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Welcome to the NAG newsletter for 23 April 2021. Feel free to circulate to your colleagues.
This newsletter is now delivered through our corporate service that handles all our various e-bulletins. Manage or create a subscription - previous bulletins can now be found here.
Welcome SOPO Members
We would like to offer a warm welcome to members of the old SOPO mailing list which has formally been transferred over to the LGA – no change in what you'll receive but you'll be getting the bulletin directly from us from now on. I am sure a few of you will be members of both mailing lists so the only change will be that you only receive this the once on a Friday.
The LGA would like to thank Heidi and Rhian, at YPO, who have been disseminating the bulletins/NAG Newsletters over the years.
If you missed your opportunity to unsubscribe or wish to share this with others then please go to our manage subscription pages.
COVID Stories
Business grants
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has published data on grants distributed by local authorities to businesses in the form of Local Restrictions Support Grant, Additional Restrictions Grant and the Christmas Support Payment for wet-led pubs. As of 28 February, councils had distributed £4.3 billion worth of grants to almost two million businesses.
BEIS has also published updated guidance for the Additional Restrictions Grant which was sent to councils last week outlining how to access the £425 million top-up announced in the 2021 Budget.
Personal Protective Equipment guidance for care homes
The Government has published the latest version of the Personal protective equipment (PPE): resource for care workers working in care homes during sustained COVID-19 transmission in England. This is guidance is for those working in care homes and provides information on how to work safely during this period of sustained transmission of COVID-19.
Fairs and Showgrounds
While fairs and showgrounds can reopen as part of the latest phase of the Government's roadmap out of lockdown, no specific guidance has been issued on this. However, the Government has issued guidance to support those working in the visitor economy and the Events Industry Forum has also recently updated its COVID Guidance for outdoor events which is endorsed by government and includes advice for event organisers on assessing risks. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has also published guidance specifically for local authorities on organised events - which could cover events such as funfairs and fairgrounds - and is designed to assist councils in ensuring that outdoor events can go ahead safely. A COVID-19 Guidance for Risk Assessments at Funfairs guidance has also been published by the Showmen's Guild.
Non-COVID stories
Climate change target
The Government announced recently that it will enshrine a new target into law to cut emissions by 78 per cent by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. The UK's sixth Carbon Budget, in line with the recommendation from the independent Climate Change Committee, will limit the volume of greenhouse gases emitted over a five year period from 2033 to 2037, taking the UK more than three-quarters of the way to reaching net zero by 2050. It will also incorporate the UK's share of international aviation and shipping emissions for the first time. The new target will become enshrined in law by the end of June 2021, with legislation setting out the UK government's commitments laid in Parliament tomorrow.
Apprenticeships
Following the announcement in the Spring Budget, the Government has launched a consultation into flexi-job apprenticeships. This is targeted at employers within certain sectors (including creative industries, digital and construction) to take on apprenticeships so they can move more easily from one employer to another. The consultation seeks views on how flexi-job apprenticeships could work in practice and the future role of apprenticeship training agencies, which we know continue to be used by councils. The LGA would encourage councils to respond directly and share your thoughts with Jamie.saddler@local.gov.uk and jasbir.jhas@local.gov.uk.
Changes to Crown Commercial Service frameworks
Crown Commercial Service's monthly framework update. To help you with your procurement planning the update provides a brief summary of what has been awarded, extended or expired during the previous month. It also outlines what is due to expire in the next 3 months.
Funding
Brownfield Land Release Fund
The One Public Estate Programme has launched the Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF). This fund comprises up to £75 million of capital grant, available to eligible English councils to support local authority brownfield land release for housing, with £25 million ring-fenced to support self and custom-build delivery. One Public Estate partnerships are invited to coordinate applications to the fund from local authorities across their OPE partnership areas. Applications are welcomed by 23:59 Wednesday 2 June 2021. For further details about the fund and how to apply, please visit our website. A BLRF Bid Writing Workshop and a Self & Custom Build Workshop will be held to support local authority officers to develop funding applications. For further details about the fund or the workshops, please contact your OPE Regional Programme Managers.
Training and Development
Scope 3 Greenhouse gas accounting and social care
Local Partnerships and the LGA are co-hosting a webinar on Thursday 13 May for councils reporting on Scope 3 emissions from social care provision. Scope 3 emissions are defined as indirect emissions that occur in a company's value chain. The webinar will provide an overview of the forthcoming guidance for local authorities reporting on outsourced care provision, and interpretations of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol for this sector. It will also include an overview of updates to the Greenhouse Gas Accounting toolkit.
Webinars
Innovate UK - Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Roadshows
SBRI Roadshows aim to help procurement professionals in local government understand the process and encourage them to see it as a legitimate route to procure innovative solutions to unmet challenges. They are looking for procurement specialists and challenge owners from the public sector to sign up. The events are in partnership with different locations but anyone from anywhere can attend any of the events.
Join InnovateUK, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Scottish Enterprise to learn how you can procure innovation using SBRI - 26 April 2021
Join InnovateUK and NEPO to learn how you can procure innovation to solve public sector needs using challenge-based procurement - 29 April 2021
London Office Of Technology and Innovation (LOTI) Commercial Routes to Market for Housing Management Systems – 28 April 2021
As part of LOTI's Innovation in Procurement workstream, Hounslow, Kingston and Southwark are working with PUBLIC to implement an innovative sourcing approach to housing management solutions. To help design how LOTI boroughs can get the most value from joint commercial exercises, PUBLIC will lead a workshop discussing procurement methods and practices that enable boroughs to purchase innovative technology alongside core enterprise systems from the outset.
All You Need to Know About Framework Agreements, Dynamic Purchasing Systems and More – 28 April 2021
Whilst contracting authorities have been using framework agreements for several years, they have been an area of uncertainty for practitioners. This focused webinar has been developed to provide clarity around how to set up and manage your own framework agreements, as well as compliantly use frameworks established by other bodies.
Micro Business Webinar – 28 April 2021
To ensure these businesses have accessible and relevant support that meets their needs as we begin to recover from the pandemic, the LGA has commissioned Shared Intelligence to produce a guide for councils. This sets out the challenges that micro businesses face, the types of support that is available to them and the role of councils in supporting their growth and sustainability. It also highlights case studies of good practice.
This webinar will share the research and discuss the opportunities for councils in providing support to micro businesses in their local economies.
Economic growth - Town and city centre regeneration – 12 May 2021
The LGA will be hosting a virtual roundtable discussion on the opportunities and challenges of town and city centre regeneration as part of our economic growth improvement offer. The event is aimed for council officers working on economic growth and development. There are up to 30 spaces available for this roundtable so please email productivity@local.gov.uk if you are interested in attending by 30 April.
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