From social engagement to civic action – how can local government engage citizens in democracy and delivery? What can communities do for themselves with the support of local public bodies?
Welcome to All things Scotland, a new weekly overview brought to you by the LGIU Scotland Team. This first edition focuses on what’s coming up in October, including Challenge Poverty Week, Cllr Awards 2022 and several new briefings from LGIU.
Alice Creasy speaks to Sustainable Food Places Coordinator Vivienne Swan who has been part of the team coordinating Edinburgh’s successful bid to become a silver status sustainable food city. In this interview Vivian discusses some of the challenges and opportunities cities are facing and the importance of working collaboratively to develop sustainable food networks.
Rough sleeping is falling in England but is still more prevalent than 12 years ago. An updated strategy reaffirms the government’s aim to end rough sleeping by the end of 2024, but will the measures proposed be enough? A new briefing looks at what is being promised.
This week, we’re exploring the issues surrounding the vanishing funds for public toilets and the ways in which local government and communities are ensuring the survival of these fundamental facilities.
The closure of public toilets in many countries over recent years has drawn attention to an existing issue of insufficient funds in relation to demand. This briefing highlights the problems facing local authorities in providing public toilets and outlines why these problems have an extremely damaging effect on people.
In this Q&A interview, LGIU’s Freya Millard chatted with Mary Peart, Manager at Kinlochewe Community Toilets, about her experience purchasing and running an ex-local government-owned public toilet block in rural Scotland.
How can local government manage the boom in short term rentals, keeping the market fair while encouraging tourism?
Post-pandemic, common mental health challenges including depression, anxiety and stress are having an increased impact across society. These mental health challenges are also likely to be prevalent among the local government workforce too. This briefing highlights local authority examples of community and workforce mental health support and will be of interest to everyone working in…
Lucy Slack, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, discusses the reactions from members of the Commonwealth in the wake of the Queen’s death and what this moment of change means for the association going forward.
Around the world, local government acts as a locus of remembrance and grief. Here we collect examples of how Queen Elizabeth II has been honoured by local government officials and institutions and how they also provide a centre for local people to express their grief.
