Milton Keynes Council is working with partners to trial the use of drones, which could transform the way essential and emergency services are delivered in the future.
Trials will begin this week to test and demonstrate how new drone-based services can work as part of Milton Keynes’ existing Smart City infrastructure.
Drone flights will map the area in detail, creating a digital twin which can then be used to inform highways surveys and accident response.

The government has announced funding to develop better bus services across the country, with £955 million set aside to support services until 2026.
Transport secretary Louise Haigh has announced £712 million funding for local authorities to ensure better bus services to help further the government's mission to deliver growth across the country. She has also promised another £243 million for bus operators in order to keep fares lower and services frequent.

The Welsh Government has announced an additional £700,000 of funding for the Fuel Bank Foundation’s fuel voucher and Heat Fund scheme to help households who have to pre-pay for their energy.
So far this year, the Welsh Government has provided a total of £1.2 million to support an estimated 8,400 households, or approximately 29,000 individuals, with crisis fuel vouchers, delivering up to 10 days of energy assistance.
As a result of this extra funding, 200 off-gas-grid households will receive help with bulk fuel purchase through the Heat Fund.

Seven UK government-funded mobile networks have been switched on in Wales, bringing rural towns and villages faster and more reliable mobile coverage.
Seven 4G mast upgrades have gone live in in North, South West and West Wales.
It is hoped that the extra connectivity will connect friends and family, help emergency services to save lives, tackle crime and boost productivity for local businesses – supporting the government’s missions to break down barriers to opportunities and boost economic growth.

With multi-home apartment buildings accounting for over 20 per cent of the UK’s housing stock, the trust believes there is an absence of policies aimed at addressing their specific energy renovation requirements.

New controls on the use of consultancies across government are being brought in to cut unnecessary spending.

According to statistics from the Scottish Government, Social Security Scotland paid £1.9 billion in support in 2023-2024.
The payments were made across 14 Scottish benefits - seven of which are not available elsewhere in the UK.

A study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health has found that in England, a 1 per cent increase in grassland area was associated with a 37 per cent reduction in annual preventable deaths among the most deprived urban middle-layer super output areas.
In Northern Ireland and Scotland, a 1 per cent increase in grassland area was associated with a 37 per cent and 41 per cent reduction in 5-year accumulated preventable deaths in the most deprived urban super output areas/intermediate zones, respectively.

Eluned Morgan marks 100 days as first minister.
Since her appointment on 6 August, the Welsh Government has completed the roll-out of free school meals to all primary school pupils; provided above-inflation pay awards to thousands of public sector workers; invested £28 million to bring down the longest hospital waits.

Four tech scale up companies have been announced as the winners of the Unicorn Kingdom Pathfinder Awards (UKPA) - the largest global awards for tech scale up companies.
The awards are hosted by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and look for the most promising businesses in tech.
The finalists came from four categories: AI, Cyber Security, Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) technology and Digital Trade Solutions.