Government Business 31.02

This week's budget included changes to taxes for short-term lets, an extension to the Household Support Fund and funds for building projects. While some of the announcements were welcomed, there were as ever, criticism for areas that were missed out or plans that don't go far enough.

With the first signs of spring already here, in this issue, the Property Care Association looks at new emerging threats in the field of invasive non-native species.

We've got an article from the Heat Pump Association, exploring how local government can play a role in the transition to low-carbon heating.

The Fire Protection Association discusses the fundamentals of protecting buildings through fire risk assessments and techUK sets out its mission to champion digital ambition and empower councils to leverage technology effectively.

We've also got features looking at road maintenance, frameworks and the transport trends of the future.

Polly Jones, editor

Public Sector Buyers' Guide 2024

2024 procurement

The Procurement Act has brought widespread changes to public sector buying, with the intention to make procurement simpler and more effective

With an as yet unplanned general election coming up, 2024 is set to bring some uncertainties. Though, given the experience of the last few years, this is nothing new for those in the public sector. What is certain though, is that services still need to be delivered.

We’ve put together this Buyers’ Guide with features from top associations covering some of the key areas of public sector procurement, and local and central government services. The guide features articles on IT & Cybersecurity, Energy, Facilities Management, Waste Management, Fire Safety, Recruitment and more.

Polly Jones, editor

Government Business 31.01

2024 marks 30 years of Government Business and this special issue looks back at three decades of the magazine. Since its launch in 1994, Government Business has seen eight prime ministers, seven general elections, the Brexit referendum and subsequent withdrawal from the EU, a pandemic, a new monarch and much more in between.

When speaking to people about the last 30 years, a few key events stood out: the introduction of council tax, restructuring of local government, the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent austerity, the pandemic and the series of high-profile events and political crises towards the second half of 2022.

With a general election coming up, we're expecting our 31st year to be a busy one.

The 30th anniversary special edition includes features on storage for waste management and how to prevent fly tipping.

The PCA look at damp and mould in homes and the NADC explore how to keep drains in a good condition.

We've also got the Business Sprinkler Alliance on the importance of maintaining sprinklers and the Asphalt Industry Alliance on funding for local roads, as well as explainers on the Technology Products & Associated Services 2 and the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act.

Don't forget to take part in the 30th anniversary quiz, which can be found here. All the answers are in the magazine.

Polly Jones, editor

Government Business 30.06

This issue of Government Business comes off the back of a big couple of weeks of reshuffles and Autumn Budgets.

In this GB, we have a large focus on waste management, with articles from the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management and The National Association of Wheeled Bin Washers.

In Energy, the UK Green Building Council discusses energy procurement to meet net zero targets and reduce emissions.

The Fire Industry Association looks at fire safety best practice for 2024, the Legionella Control Association investigates the risk of Legionella in public buildings and the National Pest Technicians’ Association discusses methods to help ensure effective and efficient pest management.

Polly Jones, editor

Government Business 30.05

The hot government news at the moment is the withdrawal of net zero policies by the prime minister. Despite the roll back, and some criticism, the target to reach Net Zero by 2050 remains in place – a target that Sunak still believes can be met.

As we come to the end of summer, in this issue of Government Business, we take a look at some of the seasonal issues affecting local authorities - invasive plants, damp and mould and road maintenance.

With new fire safety regulations coming into force in October, we explain what the changes mean for local authorities.

UKATA assesses some of the risks and solutions for asbestos in social housing, the NFDC explains how levelling up needs demolition and the MRS looks at how to use AI in research.

We’ve also got framework explainers and event previews.

Polly Jones, editor

Smart City Business Sept 2023

Smart city technology is only growing and there are almost endless possibilities for its utilisation.

This issue of Smart City Business looks at what smart technologies London has implemented to tackle problems around the city.

We also look at Nottingham City Council's EV charging hub and how local authorities around the country are switching to EVs for their bin collections.

Finally, Michael Kolatchev and Lina Kolesnikova look at some of the potential threats faced by smart cities and what can be done to address these.

Polly Jones, editor

Government Business 30.04

The Conservatives recently lost two by-elections on the same day, with both victors overturning previously massive Conservative majorities. The results seem to show a swing in public opinion away from the Conservatives. However, the Tories are keen to highlight the narrow victory in Uxbridge as a sign that they still have support, and that voters (particularly in London) are reluctant to switch to Labour.

In this issue, the FIA explains the impact of the Building Safety Act 2022 on local authorities in terms of fire safety and what this means for Responsible Persons.

The Property Care Association investigates damp and mould in social housing and we look at how Manchester have improved their recycling rates thanks to improvements at their waste recycling centres.

We take a detailed look at carbon reduction in procurement and in particular the Carbon reduction plans of CCS listed suppliers.

We will also preview some of the events you can look forward to towards the end of the year and investigate CCS's non-clinical staffing framework.

Government Business 30.03

This issue of Government Business magazine is the first to feature our new redesign. At the start of the pandemic, we made the decision to switch from a print to exclusively digital magazine. Three years on and we are still working to improve our readers' experience and how you interact with Government Business. We know that more and more readers are choosing to read our magazine on a mobile or tablet device, as well as on a desktop computer. With this in mind, we have overhauled the design of the magazine to improve your experience. Throughout the pages, you will notice the font size has increased. This is to reduce zooming and scrolling, and make our stories easier to read and digest. We will also be including more video content in our magazines, including a welcome message from our editor with details about what is included in this issue. Finally, the magazine has a sleek new design, all hopefully adding to an enjoyable and informative experience for you. We hope you like it.

GB 30.3 still includes lots of great content, including a feature on invasive plants by the Property Care Association and an article on the importance of fire doors by the British Woodworking Federation.

We have also included a few frameworks, and previews of some of the exciting events coming up over the next few months. As well as this, this issue covers health and safety, cyber security, waste management, road maintenance and more!

Smart City Business May 2023

This Smart City Business supplement is brought to you by Government Business.

The supplement uses our new redesigned magazine format, which is designed to be more easily read on mobile devices and improve the reader experience. We hope you like it.

In this supplement, we cover the hot topics in smart cities, including waste management, traffic management and robots.

We hope you enjoy it.

Government Business 30.02

Another Hunt budget


Chancellor Jeremy Hunt recently published his spring budget, including further help with energy costs and extended provision of childcare.

Missing from the budget was any statement on public sector pay or any big announcements on the NHS. However, funding was announced for pot holes, which will be welcome for many in local government and the public at large.

The chancellor also announced funding for leisure centres and swimming pools, which as you will see in our energy feature on p. 72 have been struggling for some time now. Many across the country have been finding innovative ways to keep their heads above water.

Our waste management section looks at ways that savings can be made on local bin collections and how electric refuse vehicles have been rolled out around the country.

We also cover a lot on facilities in this issue, including cleaning, fire safety and asbestos management.

Finally several event previews are included throughout the issue, providing an overview of the best events for facilities management, fire safety, health & safety and security, which you can visit in the coming months.

Polly Jones, editor

Pages

Event Diary

Food, Drink & Hospitality Week comes to ExCeL London on 25-27 March for three busy days of networking, product sourcing and learning about the very latest industry trends.

Join the digital, data and technology community at DigiGov Expo – where public sector experts and innovators gain knowledge to transform government services.

The Workplace Event 2024

In an era marked by rapid technological advancements, shifting workplace cultures, and an increased focus on employee well-being, The Workplace Event (TWE) 2024 emerges as a beacon of insight, innovation, and inspiration. Taking place from April 30 - May 2 2024 at the NEC Birmingham, TWE  brings together over 5,000 workplace and facilities management professionals.