In this week’s And Finally, we cover topics from women’s safety in public spaces, our new collection on tackling inequalities, a system-wide analysis of local government finance in Italy, and finally Scotland’s first UNESCO Biosphere!
Communities and society
And Finally: Women’s safety in public places
And Finally... 10th November 2023
Our weekly round-up for everyone in local government.
Brought to you by the LGIU (Local Government Information Unit).
A not-for-profit, non-partisan membership organisation.
Highlights from this week: Women's safety in public spaces, tackling inequalities, and local gov finance in Italy.
Global Local: Women’s Safety in public places
What can local government do to support the safety of women and girls and public spaces? Why should they bother? And what kind of interventions really make a difference to both safety and the perception of safety that allows women and girls to work, study and inhabit civic spaces without (too much) fear?
This edition takes a look at how local governments are working to get data, re-design spaces and work with entertainment venues to make the night and the day safer. How can local government move from being a place-maker to a safe and accessible place-maker?
Includes: Making space for girls 🇸🇪 Safety and the night time economy 🇬🇧 Safe in Seoul 🇰🇷 Toolkits and evidenced-based policy 🇳🇿 and more inspiration and innovation from around the world 💡.
New collection: Tackling inequalities
Tackling inequalities remains a major challenge for local government around the world. Diversity in people, backgrounds, beliefs and abilities creates beauty in communities, however it also often leads to inequality which local authorities are then faced with tackling.
This collection brings together LGIU’s content on tackling inequalities at the local level. It presents resources across a range of different inequality topics including, gender, housing and homelessness, poverty, youth and health. This collection will provide food for thought, guidance and global best practice examples to anyone with an interest or role in tackling inequalities.
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Arts Council in Northern Ireland
In this article, the Chair of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Liam Hannaway, emphasises the importance of investment in the arts and the risks posed by a continual under-funding of the arts in Northern Ireland, urging caution against further cuts.
What is a Best Value Notice?
This week, the central government issued a ‘Best Value Notice’ for South Cambridgeshire District Council over its four-day week trial. This blog unpacks what a Best Value Notice is and what it means for a local authority.
Members should also check out this briefing from last month, which looks at the impact of twenty years of auditing Best Value in Scotland. It also covers the Auditing Commission's plans to overhaul the current Best Value regime to help strengthen the financial sustainability of Scottish councils.
Collaborating for better outcomes: managing our natural assets and urban landscapes
Collaboration between local governments and environmental organisations offers opportunities for healthy and sustainable natural environments in towns and cities. This article focuses on the Landscape Foundation of Australia’s three strategic priorities in facilitating community engagement and local government collaboration for natural environment management.
Five international lessons for Scottish local government finance
To mark the launch of a research project on the State of Local Government Finance in Scotland, LGIU and Solace hosted a roundtable discussion with Senior Officers in Scottish local government to present five applicable local government finance lessons from LGIU’s international research.
A system wide analysis of local government finance in Italy
How could local government finance be different?
The Local Democracy Research Centre has commissioned experts at the University of Northumbria, led by Dr Kevin Muldoon-Smith, to look at how local government is funded in different countries around the world.
The research takes a whole-system approach, considering local government finance as a system operating within varied national contexts, including the constitutional and legal framework, politics, expectations, roles and responsibilities. These comparisons will illuminate our understanding of local government as a system and help us develop new approaches and solutions to long-standing problems.
This is the third report produced as part of this research and it takes an in-depth look at the local government system in Italy and the ways in which it is funded.
Exclusive LGIU member resources
Our member-only resources are available to every employee and elected representative at our member organisations. Your council is a member. Sign up to the website – it’s your gateway to all member resources.
Australia | Enhancing safety for women in public places
Australia| Alternative approaches to valuing nature
England & Wales | Women’s safety in events and the night-time economy
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And Finally...
This story made us smile
Scottish UNESCO Biosphere branded 'cool' by National Geographic
Scotland's first UNESCO Biosphere, the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere (GSAB), has been recognised as one of the top 30 destinations to visit in 2024 by National Geographic Traveller (UK). The GSAB is the only Scottish destination on the Cool List for 2024, which highlights places where tourism benefits communities and the environment. The biosphere's natural heritage, UNESCO designation, and recently extended boundary are celebrated. The biosphere is part of Scotland's new UNESCO Trail, connecting all 13 listed locations. GSAB director Ed Forrest said: “Participation is at the very heart of the UNESCO Biosphere model and our success to date is absolutely testament to the incredible support our team has had from residents, community groups, business leaders, land managers, schools, local authorities, South of Scotland Enterprise, Dumfries and Galloway Council, South and East Ayrshire Councils, VisitScotland, the South of Scotland Destination Alliance, the Ayrshire and Arran Destination Alliance and more".
Herald Scotland
This story comes from Ireland Daily News.
Daily News is an LGIU member-only service that keeps you connected to all the local government stories in the national and regional
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