Wellbeing
Investment in neighbourhood services could be a crucial vote winner
'As we limp towards another General Election, we have yet to hear any comprehensive plans from across the political spectrum on how they would address the crisis in funding for neighbourhood services,' says Mo Baines.
Networking opportunities
Decisions made by local authorities have a major impact on residents’ mental health, and that is why Worcestershire has signed up to the Mentally Healthier Councils Network. Lisa McNally explains.
A springboard to better wellbeing
Social prescribing is about more than health and represents a chance to transform relationships towards real co-production of community wellbeing, says Dr Koen Bartels.
Gove pledges to halt council four-day weeks
Michael Gove has pledged to stop local authorities from implementing a four-day week and he said councils could face budget cuts if they adopt one.
Rethinking our approach to the public health grant
Nottingham City Council believes its new approach to using the public health grant has been a catalyst for positive change, says Lucy Hubber.
Leading the prevention revolution
Research launched at this week’s Local Government Association conference shows how NHS and district colleagues can unite in partnership to achieve the full potential of district support to the health system, say Trevor Holden and Jamie Sutterby.
Five key principles for drug harm reduction in Sandwell
Sandwell MBC is reversing the numbers of drug-related deaths through cost-effective investment, reducing demand on criminal justice systems and the NHS and returning people back into education and employment, says Dr Lisa McNally.
Getting the measure of wellbeing
Now we are looking at another crisis, we need wellbeing more than ever, but can we retain a focus on it, asks Dr Jonathan Carr West? He looks to New Zealand for inspiration.
The harvest of our community farm will be a widespread one
East Hampshire DC's community farm plan will create an opportunity that brings its corporate strategy to life and makes it relevant to residents on a day-to-day basis, says Gill Kneller.
Thick document; thin vision
Dr Jonathan Carr-West says it’s not that the measures in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill are bad in and of themselves, but it feels like a missed opportunity to ask bigger questions about the function and form of local government.
Supporting staff through crises
David Bibby explains how leisure and cultural centre provider Everyone Active has been working with local authority partners to rise to the challenges of the pandemic and support the workforce.
Councils battle to prevent 'lost generation'
Children’s services directors have said they face a challenge to avoid the emergence of a ‘lost generation’.
Counting the benefits of good partnership
The South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership was formally signed off this summer. It will build on South Holland DC’s own experience of partnership working, and build something even bigger, says Rob Barlow.
Pursuing happiness
At last, the Treasury wants us all to be happy, says Dan Corry. ‘A brilliant early sign that the Treasury means this is if the forthcoming and long-awaited multi-year Spending Review pushed these concepts hard’, he adds.
Levelling up should focus on wellbeing, says report
The levelling up agenda should focus on improving economic and social wellbeing rather than infrastructure according to new research from the UK Prosperity Index 2021.
Getting set for a post 9-to-5 culture
Is it a case of the ‘death of Dolly’? Jason Wheatley explains why it’s important organisations re-imagine their places of work to meet the changing requirements of a post-pandemic world.
We need to better capture the impact of community power
New Local's latest report forensically and persuasively shows community power works, and now we need to measure it better, says Luca Tiratelli.
Call for lifting of immigration rules
Council leaders in England, Scotland and Wales have called for a temporary lifting of the immigration rules that stop some migrants accessing public funds.
Creating a long-term new normal
Adam Cunnington says we should agree to harness our collective experience of the devastating effects of COVID-19 to work together to build a better country and a better long-term ‘new normal’.
The wellbeing of individuals and their wider community is key
COVID-19 has put public health at the top of the nation's priorities, and it's vital to remember that the wellbeing of individuals and their wider community are key to creating a place-based agenda, writes Sheila Oxtoby.
