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.
As soon as COVID-19 hit, a pan-Sussex enforcement cell was set up which included the police, Brighton and Hove City Council, the two county councils and the network of district and borough councils.
East Staffordshire Borough Council successfully bid for £23.8 million of funding to regenerate Burton upon Trent. Collaborating with key partners including the universities, colleges and the county council has been key to accessing the towns fund and drive regeneration. In doing so, the council aims to cement itself as a place of learning and opportunity and help close the skills gap to achieve long term economic prosperity locally and regionally.
The Essex and Herts Digital Innovation Zone (DIZ), co-founded and led by Epping Forest District Council, is a cross-sector, cross-border partnership seeking to explore the opportunities of digital infrastructure, applications and innovations to future-proof local economies and the provision of health and social care. The DIZ is delivered in partnership with Essex County Council and Hertfordshire County Council as well as five district councils (Broxbourne, East Herts, Epping Forest, Harlow, and Uttlesford), and partners from the health, higher and further education, voluntary and community sectors and the private sector. The DIZ has an ambition to be recognised as a ‘beacon’ area for place-based digital innovation. applications and innovations, to future proof local economies and the provision of health and social care.
To ensure good uptake in black and ethnic minority communities, the council has worked closely with its communities, training local people to become vaccine advocates and running mobile pop-up clinics.
A partnership between the council, school immunisation service, local NHS and community pharmacy ensured a smooth and quick rollout of vaccination to children and young people in the West Yorkshire borough of Kirklees.
A women-only vaccination clinic was set up in a local area in Leeds experiencing lower vaccine uptake rates in order to provide a safe space for women to access the vaccine.
Gateshead Council partnered with a range of voluntary sector organisations to encourage asylum seekers and refugees to come forward for a COVID-19 vaccine.
At the start of the pandemic, Calderdale Council’s public health team recognised the importance of supporting schools. They set up a helpline for schools so they could get in touch with public health specialists for advice.
To help tackle the low vaccine uptake in Newcastle's working age men, Newcastle City Council and the local NHS worked closely with the city’s football club to help increase vaccination rates.