Mark Doyle, a senior corporate account manager at Gazprom Energy, looks at how to create a greener local government. |
PM publishes ten point plan for 'green industrial revolution'
18/11/2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson has published his ten point plan for creating a 'green industrial revolution' for 250,000 new jobs. |
Government announces ‘additional’ £40m of green funding
16/11/2020 The Government has announced that more areas are to be designated national parks and a second round of funding will be available to support the delivery of green jobs. |
Meeting Government green targets: How to stay ahead of the curve
16/11/2020 Jo Mills argues the UK’s green recovery must be at the forefront of the public sector’s agenda to ensure local authorities are on track to meet 2050 net-zero targets |
Councils play ‘critical role’ in fighting climate change but lack resources, watchdog says
12/11/2020 Local authorities play ‘critical role’ in improving air quality and the natural environment but they lack the necessary resources and expertise, watchdog says. |
Half of councils aim for zero-carbon 20 years ahead of schedule
12/11/2020 Over half of councils in the UK have set a goal of reaching net-zero carbon by 2030 or sooner, new data has shown. |
Labour calls for creation of 400,000 green jobs
10/11/2020 Labour has called on the Government to ‘build it in Britain’ and to support the creation of 400,000 new jobs with a green economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. |
Volunteers report rise in PPE pollution on beaches
06/11/2020 Discarded face masks and gloves have been found on 30% of Britain's beaches, according to the results of this year’s Great British Beach Clean. |
Copeland residents asked to consider new radioactive waste facility
05/11/2020 A Working Group has been formed to start local engagement on whether Copeland could be a suitable location for a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) for higher activity radioactive waste. |
London boroughs call for £115m to retrofit energy inefficient buildings
03/11/2020 Local authorities in London are calling on the Government to ‘secure London’s environmental and economic future’ by increasing funding for councils to retrofit energy inefficient buildings. |
Rethinking local regeneration
02/11/2020 If we to truly 'build back better', local authorities need a new approach to regeneration, argues Hannah Vickers. |
Coastal areas call for £1bn to decarbonise the maritime sector
09/10/2020 Local coastal leaders have called on the chancellor to invest £1bn to completely decarbonise the maritime sector. |
Birmingham to launch Clean Air Zone in June 2021
09/10/2020 Birmingham City Council has confirmed the government-mandated Clean Air Zone is now scheduled to launch on 1 June 2021. |
Air pollution round schools is impacting learning, research finds
08/10/2020 Reducing air pollution levels by 20% could improve a child’s ability to learn within one month, new research has found. |
Call for evidence on appointing Air Quality Partners
06/10/2020 The Government has launched a call for evidence on which public bodies should help local authorities to tackle air pollution. |
'Dramatic' fall in London's air pollution since 2016, data shows
05/10/2020 Despite dramatic improvements in London's air quality since 2016, air pollution is still a major public health challenge, new data has revealed. |
Teesside mayor announces UK’s first hydrogen transport centre
30/09/2020 Teesside is set to become the site of the UK’s first hydrogen transport centre, the Tees Valley mayor has announced. |
PM pledges to protect ‘additional 4%’ of UK’s land
28/09/2020 The Government has committed to protecting 30% of the UK’s land by 2030 as part of a global effort to protect nature and boost biodiversity. |
New benchmark reveals top five ‘green economies’ in UK
24/09/2020 The top five green economies per capita in 2018/19 were in south east England, Greater Manchester and the Leeds City Region, according to new research. |
Manchester councils secure funding for clean energy project
23/09/2020 Funding to develop a clean energy project has been awarded to five councils in Greater Manchester that have declared a climate emergency. |
Where do Clean Air Zones fit in the green recovery?
18/09/2020 Laura Thornton and Stuart Thomson, the legal director and head of public affairs respectively at BDB Pitmans, look at Clean Air Zones and the green recovery. |
Citizen's Climate Assembly calls for reductions in car and air travel
15/09/2020 The first citizens’ assembly on climate change has called for tough action including limiting the growth of car and plane travel. |
Council announces ‘innovative’ nitrate neutral development scheme
14/09/2020 Havant Borough Council has become the first local authority to enable nitrate neutral regeneration and redevelopment. |
Over 500 new chargers per day needed to achieve zero emission car market
07/09/2020 Survey reveals that despite billions invested in the development of EVs, UK buyers are still reluctant to buy them and hundreds more charge points are needed. |
Scottish Government shells out £10m for greener buses
04/09/2020 The Scottish Government has awarded over £9.75m to 19 bus and coach operators to retrofit 594 vehicle exhausts over the next financial year. |
Council chiefs announce net zero innovation programme
02/09/2020 Councils and universities can apply for a new Net Zero Innovation Programme to address climate challenges at a local level, the Local Government Association (LGA) and UCL announce today. |
Nottingham agrees governance overhaul
28/08/2020 The council will implement a raft of measures in a bid to improve oversight of its companies after its energy firm incurred a £24m loss. |
Council chiefs urge courier services to swap vans for cargo bikes
27/08/2020 Delivery companies should switch to cargo bike schemes where possible to cut carbon emissions, improve air quality and reduce congestion, council leaders say. |
Leeds could scrap CAZ as pandemic cuts traffic and pollution
20/08/2020 Leeds City Council could scrap its planned Clean Air Zone (CAZ) if levels of toxic air pollution remain within legal limits. |
Government announces ‘legally binding targets’ to tackle climate change
19/08/2020 The Government has set out a series of legally binding targets under the Environment Bill to combat climate change. |
Link between polluted air and COVID-19 deaths revealed
18/08/2020 People were more likely to die from COVID-19 in highly polluted areas in England at the start of the pandemic, new research has found. |
The ‘Great Reset’: Reshaping transport for a greener future
17/08/2020 Sandra Witzel explores how Mobility as a Service (MaaS) can help local transport authorities encourage active travel. |
Government urged to take action on emissions from peatland
07/08/2020 The Government should take radical action on restoring and rewetting peatlands to achieve net zero on land, countryside campaigners have said. |
Are enough local governments acting on climate emergency declarations?
05/08/2020 Hannah Callingham says councils must start to develop and deliver climate change strategies in order to meet declarations. |
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. |
More than a thousand sites are breaching air pollution limits
30/07/2020 More than a thousand locations across England are breaching legal air pollution limits, research has found. |
The impact of a green recovery on local authorities
21/07/2020 Jon Beasley explains why local authorities are sitting on the precipice of a transport transformation. |
Seize the moment for a greener future
13/07/2020 Sue Riddlestone explains why the time is right to re-shape our communities to go carbon neutral. |
County set to approve £102m waste contract
29/06/2020 Norfolk County Council is set to approve a new six-year waste management deal with Veolia, worth £102m. |
Government launches consultation on accelerating tree planting
19/06/2020 The Government has launched a consultation on ways to accelerate tree planting in an effort to combat the biodiversity and climate crises. |
A greener future?
01/05/2020 Steven Meersman warns that transitioning to net-zero must continue to be a priority despite Covid-19. |
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Councils told to prioritise black bag rubbish collections
08/04/2020 Councils have been advised to prioritise black bag waste collections over recycling during the coronavirus crisis. |
Most councils still providing normal waste collections, survey reveals
06/04/2020 The majority of councils have been able to provide a normal waste and recycling collection service, a new survey has revealed. |
Coronavirus lockdown has improved air quality, scientists find
01/04/2020 Air pollution across the UK’s largest cities has fallen since the start of the lockdown, new analysis has shown. |
Pandemic forces Birmingham to delay launch of Clean Air Zone
25/03/2020 Birmingham City Council has written to the Government requesting postponement to the launch of its Clean Air Zone (CAZ) to help protect the economy during the coronavirus pandemic. |
Wales to ban ‘hard to recycle’ plastics
18/03/2020 Plastic straws, cutlery and polystyrene food containers are just a few of the items set to be banned as the Welsh government cracks down on single-use plastics. |
Councils granted over £2m to improve air quality
18/03/2020 Local authorities across England have been granted more than £2.2m in Government funding to deliver innovative projects to improve air quality. |
Leeds council confirms CAZ launch date
11/03/2020 A date has been confirmed for the launch of Leeds’ Clean Air Charging Zone (CAZ), which aims at tackling air pollution and protecting the health of residents in the city. |
Islington Council launches ‘revolutionary’ energy centre
05/03/2020 Islington Council today launched an energy centre which converts waste heat from the London underground into heating for homes, schools and leisure centres. |
Devolve power to mayor’s office to deliver ‘green investment’ for London, report says
04/03/2020 A study has called for the devolution of power to mayor of London’s office and the creation of a ‘taskforce’ to deliver investment London needs to decarbonise. |
TV presenter launches legal challenge against ‘vanity project’ HS2
04/03/2020 The TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham has launched a legal challenge against HS2 in order to stop the ‘largest deforestation project’ since WWI. |
Eliminating consumer single use plastics in the workplace
26/02/2020 How CCS can help your organisation achieve environmental goals. |
Is it a climate ‘emergency’?
25/02/2020 Alex Massie explores if the climate change crisis is really an 'emergency' or not. |
Five cities rated 'A' in fight against climate change
20/02/2020 Five UK cities have been named as leaders in climate change and transparency by CDP. |
Air pollution stopping children reaching sporting potential, report warns
11/02/2020 More than a quarter of children’s sports grounds have dangerous levels of air pollution, a new report has found. |
Green energy - the linchpin of EV success
11/02/2020 Thomas Newby explains why green energy is the linchpin of electric vehicles success for local government. |
Council stops Bristol Airport expansion
11/02/2020 North Somerset Council has rejected a planning application to expand Bristol Airport due to concerns over its impact on the environment. |
Leisure centre contracts in the era of the climate crisis
07/02/2020 Why contracts for the future operation and maintenance of leisure facilities need to change to accommodate issues like the climate emergency. |
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. |
Environment Bill to give councils ‘clear framework’ to tackle pollution
30/01/2020 Local authorities will have a clear framework for tackling air pollution with the introduction of the Environment Bill, according to the Government. |
Edinburgh council announces aim to be a ‘million tree city’
29/01/2020 Edinburgh City Council has announced that it is working on an ‘action plan’ aimed at increasing the number of trees in the city to one million. |
Brighton considers becoming a ‘car-free’ city
28/01/2020 Brighton & Hove City councillors have agreed to look into the possibility of the city becoming ‘car-free’ by 2023. |
Leeds council launches electric vehicle trial
24/01/2020 Leeds City Council has launched a new scheme giving businesses, organisations and charities in West Yorkshire the opportunity to drive electric vans free of charge for up to two months. |
NLGN study highlights concerns over air quality
22/01/2020 Unitaries are much less likely than Metropolitan councils and London boroughs to consider taking action on air quality as ‘extremely or very important’, the latest quarterly NLGN leadership index survey has found. |
Whitehall announces £3.4m investment in wireless charging tech
17/01/2020 The Government has announced that it is investing £3.4m in wireless charging technology trials at taxi ranks in Nottingham. |
Hydrogen for transport
16/01/2020 Mark Griffin explains why Aberdeen City Council has introduced a fleet of hydrogen fuelled buses to help reduce emissions. |
Islington Council launches electric vehicle charging partnership
16/01/2020 An electric vehicle charging partnership with Islington Council was launched yesterday as part of the London borough’s push to reduce harmful air pollution. |
Tackling the climate emergency
15/01/2020 Duncan Price explores why everyone needs to take responsibility and action in order to meet the Government’s 2050 net zero target. |
Air pollution 'major public health emergency’, charity warns
13/01/2020 Heart and circulatory disease deaths attributed to particulate matter air pollution could exceed 160,000 over the next decade in the UK, according to a health charity. |
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. |
Council aims to make York city centre ‘car free’
02/01/2020 York city centre could become a ‘car free’ zone as part of a council effort to make the city carbon neutral by 2030. |
A new era in street cleansing
20/12/2019 Phil Oldbury explains how councils can bring street cleansing into the digital age. |
Former council employee who falsified air quality data convicted of fraud
20/12/2019 A former Waverley Borough Council employee has been given a suspended prison sentence for committing fraud after falsifying air quality data. |
Council advises residents to ‘clean up safely’ after flash floods
20/12/2019 Cornwall Council has urged residents affected by the flash flooding in the last 24 hours to clean up safely and keep evidence of flood damage. |
Welsh government commits £74m to ‘green transport network’
19/12/2019 The Welsh government has committed to investing £74m into initiatives aimed at building a ‘clean, green transport network’. |
Council ditches plastic parking tickets
19/12/2019 Brent Council has announced it is stopping the use of plastic parking tickets and replacing them with an environmentally friendly replacement. |
Cornwall Council launches tree planting drive
18/12/2019 Cornwall Council’s flagship climate emergency project the Forest for Cornwall will be officially launched next week at a community planting day in Saltash. |
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. |
Striking a clean energy deal
17/12/2019 William Eichler finds out how and why 20 universities have signed a £50m landmark renewable energy deal. |
Oxford CC publishes £19m climate emergency budget
17/12/2019 Oxford City Council has outlined a £19m climate emergency budget to help the authority become a zero carbon council in 2020. |
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.
