environment | LocalGov

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.

Greta Thunberg joins Hampshire airport protest

29/01/2024

Residents, councillors and Extinction Rebellion activists were joined by climate campaigner Greta Thunberg to protest the expansion of a private jet facility at the weekend.

Disposable vapes to be banned

29/01/2024

Disposable vapes will be banned in the UK to protect children’s health, the Government announced today.

Old mines in West of England could be used to heat homes

26/01/2024

The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) has thrown its weight behind a £1.6m study to investigate the use of heat from flooded mine shafts to heat homes, schools, hospitals and other buildings.

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’.

Thames Water sewage spills more than quadruple

25/01/2024

The mayor of London has called out the ‘scandalous’ increase in instances of sewage flowing into the capital’s rivers, urging Thames Water to ‘get a grip of the situation’.

Councils must adapt to extreme weather threat

24/01/2024

Cara Jenkinson, Cities Manager, Ashden discusses how local authorities can adapt to the threat of extreme weather.

Half of young vapers never regularly smoked, study finds

24/01/2024

A new study has found that 316,000 young people who use disposable vapes never regularly smoked tobacco, but warns that banning the vape products would risk causing relapse among ex-smokers.

Council chiefs welcome drop in fly-tipping incidents

17/01/2024

Local authorities in England dealt with 1.08 million fly-tipping incidents in 2022/23, a decrease of 1% on the previous year, according to the latest figures.

MPs at odds with public on packaging measures

17/01/2024

Appetite for government intervention to reduce the use of packaging, either through taxes or bans, is lower among MPs than with the public, new research has found.

Report warns of 'lethal' climate change risks

17/01/2024

With London and the UK ‘underprepared’ for extreme weather and an absence of national leadership on climate, regional government must adapt at pace, a new report argues.

Preparing for future floods

16/01/2024

After Storm Henk, APSE principal advisor Rob Bailey sets out some of the steps local authorities should take to improve flood preparedness.

West Midlands pilots £24m energy support scheme

16/01/2024

Small businesses across the West Midlands are being offered support to cut their gas and electricity usage.

Survey reveals support for biodiversity scheme

10/01/2024

Most people in Britain support an upcoming requirement for developers to invest in improving local habitats, a survey has revealed.

Heat pumps plan to be scrapped over costs

02/01/2024

Salford City Council is set to withdraw plans to install air source heat pumps at its town hall due to the cost of the project.

Think-tank calls for ‘sensible adjustments’ to clean air zones

22/12/2023

Schemes to reduce air pollution should be designed to avoid penalising those living in more deprived areas, a think-tank has said.

Rowley rules out pre-election nutrient neutrality law change

21/12/2023

The Government has confirmed it will not be introducing primary legislation on nutrient neutrality in the current Parliament.

How local authorities can inspire sustainable investment

20/12/2023

Helena Rivers, net zero lead at AECOM, argues that while appetite for climate initiatives may vary on within central government, local authorities have the power to act now and drive a meaningful transition.

Mayor Burnham criticises fee-paying clean air zone

14/12/2023

Public investment in buses and taxis will improve air quality in Greater Manchester faster than a fee-paying clean air zone (CAZ), Mayor Andy Burnham says.

Skills shortage ‘putting brakes’ on net zero

12/12/2023

The skills shortage is undermining efforts to reduce carbon emissions and effectively tackle the climate crisis, local authority leaders in London have warned.

Air pollution in most high streets exceeds guidelines, study finds

12/12/2023

Most of Britain’s biggest high streets have air pollution levels above World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations, according to a new study.

Councils call for support after ‘stark’ climate change warnings

11/12/2023

Local authority leaders have said they need support to prepare communities for climate change after a stark report described the impacts of changing temperatures on people’s health.

Wales passes workplace recycling law

08/12/2023

New Workplace Recycling Regulations have been passed in Wales, which will require all businesses to separate recyclable materials.

Luton Airport Expansion – how much growth is too much?

06/12/2023

As COP28 continues, Cllr Richard Roberts, Herts County Council, criticises Luton Airport's plans to increase passenger numbers to 32 million a year.

Londoners struggling to take action on climate change

05/12/2023

Londoners motivated to prevent climate change but are struggling to reduce emissions due to cost-of-living crisis, survey reveals as leaders meet for COP28.

Simpler Recycling: The implications for local authorities

04/12/2023

Lee Marshall, Policy and External Affairs Director, CIWM looks at the Government’s recycling reforms and what they mean for local authorities.

Oxfordshire councils install vape recycling bins

04/12/2023

Three local authorities in Oxfordshire have joined forces to install 60 new recycling collection points for vapes across the county.

'Lack of clarity' puts recycling reforms at risk

01/12/2023

A ‘lack of clarity’ around the Government’s recycling reforms is preventing councils from preparing for the upcoming changes, according to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Portsmouth CAZ ‘not enough’ as legal limits still breached

01/12/2023

A government-mandated clean air zone (CAZ) in Portsmouth is not enough to reduce emissions, with pollution on three sites continuing to breach the legal limit, the city’s council has said.

PM promises to limit council tree felling

29/11/2023

Residents will have to be consulted before local authorities remove trees in their areas, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced.

Edinburgh to spend £55m to make fleet LEZ compliant

28/11/2023

Edinburgh City Council is set to spend £55m replacing obsolete vehicles and ensuring its fleet complies with new environmental rules.

High Court approves M&S judicial review

21/11/2023

The High Court has approved an application for a judicial review from M&S after Michael Gove blocked plans to redevelop the retailers Oxford Street store.

Climate change ‘biggest threat’ to heritage

20/11/2023

The future of the coastline, countryside and historic buildings protected by the National Trust will be threatened by extreme weather without urgent and large-scale action, a report has found.

London council launches green investment scheme

17/11/2023

Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council is inviting residents and businesses to invest in green projects across the borough.

Only 5% of public feels ready for climate change

15/11/2023

Most of the public feels unprepared for the effects of climate change following the extreme heat, flooding and storms of recent years, LGA poll reveals.

New health and social care secretary announced

13/11/2023

Victoria Atkins has been appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care amid Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s cabinet reshuffle.

Housing minister among casualties of Sunak reshuffle

13/11/2023

The UK will have its 16th housing minister in 12 years after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s sweeping reshuffle affected the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Councillors ‘powerless and penniless’ on clean air

09/11/2023

Elected members do not believe that councils have the powers or budgets to make meaningful change on air quality, research has found.

£20m boost for leisure centres

06/11/2023

The Government has awarded local authorities a share of £20m to help support swimming pools and leisure centres most at risk of closure or significant service reduction.

Glasgow clean air bid gets all clear

31/10/2023

A legal challenge to Glasgow's Low Emission Zone (LEZ) from a local business has failed.

How AI surveys show councils need a new approach on litter

31/10/2023

Gavin Ellis, co-founder and director of Hubbub, discusses how litter survey projects on Glasgow and Cardiff roads suggest that a new approach is needed by local authorities.

Khan hails ULEZ compliance as revenue doubles

31/10/2023

London mayor Sadiq Khan has welcomed new data showing that compliance rates in the new outer London part of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) have nearly caught up with those in inner London.

Air quality rules continue to trouble Bath area

27/10/2023

A council that had ‘officially passed a government milestone’ for cleaning up toxic air breached legal limits as traffic returned after the pandemic, according to recent data.

Time for local authorities to ‘right-size’ their offices?

26/10/2023

Mobilityways' local authorities lead Graeme Banister asks: should councils reinvent their town halls, or motivate staff to return and fill up these empty edifices?

Councils ‘held back’ on net zero

24/10/2023

The organisations that represent English councils have collaborated in a call for the Government to change its approach on delivering net zero.

State of rivers ‘hangs in the balance’ amid pollution climbdown

24/10/2023

The Government has reportedly abandoned its plans to scrap nutrient neutrality rules.

Turning pensions into fossil fuel playthings

23/10/2023

Robert Noyes, Platform London, argues that if councils are serious about net zero, then local government pension funds must divest from fossil fuels.

Councils welcome waste reform flexibility but await details on costs

23/10/2023

Councils were relieved not to lose all local discretion in the Government’s waste collection reforms but have said questions remain, including over funding.

Over £12bn of council pensions invested in fossil fuel

23/10/2023

Over £12bn of local government pensions are invested in the fossil fuel industry, environmental campaigners have revealed.

Controversial Oxford LTNs made permanent

19/10/2023

Three low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) in Oxford are to become permanent, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet decided this week.

Councils underperform in first-of-kind climate study

18/10/2023

Local authorities are not doing enough on net zero, the first study of UK councils’ climate action across all sectors has found.

Government approves plans to increase Luton Airport capacity

17/10/2023

Plans by London Luton Airport (LLA) to increase its passenger cap by one million a year have been approved by the Government.

Local authority pension schemes invest £330m in renewables

13/10/2023

Six local authority pension schemes have agreed a multi-million-pound deal to invest in renewables projects in the southwest.

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Fitness Instructor, Full-Time (Teddington)

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
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Director of Economy

York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
£95,050 - £105,438 plus relocation package
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York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
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London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
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