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“It is important our communities are not cut off from the digital age, and the £1 billion Shared Rural Network deal is good news for our communities, especially in rural areas."

“Councils need adequate resources and funding certainty to not only cope with this immediate coronavirus crisis but to continue providing other vital public health services for the long term."

“People of all ages should be able to live the lives they want to lead and we are pleased the Government is to begin these cross-party talks, which we have been calling for as part of our work on finding on a long-term, sustainable solution for adult social care."

“With greater planning powers and resources to hold developers to account in the Budget, councils can ensure the right homes are built in the right places with the required infrastructure needed by different groups within local communities."

Responding to the latest ONS figures published today on teenage pregnancies in England and Wales for 2018, which shows that the conception rate for women under 18 has decreased for the eleventh year in a row, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “The halving of teenage pregnancy rates over the last two decades is a tribute to the hard work of councils and their partners, in helping to improve the health, wellbeing and life chances of young people. “We need to build upon these achievements and tackle health inequalities in more

"Protecting and supporting communities, including our most vulnerable, remains councils’ top priority. They are working closely alongside Public Health England, the NHS and others to assess risk, provide advice to communities and try to prevent this virus spreading further."

"Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important and stressful things a parent will do. Everyone wants their child in a school where they can be happy, safe and reach their full potential."

“Councils are absolutely committed to ensuring drug users get the right treatment and support, as part of their public health and other wider responsibilities."

“We are calling on the Government to build on this by using the Budget to adapt welfare reforms to protect families at risk of becoming homeless, and restore local housing allowance rates to cover at least the lowest third of market rents."

Chair of the Local Government Association’s City Regions Board, Sir Richard Leese, responds to the Office for National Statistics figures on young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs).