Briefings and responses

We support the intention of the legislation to give local systems the flexibility to make their own arrangements for joining up services, and setting their own strategies for improving population health, but this means that there is relatively little on the face of the Bill and more emphasis will be on statutory guidance to accompany the legislation.

It is right that the Online Safety Bill protects the freedom of speech of users, including the freedom of users to criticise issues such as government policy. However, as it stands, the failure of social media companies to address the abuse and harassment is driving people away from their platforms, reducing their opportunity to contribute to important debates and limiting their own freedom of speech.

This briefing summarised the guidance and some of the key issues councils and combined authorities will need to consider in advance of further details about the UKSPF being released.

The LGA has four core asks around the Building Safety Bill.

While we support the Bill’s aim to make the skills system more responsive to employers’ needs, the reforms need to be implemented as part of an integrated, place-based approach.

This briefing sets out the LGA's response to different parts of the Government's health and social care integration white paper. We welcome the recognition that achieving better health and wellbeing outcomes for individuals and communities is the primary purpose of integration, but achieving the scale of ambition set out will require long term commitment from Government, local government and NHS leaders at every level.

This briefing provides an update of the ADASS Advice note 'Carers and Safeguarding Adults' produced in 2011 for frontline workers and brings it in line with the Care Act 2014. It is intended to be used as a practical tool and does not seek to amend or replace existing statutory guidance that may be in place. The briefing will support the improvement in practice regarding safeguarding adults as well as safeguarding their carers.

All councils have voluntarily signed the Armed Forces Covenant. The further enshrinement of the Covenant into law is an opportunity to build upon work councils are already leading to help serving personnel, reservists, veterans, and their families to have the same equality of access to public services as their civilian neighbours.

The LGA has long highlighted that council tax rises – particularly the adult social care precept – have never been the solution to the long-term pressures faced by councils, particularly in social care which is facing severe financial and capacity challenges. Increasing council tax raises different amounts of money in different parts of the country, unrelated to need.