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Wrexham Council to invest £38m in the existing social housing stock in a bid to meet a 2020 deadline for improving standards... Wrexham Council is expected to meet targets to bring its entire social housing stock up to the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) by the 2020 deadline following an...

A partnership between Lancashire County Council and Funding Circle has led to growth and employment in the local area... Lancashire County Council announced two years ago it would lend directly to SMEs through Funding Circle. The local authority was the first council in the UK to do so. Over the last...

Party leaders have made new pledges today based on employment, taxation and health as the battle for Downing Street gets underway... On the campaign trail, the leaders of the three major parties have laid out some of their plans if they win the General Election on 7 May. Today, Liberal Democrat...

Climate change is one of the world’s toughest challenges. Despite evidence from both sides to debate the magnitude of the problem, the evidence overwhelmingly supports that climate change is real and accelerating. In order to tackle the problem, experts believe that change is needed – within society.

Months and years pass by, yet there remains a pervasive silence among people with political influence on what must be done to limit and then reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into our environment from our burning of fossil fuels.  Do the world’s leaders not realize the catastrophe...

Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg has promised a stronger economy and a fairer society for Wales... The Liberal Democrats will fight for a stronger, fairer Wales, according to Nick Clegg. The General Election campaign got fully underway following the dissolution of parliament yesterday. The...

Researchers have warned that parents are failing to spot obesity in their children, leading to significant health consequences... A study involving 2,976 UK families revealed only four parents thought their child was overweight, despite medical assessments finding there were 369 children classified as suffering weight issues. The research, published in the...

Parliament is set to dissolve today, heralding the start of the election campaign for the next government... All 650 MPs elected in 2010 will officially be unemployed by the end of today. The dissolution of parliament will mark the start of the election campaign for the position of the next...

A new investigation has been launched following claims that pension data is being sold to fraudsters and cold-calling companies... According to an investigation by the Daily Mail, firms have sold information regarding salaries, investment values, and pension size without consent. Undercover reporters from the newspaper were able to buy pension...

With six weeks until the General Election the debate season kicked-off last night with a showdown between TV political heavyweight Jeremy Paxman and the leaders of the two main parties...   The first debate did not get off to a good start for either David Cameron or Ed Miliband, with Jeremy...

Christian Friis Bach, Under Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe details the importance of renewing efforts against air pollution… Breathe in and breathe out. Hold your breath. If you do this too long, you can feel a strong urge to gasp and...

The economic crisis forced healthcare budgets to be reduced throughout Europe, putting pressure on officials trying to tackle major health challenges. With an ever growing population, addressing these challenges has become a key priority. Health and social care is a key policy throughout Europe, and whether it be the...

Victoria Bankes Price, Planning Advisor at the Woodland Trust examines the Biodiversity Duty for Public Authorities and highlights how guidance is lacking in useful information… In addressing The Biodiversity Duty for Public Authorities, just how much guidance does the ‘guidance’ provide? “Every public authority must, in exercising its functions, have regard,...

The government has announced an extension of the electric van grant and an additional £4m to help refuel gas-powered trucks... Transport Minister Baroness Kramer has announced the extension of funding for electric vans in a bid to continue to develop green fleets, which can cut emissions. The grant was launched in...

Public sector organisations in Essex have joined forces to free up land and assets to enable the development of affordable and specialist housing... The Housing and Public Sector Land Project is an initiative aimed at solving the housing challenge facing Essex. The project was set up by the Essex Partnership...

Solar power provides an opportunity for social housing associations and landlords to improve the long term energy prospects of tenants by alleviating fuel poverty and greatly reducing their carbon emissions. And, whatever the outcome of 2015's general election and the new government's energy and carbon policies, the benefits of...

Louise Aston, Workwell Director, Business in the Community, gives her views on why a positive culture of wellbeing is vital for all organisations…  Supporting employees to be happy and healthy at work is one of the most important ways that an organisation can ensure sustainable high-level performance, and there is...

A new survey has revealed that almost half of county councils do not think the government target to implement superfast broadband can be met... By 2017 the government aims to see 95 per cent of the country able to access superfast broadband. However, a survey conducted by the County Councils...

AG highlights how the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research is ensuring their commitment to research and development over the coming year…   The EU’s significant investment in research comes in the form of the Horizon 2020 programme. This programme is the biggest of its kind with nearly €80bn of funding available...

Business group CBI has warned if no party wins outright during the General Election in May it could impact the UK economy... The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has urged all parties to ensure they minimise “post-election uncertainty”, stating a power vacuum following the election could have significant consequences for...