Newcastle has provided minibuses for bin crews to be transported to their collection rounds so that social distancing guidelines can be met.

Councils are being given new powers to support the NHS and increase hospital capacity as Wales responds to the coronavirus pandemic.
Welsh Housing and Local Government Minister Julie James has introduced emergency permitted development rights, which will allow local authorities to change the use of buildings or erect temporary structures on their land without planning permission. This means that local authorities can use buildings, such as leisure centres, as temporary hospitals if they are needed to prevent or control an emergency.

The COP26 UN climate change conference set to take place in Glasgow in November has been postponed due to coronavirus.
Alok Sharma, COP26 President-Designate and Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said that dates for a rescheduled conference in 2021, hosted in Glasgow by the UK in partnership with Italy, will be set out in due course following further discussion with parties.
However, in light of the ongoing, worldwide effects of coronavirus, holding an ambitious, inclusive COP26 in November 2020 is no longer possible.

The new unitary Buckinghamshire Council had come into existence, replacing the existing local councils in the region.

Sport England is making up to £195 million of funding available to help the sport and physical activity sector through the coronavirus crisis.

Anne Longfield has called for an army of volunteers to help support children’s social care during the coronavirus crisis.
Just as doctors and nurses who left the NHS have responded to calls to return to work to help save lives, the Children’s Commissioner for England would like to see retired social workers and a range of school, nursery and care staff who have been furloughed as a result of the crisis join forces to help keep at-risk children safe.

The Chartered Institute of Housing has warned that grant levels for new social housing in England have fallen dangerously low.

There remains a real challenge for the Scottish government and the housing sector to deliver 50,000 affordable homes by March of next year.

The National Living Wage will increase to £8.72, giving a pay rise to thousands of workers at the frontline of the UK’s response to coronavirus.

Thousands of high street companies are beginning to receive £25,000 cash grants and will be exempt from business rates.