Case studies

Southwark has recently launched the Green Buildings Fund, which uses Section 106 carbon offset payments from developers to fund retrofit and low carbon technologies in council buildings.

Southwark Council has been implementing a ‘no mow’ policy in our major parks and elsewhere. We have recently introduced ‘cut and collect’ techniques with the purchase of new equipment funded by the Mayor of London’s rewilding fund.

The Psychosocial Engagement Team service was developed as a six-month pilot project, where referrals were made by A&E mental health liaison teams into a six to eight week programme focused on problem-solving and support. In six months, 100 referrals were made, with 85 per cent engagement. The pilot has been evaluated and embedded into the mental health pathway. This case study was done jointly with the National Suicide Prevention Alliance and forms part of our suicide prevention resource.

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.

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.

The London Borough of Barnet secured Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) funding (PSDS1 and PSDS3) from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures in public buildings, including offices, schools, libraries and community services, with a focus on heat pumps.

Cornwall Council have been using the Cornwall Development and Decision Wheel (CDDW) for cabinet decisions since September 2019. The CDDW is based on Doughnut Economics. It has been used to illustrate the positive and negative impacts of the decision being proposed in an easily accessible form that draws decision-makers to key issues that may require further debate, mitigation or even cancellation. Three years into using the CDDW, we have revisited them to understand what Cornwall Council have learnt from embedding it in Cabinet and other decisions and the impact it has had.

Thurrock council used artificial intelligence technology and co-produced an interactive app with families and local professionals to support on breast and bottle feeding, immunisations, sleep, play, mental health, diet, and oral health.

Like many areas, reaching and engaging middle aged men in suicide prevention activities is an important objective for the Champs Public Health Collaborative. The Collaborative commissioned Everton in the Community and Edge Hill University to conduct an evaluation of funded projects and a rapid evidence review of the effectiveness of these interventions. This case study was done jointly with the National Suicide Prevention Alliance and forms part of our suicide prevention resource.

Gloucestershire County Council has taken a dynamic and innovative approach to recruitment and retention of social workers which has driven increased stability in the workforce to achieve better outcomes for children, young people and their families.