environment | LocalGov


Call for kerbside collections amidst battery-fire crisis 28/04/2025 Universal kerbside collections for waste batteries and electricals across the UK could save £6bn by boosting recycling and tackling the battery fire 'epidemic'.
Carbon tax could cost councils billions, LGA warns 25/04/2025 A scheme aimed at reducing carbon emissions from the burning of waste could place ‘billions of pounds’ of unavoidable costs on local authorities, LGA warns.
Councils could be forbidden from using destructive pesticides in parks 25/04/2025 MPs will today debate a proposal that could see the use of 'toxic' weedkillers by councils banned.
Blackpool to invest £30m in coastline defences 17/04/2025 Blackpool Council has announced a £30m investment to construct new coastline defences to prevent erosion.
6,000 EV chargers to be rolled out in Brighton 07/04/2025 More than 6,000 electric vehicle chargers are set to be rolled out across Brighton and Hove in what is said to be the largest project of its kind in the UK.
Luton Airport expansion gets the green light 04/04/2025 The Government has signed off on the expansion of Luton Airport despite concerns about the environmental impact and a predicted increase in noise pollution.
Council switches off street lights in energy-saving pilot 03/04/2025 East Riding of Yorkshire Council has alerted drivers that they will be switching off street lights along two main roads as part of an energy-saving pilot.
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.
Envirobed® CD534: The benchmark for bedding mortars since 2005 24/03/2025 Since its introduction in 2005, Envirobed® CD534 high performance bedding mortar has established itself as the gold standard of manhole reinstatements.
Peterborough requires £8.8bn to reach net zero 17/03/2025 An investment of £8.8bn is required if Peterborough City Council is to achieve its net zero carbon emissions target by 2040, according to a council document.
New animation raises air quality awareness 17/03/2025 BCP Council is raising awareness of the dangers of air pollution among children across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole using the power of animation.
London’s Ulez delivers ‘substantial’ air quality improvements 07/03/2025 London's ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) has led to ‘substantial improvements’ in air quality across the capital, new research reveals.
Councils urged to take action on nature recovery 05/03/2025 As few as one in 10 councils have a plan for nature recovery despite the UK being one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, Woodland Trust says.
Wealth fund backs social housing retrofit loans 03/03/2025 The National Wealth Fund (NWF) has announced plans to guarantee £250m of loans to housing associations to support the retrofitting of social housing.
Defra records record 1.15m fly-tipping incidents 27/02/2025 Local authorities in England were forced to deal with a record 1.15 million fly-tipping incidents in 2023/24 – a 6% increase on the previous year.
Brighton ditches electric buses for diesel 20/02/2025 Brighton and Hove City Council, which has pledged that the region will be carbon neutral by 20230, has ditched electric buses in favour of diesel power.
‘Britain’s wonkiest road’ set to reopen 18/02/2025 A Wiltshire road that was labelled Britain’s wonkiest after it was broken up in a landslip should reopen this spring, the local authority has said.
Developers leave 1.4 million homes unbuilt 14/02/2025 Councils have given planning permission for more than 1.4 million homes since 2007 that have not been built, research has found.
Baroness Warsi calls for penalty points for fly-tippers 10/02/2025 Baroness Warsi, former chairwoman of the Conservative Party, has proposed introducing penalty points on driving licences for individuals caught fly-tipping.
Digital waste tracking postponed one year 07/02/2025 The implementation of digital waste tracking is to be delayed until April 2026 due to the ‘complexities of the project’, according to the Government.
Housing plan on MoD site scrapped due to acid grasslands 07/02/2025 Colchester City Council is set to remove a former Ministry of Defence firing range from its development plans due to the site's ‘environmental value.’
Flood defence funding boost ‘tip of the iceberg’ 05/02/2025 Defra's decision to top up funding for flood defences by £250m raises spending in this area to record levels but is still just ‘tip of the iceberg’, MPs say.
Who’s leading the way on waste reduction and food climate action? 30/01/2025 Annie Pickering, operations director at Climate Emergency UK, looks at which councils are leading the way when it comes to helping residents reduce waste.
Vent-Axia's Embodied Carbon Calculations for Commercial Heat Recovery Aid Building Design 29/01/2025 To help with the design of low and zero-carbon buildings, ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia has completed its embodied carbon calculations on its products.
Litter found in 90% of places in England 29/01/2025 A decade-long study by an environmental charity has exposed the extent of England's litter 'crisis', with more than 90% of surveyed sites found to contain rubbish.
Peterborough’s ‘net zero’ plan cuts emissions by 78% 27/01/2025 Councillors in Peterborough have approved a ‘roadmap to net zero’ with measures that would only reduce emissions by 78%.
Mayor of London urged to tackle ‘mounting sewage crisis’ 22/01/2025 Campaigners have urged the Mayor of London to take action to tackle the ‘mounting sewage crisis’ in the capital.
Electric buggy pilot launched in London borough 21/01/2025 A pilot scheme allowing residents to hire electric buggies has been launched in the Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in an effort to combat traffic congestion.
Bus cuts led to a billion more miles by car in 2023 07/01/2025 Cuts to bus provision in England led to an estimated 1.1 billion extra miles driven by cars and taxis in 2023 alone, according to new research.
Westminster seeks to ban estate agent boards 07/01/2025 Westminster City Council is seeking to crack down on ‘outdated and unsightly’ estate agent boards outside properties across the borough.
Wrexham saves £32,000 with smart water sensors 06/01/2025 Sensors that detect how much water flowerbeds need have saved Wrexham County Borough Council £32,000 over seven months, according to a report.
Councils issue just four fines for illegal wood burning 20/12/2024 English councils received more than 5,600 complaints in a year about smoke in smoke control areas but issued just four fines, new data has revealed.
Campaigners warn of ‘vapocalypse’ 16/12/2024 The number of vape products being thrown out or recycled incorrectly every week has risen from five million last year to an estimated 8.2 million.
Council gives away 30,000 trees in a day 02/12/2024 Leicestershire County Council gave away 30,400 trees in a day last week as part of plans to boost planting.
Simpler Recycling: Households to be issued with four bins 29/11/2024 Local authorities are set to issue households with up to four bins as a default to separate their waste and recycling.
Councils get £47m for new homes stalled by nutrient neutrality rules 07/11/2024 Seven areas in England will benefit from a share of £45m to ‘unblock’ new housing developments that have been stalled by rules on nutrient neutrality.
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.
Unlocking supply chain potential to deliver net zero 29/10/2024 Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg, Westminster City Council, discusses how councils can reach sustainability goals through collaboration with supply chains.
Oil firm continues production despite Supreme Court ruling 28/10/2024 Surrey County Council is considering enforcement action against an oil company that is operating two wells in the county, despite a Supreme Court ruling.
Recycling Week: The disposable vapes challenge 15/10/2024 Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus, looks at the recycling challenge the surge in disposable vapes poses for local authorities.
Recycling Week: The pass down of ETS costs to councils 14/10/2024 LARAC chair Cathy Cook discusses the impact on local authorities of the proposed expansion of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
Recycling Week: New government, new direction? 14/10/2024 Lee Marshall, Director of Innovation and Technical Services at CIWM, considers what the new Government means for the waste and recycling sector.
Community environment projects get £300k boost 14/10/2024 Over a dozen locally led community projects in the West Midlands have shared almost £300,000 of funding to help improve the region’s environment.
Met Office launches climate tool for councils 10/10/2024 The Met Office has launched a new tool to help councils adapt to the climate emergency.
Belfast launches Northern Ireland’s first Local Area Energy Plan 27/09/2024 Belfast City Council has launched its first Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) – and the first in Northern Ireland.
New waste tax could cost councils billions 17/09/2024 A proposed tax on the carbon emitted from burning waste could cost councils billions over the next decade, according to new analysis.
Nutrient neutrality plan won't unblock building, warn housebuilders 29/08/2024 Labour's proposals to address the issue of nutrient neutrality will fail to unblock the construction of more than 160,000 homes, home building industry warns.
Cleaner streets: sorting out the good ideas from the rubbish ones 21/08/2024 Beau Zilesnick from the environmental charity Hubbub, which collaborates with councils to run behaviour change campaigns, picks up six key litter lessons.
Newham mayor ‘deeply concerned’ by airport expansion 20/08/2024 The Government has approved London City Airport's plans to increase passenger numbers by more than a third despite objections by Newham Council.
‘Massive disparities’ in number of bins councils collect 20/08/2024 There are ‘massive disparities’ in the number of bins that UK councils ask residents to sort their rubbish into, a new survey has revealed.
Councils to take legal action over solar farm permission 08/08/2024 Suffolk County Council has initiated legal proceedings in a bid to secure more funding after the new Government approved a large-scale solar farm.
Believ earns ISO certifications as it continues to commit to quality, safety and environmental best practice 30/07/2024 Believ accredited with ISO certifications which demonstrate the company’s commitment to quality, security, health and safety and environmental best practice.
ULEZ working even better than expected, Khan says 26/07/2024 City Hall has said the controversial expansion of Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) across the whole of London is ‘working better than expected’.
Interview: Fighting climate change in court and as a councillor 25/07/2024 Fresh from a landmark legal win said to have ‘fundamentally changed’ the planning landscape around fossil fuels, Sarah Finch chats to LocalGov about her experience taking action on the climate – both in the courts, and as a councillor.
Taking Back Control: Why climate action needs devolution 17/07/2024 Christopher Hammond, UK100 chief executive and former council leader, argues that devolution is essential for tackling climate change.
Council faces legal challenge over poultry unit 15/07/2024 A legal challenge has been launched over Shropshire Council’s decision to grant planning permission for a major intensive poultry unit.
Tower Hamlets tops list of worst recyclers 15/07/2024 The London borough of Tower Hamlets is the worst area for recycling in England, new research has revealed.
Government pulls defence of Cumbria coal mine 12/07/2024 The Government will no longer defend legal challenges of the planning permission it granted for a new coal mine in Cumbria.
Robotic ‘shark’ to clean up Leeds waterways 05/07/2024 An aquatic robot has been launched to collect litter from Leeds’ waterways, inspired by the open-mouthed feeding technique of a whale shark.
What councils need to boost EV charge point roll-out 02/07/2024 Shaun Quirk, the chief operating officer at charge point operator Believ, explains why the UK’s electric vehicle (EV) charge point roll-out has stalled and how he hopes the next government can support local authorities to scale up delivery.
Work on Brighton rainscape gets under way 28/06/2024 Preparation work for a rainscape wetland area at a nature reserve near Brighton got under way this week.
New road marking contract for Notts highways 28/06/2024 Road marking and maintenance firm WJ Group has won a new contract with Via East Midlands to deliver road marking services across Nottinghamshire.
NextGov: What rural councils want from the next government 26/06/2024 The chief executive of the Rural Services Network (RSN), Kerry Booth, sets out rural councils' key asks of the next government.
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.
Oxford air pollution falls faster than across UK 25/06/2024 Air pollution in Oxford dropped quicker than the national average during the first full year of the city’s zero emission zone (ZEZ), but levels of toxic nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at two sites breached the legally binding limit.
Two-thirds of renewables projects fail to pass planning stage 25/06/2024 Almost two-thirds of applications for renewable energy projects failed to make it through the planning process in the past five years, research has revealed.
Parish council members all quit amid grass cutting dispute 24/06/2024 All members of a parish council in Cumbria have resigned after a man was criticised for cutting hedges and a grass verge.
Wandsworth to ban riders ‘abandoning’ e-bikes in busy areas 24/06/2024 A London borough council has announced plans to ban riders leaving e-bikes on pavements in busy town centres.
Dumped waste forces nine-hour road closure 21/06/2024 A road was closed for nine hours after two tonnes of waste were illegally dumped in West Yorkshire yesterday.
NextGov: Saving the local-national climate covenant 20/06/2024 Christopher Hammond, chief executive of UK100, discusses how the next government should help local authorities along the road to net zero.
Landmark fossil fuel ruling has ‘profound’ implications for planning 20/06/2024 A historic legal judgement has ‘fundamentally changed’ the landscape around planning permission for fossil fuel extraction, campaigners have said.
Thousands of bins missed as council rolls out new service 19/06/2024 Denbighshire County Council has apologised after waste from thousands of households was not collected as a new recycling service was rolled out.
Bid to tackle UK’s second most polluted river 19/06/2024 Councillors in Calderdale will devise a plan to clean up the UK’s second most polluted waterway.
Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire to cooperate on net zero 14/06/2024 An agreement between Glasgow City Council and West Dunbartonshire Council has been developed to improve services relating to the net zero transition.
Labour manifesto pledges Right to Buy curbs 13/06/2024 Labour has opened the door to reining in Right to Buy in its manifesto, published today.
Ads for cars and airlines banned on Edinburgh council property 31/05/2024 Edinburgh City Council will no longer approve sponsorship opportunities or advertising on its assets if they promote ‘high carbon’ products.
Council plants all-vegan menu idea 29/05/2024 Only plant-based food would be served at events hosted by Calderdale Council if a new catering policy is approved.
Funding restrictions leave climate playing ‘second fiddle’ 15/05/2024 The Government’s reliance on competitive funding pots is undermining the ability of local authorities to deliver on climate targets, a new report says.
DRS roll-out set for 2027 25/04/2024 The nationwide roll-out of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will begin in 2027, according to the Government.
Wet wipes with plastic to be banned 22/04/2024 Wet wipes containing plastic are set to be banned from the UK, environment secretary Steve Barclay announced today.
Banning urban pesticide use 18/04/2024 RSPB and PAN are working on a letter from local councillors calling on the Government to introduce a national ban on urban pesticide use. Find out more below.
Herefordshire Council uses drone to investigate fly-tipping 17/04/2024 A drone is being used by Herefordshire Council to gather evidence of illegal waste disposal.
Green Liverpool projects win European funding 08/04/2024 Greening projects designed to complement new active travel routes in Liverpool will be funded by a European climate grant worth almost £80,000.
LGA warning over XL Bully dogs ban 19/03/2024 Councils face a double whammy of soaring costs and declining police support as they try to enforce a ban on XL Bully dogs.
City Hall hails ‘dramatic’ air quality improvements 12/03/2024 Air quality in the capital has improved ‘much faster’ than in the rest of the UK because of policies introduced by the London mayor, according to a report.
LTNs popular and effective, leaked report says 11/03/2024 Low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) are popular and effective, a leaked report from the Department for Transport (DfT) has found.
Emissions rise at ‘environment capital’ council 07/03/2024 Peterborough City Council's greenhouse gas emissions have risen by half in a year.
Progress stalls on EV charge points 05/03/2024 Many local authorities have fallen significantly behind on their electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure plans, new research has found.
‘Outdated’ pollution warning systems putting swimmers at risk 29/02/2024 Swimmers could be at risk of bathing in sewage due to an ‘outdated’ pollution warning system, researchers at the University of Reading have warned.
UK’s first healthcare air quality alert launched 28/02/2024 Healthcare professionals in London will be notified directly about high pollution episodes, London mayor Sadiq Khan has announced.
Councils near Gatwick raise alarm over runway plan 27/02/2024 Local authorities near Gatwick have raised concerns over the potential increase in noise and air pollution if the airport brings another runway into use.
Coffee pod recycling scheme hits million milestone 27/02/2024 An initiative run by Cherwell District Council has seen more than a million coffee pods – weighing 16.4 tonnes – recycled in eight months.
Councils call for ‘autonomy’ under EPR 26/02/2024 Councils must still have the autonomy to run waste services according to local need under new packaging reforms, the Local Government Association has said.
Coastal councils raise water quality alarm 22/02/2024 Councils in coastal areas have raised the alarm about the impact on health and tourism caused by the continuing deterioration in coastal water quality.
Planning inspectors acted unlawfully over council’s net zero plans 22/02/2024 Planning inspectors were wrong to describe West Oxfordshire District Council’s net zero plans for a garden village as ‘too rigorous’, a High Court judge has ruled.
Lewes becomes first council to support ‘Zane’s Law’ 21/02/2024 Lewes District Council has become the first local authority to support a proposed new law that calls for greater protection from contaminated land.
Second council U-turns on pesticide use 01/02/2024 Cambridgeshire County Council has agreed to reintroduce chemical weed killer, following Brighton's recent call to recommence pesticide treatment.
Local approach needed to prepare for ‘silent killer’ of heatwaves 31/01/2024 MPs have called for a locally led approach to retrofitting houses to protect the most vulnerable from heat waves.
Newcastle CAZ generates £2.4m 31/01/2024 The Newcastle and Gateshead Clean Air Zone (CAZ) brought in more than £2.4m in its first 11 months of operation.
Westminster revamps emissions-based parking charges 30/01/2024 Westminster City Council will revamp its parking schemes so that residents and visitors are charged based on their vehicles’ tailpipe emissions.