Local Authority & Councils Archives - Government & Public Sector Journal

True Grit: How to avoid cowboy gritters this winter

OUTCO explains how to tell a professional winter gritting service from the cowboys that will leave you out in the cold

Winter gritting sometimes can feel like a grudge purchase. It’s a cost you can’t avoid, for an overnight service that you often can’t see happening, to prevent risks that hopefully won’t happen. It’s

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Councils ‘to be bypassed’ for large-scale housing developments: Legal comment

Local authorities will be prevented from refusing planning permission for large housing developments, according to newspaper reports.

Will Thomas

Steve Reed, Housing and Communities Secretary, is expected to announce this week that planning applications for schemes comprising more than 150 homes will be referred directly to central government – bypassing council planning committees.

Commenting

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Waste Crime Is Everyone’s Problem, But Councils Are Paying the Price

By Paul Empson, General Manager, Bakers Basco

Paul Empson

As someone on the frontline of the UK’s waste-crime crisis, I fully support Keep Britain Tidy’s call for stronger enforcement. But what really struck me in their latest survey was just how many local authorities are feeling the pressure. With 98% reporting fly-tipping in their area

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Elevating Housing – Why the Future of UK Homes Must Look Beyond the Staircase

By Stiltz Homelifts/CEO Mike Lord

The UK is on the brink of a profound demographic transformation. By 2072, more than a quarter of the population – around 22.1 million people – will be aged 65 or over. Yet, the homes being built today are failing to meet the needs of this ageing society.

Mike

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Tower Hamlets’ Fruit & Veg on Prescription project enters third year after cutting self-reported GP visits by 15%

A pioneering fruit and veg prescription in Tower Hamlets has delivered powerful results, improving physical health for 8 in 10 participants and cutting self-reported GP visits by 15%.

Now, Alexandra Rose Charity is encouraging local authorities and healthcare leaders to take note of the scheme’s success and consider adopting similar models to support healthier, more resilient communities.

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Winter Maintenance: Why Gambling on the Weather is the Riskiest Bet for Local Authorities

By Brendan Aherne, Chief Operating Officer, OUTCO

Every winter, local authorities across the UK face the same challenge: how to keep civic buildings, council offices and public facilities safe and accessible while managing ever-tighter budgets. When facilities managers are asked to trim budgets, outdoor winter maintenance can often come under scrutiny. If the previous

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488 jobs created within a year as procurement experts Fusion21 help organisations smash social value and boost green skills

New data reveals 488 jobs were created and hundreds of people accessed apprenticeships and work placement opportunities within a year – thanks to national procurement experts Fusion21 helping companies smash their social value targets.

Working across housing, local authority, education, NHS, and blue light sectors, Fusion21 supports its members and suppliers to embed social value into

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New, groundbreaking heat pump technology saves homeowners £2,000 per installation

First-of-its-kind technology installed in over 1000 social houses across the South West

Hewer, a leader in sustainable heating solutions, has launched Heat Saviour™, a groundbreaking technology that simplifies heat pump installations and maintenance, saving time, money and hassle.

As part of its Net Zero plan, the government aims to install 600,000 heat pumps annually

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Believ Secures Win for EV Debt Deal of the Year at 2025 EVIE Awards

Electric vehicle (EV) charge point operator (CPO) Believ has won the EV Debt Deal of the Year at the 2025 EVIE awards, recognising its role in helping to accelerate the rollout of public EV charging infrastructure across the UK.

Believ was nominated for its closing of £300 million of investment in June 2025, a landmark deal that

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East Riding of Yorkshire Council: Pioneering Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

How East Riding Council is using data to drive energy decisions across its estate

As the public sector accelerates its decarbonisation efforts, East Riding of Yorkshire Council is proving that sustainability can unlock innovation, efficiency, and lasting impact.

With an urgency to decarbonise the public sector estate, one council is demonstrating that sustainability can

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Delivering Under Pressure: How councils can adapt to shrinking budgets, deteriorating assets and net zero expectations

Managing the complexities of council assets and the diverse impact they have on local communities is no mean feat, particularly when funding from central government is only heading in one direction: downwards!

With budget cuts, rising community expectations, environmental responsibilities and evolving legislation – all on top of managing physical assets – it is

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Digital transformation will be key to embracing the social housing revolution promised by Spending Review

By Gary Haynes, MD of Voicescape, the UK’s leading provider of resident engagement solutions for housing associations and local authorities

Gary Haynes

We now know that 60% of the 300,000 affordable homes to be delivered in the £39bn housing programme pledged in last month’s Spending Review will be earmarked for social rent.

It marks

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Calling all DSLs – Have you completed your annual online safety review?

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) states ‘schools and colleges should consider carrying out an annual review of their approach to online safety’. To help support schools, edtech charity, LGfL-The National Grid for Learning has developed a free, comprehensive yet easy to use Online Safety Audit, recently updated (Feb 2025) to reflect changes to

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The Rising Demand for High-Quality Rental Properties: How Demographic Shifts and Smart Design are Reshaping the Property Sector

Aiden Van Sertima – Global Sales Director, Integritas Property Group

Aiden Van Sertima

The UK housing market is undergoing a significant transformation, driven not just by economic pressures and shifting work patterns, but also by major demographic changes. Increasingly, the spotlight is shifting to the growing demand for high-quality rental homes in city centres

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Avoiding a Talent Crisis During LGR: How Councils Can Retain Their Best People Through Uncertainty

By Julian Panter, Business and Project Director, Matrix Workforce Management Solutions

Julian Panter

At Matrix, we work with councils up and down the country and the warning from Solace about Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) putting good officers at risk of exit rings very true. While I haven’t seen every council restructuring their senior teams,

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Key Liverpool landmark demolished as innovation scheme enters new phase

Liverpool’s flagship £1bn Knowledge Quarter development is set to enter a new phase – following the completion of the demolition of a key landmark.

Removal of the former Smithdown Lane Police Station at the Paddington Village South scheme has now completed, paving the way for new development opportunities under a masterplan being co-ordinated by Liverpool City Council

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Newham, Believ and Uber mark Clean Air Day 2025 with EV Infrastructure Milestone

Pictured from L – R: Charlie Allen, Head of Business Development, Public Sector, Believ/Rokhsana Fiaz, the Mayor of Newham/ Edward Davison, Policy at Uber

The London Borough of Newham, together with EV charging infrastructure partners Believ and Uber, celebrated Clean Air Day 2025 by announcing their 500th on-street charge point, raising awareness of the

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FLEXIBLE PAYMENTS: WHY THE PUBLIC SECTOR MUST STEP UP FOR FINANCIALLY VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

Wayne Campbell

By Wayne Campbell, Head of Presales, Access PaySuite.As inflation, interest rates and the cost of living continue to test the resilience of UK households, the public sector faces a dual imperative: safeguarding its own financial stability while ensuring that the most vulnerable communities aren’t left behind.Although the annual inflation rate has eased

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FIVE WAYS that frameworks help public sector budgets go further

By Clive Feeney – Group CEO, LHC Procurement Group

There’s not a council in the country today that’s free from significant financial stress. The LGA says that one in 10 councils has already discussed receiving emergency support from the government. Many more are struggling to secure sufficient financial resources to meet their budgetary obligations,

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Anna Jackson joins TTC Group as Chief Operating Officer

Focusing on delivering great user experiences and driving operational evolution

Appointing Anna Jackson as its new Chief Operating Officer, training and compliance expert, TTC Group, has reconfirmed its focus on delivering the best possible experiences to employees, customers and prospective customers. With a proven track record of driving operational excellence, Anna is perfectly placed

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