Care staff ‘could be required’ to have jab
Staff in care homes for older people in England could be required to have a COVID-10 vaccine under plans being consulted on by the Government.
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Millions ‘could be lost’ from school budgets
A total of £118 million for disadvantaged pupils could be lost from school budgets in England this year because of a government change in how this funding is calculated, new LGA analysis shows.
Vulnerable people ‘missed out’ on support
Up to 800,000 clinically vulnerable people may have missed out on government support in the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, because of a lack of “joined-up systems”, according to a cross-party report by MPs.
Schools’ return is ‘first step’ out of lockdown
As first was going to press, schools in England were preparing for the return of all pupils from 8 March, as part of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown.
£23m vaccine boost as deaths pass 100,000
The Government has allocated more than £23 million to 60 councils and voluntary groups across England to expand work to support those most at risk from COVID-19, and to boost vaccine take-up.
Empty offices ‘could lead to poor housing conversions’
The LGA has warned that office blocks left empty following the pandemic are at risk of being turned into potentially substandard housing under permitted development rights, which allow developers to convert buildings into homes without planning permission.
Strong support for remote meetings to continue
More than 80 per cent of councils would be very likely or fairly likely to conduct meetings remotely once the coronavirus emergency is over, if they had the power to do so, according to an LGA survey.
Fire services ‘responded well’ to pandemic
Fire and rescue services have responded very well to the pandemic, with services maintaining their ability to respond to fires and many providing pandemic-specific support outside their statutory duties.
Children locked down in temporary accommodation
The LGA has warned that around 450 primary schools’ worth of homeless children are spending lockdown in temporary accommodation, amid a chronic shortage of affordable housing.
Leaseholders ‘protected’ from cladding costs
The Government has announced a package of measures to protect leaseholders from the cost of removing unsafe ACM cladding from buildings.