Case studies

Lancaster City Council declared a Climate Emergency in January 2019, at which point the Local Plan had been submitted and it was not possible to be significantly amended. The Local Plan was adopted in July 2020, and the Council immediately entered a Climate Emergency partial review to ensure that climate change mitigation and adaptation become fundamental to placemaking in the District.

This project aimed to provide scientific advice and support as well as building capability within South Gloucestershire Council to identify pathways to local climate targets and support the delivery of the South Gloucestershire local Climate Action Plan, which is now at its second year of delivery.

These case studies on workforce planning; market sustainability and strategic commissioning; and discrimination and discriminatory abuse, form part of the Partners in Care and Health 2023-24 annual report.

Reigate and Banstead’s community development workers are a key part of the borough council’s work to tackle social isolation. They are embedded in the community and work with people of all ages, helping establish volunteer networks for older people, intergenerational art and craft groups and activities for teenagers and young people.

Calderdale Council has set up a programme to tackle loneliness that is based in local communities – there are separate locality teams. Workers are employed to support local activities and groups and connect people referred into the programme with opportunities that suit them. One of the major strengths of the programme is that it is driven by local people who know their communities the best.

An alliance bringing together the public, private and voluntary sectors has been supported by Stockport Council to help tackle digital exclusion. Local residents have been trained to become “digital champions” and a dedicated helpline and a device lending library set up. Since the programme started in 2018 thousands of residents have been helped improve their digital skills, reduce the risk of isolation in the process.

Leeds City Council has commissioned its 37 neighbourhood networks to help tackle social isolation and loneliness. They provide a range of support, which continued throughout the pandemic, helping hundreds of vulnerable and frail older people stay connected.

The London Borough of Waltham Forest set up a social prescribing service five years ago. The team works with primary care in the NHS and community groups across the area to link people in with activities and support. Loneliness is one of the most common reasons for a referral. But thanks to the support being provided residents are being helped to learn new skills and take part in a variety of activities, reducing isolation in the process.

A Big Lottery funded programme aimed at tackling social isolation has been running in Middlesbrough for the past seven years. It has helped to fund a range of different activities across the borough for the over 50s. To help people access these activities, extra support has been put in place to make it easier for people to get out-and-about by working with public transport providers and businesses to create an age-friendly environment.

Norfolk has a well-established Healthy Libraries scheme that is having a significant impact on social isolation and loneliness. The library service runs a range of initiatives from singing and colouring groups to a reading project aimed at people who are housebound. They have played a vital role in keeping people living in the large rural county connected both before and during the pandemic.