It has been revealed that more than 300 high-rise buildings across Scotland do not have potentially life-saving sprinkler systems.

The leader of Plymouth City Council has urged fellow councillors to vote for the council's updated Plan for Libraries.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has launched the search for the first-ever London Borough of Culture, inviting 32 boroughs to bid for cultural funding.
The new London Borough of Culture Award will see the capital’s 32 boroughs bid for more than £1million of funding to stage a programme of world-class cultural events and initiatives, and to develop a plan to make culture an integral part of the boroughs’ future. A further £600,000 is available for to up to six boroughs which don’t win the title, but which put forward exemplary projects.

Zero Waste Scotland has been asked to investigate design options and the associated costs and benefits of a Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland.
Deposit return schemes enable consumers to pay a small deposit that is fully refundable once the empty bottle is returned. There is strong belief that the scheme can reduce litter and increase recycling.

The NAO has warned that online fraud is being overlooked by government, law enforcement and industry.

NICE and Public Health England are urging for ‘no vehicle idling’ zones to be enforced by local authorities.

Kingston Council has launched Kingston Recycling Rewards, a recycling rewards scheme which aims to reduce non-recyclable waste in the borough.
The scheme rewards residents who live in the borough’s 15,000 purpose built flats for the recycling efforts, with monthly cash prizes available for residents alongside influence of how a share of a £4,750 donation fund is given to local charities.
The scheme, provided by specialist sustainable rewards provider Local Green Points, aims to reduce the £3 million a year it costs the council to process non-recyclable waste.

Leeds City Council and its partners have launched a new cycling plan for the city to improve cycling infrastructure and accessibility.
The ‘Leeds Cycling Starts Here’ strategy, unveiled alongside the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), British Cycling, and Leeds Cycling Consultation Forum, aims to build upon and create a lasting legacy from the successful 2014 Le Grand Départ in Leeds.

New Keep Britain Tidy research has found that the presence of large, brightly-coloured items of litter act as a ‘beacon’ for more litter.
In the inaugural edition of its Journal of Litter and Environmental Quality, the charity argues that keeping areas free from these ‘beacons of litter’ reduces overall littering.