Environment
Jenrick leads new charge to axe nutrient neutrality laws
Former housing secretary Robert Jenrick is leading Tory calls for the Government to renew efforts to axe nutrient neutrality laws and boost house building.
LTNs popular and effective, leaked report says
Low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) are popular and effective, a leaked report from the Department for Transport (DfT) has found.
View with a poo
Angry residents of Falmouth were up in arms recently.
Decarbonisation: from planning to action
Lack of capacity on the electricity grid can present a significant barrier to local authorities’ net zero goals. Ben Taylor explains how partnering with a decarbonisation expert can help to provide the best chance of success.
Getting crucial decarbonisation buy-in
Sean Ranson suggests how local authorities can maximise buy-in and build advocacy for achieving net zero locally
What’s mew pussycat?
The neighbouring cities of Wanneroo and Joondalup in Western Australia are taking different approaches to public policy when it comes to our feline friends.
Expanding Oflog’s vision
Jack Shaw says the Office for Local Government needs to go further than its current long-term vision, and moving to a statutory footing would mean it could set up a more robust performance regime.
Why climate change is health’s biggest threat
The health risks from climate change are considerable, but directors of public health are ideally placed to ensure initiatives are implemented in the right way, to the right people, say Greg Fell and Darrell Gale.
Oxfordshire’s response to the flooding challenge
Stephen Chandler and Carole Mackay describe Oxfordshire CC’s response to the recent floods, working alongside the Thames Valley Local Resilience Forum.
Driving the green agenda
Maud Hollis discusses the crucial role of talent and leadership in local government’s journey to net zero.
Councils mobilise to tackle Storm Henk flooding
Nottinghamshire CC has declared a major incident as the county has been hit by near-record levels of flooding.
A ‘poultry’ 10 minutes
Diary must whisper it but, on rare occasions, councils don’t do themselves any favours.
MPs in waste clarity call
England’s town halls cannot prepare for forthcoming waste reforms – including procurement - until ministers provide certainty over the impact on council coffers, MPs have warned.
Housing minister among casualties of Sunak reshuffle
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.
'Victory for common sense' hailed on waste
Councils have claimed a ‘victory for common sense’ after ministers watered down plans to standardise waste and recycling collections.
Greens push for divestment
There will be a greater push for divestment in the local government pension scheme (LGPS) after the Greens made a record 200 seat gains this year, a senior councillor has predicted.
Councils underperform in first-of-kind climate study
Widespread low scores in the first study of UK councils’ climate action highlight national barriers, pressure group Climate Emergency UK has said.
A new trading platform for nutrient offsetting
A number of districts in Norfolk have formed a unique partnership to address the potentially catastrophic impediment to growth posed by nutrient neutrality issues. Phil Courtier explains.
Aiding Scotland’s journey towards sustainable transportation
Rory Alexander asks if the public sector can meet the demands of Scotland’s sustainable transportation strategy, and he looks at what the rest of the UK can learn.
Boroughs to get opt out from future ULEZ-style schemes
Legislation that will enable London boroughs to opt out of future road charging schemes has been welcomed as ‘an enormous step forwards in local democracy’.