Council steps in after Herefordshire farm goes into lockdown
Black Country awarded Geopark status
Pools, gyms and leisure centres set to re-open
Race for reorganisation gathers pace in Surrey and Somerset
Seize the moment for a greener future
Sue Riddlestone explains why the time is right to re-shape our communities to go carbon neutral.
Chancellor confirms £2bn jobs scheme for young people
08/07/2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a £2bn ‘kickstart scheme’ for jobs to prevent an entire generation of young people being ‘left behind’. |
Millions of voters missing from electoral registers, report warns
08/07/2020 Millions of eligible voters may be missing from electoral registers, a Lords report has warned today. |
Planning reforms present 'dangers' for disabled peopled, Lord Holmes warns
07/07/2020 The relaxation of planning rules poses 'serious dangers' for disabled people, Lord Holmes has warned. |
Welsh councils call for support over 'devastating' Airbus job losses
07/07/2020 Council leaders in Wales have called for extra support after Airbus cut more than 1,700 jobs across their UK operations. |
Charity warns 230,000 renters at risk of 'Covid-eviction'
06/07/2020 Nearly a quarter of a million private renters have fallen into arrears since the pandemic started, a homelessness charity has warned today. |
Beach capacity revealed following Bournemouth's major incident
03/07/2020 New analysis of beach capacity has revealed that only 78,000 people can fit onto Bournemouth beach if social distancing guidelines are followed. |
Youth unemployment to double this year, warns think tank
03/07/2020 The number of unemployed young people could double this year without government intervention, a think tank has warned today. |
Council seeks temporary drinking ban in London Fields Park
03/07/2020 Hackney Council is taking legal action to temporarily ban drinking in London Fields Park after high levels of antisocial behaviour. |
County increases scrutiny of its special educational needs services
02/07/2020 Norfolk County Council has agreed to regular scrutiny of its services for children with special educational needs after the ombudsman found it 'failed' the same boy twice. |
MPs refuse to back down on Westferry
01/07/2020 MPs have refused to accept the Prime Minister’s attempts to close down questions over Robert Jenrick’s decision on the Westferry Printworks planning application. |
Starmer warns coronavirus has created a 'perfect storm' for councils
01/07/2020 The coronavirus crisis and government’s inaction has caused a 'perfect storm' for councils, Keir Starmer will warn later today. |
Rent arrears could see homelessness treble this year, campaigners warn
01/07/2020 Homelessness could treble this year due to financial impact of coronavirus, campaigners have warned today. |
Trials of e-scooter rentals to be fast-tracked from this weekend
01/07/2020 Local authorities will start hosting the trial of rental e-scooters from this weekend to help ease the burden on public transport as lockdown restrictions are lifted. |
Research suggests 84,000 fewer homes will be built this year due to Covid-19
30/06/2020 More than 80,000 new homes will not be delivered this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, research has revealed today. |
Leicester locks down after surge in coronavirus
30/06/2020 England’s first local lockdown will begin in Leicester this week in a bid to combat a surge in COVID-19 cases. |
Councils to prioritise social housing for veterans
29/06/2020 Councils have been told to give priority to members of the Armed Forces and veterans who have poor mental health when allocating social housing. |
Leicester could be first city to face local lockdown
29/06/2020 Leicester could be the first place in England to be placed in a local lockdown following a rise in the number of coronavirus cases, the home secretary warned over the weekend. |
Approval for Huawei’s £1bn research centre
26/06/2020 Approval has been given to Huawei's new research and development centre in Swaston, Cambridge. |
Ombudsman will re-open for complaints about councils from next week
26/06/2020 The ombudsman that investigates problems with local authorities will resume accepting new complaints from next week. |
Planning rules relaxed to support outdoor dining
26/06/2020 The Government has temporarily lifted planning rules to allow pubs, restaurants and cafes to serve customers outdoors. |
Council declares major incident as thousands flock to beach
26/06/2020 A council was forced to declare a major incident yesterday after thousands of people flocked to the beach on the hottest day of the year. |
Rural councils join forces to tackle climate change
25/06/2020 A coalition of 21 rural councils, in partnership with UK100, have launched the Countryside Climate Network this week. |
Report warns childcare sector at risk of mass closure
25/06/2020 A quarter of early years providers warn they expect to close within the year due to the impact of coronavirus, a new survey has revealed. |
Council criticised over loss of bat habitat
25/06/2020 Warwick District Council failed to consider bat habitats when approving a new development, an ombudsman has found. |
Parks are a 'smart investment' argues new report
24/06/2020 Parks save the health service over £2bn a year making them a ‘smart investment’, according to the Parks Alliance (TPA). |
Voter ID plans will have a disproportionate impact on BME people, campaigners warn
23/06/2020 Mandatory voter ID plans could bring ‘US-style voter suppression to the UK’, anti-racist and BME organisations have warned today. |
Javid urges reorganisation and devolution post-COVID
23/06/2020 Council tax reform and local government reorganisation should both play a part in the post COVID economic recovery, former communities secretary Sajid Javid has said. |
Councils call for 100,000 social homes for key worker 'heroes'
22/06/2020 A new report has called for 100,000 social homes to be built each year for health, care and other key workers. |
Councils issue warning over test and trace scams
22/06/2020 Councils have warned that criminals are trying to exploit the test and trace system by trying to convince people they must pay for the testing kit. |
Council chiefs welcome £1bn Covid school ‘catch up’ package
19/06/2020 Local authority leaders have welcomed the Government’s announcement of a £1bn Covid ‘catch up’ package to tackle the impact of lost teaching time. |
Drive to replace dangerous cladding ‘lagging behind’, warn auditors
19/06/2020 Auditors investigating the programme for replacing dangerous cladding on high-rise buildings have found that progress has ‘lagged behind’ expectations. |
Teachers call for summer holiday offer to support children
19/06/2020 Teachers have urged the Government to fund councils to help them provide summer activities for children in preparation for a return to school in September. |
Paediatricians urge PM to make school reopenings ‘a priority’
18/06/2020 Over 1,500 paediatricians have signed an open letter to the Prime Minister urging him to make the reopening of schools a priority. |
Council celebrates ‘landmark’ ruling that will save museums thousands
18/06/2020 Exeter CC has welcomed a landmark ruling over the rateable valuation of a Grade II building in a court decision that could save museums thousands of pounds. |
Council chiefs call for devolution of skills investment
17/06/2020 Local authority leaders have said they will work with the Government to develop post-Covid economic recovery plans as figures reveal a fall in employment. |
PM forced into U-turn on free school meals
16/06/2020 Council chiefs have welcomed the decision to provide a £120m voucher scheme to allow children from the poorest families get free school meals over the summer. |
‘Generation of children’ losing out due to lack of lockdown education
16/06/2020 Children who are locked down at home spend an average of 2.5 hours a day doing school work, a new study has revealed. |
Councils call for clarity on local lockdowns
16/06/2020 Councils this week called for clarity on the legal powers they will have if they are forced to implement local coronavirus lockdowns. |
Councils back evictions ban in face of landlord criticism
15/06/2020 Councils have insisted police powers can still be used to evict perpetrators of domestic violence amid the evictions ban. |
More than 50,000 living with dangerous cladding
15/06/2020 There are 56,000 people living in buildings with unsafe Grenfell-style cladding, new analysis has revealed. |
Residents face ‘postcode lottery’ when it comes to fire services, union warns
15/06/2020 A third of fire and rescue services would not send sufficient resources to high-rise fires, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has warned. |
Councils call for suspension of No Recourse to Public Funds
12/06/2020 Council leaders have called on the Government to ensure vulnerable people can access support regardless of their immigration status during the pandemic. |
Council to remove Robert Baden-Powell statue from Poole
11/06/2020 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council is removing a statue of Robert Baden-Powell today from Poole Quay. |
Councils predict one million new low-carbon jobs by 2050
11/06/2020 The low-carbon and renewable energy economy could create nearly 700,000 jobs by 2030 in England, increasing to 1.18 million by 2050, a new report has revealed. |
Council leader survives vote of no confidence
10/06/2020 A vote of no confidence in the leader of BCP Council, Cllr Vikki Slade, has failed by one vote. |
Councils pledge to review statues in wake of Black Lives Matter protests
10/06/2020 Several councils have promised to review statues, street names and plaques following this week's Black Lives Matter protests. |
Councils given extra time to update electoral rolls
10/06/2020 Local authority staff will be given more time to complete this year's annual electoral canvass due to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. |
Councils get new powers to tackle misuse of cycle lanes
10/06/2020 Local authorities will be given the power to use CCTV to fine drivers who misuse mandatory cycle lanes, the Government has announced. |
Housing sector at risk of collapse due to Covid-19, think tank warns
10/06/2020 At least 76,000 homes are at risk of not being built this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, a think tank has warned today. |
Seven out of 10 happy with council support
09/06/2020 Seven out of 10 people are very or fairly satisfied with the way their council is supporting them and their household during the coronavirus pandemic, Local Government Association research has found. |
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.
