The Children’s Commissioner has warned that a ‘chasm’ remains between what children’s mental health services are available and what children need.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced that thousands of new street trees will be planted in 20 boroughs across the capital.
London has secured over £2 million from the Forestry Commission as part of the Government’s Urban Tree Challenge Fund, having received one fifth of the national fund to plant almost 7,000 street trees across the capital. London boroughs will plant and maintain the new trees.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick has stressed that ‘tree-lined streets should be the ‘norm – not the exception’.

Newcastle City Council has been revealed to be the most inclusive employer in the UK by lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality charity Stonewall.
The council, who came fifth in the Top 100 Employers list last year, has now become the first local authority to ever reach the pole position since Stonewall started its annual ranking back 16 years ago, and remains the highest-ranking local authority for the last three years.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has given the green light to £1 billion in finance to support small and medium sized builders.
The £1 billion guarantee scheme set-up by the government ensures enough credit is available to allow smaller housebuilders to enter the market. Speaking to Parliament, Jenrick confirmed that the British Business Bank’s ENABLE Build Programme will shortly begin guaranteeing millions in new loans for local, independent construction businesses to deliver new homes.

Youth projects across the country will receive a share of a £7 million investment from the Youth Accelerator Fund.
Established to address urgent needs in the youth sector and expand existing successful projects run by Sport England, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England and British Film Institute, the funding will mean that youth clubs and organisations in sport, arts, film and heritage will receive a share of the fund, to deliver a range of positive activities for young people to develop skills and contribute to their local communities.

The Cabinet Office has revealed that for the year 2018/19, government spending with small and medium size firms rose to £14.2 billion.

Treasury Minister Simon Clarke is holding a meeting with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to discuss extra powers from Westminster.

A new study has revealed that unscrupulous drivers are scamming close to a billion pounds each year from UK councils.
The study, carried out by Wilmington Millennium, found that there were 2.35 million Blue Badge holders last year, accounting for 4.3 per cent of the population. However, the Audit Commission estimates that at least 20 per cent of badges are being used fraudulently, meaning that currently close to half a million Blue Badges (470,000) are being used dishonestly - scamming at least £853 million worth of parking charges from local councils.

Carl Lis has said that more affordable housing should be built in England’s national parks to help communities excluded by spiralling prices.