Briefings and responses

The LGA has been leading efforts to highlight the significant pressures facing adult social care and we are pleased that the Government has started to act on our concerns.

Councils support active travel. Getting people to use more active travel will improve congestion, air quality and obesity rates, which in turn have substantial benefits such as for local economies, education and taxpayers.

We recommend that the Government is more ambitious on funding for the rest of the country not covered by Mayoral Combined authorities. Long-term pipelines of funding, and a focus on high level outcomes, for example ‘half of journeys by active and public transport by 2030’ would allow local areas to develop in house capacity to plan and deliver projects. Government is moving in the right direction but must ensure all parts of the country benefit.

Business rates account for around a quarter of all council spending power. Money raised is used to pay for vital local services, such as caring for older and disabled people, protecting children, fixing potholes and collecting bins.

"We welcome the powers granted by the Government for councils to impose civil penalties of up to £30,000 for the worst housing offences."

We support the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Bill. Councils want their residents to live in homes that are decent, safe and secure, and councils’ housing teams work hard to ensure homes are fit for purpose.

Councils want their residents to live in homes that are decent, safe and secure, and councils’ housing teams work hard to ensure homes are fit for purpose.

Councils want their residents to live in homes that are decent, safe and secure, and councils’ housing teams work hard to ensure homes are fit for purpose.

Faced with increasing demand, reducing budgets, falling social housing and wide-ranging welfare reforms, it is clear that that there is no silver bullet and councils cannot tackle this challenge alone.

Councils want to end homelessness and are already doing everything they can within existing resources to prevent and tackle it, but there is no silver bullet and councils alone cannot tackle rising homelessness.