Government Business | Business information for local and central government

New guidance from DfE on school spaces

The Department for Education (DfE) has released new "sufficiency framework" for trusts, local authorities and schools with the aim of ensuring there are enough school spaces.

Political parties urged to raise school food funding

School meal industry body, LACA, is calling on political parties to include increased funding for school lunches in their manifesto ahead of the general election this year.

A Manifesto for Stronger Places

In creating our Manifesto for Stronger Places, ADEPT has stepped into new territory, because we all know our local places deserve better, but we need policy as well as investment to make a difference, explains Hannah Bartram, chief executive officer, ADEPT.

Local Government

Using AI efficiently

In July, it was announced that digital gurus from the public sector will be working with government departments as part of plans to turbocharge the technological skills of civil servants.

Technology

Push for councils to use brownfield land for homes

Building homes on brownfield land is due to increase under a major shake-up to planning rules to boost housebuilding while protecting the Green Belt.

Housing developments now required to deliver nature boost

England has become the first country in the world to make Biodiversity Net Gain a legal requirement. This means that all new major housing developments will be required to deliver at least a 10% benefit for nature.
Biodiversity Net Gain has been introduced through the Environment Act and is intended to help deliver a commitment to halt species decline by 2030.

New homes to be built under Affordable Housing Scheme

20,000 new homes will be built across the country under the Affordable Homes Scheme

Councils call for powers to ban pavement parking

The Local Government Association has published a report calling for powers to ban pavement parking across England.
The report comes more than three years after a government consultation to ban pavement parking ended.
At the moment, pavement parking is only banned in London, where councils have the power to exempt certain roads. The consultation considered extending this ban to all councils in the rest of England. The consultation ended over three years ago, but no announcement has yet been made.

Man convicted of threatening behaviour towards MP

A man has been convicted after being arrested by the Met for threatening behaviour towards an MP.
James Phillips pleaded guilty to malicious communications at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 7 February, the day after he was arrested by Met Police.
An investigation was launched on Thursday, 1 February after the Met was contacted by the office of Mike Freer MP that he had received a threatening and abusive phone call the previous day.
Phillips was identified and arrested on Tuesday 6th February.

Plans to increase Minimum Unit Pricing in Scotland

The Scottish Government has announced plans to continue setting a minimum price per unit of alcohol and to increase it by 15p.
The plans are set to go before the Scottish Parliament for approval.
As part of a ‘sunset clause’ when Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) legislation was introduced in 2018, it will end on 30 April this year unless Parliament votes to keep it.
The price increase is included to counteract the effects of inflation and 65p has been selected as the Scottish Government seeks to increase the positive effects of the policy.