Communities
How do we empower and support councillors?
With Super Thursday looming on May 6, Paul O'Brien argues that a radical system reset may be needed; one that supports the role of councillors, values their role and is able to attract people from all walks of life.
The importance of data and networks in advancing racial equality
Over the last six months Graeme McDonald has been a commissioner on Tower Hamlets’ Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic Inequalities Commission. What stuck out for him in the recommendations from the final report?
Owning the local message
It’s time to get back to the basics of good communication and make these skills more accessible to local communities, says Cormac Smith. He outlines the core communication disciplines every organisation needs to master.
How to promote community participation
Ann McGauran reports from a FutureGov workshop on the best way to empower communities to get involved in designing local services.
The need for a connected COVID-19 recovery
MP Neil O’Brien OBE calls on central government to support local action to help those most at risk of loneliness post-lockdown.
A task as difficult as good community engagement needs a plan
When it comes to climate action some communities are labelled ‘hard to reach’ – but when they speak, do we listen, asks Chris Church.
Open source is the way forward for open democracy
For local councils, open source has the potential to enable innovations and optimise the way they work, says Lora Botev of CitizenLab.
One year on, councils will be central to recovery
After an extraordinary year, council staff are exhausted, worn down and facing further cuts, says Heather Jameson. But she has no doubt they will continue to rise to the challenge 'whether it is in an office, at home or on a laptop anywhere'.
Community – the strongest thing of all
The recurring message from the host of high profile speakers at Stronger Things 2021 is that those in power centrally and locally need to sit up, take notice of the community power movement, and really begin to cede control, says Katy Oglethorpe.
Learning from others
In a series of articles over the coming months, Emmet Regan will look at what public leaders can learn from other sectors and industries. Here, the issues of physical and mental wellbeing are to the fore.
Creating a coherent framework for the residual COVID challenges
Councils' voice in, for example, the discussion about the future organisation of public health needs to be heard clearly if there is to be a coherent framework in which we can work effectively on the residual challenges of COVID, says John O'Brien.
Nine in 10 adults are positive about the jab
Nearly all adults (91%) are positive about the COVID-19 vaccine, but younger and black groups are most likely to say they are hesitant, according to data published today.
Levelling Up through Community Ownership
Andrew Laird welcomes the plan to create a £150m Community Ownership Fund and says the agenda should also look at local public services and assets.
Displaced residents will distort Census 2021
The extent of economic migration from cities is disputed, but other short term COVID-induced trends can and will distort Census 2021, says Paul Wheeler.
Shifting the story in Sheffield
Sheffield City Council’s new chief executive Kate Josephs talks to Heather Jameson about her new role guiding ‘an incredible city’ through the big challenges ahead – and making it more ‘confident, and outward looking and optimistic’.
Stoke-on-Trent is the litmus test for levelling up
Connectivity, growth and productivity are the three words at the heart of the priorities running through the new city prospectus for Stoke-on-Trent, says Cllr Abi Brown.
We need to better capture the impact of community power
New Local's latest report forensically and persuasively shows community power works, and now we need to measure it better, says Luca Tiratelli.
Surge testing - Winning hearts and minds in Walsall
Community engagement and reassurance was the overarching approach to Walsall MBC’s rapid roll-out of surge testing, says Stephen Gunther.
Bright future for Britain’s Jurassic Coast
Dorset Council is leading a consortium of local, national and international partners delivering the £7m 5G RuralDorset project. Matt Prosser explains why the new unitary authority is involved, and outlines the potential benefits.
Putting the power into place
The past year has highlighted inequalities and exposed the inadequacy of centralisation while councils are dealing with a threadbare funding system. Cllr Georgia Gould and Baroness Judith Blake say funding and powers for places could make it better.
