The LGA's media office provides the national voice of local government in England and Wales on the major issues of the day for national, regional and local press.
Responding to a report by the Children’s Commissioner on the state of children’s mental health services, Cllr Judith Blake, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said:
“This report supports our call for greater investment in the services that help children have mentally healthy childhoods and reduce the pressure on the services that treat mental illness in children. Supporting children early on to reduce the need for clinical interventions means more can receive help when they need it, rather than waiting until they are unwell.
“Waiting too long for
Cllr David Renard, the Local Government Association’s housing spokesman, responds to an announcement by the Housing Secretary that councils will receive an extra £112 million to tackle rough sleeping.
“Councils are uniquely placed to build on community strengths in partnership with Arts Council England, and the greatest impact can be achieved through locally-led culture facilities, including museums, libraries and arts organisations."
Nearly two thirds of leisure centres are outdated and need urgent new investment from government, the Local Government Association reveals today.
New figures, shared with the LGA by Sport England, show that up to 63 per cent of sports halls and swimming pools are more than 10 years old. Nearly a quarter of all sports halls and swimming pools have not been refurbished in more than 20 years.
Central government funding for leisure infrastructure reduced by a third over the last decade. The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, is calling on government to use the forthcoming
“Rising knife crime is causing horrendous destruction and grief in our communities and councils are uncovering some shocking cases of illegal knife sales which risk fuelling this tragic epidemic. Retailers must ask for proof of age if they suspect the buyer is under 25."