The chair of London Councils' Transport and Environment Committee (TEC), Mayor Philip Glanville has reassured Londoners that the capital's boroughs are well prepared to deal with the challenge of frozen roads and pavements with 75,000 tonnes of salt available at key locations across the capital

Following the drop in temperature and recent snowfall, Mayor Glanville said :"“Highway teams continue to monitor high-tech weather forecasts, ready to treat the roads and pavements with salt as soon as conditions demand it. Councils will be keeping people up to date about forecasts, road conditions and salting activity.

“As a direct impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, car usage has unfortunately increased which means the issue of congestion and road safety affects a huge number of Londoners. Although at present lockdown restrictions mean travel is limited to local areas, London’s boroughs are working hard to ensure it is as safe as possible for all road users, including pedestrians, to carry out their journeys.

“We are also asking that Londoners be vigilant throughout the colder months to make sure their neighbours are okay. If you notice milk bottles left outside, newspapers stuck in the letterbox or curtains drawn all day, or any other activity out of the ordinary, it could be a sign that someone in your community needs help.”

London Councils, boroughs and the GLA have this week published a new guide to help London employers make the most of the government's 'Kickstart' scheme as part of their efforts to support recovery in the capital.

The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to create new job placements for 16 to 24 year-olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment. Employers of all sizes can apply for funding which covers 100 per cent of the National Minimum Wage for 25 hours per week for a total of six months, alongside  associated employer contributions.

The new guide advises employers and Kickstart ‘Gateway organisations’ on how they can support young Londoners to get the most out of their placement and to help Kickstart participants understand what to expect .

Employers are asked to use the guide and share how they are supporting good Kickstart placements with the #londonrecovery #goodwork.

You can read the guide here.

For the fourth year London Councils, in partnership with the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will be publishing an in-depth survey of business leaders from across the capital tomorrow.   

Minister for London Paul Scully and Cllr Danny Thorpe, London Councils Executive Lead Member for Business, will be among the speakers at the launch of the Business 1000 survey on Thursday 28 February (10.45 - 11.45) .

The survey's findings, broken down by size and industry and London’s four sub-regions, will explore issues such as business confidence, recruitment plans, climate change, and business owners' views on their local borough.