Our Global Local bulletin highlights local solutions to global challenges, with a different theme each week offering critical insights, policy suggestions and case studies. We love hearing what our subscribers are up to, and the successes and challenges they’ve experienced in policy or projects.
As such, we’re looking for your insights on our upcoming editions. If you can tell us about these topics, please get in touch and we can help you craft an effective case study.
Digital poverty and rural broadband:
In this age, exclusion from future service and digital technologies can lead to social and economic isolation for communities. We want to know what your experiences have been with poor connectivity – how it’s affected your time in local government, how it’s made messaging and outreach more difficult in your communities, and or the efforts to improve internet coverage in your area. In particular, we want to hear examples connected to rural broadband and urban not spots, alongside how we can reskill and upskill in digital tech for professional and everyday use.
Abandoned buildings and land:
A blight in rural and urban areas alike, in this edition we’ll be focusing on vacant, abandoned and derelict buildings and land, and will ask how local governments can repurpose these for better use for the public. Have you had any experience with repurposing or regenerating abandoned places? We’re also looking for perspectives on the factors that lead to buildings and land becoming abandoned and derelict.
How do you tackle climate change during a cost-of-living crisis?:
Two of the biggest challenges facing councils in 2023, we’d like to hear if cost-cutting and cost-of-living concerns have negatively impacted your ability and your community’s willingness to be more sustainable. We’d love to hear examples of cost-effective measures you’ve implemented to help reach net-zero emissions, as well as case studies of big environmental projects that will deliver savings for your residents in the long run.
Local elections and supporting election workers:
In an age of declining trust in electoral systems and results, we’ll be covering how local elections can operate at their best. We’re looking for innovative ways you communicate with all of your residents on upcoming elections and how you maintain transparency at the polls. We’ll be taking a look at different local electoral systems, highlighting ways to support election workers before and during polls, and highlighting the skills new councillors will need to learn. If you have any perspectives that you’d like to share on these topics, we’d love to hear from you.
Gambling and local government support:
In England alone, the harms associated with gambling cost at least £1.27 billion in 2019/2020, while in Australia, gambling losses have reached close to $1,200 per capita, the highest in the world. For this edition, we’d like to hear if you feel gambling has gotten out of control in your community, be it through poker machine use or bookmakers. We’d love to highlight ways that you’ve tried to tackle this problem as a health issue or the support you’ve offered to people suffering from gambling addiction.
Mental health support and community sports:
Exercise and a sense of community are two of the best ways to improve our mental health. We’re looking for examples of how a community sports programme or event has helped connect the more isolated or vulnerable people in your community or made a difference in the wellbeing of your residents.
Water conservation in dry areas:
Local governments can take a range of approaches to help conserve water in dry areas. We’d love to hear about any innovative water-efficient technologies and initiatives that you may have implemented, water reuse schemes, leak fixing programs, water conservation campaigns, and support you’ve offered during water restriction periods.
Your experiences welcome!
We’re always eager to hear from our local government colleagues on anything you’re doing or ideas you’d like us to cover. Let us know!
If you have a story to share, please get in touch. You can submit content through our online suggestion box or get in touch directly by emailing ingrid.koehler@lgiu.org Perhaps you already have something written up or maybe you’d like help constructing a case study? Either way, we’d love to hear from you.
