Primer time: Local government subject guides for new councillors
Our Primer series will help new councillors get on top of the complexities of some of the many different service areas that local authorities provide.
The cladding conundrum: improving fire safety in housing
Arguments continue to rage over who should pay for fire safety four years after Grenfell. According to MPs, the government and industry should be helping social landlords and others, including leaseholders, by paying more towards the removal of dangerous cladding from tower blocks and other safety defects.
Build to rent: What is it?
Whilst Build to Rent (BTR) is still a relatively new asset class in Australia, it is well established in Europe and the US, and more recently, in the UK. This briefing looks at BTR in the UK to explain exactly what it is, and why governments are interested in supporting this model of development.
Primer: The planning system
This primer introduces the planning process, common terms and phrases and details current issues within the planning system. It is part of a series of primers, covering key local authority subjects, which are aimed particularly at new councillors to help them settle into the role.
The future of schooling post Covid-19 and beyond
The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted all sections of society and exposed its fault lines, particularly in education systems across the world. Governments across the world are focussing on returning their education systems to normality and on ensuring that national ‘catch up’ funding is utilised as swiftly as possible. However, as we struggle with the recovery…
Legislating for housing affordability
The recent controversy about bulk purchasing by investment funds has put housing back at the forefront of public discourse and intensified pressure to achieve significant expansion of affordable housing supply, which is the purpose of the recently-published Affordable Housing Bill. The main provisions of the legislation are summarised below, along with key issues raised in…
Marking history and identity – the critical role of local government
Dr Seán Ó’Riordáin reflects on the often forgotten role that local government played in achieving Irish independence and outlines the importance of commemoration in councils’ work to recount local history.
Universal Credit and ‘Survival Sex’: WPC report and government response
In October 2019, the Work and Pensions Committee (the WPC) published a report on Universal Credit and Survival Sex. The DWP did not provide a response until early March 2021. This briefing summarises and comments on the WPC’s original report and the DWP’s response.
Hyper-local for Covid recovery in Waltham Forest
Officers at Waltham Forest share their insights from developing new ways of working with the community to respond to and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
