News

The Local Government Association has today unveiled the Housing Advisers Programme – a new scheme to help councils tackle local housing challenges.

Telephone boxes are being used to “smuggle” advertising on to high streets across the country, with some areas experiencing an increase in applications of more than 900 per cent in two years.

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.

Plans to increase planning fees by 35 per cent will not be enough to prevent a significant national shortfall or solve capacity issues in the sector.

More than seven per cent of all of England’s planned house building cannot go ahead due to river pollution levels, with further house building banned in other areas because of low water levels, analysis by the Local Government Association reveals.

“The tragedy that unfolded at Grenfell Tower must never be allowed to happen again and we must ensure that those who live, work and visit high-rise and high-risk buildings are safe."

A new report published by the Local Government Association and Tpas sets out how councils are empowering and engaging their tenants. 

Every instance of homelessness is an individual tragedy and councils are determined to prevent homelessness from happening in the first place and support families affected.

The programme is designed to support councils by funding the provision of independent expertise for councils undertaking specific projects to tackle the effects of the housing crisis in their local communities.

Twenty-one councils have been successful in their applications for the Local Government Association’s 2022/23 Housing Advisers Programme (HAP).