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.
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Chair of the LGA’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, responds to the NICE draft quality standard for encouraging physical activity.
Severe funding shortages for social services that protect vulnerable children have pushed nearly nine in 10 councils into the red, new LGA analysis relveals.
Over recent years, councils have protected adult social care relative to other services. But the scale of the overall funding picture for local government as a whole means adult social care services still face a £3.6 billion funding gap by 2025, just to maintain existing standards of care.
“Councils are determined to reduce the impact of harmful emissions on the health of our communities but if the Government’s air quality plans and any new local powers are to be successful, they need to be underpinned by local flexibility and sufficient funding.
“Councils also need local powers to further tackle air pollution, particularly with regard to moving traffic offences, government support on planning and transport matters, and robust national action to help the country transition to low-emission vehicles and power generation.”
"Councils want to support a good quality local private rented offer in their communities, but can be held back by significant funding pressures and uncertainty. It is therefore good that the Government has announced a funding boost for councils to help ensure the small minority of rogue landlords improve standards."
"Carers, families and neighbours need to look out for older and disabled people as they are more likely to be at risk of losing their life savings and suffer deteriorating health after falling victim to scam letters and phone calls and doorstep fraudsters."
“With local government facing a £3.1 billion funding gap in 2019/20, any legislative changes in this Bill must be matched with adequate resources and funding.”
“This report rightly reinforces our call for public health funding reductions to be reversed, in order to help councils protect children’s health and reduce inequalities."
Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, responds to an announcement by NHS England about funding for the expansion of the PrEP Impact Trial to 26,000 participants by 2020.