Innovation in local government is about improving the lives of the people in our
communities. Browse through our case studies to see the many innovative programmes councils are involved
in.
The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 gave councils the responsibility for the licensing of scrap metal dealers and collectors, as well as the enforcement of the licensing regime alongside the police.
In December 2020, the East Lindsey District Council successfully secured £2.2million from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for Green Homes Grants. Over the next 18 months, a team was built, contractors were procured, and 192 properties received energy efficiency upgrades to help make them warmer, more affordable to run and less impactful on the environment through reduced carbon emissions.
Lewes District Council adopted a new corporate plan in February 2020, following the declaration of a climate emergency in July 2019. The corporate plan, ‘Reimagining Lewes District’, set out the council’s ambitions to achieve net carbon zero whilst continuing to embed community wealth building principles within the district. This case study sets out how delivery has progressed since.
South Cambridgeshire District Council set up the Zero Carbon Communities (ZCC) Grant scheme to harness local action and enthusiasm, build local community networks and to enable this through a consistent and sustainable funding approach.
The Social Housing Decarbonisation Funding (SHDF) provided an opportunity for Milton Keynes City Council to develop a methodology for energy efficiency upgrades that would be scalable whilst utilising a street-level approach with Mears Group plc.
Housing retrofit is a highly important and effective programme of work and Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC) has been undertaking insulation work over the last two decades in response to government funding.
The Royal Borough of Greenwich was commissioned as part of the European Sharing Cities programme to demonstrate the potential of innovation and technology in the areas of citizen engagement, mobility, energy, housing and city data platforms to benefit the environment, the city and its citizens.
Community development officers working for Redcar & Cleveland Council developed community orchards in East Cleveland. As part of this scheme, members of the community are trained to graft and care for trees.