Briefings and responses

Councils have shown leadership and supported their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Local authorities and their essential workforce have worked hard to protect the most vulnerable within their communities, they have supported businesses and convened the voluntary sector to bring together communities, as well as continuing to deliver key services.

This joint briefing note for clinical commissioning groups (CCG), local authority learning disability commissioners and Directors of Housing has been prepared by NHS England and NHS Improvement, the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Care (ADASS).

Councils are particularly concerned about the proposed changes to high needs funding which will reduce council and school flexibility to make additional funding available where there are rising demand pressures for SEND support.

Councils are continuing to tell us that pressures on the High Needs funding block is one of the most serious financial challenges that they are currently dealing with and we are calling on the Government to provide councils with long-term certainty on levels of high needs funding.

There is clear evidence that where people are born into or experience poverty, it significantly impacts on their life chances.

Local government works across a broad range of services that are important to social mobility. These include education, welfare, housing, family services and public health to name just a few. Councils are therefore uniquely placed to proactively contribute to improving social mobility of its residents.

It will be important that any new requirements or responsibilities for councils align with proposals being brought forward in both the Fire Safety Act and the Building Safety Act and are fully funded.

We welcome proposals that will strengthen the role of the Social Housing Regulator to increase the rights of tenants and enable tenants to better hold their landlord to account on consumer issues.

Councils are determined that all tenants should have the security of a safe and well-maintained home with any issues quickly and satisfactorily addressed. The majority of social housing landlords are responsible and provide high quality homes for people to live in.

Councils are determined that all tenants should have the security of a safe and well-maintained home with any issues quickly and satisfactorily addressed.