Public health
The chancellor’s measures are ‘putting bread on the table’
In a pre-COVID era, a million people passed through Westminster’s streets every day, says council leader Rachael Robathan. She hopes those who return feel they can do so with confidence.
Councils at a crossroads: Local government in a post COVID world
Looking beyond the pandemic, Nazeya Hussain and other contributors put forward the case for a new local economy and a new trust-based relationship between national, regional and local government.
Using collective intelligence to boost cycling and walking in cities
In the latest in an essay series on how the wisdom of citizens could help councils manage after COVID, Peter Baeck and Sophie Reynolds consider how to make cities better for cycling and walking.
Sharing lessons from managing a COVID-19 factory outbreak
Rachel Spencer-Henshall says the response to an outbreak of COVID-19 at a meat processing factory in Kirklees was ‘partnership working at its best’.
Selbie hits back at PHE criticism
Public Health England’s (PHE) boss has hit back as ministers appear to shift blame onto the organisation for COVID-19 errors.
Public health boss hits out at lack of workplace data on COVID-19
A director of public health has criticised the absence of place of work or school and college details of those who test positive for COVID-19 from the individual level data shared with councils.
Public health leads ‘playing “whack-a-mole” blindfolded’
Dr Lisa McNally says the absence of workplace information from data on COVID-19 testing leaves councils without the knowledge they need to break the chain of transmission early.
Positive change is possible
The care sector has witnessed great tragedy in recent months. IMPOWER's Stuart Lindsay says 'there is an opportunity to fast forward positive change and benefit future generations - albeit one that needs careful steering'.
Time to give LRFs back some value
The Government’s ‘top down’ approach has undermined local resilience forums’ ability to deliver local COVID-19 capabilities efficiently, say Dr Arabella Kyprianides and a group of specialist academics and former senior police officers.
Examining the forces that push problems downstream
The pandemic has created opportunities for learning, renewal, and new, better responses, says Graeme McDonald. The pro-early intervention arguments appear to many mere common sense, so why is investing early so difficult, he asks.
Getting ahead of the curve
How can COVID-19 testing and tracing best harness the experience and expertise of councils, and how ready is local government for the next phase of easing lockdown? Ann McGauran reports.
Leicester locks down after surge in coronavirus
England’s first local lockdown will begin in Leicester this week in a bid to combat a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Leicester could be first city to face local lockdown
Leicester could be the first place in England to be placed in a local lockdown following a rise in the number of coronavirus cases, the home secretary warned over the weekend.
Council urges residents to stick to two metre rule
Luton BC has urged its residents to continue to stick to socially distancing by two metres despite the Government easing the rule.
England’s first community COVID-19 testing site opens in one of the worst hit areas
Brent is the first place in the country to open a local testing site designed around the needs of the community. Dr Melanie Smith explains why the location in the heart of Harlesden was so key.
Councils can lead post COVID-19 'inclusive' recovery
Inclusive growth is now ‘out of grasp for the foreseeable future’, but building more inclusive economies is not, according to research published today.
Unequal chances: the poverty trap in Brent
Brent has one of the highest death rates from COVID-19. Cllr Eleanor Southwood hopes the work of the Poverty Commission will help improve lives.
COVID-19: Saving lives in the second wave
Dominic Harrison says a ‘COVID-19 Second Wave Ready Community Fund’ is required. If allocated now, it would 'reduce future avoidable hospital admissions, prolong life, reduce NHS costs and promote equal life chances for all'.
Life after lockdown: managing local variations
Wide local variations in the impact of the coronavirus pose a major headache to the government. Michael Burton reports on a new Institute for Fiscal Studies report examining varying needs judged by local authority areas.
Combined authority 'spending reserves like it's going out of fashion'
Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s chief executive has expressed doubts about whether his region would be able to cope with a second wave of coronavirus infections.
