How can local government support thriving and prosperous communities?
This briefing outlines the key recommendations recently made by the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery to Scottish Government. These recommendations are detailed in a recent report outlining the steps needed to safeguard a fair and sustainable economic recovery from Covid-19.
Connor Smith, LGIU Associate, goes over the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s ‘Plan for Jobs’ announced on Wednesday 8 July, highlighting the key green elements of the announcement and discussing the implications for working towards a sustainable recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The scale of the investment in the statement is unprecedented – for unprecedented times. Does it go far enough, are the priorities right and what role does it imply for local government in the recovery?
After fears of complete collapse in the tourism industry, the gradual reopening has now begun and business owners hope to recover some of the summer’s income. This briefing draws on examples of responses by local authorities to the gradual reopening of tourism, highlighting areas of opportunity.
Covid-19 has highlighted the cracks in our current food supply, but also presents an opportunity for harnessing – and acting on – collective enthusiasm over rebuilding sustainably. Sarah Duley, Head of Food at Soil Association Scotland, encourages local authorities to consider the social, economic and environmental benefit to shortening supply chains and sourcing food locally.
NSW councils amalgamated in 2016 were subject to a ‘rates freeze’ limiting increases and delaying harmonisation of rating systems. This briefing describes some of the background and challenges to the rates harmonisation process for amalgamated councils in NSW, and to identifies potential strategies to address these.
This briefing examines the concept of ‘Doughnut Economics’ as an increasingly popular model around which to structure change at a local level. For local government, this model offers a guide to policy making that re-centres value by setting out the social and ecological parameters for decision-making while fostering collaboration and inter-departmental working.
LGIU’s Sustainable Futures theme, as part of our Post-Covid Councils project, aims to highlight the practical and pressing opportunities open to local government and its partners in building a cleaner, greener, more sustainable and ultimately fairer future for all.
Georges River Council is currently implementing its Economic and Social Recovery Plan. It is made up of three key phases in response to the unprecedented impacts of Covid-19 on local businesses and communities and complements packages being rolled out by the State and Federal governments.
Earlier this year, North Ayrshire Council launched its Community Wealth Building Strategy, becoming the first Council in Scotland to adopt this bold and radical economic approach. Councillor Joe Cullinane, Leader of North Ayrshire Council, tells us how it works and how he hopes it can make a difference to communities.