New challenges for scrutiny
Action on climate change is urgent, and the stakes are high – but the size and scale of the task can make local action feel like a Herculean challenge.
Tackling low turnout
Low and declining turnout is a long-running feature of local elections in the UK. Indeed, the gap in turnout with parliamentary elections is one of the largest among liberal democracies.
The power of place
With the prospect of local government reorganisation and an overhaul of the planning system alongside responsibility for local outbreak management, the public sector can be forgiven for thinking it has a lot on its plate.
More localisation of Test and Trace
The NHS Test and Trace system in England will cut 6,000 staff by the end of August, with the remaining contact tracers working alongside councils’ public health teams to reach more infected people and their contacts in communities, the Government has announced.
‘Keep public participation at heart of planning’
The LGA has reiterated the need for new homes to be delivered through a planning system “with public participation at its heart”, after the Government announced proposals to reform the way the country builds.
Call for tougher licensing powers
The LGA has called for councils to be given tougher licensing powers to close down pubs and other licensed premises that are not following COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Support for children’s services
The LGA’s sector-led improvement offer has helped support improvements to local leadership of children’s services in England.
New health protection organisation launched
Public Health England (PHE) is being replaced by a new body, the National Institute for Health Protection, which will be focused on preparing for external threats such as pandemics.
The show must go on
Councils across the country are backing the creative
industries to help drive economic recovery in local
areas, despite significant funding pressures.
Homelessness ‘will soar without support services’
A new report by the Salvation Army is calling on the Government to fund homelessness support services properly in this autumn’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR).