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“The LGA has long called for councils to be given greater freedom to borrow to build new homes and today’s Budget has taken a step towards that by lifting the housing borrowing cap for some councils. This is an important recognition of our argument about the vital role that councils must play to boost homes for local families in need and solve our housing crisis. “There are other measures in the Budget that will make a difference, especially more funding for Land Assembly, the Housing Infrastructure Fund and for SME builders. These are all measures councils have been making a case for. “Plan

“It’s heart-breaking to think of any child experiencing homelessness, especially at Christmas, which is why councils are focused on trying to prevent homelessness happening in the first place."

Council planning departments are set to miss out on an extra £70 million by the end of the financial year, ‘hampering’ their ability to process applications, if the Government does not urgently bring forward measures to increase planning fees, the LGA warns today.

The Government has announced today that 90 per cent of councils are now part of a programme that will create 44,000 new jobs and release land for 25,000 new homes.

“Councils have lost out on enough homes to house the population of Oxford in the last five years, and we urgently need a model of Right to Buy that actually allows councils to build more homes, in order to increase the opportunities for families."

"Behind this rise in the number of homeless households are thousands of individual tragedies. Councils, on the front line of tackling homelessness, understand this, and are determined to do all they can to prevent people from losing their home in the first place."

“What happened at Grenfell Tower can never be allowed to happen again and no-one should have to live in fear about their safety, be that in the buildings they live in, work in or visit."

“Councils are committed to seeing housing developments that protect and enhance the natural environment and enable wildlife habitats to thrive and flourish."

“Councils must be part of the solution to our chronic housing shortage and able to resume their historic role as a major builder of affordable homes."

New analysis by the Local Government Association reveals nearly one in 10 new homes over the last two years was converted from an office and included no affordable housing or supporting investment in infrastructure such as roads, schools and health services.